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Aug. 14, 2023 - August 20,2023
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Greetings from Oregon. I am sending a beautiful sunrise to you. Whenever I come up with an idea, I wait to see if it is mine or God’s. If it is mine, I used to fight and claw to make it happen. I stopped that a long time ago. Now I wait on God to affirm, knowing He has already been working. I am in the waiting stage now.
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On my flight to Oregon I sat next to Jamie. Jamie is from Atlanta, married with two young children, attends church at Andy Stanley’s church, works in finance at a hospital in Atlanta, and grew up on a river. Often as a young teen he would go off on adventures, days at a time seeing how far he could extend his ability. His soul language is adventure.
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We talked about what God has put on my heart about adventure being a way God speaks intimately with some souls. Jamie was flying to Oregon as a volunteer to take young adults with a terminal diagnosis on the adventure of a lifetime, a whitewater/camping trip. He is their photographer.
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Needless to say, I am intrigued. We already have plans to get together to talk about where God is leading me and how Jamie and others might connect. I look forward to seeing you when I get back and to being a part of what God is cooking up for us.
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I love being your pastor,Ernie
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Click button below to see more pictures from Ernie's current adventure!
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FRIDAY NIGHT SONG & PRAYER GATHERING
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Friday, August 18 from 7:00pm to 8:00pm
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We hope that you will join us this Friday!
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There is great power in coming together as a church to sing and pray!
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Please make every effort to join us this Friday night!
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Volunteers for the Habana Ministry are needed!
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Please note we typically go to Habana the last Saturday of the month. However, we are going a week early in Aug. as not to miss Dale and Kathy Gruber's 50th Anniversary Party Aug. 26th!
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Contact Terri Davis
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HOPE Meeting
AUG. 28 AT 6PM
FLC FELLOWSHIP HALL
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Our HOPE ministry will be meeting on Monday, Aug. 28 at 6:00 PM in the Family Life Center. Wesley is a member of the Hillsborough Organization for Progress and Equality (HOPE), which seeks to address community concerns and to propose actions to secure justice for the oppressed and vulnerable, just as Jesus asks us to do. We aim to hold our public officials accountable for their decisions that impact Hillsborough County. Previously, HOPE has been able to secure public funds to support affordable housing and increased access to mental health services. Please join us to learn more about this important ministry! Questions? Contact Carol Dittmar, 813-499-7167 or [email protected] for more information.
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HOPE House Meeting
Sunday, Sept. 17
Overflow Area after Service
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We also have a House Meeting scheduled for Sunday, Sept. 17. This will be held at Wesley at 11:30 AM, after our Sunday worship service. You are invited to voice your concerns about our community and take part in conversations about things that HOPE will be playing an active part in. Carol Dittmar is also planning to host a House Meeting at her house on Tuesday, Sept. 12, at 4:00 PM. Prayerfully consider hosting a House Meeting in your home or community center sometime in September, or helping with the ones already set for Sept. 12 or 17. House Meetings work best with 8-10 guests. Training is available if you are interested in hosting a House Meeting.
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CBS will be restarting Wed., Aug. 30 in the FLC. Contact Celia Petters to register at
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Please note that ,due to the heat, we will be moving the Soul Painting event to Fellowship Hall for the first three events. The Oct. 21 event will go back to the courtyard as that is the date of the Craft Fair. It will be a lot cooler by the end of Oct.! We will still be setting up a 10' x 20' tent to a confined area for painting within the FH with a tarp underneath. If you have any tarps we can borrow to use around surrounding area, please contact the office.
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You can read more about Soul Painting on the website here!
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Lessons we Learn from Soul Painting that relates to our spiritual Journey:
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1. Do not worry about the outcome. This is hard for some, even professional artists, to learn to let go and just allow what happens to happen. It correlates with our spiritual journey in learning how to trust God for the outcome without trying to control things in our own strength.
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2. Do not worry about what other people are doing. Stay focused on God and ask him to pour out His Spirit into your soul and guide your hand and your thoughts. We are all on our own spiritual journey and at different points in our life. God will guide us just where we are at.
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3. There may be a point in our painting where you think your painting looks ugly. This is a common stage in most paintings. Stop and take some deep breaths, spend a moment being still or take a walk if you need. Talk to God. If you are physically tired, take a rest. But don’t walk away and not return to move ahead with your painting. There are often points in our life that are uncomfortable and disappointing and we do not understand what God is doing. But it is important to keep pressing forward.
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4. Conversely, there may be a part of your painting you really like and want to resist covering it up with another layer. Close your eyes and paint another layer over it. The magic of soul painting is found in the depth of many layers of paint. Trust that some of what you like now will end up in the final painting, or maybe something even better. You may be at a point of your spiritual journey where you are comfortable. You like where you are at. God does not want you to stay there and miss an opportunity for a deeper relationship with Him.
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5 Try to stay focused on your painting and not carry on conversations with others around you. If you speak, please keep the tone soft. Be respectful of others. When we are reaching out to God, it requires us to be focused and not be distracted with other things.
6. There will be guides to help encourage you and help you with your next step. God sends people to walk along with us in our spiritual journey to encourage us and to hold us accountable.
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7. For many, this may be your first experience with soul painting and our goal of listening to God may confuse you. Hearing God does not often happen instantaneously and develops over time. Sometimes he will whisper to you later at an unexpected time. God will show up when we earnestly seek Him.
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Bring your own portable pool and join us on the front lawn
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Sat., Sept. 16 from 11am -2 pm!
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There will be water, water balloons, slip & slide races,
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hotdogs, chips, drinks and a cool desert!
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Annual Charge Conference
October 1, 2023, 3 p.m.
East Lake UMC
2801 E. Lake Rd. S
Palm Harbor, FL 34687
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A charge conference is held every year. Voting takes place for the Pastor’s
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Salary, new Nominees for church committees (i.e., Trustees, Staff-Parish,
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Finance, etc.). Voting is also done to remove members who have not been
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active for the last 2 years. All are welcome!
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We are excited to announce the complete schedule for Church in the Woods! If you are interested in camping overnight or renting a canoe or kayak, you will need to make reservations now. Learn more about the various locations here! (Please note: there will be a regular Sunday Worship Service at 10am on the church property for those who are not able to attend.)
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We will be having "Finding God in the Woods" one weekend every month starting in November through April 2024. Brochures are now available on the table in the back of the overflow area.
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Please note that the event location of Jan. 13 & 14 has changed from the original announcement.
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WESLEY CRAFTY LADIES
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The Wesley Crafty Ladies have been busy getting ready for the annual Craft Fair. The Craft Fair this year in the FLC is Sat., Oct. 21st from 9am to 4pm and Sunday., Oct. 22nd from 10am - 2pm. Please come and get some early Christmas shopping done or just treat yourself! There will be a variety of home and gift items available!
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PACK-A-SAC MINISTRY
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7 years and still going strong!!!
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Hello everyone…we’re gearing up for another school year and our 7th year of the Pack a Sack program here at Wesley. We couldn’t even begin to do this ministry without all the support and prayers from our Wesley family. We are grateful for all the food donations, monetary donations and prayers, so from the bottom of our hearts – THANK YOU.
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In an effort to grow this ministry, Shaun and I are meeting with Webb Middle School to see if we might be able to help their school and reach children in need at that location…we’ll keep you posted. What a blessing to be able to grow this program and reach as many children as possible, which has always been the goal.
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DRIVERS NEEDED: Shaun coordinates the drivers and is in need to adding 2-3 more volunteers to take a shift for delivery of the pack a sack bags to the schools. Right now, this would be each Friday from about 10:30a – 11:30a. You pick up the bags here at Wesley, and deliver to Dickenson and Town n’ Country – possibly a 3rd school if we’re able to add this school year. We will also be looking to add a few “on call” delivery drivers for the occasional time we need a fill in. If this is something you’d like to learn more about, feel free to reach out to Shaun at 813/399-0220 or email: [email protected]
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Thank you again for all the love and support –
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Wesley, you are such a faithful church! We thank you for your generous and giving hearts! You can Text To Tithe your offerings for Wesley Memorial UMC at this contact number - 813-699-4304. Within a few minutes, you’ll be sent a text with a link to register. Click on the link and enter your cardholder name and credit or debit information. Once your registration is complete, you will receive a text verification and a receipt of your donation via email. You can even text “repeat” to make it a recurring donation. Give + Text is one of the fastest and easiest ways to give.
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Or by standard mail by sending cash or check to
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6100 Memorial Hwy, Tampa FL 33615
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Office hours are Monday - Thursday 9am-3pm.
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We are here to help you with any of your needs.
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Church Contact Information:
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This week Pastor Ernie is in Oregon and there was not a Coffee with Ernie. Please visit last week where Pastor Ernie talked about how Jesus took the Old Testament precepts given to Moses and turned them into intentions, not just behavior. The difference is I want to do what God wants me to do, not just do what God wants me to do. There is a difference. Join Pastor Ernie every Tuesday morning at 7:30am on Facebook or you can watch it later. Click link below for the most recent episode.
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"As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for You. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God?"
Psalm 42:1
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Post your prayers and praise requests here and pray and comment for others!
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Please make visiting the prayer wall a daily practice!
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A Prayer for Discipleship
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Lord, it is your desire for everyone to know you. Help me to be a part of that. Help me to be a good disciple for your kingdom and give me the grace to disciple others. Help me to advance your kingdom every day.
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Lord, reveal to me my weaknesses and give me the strength to grow in these areas so that I am a better example to those that I disciple. Send me out into my community, my country, and all over the world to disciple others and show them how to grow near to you.
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Help me to remember that I am your tool for accomplishing your plan. You are the one who is working in their lives and drawing them to yourself.
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Help me to commission those that I am discipling to follow your calling on their lives. Help me to prepare them to go out and make disciples themselves so that your church can be grown around the globe.
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God, prepare the hearts of those who will become your disciples to have ears to hear and understand, and that they would become strong followers of you.
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I love you Lord, help me to show others how to love to too. Amen.
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"Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age."
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Please note that we are transitioning to a new You Tube Channel. During this time livestreams will be posted on both channels. This button goes to the new You Tube Channel. Please be sure to subcribe! Also, please note, on both channels you must go to the Live button on the top menu button to see livestream of recent sermons.
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10:00 am SUNDAY WORSHIP SERVICE
Aug. 20, 2023
"Pontius Pilate - Believer?"
Luke 23: 13-24
Rev. Jeff Davis
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FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA!
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