Our Sunday services at 11:00 a.m. feature a different guest speaker each week, either a member of our congregation or someone from the surrounding community. We address a variety of topics, from literature and history to politics, religious thought and social issues. We welcome suggestions for speakers, please contact Ray Ables fairhopeunitarianfellowship@gmail.com
Speakers for July
July 7, 2019
Presenter: Sonya Bennett
Title: First Bahai'i to the South, Paul Kingston Dealy arrives in Fairhope in 1891
Summary:Upon my arrival in Fairhope 12 years ago, I began my search for the descendants of Paul Kingston Dealy. I met them at a talk given by Frye Gaillard upstairs at the book store. They knew very little about their illustrious ancestor. I met three generations of them in one evening and invited Nancey Jennings and her daughter Carey Killian to my home to share information about PKD. I hope to share how Dealy's life impacted the life of our community today. He is an unsung hero.
Bio: Sonya Bennett was born in a tiny town in Louisiana and her parents moved to central Georgia in 1945. She was married in the early 60's, and her small family moved to Birmingham, which was a city filled with racism. This challenged her thinking about religion and its role in perpetuating racism, which forced her search for a faith that abolished prejudice. Meeting some of the church members of the 16th Street Baptist Church after the bombing had a huge impact on her life. The most dramatic move in her lifetime was to Haifa, Israel, in 1995, to the Bahai'i World Centre where she served as a volunteer for three years. Meeting hundreds of people from all over the world created in her a desire to see our World as One World. Coming to Fairhope has been one of the more beautiful moves of her life. She works closely with those who desire change; the Hope Community, the Diversity Devotional, the Women for Peace, Wings to the Spirit, and several writers' groups here in town, not to mention the wonderful time she has in the "Advice Booth" at Page & Palette two times a week has created a rich tapestry in her life.
Title: First Bahai'i to the South, Paul Kingston Dealy arrives in Fairhope in 1891
Summary:Upon my arrival in Fairhope 12 years ago, I began my search for the descendants of Paul Kingston Dealy. I met them at a talk given by Frye Gaillard upstairs at the book store. They knew very little about their illustrious ancestor. I met three generations of them in one evening and invited Nancey Jennings and her daughter Carey Killian to my home to share information about PKD. I hope to share how Dealy's life impacted the life of our community today. He is an unsung hero.
Bio: Sonya Bennett was born in a tiny town in Louisiana and her parents moved to central Georgia in 1945. She was married in the early 60's, and her small family moved to Birmingham, which was a city filled with racism. This challenged her thinking about religion and its role in perpetuating racism, which forced her search for a faith that abolished prejudice. Meeting some of the church members of the 16th Street Baptist Church after the bombing had a huge impact on her life. The most dramatic move in her lifetime was to Haifa, Israel, in 1995, to the Bahai'i World Centre where she served as a volunteer for three years. Meeting hundreds of people from all over the world created in her a desire to see our World as One World. Coming to Fairhope has been one of the more beautiful moves of her life. She works closely with those who desire change; the Hope Community, the Diversity Devotional, the Women for Peace, Wings to the Spirit, and several writers' groups here in town, not to mention the wonderful time she has in the "Advice Booth" at Page & Palette two times a week has created a rich tapestry in her life.
July 14, 2019
Presenter: John S Sledge
Title: Clio's Confederates: The Women Who Gave Me My Path
Summary: This will be a brief introduction to a grandmother, and an aunt, both born in the Victorian era, who inspired his love of history, and more specifically an interest in Alabama's Civil War. He will provide a broad overview of his resulting book, "These Rugged Days: Alabama's Civil War".
Bio: John S. Sledge is a senior architectural historian for the Mobile Historic Development Commission and a member of the National Book Critics Circle. Sledge holds a bachelor's degree in history and Spanish from Auburn University and a master's in historic preservation from Middle Tennessee State University. He is the author of six previous books, including "Southern Bound: A Gulf Coast Journalist on Books, Writers and Literary Pilgrimages of the Heart", "The Mobile River", and "These Rugged Days: Alabama in the Civil War." His latest title, "The Gulf of Mexico: A Maritime History" will be published this fall. He and his wife Lynn, live in Fairhope.
Title: Clio's Confederates: The Women Who Gave Me My Path
Summary: This will be a brief introduction to a grandmother, and an aunt, both born in the Victorian era, who inspired his love of history, and more specifically an interest in Alabama's Civil War. He will provide a broad overview of his resulting book, "These Rugged Days: Alabama's Civil War".
Bio: John S. Sledge is a senior architectural historian for the Mobile Historic Development Commission and a member of the National Book Critics Circle. Sledge holds a bachelor's degree in history and Spanish from Auburn University and a master's in historic preservation from Middle Tennessee State University. He is the author of six previous books, including "Southern Bound: A Gulf Coast Journalist on Books, Writers and Literary Pilgrimages of the Heart", "The Mobile River", and "These Rugged Days: Alabama in the Civil War." His latest title, "The Gulf of Mexico: A Maritime History" will be published this fall. He and his wife Lynn, live in Fairhope.
July 21, 2019
Presenter: Travis Youngblood, ME
Title: Community in Action
Summary: In a conflicted world, community is more relevant than ever before, and its potential for good is vast. It is important to discern our individual place in community, and to develop our individual gifts, as well as to encourage, nourish and fortify each other, thereby buildig an intentional, action-oriented community. Each one of us can make a difference, and together we will create change. We don't have to be perfect, but we must be willing, and all that we do should be motivated by love. We are compelled to action by our covenant with our creator, should we choose to enter into one, and we will only find true joy and purpose as we move away from selfishness and into community. Through us, reconciliation will come to a hurting world.
Bio:
- Program Manager at Prodisee Pantry since 2017
- Class of '97 Auburn University (War Eagle!) and '07 The University of South Alabama (Go Jags!)
- Past President of Fairhope Sunset Rotary Club and activ e on multiple Rotary District committees
- Former Board Member of Family Promise of Baldwin County
- Member of Impact 100 Baldwin County since 2010
- Past Vestry member and active member of St James Episcopal Church, Fairhope
- Mom of the most awesome Patrol Leader and Star Rank Scout in Boy Scout Troop 47, Fairhope
- Passionate about building relationships between all community stakeholders to make the Eastern Shore, and all of Baldwin County, a better place to live, every day, for everyone
Title: Community in Action
Summary: In a conflicted world, community is more relevant than ever before, and its potential for good is vast. It is important to discern our individual place in community, and to develop our individual gifts, as well as to encourage, nourish and fortify each other, thereby buildig an intentional, action-oriented community. Each one of us can make a difference, and together we will create change. We don't have to be perfect, but we must be willing, and all that we do should be motivated by love. We are compelled to action by our covenant with our creator, should we choose to enter into one, and we will only find true joy and purpose as we move away from selfishness and into community. Through us, reconciliation will come to a hurting world.
Bio:
- Program Manager at Prodisee Pantry since 2017
- Class of '97 Auburn University (War Eagle!) and '07 The University of South Alabama (Go Jags!)
- Past President of Fairhope Sunset Rotary Club and activ e on multiple Rotary District committees
- Former Board Member of Family Promise of Baldwin County
- Member of Impact 100 Baldwin County since 2010
- Past Vestry member and active member of St James Episcopal Church, Fairhope
- Mom of the most awesome Patrol Leader and Star Rank Scout in Boy Scout Troop 47, Fairhope
- Passionate about building relationships between all community stakeholders to make the Eastern Shore, and all of Baldwin County, a better place to live, every day, for everyone
July 28, 2019
Presenter: Pinky Bass
Title: LOIS SLOSSON SUNDBERG: Unheralded Turn of the Century Photographer
Summary: AlabamaMosaic is a repository of digital materials on Alabama history, culture, places and people, part of Alabama's Biocentennial Celebration. The Fairhope Public Library received a grant to scan the Slosson collection of images. This wqill be a presentation of photographs from Silverhill, Fairhope and Mobile by Lois Slosson Sundberg made at the turn of the century using glass place negatives.
Bio: Pinky spent the years of WWII in Fairhope with her Grandmother, Lois Sundberg. She attended the Organic School, and began her piano studies with Dot Cain. At age 50 she returned to school where she discovered photography for which she received her MFA. It had previously not been known to her that her grandmother had actually made photographs at the turn of the century under the tutelage of Frank Stewart, the Picture Man. The discovery of 150 plus glass negatives made by the grandmother greatly influenced her work as a photographer. Bass returned to live in her grandmother's home on Bayview, work as Artist in Education for the Alabama State Arts Council and has continued to research from Lois Sundberg's photo collection.
Address1150 Fairhope Ave, Fairhope, AL 36532
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Telephone(251) 929-3207
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