Upcoming Services
This Sunday, May 28:
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Service at 10:30 am: 
LGBTQ Issues and Access to Information
Sermon by MerryBeth Burgess Our speaker will address the challenges of access to information in our society to include an LBGTQ perspective on recent events. MerryBeth, also known as MB, is the owner of Hello Again Books in Cocoa Village. She has a bachelor’s degree in psychology, which is the foundation of her customer service approach focused on the well-being of her customers. For more than 25 years MB has been in retail management directly supporting staff and company goals for brands such as Game Stop, Bath and Body Works, Godiva, and Barnes & Noble. |
Music 
Stephen Downen, choir director, keyboard, soloist, Amy Rosebush, keyboard.
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Children's Religious Education at 10:30 am:
The Youth RE committee oversees the children's Sunday morning RE program, as well as special events during the year, including a one-week ANT (Art, Nature, Theater) Camp each summer. The children begin their Sunday in Friendship Hall with their families and after the opening hymn, come forward for the chalice lighting and the Children’s Affirmation before being sung off to the Sunday school room for their lesson and accompanying activities, provided by teacher Kim Kroflich. Lessons are provided for children ages 5-12, and child care for those younger than 5, concurrent with the adult Sunday morning service.
The committee is responsible for providing a teacher and a teen assistant for the children's RE and overseeing their work as well as maintaining the rooms where the children's activities take place to make sure they are attractive and welcoming as well as safe for children of all ages. For our curriculum, we use the Tapestry of Faith units available for downloading from the UUA website. Teen programs are also available whenever there is sufficient need and participation.
A final important job of the committee is to publicize the children's program and attract more young families to Friendship Fellowship. We welcome new members to the Youth RE Committee, so if you are interested in working with the children and joining us, please see chair Ruth Rodgers. Read more about our Youth Religious Education program...
The committee is responsible for providing a teacher and a teen assistant for the children's RE and overseeing their work as well as maintaining the rooms where the children's activities take place to make sure they are attractive and welcoming as well as safe for children of all ages. For our curriculum, we use the Tapestry of Faith units available for downloading from the UUA website. Teen programs are also available whenever there is sufficient need and participation.
A final important job of the committee is to publicize the children's program and attract more young families to Friendship Fellowship. We welcome new members to the Youth RE Committee, so if you are interested in working with the children and joining us, please see chair Ruth Rodgers. Read more about our Youth Religious Education program...
Coffee and conversations at 11:30 am:
Enjoy coffee and other refreshments as you converse with old friends and make new ones.
(All speakers are in person unless noted)
June 4:
The Passing On of Wisdom
Sermon by Jeanne Crane (via Zoom)
In the wisdom of Rilke’s famous line “live the question”, let us begin with some questions about wisdom: how does it differ from knowledge? How is it transmitted generation to generation? What blocks or obscures it? How can we act with intention to pass essential wisdom on to future generations?
The seven major ancient mystery schools plus wisdom from other ancient civilizations that have been marginalized provide our first clues. As we follow the success and failures of their message over the centuries, let us develop insight into the answers. Then, let us apply that knowing into our own rich Living Tradition and the 30 years of experience here at the Unitarian Universalist Friendship Fellowship as we celebrate this 30th Year Anniversary.
The Passing On of Wisdom
Sermon by Jeanne Crane (via Zoom)
In the wisdom of Rilke’s famous line “live the question”, let us begin with some questions about wisdom: how does it differ from knowledge? How is it transmitted generation to generation? What blocks or obscures it? How can we act with intention to pass essential wisdom on to future generations?
The seven major ancient mystery schools plus wisdom from other ancient civilizations that have been marginalized provide our first clues. As we follow the success and failures of their message over the centuries, let us develop insight into the answers. Then, let us apply that knowing into our own rich Living Tradition and the 30 years of experience here at the Unitarian Universalist Friendship Fellowship as we celebrate this 30th Year Anniversary.
June 11:
Juneteenth
Sermon by Nellson Moore (via Zoom)
Nellson Moore is a former member of our congregation who now lives elsewhere.
On June 19, 1865, over two years after President Abraham Lincoln declared all enslaved persons free, the Union Army marched into Galveston, Texas, to enforce the Emancipation Proclamation and free the last enslaved African Americans in Texas. That was the event that planted the seed that would grow into Juneteenth, now a national holiday.
Nellson Moore is a member emeritus of our congregation. He now lives in Albany, NY.
Juneteenth
Sermon by Nellson Moore (via Zoom)
Nellson Moore is a former member of our congregation who now lives elsewhere.
On June 19, 1865, over two years after President Abraham Lincoln declared all enslaved persons free, the Union Army marched into Galveston, Texas, to enforce the Emancipation Proclamation and free the last enslaved African Americans in Texas. That was the event that planted the seed that would grow into Juneteenth, now a national holiday.
Nellson Moore is a member emeritus of our congregation. He now lives in Albany, NY.
June 18:
Pirate Jews of the Caribbean
Sermon by Rabbi Craig Mayers
This topic covers how Jews ended up on islands in the Caribbean and established communities in this hemisphere long before the United States achieved independence and which communities are still thriving there including synagogues in Barbados, St Thomas and Curaçao among others.
Craig Mayers is a frequent speaker at our Fellowship and is the rabbi and spiritual leader of Temple Beth Sholom here in Melbourne.
Pirate Jews of the Caribbean
Sermon by Rabbi Craig Mayers
This topic covers how Jews ended up on islands in the Caribbean and established communities in this hemisphere long before the United States achieved independence and which communities are still thriving there including synagogues in Barbados, St Thomas and Curaçao among others.
Craig Mayers is a frequent speaker at our Fellowship and is the rabbi and spiritual leader of Temple Beth Sholom here in Melbourne.
June 25 at 10:30:
Bridging the Divide of Political Polarization
Sermon by Rev. Budd Murphy
June 25
Speaker: Rev Bud Murphy
Topic: “Bridging the Divide of Political Polarization”
How do we live in a world of political polarization? Unitarian Universalist Justice Florida (UUJF) seeks to answer this question and empower the moral voice of Unitarian Universalist values. The fate of humanity and our planet depends on how we organize human energy in this pursuit. Our speaker will explore how we can be part of the solution and not part of the problem.
Richard “Bud” Murphy, MDiv, MA, is a retired Unitarian Universalist minister and a member of the UU Church of St. Petersburg. He is currently serving as Board President of UUJF, a state action Network.
at 11:30:
We livestream the General Assembly's Sunday Morning service in progress, the largest annual gathering of Unitarian Universalists joining in worship.
Ever Willing: Becoming the People Our World Needs
Sermon by Rev. Manish Mishra-Marzetti
The pandemic has wrought change and created uncertainty for institutions, like our Unitarian Universalist congregations, and our wider world. Who and what are we becoming, individually and collectively? Our GA Sunday service explores these themes as we gather in community to celebrate the best of who we Unitarian Universalists are.
Bridging the Divide of Political Polarization
Sermon by Rev. Budd Murphy
June 25
Speaker: Rev Bud Murphy
Topic: “Bridging the Divide of Political Polarization”
How do we live in a world of political polarization? Unitarian Universalist Justice Florida (UUJF) seeks to answer this question and empower the moral voice of Unitarian Universalist values. The fate of humanity and our planet depends on how we organize human energy in this pursuit. Our speaker will explore how we can be part of the solution and not part of the problem.
Richard “Bud” Murphy, MDiv, MA, is a retired Unitarian Universalist minister and a member of the UU Church of St. Petersburg. He is currently serving as Board President of UUJF, a state action Network.
at 11:30:
We livestream the General Assembly's Sunday Morning service in progress, the largest annual gathering of Unitarian Universalists joining in worship.
Ever Willing: Becoming the People Our World Needs
Sermon by Rev. Manish Mishra-Marzetti
The pandemic has wrought change and created uncertainty for institutions, like our Unitarian Universalist congregations, and our wider world. Who and what are we becoming, individually and collectively? Our GA Sunday service explores these themes as we gather in community to celebrate the best of who we Unitarian Universalists are.
July 2:
4th of July Picnic
(no sermon)
4th of July Picnic
(no sermon)
July 9
Speaker: Dr. Aubrey Jewett
Topic: "DeSantis vs. Disney"
I think it is extraordinary that the Governor is using the power of the state to punish Disney for exercising its free speech rights. I'm not sure if Disney will win in federal court, but I think they have a solid case. I will discuss the background of Reedy Creek, the disagreement on the Don't Say Gay bill, the actions taken by the governor, legislature and new board, the lawsuit filed by Disney, and the bigger picture of DeSantis using government to attack and silence opponents.
Aubrey Jewett received his Ph.D. from Florida State University. He is currently Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of Central Florida. His main research and teaching interests are in American national, state and local politics with a special emphasis on Florida. Professor. Jewett is coauthor of Politics in Florida (now in its 4th edition) and received the Leon Weaver Award for his study of ballot invalidation in Florida during the 2000 presidential election. His research on the 2016 election in Florida will be forthcoming in two edited books. Dr. Jewett is an internationally recognized expert on American and Florida politics. Jewett’s quotes have appeared over 40,000 times in print, over the air, and online throughout Florida, the United States, and worldwide.
July 16
Speaker: Rev Pam Mcmillan
Topic: "A Surprise Sermon"
Come and be surprised.
Rev Pam Mcmillan is a United Methodist minister, hospice chaplain and frequent speaker at UUFF.
July 30
Speaker: Dr. Scott Tilley
"CHAT GPT and Artificial Intelligence"
Speaker: Dr. Aubrey Jewett
Topic: "DeSantis vs. Disney"
I think it is extraordinary that the Governor is using the power of the state to punish Disney for exercising its free speech rights. I'm not sure if Disney will win in federal court, but I think they have a solid case. I will discuss the background of Reedy Creek, the disagreement on the Don't Say Gay bill, the actions taken by the governor, legislature and new board, the lawsuit filed by Disney, and the bigger picture of DeSantis using government to attack and silence opponents.
Aubrey Jewett received his Ph.D. from Florida State University. He is currently Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of Central Florida. His main research and teaching interests are in American national, state and local politics with a special emphasis on Florida. Professor. Jewett is coauthor of Politics in Florida (now in its 4th edition) and received the Leon Weaver Award for his study of ballot invalidation in Florida during the 2000 presidential election. His research on the 2016 election in Florida will be forthcoming in two edited books. Dr. Jewett is an internationally recognized expert on American and Florida politics. Jewett’s quotes have appeared over 40,000 times in print, over the air, and online throughout Florida, the United States, and worldwide.
July 16
Speaker: Rev Pam Mcmillan
Topic: "A Surprise Sermon"
Come and be surprised.
Rev Pam Mcmillan is a United Methodist minister, hospice chaplain and frequent speaker at UUFF.
July 30
Speaker: Dr. Scott Tilley
"CHAT GPT and Artificial Intelligence"
Closed Captioning of Zoom Now Available
If closed captions would help you access our Zoom meetings, you can enable this feature for yourself. Anyone can have this feature, free. Just go to
https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articles/207279736-Closed-captioning-and-live-transcription
to learn more. We hope this will increase accessibility and participation in Zoom meetings.
If closed captions would help you access our Zoom meetings, you can enable this feature for yourself. Anyone can have this feature, free. Just go to
https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articles/207279736-Closed-captioning-and-live-transcription
to learn more. We hope this will increase accessibility and participation in Zoom meetings.