The Endowment Committee is happy to announce that there is $12,329 available from the Endowment Fund for grants in 2026. The grants are for programs or projects at the Fellowship. In addition to physical improvements, the application identifies the sponsor for grant requests in areas of enhancing the use of Chu Hall, environmental, community engagement, religious education programs, or Sunday service supplies. The grant application form is linked below. It can be completed digitally. The deadline for submitting an application is February 28, 2026 . If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Sandra at endowment@muuf.org . We look forward to receiving several applications this year.

Do you ever feel a bit overwhelmed by the state of the world? Do you want to help make a difference but aren't sure where you "fit" without burning out? This year, Morristown UU is diving into the UU Common Read, "Social Change Now: A Guide for Reflection and Connection" by Deepa Iyer.  This isn't just a book club—it’s a chance for our whole community to look at how we show up for justice and for each other. The "Ecosystem" Approach Deepa Iyer’s work moves us away from the idea that everyone has to be a "protester" or an "activist" in the traditional sense. Instead, she identifies 10 essential roles —like the Weaver  (connecting people), the Caregiver  (nurturing the community), the Experimenter  (trying new ideas), and the Guide  (sharing wisdom). When we understand our natural roles, our work for social change becomes more sustainable, joyful, and effective. What’s Coming Up? We are planning a "Whole Church" experience with tracks for adults, youth, and families (including workshops for kids based on the book We Are the Builders! ). In February we will officially launch the program with a special theme-based Sunday service. We will host small group reflection circles and multigenerational workshops to help everyone find their place in the MUUF "Ecosystem" in March. Help Lead the Way! We are looking for three people  to join a small guiding team to help shape this process. You don't need to be an expert on the book! We just need a few folks who are excited about building community and helping others find their spark. If you’re interested in helping us plan the launch or facilitating a small group in March, please reach out to Nick Wallwork at nwallwork@muuf.org Let's find our roles and build something beautiful together.

From whence do we Unitarian Universalists derive our spiritual wisdom? Sometimes from ancient scriptures, but also from folk tales, poetry, novels, and other artistic creations that express our values and inspire us to live by them. For some of us, rich resources lie in musical theatre productions  we’ve experienced over the years. During the next few months, we will spend time together sharing our experiences of inspiring songs and scenes. Some of us will have seen some of the old classics several times. Others will know more about modern creations. No doubt we’ll talk about much more than we can fit into one Sunday Service, but participating in discussion can be a worthwhile way of experiencing our interconnectedness . Eventually, we’ll begin planning the actual service, deciding which songs and dances, monologues and scenes, could best serve as part of a Service about preaching UU values from the Broadway stage. Who would like to act or sing or dance or play an instrument or create a bit of costuming or scenery? Which famed musical theatre lyricist was an RE graduate of one of our oldest UU congregations in NYC? What would our whole congregation like to sing together? What visual projections might enrich the whole experience? What legal permissions do we need to include segments from Broadway shows? Who will be on the tech team to produce a good video recording of the service for posterity? How should we select and organize all the pieces to make an aesthetic whole that fits into our allotted one-hour time frame, so everyone can go outside that Sunday to enjoy our annual Fellowship picnic? If you’d like to use your talents  to answer any or all of those questions, email or talk to Barbara Castellana Stasiak  about your interests and your schedule.  Ultimately, there will be rehearsals to make our presentation a meaningful experience for all – planners, presenters, and attendees. (Thanks to Laurie Crosse, a member of our Fellowship’s current Worship Arts Committee, for the playbill graphic – she created a service on a similar theme in 2011 when she was a member of the Program Committee at the UU Fellowship of Huntington in Long Island.)

The Nominating Committee is looking for nominees to run for open board and committee positions. Prospective candidates must be Fellowship members in good standing. Unless otherwise stated, the term for each position is 3 years. Open Positions: President Elect – A candidate for this position would be expected to work closely with and support the board president, Nan Perigo, for one year before stepping up to the position of Board President for 2 years. Trustee at Large (2 open positions) – This year the traditionally designated function (name) for each TAL position will be dropped to allow for more flexibility. Tim Davis and John Franklin will be completing their terms as Trustees this coming June. Finance Committee Member – This person would be part of a three-member team charged with overseeing the Operating Fund. Tom Perch will be completing his term this year. Nominating Committee Member – This person would be part of a five-member team charged with producing a slate of qualified nominees for open positions on the board and standing committees. Judie Romano will be completing her term this year. Endowment Fund Member – This person would be part of a three-member team charged with helping the Fellowship grow, invest, and allocate our endowment. Carolyn Schwartz will be completing her term this year. For more information or to nominate someone – self nominations accepted – contact the committee (Judie Romano, Craig Adams, Hazel Bell, Paul Ferm, Noelle Jensen) at nominating@muuf.org .

The Morristown Unitarian Fellowship had a quick start when it began organizing in October 1955. The energy probably came from the fact that this was a young congregation with most of the adults under the age of 50 plentiful supply of children, who met in a large room in the basement of the YMCA starting that October. Many founders were from the generation that parented Baby Boomers and the men were veterans of World War II Only one of the 52 founders, Margaret Pond, was more than 60 years old. (She joined at age 92 and lived to be 102 years six months, the oldest person ever to be a member.) The closest in age, Grace Zieger, turned 60 in March 1956, and she was one of only five founding members between 50 and 59 years old On the other end, the youngest was 17-year-old Dennis Dalton (Alive in Portland, Ore., Dalton, a professor emeritus for Barnard College, is an internationally recognized expert on Mohatma Gandhi). Dalton joined, along with his father, Andrew Dalton, age 58, when he joined) There were five members aged 20 to 29 (including surviving member Judy Deutsch and presumably surviving member, Doris Babson Thomas.) The biggest group was the 28 individuals from 30 to 39 years old, with the next biggest the 12 members from 40 to 49—40 of the founders were between 30 and 50. And if energy meant anything, note that Marshall Deutsch, who spearheaded the founding of the Fellowship was 34 years old when he became the first person to sign the membership book on Dec. 18, 1955, and his wife, Judy, was 26 when she was the second to sign The couple had already organized the Morris Plains Cooperative Nursery School and at the time they signed the Fellowship book had children aged two years old and five months.

As most of you know, I have been working to bring enough young people into this course to allow us to run the course. We need 5 young people to make it go. We have 2 now and potentially 2 more, so we are getting close. I have reached out to two people outside UU to recruit kids. One is Rev Amos Caley of the Reformed Church of Highland Park, the other is Cuqui Rivera of the Latino Action Network, to try to bring some young people from their contacts. I offered to do the same Introductory Webinar this Sunday, January 11, at 6:00 pm, that we did last Sunday for our congregation. Since we can have a lot of people on Zoom with no ill effects, I am pleased to invite our congregation to this presentation. Please join us if you can, Sunday evening at 6:00. By the way, if we have sufficient interest, we will open a course for adults that will run at a different time. Here is the Zoom info: Sunday, January 11, 2026, at 6:00 pm https://zoom.us/j/99345858885?pwd=kTbVdTOQZHfdvgPQXvcEMPGJiw67It.1 Meeting ID: 993 4585 8885 Passcode: 323830

Our congregation committed to provide meals for two weeks in January for The Morristown Sprint. The Sprint is a short-term community initiative to house chronically unsheltered individuals here in Morristown and strengthen community coordination. Last weekend over 10 people gathered in our kitchen to cook meals planned and coordinated by Diana Hart. The team cooked and packed 4 home-cooked meals each for 21 people – all packaged for easy storage and reheating. The special collection at both services on Christmas Eve supported the purchase of food and supplies for the meals. The next weekend of cooking for Morristown Sprint is scheduled for the weekend of January 24 – 26.  You can sign up to help prepare and pack meals by clicking here . The Sprint is a local initiative that is leveraging state-level resources to help people access housing. Much of the initial housing is without a full kitchen, so the meals we prepare are especially welcome. Morristown UU is working through Collaborative Support Programs of New Jersey (CSPNJ) along with other local faith communities to provide the meals. Reach out to socialjustice@muuf.org with any questions. Pictured in the photos are the bags of food ready for delivery with Diana Hart, Dori Wolfe, Don Preziosi and Helene Ferm. Many thanks to those that helped decorate the delivery bags at coffee hour on January 4 th !

Observe Martin Luther King Day by attending the annual Interfaith Breakfast hosted by the MLK Observance Committee.  This year the theme is “The Dream’s Continuing Vision: Hope and Harmony”.  This year is the 56 th  Anniversary of this annual Morristown-area tradition. The annual breakfast brings together the greater Morris community to honor the legacy of Dr. King.  The Observance Committee also sponsors a Scholarship Program for high school graduates with demonstrated commitment to the vision and ideals of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. 8:00 AM, Monday January 19, 2026 Hyatt Regency Hotel, 3 Speedwell Ave, Morristown, NJ 07960 – Park in Headquarters Garage Breakfast tickets are $55 and can be purchased at the link below, or see the QR code on the attached flyer. https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/mlk-observance-committee-interfaith-breakfast The breakfast is followed at 12:00 PM by a Commemorative Service at the Presbyterian Church of Morristown, 57 E Park Pl, Morristown, NJ. Email your name and phone number to socialjustice@muuf.org  to connect with other congregants who plan on attending the events.

No, we aren’t talking politics… Morristown UU’s 70 th Anniversary Tea Party  is a celebration of our history and our future, wrapped up in an afternoon of delightful food and treats, games, fun contests, and, of course, Tea (or coffee or lemonade, or just water if you prefer). You are welcome to come to the Tea Party dressed in whatever makes you comfortable, and we encourage folks to engage in the spirit of a High Tea and come dressed to impress.  Tea Party Attire  (for which there will be prizes!) includes afternoon semi-formal to smart casual wear – think colorful dresses, dress pants, collared shirts, blazers, and elegant/fun hats.  You can get ideas here . We also encourage you to bring a tea cup to show off - perhaps with a story – maybe one  from the set your grandmother gave you at your wedding, or a cup that has survived moves from a number of states, or any story that will earn it (and you) a prize for the Most Distinctive Tea Cup.   (Unusual tea cups without stories associated are also eligible.) Just bringing your own cup will earn you a raffle ticket for a door prize, so even simple cups are welcome! Our theme is MUUF Through the Decades,  so our tea party will also feature a Trivia Contest  about Morristown UU’s history and present, so if you haven’t already, be sure to read up on the historical notes from the newsletters in October, November, and December by one of MUUF’s  historians, Bob Scott.  There will also be displays of our history to peruse and discuss before and during the event.  The table with the most Trivia points will win the Contest and get bragging rights! Food, of course, is a thing at Tea Parties.  We’ll have tea sandwiches and gluten-free finger foods catered by our own Diana Hart.  If you like to bake or make, enter our contest for Best Confection – desserts, cookies, tea treats, etc. will be eligible for the People’s Choice Award for Best Confection.   (You’ll sign them in at entry to the event.) The 70 th  Anniversary Tea Party is scheduled for Saturday afternoon, January 31, from 2-5pm  in Chu Hall (snow date Feb 7 th ).  Tickets for this event are $10 per adult, $5 per child, maximum of $25 per family.  You can buy tickets and get additional information at muuf.org/70 th   - please buy your tickets soon so we can plan for numbers!   Looking forward to seeing you there! We are also still looking for helpers for setup, serving, and cleanup.  Please go to the Signup Genius to volunteer a little of your time to help make this event a success .  Or contact an organizer (Candice Donaldson or Nan Perigo, or another member of the Party team) for info or to volunteer.

Rev. Dénes Pálfi, the minister at our Partner Church in Sinfalva, Romania (Transylvania) has retired. Rev. Pálfi has been the minister in Sinfalva for the entire duration of our Partner Church relationship, over 30 years. His temporary replacement is Rev. Mihály Bálint from the nearby town of Aranyosrákás. It will take a year or so before a permanenent replacement is named. In the meantime we will contact Rev. Bálint to maintain the relationship in the interim. Once a permanent replacement is named, the Partner Church Committee will create a Sunday Service to welcome him, hopefully with a live zoom session to meet him.

Jan 5, 6 pm : New Years: Since the beginning of the new year suggests a fresh start, a "do-over," another chance, many people make New Year's resolutions. Come join us as we discuss the traditions of New Year's, share our own personal success stories, and discuss the secrets to being successful in making those resolutions come true. There will be tasty goodies to enjoy and stories to exchange. A small donation is asked to contribute to our use of the Fellowship. And you're welcome to join a small group at a local diner afterward to continue the camaraderie! Jan 12, 6pm : Enneagrams: New Years is the time when people make resolutions to improve their lives. To expedite the process, come join us for a presentation about the Enneagram, a means of classifying people so that they will know not only what matters to them but also what matters to other people. Please bring your phone so that you can take the self-assessment test. There will be tasty goodies to enjoy and stories to exchange. A small donation is asked to contribute to our use of the Fellowship. And you're welcome to join a small group at a local diner afterward to continue the camaraderie! Jan 19, 6 pm : “Rustin”: In honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, we’ll be viewing and discussing the film “Rustin”- the story of the activist Bayard Rustin who devoted his life to the quest for racial equality and was a primary force behind the 1963 March on Washington. Rustin challenged authority and never apologized for who he was but was forgotten despite making history. The movie spotlights the man who, alongside Martin Luther King Jr., dared to imagine a different world and inspired a movement. There will be tasty goodies to enjoy and stories to exchange. A small donation is asked to contribute to our use of the Fellowship. And you're welcome to join a small group at a local diner afterward to continue the camaraderie! Jan 26, 6 pm : The Florham Park Diner: Enjoy good fun & food at a reasonable price! We’ll meet at the restaurant located at 182 Ridgedale Ave in Florham Park. Please rsvp by Friday, Dec 19, to Gordon Sauer at president@gaamc.org.

Five reasons to read and discuss Here Comes the Sun : You are concerned about humanity’s future and need an infusion of hope. You’d like to know how renewable energy could contribute to peace and economic justice. You’re interested in solar and battery technology and deployment. You admire Bill McKibben, Naomi Klein, Elizabeth Kolbert, Kim Stanley Robinson, and/or Chris Hayes. You enjoy book discussions. Do any of those reasons connect for you? If so, join members of Green Earth Ministry in an online discussion on February 2, 7-8:30 pm. To obtain the Zoom information, RSVP here . Third Act, a climate activist organization, offers a discussion guide for Here Comes the Sun . Download it here . You might also enjoy watching The Light Won’t Dim , a 30-minute documentary exploring the promise and urgency of solar power in this time of climate crisis. The film reveals the obstacles and the unstoppable momentum of clean energy — a story of resilience, equity, and hope for the future. You can stream the film here or watch it below.