Church Financial Update

March 17, 2025

Dear Friends,

We are so grateful for the many ways you show up for Seminole Heights United Methodist Church. When we join the church, we make a promise to support the church with our prayers, presence, gifts, service, and witness. Your gifts of your time and your finances make everything we do possible in our church, in our community, and in our world.

Many of you make a pledge every year to make a financial gift to support the ministries of our church, and based on the amount pledged, the Administrative Committee of the church sets the yearly budget.

The Administrative Committee met at the end of 2024 and the first part of 2025 to ensure our budget is realistic and stewarding our resources well. Unfortunately, even with their intentional work, our budget for 2025 is projected to reach a $30,000 deficit.

We are reaching out to you, as a member of the church or someone who has made a gift in the past, because we want you to know the financial situation of the church, AND because we want to offer an opportunity to support our church during this time. Could you consider either making a pledge or increasing your annual pledge to help us cover some of the projected deficit? Even a small weekly or monthly increase in your giving can go a long way.

To make a pledge or increase your pledge, go to www.semheights.com/pledge, or you can fill out a pledge card in worship with your updated information. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out to one of us or to our church Treasurer, Christine Messer, at christine@semheights.com.

God bless,

Katy Smith, Administrative Committee Chair

Justin Rancourt, Finance Chair

Women's History at Seminole Heights UMC

Written by Donna Hendrix

March is Women's History Month, and women have been instrumental in the work of Seminole Heights United Methodist Church throughout its history.

Seminole Heights Methodist Church was established in 1921, and in 1927 the cornerstone was laid for the yellow brick church where we still worship today. The Alpha Auxiliary group was formed in 1928 to raise money to purchase a new pipe organ for the Sanctuary. This Alpha Auxiliary consisted mostly of women, and its elected officers were all women.

“The women’s missionary circles raised most of the money by collecting pennies.” These women worked tirelessly and faithfully during the depression in order to pay for a $10,000 Kilgen Organ, which was paid in full by December 1934.

In the document “History of Seminole Heights United Methodist Women”, it states that Women’s groups over the years have always contributed to the missionary work of not only the church, but the community. Through the giving of money, gifts, talents, and time, many local organizations were supported: Meals on Wheels, the Needlepoint Guild, Church Women United and the Clothes Closet, Metropolitan Ministries, and Tampa United Methodist Centers (now called Cornerstone Family Ministries).

These women groups have also helped support local church projects such as the Scholarship Fund and annual bazaars. Another project in the past was making blankets and preemie hats for newborns with special needs at Tampa General Hospital and Alpha House. Throughout history, women’s groups have taken part in the betterment of church, society, and the world. There are always opportunities for women to continue making the world a better place.

The Sunday School classes of Seminole Heights Methodist Church in 1921

Pastor Tiffania's Maternity Leave Schedule

Pastor Tiffania is expecting a Baby Girl, due at the beginning of June. She will be on maternity leave for 12 weeks. While she is out, please email office@semheights.com with any questions or concerns. Weekly worship will continue Sundays at 10:30am. See the guest preaching schedule below!

May 26: Becca Baughman, Family and Community Ministries Assistant

June 2: Rev. Clark Edwards, former pastor at Seminole Heights UMC 1992-2000

June 9: Sam Martinez, Chair of Florida Conference Cuba Ministry

June 16: Rev. Brian Carr, Director of Church Relations for Residing Hope (formerly the Florida United Methodist Children's Home)

June 23: Rev. Florence Parra, retired UMC local pastor

June 30: Becca Baughman, Family and Community Ministries Assistant

July 7: Rev. Elizabeth Byrd, Associate Pastor at Peachtree Road UMC in Atlanta, GA

July 14: Sue Panazze, Seminole Heights UMC Lay Speaker

July 21: Abdel Rodriguez, Candidate for Ministry at Faith Primera Iglesia in Tampa

July 28: Youth Sunday

August 4: Rev. Jackie Jones-Smith, retired UMC Elder

August 11: Sue Panazze, Seminole Heights UMC Lay Speaker

August 18: Molly McEntire, Florida Annual Conference Missional Engagement Team Lead

August 25: Bishop Tom Berlin, Resident Bishop of the Florida Annual Conference