|
Services start at 10:30 a.m.
Our services are also available live via Zoom. Please send a request to [email protected] for the link.
July 5, 2026
Speaker – Dr. Jeff Nall-Bradford
Biography:
Dr. Jeffrey Nall-Bradford is dedicated to connecting the wisdom of the humanities to the issues we face in our daily lives. He brings this mission to the courses he teaches for Florida Atlantic University and the University of Central Florida. His Substack newsletter, “Humanities in Revolt,” is read by more than 4,000 subscribers across 50 states and 97 countries. You can explore his work and subscribe at JeffreyNall dot Substack dot com.
Topic: Biophilia for Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner: How Veganism Affirms Our Love of Animals, Planet, and Personal Wellness
For all of the things out of our control, most of us still get to decide what to eat. Yet much of what we eat runs counter to many of our professed values and concerns. By reducing our consumption of animal meats and dairy products in favor of whole plant foods, we bring our personal choices into alignment with our professed love of animals, the planet, and desire to live healthful lives.
In this talk Dr. Nall will draw on his knowledge of ethics and his personal transition from omnivore to vegetarian and then vegan to explain why our commonsense beliefs and practices around eating farm animals are inconsistent with our own foremost values. Nall contends that whether the metric is individual health, environmental sustainability, or basic morally consistent respect for animal life, moral integrity requires each of us to make a dramatic change in what or who we eat. Nall also suggests that an honest examination of the inconsistencies in our ordinary dietary practices offers vital insight into the moral complexities of being human. Such insight nourishes empathy for others and faith in personal and social transformation.
Sunday, July 12, 2026
Speaker – UU Rev Carole Yorke
Biography:
The retired Rev Carole Yorke decided a year ago that a move was in the works and she and her two Pomeranians moved from Port St Lucie to Dunnellon. Rev Carole had already been making the trip up here to guest preach at NCUU —for more than twenty years— once or twice a year. She still guest preaches here and now in several other churches in Florida.
Topic: The Art of Unclenching
This service explores what happens when we loosen our grip—on outcomes, opinions, and the need to be certain. We’ll reflect on how releasing tension can create a place for connection, curiosity, and compassion.
Sunday, July 19, 2026
Speaker – Monk San
Biography:
Monk San is from the island country of Sri Lanka, where he joined a monastery at ten years old. He completed his primary education at the monastery. He later earned two bachelor’s degrees—one in theology, the other in Buddhist studies—as well as a master’s degree in theology. He also earned his Master of Science degree and is a nurse practitioner.
Monk San came to the United States at the invitation of the Venerable Bhante Sujatha of the Blue Lotus Temple in Illinois. He now lives and works in Clearwater but continues his travels to provide Buddhist teachings free of charge in Venice, North Port, and Sarasota. A dedicated teacher, he also provides dharma talks along Florida’s Suncoast.
Topic: Understanding and Transforming the Causes of Suffering
Buddhist thought teaches that human suffering arises from intrinsic human tendencies such as anger, delusion, and greed. As long as we continue to be driven by these tendencies, both individuals and the communities around them will experience conflict and chaos. Buddhist teachings, as a way of life, encourage us to work daily on understanding and transforming these deeply rooted tendencies. Through mindful awareness and practice, we can recognize these patterns within ourselves and cultivate greater kindness, compassion, and wisdom toward others and ourselves.
Sunday, July 26, 2026
Speaker – The Rev. Dr. Harry Coverston, TSSF
Biography:
Harry Coverston is a sixth generation Floridian and a fourth-generation educator. He earned a law degree from the University of Florida, a Masters of Divinity from the Episcopal seminary in Berkeley, CA, and a Ph.D. in Religion, Law and Society from Florida State University. He has served Orange and Osceola Counties as a public defender representing juvenile clients, taught at both UCF and Valencia Colleges for 27 years, has been professed as a Third Order Franciscan for 35 years and is now a post-institutional Episcopal priest.
Topic: An American Pope for a Global Church: What Pope Leo XIV Might Teach Us About Human Dignity and the Common Good
What might the election of Pope Leo XIV mean—not only for Roman Catholics, but for all who care about human dignity, justice, and global community? This sermon will explore the life and significance of the first American pope. Born in the United States and shaped by decades of ministry in Latin America, Pope Leo XIV brings a unique perspective to one of the world’s most influential religious offices. It will examine his American roots, his ministry among the poor and marginalized in Peru, his continuity with the legacy of Pope Francis, and his willingness to speak prophetically on issues such as migration, economic inequality, and international responsibility. Finally, it will discuss how these themes resonate with Unitarian Universalist commitments to human dignity, justice, compassion, and the goal of a world community with peace, liberty, and justice for all.
|