3501W.SanJoseSt.Tampa,FL33629
www.palmaceia.org 813-253-6047
A Summer of Celebration, Service, and Faith
by Rev. John DeBevoise
“For everything there is a season,” says Ecclesiastes. In the journey of faith, the season of summer has elements that nurture our relationship with God in particular ways: a change in schedule, trips that shape us in the journey as well as the destination, family connections, and drawing close to nature at beaches and mountains.
May this summer nurture and bless your faith with both the planned experiences and the surprises that the Spirit brings to you. May the camps, trips, and summer worship the Church has planned be a place for renewal when you are here or online, and something to look forward to coming back to when you are away.
And while we are at a distance, let us pray for each other, so that we can be present in our hearts and minds before Jesus Christ, even when we may be physically distant.
May God grant you safe travel, some rest, and the joy of fellowship across the season.
Summer Dates At A Glance
May 31: Retirement Reception for Nancy Callahan (9:30-10:45, Fellowship Hall)
June 1-5: VBS & Disciple Now
June 8-12: Music Camp
June 14: Music Camp Presentation at 11am Service
June 28: Ambassadors Gospel Quartet sings at 8:30 & 11 &
Dale Williams & Singers Patriotic Concert at 6pm
July 4: Florida Wind Band Concert at 4pm
July 13-17: Art in the Bible Camp
Aug. 9: Back-to-School Blessing
Aug. 19: Wednesday Night Dinners Resume
Children & Families
SUMMER CAMPS
VBS: June 1-5
Be in prayer for our VBS leaders & participants!
All are invited to the VBS Closing Celebration on Friday, June 5th 11:30 am in the Connection Space, or watch the livestream on palmaceia.org/watch.
Music Camp: June 8-12
Music Camp will be at PCPC June 8-12.
Plan to see the Music Camp presentation at the 11:00 worship service June 14!
Adult and high school volunteers are welcome. Scan this QR Code to register to volunteer.
Art in the Bible Camp: July 13-17 9am-3pm Grades K-5 Completed This camp is full!
Volunteers still needed for Art in the Bible Camp! Adults will be assigned a group of children to shepherd between studios to assist with the art projects. Scan this QR Code to register to volunteer.
Palma C mp! July 27
Grades 8am-5:3 Bus Tra t by PCPC, l ch parking Registra separat
SAVE the DATES
Sunday, August 2, 4:30pm: End of Summer Centennial Celebration
Sunday, August 9: Back to School Blessing
Wednesday, August 19: Wednesday Pattern Resumes (Music and Movement, Children’s Choirs & Wednesday Night Dinners)
Sunday, August 24: Faith and Fellowship Hour Resumes with Breakfast in Fellowship Hall
We Thank Our Teachers!
We are continually being Called to the Waters of God’s refreshing love by gathering together to celebrate our Centennial year of being a Church! We are so grateful for these souls and others who have simply jumped in to serve where needed. God has brought us beside the still waters of God’s amazing love during Faith and Fellowship Hour.
Core Teachers:
Bri Anne Palmer
John Holmes
Robin Flournoy
Cindy Goding
Mike and Maggie Packer
Julie Linhart
Colleen Booth
Rebecca and Jared Blisland
Robert and Allison Smedley
Anita Taylor
Kelly Slovinac
Erin Malone
Sarah Perez
Michael Hovick
Lovey O’Brien
Meghan Woods
Laura Graham
Pam Tucker
Rose Nitzsche
Mary Fran Meyer
Shirley Miller
Cyndi Canup
4th and 5th Graders Pack Bags and Serve with Kindness Matters
Ten fourth and fifth-grade Justice Seekers joined Kindness Matters this spring to donate and pack needed items to serve our unhoused neighbors along the Riverwalk A fourth grader said, "Meeting them where they are felt good to me"
Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison and did not take care of you? Then he will answer them, 'Truly I tell you, just as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me. ’Matthew 25:44-45
COMPASSIONATE OUTREACH
Thank
you for your Gifts to “Christmas Around
the World”
For it is in the giving that we receive, and your gifts continue to give each day. Your gifts to Christmas Around the World have changed lives for so many and will continue to give hope and healing throughout the year to come.
A portion of the Christmas Around the World gifts were sent to Mombin Crochu, Haiti, where they were used to promote the health and well-being of vulnerable populations while strengthening community ties.
In the words of Dr. Miles Cherefant, Medical Director of Mombin “We would like to express our sincere gratitude for the financial support you have provided to our activities through the Christmas Around the World program. Thanks to your generosity, we were able to organize several activities that helped many families, including distribution of food to those in need, presentation of goats to families, supply school materials, as well as receive needed support for the hospital, malnutrition program, clean water and mobile clinics.”
The gifts sent to Uganda for Health Access Connect allowed work to continue and lives to be changed forever. “Thanks to the generous support of Palma Ceia Presbyterian Church, Health Access Connect has been able to strengthen the work of over 90 health facilities serving remote communities across Uganda. Your Christmas gift helped provide essential equipment including blood pressure monitors, weighing scales, privacy curtains, and handwashing stations that our network of community health workers relies on to deliver critical services like antenatal care, vaccinations, HIV testing, and family planning to people who would otherwise have no access to care With this support, we are proud to provide over 2,500 patient services every month to some of Uganda's most underserved villages.”
And in Honduras, gifts were shared with those who receive medical care, and children at schools in nearby communities. Your support was used to purchase medicines and other supplies distributed by the clinic. Additionally, during a mission trip visit, the team members used contributions to buy jump ropes, coloring supplies, and soccer balls for the children attending schools in the five different communities visited by the mission team.
This church, with its amazing congregation, continues to share God’s love with others in need in so many ways. Thank you for helping this love grow and making Christmas Around the World part of this outreach, bringing light to the world.
-The Christmas Around the World Team
H.O.P.E.
(Hillsborough Organization for Progress and Equality)
On April 20th around 30 members of PCPC were present among nearly 1,600 people of faith from 29 different faith groups in Hillsborough County. Hillsborough Organization for Progress and Equality (H.O.P.E) brought their concerns to elected officials asking for systemic change addressing community problems. At this annual “Nehemiah Action” meeting, the atmosphere was charged with expectation and joy The congregation cheered as education Superintendent Van Ayers and several school board members gave an enthusiastic “yes” to the request for specific actions to make it easier for parents of children with special needs to get information and direction to resources and education aids like individual education plans (IEPs).
The city council members present agreed to work to further fund and expedite completion of retention ponds for flood mitigation in East Tampa where homes continue to flood during heavy rains. Commissioner Cohen agreed to continue to advocate for funds for more affordable housing.
It was a satisfying outcome for HOPE members of PCPC working together and attending meetings throughout the year to bring our voices speaking truth to power and advocating for those whose voices are often ignored.
PCPC has been participating in this justice work for 15 years. To learn more about different ways to support HOPE, call or email Cindy Goding (813) 240-4677, jgoding1@verizon.net; Nicole McCutchan (813) 410-7816, nmccutchan@gmail.com; Sheri Levens (813) 230-6901, sherilevens@gmail.com; or Courtney Rice (813) 463-3554.
adulT FAITH FORMATION
PODCASTS
Sermons at PCPC Are A Podcast!
On YouTube, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify, search “Palma Ceia Presbyterian Church Sermons.”
2 Other Weekly Podcasts: Living with the Lectionary A First Look at the Lectionary
The “Praying Needles” Groups wish you a wonderful summer Our hands will remain busy during our break but we look forward to meeting again in mid-September!
PRESBYTERIAN WOMEN
The Presbyterian Women held their General Meeting and Luncheon May 14. Dona Clark was presented with the Presbyterian Women Honorary Life Membership, and next year ’ s board was introduced.
Please join us when we reunite in September!
To inquire about getting involved in a sewing group or Presbyterian Women, email Jeanne Rowe: pirateq3@gmail.com.
CentennialTea
146 people attended our Centennial Tea April 25, celebrating 100 years of PCPC!
Special music This summer at PCPC
Sunday, June 28: Ambassadors Gospel Quartet Sings at 8:30 and 11am
Saturday, July 4 at 4pm: Florida Wind Band Concert
From the soaring strains of “The StarSpangled Banner” and “America the Beautiful” to the sparkling world premiere of “America la Hermosa,” the full wind ensemble will take you on a patriotic journey packed with heart and humor
Sunday, June 28: “Let Freedom Ring” Concert with Dale Williams’ Choral Ensemble at PCPC at 6pm Patriotic songs with narration highlighting American history
Sunday, July 12 at 8:30 and 11am: Excellent piano students from the “Rebecca Penneys Piano Festival” play the Steinway Piano in the Sanctuary during 8:30 & 11am worship services
YOUTH
Please be in prayer for our youth and leaders as they embark on summer camps:
Disciple Now (Service week around Tampa)
June 1-5
Blue Ridge, GA (Trip for High Schoolers)
June 13-20
Southwind (Young Life Sleepaway Camp in Ocklawaha, FL) July 14-18
On Youth Sunday, April 26, our students helped lead worship and participated in both the 9:00am Contemporary Service and the 11:00am Traditional Service
This is always a meaningful and joyful morning celebrating our youth and especially our seniors.
Meg Pabst, Palma
PRESCHOOL
Ceia Presbyterian Preschool Director, Reflects on Beginnings and Ends
Each year at the preschool begins in a way that feels both familiar and entirely new. There are tears at the door, small hands learning to let go, and the work of navigating boundaries sharing materials, finding words for big feelings, discovering what it means to be part of a community. It is sacred, patient work.
And then, almost without noticing when the shift occurs, those same moments begin to transform.
With the steady, thoughtful guidance of our teachers, what once looked like uncertainty becomes confidence Tears give way to curiosity Boundaries, once tested, become understood and honored. The classroom evolves into a space of exploration where children collaborate, imagine, problem-solve, and create together. Relationships deepen. Trust grows. Friendships take root.
At the heart of this transformation is our commitment to inclusion. We open our arms wide to all children, knowing that this calling invites both beauty and complexity. It is work we do not and cannot—do alone. We are deeply grateful to be part of the ministry of Palma Ceia Presbyterian Church and for our partnerships with the Hillsborough County Public Schools, the University of South Florida, and the University of Tampa, as well as the many physical therapists, occupational therapists, and speech therapists who walk alongside us. Together, we create a system of support that allows each child to be seen, known, and nurtured in ways that honor their unique gifts and needs.
Centennial Campaign
Caring for Our Preschool Spaces This Summer
Over the past year, as part of ongoing facility observations and investigations, several important needs were identified within the Preschool Playground and entrance areas. After consultation with facility experts and careful review by the Ezra Committee and Buildings and Grounds Committee, plans are now moving forward to address several of these pressing concerns this summer.
The most immediate needs include:
Replacement of the Preschool playground fence
Repairs and replacement work related to the Preschool awnings
Future repairs to a Preschool entrance door
The current playground fence has served faithfully for more than 25 years, but deterioration over time has made replacement necessary. Likewise, one of the Preschool awnings has developed significant rust-related structural concerns and requires replacement, while the remaining awnings will receive repairs and new coverings.
Architect William Dobson is designing the new fence, which has already received approval from both the Preschool Committee and the Buildings & Grounds Committee.
The fence is now in the permitting stage with the City of Tampa. Preschool Director Meg Pabst identified the awning concerns and received a proposal from Tampa Bay Awning. The awning work is expected to take place this summer following termite tenting and concurrently with the fence project. Awning installation is anticipated to take approximately 2–4 days.
Thanks to the generosity of donors to the Centennial Campaign, gifts have already been received that will allow this work to begin while school is out for the summer. The goal is for the fence project to be substantially completed before students return in August.
These improvements will enhance the safety and security of the playground while also refreshing the appearance of both the Preschool and church campus. Most importantly, they represent an investment in the children, families, and ministry of our Preschool community for years to come. Together, we can continue creating safe, welcoming, and beautiful spaces for the children entrusted to our care. Thank you for supporting the future of PCPC Preschool.
COMMIT TO THE NEXT CENTURY
The Centennial Campaign continues through small gatherings and conversations across the congregation Together, we are prayerfully discerning and actively moving to preserve, strengthen, and prepare PCPC for the next 100 years of ministry.
This is an important moment in the life of our church, and you are a critical part of the conversation
Every voice, every prayer, and every act of participation matters.
Now is the time to learn more, ask questions, share your voice, and be part of the journey.
To get involved, please reach out to one of the pastors.
