September 6 we will have our Water Communion. Bring a small container of water from a place that has been important for you during recent weeks.  It can be water from your kitchen,  a summer job,  or a river that you’ve visited while on vacation. There are many possibilities.  All of the water will be poured into a large bowl to celebrate our annual water communion. The purpose of this ritual is to represent unity, connection, and the shared experiences of the congregation. It’s a time for members to reconnect, reflect on their journeys, and celebrate their community.

Sunday, September 6, 2026
Service at 10:30 am
Guest Speaker – Rev. Bob Murphy
“Water Communion”
Bring a small container of water from a place that has been important for you during recent weeks.  It can be water from your kitchen,  a summer job,  or a river that you’ve visited while on vacation. There are many possibilities.  All of the water will be poured into a large bowl to celebrate our annual water communion. Rev. Bob Murphy will also discuss wellness and the spiritual joys of summer gardening.

Guest Rev. Bob Murphy is a UU community minister for Florida. Bob asks people to love and care for each other and their natural environment during some difficult days for planet Earth.

There will be a New to UU session Sunday September 6 at 11:45 in the Teen Room(rm 5) of the Multipurpose Building. This is an informal 15-20 minute session to answer questions about UUism, how to get connected here at UUCT, as well as the next steps to becoming a UUCT member.

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Sunday, September 13, 2026
Service at 10:30 am
Guest Speaker – Glenn Brown
“Sharing Stories”
Readings and a brief discussion of stories from Whispering Oaks and Other Stories of Love, Life and Loss. Beginnings are generally inseparable from ends. Fiction is a means of exploring questions as an observer, not necessarily providing a right or wrong answer, but facilitating conversations and possibly perspectives on our human experience.

Our guest Glenn Brown is a writer, anthropologist, and longtime community advocate whose work has centered on understanding the lives, struggles, and resilience of ordinary people. Glenn studied creative writing at the University of Montana and earned a BA in liberal arts. His career took him through a diverse range of experiences—from working in restaurants and serving as a counselor in a maximum-security psychiatric prison and, after earning a MA degree in Anthropology, to helping strengthen services for children and families in the Tampa Bay area. For more than two decades, he worked with nonprofit organizations, local government, and community partners to improve the well-being of children and families through collaboration, research, and public investment.

His first collection, Whispering Oaks and Other Stories of Love, Life, and Loss, brings together stories that range from quiet realism to speculative fiction, each inviting readers to reflect on the shared human experiences that connect us across cultures, beliefs, and generations.

A lifelong student of history, philosophy, and world religions, Glenn believes stories are among humanity’s oldest way of exploring life’s questions not by providing easy answers, but by helping us see ourselves and one another with greater compassion. He lives in the Tampa Bay area, where he continues to write, study, and enjoy meals.

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Sunday, September 20, 2026
Service at 10:30 am
Guest Speaker – Dr. Andy LaPage
“Blessed to be a Blessing”
Have you ever thought about how Blessing works? Those who are Blessed always speak words of Blessing, wherever they go and in whatever they do. Yet, Blessing is not from the ego, rather, it is from the heart. Why is Blessing important? From where does Blessing obtain its energy? How do we Bless others? What happens if others refuse our Blessing? These and other questions deserve adequate answers which we hope to bring to light in Sunday’s Service.

Guest Dr. Andy LePage, a PhD psychologist and former priest, has taught in the U.S. and in Australia, and has mentored teachers in several states. His book, Transforming Education: The New 3 R’s (Reverence, Renewal and Responsibility) was endorsed by academics, parents, and the Secretary of Education at the United Nations. He is also a contributing author to the Cooperative Discipline Book and Teacher Education Program used in many schools. Andy taught Practical Classroom Management Skills to teachers (and a few administrators!) for over 27 years. For a change of pace, he opened and ran a sandwich shop at the beach for ten years! Today, Andy officiates several Weddings and Life Celebrations each year, and works to help get homeless people in jobs and housing. He is in his 9th year of leading semi-monthly spirituality workshops. He began attending the Unitarian Universalist Church in the Pines in Brooksville in 2014.

Sunday, September 27, 2026
Service at 10:30 am
Guest Speaker – Nancy Wileden
“Our Shared Story: Membership Through the Decades”
Every congregation has a story, and each of us is part of it. Join us on Sunday, September 27 for Our Shared Story: Membership Through the Decades, a service exploring UUCT’s history and how our Unitarian Universalist community has evolved over the years. During the service a representative member from each decade since the 70’s through the 2020’s will share the highlights of their first years as members. Together we’ll reflect on the traditions that have shaped us, the changes we’ve embraced, and the ways we continue to build a welcoming, vibrant congregation for today and tomorrow. Whether you’ve been here for decades or just recently found your way to our community, your story is part of our shared journey. We hope you’ll join us for this meaningful time of reflection, connection, and celebration.

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