Quarterly Beneficiary Share the Plate
Our Share the Plate recipient for the first quarter of 2026 will be the Family Resource Center located on Carl Rose Hwy (SR 200) in Hernando. They have a number of programs to provide comprehensive support to community members in need. The programs address essential needs, empowerment and self-reliance with guidance in job coaching and developing a resume, assistance in obtaining vital documents like birth certificates and ID cards, and well-being and personal growth including a weekly medical clinic to address basic health care needs.
Martin Luther King Day Celebration 2026
Crystal River – 10:00 am – 2:00 pm, Copeland Park. There will be a program honoring the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, beginning at 10:00 am. Organizations will have tables and food trucks will be onsite, featuring traditional soul food. NCUU is looking for volunteers to work at our table. Contact Mary Hedges at 612-669-2076 or [email protected] if interested in helping.
Membership News
Welcome back “snowbirds” and visitors! We are so happy to see you and hope you will attend regularly and become involved in NCUU. If you would like to know more about our Mission, our programs and services, please make sure Holly Alexander has your email address. She will send you a weekly eblast with a link to Zoom as well as other timely information. Make sure you sign the Visitor/Guest book in the foyer with information you would like to share. We won’t “spam” you, I promise.
Also, we recently had a new member sign the Membership book. Please welcome Jim Allen, from Yankeetown. There will be more information about Jim next month.
Connie Hart, Welcoming & Membership Co-Chair
Social Justice
Homeless Count
The Social Justice Committee will be participating in the nationwide “Point-in-Time Count” in Citrus County on January 27. During the last week in January, volunteers across the nation conduct a conduct a survey of people who do not have housing at that time. The data is reported to the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for planning programs to respond to the need for housing. Volunteers will be trained via a Zoom session before they go (as a group) to identified areas and survey those who appear to be without shelter. Unsheltered people who participate in the survey will be given a bag of practical items to assist them in their situation. For more information about the Point-in-Time Count and how HUD is involved in addressing the housing crisis see HUD Homeless Assistance.
Anyone interested in volunteering for the local count on January 27 may call NCUU member Mary Hedges at 612-669-2076
LEGISLATIVE REDISTRICTING (Gerrymandering)
There is a movement across many states to redraw Congressional district boundaries in a way that they would be designed to favor one political party i.e. ‘gerrymandered” There is presently no such bill in the Florida House but it has been discussed in Committee and there has been pressure from Washington. On Dec.4 thousands of Floridians, including some from NCUU rallied in Washington in opposition to redistricting. The Social Justice Committee urges people to contact their Florida Representatives and ask them to oppose gerrymandering. Watch the WHAT’S UP table for more information and a list of Representatives and their contact information by district.
Assisting Felons to get their voting rights reinstalled
HB 73 & SB 132, were filed for the 2026 legislative session to require the Florida Commission on Offender Review to develop a database to assist felons in verifying their voting rights restoration status.
Please call your legislators to vote in favor of these bills.
Wanda Brown
Wildlife Club Future Meetings
Learn all about the rise of dangerous invasive plant species and what we can do to prevent contamination of our delicate Florida ecosystem in the presentation “Not from Here, are You?” from our guest speaker, Time’ Parkerson, Grumbles Garden Shop Manager, when the Wildlife Club meetings resume at 7 p.m. Tuesday, January 27, 2026, at the Nature Coast Unitarian Universalists (NCUU) fellowship hall at 7633 N. Florida Ave. (RT-41), Citrus Springs, FL 34434
The doors will open at 6:30 p.m. for many free wildlife handouts and information. Light refreshments available, a door prize, raffles and a 50/50 drawing will be held to benefit the NCUU. Wildlife Club meetings are always free and all are welcome.
Our motto is “They Were Here First”.
For more information contact: Brenda L. Roberts – President and Founder of the Wildlife Club at 352-746-2384 or [email protected]
Wildlife Club Future Meetings
Save The Following Dates For Future Wildlife Club Meetings:
February 24, 2026 – “Untamed Florida” by Linda Wilinski
March 24, 2026 – “Visitors in the Night” by Maxine Hunter
April 28, 2026 – Grumbles House Garden Shop Presentation and Plant Sale
May 26, 2026 – Raptors and Owls by Reinier Manguia
Qigong classes
Nature Coast Unitarian Universalist Fellowship is offering Qigong-Mindful Movement classes on Wednesdays, 3 PM, at 7633 N. Florida Ave. Citrus Springs.
Qigong (pronounced chee-gong) is similar to a moving meditation. This ancient practice consists of gentle movement patterns, breath awareness, and a focused mindset designed to enhance vitality, deepen inner connection, and create space for your highest potential.
By gently moving stagnant Qi (life force energy) you can release blockages and feel balanced with effortless effort !
Our teacher, Alicia Martinez, is a Qigong Associate instructor as well as certified Yoga Instructor for adults and children.
Come join us for this weekly practice. No experience is required and instructor will provide modifications if needed.
NCUU Calendar
Please send additions, deletions, updates, and edits to Gordon Hart, [email protected], so that he may keep the calendar updated on our website, ncuu.org.
Announcement E-mail Address
Our email address for announcements: [email protected].
Grounds Committee
Chas invites you to come rake, weed, mulch, prune, plant and help beautiful the church grounds. First Fridays of the month, 10 AM – 12 noon.
Wildhart Photography
The photographs on the walls of the sanctuary can be purchased with 50% of the purchase price going to NCUU.
Talk to Gordon Hart if interested.
Please check out wildhartphotography.com for more of Gordon’s photographs.
The same deal will be honored if someone from the congregation wants to order a photo from the website.
Website Section for Members Only
Are you a member who has a business or service? If you would like to share the information about your business or service to the Members Only section of the website, please write what you would like and let Connie or Amy know. Amy will add it.
– Connie Hart
Newsletter Deadline
Please Remember That The Deadline For Next Newsletter Is
January 23, 2026 .
Please Adhere To This Deadline; Otherwise, your material won’t be included in the newsletter.
All request entries should be sent to the email address [email protected]. That will make it easier to keep all requests organized in one place. I have been getting emails sent to several of my email accounts, and it makes it very difficult to organize the items to will be in the monthly issues. I can only guarantee that it will be in the issue, if it’s sent to this email address. Please send the proofread text and photo attachments. In addition, please keep your text to a maximum of three short paragraphs. If it is longer, we will edit to shorten the announcement.
