Quilters' Corner - St. Andrew's UMC At Quilters' Corner, every stitch is an act of love. Quilters' Corner began in February 2009 and was founded by Linda Cannan. Our   mission-based group brings together people of all skill levels—from beginners learning their very first quilting steps to seasoned quilters with years of experience—to create beautiful quilts that bless others in need. Working side by side, we share skills, encouragement, creativity, and a whole lot of laughter. Some quilts are lovingly crafted by individuals, while others come together as true community projects, with each person contributing blocks that are pieced into a larger whole. Every quilt reflects not just fabric and thread, but the spirit of cooperation, care, and God’s love stitched throughout. Quilts That Make a Difference Currently, Quilters’ Corner provides 36" quilts to the Brandon NICU—about 40 each year—bringing warmth and comfort to the tiniest patients and their families. We also make lap quilts for organizations such as Family Promise and Mountain Heart Community Services in West Virginia, serving infants and toddlers from families facing poverty. For children in the West Virginia PVK classrooms, quilts are used for naptime throughout the school year and then gifted to each child to take home—a reminder that they are cared for and remembered. These quilts also carry additional impact: their assessed value is matched with funds to support the program. In 2024 alone, Quilters’ Corner provided nearly 200 quilts , resulting in $16,791 in matching funds —a beautiful example of how God multiplies our efforts. Join Us in Stitching Love Quilters' Corner is growing, and there’s always room at the table for new hands and hearts! Our group currently meets every Tuesday at 9:30 a.m. in the Family Life Center (FLC), Room 305. Whether you are brand new to quilting or eager to share your skills, you’ll find community, connection, friendship, fun, and purpose here. We are also exploring adding an evening or weekend meeting time to make participation easier for those with busy schedules. If that interests you, please email Renae Roberts, Quilters’ Corner Coordinator, at stampwithrenae@verizon.net  to share your contact information. Together, we stitch fabric into quilts—but more importantly, we stitch God’s love into lives. Ready to quilt? Join Quilters' Corner HERE . #saumcbrandon #reachcreateserve #QuiltersCorner #StitchingWithGod'sLove

United Women in Faith Seekers Circle We invite all women at St. Andrew’s to join the Seekers Circle of United Women in Faith in the Disciples Hall Conference Room for a salad supper at 6:30 p.m. on the second Tuesday of every month to enjoy a time of fellowship and spiritual renewal.  Our Circle was formed for working women and mothers who prefer to go out in the evening.  We have a program from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m. that is selected from the theme for the year.  This year we are “Carrying our Faith Forward.”  We also have guest speakers or use a program from Response Magazine which educates us on the mission work of the United Methodist Church through United Women in Faith, both locally and around the world.   Our Reading Program provides education in six categories: Leadership Development, Education for Mission, Spiritual Growth, Nurturing for Community, and Social Action.  These books are selected to enlighten and enrich our minds and souls.  We offer a book club that meets on the third Tuesday of every month at 6:30 p.m. via Zoom. To participate in this opportunity, please contact julieramga.umw@gmail.com  or text to 813-503-9363.  All of our Circles are devoted to Missions, both local and global. We support Cornerstone Family Ministries, which is a national mission of the United Methodist Church located right here in Tampa. It is one of two national missions in the state of Florida. We are very active in generating donations and awareness with our own team of walkers and themed baskets for the Annual Wonder Walk. We are pleased to say that St. Andrew’s raised the largest amount of money with the most walkers in the entire Tampa Bay area in April 2025 thanks to all of our St. Andrew’s congregation and friends!  Our Circle also sponsors the “Andy’s Café” food for the Annual Fall Craft Fair on the last Saturday in October. Our craft fair is a community event with over 70 vendors providing homemade craft and specialty items, just in time for Christmas shopping.  We participate in Granny’s Attic in August and contribute weekly to St. Andrew’s Food Pantry.  We actively seek ways to support efforts to preserve our environment.   We are very committed to helping our church and community reach goals to bring the light of Christ into the community. We support each other and feel very grateful for the opportunities we are given to pursue these goals.    We always welcome new members and new ideas.  For more information, please contact Sandra Hazzard at shazzard@bestweb.net  or find us on the saumc.net website under the Grow and Serve dropdown menu for United Women in Faith. Quick link HERE . #saumcbrandon #reachcreateserve #UnitedWomenInFaith #SeekersCircle

The Food Pantry at St. Andrew's UMC Matthew 25:31-40 (NRSV) “When the Son of Man comes in his glory and all the angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats,   and he will put the sheep at his right hand and the goats at the left. Then the king will say to those at his right hand, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world, "for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food or thirsty and gave you something to drink? And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you or naked and gave you clothing? And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?’ And the king will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did it to me.’ The Food Pantry at St. Andrew's provides a beacon of hope to the Brandon community through weekly distributions of bags of food to those in need. Rooted in love and guided by Jesus' teachings, our goal is to provide nourishment, dignity, and hope to every family we serve. If you have a heart of hospitality and serving others in need, click this LINK  to join the Food Pantry Team. Need more information? Contact Food Pantry Coordinators: Earl Richardson at earlr1488@gmail.com or Carol Menne at mennebc@gmail.com.  Hear from Earl Richardson, Ministry Leader and Food Pantry Co-Coordinator, about how this ministry is making a deep impact—not only for those who are being served, but also for those who volunteer to serve by loving their neighbors. Click the image below to watch the video. Earl Richardson, Ministry Leader/Co-Coordinator at The Food Pantry-St. Andrew's UMC, Brandon, FL #saumcbrandon #reachcreateserve #foodpantry #loveourneighbor #meetneeds

St. Andrew's UMC School Mission Initiatives St. Andrew's UMC had a long tradition of supporting Dover Elementary School for many years, providing tutoring by volunteers and donations of school supplies. In 2024, we expanded our primary support from Dover to a small school, Wilson Elementary, based on the loss of volunteer opportunities at Dover and an opportunity to expand our mission. We also now include Spring Hill Elementary with support on a limited basis. Both schools teach K-5th grades. Their students come from working class families, i.e., the working poor. Their backgrounds and social circumstances vary greatly. Many families experience homelessness, foster care placement, or care provided by grandparents along with students from more traditional backgrounds. To date, our involvement and support at Wilson Elementary has included: Volunteers for all first grades Purchase of an educational rug for a classroom 165 Thanksgiving Food Bags (also shared with Spring Hill) Shoes (also shared with Spring Hill) Fall Festival financial donation Photographed family pictures free of charge Supported clothing drive for hurricane relief Taco lunch for teachers as a show of appreciation for all of their efforts Financed field trips to Dinosaur Land and the Planetarium Experience Supplied 400 computer headsets — one for each student, Kindergarten through 5th grades It is with the sincerest thank you to our congregation for their generous support of these schools. Wilson Elementary, founded in 1927 will celebrate its 100th year anniversary in the next school year, still in the same building no less. Your continued support is needed to help a dedicated staff make a difference in the lives of these children. Leonard Henry, Ministry Leader St. Andrew's UMC-School Mission Initiatives #saumcbrandon #reachcreateserve #schoolmissions #education #support

Good Grief Support Group Offers Healing Through Community Grief is a strange companion. It shows up uninvited, stays longer than expected, and can feel like a weight too heavy to carry alone. Whether your loss is recent or long past, whether it came suddenly or after a long goodbye, grief doesn’t follow a schedule—and it rarely makes sense. That’s why the Good Grief Support Group exists; to find strength through shared loss and to offer healing through community. Meeting every Sunday at 4:00 p.m. in the St. Andrew's Conference Room—or by Zoom for those who prefer to join from home—Good Grief is a welcoming, open support group for anyone mourning the loss of a loved one. There’s no need to sign up, no timeline you’re expected to follow, and no expectation that you’ve “moved on.” Each session stands on its own, and participants are welcome to join at any time they feel ready. Led by Gary Uremovich and Viveca Yoshikawa, a married couple and members of St. Andrew's, the group brings both compassion and personal experience to the table. Both have walked through widowhood and now draw from six years of experience facilitating grief groups. They’ve also co-authored a book titled "Good Grief," which explores how grieving—done intentionally and in community—can lead to healing, connection, and even unexpected growth. “Grief is painful,” Gary explains, “but how we grieve matters. Done well, grief can lead us back to wholeness. That’s what we mean by Good Grief.” Each group session is interactive, creating space for honest sharing, listening, and support. Whether you prefer to talk, listen, or be present, the atmosphere is respectful and kind. No pressure. No judgment. In addition to the Sunday group, Gary and Viveca also host a Thursday Night Together dinner at their home in Brandon from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. It’s a casual, welcoming space to share a meal with others—no cost, no agenda, just community. Feel free to bring family or friends and come as you are. An RSVP is appreciated. For more information or to RSVP, contact Gary Uremovich at 813-727-7078. Gary Uremovich and Viveca Yoshikawa Leaders, Good Grief Support Group #saumcbrandon #reachcreateserve #goodgriefsupportgroup #loss #grief #healing #hope

United Women in Faith at St. Andrew's United Women in Faith is a 156-year-old national organization begun by eight women in 1869. At St. Andrew’s, it is a community of women who are driven by God’s love and united in sisterhood. With a focus on women, children and youth, we act for justice and transform communities. We inspire, influence, and impact the world with our love in action. St. Andrew’s has three circles that meet monthly: Friendship Circle: Meets the 2nd Tuesday of the month @ 10am Seekers Circle: Meets the 2nd Tuesday of the month @ 6:30pm Wesleyan Circle: Meets the 3rd Monday of the month @ 2pm We come together quarterly as a whole unit. We sponsor Wonder Walk, Granny’s Attic, and the Fall Craft Fair. These fundraisers help support our local, national and international focus on women, children and youth. The Florida Conference of United Women in Faith has just had their Annual Mission u at the Westin Hotel in Lake Mary, FL. It is VBS/Summer Camp for United Women in Faith throughout the state of Florida. We had six members from St. Andrew’s in attendance. The Mission u photo (below) is Communion on Sunday, July 20. The theme this year was "Practicing Hope" with an 8-hour Bible study, three elective activities about Hope, and a Spiritual Speaker during plenary. Seek & Find Worship band inspired us through the three days. We had great fellowship with our “sisters” from across the state…a fun sleepover! State of Florida United Women in Faith at Mission u, Communion Service (Westin Hotel, July 20, 2025).. All women from youth to beautifully wise are welcome. Join us because love in action can change the world. If you are interested, contact Shari Gillis, Wesleyan Circle Leader of United Women in Faith-St. Andrew’s UMC at sharimgillis.umw@gmail.com . Click HERE to learn more about the world changing work of United Women in Faith. Shari Gillis Wesleyan Circle Leader-United Women in Faith St. Andrew's United Methodist Church #saumcbrandon #reachcreateserve #unitedwomeninfaith

Vitality Respite Center Vitality Respite Center provides an environment of well-being for our “friends” living with memory loss by creating a nurturing space of belonging for them and their care partners. Volunteers share their talents and gifts through structured socialization activities (music, dance, singing, exercise, games, conversation, helping others, working on community service projects); thus, providing for their spiritual, mental and physical needs. Volunteers make our “friends” feel that they are still a valued part of the community. By providing a safe and friendly environment, their care partners can enjoy valuable free time. At Vitality Respite, we are all about “engagement and ice cream”. Our family of friends meet weekly to share good times together. You can feel the camaraderie and excitement! Volunteering is the “gift” that keeps on giving and our volunteers know how to give. They give with their time, compassion, love and understanding. Kindness goes a long way. It is challenging but truly rewarding. We have added three new guests this month, which brings our total number to nine. We are currently integrating our new volunteers (over the summer) into our core group of volunteers. Your continued support and consideration make our efforts as volunteers worthwhile. There is a real need for our outreach ministry program. This was definitely witnessed by eight of our volunteers who attended the recent Alzheimer’s Caregiver C.A.R.E.S. Workshop at USF Health (Byrd Alzheimer’s Center & Research Center).  If you know of someone who could benefit from this program, or if you would like to be a volunteer to help in a fun and exciting environment, Vitality Respite Center is the place for you! Contact Terri Hartney, Vitality Director at (813) 689-6849, option 5 or email at vitality@saumc.net about volunteer opportunities, program participation, and/or how to support the work of Vitality Respite Center. Visit our website  for information and resources. Terri Hartney, Director Vitality Respite Center Vitality Respite Center is a Ministry of St. Andrew’s United Methodist Church. This center is made possible by a grant from the Brookdale Foundation. #saumcbrandon #reachcreateserve #memoryloss #dementia #alzheimers #caregiver #respitecare

GALS: Growing & Loving Servants All ladies are invited to join with GALS (Growing & Loving Servants) to watch Season 5 of “The Chosen”. We will begin Thursday, July 24 at 9:30 a.m. in Disciples’ Hall-Room 421 promptly. Each week, after the video, there will be a discussion of the scripture the video was based on and the characters and their actions/words in the episode. We are a very open group and there is a lot of voluntary sharing of thoughts and feelings each week. If you are looking for a place to connect, you are welcome- regardless of age. The group is currently led by Carol Wetherington, Dawn Wagner, and Laura Evans. We have single ladies, married ladies, retired ladies, grandmothers- really, all ladies will fit in with this group. Following watching “The Chosen”, on September 18 we will begin the study “More Messy People” by Jennifer Cowart. The Participant book is available on Amazon. If the study involves 5 days of ‘homework’, we usually split that into 2 weeks per lesson, and the ‘homework’ is always optional. We do encourage people to at least read the lessons because doing so always blesses you in some way! Warmly, Carol Wetherington GALS Group Leader . Interested in joining GALS? Click HERE to sign up. #saumcbrandon #reachcreateserve #women #smallgroups #ministry #TheChosen

Sometimes it is good to make a change. Starting next Friday, July 11, we are shifting our approach to the space in the Friday Connection we used for a devotion each week by the pastors. It turns out that we did not have many people opening and reading the devotions. Yet, the Friday connection had a very large readership each week. That means this newsletter is our primary source of information for what is happening in our community of St. Andrew’s. Going forward, we are going to use that same space to tell you more about what is occurring here at the church. All our groups and class leaders have been invited to submit articles or videos telling us about their group or ministry. Each week we will hear from a different voice about what is happening in our community. Our prayer is that this space will become another vehicle to promote community and invite others to find a group or ministry to join. It will be fun to see and hear more from the wonderful group and class leaders of St. Andrew’s. #faith #transition #ministry

Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also out to love one another. 1 John 4:7,11 Love, when embraced in its purest form, has the power to transform, heal, and unite. It transcends boundaries, mends wounds, and inspires acts of kindness that ripple across generations. Love is not only a desire, but an inherent need woven into the fabric of our being. It is this need that shapes our actions, choices, and even our moral compass. The power of love lies in its ability to lead us closer to God, for God Himself is love. A group of researchers in Montreal’s McGill University were doing a study on children who were habitual liars and trying to understand their motivation. So, they took a group of these children and ran a battery of tests to catch them in the act of telling a fib. Then they read different groups a couple of stories. First one was the classic story of The Boy Who Cried Wolf —the version in which both the boy and the sheep get eaten because of his repeated lies. Alternatively, they read George Washington and The Cherry Tree , in which young George confesses to his father that he chopped down the prized tree with his new hatchet. The story ends with his father’s reply: “George, I’m glad that you cut down the tree after all. Hearing you tell the truth instead of a lie is better than if I had a thousand cherry trees.” Now, which story do you think reduced lying more? When they surveyed 1,300 people, 75 percent thought The Boy Who Cried Wolf would work better. However, this famous fable actually did not cut down lying at all in their experiments. In fact, after hearing the story, kids lied even a little more than normal. The story just scared them to become better at lying. They simply learned how to get caught less often. Meanwhile, hearing George Washington and The Cherry Tree —even when Washington was replaced with another name, eliminating the potential that a famous person might influence the kids—lying was reduced by a sizable 43 percent in kids. Why? Well, it is simple – children will do whatever it takes to be loved. God has created in each of us an innate need to be loved. This research shows that. And what makes good parents is not simply whether we abide by a set of parenting rules. But how much we show love to our children. And what makes a good Christian is not simply what roles we have in the church, what programs we are a part of, but how much we show love. For God is a God who first and foremost pours out His love to his own children, you and me in a powerful way. #GodIsLove #loveourneighbors #unconditionallove #grace

None of us have all the spiritual gifts. Through our baptism, we each our given some. One that I lack is mercy. My husband has a lot of mercy. I do not. Yet all Christians are called to be merciful. Romans 12:15 says, “Be happy with those who are happy, and cry with those who are crying.” The question then is how do I do that if I don’t have the gift of mercy? Well, you intentionally practice empathy. Empathy is simply putting yourself in the shoes of others. To do that you must learn to stop talking and begin to truly listen to another person. If you are a knower, and yes you know what I mean, you need to reshape your thinking to be a learner. As you begin to intentionally listen, you must push down your judgmental thoughts. People are smart and if you are not careful, your judgmental side will inflict personal shame on the person you are listening to. You must also try to understand the person’s feelings and then communicate your understanding to them. Just being silent can also make them feel judged. Listen with a balanced approach and set aside your judgment. Finally, be mindful of what can block your empathy. Surprisingly, expressing sympathy is the first thing that blocks empathy. The reason is you are feeling bad for someone, not with them. They need your companionship far more than your sad feelings. We also often make negative comments that we have maybe heard our whole life without understanding their impact. Questions like, “What were you thinking?” Erase that question from your vocabulary. It never helps. Diminishing their feelings by telling them, “It is not so bad” is also so much more destructive than we ever intend. We feel like those words will help. They do not. They simply add to someone’s suffering. Never gasp when someone is honest about a situation. Your gasp is only heaping on shame. Finally, never one-up someone by says, “You think that is bad…” You are only shifting your attention to yourself. None of us ever intentionally means to hurt people, but if you don’t have the gift of mercy, you probably need to take inventory of your response when someone is hurting. If no one ever shares their pain with you, it may be because of your responses in the past. We are all called to express mercy. For people like me and maybe you, we just need to work on it a bit and the Holy Spirit will gently help us improve. #innerwork #innerhealing #compassion

"Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit…" Matthew 28:19 CEB This Sunday, the Sunday after Pentecost, is traditionally Trinity Sunday. You will find some churches that will focus their services on the Trinity. But not many. At St. Andrew’s we will be continuing our series on Summer At the Movies this Sunday and just highlight that the day is commemorated as Trinity Sunday. The term Trinity is fundamentally a theological term. Defining the Trinity is rather simple. It is the notion in Christianity that God is a unity of three persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. It is a way of saying something about who God is and the way we experience Him. Although the definition is simple, understanding what this means is the hard part. If it were possible to look at a portrait of God, we could see a Father, who would mirror the almighty author of creation. We would also see the Son whom the Father sent to our world to make Himself known to us as a human. And we would see the Holy Spirit who is working His invisible power, transforming us to be more like Christ. Yet what you would see is clearly one and only one God. It is sometimes easier to explain what it is not. The Trinity does not mean there are three Gods. There is one and only one God. Nor does it say that there is the Father with His subordinates, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. They are the same and equal in standing. Some have tried to explain the Trinity with the comparison to water. Water is water, but it can be a solid in the form of ice, a liquid in the form of water, and as a gas in the form of steam. But even this is not a precise comparison. Water cannot be ice, water, and steam at the same time, but God can be Father, Son, and Holy Spirit at the same time. This is why when you hear people try to explain the Trinity they always use the word ‘mystery.’ There are no words to describe precisely how it is to be understood. But it does reveal to us that God is a unique and intricate being. And it tells us of the character of God. Just as He is one being of three persons, He is a relational God, relating within Himself and desiring to relate to us. At the beginning of this devotion, I stated that the term Trinity is fundamentally a theological term. But it is really not. It speaks of our experience of God. The God we worship is a God who chooses to be known in relationship, and therefore, it is about us as well. Trinity Sunday is not about the concept of God, but the experience of God. For that, we give thanks and praise. #TrinitySunday #faith #God #Jesus #HolySpirit