Cross Reference Glorify God. Enjoy God. Live Christ’s Love

September 2019

LOVE

NEIGHBORHOOD CHURCH

The Presbyterian Church (USA) C0-Moderators, Ruling Elder Vilmarie Cintrón-Olivieri and the Rev. Cindy Kohlmann (article following) have chosen the book “Neighborhood Church” as a denomination-wide “book club” read. One of the authors was a former colleague of mine in San Antonio, TX., a remarkable pastor named Rob Mueller. The other author is Krin Van Totenhove. The book is available on Amazon.

I’ll have a gathering to discuss the book on Thursday, September 19, (in previous newsletters I’d used 9/18, so take note of the change) in the Activities building

(small building), at 6:30 p.m. That’s plenty of time to read—it’s not long and it’s an easy read. There is also a study guide to go with it. This link will take you to it:

https:/www.pcusastore.comContentSite119Basics/11063Neighborho_00000130900.pdf

I hope you’ll join me in this exploration of being church today. If you are not in town, I hope you’ll order the book and read it.

I’ll have a sign-up sheet in the sanctuary, or you can email me, so I’ll know how many handouts to make.

The Co-Moderators of the 223rd General Assembly (2018) have selected a new book study for Presbyterian churches. The Reverend Cindy Kohlmann and Ruling Elder Vilmarie Cintrón-Olivieri have selected Neighborhood Church: Transforming Your Congregation into a Powerhouse for Mission, by Presbyterian leaders Krin Van Tatenhove and Rob Mueller.

Kohlmann says the book focuses on the initiatives that both the Presbyterian Mission Agency and the Office of the General Assembly have lifted up as essential to Presbyterians.

“If our churches follow Jesus as he’s called us to do, we will be in our neighborhoods, pursuing justice for our neighbors. That ties directly to our goal to be a Matthew 25 church. The whole story of the judgement of the nations is about people feeding, clothing, visiting, healing, loving, supporting, and being present to our neighbors,” she said. “Jesus defines our neighbor as anyone whose path we cross. Vital congregations combating systemic racism and poverty, the Hands and Feet Initiative that calls us to be the hands and feet of Christ, all of these things are wrapped up in what it means to be church.”

Cintrón-Olivieri says the book is a “good starting point” for people or churches that don’t know where to start or are hesitant about working and connecting in their neighborhoods.

“One of the things I like about the book is its practical way of guiding individuals and congregations into doing work on what it means to be neighbor. It provides many tools, references to more reading, guiding questions and reflection questions and case studies, examples of what other churches are doing,” she said. “Most importantly, I think the scriptural base of what it means to be church in the context of where God has placed us, is very real in the examples that the authors give.”

Kohlmann says she’s already incorporating the book into her presentations across the country.

“The book works to transform a church from inward to outward moving,” she said. “As I visit presbyteries and talk with pastors and small groups, we have this great resource and we’re inviting the entire denomination to go on this journey together with us.”

Cintrón-Olivieri says she was inspired after reading the book because it focuses on what churches have instead of what they don’t have.

“We are sometimes too focused on past glory days instead of focusing on what we can do in the present time,” she said. “It’s important to remember our history and where we come from, but that is just a starting point.”

Loving God, being loved by God, and loving each other in our prayers.

Shirley Clark Linda McDonnell

Bob & Sallie Phillips, Phyllis Keith’s step-father & mother Lorina Scheffler, Sharon Rogers’ sister

Wendy Cloutier, daughter of Dave and Mary Wharton Jessica and Michael Snow, Jude Snow

The Jackfert Family Jeannie and Frank Weaver

Otto Szorenyi, friend of Bob and Lori Winter Brian Wirth, Laurie Palmer’s twin brother

Cora Conner, friend of Bob & Lori Winter Eliza Meyer

Sonny LeBlanc, Todd’s father Rick Joseph

Ken and Kay Spence, neighbors of Tim and Kay Reinhold

Megan & Allison, granddaughters of old family friends of Mary and Dave Wharton

Don’t Forget to Find Us On the Web St. Andrew Website:

http://standrewnewtampa.org/

On Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/saintandrewpc

Celebration Fund Totals

2016 Contributions $ 5,476.00

2017 Contributions $ 4,061.00

2018 Contributions $ 4,901.64

2019 Contributions $ 3,614.00

Total Contributions $18,052.64

A-

All women of the church

and guests are invited

September 25th

6:30pm

September 12

Every Tuesday

7:00 pm

September Birthdays

Frank Boka Tom Clark Bob Keith

Jeff Marble Chuck Rogers Sharon Rogers

Gary Stenzel Jennifer Stenzel Frank Weaver

Congregational Care has placed boxes of different types of greeting cards in the church office, which are available for use by Staff, Elders, and committees, to send to church

members. Check with Mary Whitten or Kay Reinhold.

“How do we find joy in the face of life’s inevitable suffering?”

In 2015 His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Archbishop Desmond

Tutu met at the Dalai Lama’s home in Dharamsala, India, for a

discussion on the search for joy. Joined by cowriter Douglas

Abrams, their meeting was recorded for the world and this

book was created as a testament to the two great leaders’

experiences in searching for happiness in a life often filled with

pain and suffering. Come join the St. Andrew Prayer Ministry in

a discussion of The Book of Joy : Lasting Happiness in a Chang-

ing World by His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Archbishop

Desmond Tutu, with Douglas Abrams.

The Prayer Ministry meets on Tuesdays at 7 pm in the small class-

room. We will be discussing The Book of Joy over the coming

weeks and hope you will join us!

For more information contact Kay Reinhold.

For our golfers, Cedarkirk will hold its first Golf Tournament on September 23, 2019 at the Riverside Golf Club in Ruskin. Contact Julie Poulin at campaign@cedarkirk.org for more info—and visit the website www.cedarkirk.org to learn more about the camp and the capital campaign.

Haiti 2020

The St. Andrew M & O Committee is excited to announce the mission trip to Haiti will be on January 8 - 14, 2020 once again partnering with Presbyterian Church of Chatham Township. A brochure, application and medical form is available by the Haiti display in the back of the Sanctuary. Scholarship money is available and if you are interested please see Hank Belusa. Come nurture your spirit. You won't regret it!

Session Meeting: Monday, September 23, at 5:30PM.

One of the many ways Beth-El lives into its mission of “feeding, mind, and body” is through the Step Up for Success mentorship program. Step Up for Success provides support and mentoring to those wishing to achieve a financially stable lifestyle through education and career training.

Each Step Up for Success candidate works with a volunteer mentor to help them navigate a pathway to success. Some students may require additional tutoring, while others may just need to have a cheerleader to encourage them along the way. The human spirit can be very resilient when it has hope and purpose. Mentoring can instill hope by walking alongside someone as they discover their full potential.

We are very excited to support our latest students who will be going to school this fall thanks to generous donors to the Beth-El scholarship fund. Among the schools our students will be attending are USF, the Aveda Institute for Cosmetology, Hillsborough Community College, and Mantatee Technical College. They each have mentors who are guiding and encouraging them as they realize their hopes and dreams.

If you would like to support the Step Up for Success program, become a mentor, or learn more, please contact MaryEllen Welton Barragán at outreach@beth-el.org.

Bible 101 is off to a great start. Thank you for participating. Thank you Buck and Pat Smail and Paula Salter for having a class for our younger disciples at the same time. Let me know if you want to join in. All are invited. Laurie Palmer

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

1

9:30 Sunday

School

10:30 Worship

2

Church Office

Closed

Labor Day

3

Congregational

Care Committee

6:00pm

Prayer Ministry

7:00pm

4 5 6 7

8

9:30 Sunday

School

10:30 Worship

9 10

Mission & Out-

reach Committee

6:00pm

Prayer Ministry

7:00pm

11 12

Trinity Café

13 14

15

9:30 Sunday

School

10:30 Worship

16 17

Prayer Ministry

7:00pm

18 19

Neighborhood

Church Book

Discussion

6:30pm Activity

building

20 21

22

9:30 Sunday

School

10:30 Worship

23

Session Meeting

5:30pm

24

Prayer Ministry

7:00pm

25

Presbyterian

Women 6:30pm

26 27 28

29

9:30 Sunday

School

10:30 Worship

30

2019