Unity of St. Petersburg: Celebrating 50 Years!
Celebrating a history of excellence spanning 50 years, Unity of St. Petersburg offers a sacred place to learn and grow. In addition to our Sunday services, we present a variety of classes, workshops, seminars and guest speakers throughout the year, as well as outreach opportunities to make a difference locally and globally. Embracing the belief that there is one God called by many different names and found through many different paths, our congregation is a beautiful kaleidoscope of people from different religions and races, ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds, ages and sexual orientations.
Incorporated on December 13, 1972, Unity Christ Church — now Unity of St. Petersburg — began its ministry with Rev. Paul Barrett, the founding minister of the church. Frank Warner was the first president of the Board of Trustees. The church, which split from First Unity Church, began meeting at the Seventh Day Adventist Church in St. Petersburg and later moved into a storefront in the Tyrone Gardens Shopping Center.
In 1976, the church purchased a defunct Baptist church on Fifth Avenue South and 45th Street South, where it remained until 1990, when it moved to its present location at 6168 First Avenue North. Rev. Fred Clare became the eighth minister of the church on July 15, 2004 and retired in June 2020. Rev. David Florence came on board in June of 2021 and gave his first lesson on July 4.
Rev. Lori Souza has been the minister of Unity of St. Petersburg since June 2025.
She is a leader and educator in the Unity Truth Movement. She holds a Master’s in Global Business, and Bachelor’s Degrees in Metaphysical Science, Technology and Education. She has been a founding member of two Unity spiritual communities in Arizona. She also has led and facilitated licensing courses in the business sector and in a private university setting; offered coaching programs; and led a 10-year-long Mastermind prayer group. Rev. Lori also has served on several Unity boards of trustees over the past few decades.
