Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of St Augustine, FL

08/31/2026

Sunday, Sept. 6, 10:00 a.m.“The Day Jesus Was Converted” — Phillip Baber
September 6, 2026 at 10:00 am
Service Leader: Chris McDermott
Musician: Alex Richman
In this service we will consider the shocking encounter between Jesus of Nazareth and the unnamed Syrophoenecian woman of Mark 7:24–30 and the theological ramifications of a god whose mind can be changed and a Christ who grows towards Justice.

Phillip Baber is well known to this Fellowship and is a strong advocate of social justice. His ministry emphasizes reconciliation and empowerment in the Judeo-Christian tradition. In years past, Phillip served as pastor of the Unitarian Church in Jacksonville and as an interfaith leader in greater Jacksonville. Phillip and his family have since moved to Dublin, Ireland. Besides being a devoted husband and father, Phillip continues his scholarly research and writing.

08/23/2026

“Living Your Faith Part One: Should I “Be” Religious?”–Sensei Morris Doshin Sullivan

August 30, 2026 at 10:00 am

Service Leader: Bailey Martin
Musician: Alex Richman

Given the role religion sometimes plays in society and the harm it can cause, we might sometimes wonder if there’s any point in it. But there are significant differences – spiritual differences – between knowing about religion, believing in religion, identifying with religion, and walking a path that leads to healthy spiritual transformation. In this talk, Sensei Morris Doshin Sullivan will discuss ways we might ground ourselves on a spiritual journey that will lead to a more enlightened life.

Sensei Morris Doshin Sullivan is a Zen monk ordained in the Soto school, a minister in the Jodo-Shinshu school of Japanese Pure Land Buddhism, and a recognized dharma teacher in a Vietnamese Rinzai Zen lineage. Sensei Morris contributes to the Volusia Buddhist Fellowship in DeLand, and as a dharma teacher at White Sands Buddhist Center, a Vietnamese monastery in Florida. He is a former chaplain at Stetson University and established Buddhist services at Tomoka Correctional Institution. He and his wife and two dogs moved to Watertown, MA last year while maintaining his spiritual leadership role at Volusia BF and White Sands.

Photo of today's guest speaker, Sensei Morris Sullivan
Sensei Morris holds a certificate in Methods of Japanese Psychology, which employs practices drawn from Japanese Zen and Jodo-Shinshu Buddhism for personal and spiritual growth. He first became interested in Buddhism as a teenager, when he began reading about Zen. He was ordained as a monk in a Thai Buddhist order before enrolling in a seminary program with Bright Dawn, a nonsectarian Buddhist organization rooted in Japanese Buddhism. His book, Wisdom; Compassion; Serenity: First Steps on the Buddhist Path is an introductory guide to Buddhist practice.

08/23/2026

Many of us volunteer at the Food Pantry every Friday, and a few of us had a table at the Farmers Market at the Amphitheater, hoping to collect food and donations.

08/17/2026

“Undocumented Immigration: How It Happened and What to Do About It”–John Caulfield
August 23, 2026 at 10:00 am
Service Leader: Nana Royer

John Caulfield was a US Foreign Service Officer for nearly four decades with much of his service in Latin America. Early consular assignments in Colombia, the UK and Portugal were followed by service in Brasilia as Special Assistant to the Ambassador. Returning to Washington he was desk officer for Argentina and later Brazil as these countries returned to democratic rule after years of military dictatorships. He then served as US Consul in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, the largest immigrant visa issuing post in the world and a center for dealing with complex US-Mexico border issues.

Returning to the Department of State in Washington, he directed Congressional and Public affairs for issues dealing with visas, US passports and American citizens abroad. His next assignment was Consul General Manila, Philippines where he led the team that worked to resolve the hostage taking of several American citizens. In Lima, Peru, he was Deputy Chief of Mission and Charge d’ Affaires as Peru returned to democratic rule and confronted many challenges. Following a subsequent assignment to London as Consul General he was sent to Caracas, Venezuela as Deputy Chief of Mission but served for an extended period as Charge d’ Affaires after President Hugo Chavez expelled the Ambassador. His experience in Caracas under difficult circumstances led to his following assignment as Chief of the US Interests Section in Havana 2011-2014.

In Cuba he expanded US engagement with the Cuban people via a number of creative programs even while improving communication with the Cuban government on areas of mutual interest. He retired in September 2014 shortly before Cuba and the US normalized relations.

08/13/2026

Sunday, Aug 16, 10 a.m. "Protect What You Love" with Silas Tanner, Program Director for Matanzas Riverkeeper
“Protect What You Love!”–Silas Tanner
August 16, 2026 at 10:00 am

For the first Sunday of the Fellowship year, members and guests are invited to bring a small amount of water representing the summer interlude – from a vacation spot, a backyard garden, or a local beach – to pour into one bowl. The now “communal” water is a portrayal of our community.

Silas tanner will speak about the activities of the Matanzas Riverkeeper, a non-profit dedicated to protecting the health of the Guana, Tolomato, Matanzas estuary and watershed through advocacy, eductio and community engagement. We'll learn about the current health of our local waterways and what you can do to help keep our wter clean.

Sunday Service begins at 10am. Our front doors are locked at 10:10am.

Join our Service online by clicking here. Zoom meeting opens at 9:30am.

07/19/2026

06/30/2026

“The Six Sources of Unitarian Universalist Faith”–Phillip Baber
Aug. 2, 2026 at 10:00 am

Our abbreviated Sunday services will be held July 5 through August 9 in the Sanctuary. Music will resume with our regular services on August 16.

Unitarian Universalist congregations affirm and promote seven Principles, which we hold as strong values and moral guides. We live out these Principles within a “living tradition” of wisdom and spirituality, drawn from sources as diverse as science, poetry, scripture, and personal experience.

For six Sundays Pastor Phillip Baber has been reviewing “The Six Sources of Unitarian Universalist Faith.” These are video presentations which he made for us in 2021. The last in the series in Sunday, Aug 9. This provides further background on Unitarian-Universalism, regardless of whether you are hearing it for the first time or as a refresher. Child care will continue to be provided, when necessary.

Aug 9……… “Earth Centered Religions”

Photo of today's speaker, Pastor Phillip Baber
Phillip Baber is well known to this Fellowship and is a strong advocate of social justice. His ministry emphasizes reconciliation and empowerment in the Judeo-Christian tradition. In years past Phillip served as pastor of the Unitarian Church in Jacksonville and as an interfaith leader in greater Jacksonville. Phillip and his family have since moved to Dublin, Ireland. Besides being a devoted husband and father, Phillip continues his scholarly research and writing.

06/28/2026

Beautiful flower communion service today led by Chris McDermott and Bailey Martin. Each person brought a flower and took away a different one. A diversity of flowers can get along; we can learn from the flowers!

06/22/2026

“Flower Communion”
June 28, 2026 at 10:00 am
Bring a flower, and take home a different flower! This traditional UU service, the Flower Communion, symbolizes the uniqueness of each individual, and the coming together in communion to share this uniqueness.

Sunday Service begins at 10am. Our front doors are locked at 10:10am.