We settled the lawsuit with the five

neighboring properties who challenged

our plans for renovation and expansion.

When I shared the news on a recent

Sunday, the place erupted with claps and

cheers all around. It is a time to

celebrate!

You might be wondering, what comes next? We will

answer that question together and soon. In order to do

that, I will first summarize how we got here.

In the fall of 2010, we launched a strategic plan for six

areas of congregational life, including an ambitious

vision and goals for our six acre property. 2014

Facilities Vision: “Establish and maintain a spiritual

home that supports our mission and vision; enables our

growth initiatives (including adequate space for worship,

life span religious education, meetings, functions

and administration); and is welcoming, safe and well-

maintained.”

Our facilities goals were ambitious. At the time we had

deferred maintenance, underfunded cleaning and

building management staff, and the last time we held a

Capital Campaign to address large repairs, renovation,

and expansion was in the 1980s. Our buildings and

grounds matter as a vehicle to host the other five areas

of congregational life – it is in our spiritual home that

we nourish our spirits, learn across the lifespan, imagine

a more just world, and build community.

We rolled up our sleeves and focused our minds, bodies,

and finances on the large Facilities Area tasks ahead.

Here is what we accomplished and some natural next

steps.

1.) Launched a Sacred Conversations Taskforce who

helped us deeply examine options to see which was

the best fit for our values and mission: 1.) Stay,

Renovate and Expand, 2.) Buy a Building Elsewhere

and Retrofit, and 3.) Buy Raw Land and Build.

2.) Voted overwhelmingly to Stay.

3.) Launched the Gateways Taskforce to discover

the passion of our membership around

different projects and to learn from experts about

what was necessary and possible for our building,

our grounds and any additions.

4.) Voted nearly unanimously to fund and build an

expanded parking lot and drainage; to enhance the

current sanctuary; replace the roof; build an addition

(a fellowship hall, modern kitchen, ADA

accessible bathrooms, and 2 classrooms) and create

‘green’ landscaping for beauty and community.

5.) Managed a very successful Capital Campaign

working with Klote & Associates. The “Carrying the

Torch from Generation to Generation” Campaign

kicked off in January 2014. We pledged $2.3 Million

towards the 2014 Facilities Vision – the total price

tag at the time would be $3.2 Million dollars for

everything in our full vision.

6.) Gateways continues to refine the Capital Projects

we are planning working with architects, engineers,

continued on page 2

In this issue…

Have You Heard the Good News continued, UUA General Assembly 2 From our Interim Music Director, Joys and Concerns, WIFI 3 Musings from the Director of Religious Education 4 Sara Matsushima Concert May 20 Fundraiser, DWD, Native Plants 5 Adult Learning 6 Adult Learning 7

News from the Engagement Committee, Monday Book Club 8 SEAC Social and Environmental Action Council: Immigration Justice and Family Promise 9

New Jerseyan’s “right to a clean and healthy environment” 10

Calendar 11 Sunday Services 12

May 2018

Volume 63, No. 5

Have you heard the good news? From our Minister...

21 Normandy Heights Road, Morristown NJ

and professionals and based on feedback from

members and neighbors.

7) We rose to the challenge of opposition during

Public Zoning Hearings (which began in October

2014) and worked closely with our lawyers and other

professionals. This lasted an unusual amount of time –

25 months! – but the Zoning Board voted clearly and

indisputably in our favor.

8) Following our Zoning Approval, residents of 5

neighboring properties decided to sue us to prevent

changes on our property using an archaic restrictive

covenant from 1891. After many months, we finally

settled in March, and now the covenant no longer

applies.

9) Re-energized our Facilities and Grounds volunteers

who have beautified many spaces in our spiritual

home.

10) We increased the dollar amount in our budget to

move towards addressing the ongoing cleaning and

maintenance work.

11) Increased our custodial hours so our building is

clean.

12) Enhanced our sanctuary by purchasing a new A/V

system, carpeting, and chairs.

We do have a lot to celebrate! Look at all we have

accomplished using our talents, our stick-to-itiveness,

our skills, and our financial treasure.

Okay, so now what? The following are some natural

steps for us to fulfill in the near future.

Hire a part time building manager to improve our

maintenance track record.

Continue the fabulous, re-energized work of our

Facilities Volunteers to beautify our building and

grounds.

Continue to work through Gateways and other Leaders

to move through getting bids, permits, etc. and to

sequence our Capital Projects.

Prepare focus groups to create an updated 2018

Facilities Vision to move towards a vote on a Capital

Campaign. We were already planning to have a

second fundraising effort to close the gap between

dollars raised and our plans. We also know that our

successes in the Zoning Hearings and with the Lawsuit

have come at a heavy financial cost.

Launch a Capital Campaign! Last time we

successfully raised more funds than the UUA said

would be possible. We committed ourselves in the

direction of a holistic vision for our property as one of

the vehicles that drives what we are able to do for each

other, for our children, and for the world. Now, with a

green light before us, it is time again to see what we

can fund and accomplish together.

In fellowship,

continued from page 1

Have you heard the good news?

Interested in attending the June 20-24 General Assembly?

Grounded in a deep belief that we are all prophets, Unitarian Universalists

(UUs) ask, "How can we faithfully meet the demands of our time?" The call

to witness and act for justice in our society and in the world is clear. So, too,

is the call to examine our structures and practices, dismantling and

transforming those which fail to recognize the full humanity of all people and

to honor the interdependent web of life. Join us as we dive deeply into

questions of mission for our UUA, our congregations and communities, and

for each of us as individuals. Go to www.uua.org/ga for more information.

Page 3 Morristown Unitarian Fellowship

Joys and Concerns

Kim Dunn-Meynell – I have a new job in research at the University of Pennsylvania and am commuting

home on weekends.

Jonathan & Susan Jeans - we celebrated our 50th wedding anniversary in the Dominican Republic with

our entire family.

Carolyn Schwartz – I have moved to Sunrise Assisted Living in Madison, and will be there until mid-

May. I would like visitors, but please call first.

Anne Gaynor - Life is good! Sharon Glickman, who suffered a broken neck and foot, will be discharged

from rehab and homeward bound.

Jeanette Clawson - My surgery for endometriosis and abdominal pain went very well. My recovery will

take a few weeks, and I would love to have visitors.

Barbara Stasiak - attended 50th year reunion at Douglass College with the class of ’68—I was blessed

with joyful reconnections with old friends who are still activists for immigrant rights, lawyers for the

homeless, for the earth, for women.

Shari Loe - In March, my sister, Jan Loe’s home burned to the ground. Jan lost 4 of

her 6 cats, a life time of her art work, all of her music recording equipment and 6

guitars. Our thoughts are with you and your family.

We are sad to hear that Ricard M. Burgess, brother of Kathy Burgess passed away

suddenly on February 25, from heart failure. Richard was a longtime vacationer, and

subsequent resident, of Ogunquit, Maine. As a boy, he spent many summers at the

family cottage in New Hampshire. A private family service will be held in the summer.

From our Interim

Music Director

Whew… it’s been a great month!

After receiving many warm

welcomes from members,

musicians, committees, and staff,

I’m starting to get the lay of the

land here. My office on the 3rd floor is starting to

look and feel like an office, and it even has a piano

in it! Wins all around.

The Adult Choir has rehearsed and performed

beautifully, and I’m happy to say that we’re

developing a wonderful working relationship

already. If you’re interested in joining the choir,

rehearsals are Tuesday evenings, 6:15-7:45.

Come sing with us!

In addition to them, I’ve had the opportunity to meet

and make music with several other members of the

congregation who play instruments, write music, or

are just lovers of music. If you’re a musician and

we haven’t met yet, please introduce yourself!

I’m currently taking stock particularly of

instrumentalists, so let me know who you are so we

can make music together!

Do you know anyone with a drum set they might

be willing to donate to the Fellowship? If so, send

me an email at musicdirector@muuf.org.

During this transition period for the music program,

we’re trying lots of new things. Some may stick,

some may not! I’m looking forward to

experimenting, succeeding, failing, and singing

with you in the months ahead!

Stearns

Our new WiFi network is named MUF and the password is fellowship

Morristown Unitarian Fellowship Page 4

We are so fortunate to be part of a religion that does

not make us accept dogma not in alignment with our

deepest beliefs. Yet it recognizes that to believe

whatever we want would be irresponsible. Instead, we

are encouraged to engage in “a free and responsible

search for truth and meaning.” Or, as our children

understand it “we’re free to search for what is true.”

We are invited to be co-creators of what is true and

meaningful in our life and in our relation with the

interdependent web of all existence. We are invited

to carve out our spiritual path. And, we do that in a

variety of ways.

We come to worship on Sunday morning and

sometimes on Wednesday evening to learn new

perspectives or to be affirmed in the truths we are

discovering. We dialogue with others whose insights

may be similar to or different from ours. We look to

science, to other spiritualties, to those from outside

our community, to those who lived before our time,

even to those who are different from us in age, race,

ethnicity, gender identity, to name a few.

Whenever I come across a religious community in

our denomination or outside of it, I often look for

their religious education catalogue. A sparse offering

of classes could mean that there is more emphasis on

accepting dogma as imparted in worship experiences.

A large and varied catalogue often tells me there is

great interest in personal and spiritual growth. It is a

place I would like to be.

Here, at the Fellowship, we are fortunate to fall in the

latter category with our

support of lifespan

religious education. There

are classes and other

educational events for

adults. As our children

grow, they are exposed to a

variety of opportunities

that help them develop a

Unitarian Universalist

identity while also learning to respect and learn from

others whose ideas and practices may be a different

from ours. We think religious education is so

important that we try to have onboard a full time

Director of Religious Education (DRE) whenever

possible.

As we look to the future and await the arrival of our

new DRE, the Children’s Religious Education

Committee and I, in consultation with our soon-to-

arrive new DRE, have been looking at what we have

and how we can make it better. We have looked at

new pairings of ages, new curricula, and new ways of

doing things. We are looking at how we can improve

technology to make our classrooms even more

vibrant. And we are ready to start rolling out our

ideas by turning the Spotlight on Religious

Education.

Beginning in May, we will have a series of Parent

Brunches in the Terrace Room:

Sunday, May 6, 10:30 am - PreK - 2 grade parents

Sunday, May 13, 10:30 am - Grade 3 - 6 parents

Child care will be provided on May 6 and 13.

and a Social Chat on:

Tuesday, May 29, 7 pm - JHS and Youth Group

parents. Appetizers and refreshments will be served.

Other events coming up are:

Thursday, May 17, 7 pm – Toast to the Teachers

Sunday, May 20, 9 am – Coming of Age Service

Sunday, May 20, 11 am - Bridging Ceremony

for graduating seniors

Saturday, June 9, at 11 am - 3 pm – Lifelong Faith

Education in a Multi-generational Congregation

with Kim Sweeney

UU Parenting Class – May 8, 15, 22, 7 - 8:30 pm

Sunday, June 17 after the service – Family Picnic

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to

contact me at dre@muuf.org. I look forward to

seeing you at these events.

Musings from Rev. Wendy Pantoja, Director of Religious Education (DRE)

CANCELLED

Morristown Unitarian Fellowship Page 5

Deeds Well Done Paul Snellgrove, Tim Davis, Candice Posey,

Steve Parker, Helene Ferm for coordinating

the floor refinishing project.

Linda DeLap, Nan Perigo, Kendall Martin,

Steve Rice, Harry Harris for the Terrace Room

“Chair Project”.

Kendall Martin and Steve Rice for the “Faux”

Security Cameras and Signs

Harry Harris and Susan Harris for cleaning the

Terrace Room and Room 100 heat registers.

Edith Ng, Carrie Davis, Hazel Bell, Tim

Davis, Andrew O’Toole, and Kristine Horton

for coordinating the Easter Breakfast

Senior High Youth Group, Priscilla Demasi,

David Snedden, and Lisa Brennan for putting

together the Easter Egg Hunt

Dan Cohen and Donna Perch for teaching the

Leadership Class

Stewardship

Committee members

for work on the

Pledge Campaign

kick off

Why native plants? --From Linda DeLap, GEM

Do you need to replace shrubs or

trees because of storm damage;

or are you just thinking about

new landscaping? This time,

choose native plants.

Native plants have evolved to

thrive in your specific region and

ecosystem. When sited to meet

their sunlight and moisture

needs, they are often low

maintenance and may require

little or no fertilizer. Native

plants provide habitats and food

sources (roots, branches, leaves,

fruit, pollen, and nectar) for

native insects, birds, and other

wildlife. The biological

interactions that result will give people of all ages

opportunities to enjoy and learn about nature.

Reliance on a limited number of exotic

landscape plants has contributed to the

decline of many species of butterflies,

birds, and other forms of wildlife in the

United States. Exotic plants used in

landscaping are invading natural areas,

crowding out native plants, and disrupting

ecosystems in woodlands and grasslands.

Removal is costly and difficult. Invasive

non-native plants in NJ include Norway

maple, Bradford pear, Japanese zelkova,

burning bush, barberry, and butterfly bush.

Other non-native plants that are currently used in landscaping

may be recognized as invasive later on.

Native plants provide a distinctive natural landscape with

beauty characteristic of the region and season. Think of

blooming redbuds and dogwoods in spring; the shade of

maples and oaks in summer and their colorful leaves in

autumn; seeds, berries, and textured bark in winter.

For information on landscaping with native plants in NJ, see

https://njaes.rutgers.edu/fs1140/. You can buy native trees

and shrubs at native plant nurseries (http://www.npsnj.org/

pages/nativeplants_Sources.html), Bowman’s Hill

Wildflower Preserve (near New Hope, PA), Rockaway Valley

Garden Club’s sale in Boonton, May 12, and a sale at NJ

Audubon’s Scherman-Hoffman Center in Bernardsville on

June 9.

Lobelia cardinalis (Photo by Henry Domke)

Morristown Unitarian Fellowship Page 6

Meditation - Building Contemplative

Community - Co-facilitated by Tricia Armstrong

and Jo Angelina, May 3 and May 17, the first and

third Thursday each month.

EVERYONE interested in meditation, regardless of

length of experience meditating and root tradition

(including those with no tradition/secular) is welcome

to join us. On the first Thursday we’ll meet from

10:00 - 11:15 am. On the third Thursday we meet

from 7 - 8:15 pm. In each session we’ll enjoy

periods of sitting and walking meditation. Both

Tricia and Jo are inspired by

Thich Nhat Hanh. In

addition, Tricia has spent the

past year practicing in the

Insight tradition.

For more information,

please contact Jo or Tricia at

adultlearning@muuf.org.

Gun Violence in the US: What can be

done? Program presented by Leslie Moran

continues on Wednesday evening, May 16, from 7

-8:30 pm.

This course will cover the following topics: How

we can support the second amendment and also

reduce gun violence/save lives. Ways that the US

differs from other developed countries in our

attitudes and laws around guns. How laws in

different states differ and how they make a

difference. Gun violence as a women’s issue.

Mental illness and guns. Effective citizen action.

For more info, please contact

Leslie at adultlearning@muuf.org.

The Slave Next Door:

Human Trafficking in New Jersey - Thursday, May 17, 7-8:30 pm, presented by Susan

Neigher, member of the NJ Coalition Against Human

Trafficking.

We think slavery ended in the United States in the

1860’s, but modern day slavery in the form of human

trafficking exists in every community in our country

today. It is usually hidden and unnoticed, but it is

there. New Jersey ranks number six in the nation for

the incidence of human trafficking, and Morristown is

one of the hubs in our state. Learn what human

trafficking is, what it looks like and what you can do

to stop it. No registration required. For more info,

please contact Susan Oxman at

adultlearning@muuf.org.

Morristown Unitarian Fellowship Page 7

Thinking of presenting a program?

Please send a proposal to

Susan Oxman at adultlearning@muuf.org.

Nonfiction Book Club for Human Reflection

- facilitated by Gloria Dyer, will

meet on Tuesday, June 19 at 1:30

pm.

The book to be discussed is

Braving the Wilderness: The Quest

for True Belonging and the Courage

to Stand Alone by Brene Brown.

Contact Gloria at

adultlearning@muuf.org

Compassionate Communication Practice Group - Co-led by Tricia Armstrong and

Linda DeLap, will meet on May 16 at 7 pm (third Wednesday each month.)

Each month we review a chapter of Marshall Rosenberg’s book

Nonviolent Communication: A Language of Life and do exercises related to the material in

the chapter. Newcomers are welcome. Please email Tricia at adultlearning@muuf.org to

learn which chapter we’ll be Focusing on and to let us know you’d like to join us.

Six Acre Seva Group

facilitated by Steve Parker, will

meet monthly, 9:30 am on the

THIRD Wednesday of the

month, May 16, and will

continue through October.

Would you like to make a

difference in the appearance of

our wonderful (and slightly

neglected!) grounds and

gardens … all six acres of

them?! Do you have a green

thumb? Love

nature? Looking

for a wonderful

way to be

outside and bond

with other

members? Then come join our

garden crew as we devote

loving service to our

community. All necessary tools

will be supplied. Stylish attire

might include: favorite work

clothes, gloves, sun screen, bug

spray, and a sun hat!

Questions?

Please contact Steve

at adultlearning@muuf.org.

Transhumanism and the Buddha’s Teaching on

Virtual Reality (Ethics in an Age of Artificial Intelligence)

Led by Rev. Allen Wells, Mondays, 7-9 pm, June 11-August 13. The most

important development of our time is the exponential advancement of

Artificial Intelligence, which engineers predict will surpass human

intelligence within a few years and may supplant our biological human life

form.

The advancement of AI confronts us with the deepest spiritual questions of

all time in their most extreme form including what is real about us.

Responding to them offers us an opportunity to deepen our

spiritual being. We will defer to teachings of The Buddha, but

include other religions, as well as poetry and our shared

experiences and will have meditative opportunities.

Required advance preparation: Slouching Towards the

Singularity, talk by Rev. Allen Wells; To Be A Machine, by

Mark O’Connell and Transcendent Man, video on YouTube.

You must attend the first class but not thereafter. Registration

required by May 21. Class size limited. To register and for

more info, contact Rev. Allen Wells adultlearning@muuf.org

UU Parenting class – led by Wendy Pantoja, DRE, Saturdays May 8,

15, 22, at 7 -8:30 pm. How can we nurture our children’s spiritual

lives? How can we create family rituals that help strengthen our Unitarian

Universalist (UU) identity? How can we rise to the role of parents as

theologians? Come and join us for lively discussions and exchange of

ideas as we support each other in raising UU children.

To register and for questions, please contact Wendy at dre@muuf.org.

CANCELLED

Morristown Unitarian Fellowship Page 8

There are many ways each of us can help build the

strength of our congregation and help us live our

principles, within and outside our walls. Are you

searching for a volunteer role that highlights your

talents and interests? The right role feels like a gift

that you give yourself.

Service Auction co-chair intern - Collaborate

with service auction chair to oversee planning for our

largest annual fundraiser; communicate with the

subcommittee chairs for this event.

Skills/Interests: Organizational skills and experience;

communication skills; graphic design if possible.

Fundraising Chair: Supervise and support the

chair of each fundraising event, helping them create a

committee to strategize and publicize the fundraisers

via multiple media channels.

Skills/Interests: Ability to plan, organize, and

delegate as needed.

Economic Justice Ministry Coordinator: Help

lead Fellowship volunteers to reduce hunger,

homelessness and poverty in our community; identify

partner organizations and help coordinate volunteers.

Skills/Interests: Networking ability and volunteer

coordination.

Publicity Co-Chair: Liaison with other UU

congregations to share strategies to market and

promote their congregations through social media.

Skills/Interests: Marketing, ability to generate

graphic content for social media, video experience a

plus.

UU-UNO Envoy: Fellowship’s liaison to UU

United Nations Office, to promote our values on the

global stage.

Skills/Interests: Ability to coordinate with adults as

well as youth.

For more information, please contact

Soup Kitchen Hunger Walk: Raising our

contribution and coordinate our participation in this

annual fundraiser hosted by the Community Soup

Kitchen of Morristown.

Skills/Interests: Enthusiasm for supporting this

important organization’s work in the our community.

Family Promise Coordinator (Economic

Justice): Coordinate volunteers to staff shelter stays

for temporarily homeless families.

Skills/Interests: Organization and motivational skills.

Engagement Committee Member: Work with

committee members on implementation of a skills and

interests survey for our members.

Skills/interests: Comfortable learning online tools for

surveys such as REALM or Jotform.

Fun Ministry Co-chair intern (Engagement

Committee): Plan events to promote fellowship of

members for low costs and low ongoing

administration burdens. Encourage Fellowship wide

culture of including elements of fun and celebration in

all we do.

Skills/Interests: Values fun and connection.

Caring HUUB – ONLINE Meal

Coordinator: Receive requests for meal needs;

communicate with Meal Providers online. This role is

in addition to the meals offline coordinator.

Skills/Interests: Attention to detail, good

communication skills.

Caring HUUB - Rides Coordinator: Coordinate

volunteers for ride requests from Caring and/or

directly from congregants.

Skills/Interests: Attention to detail, good

communication skills.

Donna Becker or Marjorie Wormser

News from the Engagement Committee

THE MONDAY BOOK GROUP - third Monday of the month, 1:30 pm. Newcomers welcome,

come and join us for lively discussions. Reading the book helps but is not a prerequisite! Books

are chosen by our members. Contact Nancy Lee McLure for more info.

May 21: A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles,

June 18: The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane by Lisa See

Morristown Unitarian Fellowship Page 9

SOCIAL and ENVIRONMENTAL Action Council

Immigration Justice Ministry (IJM)

Good news -- Musa Koteh, the Gambian refugee who was

granted asylum in October 2016 and has been supported by IJM

and members of the Fellowship, has realized his dream! This

month he begins work as a long-distance truck driver after

months of classes and training and achieving his commercial

driver’s license. Next up: getting a green card and reuniting with

his family (11 children, one of whom Musa has never seen). The

Fellowship has made a difference. Join us in this rewarding

work: immigration@muuf.org

Imagine if every qualified resident of New Jersey had access to

a driver’s license. Our roads would be safer, more drivers would

be insured, the state would take in additional revenue and there

might be fewer accidents. The Let’s Drive NJ campaign supports access to driver’s licenses for all New

Jersey residents, regardless of status.

Twelve other states already have this

common-sense policy. Wind of the Spirit

and the NJ Alliance for Immigrant Justice, as

well as our own UU Faith Action NJ, urge us

to support this legislation.

Join supporters from 4-7 pm

May 12 on the Morristown Green to show

solidarity on this issue. For more

information: immigration@muuf.org

FAMILY PROMISE OF MORRIS COUNTY Ending Homelessness One Family At A Time

Volunteers Needed - The Fellowship has been a partner with

Family Promise of Morris County for over 20 years now, helping to

provide local homeless families with emergency shelter. Family Promise has an amazing track record. In

2017 they had a 92% success rate of moving families from shelter into independent living and a 97% success

rate in their community support program! Family Promise also operates the Our Promise Drop-in Center in

Morristown.

You can make a difference! Help join the Fellowship, and the other 5 congregations we work with, to

support families and guests in the emergency shelter program. We host 3-4 times a year at The Church of the

Redeemer, and provide support and other services to help make it happen. Many time slots are available

including overnight and morning shifts. This is also a great multi-gen opportunity to volunteer with your

children and play with the other children in shelter. Please reach out to Julie Wolfe for more information.

Mission and Covenant Statement

We, the members of the Morristown Unitarian Fellowship,

mindful of the rich diversity and essential oneness of human

experience, covenant to weave the fabric of community from

the strands of our separate lives. This is our pledge:

To create for ourselves and our children a spiritual home

which will nurture, challenge and offer us renewal

To seek what is true even as we celebrate the mystery of

existence

To reach out to all who share our liberal religious values

and participate in the broader Unitarian Universalist

movement

To work for social justice and the well-being of our planet

Earth

Office Hours - Monday - Thursday 9 am - 2 pm

973.540.1177 www.muuf.org

Staff Minister

Rev. Alison B. Miller amiller@muuf.org

Ministerial Intern

Jamie Boyce intern@muuf.org

Acting Director of Religious Education

Rev. Wendy Pantoja dre@muuf.org

Interim Music Director

Stearns Matthews musicdirector@muuf.org

Finance Coordinator/

Acting Office Administrator Katy Julich accounting@muuf.org

Religious Education Assistant

Judy Donovan-Lifschulz re@muuf.org

Custodians: Sergio Lopez-Rojas, Marili Quintos

Check us out on Facebook!

www.facebook.com/morristownunitarian

Morristown Unitarian Fellowship Page 10

This is an historic opportunity!

Dear Fellowship Members and Friends,

In January, Assemblyman Tim Eustace and Assemblywoman Nancy J. Pinkin (the first

UU to co-chair a committee of the NJ legislature) introduced a bill to amend the state

Constitution and enshrine every New Jerseyan’s “right to a clean and healthy

environment.” For decades, the people of NJ have relied on federal and state legislation

to protect their natural resources. And for decades, the laws have let them down. NJ

water, air, forests, and other special places from the Highlands to the Pinelands have been

allowed to degrade in ways that are harming people’s lives. A Constitutional provision

could help change that.

In NJ the right to free speech, freedom of religion and other freedoms are protected as

fundamental rights in the state constitution. But NJ has NO constitutional provision

protecting environmental rights in the state.

Establishing a civil environmental right will drive better decision-making at all levels of government and will

prevent situations or conditions in which land becomes too contaminated, water becomes too polluted, and

air becomes too dirty to support healthy lives or a healthy economy.

The bill must pass through both houses of the NJ Legislature by August 2018, before people will be given

the opportunity to vote, through the 2018 ballot, on whether or not their right to pure water, clean air and a

healthy environment will be protected by the state constitution.

Right now, we need the Assembly to support and pass the Assembly Concurrent Resolution No. 85 (ACR85)

currently before them. Every Assembly member needs to hear from their constituents just how important this

environmental rights amendment is, to them.

Write to your representatives in the Assembly today! Ask them to stand up for your fundamental

environmental rights by co-sponsoring ACR85 and actively encouraging legislative leaders to bring up and

pass the bill. Write your own letter or use the form at http://www.delawareriverkeeper.org/node/5189. It’s

easy and will take no time at all!!

Jo Sippie-Gora, member Green Earth Ministry and Environmental Justice Task Force (UUFaithActionNJ)

Page 11 Morristown Unitarian Fellowship

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Morristown Unitarian Fellowship 21 Normandy Heights Road Morristown, New Jersey. 07960-4611

May 2018 Volume 63, No. 5

May 6 at 9 and 11 am “Following in Footsteps” This year’s spiritual theme is “Kaleidoscope of Faith,” referencing the multiple sources of wisdom and

experience that inform our religious understandings. Members of our Coming of Age Class are on a UU

heritage pilgrimage to Boston this weekend. Let us join in reflecting on the role journeys, quests, and

pilgrimages play in our faith development. - Led by Rev. Alison Miller May 13 at 9 and 11 am “The Mother of All Morals” Mother’s Day is the kick off of 40 Days of Action to revitalize Dr. Martin Luther King’s Dream of a Poor

People’s Campaign: A National Cal for Moral Revival. This is a movement that counters the distraction and

disinformation tactics of politicians and unites us across religion, race, class, sexual orientation and gender

identity to focus on the most pressing moral issues. - Led by Rev. Alison Miller May 20 at 9 am “Coming of Age Ceremony” All are invited to participate in this memorable milestone in the lives of our 7th and 8th graders who will share

their credos and what they have learned about the meaning of life. - Led by our Junior High Youth, Advisors, and Rev. Wendy Pantoja

May 20 at 11 am “Bridging Ceremony” All are invited to participate in this moving milestone as our high school seniors bridge to young adulthood.

We will hear reflections from youth of different ages, alums, and more. - Led by our Senior High Youth, Advisors, and Rev. Alison Miller

May 27 at 10 am “The Monuments We Choose”

It matters who we memorialize and how — but what seems right to one generation may be seen differently by

another. From Confederate statues to the Vietnam wall to cyber tributes, we’ll explore how we memorialize

on this 150th anniversary of Memorial Day. We invite you to bring a flower to remember those who’ve

served. - Coordinated by Danelle Simonelli

1st and 3rd Wednesdays: May 16 at 7 pm Circle of Hope and Healing: “Let Your Soul Breathe” Our circle this evening will center around the teachings of the holy month of Ramadan in

the Islamic calendar, which has just begun. Join us for a time of spiritual renewal and fellowship.

- Led by Rev. Alison Miller