Fuji HS20

[Grandpappy]

I've just started using a Fuji HS20 camera with a 16Gb card and I'm sure I'm not getting the best out of it (or it out of me!) and am wondering if anyone has maybe a list of 'comfortable,'standard', or 'best' settings? I've skimmed the manual, but the practicalities are a different matter. It seems, if I want to, I can take Raw and JPG together thus getting the immediate photo and the 'detailed record' either to work on or to store for later? I appreciate that if I 'stop down' the aperture to it's f11 setting and set the ISO to 100 then I will need a tripod; but I want more control than that. I live in a cathedral city and am considering some early morning or/and late evening/night shots,also seasonal shots.
Any suggestions or advice please?
Thanks a lot.