By Karen McBride
Published in the Dunndeal Gazettes September, 2023
Studying God’s Word One Book at a Time
Pastors Jake English, Shale Latter, and Kyle Hurlburt know the importance of studying the bible. Christians need a good foundation in the word of God in order to disciple to others and serve the Lord. The team of teaching pastors is leading their congregation through the bible and are currently studying Exodus.
As one of the members of Creekside Church, it’s amazing to me to see how the word of God, written so many years ago, is still relevant today. Pastor Shale pointed out that if the Israelites had been comfortable in Egypt, they never would have left, and never would have experienced all that God had planned for them in the Promised Land.
There are times in your life that you may feel uncomfortable. It may be a continuously stressful job situation or unhealthy choices leading to medical problems. God may be prompting you it is time for a change. Take that first step in faith and see where God leads you.
God remained constant with the Israelites throughout their 40 years in the wilderness. He always provided water, manna, and even quail for them. He taught them to trust in Him, only gather one day’s worth of manna and He would provide for tomorrow. Remembering how He watched over, cared for, and guided the Israelites will help us to remember that He will do the same for us.
Community is So Important
By providing fresh baked goods, hot coffee, and other treats on the porch each Sunday morning, people at the church have the opportunity to meet and spend time in fellowship before each service. The covered porch hosts a row of rocking chairs along the wooded creek, which is the cornerstone to the name, Creekside Church.
Bringing the congregation together for potluck dinners, weekly Young Adult ministries, and monthly prayer meetings are additional ways the members of Creekside strengthen their closeknit bonds with one another. From the first time I visited the church I have always felt very welcomed by this friendly Christ-centered community and feel blessed to call this church my home. It’s a place to learn God’s word, see lots of smiling faces, and to put on the full armor of God in order to face all the battles throughout the week. Having our brothers and sisters in Christ pray for us when we need it is so uplifting and can help us through the most challenging times or even when we are simply tired and need loving support.
Local and International Missions
The love and support from the members of Creekside Church extends past the walls of the church. The members help many local missions, including Tampa Bay Harvest, providing food to more than 350 people and families weekly; Oasis Pregnancy Care Centers offering pregnancy care and mothering classes; Passion for Prisons ministering to those presently, previously, or potentially incarcerated; Tampa Muslim Outreach; Friends of Internationals assisting international students at USF; Mt. Moriah Ranch, helping the traumatized find hope in Jesus Christ; and Door of Hope providing hope for children.
International missions include RTS Missions, currently serving in the Dominican Republic. See the recent article in the Gazettes for more on this ministry. Other organizations include Living Water Community Transformation helping communities in the South Sudan, International Cooperating Ministries, assisting in growing churches worldwide, and many more.
Creekside Church is located at 311 Newberger Road, Lutz, FL 33549. Services are held on Sundays at 9:00am and 10:45am. Starting September 10, the service times will change to 8:00am, 9:30am and 11am to accommodate a third service! For more information, go to https://creeksidetampa.org/ or call 813-909-1907.
