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Listening Sessions Coming Soon

The Task Force on the Future of the Presbytery of Tampa Bay invites you to attend listening sessions in August. The first will be Thursday August 12, 1:30 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church in Brandon. The second is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. August 19 at Trinity Presbyterian Church in Clearwater. These listening sessions are an opportunity for members of the Task Force to be present to answer questions about the report and to hear your concerns. You are invited to attend one or both sessions and they are open for anyone in the presbytery. Copies of the Report can be downloaded here. The proposed model is available here. There is also a Substitute Motion that will be considered in September.

Members of the Task Force include: Mike Loudon, Steve Negley, Al MacKenzie, Loli Reiter, Shavon Starling-Louis, Will Davidson, Jean Reed, Becky Burton, Rebekah Maul, Philip Hollins and John DeBevoise. Please contact any member with specific questions.

Teacher Training

The Light Still Shines!

Click on the picture below to download the registration brochure.

Light the way for all volunteer leaders that minister to children, youth and adults! Teachers and leaders need support and training and we will gather on Saturday August 21 from 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. at Faith Presbyterian Church in Seminole for a morning of fellowship and learning. This event is for those who teach or lead children, youth or adults in the church. Curriculum help, resources, craft ideas, special needs and more will be presented in our workshops. Classes include: Crafts for Your Curriculum; Resources for Youth; Wee Believe, We Believe, I Believe; Nursery is More Than Child Care; Ministry with Special Needs Children and more. Cost is only $15 with childcare and children’s programming available for $10 (sorry, no child care can be provided on a drop-in basis). Light the way and let your light shine - see you there. Information about classes and a registration form is available here.

Super Saturday for Discipleship is changing its name and format and will move to March, 2011. This event will enable those involved in educational ministries to get some help and ideas as the program year begins. Please contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it with questions.

Responding to Disasters

Help for Haiti & Chile

Even though the news reports are fewer in number, the need is still great in both Haiti and Chile. Presbyterian Disaster Assistance continues to send funds to partners in hard-hit areas to foster help and hope. Rebuilding is happening, but is slow and the need for financial assistance will remain for a long time.
Gifts for responding in Chile may be designated for DR000185. Gifts to help in Haiti should be designated DR000064. Also you can give undesignated gifts, which allows PDA to have funds available whenever there is a need. DR000148. Secure online donations may be made at the PDA website.

Reports and updates for both Haiti and Chile are posted on the PDA Web site.

219th General Assembly

Greetings from Minneapolis!

The 219th General Assembly has concluded its business and now the real work begins. Some of what was decided has been reported in the press, and there are likely questions about many issues. To help interpret what has been done, there are six documents you can download. These highlight the touch decisions that were made and what happens next. Click on the title to download the document you need: Churchwide Letter; Middle East Issues; New Form of Government; Ordination Issues; Marriage and Civil Union; Middle Governing Body Issues. It is important to read the Churchwide Letter as this sets the tone for all of what has happened and helps churches understand how and why the General Assembly works as it does.

Our Commissioners and YAAD distinguished themselves by serving on the committees of General Assembly which addressed the most important issues facing the national gathering of 720 Commissioners from 173 presbyteries. The perspectives of the Presbytery of Tampa Bay were well represented! In fact, they were seated on the third row, center, at the very front of the assembly within a few yards of the Moderator and Stated Clerk. At the September 30, 2010 presbytery meeting they will report to us.

Many thanks for the service of our six Commissioners. Representing Tampa Bay this year were the Rev. Becky Burton (Peace Memorial Church, Clearwater), the Rev. John Fullerton (St. Andrews Church, Dunedin), the Rev. Kevin Morris (First Church, Dade City), Elder Carol Barksdale (Northwest Church, St. Petersburg), Elder David Bombaugh (Bloomingdale Church, Brandon) and Elder Helen Huntley (Maximo Church, St. Petersburg). Our Young Adult Advisory Delegate was Will Butz (First Church, Winter Haven).

More information can be found at the newly revamped website for the General Assembly. Check out www.pcusa.org. You can also click the picture. Additional questions can be answered by our Stated Clerk, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .