Fairhope Unitarian Fellowship

Frank Barragan
2025-09-14 11:00 - 12:00 (America/Chicago) | Fairhope Unitarian Fellowship, 1150 Fairhope Ave., Fairhope, AL, 36532, United States
The Work of the Alabama Coalition for Immigrant Justice

Frank in conversation with Nick Coulson will talk about the history and role of the Hispanic immigrant community in this country. He will discuss the effect of the current administration’s policies, and their impact on Hispanic communities. Email questions you would like to have asked to njcoulson@gmail.com

Frank Barragan is the Community Engagement Coordinator for the Alabama Coalition for Immigrant Justice and a mainstay of the local Hispanic community.

Stand-Up Comedy Jam
2025-09-20 19:30 - 21:30 | Fairhope Unitarian Fellowship, 1150 Fairhope Ave., Fairhope, AL, 36532, United States
Join us for a night full of laughter! We’ll have five fabulous comedians under one roof!

Mike Turner
2025-09-21 11:00 - 12:00 | Fairhope Unitarian Fellowship, 1150 Fairhope Ave., Fairhope, AL, 36532, United States
Celebrating the International Day of Peace in Poetry and Song

Mike Turner celebrates the UN International Day of Peace (Sunday, September 21, 2025) with a selection of his original songs and poems to advocate peace and oppose war and violence.

Mike Turner is a songwriter/poet living in Fairhope. He was named 2025 Poet of the Year by the Alabama State Poetry Society. Mike has more than 450 poems published in over 100 literary journals and anthologies, and numerous original songs receiving radio and streaming play. His poetry collection, Visions and Memories, is available on Amazon.

Frye Gaillard
2025-09-28 11:00 - 12:00 | Fairhope Unitarian Fellowship, 1150 Fairhope Ave., Fairhope, AL, 36532, United States
Heroes and Other Mortals

Frye Gaillard will select stories from his most recent book, Heroes and Other Mortals. This is a collection of inspiring profiles Gaillard has written throughout his career, telling the stories of activists, artists, musicians and others who worked to make the world a better place.

Frye lives in Mobile, Alabama, and is the writer-in-residence in the English and History departments at the University of South Alabama. He is the author of thirty books, the winner of the Lillian Smith Book Award and the Gustavus Myers Award.

Dr. Suzanne Tormoen
2025-10-05 11:00 - 12:00 | Fairhope Unitarian Fellowship, 1150 Fairhope Ave., Fairhope, AL, 36532, United States
The Chalice

The flaming chalice is the official logo of the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA). It is enshrined in stained glass at the head of our fellowship hall, and our most significant symbol. But what is its meaning and significance ? Suzanne will unpack its history & relevance to the Unitarianism.

Suzanne has been a Unitarian since Junior high school and loves the Fellowship, which is an important part of her life She is a physician in internal medicine in Fairhope after working in Mobile and has a Masters in nutrition. She studied martial arts with Yosekan Budo for 5 years. She likes to garden, walk, do yoga, cook and be civically minded. She has 2 sons, 3 grandchildren, & 3 siblings.

Members' Summer Stories
2025-10-12 11:00 - 12:00 | Fairhope Unitarian Fellowship, 1150 Fairhope Ave., Fairhope, AL, 36532, United States
Some of us have been running away from the heat and humidity and most of us are back. We’re even beginning to welcome back snowbirds. Some have remained steadfast in Baldwin County weathering what the climate threw at us.

We will sit in a circle and tell stories of our summers; of foreign parts, of travel disasters, of beautiful moments and dreams of vacations to come. No pressure; come even if you want to stay mum.

Pop-Up Art Sale
2025-10-18 11:00 - 15:00 | Fairhope Unitarian Fellowship, 1150 Fairhope Ave., Fairhope, AL, 36532, United States
On Saturday October 18, 2025, FUF will host an Arts Fundraiser. There will be paintings, sculptures, and art works of various media, as well as art supplies. To donate any items, please contact Pinky Bass. moosepinky@earthlink.net

Rachel Wright
2025-10-19 11:00 - 12:00 | Fairhope Unitarian Fellowship, 1150 Fairhope Ave., Fairhope, AL, 36532, United States
Art, Wonder, and the Wheel of Life

In this presentation, artist Rachel Wright will discuss a brief history of her art making culminating in the Cryptic Underwing exhibition, on now at the Mobile Museum of Art. She will explore the themes of mortality and beauty, and how they compelled her to explore the Mobile-Tensaw Delta as part of her creative process. https://www.mobilemuseumofart.com/exhibitions/cryptic-under-wing-rachel-wright/

Rachel Wright is a self-professed biophiliac: she has a deep love of the natural world. She received her BFA from the Art Institute of Chicago and her MFA from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale. Rachel has exhibited nationally, had her work included in the Cooper-Hewitt Design Museum, and has received two Artist Fellowships from the Alabama State Council for the Arts. Rachel loves to share her passion with students in workshops and teaching at University of South Alabama.

Dr. Harvey Joanning
2025-10-26 11:00 - 12:00
How Politicians Manipulate Our Brains

For millennia leaders have used rhetoric to persuade others to follow them. Neuroscience has revealed why this is possible. Politicians now employ neuroscience to assist them in manipulating us to support them. This talk will explain how this is done, and what we can do to avoid being manipulated.

Dr Harvey Joanning is Emeritus Professor at Iowa State University and an Adjunct Professor at USA in the Department of Psychology and College of Education. He is licensed as a Psychologist and Marriage & Family Therapist. He been a consultant for NASA & the U.S. Department of Defense.

Carl Couret
2025-11-02 11:00 - 12:00
“Survival of the Fittest”This phrase was not coined by Darwin. It was from an English polymath, Herbert Spencer, who used it after reading Origin of the Species. He was well known in his time and has been credited for the basis of social Darwinism.

Carl Couret is a retired fish and wildlife field biologist, ukulele enthusiast, military veteran, and Past President of FUF. Born and raised in New Orleans, he has lived in Denver, Yokota AFB in Japan, Albuquerque, Vero Beach FL and Mobile Bay’s Eastern Shore.

Miranda Estes & Christina Okarmus
2025-11-09 11:00 - 12:00
Healthy Youth Education

Miranda and Christina will discuss the state of adolescent education in our region. They will look at measures to empower young people to make good decisions and at the ways in which this is being undercut by legislative action, misleading advertising and reduced funding.

BIOS: Miranda Estes (she/her) is the State Policy Action Manager at SIECUS where she has connected advocates across 30 states, helping more than 90 members strengthen their skills in advocacy, coalition-building, and strategy. Originally from Mississippi, she earned her bachelors and master’s in Social Work from the University of Southern Mississippi and began her career in community organizing.

Christina Clark Okarmus (she/her) led ACASH as its Executive Director. With over 13 years working in adolescent health, she started their first Youth Advisory Council program, developed an online foundation course, and successfully stopped repressive legislation from passing in 2024 and 2025. Christina is a member of AASECT. She has her Masters of Public Policy from the University of Northern Iowa.

Brian Conway & Don Penzian Concert
2025-11-15 16:00 - 18:00 | Fairhope Unitarian Fellowship, 1150 Fairhope Ave., Fairhope, AL, 36532, United States
Live in Concert!

Tickets are only $20 in advance or $25 at the door!

Purchase tickets online

BRIAN CONWAY performs with a skill, grace and force that are steeped in tradition but distinctively his own. Well known in the Irish/Celtic community, Conway has won numerous All-Ireland fiddling competitions, and has been called one of the best fiddlers of his generation. His fiddle students, including students in the Baltimore-Washington region, have won multiple local, regional, and all-Ireland championships. He is a leading exponent of the tastefully ornamented Sligo fiddling style made famous by the late Michael Coleman. The winner of two All- Ireland junior titles and the All-Ireland senior championship of 1986, Brian’s early studies were with his father Jim of Plumbridge County Tyrone and with Limerick born fiddler/teacher Martin Mulvihill. However, it was the legendary fiddler and composer Martin Wynne who taught him the real secrets of the County Sligo style. Brian is currently promoting his latest CD titled Wallace Avenue.

DON PENZIEN has long been a top-flight performer of Irish traditional music. He frequently is on the road playing concerts and festivals with Gailfean (Brian Conway, John Whelan, Máirtín de Cógáin), The Máirtín de Cógáin Project, and Haley Richardson, and he has served as accompanist for numerous other well-known performers (e.g., Gerry O’Connor, Randal Bays, Tim Britton, Jimmy Crowley, John Williams, Pat Broaders, Gabe Donohue, Ben Jaber, Tony DeMarco, Billy McComiskey, Sean Clohessy, Bridget Fitzgerald, Kevin Doyle). Widely recognized for his reserved backing style, Don’s dexterous work on DADGAD-tuned guitar provides solid, driving rhythms to traditional tunes as well as perceptive and sensitive accompaniments to songs and airs. Don is a Michigan native with strong roots in Irish culture and an affinity for Irish traditional music. He now resides in NC where he works as Professor at the Wake Forest School of Medicine.

Skip Jones
2025-11-16 11:00 - 12:00
Golden Years: How Americans Invented & Reinvented the Golden Age

Skip will review and discuss this book by James Chappel. In it Chappel examines how we Americans have viewed and responded: individually and socially-to the fact of aging.

Skip is a native of Mobile and a resident of the Eastern Shore since 1980. He is the proud father of three and grandfather of nine. He has been building and restoring homes for the past 29 years. In his spare time, he has been building and restoring boats. He currently lives in a 1925 cottage in Fairhope with his wife, Barbara, and dog, Archie.

John Brown
2025-11-23 11:00 - 12:00
Comprehensive Estate Planning 101

John will discuss the five essential documents in a comprehensive estate plan including their primary uses and their limitations. He will also identify the most overlooked aspects of a good estate plan.

John Brown is a qualified as a certified Financial Planner Emeritus. He is the retired owner of the financial planning form he founded and managed for 27 years until he retired in 2010. John currently serves as a volunteer at Thomas Hospital and regularly conducts estate planning seminars at Fairhope Library.

FUF Board Candidate Panel
2025-11-30 11:00 - 12:00
The nominating Committee has finalized the Candidates that they are recommending for the Executive Board next year. Candidates for positions on the FUF Board will describe their plans and suitability for board positions. This will be followed by a Q & A when members can put questions to candidates.

Unitarian Universalists hold up democratic values as one of the cornerstones of our faith and we trust that folks will not be shy of undertaking that responsibility seriously. So please come prepared with good questions!

Annual Member Meeting
2025-12-07 11:00 - 12:00
This is the major opportunity for the FUF Board members to outline the developments over the past year and plans for the future to members. It is the opportunity for members to vote in a new Board and to comment on and question what they are hearing. Stay for pizza and holiday decorating after!

Dr. Bill Goetter
2025-12-14 11:00 - 12:00
A Brief History of Vaccination

Dr. Goetter will talk about the trials and tribulations of vaccines.

Dr. Goetter is a retired physician, Board certified in internal medicine and pulmonary disease. He has served on the Alabama State Board of Health for 9 years.

Bah Humbug!
2025-12-21 11:00 - 12:00
See the true story of the origin of our American celebration of Christmas with a cast of Fellowship members. Irene Wegner will direct this 5th Annual event. Contact Irene if you are interested in being in the cast!

Hopes and Resolutions for the New Year
2025-12-28 11:00 - 12:00
We’ll meet in an oval seating arrangement so everyone can see and engage with one another. As the microphone is passed around, each person will have the opportunity to share a brief reflection, hope, or resolution for the year ahead. Participation is welcome but never required.

FUF Programs Over the Ages
2026-01-04 11:00 - 12:00
Sharing their history, a panelist of FUF members will talk about what has proved successful and challenging for Sunday Service Programs over the years. Having no minister, FUF as a lay-led congregation creates the opportunity to engage a variety of speakers on a variety of subjects. Rather than centering on individual tastes and preferences, collective gathering is an act of generosity and hospitality. Not every program may be to the liking of everyone, but just our presence that hour may be what our fellow congregant needed. The next program may be the very one that speaks directly to YOU. Your input on Program Planning will be welcome.

Sonny Brewer
2026-01-11 11:00 - 12:00
In His Name, She Said

Sonny Brewer will discuss his latest book, one which addresses a Gospel mystery.

Sonny Brewer is a writer and storyteller. He is the author of four novels, including The Poet of Tolstoy Park. His latest book is an illustrated storybook, In His Name, She Said.

Claire Helton
2026-01-18 11:00 - 12:00
Good Grief Without God: A Spiritually Inclusive Approach to Loss

Religious folks often balk at the idea that anyone could make it through a loss without a faith to support them, and yet people of all persuasions – spiritual, secular, and everywhere in between – cope successfully with loss every day. In this talk, Claire will share her learnings as a hospice bereavement coordinator offering spiritually inclusive grief support in the Pensacola area, with particular attention to the gap in community bereavement resources for non-religious or spiritually wounded grievers.

Claire Helton is a hospice bereavement coordinator with a background in chaplaincy & congregational ministry, and is a member of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Pensacola. She finds life in creating spaces for deep reflection, community-building, and personal transformation, and puts that passion to use as a Mentor with OutoftheBox (www.outofthebox.org), a group dialogue tool she currently uses to facilitate her own spiritually inclusive grief support group called Mindful Grief, which meets in Pensacola.

Chad Bedwell
2026-01-25 11:00 - 12:00
From a Hacker’s Perspective explores cybersecurity and how we can stay more secure as our daily lives become increasingly connected in a digital world. Using real-world examples and attacker tactics, the talk helps attendees better understand the risks we face and how those risks translate into everyday decisions.

Chad Bedwell is the Operational Technology (OT) Cybersecurity Lead for Mott MacDonald, a global engineering firm, specializing in securing critical infrastructure through ethical hacking and attacker-focused defense. He is passionate about helping people understand digital risk by explaining how real-world attackers think and how that knowledge helps protect the systems that keep the world running.

Nick Coulson
2026-02-01 11:00 - 12:00
“Inequality: Bad for the Poor…. and the Rich”

Research shows that societies experience more social, environmental and health problems as the gap between the wealthy and the poor increases. In this talk, Nick will present research and insights from the work of the Equality Trust, exploring how inequality affects everyone—from the bottom to the top.

Nick Coulson is a retired English Architect. He moved to Fairhope some 30 odd years ago and is still adjusting. He loves the Unitarian Fellowship for its values and friendships.

Deann Servos - Prodisee Pantry
2026-02-08 11:00 - 12:00
“Filling Plates & Filling Hearts”

This talk explores the importance of sharing healthy food with members of our community who are hungry—while protecting their dignity and building meaningful connections that help address other needs. Deann will also share updates on the Prodisee Pantry, along with exciting plans for future expansion.

Deann Servos is the Executive Director of Prodisee Pantry, Baldwin County’s largest emergency food pantry, providing thousands of families with groceries and hope! She is a graduate of Penn State and was an accomplished broadcast journalist before answering the call to start Prodisee Pantry.

She received the distinguished Aubrey D. Green Humanitarian Award in 2025 and the Eastern Shore Chamber of Commerce’s Community Leader Award in 2016. Deann serves on the Local Emergency Planning Committee of Baldwin County’s Emergency Management Agency, is Chair of Baldwin County Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster, and sits on the boards of the North Baldwin Infirmary Foundation and the North Baldwin Chamber of Commerce. With over 20 years of nonprofit experience, she is also a mentor and active volunteer in numerous nonprofits.

Deann lives in Stapleton with her husband and three children.

Harold W. Beu
2026-02-15 11:00 - 12:00
“Begin with Hope”

One of most iconic phrases from scripture comes from 1 Corinthians 13: “And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.” Love is often seen as the ultimate goal—caring for people and affirming the worth and dignity of all, as expressed in our first UU principle. Faith can be understood as a system of belief that helps shape our lives and sustain us through life’s challenges. This talk suggests, however, that hope must come first, because without hope, faith and love cannot endure.

In a time when many people are losing hope, this talk explores the important distinction between realistic and unrealistic hope, and invites reflection on what hope means in today’s world.

Harold W. Beu is a retired Unitarian Universalist minister who served congregations for over 30 years in California, Idaho, New Hampshire and Michigan. He has also worked as a high school teacher, teaching history, civics, psychology, and math.

For the past decade, Harold has taught the history of Israel/Palestine for organizations including the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, as well as churches, senior centers, and libraries. He has long been active in the peace movement, working to quell the corrupting effect of militarism in America and to advocate for human rights for all oppressed people.

Harold lives in Kalamazoo with his wife, journalist Julie Mack, and has three grown children.

Giving in Gratitude FUF Festival
2026-02-22 11:00 - 12:00
The Member Support Committee is sponsoring a fun celebration to:

Recognize our volunteers,

Describe connection opportunities through committee volunteering and participation in Fellowship community offerings,

Encourage regular financial giving.

We give in gratitude of our time, talents and treasures, and in doing so, we also receive.

Irene Wegner
2026-03-01 11:00 - 12:00
Ed Harris: UU Minister and Civil Rights Activist

UU minister Ed Harris was one of the white liberal activists involved in the Birmingham civil rights unrest. He founded the ACLU there and worked for equal rights. For his troubles he was attacked repeatedly. Narrowly missing more attacks, he and his family fled the city to safer locations in the north where members of FUF knew him. He was an engaging storyteller, principled leader, and author.

Irene has been an active UU for the past 50+ years, including serving as President and Board Chair of the Fellowship. A former teacher, Director of Religious Education, and a state Community Organizer for AARP, she has enjoyed using storytelling to connect with others. Irene, husband Pete, and various dogs have enjoyed biking the Gulf area for the past 13 years.

Ken Hudson
2026-03-08 11:00 - 12:00
Religion, Morality, and Science in the 21st Century

More information coming soon.

Diane Thomas
2026-03-15 11:00 - 12:00
Ticking Time Bomb at Plant Barry

Overview of the threat of 21 million tons of toxic coal ash next to the Mobile River in the Tensaw Delta and possible permanent pollution unless action is taken now.

Born and raised in Little Rock, Arkansas, Diane received her PhD in Clinical Psychology in 1973 and practiced for 20 years. Some of her volunteer activities include Chairman of the City of Fairhope Personnel Board, Read Aloud Baldwin, and Coal Ash Action Group for the last three years. One of Diane’s most notable accomplishments was hiking on the Appalachian trail when she was 58.
