December 11, 2020
After the service, move over to Zoom for
our virtual Coffee Hour.
Bill Motter facilitates 25-30 people tuning in to see how everyone is doing, giving everyone a chance to check in. 
Heads Up for Christmas Eve: Our UUSP Christmas Eve Service begins on YouTube at 5:00pm on December 24, with caroling, “The Christmas Story for UUs,” and some special Christmas Wishes. And immediately after the service, let us gather via Zoom (link coming next week) for “Yuletide Wassail” hosted by Jeri Huempfner-Gatz, with a chance for all to share their one sentence “Christmas Wish for the World.”
How can I share?You can type it into the “Comment/Chat” bar during Sunday's Service or click below.
Meetings are held on the 2nd Thursday of each month,
5:30 -7:30 pm. 
Click here for a message from our Board

December 14: Contemplative Meditation UUSP Meditations YouTube Channel “Enlightenment” - for Bodhi (Awakening) Day
Noon Zoom Check-In, December 15  “Eightfold Splendor” by Emma Lazarus - for Hanukkah, International Migrants Day, and Human Rights Day
Noon Zoom Check-In:
December 22
Don’t lose touch
our sharing & conversation
are interesting, healing, funny and sweet!  
Contemplative Meditation Readings
(Moving to Tuesdays)
Learn how to meditate here.
December 16: Religious Studies Zoom Discussion 
(6:30 - 7:30p): We are invited to join the “Community Conversations with the African American Heritage Association”.
(for registration information scroll down to Religious Education section below - including Zoom Links)
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December 17: 12:00pm 
Zoom Citizen's Cafe' - a chance to share about the socio-political issues of the week and times - including What Happened at the Electoral College.
Pastor Jack's Weekly Message
Dear UUSP friends,

I hope this letter finds you safe and well in body and spirit. And I hope our announcements this week tell of ways to help sustain (or regain) safety and wellness. 

It seems that humankind has many ritual remembrances of ways to safety and wellness – for the seasons of the year and of a life. If only we will absorb their meaning for both good and threatening times.

This week the Jewish community will commemorate Hanukkah’s lessons on safety and wellness, which seem to me universal for individuals and peoples. In short, in times of threat, light one candle of truth, love and courage, use it to light many more, and together don’t let the light go out.
May we remember.
Religious Education
Wednesday Zoom Adult
Religious Studies
December 16
Religious Studies Discussions
(6:30 - 7:30p)
We are invited to join the “Community Conversations with the African American Heritage Association” this evening. The presentation is entitled, “Pinellas Remembers: Desegregation in Pinellas County Schools”,” hosted by AAHASP president Gwendolyn Reese and Tombolo Books.
To make a reservation, visit Tombolo Books and scroll down to the fourth event where you’ll find the Google Form link for reservations.  You’ll receive a Zoom link shortly before the session. Ms. Reese will be joined by several of her classmates, who were among the first Black students to attend all white schools in St. Pete.
 
Contact Pastor Jack if you have questions.
Sunday Children's Religious Education:
December 13 at 11am on YouTube.

December's Theme for
RE is Stillness.

When we are still, all kinds of ideas, inner voices, and insights come to us. One way to think of it during this winter holiday season is to imagine these voices that arise out of the silence to be “angels speaking.”
What? - You aren't receiving it the
RE Weekly Newsletter?
Click below for the newsletter & lesson.
UUSP Community
Don’t forget our covenant groups continue to meet monthly, these days mainly on Zoom. We currently have eleven covenant groups in the congregation with over 100 people participating. A Covenant Group is a group of 10 or so people who gather regularly (at least monthly) to share and converse about how life is going for the individuals in the group and often for our wider circles of life. Contact Pastor Jack for help to join a group.
Building a Community in a
Pandemic E-vents
Social Justice
Immokalee Farmworker Who Was Killed by Collier County Sheriff's Deputy

Thank you to those who called or emailed the Collier County Sheriff. This week I received this update from my contact in Immokalee, Jordan Lake of the Alliance for Fair Food in Immokalee:

Thank you so much for sharing that call to action with all of your networks! It is so greatly appreciated. We are still waiting on data from the call-in days and to hear some updates about next steps, but when we do I will be sure to pass it along.     
Car Full of Love:
Jane Bucher & Dani Skrzypek
The Coales' Front Porch
Holiday Toy and Food Drive

For December, we are expanding our monthly food drive to include inexpensive toys in the $1.00 to $5.00 range for boys and girls, ages 4 – 14. And what a response — such generosity! Thank you so very much, UUSPers!
 


Southside Bridge Coordinator Carla Bristol with Jane Bucher
UU Ways To Give
Especially with the Holidays upon us, link up your Amazon account through the Smile.Amazon.com to donate back to UUSP.
UUA Corner

Check out the UUA Southern Region's December Newsletter and some upcoming webinars
Thank you for your interest in
Unitarian Universalist Church of St. Petersburg!

Stay Safe and Stay Well!
Kelli DeGraw, part of your Communications Team.
Feedback and suggestions are welcome ([email protected]).
Our UUSP staff members will continue their duties in a safe, cautious manner to the fullest degree possible. 

Thank you, Cathy, Jeanay, Jon and Ciera! And many volunteers!

During this challenging time, may we remember that we need to pay close attention to how everybody is doing and how we can help.  
Our mission is to be an inclusive, evolving religious community
that inspires spiritual and intellectual growth to make our world a better place.