Tri-County Unitarian Universalists building in Summerfield, Florida

Our current home in Summerfield, Florida, opened June 2008

Our History

Since 1983, Tri-County Unitarian Universalists has been a home for liberal religious community in Central Florida. From a handful of seekers meeting in living rooms to a thriving multiplatform congregation, this is our story.

Every congregation begins with someone willing to gather strangers around a shared vision. For Tri-County Unitarian Universalists, that person was Felix Hirsch—an Ethical Culturalist who saw the need for liberal religious community in Marion County and spent a decade making it real.

Artist's interpretation

Felix Hirsch

Founder | Active 1970s—1986

In the 1970s, Felix Hirsch began gathering liberal-thinking Marion County residents for informal meetings—in homes, at the Ocala Library, even in a motel—to explore forming a Unitarian Universalist community. A member of the Ethical Culture movement, Hirsch brought its "deeds, not creeds" philosophy to these early gatherings, a spirit that still defines TriUU today. His persistence paid off. By 1982, the group had grown enough to meet regularly, and in October 1983, the UUA officially welcomed the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Marion County into membership. Hirsch's impact didn't end there. As a Silver Springs Shores resident, he discovered that the General Development Corporation had reserved land for religious organizations. He brought this opportunity to the fellowship, leading to the purchase of their first property and the 1986 dedication of their first building.

While Felix Hirsch planted the seeds of community, other leaders helped the congregation take root. One whose impact endures to this day is Muriel Bingley.

The stained glass windows, donated by Muriel Bingley. Originally from St. Mark's Catholic Church in Bottineau, North Dakota—restored by her husband Emery.

Muriel Bingley

Board President, First Building Era | Stained Glass Donor

Muriel Bingley served as Board President during the planning and construction of the fellowship's first permanent home in Silver Springs Shores. Her leadership helped guide the congregation through its transition from borrowed spaces to a building of their own. Her most visible legacy hangs in the Chancel today: the stained glass windows. Originally from St. Mark's Catholic Church in Bottineau, North Dakota, the windows were rescued when that church discarded them. A priest friend told Muriel's husband Emery he could take them. Emery restored the windows and hung them in their home. When Muriel relocated to Florida, she brought them with her—and eventually donated them to the congregation. The windows have since influenced decisions about paint colors for both the building exterior and Sanctuary interior—a testament to how one person's gift can shape a community's identity for generations. Muriel later left a bequest to TriUU, continuing her support of the community she helped build.

1970's — 1983

In the 1970s, a few liberal-thinking Marion County residents began seeking each other out. Led by Ethical Culturalist Felix Hirsch, they arranged sporadic public meetings for prospective Unitarian Universalists—gathering in homes, a motel, even the Ocala Library. In 1982, the group invited Sid Peterman, UU Inter-District Representative, to discuss affiliation with the Unitarian Universalist Association. He encouraged them to keep growing—twelve members were required to apply—and to establish a regular meeting schedule. They decided to begin with a picnic on August 29, 1982, in Cherokee Park in Belleview. Attendance was usually six to eight people. By June 1983, the group had grown enough to meet twice monthly, gathering Sunday evenings at the Friends Meeting House in northeast Ocala.

October 22—23, 1983:The UUA Board of Trustees voted to receive the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Marion County into membership. The congregation was official.

1983 — 2008

Four Moves in Two Years

Between October 1983 and February 1986, the young fellowship moved four times. Each location presented new challenges—and each challenge strengthened their resolve to build a permanent home.

October 1983 — UUA Acceptance

The Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Marion County is officially welcomed into the UUA.

Cherokee Park, Belleview

The fellowship's first regular Sunday morning home following UUA acceptance. Adults-only facility — religious education needs prompted departure

Trinity Villas, Ocala

A brief stay—just two services. Days after the second, the fellowship received a phone call: their UU beliefs made them unwelcome. Asked to leave due to the fellowship's religious beliefs

Silver Springs Shores Community Center

A shared facility divided by a wall from another congregation. The neighboring group's enthusiastic worship made it difficult for members to hear speakers or one another. Sound from neighboring congregation made worship difficult

Silver Springs Shores Youth Center

A more practical space, but one that required members to clear recreational equipment before each service and restore it afterward for weekday programs. Required setup and teardown around equipment each week

February 9, 1986 — Building Dedicated

The fellowship dedicates their first permanent home on land discovered by founding member Felix Hirsch through the General Development Corporation.

Building Their Own

By 1985, the fellowship had had enough. Felix Hirsch, a Silver Springs Shores resident, learned that the General Development Corporation—the land developer that created Silver Springs Shores and other Florida planned communities—had reserved parcels for religious organizations, a common practice that helped new communities attract families. He brought this information to UUFMC members, who made the decision to purchase property and build. The congregation's Board President during construction was Muriel Bingley, who would later donate the stained glass windows that still grace the Sanctuary.

UUFMC purchased a one-and-a-half acre lot (Tract G, Unit 9) for $12,000. They found a contractor willing to build for $36,000 because the fellowship agreed to do all painting, landscaping, finish work, and purchase flooring and appliances themselves.

The I-75 Donut Story

The congregation needed to raise money beyond the $20,000 UUA loan. Members and friends contributed personal funds, held bake sales and auctions, and found a unique opportunity: the county's "Safety Break" program let groups sell coffee and donuts at I-75 rest stops. With donated donuts, congregation members staffed rest stops three times a week for six months. They raised $2,500.

I-75 Rest Stop in the 1980's — Fundraising at an I-75 rest stop—three times a week for six months

A New Chapter — Moving to Summerfield (2003—2008)

By the early 2000s, the Silver Springs Shores location presented a challenge: the area wasn't growing, and the church was hard to find. Meanwhile, half the membership lived near The Villages—the largest retirement community in the country. The congregation made a bold decision: sell the building they had built with their own hands and start over closer to where members actually lived.

1986—2003

First Permanent Home

The fellowship worshipped in their Silver Springs Shores building for nearly two decades. The mortgage was paid off by 1990—and the congregation began looking toward new possibilities.

May 2003

Buying Before Selling

The congregation purchased two acres of land in Summerfield (later expanded to 3.46 acres). For two years, they owned both properties—managing the financial complexity of dual ownership while planning their new home.

2005—2008

The Elks Lodge Years

In 2005, they sold the Silver Springs Shores building (the buyer later became Iglesia de Jesucristo El Buen Samaritano). The congregation entered a three-year interim period, renting space at Ocala Elks Lodge #286 on NE 25th Avenue while construction proceeded.

June 2008

Coming Home

The congregation held its first service in the new Summerfield building. The total project cost was approximately $408,500—a remarkable achievement for a congregation of around 53 members.

A Community Investment

Rather than seeking traditional bank financing, the congregation created an innovative solution: a member-held LLC where congregants could purchase shares in their future building. Each share cost approximately $1,000 and paid 4.5% interest quarterly—allowing members to invest in their spiritual home while earning modest returns. This community-driven model echoed the grassroots spirit of the first building, when members sold donuts at I-75 rest stops. Instead of spare change from travelers, this time the investment came directly from members' savings—a profound act of faith in the congregation's future.

A Living Legacy

The member-share model created an unexpected challenge decades later. As original shareholders passed away, their children—many living far from Florida—inherited pieces of the church mortgage. Non-members now owned portions of the building.

In 2024, member Barbara Woodson jump-started a campaign to bring the mortgage back under congregational control, purchasing ten shares from heirs. Twenty-two members followed her lead. This ongoing effort ensures that TriUU's financial future remains in the hands of its community—the same spirit of self-reliance that has defined the congregation since its founding.

Ministers

Throughout our history, ministers have shaped who we are—from seasonal visitors who planted seeds, to our first settled minister, to student ministers we helped train, to community ministers whose work extends far beyond our walls.

Early & Seasonal Ministers

Early in the congregation's history, Rev. J. Robert Bath, a retired UU minister from Maine who wintered in Florida, was actively involved during his Florida seasons. Rev. Bath provided excellent programs which resulted in increased attendance and growth in membership. In November 1986, Rev. Bath and his wife Phyllis notified the congregation they would no longer be wintering in Florida—a significant loss for the young congregation.

Sid Peterman

UU Inter-District Representative Helped the congregation pursue UUA affiliation in 1982

Rev. Jack Donovan

Weekend Minister, Beginning 1987 Trained at Starr King School for the Ministry in Berkeley, California, Rev. Donovan served as the settled minister at UU Fellowship of Gainesville for over 25 years. During that time, he provided part-time ministerial support to UUFMC, visiting a few weekends each year to lead Sunday services and participate in Board meetings, orientation programs, and committee work. Rev. Donovan later served the UU Church of St. Petersburg (2014—2021) and remains active in retirement.

The DeWolf-Hurts

In 1988, John and Mary Louise DeWolf-Hurt moved to Silver Springs Shores as the new Co-District Executives for the UUA's Florida and Mid-South Districts. During their two terms, they helped establish new congregations across the region, including the UU Church in the Pines in Brooksville.

John's unexpected death from pancreatic cancer in 1996 cut short their ministry partnership—but it also awakened Mary Louise's calling to parish ministry. In September 1997, she asked the congregation to sponsor her preparation for UU ministerial fellowship. The congregation voted to approve on September 14, 1997.

Rev. Mary Louise DeWolf-Hurt was ordained at UUFMC on June 3, 2001. She later served as part-time minister at Nature Coast Unitarian Universalists in Citrus Springs (2003—2009), where she was named Minister Emerita.

Rev. John DeWolf-Hurt

District Co-Executive, 1988—1996 Served two terms as Co-District Executive for Florida and Mid-South Districts. Died unexpectedly from pancreatic cancer in 1996.

Rev. Mary Louise DeWolf-Hurt

Sponsored 1997; Ordained June 3, 2001 Following John's death, pursued her calling to ministry with UUFMC's sponsorship. Later served Nature Coast UU (2003—2009); named Minister Emerita.

Called & Settled Ministers

Rev. Janet Onnie Minister Emerita

Consulting 2010—2013; Settled 2013—2021 First full-time settled minister in the congregation's history. Retired to Virginia in 2021; voted Minister Emerita by the congregation

Rev. Cynthia Snavely

Interim Minister, 2021—2024 Guided the congregation through the post-COVID transition period

Rev. Kristina Spaude

Contract Minister, 2024—Present Shared ministry with UUCLC (Eustis congregation); began August 2024

Community Ministry

TriUU has served as a congregation of record for community ministers—UU clergy whose primary ministry takes place outside congregational walls, such as in hospitals, hospices, or international humanitarian work. This formal relationship provides accountability and spiritual grounding while the minister serves in specialized settings.

Rev. David Etherington

Community Minister (Congregation of Record), 2014—2020

A second-career minister who practiced law for 28 years before ordination, Rev. Etherington served as a hospice chaplain at Haven Hospice in Gainesville while TriUU provided his congregational affiliation. He also served multiple terms with the Ecumenical Accompaniment Programme in Palestine and Israel (EAPPI), a World Council of Churches program monitoring human rights conditions in the South Hebron Hills. Rev. Etherington spoke at TriUU about his observations and experiences, connecting his international witness work to Unitarian Universalist values.

Teaching Congregation

TriUU has served as a teaching congregation, providing hands-on ministerial training for students preparing for UU ministry.

Rev. Tracie Barrett

Student Minister, May 2015—2017 First student minister; ordained by the congregation in 2017

Rev. Christine Dance

Ministerial Intern, 2018 Second ministerial intern; now serving her first ministry in Phoenix, Arizona

Rev. Joe Donatone

Ministerial Intern, 2018—2020 TriUU's third and longest-serving student minister. A graduate of Iliff School of Theology in Denver, he brought a focus on recovery spirituality and LGBTQ+ advocacy. When COVID-19 hit during his final months, Donatone worked with Rev. Onnie to launch Zoom services and trained the Tech Team that still enables multiplatform worship. Ordained in 2020, he now serves as a VA hospital chaplain in Cleveland, Ohio.

Moments That Define Us

1987 — Denominational Leadership: Congregation member Jim O'Hara, appointed as representative to the Florida District Northeast Cluster, was asked to serve on the Florida District Board. He became District President that year. Jim and his wife Dottie also contributed to worship life, working to bring recorded hymnal music to services during a period when the congregation's pianist was unable to play.

First in Florida: Marriage Equality

January 2015 — TriUU (then UUFMC) became the first church in Florida to perform same-sex marriages. This milestone reflects the congregation's longstanding commitment to dignity for all people and the courage to live our principles in the wider world.

March 2017 — A New Name

Understanding "Fellowship": When the congregation was founded in 1983, it called itself the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Marion County. The word "fellowship" carried specific meaning in UU history: during the 1940s through 1960s, the denomination promoted the "Fellowship Movement," establishing small, lay-led congregations that intentionally operated without professional ministers. These groups spread Unitarian Universalism across the country, including to Marion County.

A New Identity: At the congregational meeting in March 2017, members voted to change the name to Tri-County Unitarian Universalists. The change reflected three realities:

Geographic growth: Membership now spanned Lake, Sumter, and Marion counties
Evolving identity: With a settled minister since 2013 and decades of institutional development, the congregation had grown beyond the small, lay-led fellowship model
Choosing our story: As Rev. Kristina Spaude notes, the distinction between "fellowship" and "congregation" is largely about self-perception—how a community chooses to define and present itself

The word "congregation" emphasizes the people rather than a building—fitting for a community that spent its first years meeting in parks, living rooms, and borrowed spaces before building a home of its own.

2020 — Present

When COVID-19 struck in 2020, the congregation followed UUA guidelines and closed the sanctuary. Within weeks, TriUU had transitioned to Zoom Church. Rev. Janet Onnie and ministerial intern Joe Donatone were instrumental in transitioning services to Zoom. During the shutdown, the congregation offered five weekly Zoom gatherings; one of them—"In the News," a Tuesday afternoon discussion of current events—continues to this day. When Rev. Snavely arrived as interim minister, the congregation held one in-person service before returning to Zoom for four months. Since then, with the Tech Team that Donatone trained before his departure, TriUU has offered multiplatform services every Sunday—welcoming both in-person and online participants.

In the 1980s, the young fellowship left Cherokee Park specifically to make room for children's religious education. Four decades later, the congregation has adapted to a different reality.

Located five miles from The Villages—the nation's largest retirement community, where 85% of residents are over 65—TriUU now focuses on adult faith development. Offerings include Chalice Circles for spiritual reflection, the weekly "In the News" discussion group, the long-running "Great Decisions" foreign policy series, book clubs, and monthly forums with guest speakers.

Children remain welcome in Sunday services, and families can access UUA curriculum resources for home use. But the congregation's educational mission has evolved to serve the community it actually has—a shift that mirrors trends across Unitarian Universalism, where the denomination has moved toward "Whole Church" models of lifelong faith formation.

Who We Are Today

From the six to eight people who gathered in living rooms and libraries in the 1970s, TriUU has grown to a congregation of around 100 members—plus many others who participate without formal membership. Full-time residents and seasonal Floridians alike call TriUU home.

Today, Tri-County Unitarian Universalists continues to grow as a welcoming spiritual home in Central Florida. We gather in person and online, bridging distances and generations. We remain committed to the values that brought a handful of seekers together in the 1970s: freedom of belief, dignity for all people, and the courage to live our principles in the wider world.

Wherever you are on your spiritual journey, you are welcome here.