River of Grass Unitarian Universalist Congregation

06/11/2026

June 12, 2016, was the most horrific day in the history of the City of Orlando. In the days since the tragedy, the members of our community have stood up and stood together to show the world the best humanity has to offer. Together we will remain Orlando United.”
– Mayor Buddy Dyer
Our community was forever impacted after 49 angels were taken and dozens of others were injured in a mass shooting during Latin Night at Pulse, a safe and inclusive LGBTQIA+ nightclub, located just south of downtown Orlando. At the time, it was the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history.
Since that tragic day, we have focused on supporting the victims and their families, as well as healing and uniting our community with love and compassion.
Saturday night was Latin Night at Pulse, one of the city's best-known gay clubs, and the place was packed with patrons both gay and straight, young and not-so-young, from the U.S., Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, Mexico and elsewhere, having a good time, dancing salsa and bachata.

The physical nightclub building was demolished by the city of Orlando in March 2026 to clear the site for a permanent memorial. The city is planning a $12 million permanent memorial and tribute center on the site. Construction is underway, with the memorial scheduled to officially open in 2027.

Source: Google AI, Wikipedia, Pulse Orlando.org

06/06/2026

This Pride Month, we celebrate the joy, resilience, and beauty of LGBTQIA+ communities.

In "The Q***r Beatitudes," Tim Atkins (also known as Sister Sweet Suffering Tea of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence) offers this blessing:

"Blessed are we, the whole q***r family,
for love is our birthright, and joy is our inheritance."

May we continue building a world where every person can live, love, and flourish as their full self. 🌈

Read "The Q***r Beatitudes" at the link in the comments.

06/06/2026

We send our unwavering support for Unitarian Universalists (UU) in uniform and our UU military chaplains. We recently learned the Department of Defense (DOD) has removed 180 separate religious affiliations from the US military’s list of religious affiliation codes. This eliminates the code for Unitarian Universalists, as well as Humanists, Atheists and Pagan traditions, and many others. Along with dozens of other religious traditions, UUs will be categorized broadly under “Other” in military’s religious affiliation codes.

Please note this decision does not directly impact the status of our UU military chaplains, who are authorized through a separate faith-based endorsement process with the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA). What it does mean is that Unitarian Universalist service members will not be able to select their specific religious identity in their personnel records. This may make it more difficult for our uniformed UUs to access the spiritual care that they need.

At this time, we are diligently working with our UUA counsel and partners in a variety of faith traditions to craft a strategic response that faithfully represents our values and demonstrates clear support for our UU service members and their families, as well as all those who are impacted by this DOD policy.

We will share more information when it is available. But today, we declare that no government action can erase our faith nor lessen the powerful and necessary grounding it provides for those who serve.

Read the full statement at the link in the comments.

06/02/2026

06/01/2026

Pride Month, sometimes specified as LGBTQ Pride Month, is a month-long observance dedicated to the celebration of LGBTQ pride, commemorating the contributions of le***an, gay, bisexual, transgender, and q***r (LGBTQ) culture and community. Pride Month is observed in June, coinciding with the anniversary of the 1969 Stonewall riots, a series of gay liberation protests.[2]
The first pride marches were held in four US cities in June 1970, one year after the riots at the Stonewall Inn. The New York City march, promoted as "Christopher Street Liberation Day", alongside the parallel marches in Chicago, Los Angeles, and San Francisco, marked a watershed moment for LGBTQ rights.[4
June became recognized as Pride Month in the United States to commemorate the Stonewall Uprising. President Bill Clinton officially declared in a presidential proclamation that June would be "Gay and Le***an Pride Month" in 1999. Barack Obama expanded official Pride Month recognition in 2011 to include the entire LGBT community. Donald Trump declined to offer federal recognition of Pride Month in 2017, though he issued supportive public statements in a series of Tweets in 2019. Joe Biden recognized Pride Month after taking office in 2021 and vowed to push for LGBT rights in the United States,[17] despite previously voting against same-sex marriage and school education of LGBTQ topics in the Senate. Pride Month has since grown into a global celebration of LGBTQ+ culture and identity.
Source: Wikipedia

05/16/2026

May 17 is International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia.

Systemic discrimination and violence based on sexual orientation and gender identity are still affecting many people across the world, a group of UN and regional human rights experts* said today, calling on States to redouble efforts to put an end to that. Ahead of the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia, they issued the following statement:
It is an opportunity to welcome progress and draw attention to violence and discrimination experienced by people based on sexual orientation and gender identity.
Source: UN Office of Human Rights High Commissioner https://www.ohchr.org/

05/15/2026

Writer Jason Porter speaks to a deeply humanist understanding of ethics: that our responsibility to one another is rooted not in fear of punishment or hope of reward, but in the reality that this life—and this world—are what we have.

If justice, compassion, and care are going to exist, we have to create them together here and now.

It’s a grounded reflection on what it means to practice morality not for recognition or salvation, but because other people matter.

Read the full piece at the link in the comments below.

05/09/2026

In a recent UU World reflection on meeting this moment, Rev. Elizabeth Buffington Nguyen offers a powerful vision: “everything for everyone.”

Healthcare. Housing. Education. Mental health. Freedom to migrate. The ability not just to survive, but to thrive. These are not privileges for a chosen few. They are part of what it means to honor the inherent worth and dignity of every person.

At a time when fear, scarcity, and division are shaping so much public life, this reflection calls us back to a deeper truth: another world is possible, and love asks us to help build it together.

Read more from this larger Meet the Moment reflection series from UU World at the link in the comments.

05/04/2026

We are happy to announce the arrival of our new minister, this Fall! The Reverend Nicholas Sanchez received his Master of Divinity with Distinction from Iliff School of Theology in June 2025, and he holds undergraduate degrees in Philosophy and Religious Studies from Pennsylvania State University. His ministerial formation included a two-year internship at Wellsprings Congregation, Clinical Pastoral Education at Einstein Hospital (a level one trauma center in Philadelphia), hospice experience, and ongoing chaplaincy and community care work. He also has served congregations through pulpit supply, focusing on building connections across UU and interfaith communities.
Rev Nick, his wife Katie and Little One will be settling into South Florida this summer.
Feel free to express your excitement and gratitude in the comments below!