Mail to info@muuf.org

Service Auction Offerings Due November 3

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The deadline to submit offerings for the Service Auction has been extended to Sunday, November 3, and the Service Auction Committee will be available in the Terrace Room to provide assistance after Sunday’s service.

You can also find out more about the Service Auction online at the Fellowship website here.

When your donation is ready—with a catchy headline, description, photo, date (if applicable), and minimum bid/fixed price—go to our Together Auction platform. Click “Donate a new item” and fill in the blanks. If you have any questions related to your offering, type them into the description box, and we’ll get back to you.

The opening party for the Service Auction will be held in the new Gateways Center on Saturday, November 16, from 5PM to 8PM. The $20 price for advance tickets ends November 10. The price then goes to $25 per ticket. Children under 18 are free.

After Sunday’s service, The Service Auction team will be selling tickets. We can take payments in cash, by check, or via Venmo.

You can also buy tickets at muuf.org. Go to the “Give” tab on the far right and select “Make a Donation.” Under “How much would you like to give?”, input $20, $40, $60, etc. based on the number of tickets you want (through November 10). Use the pull-down menu in the “Fund” box to choose “Service Auction” and press “continue.”

Bidding for the service auction will start in-person during the kickoff party on November 16 and will continue online from November 18 – 24. There will be no bidding on Sunday, November 17, the dedication day for the Gateways Center. The online auction will end at noon on November 24, and the service auction team will be available to provide bidding help on Sunday morning, November 24, at the Fellowship.

2024 – 2025 Budget

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This year’s pledge drive did not meet the proposed goal of $470,000. As a result, the Finance Committee proposed the following budget adjustments to decrease the anticipated budget shortfall. These reductions were approved in the October Board meeting. These line items have been decreased by the following amounts:

  • Custodian: $2,000
  • Music: $750
  • Hospitality Hour: $600
  • Religious Education: $3,000
  • Postage: $100
  • Worker’s Compensation: $500
  • Landscaping (spring cleanup): $3,000
  • Leadership Development: $400
  • Stewardship: $500

The Finance Committee will continue to evaluate the budget versus actual and make additional recommendations to the Board if needed as the year progresses.

Winter Weavings: A Multigenerational Celebration of Winter Holidays

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Members of all ages are invited to participate in planning and leading a multigenerational Sunday Service that interweaves four December holidays: Solstice, Hannukah, Christmas, and Kwanzaa. Production meetings will begin in late October, leading to rehearsals in November and December, culminating in sharing Winter Weavings with our whole congregation on December 22.

Our goal is participation by lots of people of all ages, exploring and interweaving stories, readings, dramatizations, pantomimes, dances, instrumental and choral songs, and many candles! There will be lots of ways, large and small, for lots of people to be involved in planning, performance, and production. How can you and your household be a part of this celebration? Please contact service coordinator Barbara Castellana Stasiak as soon as possible to talk about how you can share your talents and creativity as part of the cast and/or crew.

This celebratory service was first created in December of 1993, inspired by the poetic mission and covenant statement that we had adopted in May of that year. Reviving it in December 2024 is an opportunity to once again weave the fabric of our Fellowship community from the varied religious and cultural traditions that are the strands of our separate lives.

Halloween Festival This Sunday – We need your help

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This Halloween Season, we are reaching out to our Community with our Halloween Festival. Like our Trunk or Treat, we hope to invite the community to our grounds and share with them the this space and show them who we are. You may read that and ask, “Are we not doing the Trunk or Treat this Year?” Yes we are and more. 

This year, we want to share not only fun with the community, but our spiritual paths as well. So we are doing our Trunk to Treat. But we will begin with a Samhain Ritual led by Pat de la Fuente and members of our Women’s Spirituality Groups. (Our Neighboring Faiths Class will also join us as they are learning about Paganism.) We will then open up our Trunk or Treat that will take place in the Gateways Center Parking Lot. 

Here is a Schedule of the Event:

1:30 Samhain Ritual in the Oval

2:00 Trunk or Treat in the Gateways Center Parking Lot

Throughout the event:

Face Painting by June Perigo

Snack and Treats

Games – Led by Youth Group

Crafts 

Smores 

This is going to be a fun event, but we need your help. First we need more folks to decorate their trunks. It can be a simple theme or a complex tableau. Either way, the more the merrier. 

We also need some donations. If you would like to donate some snacks to share such as baked goods or chips, they would be greatly appreciated. We also could use some extra candy. It doesn’t have to be nut free, but if it is, please let us know. We will keep it separate from nut filled candy. There will be a bin for candy donations in the Great Hall.

Are you super crafty and would like to lead a craft for visitors? We would like to have a non candy related activity throughout the event. We have lots of supplies in the RE Closets to help with your inspiration. 

We hope to see you all there. The weather looks great! If you want to sign up for trucks or crafts or have another idea for the event, email Nick .

Senior Dog Companions

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The benefits of making a senior-to-senior connection

Did you know?

The U.S. dog population is growing, but sadly, so are dog surrenders, abandonments, and euthanizations. As a result, many shelters are overcrowded and rescue organizations are overwhelmed.

Nearly 30% of the nation’s dogs are considered “seniors” – that is age 7 and older. Yet, the life expectancy of domestic canines is increasing! This, along with advances in veterinary medicine, can mean more time with your special pet!

When dogs remain in shelters for too long, they can develop physical and mental health conditions. And when shelters get overcrowded, they are unable to help more dogs in need. By adopting a senior dog, you can actually help many dogs find forever homes!

TRAINING & TEMPERAMENT

The great news about senior dogs is they are full-grown and their personality is well-known (по surprises!).

Adult and senior dogs are typically trained and tend to have less energy so they don’t require as much playtime or entertainment as their younger counterparts.

EMOTIONAL & PHYSICAL SUPPORT

Not only do senior dogs bond with humans just as quickly as puppies, but numerous studies have shown that companion animals can help reduce loneliness, stress, anxiety, and depression in senior adults while also improving their physical activity, heart health, and cognitive function.

HEALTHCARE & COST

Healthcare costs are a chief concern among potential adopters. While older pets may have more health needs, just as we humans do, many shelters work to ensure that animals are in healthy shape before adoption.

Some organizations provide grants and vouchers to help with the care of senior dogs before adoption and/or help individuals care for pets after adoption, including special dietary needs.

Pet pantries and many local food pantries provide dog food for those in need.

CONSIDER SENIOR-TO-SENIOR PERKS

Many shelters and rescue organizations offer discounted or waived adoption fees to adopters aged 60-plus.

ALL YOU NEED FOR A PERFECT MATCH

  • Experience with or knowledge of animal care.
  • A suitable living space.
  • Environmental stability, financial stability.
  • Patience and love.

“Some shelters may ask for vet or character references, too.

QUESTIONS TO ASK WHEN ADOPTING

  • What is the dog’s medical history?
  • What is their temperament?
  • Do they get along with other animals, if applicable?
  • What is their diet? Any special needs?
  • What is their activity level (eg, can they manage stairs)?

NOT READY ΤΟ ADOPT? NO PROBLEM!

Fostering provides a chance to see if you’re ready for a full-time pet while giving dogs in need a chance to experience the comforts of home. Shelters and rescue organizations are also always in need of volunteers.

Learn More

Learn the benefits of making a senior-to-senior connection.

A brief presentation led by MUUF Senior Youth Group member Helena Drakulich as part of a Girl Scout National Gold Award Project.

THURS, NOVEMBER 7 AT 10 AM

Livingston Sr/Community Center

204 Hillside Avenue, Livingston NJ

Learn about:

  • THE BENEFITS OF SENIOR-AGED DOGS
  • HOW TO FIND A PERFECT MATCH 
  • ADOPTION PERKS FOR ADULTS OVER AGE 60
  • PET TRUSTS & VET CARE ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS
  • HOW TO FOSTER FIRST
  • LOCAL RESOURCES

This was created by Helena Drakulich as part of a Girl Scout Notional Gold Award Project, 2024-2025, with input from Mt. Pleasant Animal Shelter, Wise Animal Rescue, Rosemarie’s Rescue Ranch, Eleventh Hour Rescue, and The Grey Muzzle Organization.