SHAKE IT

Pastors and lay persons… They came from Zepyherhills, from Lakeland, from Tampa, St. Pete, Clearwater, Bradenton, Sarasota, and just about everywhere in between.
shakeit
So today, pastors and lay leaders in the Tampa Bay area, from both the Florida AND the Southeastern Conferences met together for the 2nd time this month to continue laying the ground work for a Comprehensive, Inclusive, and Sustainable approach to Adventist mission in this area.

Our first meeting was held on July 9th, and was hosted by the Thonotosassa SDA Church. Pastors from twenty-two churches in Tampa Bay were at this meeting. They came from Zepyherhills, from Lakeland, from Tampa, St. Pete, Clearwater, Bradenton, Sarasota, and just about everywhere in between. Many of us met each other for the very first time but we all agreed that it is time to come together as leaders and as an Adventist community and to work together more effectively to share our great Hope. Having established that we were all in one accord on that point, we set the meeting for today.

We met this morning at the Progress Village church where we were graciously welcomed by our host, Pastor Antwoyn Mells. I wish all of you could have seen and been apart of what came next.

At the previous meeting, we determined that we would not lay any plans whatsoever, until we had first, as a community of leaders, come together in prayer. Our opening prayer, led by Pastor Steve Adessa of the St. Petersburg Church, lasted for nearly half an hour as nearly every Pastor joined their voice to a prayer of worship and thanksgiving, of confession, and of petition on behalf of our families and church members, as well as for wisdom and direction for the task at hand. A consistent theme of asking for the power and guidance of the Holy Spirit resonated throughout.

From there we did some basic ground work in determining that one of our first steps would be collecting and compiling data on our own churches, our health care system, our schools, and Adventist industries in the area.

The members of Progress Village prepared a wonderful meal for all of us that was totally awesome and delicious. Our next gathering will be hosted by Pastor Rex Frost and the Brandon SDA Church.

I sense the moving of the hand of God, and it's exciting! Please pray for the outpouring of the Spirit of God on this place... And let's get ready for the place to be shaken. Shake it Holy Spirit! Shake it!

“And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and the were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.” Acts 4:31

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