The Trumpet
The Songs of the Savior
This Advent, we are going to consider a sermon series titled “The Songs of the Savior” from the Gospel of Luke. These songs can be found in the first two chapters of this Gospel.
These songs form a lyrical overture to the entire story of Jesus, celebrating his arrival as the fulfillment of God’s ancient promises while teaching profound theological truths about who God is, how he works, and what the Savior’s coming means for humanity.
On the first Sunday of Advent, we shall examine Mary’s song, known as “The Magnificat” (Luke 1:46-55). Mary sings this song after the angel’s announcement and her visit to her cousin Elizabeth. Mary’s soul magnifies the Lord, and her spirit rejoices in God her Savior. Her song teaches us that God uses those who are humble and do not trust in their status or strength.
On the second Sunday of Advent, we shall examine Zechariah’s song, known as “The Benedictus” (Luke 1:68-79). John the Baptist’s father, Zechariah, sings this song when his speech is restored after John’s birth. Zechariah blesses the Lord God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people. His song teaches us that God keeps every promise, even after centuries of silence.
On the third Sunday of Advent, we shall examine the angels’ song, known as “The Gloria in Excelsis” (Luke 2:14). The angels sing this to the shepherds on the night that Jesus was born. They sang, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased.” The proper response to Jesus’ incarnation is worship (“glory to God”).
And on the fourth Sunday of Advent, we shall examine Simeon’s song, known as “The Nunc Dimittis” (Luke 2:29-32). The elderly Simeon sings this song in the temple when he meets the baby Jesus. He sang that he could now depart in peace because his eyes had seen the salvation of God. Meeting Jesus through faith in him brings deep personal peace and a readiness for whatever comes our way, including death.
These four songs set the tone for the entire Gospel of Luke. Jesus is the compassionate Savior who brings good news to the poor, liberty to the captive, and the year of the Lord’s favor (Luke 4:18-19). They invite us not just to hear the Christmas story, but to join the song—to magnify the Lord, bless his name, give him glory, and depart in his peace.
- Freddy Fritz
Sunday Evenings at TBPC
Recently, the Session approved a proposal for Sunday Evenings at TBPC that will begin in January 2026. Here is what it is.
Introduction
The Fourth of the Ten Commandments reads as follows:
8 “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your male servant, or your female servant, or your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates. 11 For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy” (Exodus 20:8-11).
Since the Fourth Commandment is part of the Moral Law, it is binding on all people. The basic point of the Sabbath is that one day in seven is to be set aside to the Lord our God. We are to work six days a week. But the seventh day is to be set aside to the Lord.
The question may be asked, however, “How do we keep the Sabbath day holy?”
The Westminster Shorter Catechism helps us answer that question. Question 60 asks, “How is the Sabbath to be sanctified?” The answer given is as follows:
The Sabbath is to be sanctified by a holy resting all that day, even from such worldly employments and recreations as are lawful on other days; and spending the whole time in the public and private exercises of God’s worship, except so much as is to be taken up in the works of necessity and mercy.
According to the Westminster Divines, we are to set aside one day a week in “the public and private exercises of God’s worship.” That means we should not do our regular work on that day. We should not do things that keep us from focusing on God. We should not do things that could be done on other days of the week, but rather, we should engage in those exercises that help us grow in our worship of God.
To that end, we would do well to have a more intentional use of the Lord’s Day.
I. Youth, Worship, and Seeing Jesus Together Small Groups
Since the arrival of TE John Revell, our youth have been meeting on Sunday evenings. One of the challenges is to keep our youth engaged when we add an Evening Worship Service. We have discussed different ways to have various meetings on Sunday evenings. The proposal is to do the following:
- 1st, 3rd, and 5th Sundays: Evening Worship Service
- 2nd and 4th Sundays: Youth Group
- 2nd and 4th Sundays: Seeing Jesus Together Small Groups
The typical meeting time for the Youth Group is 5–7 p.m. on Sundays. They arrive at 5 p.m. and engage in activities until about 5:30 p.m., when they eat a meal together. Then, from about 6 p.m. until 7 p.m., they have a lesson. This will still take place on the 2nd and 4th Sundays.
On the 1st, 3rd, and 5th Sundays, we will have an Evening Worship Service. The Worship Service will begin at 6 p.m. and last for 45-60 minutes. That means the Evening Worship Service will conclude before (or, at least, by) 7 p.m. To encourage attendance by both youth and others, we could have a simple meal (soups or salads or pizza or sandwiches, etc.) at 5:30 p.m. on the 1st, 3rd, and 5th Sundays.
As we encourage our congregation in their Bible reading using Seeing Jesus Together, it has been suggested that we set up Seeing Jesus Together Small Groups. These SJT Small Groups could meet on the 2nd and 4th Sundays at 6 p.m. This would encourage the parents of youth to stay and participate in an SJT Small Group. It would also enable others to participate in SJT Small Groups. Of course, if some SJT Small Groups want to meet weekly, they can do so at the time of their choosing.
So, a schedule for Sunday evenings in 2026 can be seen in the graphic below. Click to enlarge.
II. Sunday Evening Worship Service Format
The above schedule allows for 28 Sunday Evening Worship Services a year (eight months of the year have a 1st and 3rd Sunday, and four months of the year have a 1st, 3rd, and 5th Sunday).
The format for the Evening Worship Service should be different than the Morning Worship Service. Nevertheless, there should still be an emphasis on the ordinary means of grace (the ministry of the word, prayer, and the sacraments).
Since the Evening Worship Service will be shorter than the Morning Worship Service, there will necessarily be fewer elements. Also, there should be greater flexibility in the expressions of the elements than we do in the Morning Worship Service. For example, we may encourage the learning of new and less familiar hymns and songs. We may encourage extended seasons of prayer. If we do not have a pianist, we will need to sing without instrumental accompaniment. We may have times when the congregation suggests favorite songs that they wish to sing. And so on.
Some elements will be present in the Evening Worship Service. These will include preaching, prayer, singing, confession of sin, and an affirmation of faith. We also suggest that we celebrate the Lord’s Supper on the 3rd Sunday of each month. This will enable members to participate in the Lord’s Supper twice a month instead of once a month, as we do currently.
Regarding preaching, when we considered bringing an Associate Pastor on staff and starting an Evening Worship Service, I was thinking of services taking place every Sunday of the year. I anticipated doing most of the preaching in the evenings, while the Associate Pastor would preach 15-20 times a year. However, with this adjusted format, I anticipate preaching 16 times and the Associate Pastor preaching 12 times a year. Regarding what we will preach on Sunday evenings, it will be balanced with what is preached on Sunday mornings.
Conclusion
This proposal for starting Sunday Evening Worship Services takes into account the Youth Ministry and the Seeing Jesus Together Small Groups. This pattern could help our members keep the Sabbath day holy better than we are doing at present. It encourages more involvement by our members in remembering the Sabbath day and keeping it holy.
- Freddy Fritz
"Seeing Jesus Together"
At the Officers’ Retreat in May, we set a goal to increase members’ personal engagement with the Scriptures – a “healthier Bible Reading Discipline” (BRD). This BRD acronym comes from a Bible-reading tool we discovered, the Seeing Jesus Together (SJT) journal.
The SJT journal helps focus our Bible reading time. How so? When we follow the journal’s prompts, in as little as 25 to 30 minutes we can engage with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit through the Word in a way that is Spirit-led, gospel-focused, and (as a final step) oriented toward sharing with others. The reading plan takes us through the New Testament every year and the Old Testament every three years.
With pen, journal, and an open Bible, we start by being honest with God and with ourselves about what we are feeling. Next, we humble ourselves and ask for the Spirit’s guidance. Prepared, we read two chapters and meditate on a few verses. Building on this meditation, the journal leads us to respond to the day’s passage with adoration, confession, thanksgiving, and praise. Finally, we craft a short gospel-focused takeaway that we can text to others in the church.
As you can sense from this description, this Bible Reading Discipline leads us through Scripture in a different way than a Bible study. In a Bible study, we seek to analyze the Scriptures and solve difficulties in ways that would allow us to teach others. In Bible reading, we ask God to take us apart and reform us so that we may serve him and others.
The BRD effort will “launch” on January 1, 2026, but the SJT journals will be available starting November 30, and you can start immediately. We are asking for a donation of $15 per journal.
Greater satisfaction in Jesus and his Gospel awaits.
- Ed Jordan
Missions
This month I wanted to share an article written by R.C. Sproul August 31, 2015. Please enjoy this article and take a few moments to think about and pray for missions and our supported missionaries.
- Michael Bridges
Men's Ministry
On November 1, 2025, the Men’s Ministry had their 9th inshore fishing event located on Tampa Bay. It was again a wonderful time, with many new fishermen and excellent weather this year. We had 9 men and 3 young men who were on the water by 9 a.m. in 3 chartered boats. Boat #1 included John Revell, Ethan Revell, Mike Cacioppo, and Charlie Cacioppo. On boat #2 were Jack Cholak, Jaxon Skopp, Craig Tyler, and Scott Harshfield. And boat #3 was rounded out with Brian Carrier and guest, David Mooneyham, Bill Clarke, and Dildar Gajadhar.
It was a clear day and great for fishing! Temperatures ranged between a chilly 53 and 75, but perfectly sunny. The fishing was above average, with the men catching a variety of fish including snook, ladyfish, trout, catfish, lizard fish, flounder, and a few small sharks reeled in by boat #3. We caught approximately 160 fish total among the boats! The 3 boys did great, with Ethan Revell catching 15 fish, Jaxson Skopp catching 28 fish, and Charlie Cacioppo catching about 25 fish, plus the largest fish of the day with a 28” snook. This year we did not have a grand champion as the counts were about the same and all 3 boats catching multiple species of fish.
All the anglers had a great time and are looking to do a repeat next year. We thank everyone who participated, and we again appreciate the support of the Men’s Ministry and Men’s Bible Study.
Grace and Peace,
Brian Carrier
NTCA
Dear TBPC Family,
As we step into this joyful season, we reflect on the wonderful celebrations of November, especially the 30-year anniversary of our preschool ministry. Thank you for the prayers, encouragement, and unwavering support that have carried the school through the years.
Our recent Family Movie Night was such a blessing. Although it was a little chilly, the children enjoyed every moment, and it was a lovely night spent together with our NTCA family.
We’re also excited for our Christmas program as we joyfully celebrate "Happy Birthday, Jesus!" We look forward to all the holiday cheer ahead and the special memories we will create with the children and families at our school.
Thank you, TBPC, for your continued love and support.
With gratitude & blessings,
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.
Youth
Young people face so many confusing topics in today's culture, and being a parent or loved one trying to help them can be just as difficult. Check out these resources from Ligonier on questions young people face.
Children
Looking for something you can do with your children to help them understand Advent? Check out this printable resource made by the same people who brought us The Jesus Storybook Bible.
Let's Get to Know the Clarkes
Biliston and Altamah Clarke have attended TBPC for as long as it's been around. They live in neighboring Pebble Creek and have seen many changes in the area and in TBPC.
Tell us a little bit about your family.
Altamah and I (Biliston) have always lived in the area, though we are citizens from Jamaica. I am a medical doctor, and Altamah is a homemaker. We have had the privilege of taking a few medical mission trips to Jamaica.
How do you like to have fun?
We enjoy going to the gym for workouts, dancing and traveling.
What lesson has God been teaching you?
We are grateful he is keeping us healthy and safe, and he is reminding us to be helpful to our fellow folks.
What is your favorite Scripture?
Our favorite is John 3:16.
The Lord's Supper in Calvin's Catechism
An Invaluable Ordinance – Mystical, but not Magical
As we come into this Christmas Season, let’s ruminate together on John Calvin’s understanding of the Lord’s Supper as outlined in his Catechism.1
- John Revell
Dawn of Redeeming Grace: Daily Devotions for Advent
It's reverent and rich. Theological and timely. Insightful and ideal for the season. Sinclair Ferguson takes the familiar Christmas story and helps readers see how God, through his sovereign grace, used ordinary people in unexpected circumstances. I've often been quick to focus only on Luke for the narrative, so an entire book just about the first 2 chapters of Matthew offered new perspectives into how characters came face to face with Christ. Ferguson manages to mine nuggets from a story we often think we already know everything about.
I read this last year as a way to prepare and focus on Christ during such a distracting season. Actually, I'll let you in on a secret...I didn't read it but instead listened to it as an audiobook, which was even better because Ferguson's Scottish brogue makes the daily 10-minute devotional even more captivating! I'll return to it again this year, and I'm certain Ferguson's pastoral approach will nourish my soul anew in this season of waiting.
- 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.
December Update
This past month the Diaconate has continued to assist in the area of benevolence. Also, we have coordinated with the food pantry located on our property, as they added a few Mondays to their distribution schedule due to the government shutdown and difficulties of people getting their SNAP benefits.
In addition, we have been involved with the upcoming events surrounding the holiday season such as the Thanksgiving service/dinner, Hanging of the Greens, the Women's Christmas Brunch, the NTCA Christmas Program, NTCA Staff Christmas Party, the Leadership Christmas Party, and the Christmas Eve Service. Although the Diaconate is responsible for coordinating the set-up and take-down involved in these events, we want to say how much we appreciate all the members who have assisted and will assist in these endeavors.
- Mike Rush
Missions Committee Meeting
Wednesday, December 3 at 7 p.m.
Women's Brunch
Saturday, December 6 from 9 a.m - 12 noon
Welcome Lunch
Sunday, December 7 at 12:30 p.m.
NTCA Board Meeting
Tuesday, December 9 at 7 p.m.
TBPC Leadership Christmas Dinner
Friday, December 12 at 5:30 p.m.
Session & Diaconate Meeting
Thursday, December 18
- Diaconate 5:30 p.m.
- Session 6 p.m
Men's Breakfast
Saturday, December 20 at 8:30 a.m.
Brunch Bunch
Sunday, December 21 at 12:30 p.m.
Christmas Eve Service
Wednesday, December 24 at 6 p.m.
Church Office Closed for Christmas
December 25-26
