This Week at a Glance:
Wednesday, August 26 - Wednesday Zoom Discussion (10am & 7pm): Robin DiAngelo’s White Fragility
Thursday August 27: Zoom* Citizen's Cafe' 12:00pm (Summer Schedule).
Many covenant groups and committees are meeting virtually; contact your group leader for details.
*Zoom links will be sent to all regularly and on the website.
Email Pastor Jack directly to be added or removed from the distribution list.
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Facilities Master Plan - The Latest News
Click here to view Master Plan documents and illustrations, as well as video and audio files
from last Sunday’s presentation by architect Martin Gold, attended by about 40 congregation members.
Look for... MASTERPLAN REPORT July 10 - for the report
Masterplan Report VIDEO - for the video recording
Masterplan Report AUDIO - for audio only
The January State of the Church Report, Priority Matrix, Chat Summary and
a number of schematic illustrations are also available from this link.
Key documents are also available from a page in the About section of our new website
We encourage you to read or view the Master Plan Report prior to completing the congregational survey that’ll be distributed later this month. Questions or comments? Email
Sharon Winters
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But Wait - There's More...
Parking Lot Update
If you have been by the church lately, you will have noticed lots of changes at the construction site next door. Although they have had some supply issues, construction has progressed steadily during the COVID lock down. The building is now fully enclosed, the alley has been put back together and the staging demand on our future parking lot is greatly reduced.
Soon they will be running the storm system and entry curbs for the parking lot, the first step in building our parking lot. If all goes according to the current plan we should have our new parking lot by September.
Pictures taken today (8/7/2020) from Mirror Lake Drive and the other from 2nd Ave N (couldn't get a good view of the parking lot).
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Building a Community in a Pandemic E-vents |
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August 17, 7:30: Cooking From Diverse Cultures, with the Archibalds Join Barbara and Tom Archibald for a discussion of the China Silkroad over which Buddhism came into China about 200 CE. Bring your noodles and chopsticks while we think about living on the route like the tiny Uyghur minority in the world's most populated and homogenous country.
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UUSP is inviting you: Zoom Meeting Link
- Meeting ID: 974 8667 5110 Passcode: 056230
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September 5: UUSP Walk & Wavers - Pick your Area, Quick Visits to UUSP members/friends, Zoom meeting at night. Watch for more information....
We are adding virtual E-vents to our UUSP calendar. Please reach out to Sabine (973-768-3256) if you need help accessing events OR if you have ideas for an event.
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Souvenirs from our Walk/Ride/Drive
Waving Tour
August 1
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UUSP Ambassadors:
Barbara and Tom Archibald
Ruth Bentley
Susan Burnore
Linda Elam
Jeri Huempfner-Gatz
Bill Motter
John Motter
Julie Newcomb
Edi Whitler (walked 4.53 miles/10,870 steps, 4 hours!)
Karen White
Join in the fun as we do it again Saturday, September 5.
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Pastor Jack's Weekly Message |
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Dear Friends,
I am on vacation/study leave this week through August 23. But it’s a staycation/study leave, so I’m available if you need some help that is time critical – which certainly includes wanting to talk through or get assistance with the burdens of the pandemic.
Take care and stay in touch with one another,
Pastor Jack
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Wednesday Zoom Adult Religious Studies
Fall & Winter
are now being planned
Plans to start September 8
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Children's Religious Education:
August 9, 2020
This month’s theme for
Religious Education is School.
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What? - you aren't receiving it?
Please contact
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For this weeks' lesson from Ms. Trish and Ms. Jeanay, click on the recording box below. |
For this weeks' lesson from Ms. Jeanay:
RE Class Meet up & Chat as we discuss what it is that YOU want to do with our RE into this next semester. at 1:30p.
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Contemplative Meditation Readings
(Moving to Tuesday)
**How to do Mindful Meditation
- Set your alarm for 5 to 40 minutes;
- Sit erect, breathe deeply once or twice to relax;
- Watch your breathing ease to normal, observing breath come and go;
- Count in cycles of ten breaths if it helps you keep observing – or repeat a “sacred” word for focus (e.g., peace, grace, life, thanks, care, see, being);
- If deep focus is lost to extraneous thought, feeling, or sensation, note it simply as “thought” or “feeling” or “sensation” and return to your breath or word;
- Sometimes, for deeper peace, try shifting attention to consciousness itself or to your sense of being.
- When your timer goes off, remain awake.
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What Can I Do in the Middle of a Pandemic?
A LOT!
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Join a White Fragility UUSP discussion group with Pastor Jack that will begin August 26, to explore and reflect on personal and our collective racism.
- Actively support FAST, where you will have the opportunity to work with congregations of color and address some aspects of systemic racism in Pinellas County. See article below to sign-up to attend the virtual Rally for Mental Health on Tuesday July 28th at 7:00pm.
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Become a protest observer. Working with the St Pete protesters, the ACLU has developed a program for observing the protests. Observers take notes, pictures and turn in their reports daily. An hour long virtual training session is required. To sign up for the training contact Llani O’Connor at 312.952.9379 or lsaunders1612@me.com
- Register to VOTE. Deadline for August 18th Primary has passed, but you can register to vote by mail for the November election.
- Be an empowered VOTER on August 18th. Local elections have a significant impact on the residents of Pinellas County, e.g. mask ordinances, back to school plans, sentencing of Black youth.
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Refer to the League of Women Voters’ guide to get ready to Vote in Pinellas County
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Watch the recorded Judicial Forum about the 6th Judicial Circuit Candidates!
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You can give beyond your lifetime through a bequest in your will to the UU St Pete Endowment Fund.
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Faith and Action for Strength Together (FAST) is a multi-faith coalition of 38 congregations fighting for racial and economic justice in Pinellas County, FL which our UUSP is one of those congregations.
As we are in a difficult time as a country, state, county and city, with many out of work. Check out a current job opening with this organization. FAST Job Opening
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The UUA General Assembly Sunday Worship Service from June 28m 2020, remains online at UUA.ORG (direct link).
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Staying Connected With Pastor Jack & Staff |
Pastor’s Open-Air Office Hours: : For those experiencing a serious sense of isolation, you are welcome to contact Pastor Jack (352-327-6166) to arrange a visit online or in the open air at the church.
For members with mobility limitations, upon request, he will be glad to visit with you at any open-air location (eg, backyards, porches, local parks).
Our UUSP staff members will continue their duties in a safe, cautious manner to the fullest degree possible. Our Church Office Administrator is now working from home and can be reached at officeuustpete.org@gmail.com.
During this challenging time, may we remember that we need to pay close attention to how everybody is doing and how we can help.
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Sunday Service Joys & Concerns: If you have a Joy or and Concern to share in the Sunday Service, this week please email Bill Motter by Wednesday for inclusion, or you can type them into the “Comment/Chat” area on the right of the Sunday Service YouTube screen.
Helping One Another: Just reach out to Pastor Jack or Patti Hanks, Care Committee so we can help lift you up or lift those that may need it through a message at Sunday Service or just to talk to them.
Our UUSP Sermons are available on UUSP's website and our YouTube Channel: You can see information for our past worship services, since our new website went live, under Past Worship Services. All Services from mid-March 2020 - current are available on our UUSP YouTube Channel.
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Thank you for your interest in UU St. Petersburg!
From me to you and to those around you Stay Safe and Stay Well!
Kelli DeGraw, part of your Communications Team.
Feedback and suggestions are welcome (pubs@uustpete.org).
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Our mission is to be an inclusive, evolving religious community that inspires spiritual and intellectual growth to make our world a better place.
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Unitarian Universalist Church of St. Petersburg
727.898.3294
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