September 17, 2021
dandelion_field_rainbow.jpg
Worship Service
Sunday,
September 19, 2021
10:30 am

Join us on our UUSP YouTube Channel

Embracing the Eye of the Storm

“The storm is passing over, the old hymn says, Except… The storm has not passed over just yet, has it? Here, for this hour together, We rest in the eye of the storm. We gather not as a changed people, but as a changing people.”
– Hannah Roberts Villnave



We have discontinued our indoor services at the church until further notice. Even if we are not together in our UUSP Sanctuary, we will continue to stream our Sunday Services at 10:30 am through our UUSP YouTube Channel.
Please join us!
Click the icons to be redirected!
The monthly virtual meeting passed on September 15th, 6:30-8:30 pm. Stay tuned for the Board announcements coming next week.
To receive the agenda or link in advance, contact Bill Motter.
Weekly Message from Rev. Ben
seamless_fall_header.jpg
Please write to Rev. Ben for any reason - joys, concerns, etc. He would love to hear from you. Feel free to email him here.

Please help us spread the word:
Stay home, Stay Safe, &
Stay connected.
seamless_fall_header.jpg
From Reverend Ben:
"On the morning of September 15, a beloved member of our community has passed away. Audre Zieres left this world at age 96 after a brief stay in a Hospice facility. Her family is in communication with me and has made tentative plans for a Celebration of Life in December or January. She will be missed.

On a personal note, I had planned on meeting Audre in her home once she returned from Hospice. Since I never had a chance to meet her myself, I can only rely on your stories and experiences of Audre. Please share some of those stories with me by sending me an email (minister@uustpete.org).

I'm so very sorry for your loss, and for ours as a community. May her memory be a blessing."

Blessings, Rev. Ben
Religious Education
Children's Religious Education
This month we are exploring ways that our faith invites us to Embrace Possibility.

Hello families! Thank you so much for being a part of our UU St Pete. Over the past 18+ months, many places have undergone changes for gathering. We here at UUSP are doing everything we can to assure we are doing what is necessary for the safety and education of our kids. The RE weekly newsletters are to inspire conversations with your families until we get a grip on how we will execute our classes.
We are doing a Google hangout this Sunday so that our youth can see one another.
All K-12 are welcomed!

This will be from 10-10:30 am.
"See" you then!
Making a difference can happen in many different ways. For instance, this is a paintbrush that can be used to make a sign, paint a mural, or capture a portrait. It might even be used to paint on your face or your arm! Using a paintbrush is one possibility for making a difference and changing the way people look at the world. There are lots of other possibilities. The world needs your voice. It might be through poetry, on a sign, or as a hug. It might be with a marker, a paintbrush, or a song. Maybe you don’t know what your favorite way of expressing yourself is. If so, you can try out a variety of possibilities until you find the one or two ways which are your favorite.

That is part of the fun of embracing possibilities!
UU St. Pete Connects
We are at that time again! Last year, with the help of wonderful volunteers and UUSP members & friends, we collected 250lbs of food to donate to the Southside Food Bridge. We are looking for participants to decorate their cars, donate candy, & volunteer! We can have up to 16 cars, but our goal is to have 14.
We have 6 cars confirmed so far! If you would like to sign up for fun, please email Jeanay. More details about set-up will be provided. Set your calendars for October 30th!
Social Justice
Our Friday Night Picnic Always needs a helping hand.
We are open for donations:
Currently, we could use:

  • Shelving units
  • Hotel/sample size items are best. However, RX bottles are used for first aid and sewing kits and larger bottles of donated items. 
  • Sandwich bags/gallon zip lock bags
  • Lotion/shampoo/conditioner/soap/sunscreen/hand sanitizer 
  • Body powder/deodorant/shaving cream/disposable razors
  • Tissues/Emory boards/combs/face masks
  • Sewing kits/safety pins/sewing needles/thread/buttons
  • Bandaids/Qtips/cotton balls/toothpicks/dental floss or picks
  • Bandannas/hats/belts
  • Toothbrushes/toothpaste/mouthwash/dental floss
  • Backpacks/duffle bags/totes
  • Washcloths/towels/odd sheets/small blankets/sleeping bags
  • Reusable water bottles/sunglasses
  • New or clean gently used socks
  • Adult Street clothing & shoes only (shorts, pants, shirts, jackets, sweatshirts/pants, underwear, sports bras)

Our Rev. Ben has joined up in lending a hand to our wonderful crew. Youth are welcomed to join! If you or your family would like to join in on lending a hand or a meal, contact Sabine!
Another trunkful of food donated to the Southside Bridge
From our September 14 Food Drive. Thank you Everyone!
More information to come...
UUSP Ways To Give


Changes coming soon!
September 30th Vanco Mobile will the GivePlus Mobile App

We’re excited to announce UUSP is upgrading our mobile app! Vanco, our eGiving provider, has launched an updated mobile app called Vanco Mobile to replace GivePlus Mobile. 

Get started today by downloading the Vanco Mobile app for free from the App Store or Google Play. From there, you can make a one-time donation or set up recurring giving right through the app. Just select your fund and amount, enter a payment method and complete the donation.
Ways of Giving

We give in gratitude for each other, for our time together, for our sacred space, for those in our wider community, and for those who lead us to be our best selves.
Members and friends set up a plan to make a gift from
their estate to the
Endowment Fund of UU St. Pete. Leaving a portion of the assets one has accumulated over the course of a lifetime ensures the continuation of the spiritual home that they have come to cherish and perpetuates our UU values.
UUA Corner


Click here for the September Newsletter.
Widening the Circle of Concern
"If you have a willingness to participate in a roundtable about your use of the Widening the Circle of Concern Study/Action Guide, there will be monthly meet-up learning/practice community for congregational leaders who are helping their congregation engage the report and/or the Study/Action guide. I want to invite you to participate in this pilot roundtable this fall. This will be a space for leaders to connect, share successes and challenges, ask questions, and find support. It will be a semi-structured space, with the primary focus being a conversation between participants.
 
I will hold this initial pilot session of roundtables at 12noon Pacific on the second Tuesday of every month beginning in August. It is okay if you started late, had not attended the August meeting, or can't commit to every time. The dates are:

October 5th
November 9th
December 8th

While you are encouraged to attend as many as possible to foster community and get support, you may choose to come to as many or as few of the roundtables as you would like. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. Looking forward to continuing this journey together."

Dr. Melissa James:: she/her
Congregational Life Field Staff
Based in La Mesa, CA
(619) 784-8211
Thank you for your interest in
Unitarian Universalist Church of
St. Petersburg!

Be Safe and Be Well!
Kelli DeGraw,
part of your Communications Team.

Thank you to our
UU St Pete contributors & many volunteers!
Our mission is to be an inclusive, evolving religious community
that inspires spiritual and intellectual growth to make our world a better place.
Unitarian Universalist Church of St. Petersburg
727.898.3294