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Over the past few weeks, in our worship services, we have been highlighting the ministries of St. Andrew’s UMC—the outreach ministries that have continued to thrive and serve others during this COVID-19 pandemic. The Food Pantry has been providing food in greater numbers each week., free of charge, to those in the community who are in need. Even though they have had to adjust to keep their recipients safe, the Meals on Wheels team from our church is still on the front lines providing nutrition and friendship to the most vulnerable of older adults in our community. Andy’s Angels has been spreading the love of God through home-cooked meals delivered to those who are struggling through challenging times. Just this past week, this outreach expanded to include our valiant teachers, school workers, and administrators as they begin to navigate a new school year filled with anxieties and uncertainties. These unprecedented pandemic times have not curtailed or slowed down the ministry outreach of this church. God’s love can penetrate through the darkest of times in this area, through the caring people of St. Andrew’s UMC. This country has been overwhelmed as well by the COVID-19 pandemic. Yet there have been areas also besieged by various disasters, resulting in unparalleled adversity and tragedy. Tornadoes in Tennessee, wildfires in California, a derecho in Iowa, (yes, I had to look up that word—it is an intense and widespread windstorm). And most recently the destruction of Hurricane Laura that devastated parts of Texas and Louisiana. Winds in excess of 150 miles per hour caused extensive damage to homes, businesses and several United Methodist churches, leaving behind several communities in need of assistance and recovery. Yet, these crises have not curtailed or slowed down the reach of the United Methodist Church in offering help to those in need. The relief and recovery arm of the United Methodist Church is the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) and is ever-present in the country as well as the world when disaster strikes. They make a difference in the lives of communities and individuals whose lives have been upended by storms, wars, tragedies, or civil unrest. In fact, UMCOR is usually one of the first relief agencies present when disaster strikes anywhere in the world. UMCOR acts as the hands and feet of Christ’s church, moving toward the most vulnerable in their time of need. UMCOR affirms that “helping people in their darkest days doesn’t have to be something ‘they’ do, it can be something ‘we’ do.” Supporting UMCOR is a way that we, as United Methodists, can respond to the needs of others in extravagant ways, even if they are halfway around the world. Supplies and assistance have already been mobilized to those areas hardest hit by Hurricane Laura. You can help by making a financial donation to UMCOR. All donations to UMCOR go directly to relief efforts—100%. None of your financial contribution goes for overhead or administrative costs. Not very many relief organizations can make that claim. You can donate to Hurricane Laura relief or other relief efforts by visiting the UMCOR website and making a donation at www.umcmission.org/umcor/give/. Pandemics, disasters, or catastrophes can not stop or slow down the mission of the people called United Methodists in reaching out in love to those who need help in our world, in our country, or in the community surrounding St. Andrew’s UMC. Blessings, Gary #aplaceforgrace #bethelight

There are so many reasons I love being a United Methodist. One of them is the “connectional” system we belong to as United Methodist. That means that every local church is interconnected to each other so we can do more together as a denomination in both mission and ministry. Some great examples are the Warren Willis Camp where many of our kids spent a week each summer getting really excited about their faith. Wesley Foundation, a college ministry on most college campuses is another blessing of our connectional system that means kids away from home can connect and even develop their faith while away at college. Personally, I am hoping our youngest daughter will connect to the Wesley Foundation at the University of Florida this fall. This Sunday is an important Sunday in the life of St. Andrew's because it is the 5th Sunday of the month. That means this Sunday we will be given an opportunity to give to another blessing of our connectional system, the United Methodist Children’s Home in Enterprise, FL. As part of the connectional system, all churches contribute to the Children’s Home on all the 5th Sundays throughout the year. As result of the 5th Sunday giving, the Florida United Methodist Children’s Home was able to serve over 700 children and families last year alone. This Sunday we will also be celebrating the Youth Ministry of St. Andrew's. It seems only appropriate that we as United Methodists will not only give thanks to God for the youth of our church, but we will also be able to bless those youth we may never know, but who still need to experience the love and care of Jesus Christ through our giving. Have a great weekend and we look forward to worshipping with you this Sunday. Blessings, Pastor Jayne #aplaceforgrace #5thsunday

Peter, John, Paul - these are the names we come up with when we look to those who built the church in the days after Christ’s resurrection. We hear about their faithful and devoted commitment to God in forming the foundation of the early church. They were vital in the establishment of the Christian Church and laying the groundwork for our churches today—the body of Christ, the community of the faithful. However, there are also some lesser-known names who made a tremendous impact in forming the church from its very beginnings. Names like Barnabas, Phoebe, Epaphras. These were the “behind the scenes” people who do not get much mention in the New Testament, yet were just as vital as the well-known figures previously mentioned in establishing the Christian Church. Barnabas was known as “the encourager,” a task that was so needed in the early days of the church when the disciples were so filled with doubts and misgivings. He welcomed individuals into the early church, especially a former persecutor of the church named Saul, soon to be Paul, who many of the disciples were very apprehensive about. Phoebe is briefly mentioned in Romans 16:1-2 where Paul asks the church of Rome “to receive her in the Lord in a way worthy of his people and to give her any help she may need from you, for she has been the benefactor of many people, including me.” She is named as a benefactor, a helper or patron, someone who gives support to a group, in this case the early Christians. Scholars speculate that she hosted the house church of Cenchreae in her home, as well as providing shelter and hospitality to Paul when he was in that town. Paul’s trust in her is evident in the passage; he basically asks the church of Rome to give her whatever she needs, for she is doing trustworthy work for the Lord. Epaphras is another individual that is mentioned briefly by Paul in his letters. He is a “servant of Christ” and in Colossians 4:12, Paul writes, “He is always wrestling in prayer for you, that you may stand firm in all the will of God, mature and fully assured.” Earlier in Colossians, Paul writes that the gospel is bearing fruit and growing throughout the world. He claims that much of the credit for the growth of that church in Colossae goes to Epaphras—one whom most of us probably have never heard of. Without these lesser-known and behind the scenes individuals, the church would not have been established and survive. They were just as important to the increase of the early church as was Paul, Peter, John, and Timothy. Soon we will start opening the doors of St. Andrew’s UMC for in-person worship services. That is, if the new cases of COVID-19 continue to decline in Hillsborough County. Yet another factor that will determine if we can reopen the sanctuary doors on Sunday morning will be if we can get enough volunteers who will help in providing a welcoming presence and keeping the services safe for people who enter. We need people who will help set up, greet, be ushers, help in sanitizing the worship space and help in tear-down. We need the Barnabas, Phoebes and Epaphras in our church if we are to reopen our doors. We are asking you to prayerfully consider being a part of this volunteer team. You can go to https://saumclife.churchcenter.com/people/forms/148082 to see further descriptions of the volunteer opportunities and to sign up. Your help is truly needed. If you have already signed up to help, we thank you. Hope to see you in person soon. Blessings, Gary #aplaceforgrace

I always look forward to the beginning of a new school year. Facebook is filled with photos of children and youth heading off for their first day of the year, whatever it may be; first day of kindergarten, middle school, high school, first day of their senior year of high school. The pictures always have the same look—typically standing in front of their house, backpack in tow, surrounded by brothers or sisters on their first day of third grade, seventh grade, junior year and so forth. Sometimes they are holding signs displaying the significant milestone. There are also pictures of freshman sitting on the bed in their newly decorated dorm room as they begin their college journey. The pictures are always the same, always predictable, but I still enjoying seeing them every year. To see how their kids have grown, to be surprised that Carly is in the 7th grade, “I remember when I baptized her.” I still have to look at all of them and register my “Like.” However, it goes without saying that this year is different. Instead of kids standing on their front porch, sporting crisp, brand-new clothes, this year Facebook is filled with kids sitting at home at their desk in front of their laptop wearing sweats and a T-shirt. Yes, this is 2020. Things are different. What in the past has been a season of excitement with the start of a new school year, has turned into a season of concern and trepidation. Parents are filled with anxiety at the start of this year. Some classes will be in-person and families are fearful of sending their kids off to school. It is not the way it is supposed to be. Anticipation has been replaced with apprehension. And the apprehension is even more intensified with those who work at our schools—teachers, administrative staff, and support persons. Heading onto our school campuses for the start of the year, they are filled with a multitude of emotion and fears. There are obviously health concerns, but also concerns for what is going to happen this year, worries about how they will be able to teach and motivate kids when they have been away from them for months. Plus, teachers and support staff at schools have families themselves; spouses or family members who may have been laid off or furloughed from their jobs. They have their own children and need to sort out their school choices and deal with their concerns. It is a vastly different climate this year, an anxiety-filled and downright scary time. At St. Andrew’s, we want to show our support for the teachers and school workers in our church community. We want to reach out to them with the love of Jesus to let them know in this worrisome time, they are loved and supported. There is hope amidst the darkness of this season. The Andy’s Angels ministry at our church is sponsoring an outreach to those teachers and school workers in our church, but we need to know who they are. If you or someone you know at our church is a teacher or a school worker, let us know by filling out our Teacher Appreciation form . The light of Jesus shines in the darkness and there is no amount of darkness that can overcome it. These words need to be truly heard in our world today and they need to be lived out in action to give hope through our troubled times. Please support our teachers and school workers by being in prayer for them and by helping the Andy’s Angels ministry with names to show our loving concern in real and tangible ways. #aplaceforgrace #weloveourteachers

Over the past week I have had a couple of friends reach out to me to see how I was doing with the move to Brandon. I told them Gary and I are really enjoying getting to know the people and the ministries of St. Andrew's. I told them the girls and I are enjoying walking in the neighborhood. We love all the trees that line Nature’s Way giving us shade when we walk far. We have all decided that Toppers has amazing ice cream. We have not found the perfect pizza place yet and are open to anyone’s suggestions. Overall, I think we are doing quite well. It is funny how God created us to change, even if it sometimes feels a bit scary. Our girls will be leaving soon for UF. That feels scary because of COVID, but it also feels scary to be an empty nester. Yet still, I know I will continue to see God’s grace in all the changes. One nice thing about getting older is the assurance of God’s faithfulness, even when life is looking uncertain. Next Sunday, we will have the quarterly update by our lay leaders at the end of each worship service. I will not share those details now, but I have to say that God’s grace has clearly been at work in this church in spite of COVID and all the changes it has brought. I know many churches have been hit hard through this pandemic. We are happy to report that ministry continues to happen at St. Andrew's despite all the changes. It is exciting to see God’s handiwork through the church at a time when much of life seems to be on hold. Please do not despair if you are frustrated by canceled plans, a lost job, or just too much time at home. Change is always a constant in our lives. Thankfully, God’s grace at work around us is also a constant. Scripture tells us that as the people of Israel prepared for huge change in their lives, God spoke these words to them. "Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” Deuteronomy 31:6 Those are also words for us today. We too are the people of God and we can trust Him and have assurance that His presence is constantly with us. Blessings to you today. We hope to see you in worship on Sunday. Pastor Jayne #aplaceforgrace #createdforchange

It has been almost a month since Jayne and I joined the St. Andrew’s UMC community. We have experienced the challenges and chaos of moving; the transitions in moving into a new house, into a new community, and getting settled into a new church. Plus we have done so while at the same time keeping our social distance—not being able to give hugs goodbye, then turn around and not being able to greet our new church community with the same hugs. It has certainly been an experience. But what Jayne, the girls, and I have realized, through all this change, it has been an amazing experience. We could almost say it has been an exceptionally smooth and easy transition. So why is this? Well, I have realized that we have moved from one faith-filled community to another faith-filled community. We have moved from a community that is passionate in spreading the love of Christ to another community that is passionate in spreading the love of Christ. The two church communities, of course, are different, but both are still grounded in one faith, one heart for Jesus, one mission, one Lord, one Kingdom. That is what the body of Christ is all about. We went from one group of Christian friends to whom we had to say farewell to greeting another group of Christian friends, many of them whom we have not met yet. But we know that you will soon be our dear friends, who worship together, grow together, and serve one another and this community. Though we may not have met, we are still friends in Christ. Through this time of social-distancing, it has been frustrating for Jayne and me to try to get to know you from a distance. We long to be introduced, to hear all about you and to share our faith journeys. Yet we also want to do so in a safe environment, having the utmost concern for the health and well-being of our community. As John Wesley would say, “Do no harm.” So, beginning Sunday August 16, we would like to invite you to a “Virtual Lunch with the Pastors.” Each week Jayne and I will gather with a group of eight of you via Zoom, so that we can get to know our new friends and you can get to know us. To share our journeys and our dreams. Until we figure out how to provide a virtual lunch, you will, of course, need to provide your own food. We are so eager to get to know you. During these unprecedented times, this will have to suffice until we can greet each other with a Christian hug. Look for details in how to sign up in the Friday Connection. Looking forward to being together. Blessings, Gary #aplaceforgrace

Much of the conversation around town this week has around when and how the public schools in Hillsborough County will open due to COVID-19. The conversations are important because our children and youth are a priority to this community. It is no different at St. Andrew's. This past week Gary and I met with six outstanding volunteers who serve with our youth ministry. We met to plan and prepare for the fall, brainstorming ideas on how to connect to the youth in spite of COVID-19.  We met together because the youth are depending on their church to disciple them in the ways of Jesus Christ, even in the midst of a pandemic.   Last week the Staff Parish Relations Committee (SPRC) met to continue the search for a new director for youth ministry. There was a wonderful passion within that committee to find the right person to be a spiritual leader for our students. Please know they are still accepting applications for this position and it is our prayer to fill this slot very soon so we can move forward to provide the support and guidance our students need from their church family.   Please pray for our youth volunteers as they prepare for the fall. Please pray for the SPRC as they continue their search for the right leader. Please also pray for our youth that they will know they are loved and valued by their church family.   Blessings to you on this Friday,  Pastor Jayne and Pastor Gary #aplaceforgrace

This week I watched the vice-presidential debate. Well, I actually watched the debate and an old rerun of Law and Order at the same time. I couldn’t really handle just the debate. At the end of the evening, I did give my full attention to the critique of the debate. Some thought Sen. Kamala Harris had won and others thought Vice President Mike Pence had won. Overall, everyone agreed that the debate would have no impact on the presidential election itself. Wow, that had to hurt. Can you imagine all the hours spent by Sen. Harris and Vice President Pence preparing for the debate, and before their heads hit their pillows, everyone had already dismissed it? But that is sometimes just a reality in life. Sometimes the very thing we pull all our efforts into doesn’t seem to really make any difference. I have often poured all my heart and soul into events or projects only to wonder afterwards if anyone was impacted for the sake of the Kingdom of God. Did anyone reap a blessing or feel any closer to God after all the work I had done? It is in those times that I often think of the Old Testament prophets. They truly had the worst jobs of all. God would lay a message on their hearts to warn the people of Israel that they needed to clean up their act and return to the one true God. God in his love and mercy warned the people that they were headed down a dangerous path. But those people were like me. They didn’t always take the warning seriously or they were so distracted by their lives that they had stopped listening. The prophets were obedient, but they were not successful. The warnings were always ignored. One story in particular has always left a deep impression on me. It is the prophet Ezekiel who was called to be a prophet to the Israelites during their time of captivity in Babylon. The young prophet Ezekiel has a vision from God of a field of dead soldiers. A field of old dry bones. 37 The hand of the LORD was on me, and he brought me out by the Spirit of the LORD and set me in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. 2 He led me back and forth among them, and I saw a great many bones on the floor of the valley, bones that were very dry. 3 He asked me, “Son of man, can these bones live? “I said, “Sovereign LORD, you alone know.”4 Then he said to me, “Prophesy to these bones and say to them, ‘Dry bones, hear the word of the LORD! (Ezekiel 37:1-4) I don’t think you can get anymore hopeless than a field of dry bones. All the life, all the hope for those former individuals is now gone. That is in human terms. But when God is involved, life is never hopeless. It does not matter how bad it may look for us. It does not matter if we believe that all we have worked for, all we have strived for has failed. In God’s economy, He can bring life to dry bones. If He can do that, well He can take our work, our faith, our life and He can use it to make a difference in this world for the sake of the Kingdom of God. We just simply have to remember who our source is and keep our eyes fixed on Him. #aplaceforgrace #drybones #godishope

This journey through the COVID-19 pandemic has certainly been quite a challenging time. And that is an extreme understatement. I have to say though, that through all the chapters in the story of this unrelenting drama, this current time may be the most uneasy for us. For we are hearing stories that there is now a vaccine—multiple vaccines—that are greater than 90% effective. So, we are seeing the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel dangling in front of us. But we are also hearing about record number of cases of the virus in our country. The rate of the virus infections is spiking again. Some areas are reverting back to school closings and lockdowns. We can see the end, but in a way, it is too far away. This is what is so troubling. Plus, it’s that special time of the year when we are supposed to be filled with gratitude. Thanksgiving is this week; but for many, gratitude is fleeting. Especially when you cannot be with your loved ones. Relief from this virus is near. Efforts to distribute the vaccine are pending. But it seems that we will have to walk through the valley of the shadow of death before we get there. And that is a frightful predicament we face. So, what do we do in the meantime, during this trying time of waiting and survival? Do we just sit back and hope for the best? Wait for the better times to come? What do we do while God is doing God’s work? Some of you remember that at one time Steve Jobs, the founder of Apple Computers, was forced out of his job, in what you could say was a business coup. After that time, Apple was having severe financial problems, lack of direction. So, they asked Jobs to come back to help them out of their bleak predicament. Jobs challenged the management at Apple to not panic, but to return to what they did the best. And what was that? Building computers that are simple to operate. They needed to reclaim their calling; you could say. So, we can ask ourselves the same in this time of crisis. While we are in the midst of this, let’s get back to what we as Christians do best. And what do we do best? We pray, we help one another, and we share the message of hope. We are a people of prayer. When times get tough, we don’t flee, but we fall on our knees acknowledging our dependence on God. We have a clear communication channel to God through prayer. Scripture in Romans 12:2 says, "don’t be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind." We are not of this world; we are not conformed to the way this world responds. Choose to live by faith and not by fear. We are a praying community. Fervent, unceasing, radical prayer. And we choose to be sacrificial, not selfish. Selfish ambition is the way of the world. As Christians, we are to love our neighbors, protect the vulnerable, put others first. We are to bear one another’s burdens and help our fellow human beings. Even in the face of a pandemic disease, we are called to ministry more than ever. Choose to be sacrificial rather than selfish. Finally, we are to do what Christ calls each of us to do— be in ministry. Share the message of hope through Jesus Christ. Shine the light of Christ all around us. We have the greatest message of hope in all the universe and it is so needed in our world today. Let us not conform to the ways of the world that gravitates to despair and hopelessness. Let’s not hide our light under a bushel. But shine the light of Christ around us. Hope can spread faster than any virus. So, let us focus on what we as Christians do best in the time of turmoil. We pray. We help one another. And we share the hope of Christ. #aplaceforgrace #bethelight #whatwedobest

For the past few years we have hosted the Global Leadership Summit. If you've participated in the past, you know what an incredible experience it is—inspiring, relevant, transformative. St. Andrew's is so passionate about this event because we feel it completely aligns with our vision to lead people to know and experience God’s grace through a growing relationship with Jesus Christ. We know we’re only able to make an impact to the degree that we’re at our very best in influencing the lives around us. We believe that EVERYONE is a leader because we all have influence—in our families, in our neighborhoods, in our workplaces, upon every relationship and interaction that we have in our community. That’s why we host the summit, to help equip and inspire all of us to be awesome influencers for the kingdom of God. We typically gather in the sanctuary as a large group for this event, but as you know, we’re not able to do that right now. We’re excited to announce that there are a few viewing options for registrants this year. On August 6-7, we’ll be livestreaming the event and we’re planning on hosting an in-person event at the end of October. Your 2020 ticket grants you access to their new virtual Summit, the GLS Online Experience, and to any in-person gathering where available . The dates included are August 6-7, October 22-23, and November 6-7. You’ll also automatically get 7-Days of Video-on-Demand to replay the Summit talks after the event. One of the benefits of GLS is their world-class faculty. This year's faculty line up is solid; and they'll be sharing their distinct perspectives, and inspiring and equipping us with practical skills that we can apply right away. The GLS has recently revealed an impressive addition to this year's faculty, former United States president, George W. Bush. This year's topics include:  Breaking free from the lies we believe about work Becoming more agile and inventive Identifying five permissions to multiply your time Overcoming fear and problematic power dynamics in teams Leveraging science-based research to increase connection opportunities Leading through crisis and ever–changing new realities St. Andrew's is able to offer a discounted rate of $99 for our church attendees. Click HERE for more info and to register. Ticket prices increase after July 21, so register today . We hope you’ll join us! #aplaceforgrace

Before I left the house today, I looked in the counter where we keep our medications, and noticed that I have several prescriptions that are still current if I should need them. I don’t think I’m that different from most of you, in that, your medicine cabinet or storage place probably has bottles of unused pills waiting for a time when you might need them. In preparing for this Sunday’s message, I realized that the Bible is full of prescriptions that God has left for us to take—but so often we don’t open this container either. In the Gospel of John, God has offered to everyone a full prescription for life. The question for us to ponder together on Sunday is what are we prepared or willing to do with this prescription. After most of our visits to the doctor, we receive a prescription to help with our healing. We then have a choice to pick it up at the pharmacy of our choice or not. And if we pick it up, the bottle has clear directions on how it should be taken—but we each still have a choice as to whether we will follow those directions or not. Generally included is that these should be taken unto all the pills are gone. Much the same is true for God’s prescription for our lives —it has been filled through the life and death of Jesus Christ, but what will we do with this prescription? Will we receive it, take it into our lives or leave it unopened? Come and join us Sunday as we discuss this prescription, and your response to God’s most generous gift. See you in His house Sunday. #aplaceforgrace

Over the past six weeks we have heard the message again and again to follow social distancing, wash our hands regularly, wear a mask if we have to go out, and stay at home if at all possible. We have received clear messages from our medical and professional fields on how to stay safe during the time of this pandemic. And yet, as I go out to shop for members of our congregation, or to mail a package—I note many people who are disregarding these very important guidelines for everyone’s safety and well-being. This Sunday we will look at Jesus’ words from what is called His farewell discourse. Specifically, we will be looking at His words in John 14, which we hear regularly as most funerals. In them, Jesus lays out the means for us to enjoy a wholesome relationship with Him and with the world around. He suggests that we follow the way, abide by the truth and know the Life. Again, clear instruction if we are willing to listen and abide, yet how many read these words without every really understanding or applying them to our daily way of life? I invited you to join us via livestream as we look at the deeper impact that Jesus was sharing with His disciples and us in some of the final moments of His life. If we are willing to heed them, we can have the fullness God has in store for each of us—or we can choose to ignore and not apply them in hopes that there is some other way, truth, and life. The choice is yours, but my request is for you to choose wisely. See you at the Father House on Sunday. -Pastor Dan #aplaceforgrace