November Edition 2025

Message from the UUA Side With Love Team

As we move toward Thanksgiving, we hold the tension of this season: a time of gratitude rooted in harvest and community, yet shadowed by the ongoing legacy of colonization and harm to Indigenous peoples. To decolonize Thanksgiving is to tell the fuller truth: that gratitude and justice must walk hand in hand.

Across the nation, the No Kings protests are inviting a growing chorus of faith-filled people who refuse to bow to greed, fear, or authoritarian power. Side With Love stands in that sacred lineage of holy defiance, proclaiming that our faith serves no monarchs, no tyrants or dictators — only the liberating movement of love and justice.

This is an urgent hour. It is one where we practice gratitude, but also commitment to truth. While many will gather to give thanks for abundance, millions still struggle under systems that steal and hoard it. Democracy is a call to right relationship with each other and with the land. And love is our guide.

So as we approach this holiday season, let our gratitude be revolutionary. Let it move us from comfort to courage, from prayer to action. Because love — radical, accountable, and abundant — has no kings, only kin.

With fierce hope and deep thanks,

The Side With Love Team, Unitarian Universalist Association

From Our Reverend Ben Atherton-Zeman:

"As November begins, I am feeling grateful to be your minister. Especially at this place and time in history, our evolving religious community is needed.

We need each other. Many of you have signed up to visit our beloved Ruth Bentley who is receiving hospice care at her home. Some of us receive food stamps or SNAP benefits - these are being stolen by a government that cares more about ballrooms than feeding hungry people. Let us continue to support one another, especially those who have been marginalized.

The world needs us. It was encouraging to see so many of you at the No Kings protest (including two of you dressed as inflatable animals). UU St. Pete is cosponsoring an Interfaith Vigil this Sunday, 5 PM at the Pinellas County Courthouse in Clearwater. I will be one of the speakers and I hope to see you there. Let us continue to speak out in support of democracy.

November's Soul Matters theme is "Nurturing Gratitude." We will continue our tradition of "Stone Soup" on Nov. 23. William and Claudia will organize a UUSP Thanksgiving potluck on Thanksgiving Day - I hope to see many of you there. Let us continue to express our gratitude to one another, and to that which is greater than us.

I will be taking a "staycation" the week of Nov. 10, but will return to teach the New Member Class on Saturday, Nov. 15 from 10 to 4. Lucinda and I will be taking a cruise for her birthday January 10-15, and I will be attending the UU Ministers Association Institute in Albuquerque, NM from Jan. 25-31."

Love and blessings,

Ben

This month, we’re exploring Nurturing Gratitude. Everything we do is rooted in the values of our UUSP Community Covenant, which guides and strengthens our work together. Next month: Choosing Hope.

Welcome to November’s Soul Matters Religious Education for our RE children. This month, our theme is Nurturing Gratitude, a meaningful concept as we approach the Thanksgiving holiday.

We offer Religious Education class for school-age children and teens as well as nursery care for younger children.

• November 23 - All Ages Worship! School-age children participate in the service in the Sanctuary and younger children are welcome in the nursery.

(This information is subject to change, so please keep an eye out for Sunday newsletter announcements for updates.)

President Trish Burch, Vice-President Sandra Moss, Dayna Foster, Ross Scott, Gigi Khalsa, Todd Wellman, Dani Blye

For the period July 1 through September 30, 2025, the UU St. Pete Endowment has continued to grow by $31,450 due to market earnings and member contributions.

Learn how to leave a legacy to our beloved community through the UU Church of St Pete Endowment. Check out our webpage:

https://www.uustpete.org/giving/endowment or contact us at Endowment@uustpete.org.  

Social Justice at UUSP

As fall activities ramp up, now is a great time to connect with our Social Justice Teams. We currently have seven active teams, including two newer ones that could use your support:

Animal Ministry Team: Kelly Patton is leading efforts to oppose the proposed Florida black bear hunt. Thank you to all who signed postcards this summer in support of protecting this keystone species. Visit the Animal Ministry Team Open House Sunday, November 2, at noon in Conway South.

Green Team: Aimee Jackson is revitalizing the Green Team with upcoming educational events. Bring your ideas and get involved.

Also, Racial Justice Team hosts a screening of the film "A Splash of Color" on Sunday, November 23, right after Stone Soup.

Together, we can make a difference.

Karen Coale

Social Justice Co-chair

Green Team Report - FAST and Green Stormwater Infrastructure

The GREEN TEAM reports that although UUSP isn’t currently represented in Faith and Action for Strength Together (FAST), we did attend the Annual Assembly on October 27 and learned this good news:

The city of Dunedin is becoming a model of resilience through its program encouraging contractors to integrate Green Stormwater

Infrastructure (GSI) in new building, reconstruction, and roadside landscaping. Modest financial incentives and training are being offered to encourage this nature-based approach to stormwater management. The FAST Water Quality & Flood Monitoring Committee has been persistent and will persevere in getting this underway through numerous cooperative meetings with Public Works and city officials.

GSI includes the use of permeable pavement, rain gardens, green roofs, bioswales and tree planting. All of these reduce flooding, improve water quality, recharge groundwater, and provide healthy habitat for flora and fauna.

Path to Membership: New Member Class – November 15

Have you been visiting UUSP and wondering about the next step? Our New Member Class will be held on Saturday, Nov 15, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. (lunch included).

This one-day class offers a deep introduction to Unitarian Universalism and to UUSP’s life together. We’ll explore:

• What it means to join in covenant as a member.

• The life of our congregation through our shared ministry.

• Opportunities for connection, service, and spiritual practice.

The class also prepares participants for membership by covering covenantal expectations, pledging/orientation, and details about our New Member Celebration on Sunday, Dec 7.

👉 Sign up at the Fellowship Table during Coffee Hour.

Chris McDonald, for the UUSP Membership Committee

UU Community Upcoming Events

Thank you for supporting our church! If you have an article, event, or story to share, we welcome your submissions.

The deadline for the order of service is Wednesday at 5 PM.

Monthly newsletter submissions are due by the 21st of each month.