So Somebody Asks You for Money as You Get Off the Highway

A small group of folks decided to come together and participate in a summer book club. They are currently reading "Justice in the 'burbs" by Will and Lisa Samson, and have been discussing ways to follow Christ and live out the Biblical call of justice whilst residing in the suburbs of Tampa. Here is how one member, Brenda, envisioned ministering to those who daily stand near the highway on and off ramps, often asking for money.

"I have put together some bags to give away when I see someone who's homeless. Too often I have wrestled with the idea of giving money to someone who might, in my mind, make bad choices with the money. I wondered if there was another way I could help. So, I got some food items that don't need refrigeration and put them in gallon plastic bags. I keep them in my car, so when I see someone, I can give it to them. If they are hungry, then their needs are met. I think we all wrestle with a judgmental attitude, and this helps me remember that Jesus said "When you do this to the least of these, you do it to me". I'll take those words as my call from the Lord and let Him work in the lives of the others."

Under Construction

We are revamping our blog. We want to lift up some of our stories many that are currently under construction. Living Stones Church is a network of small faith communities of Christ following friends and families in Tampa Bay. We want to share some of what God is doing in our midst. So not only the pastors of Living Stones Church will be blogging, but others Christ followers will be contributing as well. God makes it clear that no matter of education our title, are all asked to follow him with our whole heart. Stay tuned for some stories of responding to God’s love and grace.

Sorry it's been a while since we have blogged!

Has it been a while since we have connected? There are a lot new things happening in our midst. We would love to share with you what is new, not only through this blog but in person as well. Here are some of the highlights:

New Home Church in Wesley Chapel!

We have a new home church now meeting in the Meadow Pointe Community of Wesley Chapel, Sundays at 5pm. The start of our new group has renewed the Saturday New Tampa Home Church as well. So it is almost like having two new home churches. Both communities share the same passions of loving God and loving others but since each home church is made up of different people, they each have unique personalities. So if it has been a while since you stopped by, come join us again and find the right house church for you.

We regularly have gatherings to help those in both home churches stay connected to one another. Recent gatherings have included outings at Bruster's Ice Cream, swimming & BBQ, and weekly prayer, Lutz 4th of July and Cow Appreciation Day at Chick-fil-A. Some outdoor adventures, are being planned!

2 years in 1 paragraph

Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God 1 Peter 2:10a


This month two years ago, two families started meeting in the New Tampa area to share life and faith together. After a year of meeting together God slowly added new individuals, families, believers and seekers to form a community of faith. One relationship at a time we have been cobbled into a family. Things have not gone how we expected, but it has been an incredible journey. We have felt the call to start another home church just north of New Tampa, in Wesley Chapel, as part of the movement of Living Stones. We are preparing for an exciting step, as our family continues to grow.

Who is on your heart?

Not a week goes by that someone doesn’t capture my attention for at least for one moment. It might be the veteran holding the sign at the highway off ramp, a young lady skirting across the Bearrs Ave with groceries and infant in arms, children pouring out of an urban elementary school, or George, who sells me a Sunday paper from the roadside median.


It is easy to let these bearers of God’s image leave our minds as quickly as they entered. But Jesus normally had a different compassion for people—a compassion that led to action. And we too are blessed to be a blessing to others…


This month we are collecting clothes (specially medium, small and children’s) for Burmese refugees. Many of these individuals left Myanmar and moved here from refugee camps. And they found their way into the heart of Sergei, a member of the Living Stones family. That is where we feel mission comes from: the compassion God lays upon our hearts. And so we as a church rally around Sergei to help him to be faithful to the task God has put on his heart. It’s that same ethos that found us scooping ice cream on Christmas day.


It is too easy to allow fleeting thoughts of compassion, charity, truth and justice to be whisked away by the busyness of life around us. We have to prayerfully allow these yearnings of the heart to ignite our sense of mission—and then act on them! Who’s on your heart today? What bearer of the image of the King has God put in your path? How is God asking you to show his love, mercy and justice?

On the Journey to Emmaus

Recently we concluded our 24 weeks in the Gospel of Luke. Our final biblical discussion was about the resurrected Jesus’ conversation with Cleopas and another unnamed disciple. After walking together on the road to Emmaus, these everyday disciples asked Jesus to explain about how the Old Testament Scripture talks about him. But it was not until after they ate with Jesus that they realized that this was the One whom they had followed in life and were now mourning in death.


It was a fitting end to our 6 months. People shared about their own journey with Jesus. Though each Living Stone has a different story of how his or her journey started and where on the road they now find themselves; we found similarities. Some found Jesus in strict religious systems. Others found Jesus while they had no specific concept of God. Some encountered him in the hospitality of friends, while others met him through books or silent prayers. Regardless of the meeting place, for a couple thousand years, Jesus has shown up in the circumstances of our lives and walked alongside of us along the journey, revealing himself to ordinary folks, like Cleopas, you and me.

Re-gifting Love for Christmas

Like many others this holiday season, the Living Stones Family sent Christmas cards, attended "white elephants" and hosted delicious dessert get togethers. Amidst all that activity, however, we continue to look for ways to celebrate Jesus and his birth, which is easily overlooked with all the other common seasonal festivities. How do you celebrate God’s extravagant gift of love? Our family found it best to re-gift. We re-gift God’s gift to us; Jesus: His love, shown in the form of a servant. So off to a group foster home we went on Christmas Day to celebrate the birth of our King. And what better way to celebrate a birthday but with a classic ice cream party?

So armed with 15 gallons of ice cream and all the fixings: cones, a choice of sprinkles, caramel and whipped cream, we aimed to flesh out God’s love to others. Because that’s what Christmas--this Christmas, as well as that first Christmas--is all about, putting flesh on love.