Fairhope Unitarian Fellowship

Bellamy Watson
2026-07-26 11:00 - 12:00 (America/Chicago) | AL
The Wheel of the Year: The Pagan Sabbats

A brief overview of the Celtic holidays that many modern pagans celebrate, and a deeper look at the next one, with some rituals you can do to honor it.

Bellamy Watson (He/They) has been a practicing pagan for around ten years. He mostly works with Demeter, though he calls upon gods from many pantheons when he needs their particular expertise.

Dr. Suzanne Tormoen
2026-08-02 11:00 - 12:00
“Breakthroughs That Shaped Modern Medicine”

This talk explores key developments in infectious disease, neurology, genetics, surgery, emergency care, and modern therapeutics. Its central theme is simple: progress in medicine often comes from careful observation, the courage to challenge established ideas, and stronger evidence. Through these examples, we will see not only how treatments changed, but also how physicians learned to think differently about disease.

Dr. Suzanne Tormoen is a recently retired internal medicine physician with a master’s degree in nutrition. Raised as a Unitarian, she has lived in Fairhope and Mobile for 42 years.

Mary Anderson & Virginia McClintock
2026-08-09 11:00 - 12:00
UU History, Part 3: UU Coming to Fairhope, AL

Mary Anderson and Virginia McClintock will present this special 3-part series on UU History.

In the Utopian community of Fairhope, Alabama, a bunch of free thinkers came together and gradually formed the Fairhope Unitarian (Universalist) Fellowship now growing and thriving!

Mary Anderson moved to Daphne, Alabama in 2024 and is a 20-year Unitarian Universalist currently serving as President of FUF. Her other title is “Grandma” to a bunch of grands and greats—”It keeps you young and makes you old!”

Virginia McClintock chose Fairhope in September 2025 in large part due to the UU Fellowship and a hunch that she could meet quirky, interesting folks in Fairhope. She was an active member of First Unitarian Church in San Diego in the 1990’s.

Going Native! (With Plants)
2026-08-16 11:00 - 12:00
This talk explores the growing sustainability movement to convert lawns to native plants and pollinator-friendly landscapes with a wilder, more naturalistic design focus. The speaker will discuss the history of lawns and turf grasses, as well as the types of native plants best suited for pollinators in our area. This talk will also cover the initiatives the Landscape Committee has begun on the Fellowship grounds.

Growing plants and landscapes has been an interest of our speaker since the age of eight. She was a Master Gardener in Alabama and Tennessee from 2013-2019, completed her Advanced Master Gardener certification in Landscape Design in 2019, and passed the Alabama landscape design exam in 2018. She has volunteered at Cheekwood in Nashville, the Nashville Zoo, and the Gardens at South Illinois University of Edwardsville. In 2019, she also worked for three months on the 30-acre Edward Jones campus in St. Louis, Missouri.

UU History, Part 4: Into the Future—What UU Means to Me
2026-08-23 11:00 - 12:00
UU History, Part 4: Into the Future—What UU Means to Me

This interactive program will invite us to reflect on what Unitarian Universalism means in our own lives and to share those reflections with one another. Seating will be arranged in circles to encourage conversation and connection. Through personal reflection and small-group discussion, we hope to deepen our understanding of one another and strengthen our shared sense of becoming FUF’s future.

Because our time together on Sunday will be limited, please give some thought beforehand to the question:

“What does UU mean to me?”

Moderator: Mary AndersonFacilitators: Maggie Joffe, Virginia McClintock, Joanne, Mark Preston, and Freya Sonenstein

"The Power of Our Past"
2026-08-30 11:00 - 12:00
Speaker: Beverly Cooper

Grassroots advocacy was used to gain power for our community yesterday and it is still the energizing force that will sustain us today.

Beverly Cooper, co-founder of STAND-UP MOBILE a community engagement organization dedicated to bringing the voice of the Black community to community needs and issues at all levels. Beverly is chairman of the CNB Bancorp Inc., holding company for the Commonwealth National Bank of Mobile.

www.standupmobile.org

A Celebration of American Labor in Poem and Song
2026-09-06 11:00 - 12:00
Speaker: Mike Turner

In observance of Labor Day, Fairhope poet/songwriter Mike Turner shares a selection of poems and songs that celebrate the American Worker.

Mike Turner was named 2017 Male Gospel Entertainer of the Year by the North America Country Music Associations International; featured performing his original songs about life on the Gulf Coast at the 2020 Monroeville Literary Festival; and is president-elect of the Alabama State Poetry Society, which previously named Mike as its 2025 Poet of the Year.

www.facebook.com/MikeTurnerSongwriter
