Rachel Wright
2025-10-19 11:00 - 12:00 (America/Chicago) | 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 | AL
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 | AL
“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 | AL
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 | AL
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 | AL
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 | AL
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 | AL
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 | AL
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 | AL
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 | AL
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.
