The Trumpet
Giving Thanks This Thanksgiving
Later this month, we anticipate celebrating Thanksgiving. It is an opportunity to connect with family and friends. It is also an opportunity to give thanks.
The Apostle Paul wrote to the Thessalonians in 1 Thessalonians 5:18, “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”
Thanksgiving may be defined as “the offering of thanks, especially for gifts received.” Scripture emphasizes the importance of giving thanks to God for all his gifts and works, both as an expression of dependence on him and as a form of gratitude.
As you consider giving thanks this Thanksgiving, let me encourage you to give thanks for the blessings of salvation.
First, thank God for Jesus Christ himself. The fact that God sent Jesus, his Son, is an incredible blessing. Because Jesus has come, we have the amazing privilege of having our sins forgiven and receiving his righteousness.
Second, thank God for union with Jesus Christ. All regenerated Christians are in union with Jesus. That enables us to grow in him, as Paul wrote to the believers in Colossae in Colossians 2:6-7, “Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.”
Third, thank God for his grace. His grace has transformed us. We thank God for his grace, for as Paul wrote to the Corinthians, “So that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God” (2 Corinthians 4:15).
Finally, thank God for victory through Jesus Christ. When Paul wrote to the Christians in Rome, he shared his struggle with sin with them. He also told them that he gained victory over sin through Jesus Christ, when he said, “Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!” (Romans 7:24-25).
There are many more reasons to give thanks. Hopefully, these will encourage you as you give thanks this Thanksgiving.
- Freddy Fritz
Missions
Can you believe it is already the fall season? The summer seemed to quickly speed by, and before you know it, the holidays (i.e., Thanksgiving and Christmas) will be upon us.
With all this in mind, I wish to take this opportunity to provide you with an update from the Missions Committee. As we entered the fall season, the Missions Committee started planning for the upcoming Missions Conference that will be held in February 2026. We expect another great conference and look forward to you attending the events scheduled during the conference. Please consider attending and look for more information soon.
In addition, the Missions Committee has noticed that many church members have richly blessed the Missions Fund over the last couple of months, and we are so grateful for this generosity. We plan to use these funds wisely to help our supported missionaries meet their needs as they help spread the gospel and build God’s kingdom. In the future, the Missions Committee may consider increasing the number of missionaries we support.
In a couple of months, we will begin the planning process for the 2026 short-term missions’ trip. Please consider supporting this endeavor as well. Let me end by saying thank you for your prayers and the generosity you provide to the supported missionaries and to the Missions Fund.
- Michael Bridges
Women's Ministry
In addition to gospel-centered teaching on God the creator and our holy imagination as his image-bearers, women could choose to participate in several workshops, which included cookie decorating, quilting, painting, and crocheting.
(Photo/Eileen Fritz)
NTCA
Dear TBPC Family,
We had a wonderful turnout for our 2nd annual Chuck E. Cheese Spirit Night! It was a blessing to see our families, teachers, and friends gather for an evening filled with laughter, pizza, and fellowship. Earlier that day, Chuck E. himself made a special visit to our school! The children were thrilled to see him, and to our delight, there were no tears or fears, only wide smiles and pure excitement. The joy of that surprise carried right into our Spirit Night Celebration later that evening. I am so thankful to everyone who came out to support our school and the beautiful sense of community we share through events like these. What a reminder of God’s goodness in bringing families together to learn, grow and celebrate in his love!
We hope to continue enjoying this wonderful sense of community and fellowship with our school family as well as with our TBPC family throughout the school year!
- Susanne Gonzalez, NTCA Director
Opportunities to Serve
Do you enjoy making others feel welcome and creating community by reflecting God's love? Please consider the role of Hospitality Coordinator. Speak with Pastor Freddy for more information.
Associate Pastor's Perusal - Infant Baptism
The definition of and rationale for infant baptism has been a main topic of my study, reflection, discussions, and writing over the past few weeks. Please consider my latest Substack article on infant baptism if you or someone you know wrestles with this doctrine. I am, of course, open to further discussion if you have any questions or responses to this article.
- John Revell
Youth
(Photo/Mike Cacioppo)
Let's Get to Know Wes Mollard
Wes has attended TBPC for about 15 years. He and his wife, Mary, became members in 2011 after moving to the Tampa area from Virginia. Before their move, they would visit TBPC when they visited family in the area. The home in Virginia was eventually too large for the two of them, and their son was a realtor in St. Pete, so they downsized to a Sunshine State villa!
Tell us a little bit about your family.
Mary and I were married for 71 years until she went to be with the Lord. We were blessed with 3 sons, each a professing Christian, and one is now with his Lord. We had 7 grandchildren, one of whom recently passed away, and we have 7 great-grandchildren.
What career(s) have you been involved in over the years?
My formal education was in engineering, however I was mostly involved in management positions in a variety of technical areas such as radar, communications, fiber optics, and night vision devices. These were all national defense programs and often involved extensive foreign travel and multiple assignments to various divisions within the corporation.
How do you like to have fun?
While living in Belgium, Mary and I enjoyed traveling throughout Europe. This continued after I retired, and we traveled throughout the United States, with several cruises to other countries as well. When we acquired a dog, we trained and participated in dog agility events which involved some travel. We also enjoyed playing golf together.
What lesson has God been teaching you?
To use a new word I learned when doing my morning devotions, God is working in me a process of vilification by encouraging me in my affection for God to practice what he loves. He has reminded me often that he is faithful in his promises in that he will be with me in hard times (Isaiah 43:2).
What is your favorite hymn?
I have many, but the one I find myself singing most often in the evenings is It Is Well with My Soul.
What is your favorite Scripture?
My favorite is Ephesians 2:1-10, especially verses 4-9. The penalty of sin and its power over us is destroyed by Christ on the cross, and it is through faith and faith alone that we stand justified before God.
Paying Attention to God
The whole Christian life could be summed up as simply paying attention to God. After all, how could we grow closer to God or remember his promises without paying attention to him? How could our on-going conversion and repentance continue without paying attention to God? Clearly, this is crucial. But what exactly does it look like and what does it mean to pay attention to God?
In short, we pay attention to God when we read or hear the Scriptures attentively. We pay attention to God when we pray and when we gather with the church to worship him. But is that all? What would it look like to pay attention to God all the time? Certainly to pray without ceasing (1 Thess. 5:17) comes to mind, but what we’re really talking about is a contemplative mindset – a willingness to see God’s hand through our entire life one day at a time. Reflecting on God’s providence in our past, being open to the Spirit’s direction in the present, and looking towards our eternal hope in Christ – this is what it means to pay attention to God.
The means of grace and the church are indispensable for us to hold our gaze upon the Lord. It is here in the midst of God’s gathered people that we begin to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord (Ps. 27:4) and anticipate our entrance into the heavenly Jerusalem (Heb. 12:22-24). Nonetheless, God calls us to continually set our minds on things above (Col. 3:2), behold the glory of the Lord (2 Cor. 3:18), and look to the things that are eternal (2 Cor. 4:18). We look to Jesus (Heb. 12:2) each moment as we approach that day when we will see him face to face (Rev. 22:4). We look forward to that day of resurrection and judgment when God will finally be “all in all” (1 Cor. 15:28).
Until then, we live contemplative lives, acknowledging that all things are “from him and through him and to him” (Rom. 11:36). We look for glimpses of the Father’s goodness in all things. We humbly live as servants of King Jesus, following him wherever he leads. We maintain openness and sensitivity to the stirrings of the Holy Spirit as we deny ourselves, “abstain from the passions of the flesh” (1 Pet. 2:11), and cultivate habits of holiness. All of this comprises what it is to pay attention to God. Being a Christian cannot be a compartmentalized, part-time occupation because our God is the all-encompassing reality “in whom we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28).
- John Revell
Everything Sad is Untrue
Marketed as a young adult autobiographical novel, author Daniel Nayeri, formerly known as Khosrou in Iran, connects with older kids (and those of us who are immature adults) through stories of middle school drama and poop, but he can also hold the attention of more mature audiences with his insights into humanity, culture, faith, and hope in Christ.
Using more of a circuitous memoir style and parallels from One Thousand and One Nights, Daniel shares seemingly disconnected stories of his life and struggle to survive as a 12 year-old Iranian refugee in Oklahoma, so if you're into a more traditional, sequential plot, this may drive you a little crazy.
When his doctor mother becomes a Christian in Iran, Khosrou's family has to flee, without his father, to avoid persecution. They end up in Oklahoma with nothing – not their wealth, their titles, and not even Khosrou's name or beloved stuffed sheep. Through tales of family he barely knows yet adores, escapes that could only have been orchestrated by God, and life lessons at the hands of his new home and culture, Daniel shows us his progress of learning about a God who listens and a God who speaks. At the risk of giving away the meaning of the title, he writes of hope, the kind of hope believers who have faced great suffering can have because Christ will one day make everything sad untrue.
The writing style isn't for everyone, but the message of hope should be. If you're able, I recommend the audiobook version, with the author reading his own work. Every single story he shares, though seemingly random, is with purpose, and he masters the art of tying them all together to reveal a grander story of redemption.
- Holly Mickler
Pray for the PCA
This year-long prayer guide enables you to pray for every church, presbytery, agency, committee, MTW missionary, and RUF campus ministry of the Presbyterian Church in America.
November Update
For the Diaconate, the month of October involved a lot of scheduling, maintenance, and repairs. The scope of the work included the following tasks:
- We repaired several NTCA classroom light fixtures.
- We hired a plumber to refurbish and repair numerous toilets in the church, including rooms 4, 15, 16, 20, 21, 22, 23, and the hallway bathroom.
- Repairs to the air conditioners were completed. We also received advice about possible preventive maintenance since the air conditioners seem to be constantly needing attention.
- The playground area and the smaller area before the playground have been landscaped and cleaned up. There was a lot of debris and over-growth coming through the fence.
- Mike Rush
Men's Fishing Trip
Saturday, November 1 at 8 a.m.
(See Brian Carrier for more info.)
Welcome Lunch
Sunday, November 2 at 12:30 p.m.
Missions Committee Meeting
Wednesday, November 5 at 7 p.m.
Women's Breakfast Social
Saturday, November 8 from 9 a.m - 11 a.m.
(See Brandi Shultz for more info.)
Session Information Meeting
Sunday, November 9 at 12:15 p.m.
Church Office Closed for Veteran's Day
Tuesday, November 11
NTCA Board Meeting
Tuesday, November 11 at 7 p.m.
Brunch Bunch
Sunday, November 16 at 12:30 p.m.
New Member's Class
Sunday, November 16 from 3 p.m - 7 p.m.
Session & Diaconate Meeting
Thursday, November 20
- Diaconate 5:30 p.m.
- Session 6 p.m
Church Thanksgiving Dinner & Service
Sunday, November 23 at 5 p.m
Church Office Closed for Thanksgiving
Thursday, November 27
Church 5th Sunday Lunch
Sunday, November 30 at 12:30 a.m.
