We are facing unprecedented and difficult times in our community. This is good news because God moves mightily when the need is great (Daniel, Slavery in Egypt, the demoniac, hungry multitudes, Jesus on the cross).

Hope

Hope is found when our lives produce good things established on a foundation of Christ’s teaching (Matt. 7). 

As we look to the future of Temple Terrace United Methodist Church, for what do we hope? We must look beyond survival to the promises of blessing when we are doing the things that God desires. Engaging our community enables us to recognize opportunities to be a blessing and offer hope.

Opportunity

The church campus is located in one of the poorer parts of Tampa and is recognized as a food desert. Many teens that live here will not pursue education beyond high school. Access to extra curricular activities is diminished. Access to fresh food is less than other places in our city.

Together, we have the opportunity to make the campus a hub for access to education, job training, sports and art groups, citizenship, financial education and mentoring. Already, the campus is used by the Tampa Bay Hurricanes football and cheer program who shares the values of TTUMC as they provide fun athletic learning opportunities for children, while emphasizing the importance of academic success and teaching the ideals of sportsmanship, scholarship and physical fitness. The program scholarships children and teens from economically disadvantaged circumstances and promote positive relationships with adult coaches and parents.

The church sees a future where the athletic field is utilized seven days a week engaging all ages in organized recreational activities. The campus rooms will be used fully to house mentoring, tutoring, classes, social events, counseling, after school programming, twelve step programs, family therapy, financial education and other community helps.

Already, the campus is used to house the Foster Closet program in cooperation with West Florida Foster Care Service. This ministry provides foster families with resources to ease the burden of caring for foster children. In our future we expect to operate parents’ night out events, weekly dinners including training for parents and children’s ministry for foster and other children. These meals help accomplish the Florida Conference’s campaign to give 2 million meals to hungry persons over the next year.

Race

It is no secret that we need to improve understanding and cooperation between races. We see a future where persons of all races and backgrounds worship God together and share in the good work of the gospel in our community through mutual service. The leadership of the church will reflect the diversity of the community with an intentional effort to elevate young persons to leadership. The church campus will be a beacon of peace and hope that all persons will be received as persons of sacred worth and vital importance to God and the church.

Family

Beyond serving the Tampa Bay Hurricanes and foster children, the church sees a future where community children are cared for before and after school while learning social and emotional skills that will help them cope with life and believe in their potential in Jesus. 

Current effective adult programming will continue to meet the needs of the community. We see a future where opportunities for all ages abound like: sports, art, dance, technology, physical fitness, learning, worship, music and more. Intergenerational ministry will connect older and younger for the benefit of all as we incorporate the whole family in worship, study, service, spiritual formation, equipping life skills, access to economic opportunity and relationship building.

Invest

You are invited to continue to be part of helping this future come to fruition through your prayers, presence, gifts, service and witness.  

• Pray for the church and listen to God’s instruction to you
• Show up regularly with the intention of hearing from God and for your life to be continually transformed more and more into the likeness of Jesus
• Give financially in a way that demonstrates forethought and planning. Invest in this community expecting that God will grow that investment with the payoff being changed lives - breaking the cycle of poverty and giving hope to this community
• Find a way to serve the community as a volunteer. Make room to share your giftedness and heart with others
• Tell about where your story and God’s story meet. Let others know what God is doing in your life and how following Jesus changes for life for the better