The Trumpet

The 53rd General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) convened from June 22 – 26, 2025, in Louisville, KY. About 2,300 commissioners attended this General Assembly, making it the largest-ever General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in America.

Even though there was a record number of Overtures (90!) and a lot of other business, the Assembly concluded its business before dinner on Thursday evening.

There has been a lot of news about the General Assembly online. Have you been able to stay up to date with the goings-on at this year’s General Assembly? Nevertheless, here is my brief report on this year’s General Assembly.

First, I am very thankful for the Presbyterian Church in America. Ruling Elder Mel Duncan was elected as the Moderator for the 53rd General Assembly. Despite inefficient clickers (devices to count votes), he guided the assembly with efficiency and humor. There were partial reports from two study committees. One concerned a revision of our Directory for Worship, and the second concerned Christian Nationalism. A third study committee was established to deal with Artificial Intelligence. The spirit of debate was excellent throughout the GA.

Second, Ruling Elder Ed Jordan was a commissioner at this year’s General Assembly. It is such an encouragement to have our Ruling Elders attend our denomination’s General Assemblies. Their participation is invaluable. Of course, Teaching Elder John Revell and I were also in attendance. I am grateful that our church enables its officers to attend and participate in the denomination's work.

Finally, I am optimistic about the future of the Presbyterian Church in America. The PCA motto is: “Faithful to the Scriptures, True to the Reformed Faith, and Obedient to the Great Commission.” I believe that Jesus will bless this branch of his church as long as we uphold each of these elements in our local churches.

May God bless the PCA!

- Freddy Fritz

TBPC welcomed several new members into fellowship over the last month, including Yuki Saito on May 31, 2026. Yuki's daughter, Esther, was also baptized as a covenant child the same morning. On June 21, 2026, Ray Diaz and his children, Caleb and Cordelia, Sally and Dave Hillman, and Dolapo and Uchenna Anyanwu were introduced. Ken and Stephanie Smoot also presented Keni Rose for baptism as a covenant child.

(Photo/Melissa Bayley)

Mark Bates is MTW's senior director of Missions Engagement. Mark has a B.A. in Greek from Bryan College and a master's degree from RTS. He served as pastor of youth and singles at Orangewood PCA and founded University Presbyterian Church in Orlando. From 2007-2021, Mark served as senior pastor of Village Seven PCA in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Mark and his wife, Tricia, have three daughters.

Click the button below to read an excellent article by Mark that was originally shared on MTW's "Stories and More." He has a particularly good analogy using his love of Krispy Kreme doughnuts. "Why was I so pushy? Because I knew she would like it. I had no doubt that if she ever tasted it, she would enjoy it."

- Article submitted by Nancy Morrison

Thank you to those who came out to help prepare craft kits and decorations for this year's Emerald Crossing VBS. In keeping with our theme, the snack table included Irish butter for the croissants! Volunteers cut crafting materials, sorted supplies, counted and packed items into little bags for the lads and lasses we're expecting.

Thank you, too, to those who helped decorate the hallways. We can't wait to see our church transformed into lush Irish landscapes.

- Toni Cacioppo

We kicked off the 1st Annual Ladies' Tea on June 13, 2026, bringing together women of all ages for an elegant event focused on Psalm 46:5.

We enjoyed delicious sandwiches and sweet treats, and worshipped with singing and a devotional from Brandi Shultz. We also enjoyed getting to know more about one of our fellow sisters in Christ, Jennifer Schumm, during her box talk, where she challenged us with, "The question is not, 'Who am I?' but 'Whose am I?'”

We look forward to making the Ladies' Tea an annual tradition at Tampa Bay Presbyterian Church, continuing to create time for women to connect, grow spiritually, and celebrate God’s goodness together.

Gratitude to all of those who lent a helping hand before, during, and after the event. You are much appreciated!

- Brandi Shultz

(Photo/Marsha Otto and Eileen Fritz)

Thank you to Hannah Revell for taking the flowers from the tea to make a beautiful arrangement for worship the next day.

I am pleased to announce the appointment of our new director of New Tampa Christian Academy (NTCA), Amanda Randall.

Our previous director, Susanne Gonzalez, received a wonderful opportunity to join the QEES organization as a trainer. QEES comes alongside child care facilities and educators to promote quality and professional development. Susanne will be an asset to their team, and we wish her all the best in this new role.

We are thankful that Amanda has accepted the position of director at NTCA. Amanda has taught our Pre-K 4 class at NTCA for the past 5 years and is well-loved by her colleagues, her students, and their parents. Her passion for our ministry, her love for Jesus, and her commitment to excellence make her a wonderful fit for this role.

Amanda will begin in her new role with immediate effect. Please join me in congratulating Amanda on this promotion, and pray for her as she adjusts to the new position. Pray also for the staff as they adjust to the change.

We still need a teacher for one of our 5-day Pre-K 3 classes. Students attend from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., and staff work from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. If you are interested in working at NTCA for the 2026-27 school year, or know anyone interested, contact me at kempash@gmail.com.

Thank you for all your prayers for NTCA!

Kind regards,

Ashleigh Kemp

Chairman of NTCA Board

Vacation Bible School packs a lot of learning and energy into a short amount of time, so how can you maximize this display of the gospel and keep the momentum once your kids are home – and have had a much-needed nap? Try these conversation starters with your family after each day at VBS.

• What did you hear that surprised you?
  
• What does that tell us about God's character?
• How do you think Jesus fits into this?

• Is there someone we should encourage?
• Is there a way we can serve someone together?
• Is there something we should pray about?

You can also spend time discussing the Haiti LoveOne Project, which our Children's Ministry supports all year, especially during VBS week.

- Holly Mickler

Youth and their families enjoyed a fantastic evening of food and fellowship at the home of Toney and Anna Sauls on June, 6, 2026.

Many have also given their time to help with VBS decorations to prep the church building for its transformation into "The Emerald Isle."

We are excited for our 1st trip to RYM camp and appreciate your prayers for our week away.

- John Revell

(Photo/Rebekah Cholak and Mike Cacioppo)

Yuki Saito and his daughter, Esther, have been attending TBPC since April 2026. He found TBPC while looking for a local Presbyterian church where they could worship, learn, and grow in faith.

Tell us a little bit about your family.

I have lived in Tampa for over 10 years, but I was born and raised in Japan before moving to the United States. I am thankful that God has brought us to TBPC. I am still early in my walk with Christ, but I have been very grateful for the kindness, teaching, and encouragement we have received. I hope we can continue to grow in faith and become more connected with the church family.

What careers have you had over the years?

I have a bachelor’s degree in Finance and have worked mainly in IT audit, especially with financial services firms. My work has included areas such as IT controls, risk, compliance, and audit. I am not currently involved in a specific ministry yet, but given my professional background in audit and finance, I am interested in serving through administrative, accounting, or similar support work.

How do you like to have fun?

Esther and I enjoy spending time together, going on small trips around Florida, visiting parks, trying different places to eat, and learning new things together. We also enjoy simple family time, whether that is reading, talking, or just spending the day together.

What do you enjoy about TBPC?

As someone new to Christianity and Reformed theology, I deeply appreciate that the pastors are willing to answer questions with patience and care. I also appreciate how friendly and welcoming the church has been to both my daughter and me.

What lesson has God been teaching you?

God has been changing my heart and worldview in a major way. I recently came to faith in Christ, and through that, he has been teaching me humility, dependence on him, and the importance of raising my daughter with faith at the center of our lives.

What is your favorite hymn?

Amazing Grace is meaningful to me. Growing up in Japan, I was not exposed to hymns very much, but this hymn is so well-known that many Japanese people recognize it. Now that I have come to faith in Christ, the words have become much more personal to me.

What is your favorite Scripture?

One Scripture that has become meaningful to me is Colossians 1:15–20, where Paul describes the supremacy of Christ over all things. I like this passage because it shows that Jesus is not just a teacher or religious figure, but Lord over creation, the church, and redemption. As someone still new to Christianity, this passage helps me see how central Christ is to everything.

Which person in the Bible (other than Jesus) do you think would make the best dinner guest - and why?

I think the Apostle Paul would make a great dinner guest. Since I personally like Romans and Colossians, I would love to ask him about God’s grace, the supremacy of Christ, and how his life changed so dramatically after meeting Christ.

What's your "secret" talent?

I used to be a swimming coach for kids, so maybe my secret talent is helping children learn something new with patience and encouragement. I also tend to enjoy organizing messy information into something clear and practical, probably because of my audit background.

If you could instantly master any skill or talent, what would you pick - and why?

I would pick playing drums or another musical skill that helps create beautiful music.

Do you name your cars or plants? If so, tell us about this!

I do not usually name my cars or plants, but maybe I should let Esther name them. She would probably come up with something much more creative than I would.

And finally, if Pastor Freddy had a superpower, what would it be?

If Pastor Freddy was a superhero, his superpower would be teleporting to exactly the right place at exactly the right time whenever someone needs encouragement — probably with the right Bible verse, kind words, and maybe coffee.

Effectual calling is the work of God’s Spirit, whereby convincing us of our sin and misery, enlightening our minds in the knowledge of Christ, and renewing our wills, he doth persuade and enable us to embrace Jesus Christ, freely offered to us in the gospel. (2 Tim. 1:9; 2 Thess. 2:13-14; Acts 2:37; Acts 26:18; Ezek. 36:26-27; John 6:44-45; Phil. 2:13)

This is a wonderful, succinct definition of God’s calling to salvation. But how exactly does God call and convert sinners to himself without violating their wills? It is, of course, a mystery that cannot be entirely explained. We embrace this biblical truth by faith. And yet, the Reformed tradition contains much-needed precision on this question. Take a look at these two articles for a fuller explanation of effectual calling.

- John Revell

"Why is it that next to the birthday of the Savior of the World, your most joyous and most venerated festival returns on this day on the Fourth of July? Is it not that in the chain of human events, the birthday of a nation is indissolubly linked with the birthday of the Savior? That it forms a leading event in the progress of the Gospel dispensation? Is it not that the Declaration of Independence first organized the social compact on the foundation of the Redeemer's mission upon earth? That it laid the cornerstone of human government upon the first precepts of Christianity?"

- John Quincy Adams (6th President of the United States)

- Submitted by Eileen Fritz

Check out this list from Andrew Spencer (The Gospel Coalition) for his suggestions of books to read this summer.

Although we have been involved in a variety of things this month, I want to use this time to focus solely on the benevolence portion of the Diaconate’s ministry. At the State of the Church Address last August, one of the goals for the Diaconate this year was to design and implement a new benevolence process based on the book Helping Without Hurting in Church Benevolence.

We will continue to try to improve the effectiveness of our benevolence disbursements, and we feel confident that things are heading in the right direction. While we aim for the primary portion of our funds to go to TBPC members, we also help others outside our church family. Through the generous giving of our congregation, we have been able to financially assist 7 TBPC families and 7 families that are not members of our congregation since January.

The finances are a large portion of the benevolence process, but we try to encourage spiritual growth and not simply improve financial situations. So I would like to conclude by expressing my gratitude to the entire congregation of TBPC for their love, kindness, and financial support, which enables the Diaconate to perform our duties of benevolence.

- Mike Rush

As the deacons continue to serve in the areas of benevolence, mercy, and the upkeep of the church’s facilities, we always welcome any assistance. If you have an area of expertise and are willing to offer your services (plumbing, electrical, landscape, etc.), we would appreciate any and all help. You can contact any of the deacons (David Cross, Michael Rush, and Derk Shultz - Deacon in Training), or either of the deacon assistants (David Lehmann and Ken Smoot), or email us by using the button below.

Click on the title above to be taken to the TBPC Calendar.

These groups will not meet during the summer.

SJT Groups will not meet during the summer.

Sunday, July 5 at 12:30 p.m.

July 6

July 6 - 10 from 9 a.m. - 12 p.m.

Sunday, July 12 at 12:15 p.m.

Thursday, July 16

• Diaconate 5:30 p.m.
• Session 6 p.m

Saturday, July 18 at 10 a.m. at Brachton Park

Sunday, July 19 at 12:30 p.m.

Sunday, July 26 at 5:30 p.m.

We are excited to share that our church is now on Instagram. Follow us at @TampaBayPresbyterianChurch for updates on services, events, and church life. Please consider sharing our page with others to help extend our ministry. Scan the QR code or click the link to check it out!

It is the goal of The Trumpet staff to provide articles for learning and growing, news for connecting with our church family, and information on opportunities for service and participation. The views and opinions expressed in The Trumpet have not been reviewed or endorsed by the Session.