MINISTRIES

Tampa Covenant Church is made up of a broad network of ministries, each designed to focus on different facets of our call to declare and demonstrate the gospel of Jesus Christ by loving God, loving one another and loving our neighbor. Explore the pages below to find opportunities that match your unique gifts as we together seek to live missionally in our city.

WORSHIP

Our worship at Tampa Covenant Church is in so many ways utterly unique to TCC and in other ways incredibly similar to other Reformed churches. It is unique because we utilize the visual arts, architecture, and music in innovative and intimate ways that spiritually form us in worship. We are similar to other Reformed settings in that we have four-fold worship, and use creeds, prayers, and other beautiful parts of the liturgy to enhance our telling of the Gospel Story in every service. We strive to be both innovative in our worship yet rooted in the history and depth of the historic church.

The music itself varies widely from contemporary music like The Brilliance and Hillsong United to re-tuned hymns, traditional and contemporary choral works, and even an occasional 9th century hymn. Our music is diverse, reflects our people, and we are truly not afraid to utilize anything that glorifies God.

Above all, our worship seeks to provide a space where our people can know and encounter the living God as we seek deeper unity with Christ together as a community that loves God and one another.

Worship Services

CHILDREN

Children’s Ministry

People were bringing little children to Jesus to have him touch them, but the disciples rebuked them. When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” And he took the children in his arms, put his hands on them and blessed them. (Mark 10:13-16)

Safety and security are top priorities of the Tampa Covenant Church Children’s Ministry. All children who will be apart from their parents during service should “Check in” at the Children’s Ministry table in the Narthex. Children will receive a nametag with a unique identifying number, and parents will receive a corresponding “pick up” sticker. Children will be released only to those adults who have the matching sticker.

Nursery
The nursery ministry is open to children 6 weeks through age 2, and is available during all worship services at TCC. In addition, a secure nursing room is available during service hours.

Sunday School (3 years old – 5th grade)
Our Sunday School aims to guide our children to Christ and to inspire them to live God-centered lives. Out of love and concern for the children in our care, all of our volunteers go through an application process which includes a background check.

Children from age 3 years old to 5th grade enjoy the worship portion of the service with their parents in the sanctuary, then go to their age-appropriate Sunday school class and return to the sanctuary for Communion.

Verse for October

Romans 5:3 (ESV)
“Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance…”

Kids Choir

Kid’s Choir resumes on Sunday, September 15th, from 9 – 9:45am in the Youth Room.

Kids’ Choir is open to children age 6 and older.

Interested? Reach out to Holly Collins at hollyastein@aol.com

Rehearsals:

Sept. 15th, 22nd, and 29th

Oct. 6th, 13th, 20th, and 27th

Nov. 3rd, 10th, 17th, Break for Thanksgiving

Dec. 8th, 15th, and 22nd

Performances: Oct 20th, Nov 10th, Dec. 13th (Coffee House), Dec. 24th (Christmas Eve Service)

Pioneer Club

Pioneer Club is a Christ-centered, Bible based club for children ages 4 years old – 4th grade. Kids enjoy Scripture memorization games, active and engaging Bible lessons, silliness, play, and fellowship with friends! We would love for your children to join the fun!

Pioneer Clubs meet every Wednesday until November 20th, from 6:30PM – 7:45PM.

Catechism Class
Catechism Class is for 5th graders and will meet every Wednesday until November 20th, from 6:30PM – 7:45PM. Catechism Class is led by Pastor Mark Farrell.

Mothers of PreSchoolers (MOPS)
MOPS meets on the second Monday of every month – except June and July – from 9:30am – 11:30 am. We welcome pregnant moms, moms of infants, moms of toddlers, and, of course, Mothers of PreSchoolers! A MOPS meeting includes female fellowship and encouragement. Plus, there’s food… food you didn’t make! But more important, you’ll get to have honest conversations with other moms who understand the joys and frustrations of motherhood. Coffee, Childcare, and Conversation – you can’t beat it! Please contact Mary Lynch at tcckids@tampacovenant.org to be added to the MOPS mailing list. We hope you can join us!

Click HERE for more information about MOPS.

Family Camping Trip
Join us for family fun at the TCC Family Camping Trip on November 22^nd – 24^th at Lake Park! The park offers biking and hiking trails, kayak rentals, BMX tracks, playgrounds, and more. We will be arriving at Lake Park at 3:00PM and later on Friday, and staying until after worship on Sunday morning. This is a FREE EVENT that includes Friday dinner, Saturday breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and Sunday breakfast! Please sign up at Family Camping Trip. It’s going to be a blast!

Upcoming Events
Click HERE to view the Children’s Ministry Calendar.

Contact Information
If you would like to receive the weekly Children’s Ministry email, to be kept up to date about Children’s Ministry events, please contact Children’s Director Mary Lynch by phone or text at 813-404-9812, or via email at tcckids@tampacovenant.org.

YOUTH

Tampa Covenant’s Youth Ministry exists as a bridge between the local church and the home, equipping families and serving middle and high school students so that they might know the love of Christ through the gospel, experience the love of Christ through authentic community and relationships, and display the love of Christ within the local church and the world around them.

Gatherings
Youth Meet-Ups are an opportunity for 6th – 12th grade students to grow deeper in their relationship with God and experience genuine community.

During the school year, Youth Meet-Ups take place every Sunday (except the 5th Sunday which is Youth Service Sunday) from 12-2 pm upstairs the youth room.

Guys Small Group

Guys the small group will resume online on Thursday from 8:00PM – 9:00PM in September.

We are launching a new series going through “Thoughts for Young Men,” a classic Christian study by J.C. Ryle.

Meeting Link: https://meet.google.com/tvm-gkxt-avs

We will continue on the 1st + 3rd Thursdays 6:30PM-8:00PM for October – November

1st week is Google Meet (virtual)

3rd week is IHOP (in-person)

OBJECTIVE: The main purpose of this guys small group is to build deeper relationships with each other, and to allow for topics that are a little more male-focused. We will leverage multiple resources to facilitate discussions about sexuality, lust, temptation, etc. If you are part of this group, I want to make sure that the group feels mature enough to have meaningful and kind conversations and willing enough to be vulnerable with one another. Contact Gabe Bush if you have any questions.

Gals Small Group

From September to November, the Tuesday night Gals’ Small Group will meet on the first and third Tuesdays from 6:30PM to 8:00PM in the youth room.

Objective: This group is a place to foster relationships and provide a space where girls can share, ask questions, and learn in close-knit community.

Proverbs 27:17
“As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend.”

Contact Samantha Shorey for more info.

Midweek
We want students to see how the gospel of Jesus Christ intersects with and should impact their day-to-day lives. Midweek seeks to show middle school students how to do just that. We’ll teach them how to read portions of the Bible, have honest discussions about relevant topics for students, and then go through helpful exercises to help them make practical applications based on what we’ve read.

Midweek will meet every Wednesday until November 20th, from 6:30PM – 7:45PM

Bible Project | Read Scripture Together
Please join our 2024 reading plan to read through the Bible in 1 year! We are using the free YouVersion Bible app to do it together. Please click here to join the plan

The Meraki Film Fest

Meraki Fest | Workshop

Ingrid Porter will host a Free Film Workshop during the Youth Meet-Up on Sunday, October 6th.

This workshop is open to all middle and high school students who want to learn how to create a short film from start to finish.

Meraki Fest | Event

he Facebook is called MERAKI FEST Once you request to join, Ingrid will add you.

The MERAKI FEST FB group will include last year’s movies, tutorial videos on how to make a movie, and the latest information.

Submit MP4 movies to ingridporter1@gmail.com

-Movie length Max 4 min.

-3 seconds of black at the beginning of the movie

-Title at the end of the movie

-Credits after Title with music

-Credits need to include job titles and the student’s first and last name

Awards: BEST FILM, MOST THOUGHT-PROVOKING, BEST HUMOR, BEST ANIMATION

The Meraki Film Fest will take place on November 16th.

Middle + High School Youth, their parents, and older siblings are welcome to attend. Childcare will be provided for toddlers through 5th grade.

Awards will be given to the directors for:
Best Humor
Best Story
Best Animation
Best Picture

As a reminder, films must be at most 4 minutes long and submitted by November 13th

Upcoming Events
Click HERE to view the Youth Ministry Calendar.

Contact Information
For more information about Tampa Covenant Students, please contact tccyouth@tampacovenant.org to subscribe to our email list to stay up-to-date on all upcoming meetings and events!

Youth Shepherds

Gabe Bush

Blake Toussaint

Maddie Lynch

Tiffany Ayers

Samantha Shorey

Jamison Brus

Daniela Shoemake

Hawk Lyons

WOMEN

“TCC Ladies’ Ministry seeks to support, through prayer and practical care, the women of our church. Knowing that giftedness abides in each of us, we hope to create a community where these talents are nurtured and given an avenue for expression. Our focus includes prayer, Bible study, celebratory events as well as benevolence, meal delivery and outreach to our community. Take the journey with us in any capacity your life allows. We hold each of you in high regard.”

Women of the Word (WOW) Bible Study
WOW is a community of women learning about God together, encouraging one another, and praying for each other. Our next Zoom Bible Study is Revelation: Eternal King, Everlasting Kingdom by Jen Wilkin. The study will begin on Tuesday, September 24, 2024 – March 25, 2025 via Zoom at 6:45 p.m.

For more information contact:
Lee Ellen Duran (Kizran0455@outlook.com)
Kathy Mayer (kathyswl131@gmail.com)

Gospel Matters
The new Gospel Matters study, ‘What We Believe’ by Cornelis P. Venema, will begin on Monday, September 16th. This group is a community of women reading theology, apologetics, philosophy, and church history. It will meet in the church library on the first and third Mondays from September through November, from 10:00 a.m. until noon. Contact Sue Allen at sallen1948@aol.com for more information.

Mothers Of PreSchoolers (MOPS)
MOPS meets on the second Monday of every month – except June and July – from 9:30am – 11:30 am. We welcome pregnant moms, moms of infants, moms of toddlers, and, of course, Mothers of PreSchoolers! A MOPS meeting includes female fellowship and encouragement. Plus, there’s food… food you didn’t make! But more important, you’ll get to have honest conversations with other moms who understand the joys and frustrations of motherhood. Coffee, Childcare, and Conversation – you can’t beat it! Please contact Mary Lynch at tcckids@tampacovenant.org to be added to the MOPS mailing list. We hope you can join us!

Click HERE for more information about MOPS.

Ladies Christmas Brunch

We’re approaching the most wonderful time of the year: Christmas! Help us start the Advent season with a Ladies Christmas Brunch on Saturday, December 7th at 10:00AM at the Farrell home! The theme will be: My Favorite Things.

Click Here to RSVP to Help with Food

Connect With Us
Women’s Ministry committee:
Aida Farrell
Diane Davis
Jen Smith
Marissa Hess
Chelsey Mack
Ginny Parsley

If you would like to receive the Women of TCC Newsletter or more information about the Women’s Ministry at TCC, please email tccinfo@tampacovenant.org.

MEN

TCC’s Men’s Ministry focuses on our “Ethos” or the characteristics of our Church that help our men connect, grow and be discipled in the Word and the Gospel of Jesus.

We promote this goal by concentrating on four areas. By pursuing balance in these four areas, we are underscoring the reality that while everyone is at a different place in life, we as men need each other and are called to make a difference in each other’s life.

Men’s Zoom Book Study
The TCC Men’s Zoom Book Study is currently studying Surprised by Hope by N.T. Wright. We meet to discuss sections of this book every 2nd and 4th Wednesday of each month by Zoom from 7:30am to 9:00am. For more information and a link to join, please contact Jonathan Tucker at j.e.tucker.valdes@gmail.com.

Click HERE to view the Men’s Ministry Calendar.

STEPHEN MINISTRY

What are Stephen Ministers?

Stephen Ministers are lay congregation members called and trained to provide Christ centered, confidential, one-to-one care to people who are hurting and in crisis. They meet once a week to listen and walk alongside their Care Receiver. This relationship will last as long as needed.

What are Care Receivers?

Care Receivers are a member of the congregation or the community who receives care from a Stephen Minister. Care Receivers are people struggling through a difficult time in life experiencing grief, divorce, job loss, chronic or terminal illness, or some other life crisis.

How can I arrange to have a Stephen Minister?
Email our Referrals Coordinator, Jayne Masters, at tccstephenministry@tampacovenant.org to request care from a Stephen Minister.

Note: Your request will remain strictly confidential since Jayne is the only person who can access and read emails sent to the above address.

How can I become a Stephen Minister?
Contact the church office at 813-968-2979 to speak to one of the Pastors or to our Referrals Coordinator, Jayne Masters.

You can email us at tccinfo@tampacovenant.org for any information about the ministry or the process to become a Stephen Minister.

Caregiver’s Compass

The four points of the Caregiver’s Compass illustrate what Stephen Ministers are all about:

We have COMPASSION for the care receivers’ spiritual, emotional, or physical issues.
We are FULL OF FAITH because we rely on God—not our own actions—to bring hope and healing to our care receivers.
We become SKILLED through our initial training and twice-monthly supervision and continuing education.
Care receivers depend on our TRUSTWORTHINESS—confidentiality is a cornerstone of Stephen Ministry.

At the center of the compass and at the center of our ministry is our Lord and Savior JESUS CHRIST, who heals through us and fills us with faith, love, and forgiveness.