The Monthly Parish Visitor of:

St. Paul Lutheran Church, Tampa, Florida June 2016

Volume 61

Number 6

God’s mission for St. Paul Lutheran Church

is to witness God’s love and our faith in the

Resurrected Christ.

The Epistle

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June Birthdays

6/2 Mike McKenzie

6/2 Martha Wegner

6/2 Joshua Oliva

6/9 Linda Cox

6/9 June Cameron

6/18 Fred Tetlow

6/18 Anthony Tolzman

6/24 Joyce Toledo

Did you get married in this month?

If we missed your birthday or anniversary, please let us know!

June Anniversaries

6/1 Jimmy & Eleanor Dunn

6/6 Glenn & Julie Williams

6/12 Pastor Bob & Jane Wiley

6/14 Greg & Elaine Schweinsberg

Luke, the beloved physician, and Demas greet you.

Colossians 4:14 NRSV

Healing stories make up one-fourth of the Gospel verses in

the New Testament. The Gospel named for Luke the phy-

sician tells of more healings then any of the other Gospels.

Only Luke has Jesus quoting the proverb “Physician, heal

yourself” when his Spirit-led mission is challenged in his

hometown of Nazareth. When we add the healing stories

in his Acts of the Apostles, the impression is overwhelming

that Luke sees God’s healing work as integral to the minis-

try of Christ. As Luke 5:17 says of Jesus, “the power of the

Lord was with him to heal.”

These healings cover the range of human illness, infirmi-

ties, diseases, demonic possessions, mental disturbances,

and death. Most of the time we don’t hear much about

what Jesus actually did to effect the healing. But we

know the outcome well enough: the individual is restored

to community.

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In its early years, the church practiced healing rituals regu-larly. The concept of the hospital grew out of the church’s practice of befriending the sick and dying. Mother Teresa’s mission in Calcutta continues to be to let no one die alone.

We are made for community. The time of God, the reign of

God, the domain of God, the kingdom of God – whatever

the metaphor – is about wholeness in community. You be-

come who you really are in community, and the same goes

for me, I become who I really am in community. That hap-

pens when we are fully loved to be ourselves with all the

gifts and graces God pours into our lives.

When I observe the various ways we stop short of full com-

munity, of the ways we isolate, cut off and distance our-

selves or others at times, I know we need healing. Healing is

the only way to realize community in its fullness.

So whether one comes forward for anointing on Healing

Sunday or meditates inwardly on their own need, may we

all seek the healing that comes only from God.

You know the message he sent to the people of Isra-

el, preaching peace by Jesus Christ--he is Lord of all.

That message spread throughout Judea, beginning

in Galilee after the baptism that John announced:

how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy

Spirit and with power; how he went about doing

good and healing all who were oppressed by the

devil, for God was with him.

Acts 10:36-38 NRSV

Grace and peace,

Pr Russell Meyer

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What does the rainy season mean to you? It’s almost here,

hurricane season. The storms come almost every day. That’s the

way it was when I was a kid in Tampa, you could set you watch

by it. . . 2:00 it’s raining.

Rain, it refreshes. We planted new plants on Earth Day and as my

brother Justin tells me, they need to be watered every day. The

rain is so good for them, I am happy to say they are growing and

thriving.

The roof was leaking at the parsonage, we received notice from

Seminole that it needed to be repaired. Rainy season, roof

repairs. We voted in council to spend the money and got it fixed.

In this case the rain was not welcome news, but we were able to

mend the roof and no longer worry about it.

What about if you live on the street? If you have no roof over your

head? Rainy season takes on a whole new meaning. I think

about the rain now, as I sit in my air conditioned house and am

grateful for the plants being refreshed. I also think about Will and

Jazmine, Shorty and Henry. Friends I have made at The Well.

Rainy season isn’t the same for them. They scramble to stay dry.

They try to get clean socks, and a change of clothes. Staying dry

doesn’t mean running to your car or postponing that shopping

trip. When you live on the street, rain is a fact of life.

Ever wonder about the people we help at The Well? Join us on

the 3rd Saturday. Come for a couple of hours if you can’t stay the

whole time. Come to the concert we have scheduled on June

12th, Miles Cameron will play and we will collect food and money

for The Well. You can meet Jon and Chris and others from The

Well.

We will celebrate Renewal and Giving, and thank everyone who

made it possible. With our new roof we don’t worry about rainy

season at St. Paul quite as much. Let’s make others’ lives a little

better at the same time.

Respectfully submitted

Tina Fritz

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St. Paul Lutheran Church of Tampa, FL Inc. Congregational Council Meeting Highlights

May 10, 2016

Congratulations to Isaac Fritz on his confirmation May

15th!!!! We are so proud of you!!!

May 22nd our own Gabriel Morgan spoke before the

congregation. We very much look forward to hearing

more from him!

Clean drinking water is a must, so we are checking into

new filtration for the drinking fountain and kitchen sink.

Super cool snaps to WELCA for providing hot dogs to all

the volunteers who stayed to spruce up our grounds on

Earth Day. You all rock!

BE THERE!! FREE PIANO CONCERT and CHARITY EVENT

on June 12th, 4 pm. Performing works of Schubert and

Schumann, our own Miles Cameron will share his amaz-

ing talent to help celebrate the restoration of our

church building. Hillsborough County Commission

Chair, the Honorable Les Miller, will enlighten us on the

grants program, and light refreshments will be served.

Bring nonperishable items and monetary donations for

The Well.

MARK YOUR CALENDARS! God’s work our hands, Sun-

day, September 11, 2016.

MARK YOUR CALENDARS! St. Paul’s 90th Anniversary will

be celebrated on January 15, 2017.

Next Council meeting is June 14, 2016, at 7:00 pm, in

the lounge.

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Worship/Altar Guild

June 4th at 1:00 pm in the Sanctuary we will hold a

refresher/training meeting for Assisting Ministers,

Acolytes, Crucifers, Ushers, Greeters and members of

the Altar Guild. All those interested in serving in any

of these positions are invited to join us. What a joy to

serve the Lord!

Patty Tolzman

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Witness Ministry met Sunday, May 15th and continued work

on revising our church tri-fold brochure. We hope to get it

to the printer this summer. It will be updated with new pho-

tos and a more current list of activities. We'd like to include

a congregation photo taken up by the altar - a “semi-

selfie” photo with Pastor in the middle. Be sure to be there

for a picture one Sunday after the service!

Jeanine is leading the publicity effort for the Piano Con-

cert/Roof Dedication on Sunday, June 12th. Look for a new

banner, A-frame publicity and information on Facebook

and other social media sites. Eleanor is handling the print

publicity with PennySaver and developing new contacts

with the Tampa Bay Times.

Three weddings are scheduled this fall for Saturdays - Sep-

tember 4, November 5 and November 12. That will be a

total of nine weddings for 2016. Brides love the look of our

beautiful sanctuary!

Our church secretary, Evelyn, has created a new Visitor's

Book. It is in the Narthex entryway on the lectern. We're

asking the Greeters to encourage all visitors to sign. Then,

on Monday Evelyn will send any visitors a postcard greet-

ing from the church.

For summer projects, we'll work on: a long banner on the

back fence facing the interstate, getting information

about pew cushions, repairing the lawn sprinkler system

and using the carillon bells.

Bring your visiting relatives and guests to church this sum-

mer! And, please let any of us know your ideas for promot-

ing St. Paul in the community.

Witness Ministry: Eleanor & Jimmy, Dunn, Glenn Williams,

Fabio & Joyce Toledo, Carolyn Kelley, Jeanine Romano,

Teresa Jones and Ann Delach

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June 12th we will have a Hymn Sing at the 11 am Service.

Please email the office at office@stpaultampa.org with your favorite hymns (and #’s if possible)

Soli Deo Gloria (to God alone be the glory),

Dennis

A CELEBRATION OF

RENEWAL AND GIVING

Sunday, June 12 at 4 pm

As most of you have probably noticed, our church

building has had some recent updates. Thanks to a

Restoration Grant we received from Hillsborough

County and your donations we have been able to re-

place our roof, our doors, resealed the stain glass win-

dow and removed and replaced the mortar be-

tween the bricks.

St. Paul Lutheran Church was established in 1927;

we are the oldest ELCA Lutheran church in Tampa,

the “Mother Church” of the eleven others. Our first

home was Room 303 at the YMCA building in down-

town Tampa. Sixty-six people attended the first service

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in December of 1926. At our seventh service – in January

1927 – we were formally organized as a church. In 1950,

our current church was built to mirror Hillsborough High

School across the street.

We have a strong history in Seminole Heights. In the

1980’s we ran a day care center, and continue to serve

our community by allowing our buildings to be used by

many groups – for example, neighborhood organiza-

tions, other church groups, Boy Scouts and Narcotics

Anonymous groups. We have been a precinct-polling

place since 1978, and are proud to be one of the found-

ing churches of Metropolitan Ministries. Recently we

have partnered with The Well to support their efforts to

help and feed the homeless.

On Sunday, June 12 at 4 pm we will be celebration

our renewal and our continuous commitment to giving!

At this event:

Our own family member Miles Cameron will be per-

forming a piano recital of Schubert & Schumann.

Hillsborough County Commissioner Les Miller will be

giving an address about the Historical Restoration

Community Grants.

Lite refreshments will be served after the concert

AND THE BEST PART……IT’S FREE

We ask that your please bring a donation of non-

perishable food and/or a free will offering. ALL donations

will go directly to The Well.

Please mark your calendars and join us for this won-

derful celebration!

Jeanine Romano, PhD

ELCA Diakonia Deacon Candidate

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Sun Mon Tue Wed

9AM SPC Svc.

WEEKLY: 11-1 New Bite of Serenity 6:30pm Together We Can 9 pm Never Too

WEEKLY: 11-1 New Bite of Serenity 6 pm Men’s Lit Study 8 pm NA Speak-

WEEKLY:1 11-1 New Bite of Serenity 5:30pm Sunset Solutions at 8 pm New Life

10 AM Sunday School 11 AM Worship Svc.

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10 AM Sunday School 11 AM Worship Svc. 12:30 PM Orientation Forum

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12 10AM Sunday School 11 AM Worship Svc. Hymn Sing 4 PM Celebration of Renewal & Giving

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7 pm Council Meeting

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10 AM Sunday School 11 AM Worship Svc.

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26 10 AM Sunday School 11 AM Worship Svc.

New members recorded

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Thu Fri Sat

WEEKLY: 11-1 New Bite of Se-renity 8 pm A New Way

WEEKLY: 11-1 New Bite of Se-renity

WEEKLY: 7 pm NA Men’s Step Group

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4 1:00 PM Refresher/Training Mtg in Sanctuary

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18 9:30 am @

The Well 3rd Saturday Ministry

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30

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June 5th, 12:30 pm the Pastor will

have an orientation forum for every-

one interested in the church or

membership.

New members will be recorded on

June 26.

Please contact the church office at (813) 239-3113

for more information.

Rebecca Circle

Rebecca Circle members enjoyed

dinner out together in May at the

neighborhood Front Porch Grill. We

hope to get together this summer for

fellowship at local restaurants. Watch

for info in the bulletins and e-mail

blasts from the church, and join us!

We're taking the summer off from meetings, but

we'll be “on call” to help with any summer church

projects and events.

Happy Summer!

Ann Delach

Rebecca Chair

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DOWN, OUT, AND IN – LOVING GOD AND LOVING OUR NEIGHBOR

The practice of stewardship invites us to look in three different

directions: DOWN, IN and OUT. We begin by looking at how God has

come down to us. We then look in to discover all that God has entrust-

ed to our care. We end by looking out to understand the needs of our

neighbors. While these three actions may not always happen in this

order, the practice of stewardship always invites all three.

When we practice stewardship in this way we are making the sign

of the cross. God makes the first vertical line DOWN; we follow by

moving IN to the center and then OUT to our neighbors on either side

both near and far. We form a cross with our lives and through our

faith, we are marked with the cross of Christ forever.

DOWN

Stewardship begins at creation, where God first comes down to us.

In the first chapter of Genesis, God forms humankind in God’s own

image and commands them: “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the

earth and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea and

over the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves upon

the earth” (Genesis 1:28). A steward is someone who cares for some-

one else’s property. From the beginning, humanity is not an owner,

but a steward of what God has created. We are first receivers, not

givers!

God’s love comes down to us in Jesus Christ. To quote John 3:16,

“For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that every-

one who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.”

God loved us so much that God sent Jesus to die for us to bring us

salvation and new life. God also comes down to us in the sacrament

of baptism. In baptism, we are claimed as children of God. We

belong to God and all that we have belongs to God. We are bearers

of God’s love, grace and gospel. Stewardship begins with God com-

ing down to us in love and sharing some of what is God’s with us. We

are a church that belongs to Christ, and there is a place for all here.

The next months we will look at the IN and OUT directions.

- From ELCA “Stewards of God's Love”

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The Florida-Bahamas Synod 2016 Assembly will

be held June 10-12, 2016 at the Hilton on

Daytona Beach.

VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL

July 18-22, 2016 9 AM – NOON

All children ages 3 to rising 4th graders are invited!

MIDDLE SCHOOL DAY CAMP July 11-15, 2016

8:30AM-5PM

For students entering Grades 5-9

For more information and to download a registration form, go to www.gracetampa.org

Grace Lutheran Church 3714 W. Linebaugh Avenue, Tampa, FL 33618

813-961-8747 The church is located at the Southeast corner of Linebaugh Ave and Dale Mabry Hwy, adjacent to Regions Bank – the entrance is on Linebaugh.

Our sister church Grace Lutheran in Carrollwood invites us to

participate in:

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Announcing the New Parish Institute: Addressing Real Life

Questions through Jesus

The Christian Education Team (Pr Russell Meyer, Jeanine

Romano convening, Jane Wiley, Sandy Elke, Gabriel Mor-

gan, Lewis Balsizer, and Tina Fritz) has been meeting to dis-

cuss new models of Christian Education. One of the ideas

was to have a couple of public presentations on Dietrich

Bonhoeffer, since there are two Bonhoeffer scholars in the

congregation.

That idea led to creating the New Parish Institute, built on

the concept of the folk school movement created by Dan-

ish pastor Nikolai Gruntvig in the mid-1880’s (see http://

www.peopleseducation.org/a-brief-history-of-folk-schools).

To get started over the summer, the New Parish Institute will hold three presentations on Bonhoeffer over the summer on

the fourth Sunday of the month at 4 PM. Gabriel Morgan will

give the presentation on June 26th, and Nicholas Byle will

give the July 24th presentation. The August event is still be-

ing planned.

Our working theme for the series is “Acting Responsibly,

Then & Now: Lessons from Dietrich Bonhoeffer, martyred by

the Nazi’s”.

The presentations are open to the public. A special chil-

dren’s activity will be provided along the theme of the

main presentation. Light refreshments will also be served.

The Christian Education Team has drafted the following mis-

sion statement: New Parish Institute is a socially conscious

learning community exploring real life questions that gener-

ate loving, participatory actions that encompass Jesus’ uni-

versal teachings on compassion and justice. All faiths are

welcome.

The Institute is for the whole household. Plan to join in the

great learning and wonderful conversation.

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PRAYER LIST Watch dear Lord, with those who wake, watch over, or

weep. Tend the sick, rest the weary, bless the dying,

soothe the suffering, pity the afflicted, shield the joyous.

In your love give us all this through Jesus Christ our

Lord. Amen.

WE PRAY FOR: Lillian Arnold member

Jeanne Cameron member

Winnie Clark member

Carolyn Kelley member

Teresa Jones member

Jeanne Purcell member

Debbie Tubbs member

Marilyn Weisz member

Danny Williams member

Family of Russell Goldsmith member

The Fritz & Kist Families member

Kathy Busek aunt of Pam Oliva

Kenneth Campbell brother of Pete Campbell

James Ellis friend of Danny Williams

Corey Hartnagle son of Suzan Hartnagle

Lou Hiza mother of Margaret Tillis

Glenn Hommert cousin of Lou Falter

Geraldyn Levos sister of Gary Levos

Catherine Malmquist mother of Eddie Malmquist

Lisa Nalencz daughter of Teresa Jones

Sharon Olenski friend of St. Paul

Elaine Schweinsburg friend of St. Paul

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Betty Sherrill friend ofLou Falter

Rena Smith sister in law of Pat Smith

Gracie Sontoro friend of Ron Tillis

Gloria Tillis mother of Ron Tillis

Gary Toledo son of Fabio & Joyce Toledo

Diane Tolzman mother of Wayne Tolzman

Wade Williams friend of Carolyn Kelley

Barbie Berggren sister of Ann Delach

OUR PROFOUND SYMPATHY and condolences are

extended to Janet and James Kist and Tina, Curt and

Isaac Fritz on the sudden death of James Jr., one year

old, on June 1, 2016. “Bubba”, as he was called, went to

bed happy and content but passed in his sleep.

Arrangements are still underway and will be announced

later.

EPISTLE ARTICLES ARE DUE by the 20th of

the month. Thank you for your timely

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WORSHIP SCHEDULE JUNE 2016

June 5

AM: Jeanine Romano

AC: Janeal Dealus

USH: B. Delach, J. Clark, C. Fritz, B. Haarer

Greeters: Jimmy & Eleanor Dunn

Refreshments: Fritz Family

Jun 12

AM: Lewis Balsizer

AC: Isaac Fritz

USH: W. & P. Tolzman, J. Dunn, F. Toledo

Greeters: Marty Wegner & Patty Tolzman

Refreshments: Jeanine Romano

June 19

AM: Mike Brannan

AC: Janeal Dealus

USH: D. Stroupe, B. Haarer, J. Clark, F. Toledo

Greeters: Wayne & Patty Tolzman

Refreshments: TBA

June 26

AM: Eddie Malmquist

AC: Isaac Fritz

USH: B. Delach, J. Clark, C. Fritz, B. Haarer

Greeters: Curt & Tina Fritz

Refreshments: Lunch Bunch

Altar Guild: Patty Tolzman & Marty Wegner

Counters: Tina Fritz & Jeanine Romano

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St. Paul Lutheran Church (ELCA)

A member of New Parish of Tampa with Faith Lutheran

Church.

The church is located just west of I-275 at the Hillsborough

Avenue exit and three blocks south on Central Avenue.

Worship services with Holy Communion are held at 11 a.m.

each Sunday.

You may reach the church office at (813) 239-3113,

or by email: office@stpaultampa.org.

Pastor Meyer’s Office hours are by appointment only.

Pastor Meyer can be reached by calling (813) 435-5335, or

emailing him at pastor@stpaultampa.org.

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