Why Serve?

As followers of Jesus, we are called to be servants.  This is clearly stated in 1 Peter 4:10-11.  As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards  of God’s varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies-in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever.

Council on Ministry

Ambassadors

  The Ambassadors of Wesley provide a warm and friendly welcome to the community and congregation and foster a connection with God and spiritual growth.
Amy Disseler
[email protected]

Bridges Pre-School

Bridges Preschool has been a leader in Early Learning Education since 1989 and is a bridge from preschool into elementary school. It provides a five- day program to enrich and develop young children’s creativity, independent choices, and guided experiences.
Denise Finnerty
[email protected]

Children’s Ministry Promiseland
       Be a part of the exciting family ministry team and help plan and connect with children from the church and the community. Wednesdays 6:00pm – 8:00pm & Sundays 10:00am-11:15 pm in the Promiseland Room.
Rochelle Mock                         [email protected]                   
                         

Cornerstone Ministries Annual Wonder Walk

Every year Wesley participates in the Wonder Walk raising funds for scholarships for economically disadvantaged students 0-5 years old  to attend one of the three Rosa Valdez Early Learning Centers which provides quality early childhood education and nutritious food.
Leslie Berlin
[email protected]

Go Day

   GO DAYS is an outreach program where we go into the community undertaking projects to help others and support our belief “Other People are Important.”
Church Office
[email protected]

God Gang Youth Ministry

  Help by showing up weekly to plan events and activities for students.  Mentors are always WELCOME to help our youth grow in faith.  Students range from 5th grade thru high school.  Wednesday evenings 6:00 – 8:00 pm in FLC 2nd Floor.
 Nadia Nunez
[email protected]

HOPE

The HOPE Ministry at Wesley Memorial Church will represent the congregation in joint meetings to discuss and take action on critical social programs such as Justice Fairness and Dignity in Hillsborough County. It will be a vehicle to unite diverse congregations to improve the quality of life, share values on justice, fairness, love of neighbor, and dignity of people.
Carol Dittmar
[email protected]

Missions

    

Missions is following our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ by working with the poor and oppressed to promote human transformation, seek justice and bear witness to the good news of the Kingdom of God. We pursue this mission through integrated, holistic commitment to:   Transformational Development that is community-based and sustainable, focused especially on the needs of children;  Emergency Relief that assists people afflicted by conflict or disaster; Promotion of Justice that seeks to change unjust structures affecting the poor among whom we work; Partnerships with churches to contribute to spiritual and social transformation;  Public Awareness that leads to informed understanding, giving, Involvement, and prayer; and  Witness to Jesus Christ by life, deed, word, and sign that encourages people to respond to the Gospel.

Local Missions include: Feeding the Homeless,  Pack-a-Sac, Bridging Freedom -Restoring Stolen Childhood, Cold Weather Shelter, Children’s Home, Hope, National Mission Institutions – Gum Moon, New Bethlehem, McCurdy Ministries, MacDonnell Children’s and others, Church Women United, and Conference Benevolences .

International Missions include: United Methodist in Prayer – Media Luna and Duranona Sister Churches in Cuba, Wycliffe Bible Translators, Dave & Julie Eberhardts, World Team -The Schwidatts Missionary, UMCOR-United Methodist Committee on Relief, Regional Missionaries- in Sub-Saharan, Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, World Service Fund, Interdenominational Cooperation Fund, Black College Fund, Africa University Fund, Ukrainian Humanitarian Relief.
Church Office
[email protected]

Nurture

The Nurture Team demonstrates God’s Love through the Ministry of Compassion where stewards provide communion, visitations , cards and prayers for our brothers and sisters in Christ that may be experiencing difficult times, are in Assisted Living Facilities or Nursing Homes or in their own homes but unable to be in fellowship with others.
Carol Dittmar                                  [email protected]                                     
Jean Rowe                                       [email protected]

Pack-A-Sack

Pack a Sack is a community outreach program to provide non-perishable food for a weekend to children considered chronically hungry within our immediate area (local public schools).  Bags of food are packed and delivered each Friday during the school year.
Jamie Wright
[email protected]

Operation Christmas Child Shoeboxes

Team Operation Christmas Child is a mission project to collect shoeboxes and fill them with gifts such as school supplies, hygiene supplies, and fun toys. The shoeboxes start their Journey at our church (and others) and travel around the world to reach children in need and teach them about Gods love in a very real way. These children are given an opportunity to learn about Jesus and salvation through our gifts.
Shaun Black
[email protected]

  The Silver Saints is a senior group that meets quarterly. Their mission is to connect with each other and their community and to provide support in their spiritual walk.   Each meeting has a theme such as Cruising, Tailgating, Mardi Gras, Luau, Reunion, Hippie, Summer Picnic, etc.     We have a devotion, provide lunch, play games and work on a service project. Some of our projects include: reading stories to the children at Bridges, appreciation gifts for church staff, appreciation gifts for the Nomads, Christmas baskets for the homeless, Thinking of You cards for shut-ins,  appreciation cards to veterans and Christmas stockings for shut-ins. 
Susan Ivins
[email protected]

United Methodist Men

  The United Methodist Men’s (AKA Men of Integrity) mission is to support spiritual growth among men, helping men to mature as disciples as they encourage spiritual formation in others.

Opportunities for participation include diverse ministries of the church, such as prayer groups, missions, Bible studies, retreats, workshops/seminars, leading and participating on committees, teaching Sunday school classes, youth ministries, scouting, mentoring, cold weather shelters, and assisting in leading worship service.

Serve Homeless Meals Sundays 7:00 am
Serve Every Saturday Morning – 7:00 am Breakfast & Devotional.
Dale  Gruver
(813) 951-1565

The Ruth Circle is a local circle of Wesley Memorial Church included in the Gulf Coast Region of The Women of Faith formally named The United Methodist Women. It is a connectional ministry of the United Methodist Church. Our pledges go to ministries that support women, children and orphans worldwide, national and local. We specifically support the Wycliffe Bible Translators, the local Hope House which serves children outside the foster care system, a fund to support a college student formally of the church , youth group and missionaries originally from Wesley Memorial. We serve through sewing quilts for children and wheelchair bound persons, providing books and nap covers for the Rosa Valdez centers. Our main fund raising is the pecan sale in the fall and we are working on a recipe book as a new fundraiser.  We meet for devotion and educational programs on the first Thursday of the month at 10am. 
Debi Cockburn
[email protected]

The Naomi-Rebecca Circle is part of Women of Wesley  and works throughout the year, along with the Ruth Circle, to support various missions and spiritual growth. Their main fund raising is through the Fall, Christmas and Spring Fairs where proceeds are used to support the following missions: World Team whose mission is to disciple and make disciples; Wycliffe Bible Translators, making the Bible accessible in various languages; Kairos Prison Ministry, sharing Jesus’ love to impact the hearts and lives of incarcerated men, women and youth; Bridging Freedom whose mission is restoration and prevention of minor sex trafficking; Methodists United in Prayer providing support for sister churches in Cuba; FUM Children’s Home: Agape Ministries 4 Ukraine supporting refuges in a newly acquired facility in Derby, VT: Operation Christmas Child Shoeboxes: Pack a Sack, providing food for chronically hungry children in the school system; and short mission trips of the Wesley Youth and other members.  The Naomi-Rebecca Circle meets on the first Tuesday of each month at 7:00 for devotion and fellowship.
Gail Parker
[email protected]

The WOW Events also sponsors events to include a Soup Supper to thank the ladies who worked all year on the crafts and Bazaar, a Women’s Gathering where we come together to worship, pray, learn and fellowship as sisters in Christ, and a Christmas Tea.
Nancy Blunk
[email protected]

Worship Ministry

s     The mission of the Worship Ministry Team is to draw near to God, magnify the Lord to the best of our abilities and to lead others into humble, intimate, and passion filled worship utilizing music, media, and drama resources. If you would like to be a part of our worship team by helping with media/sound, playing an instrument in one of the worship services, playing in our bell choir, or singing in the choir or Praise Team,  you can contact Jean or Gail.

Traditional Service at 9:00 A.M. and Contemporary Service at 11:15 A.M.
Jean Rowe                                   [email protected]                       
Gail Parker                                  [email protected]

Walking the Mourner’s Path

_Walking The Mourner’s Path is a recurring 6 week program that is different from other grief programs. It was founded out of the need to answer the question – “Where is God in my pain?”  The goal is to help people through the process of transforming their grief into joyful living.
Connie Pruitt
[email protected]

Other Opportunities to Serve

Counting Team

Join one of counting teams that meets Monday morning to count the offering and get the deposit ready for the bank. Each team meets once a month.
Church Office
[email protected]
813-769-9157

Homeless Ministry

Help prepare meals for the homeless in the community on Sunday morning.
Herman Small
[email protected]

Nursery Help Sit and rock, sing, tell stories to our precious little ones.
Sunday mornings 8:30am – 12:30pm

Office Help

Each volunteer works about a three-hour shift and answers the phone, takes messages, makes phone calls, collates papers, and pretty much whatever the office needs to have done. Most days are available.
Vickey Paggio
[email protected]
813-769-9157

Prayer Team

Our prayer ministry prays for the special intentions of our church and the community. Church Office
[email protected]    OR    www.wesleymemorial.net/prayer-wall/