St. Timothy Catholic Church Newsletter — Oct/Nov 2022

Celebrating Our Parish History

Faith Community Growing Together for 40 years

The roots of St. Timothy Parish extend back nearly 40 years, to the early 1980s. Such was the growth of St. Paul Catholic Church in the Carrollwood area, the pastor and parish council decided to gauge the interest in found ing a new parish for faith community members who were based in the Northdale area.

This process got underway as the first Mass was celebrated at Claywell Elementary School on Sept. 11, 1983. In early 1984, Mass was celebrated at Citrus Park Elementary School, but attendance there proved to be low — so, by April of that year, Mass was moved back to Claywell Elementary. Soon, a second Mass was added, and by the autumn of 1984, Mass was moved to the brand-new Gaither High School — first taking place in the school cafeteria, and then in the auditorium.

With such rapid growth taking place over the course of one year, it was determined that a newly-dedicated parish was needed in the area, setting in motion what was ultimately the founding of St. Timothy Par ish. Fr. Dennis Hughes was ap pointed by Bishop Larkin to start the process of first establishing a

this Issue

3 A Letter From Our Pastor

4 Parishioners Share Memories of the History of Our Faith Community: A Home to Celebrate Our Collective Life of Faith

6 Our Annual Stewardship Renewal

7 Who Was St. Timothy? Getting to Know Our Patron Saint

Celebrating Our Parish History

mission and, subsequently, an independent parish that would serve Catholics in the Northdale area.

By early 1985, Fr. Den nis invited parishioners to help with naming the new mission — in turn, potential names for the church were submitted, and on March 21, 1985, Bishop Larkin of ficially named the new mis sion "St. Timothy." This was particularly fitting as St. Timothy had been a dis ciple of St. Paul, and so the St. Timothy church began as a mission to St. Paul Parish. That summer, Masses were moved to the 5,000-square-foot storefront space on N. Dale Mabry.

On Jan. 26, 1986 — the feast of St. Timothy — and with geographical boundaries established, St. Timothy officially became a parish. St. Paul held a party to both celebrate the joyous creation of a new parish and bid good bye to its former mission. Groundbreaking was held at 4015 Ragg Road, adjacent to Gaither High School, where Masses had been held just over a year before.

Construction of the new parish began in the sum mer of 1986. As the building process got underway, the new St. Timothy community celebrated its first Parish Picnic — an Oktoberfest — at Countryway Park with 200 families in attendance.

The St. Timothy faith community continued to grow, as new parish ministries were established. Finally, in spring 1987, construction was completed. The first Mass in the new church building was celebrated on April 16, Holy Thursday.

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The official dedication took place on May 24, after which 500 parishioners celebrated with a special picnic.

Having a new par ish building meant that St. Timothy's finally had ame nities like its own kitchen. It also meant that new par ish events could take place — like the Mardi Gras Car nival, which would eventu ally take shape as the Fam ily Fall Festival.

For the next 15 years, the St. Timothy building on Ragg Road was home to a growing and active parish that offered many minis tries and embraced many beloved parish traditions. Such was the growth of the St. Timothy community that it was necessary to have a new parish space. On Sept. 8, 2001, groundbreaking for the new location took place at 17512 Lakeshore Road in Lutz. A year and several months later — Dec. 7, 2002 — parishioners celebrated the dedication of the new church and parish center. The new parish cam pus sat on 14 developed acres, with an additional 14 acres leaving room for expansion.

This fall, as St. Timothy's approaches 20 years in its cur rent home, the parish extends its gratitude to every clergy, administrator, parishioner, ministry leader and member, and family that has been a part of the St. Timothy community, beginning with that first Mass at Claywell Elementary School in 1983. This parish family — one of devoted disciple ship and stewardship — would not exist without those who faithfully shared of their gifts as we worked together to build the strong parish community that is St. Timothy's.

If Not Stewards,Then What Are We?

Dear Friends in Christ,

As a stewardship parish, it is important to ask how well we understand the message of stewardship that keeps surfacing in all we do in our personal life and the life of our parish. If not stewards, then what are we? If not disciples of Jesus Christ, then what purpose do we serve as members of His Holy Catholic Church? Aren’t these intriguing questions for any believer? And if not, why aren’t they?

God’s goodness and the gifts given to each of us shouldn’t be taken for granted and our lives should be motivated by our gratitude for all we have, including every opportunity that gives glory and honor to God. Those opportunities are given at each moment of each day. Wait for them and expect them to become obvious. The idea of being a steward of those gifts and opportunities isn’t new to the realm of believers in the Old Testament or the New Testament. And certainly, the Gospels of Jesus Christ make it quite clear that our Lord views us to be the stewards He expects us to be. His stories and parables confirm it.

The U.S. Bishops' pastoral letter, Stewardship: A Disciple’s Response, boldly states: “Once one has decided to be a disciple of Jesus Christ, stewardship is not an option.” It reminds us that the stewardship way of life is a disciple’s way of life.

“If not stewards, then what?” remains a challenging statement to in vite us to reflect on what our Catholic faith is calling us to experience and participate in for the time we are given on this earth. It challenges us to face our reflection in the mirror of this life given to us by God and see what our Lord sees in us, and then embrace the opportunities being handed to us each day of our lives. Blessings and challenges await us, and no matter what the balance may be from day to day, our God equips us with all we need. He created us and sees us as stewards.

Connecting stewardship and discipleship is essential. It matters to God what we do with the gifts He so generously gives to each of us. I ask you to take some time to refocus, reevaluate and re-commit yourself to the faithfulness of the life, the time, the talent, and the treasure you have been given.

We are the stewards of those precious gifts. What are we doing with them?

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Parishioners Share Memories of the A Home to Celebrate Our

St. Timothy didn’t exist when Deacon Jerry Crall and his family first moved to Tampa. Several decades later, St. Timothy is now the vibrant parish where Deacon Jerry lives out his diaconate vocation.

“St. Timothy is where I live and breathe and celebrate my faith life with this community,” Deacon Jerry says. “From the beginning, St. Timothy has just been a parish of young families who are active and welcoming. That is our charism, and it has been consistent over time.”

The idea for St. Timothy came out of a period of population growth and construction in the Carrollwood area served by St. Paul Catholic Church. As membership at St. Paul increased, Fr. Austin Mullen, St. Paul’s pastor, began investigating the possibility of a mission parish.

“We had joined St. Paul when we moved here with our six children, and I remember when the parish began a sort of experiment to decide where the mission church would go,” Deacon Jerry says. “It was either going to be north or west of St. Paul.”

“What stands out to me about St. Timothy is the people and how they are loving, helpful, dedicated and supportive. We now have space for our over 40 ministries. Our clergy see changes and adapt. During the pandemic, the livestream was a gift, and some of our elderly still rely on it. St. Timothy is our family!”

Beginning in September of 1983, the community started celebrating Mass in an auditorium at Claywell Elementary School in Northdale, and then after a few months, they began celebrating Mass at Citrus Park El ementary School. There was greater participation at the lo cation in Northdale, and so the community began regularly coming together for Mass at the new Gaither High School.

In January of 1985, Fr. Dennis Hughes was appointed to begin the formal pro cess of opening the mission parish, and the community was invited to consider what the name would be.

“Fr. Hughes became the founding pastor, and the name ‘St. Timothy’ began because St. Timothy was a companion of St. Paul, and the parish began as a mission parish from St. Paul,” Deacon Jerry says. “We had Sunday Mass at Gaither High School for a while, and then we rented space in a storefront until we bought the property behind Gaither and built our first church.”

Around this time in the late 1980s, Bren da Covini moved to the area and had a sopho more in high school. She was concerned about relocating mid-school year and wanted to join a young parish community. A co-worker recommended St. Timothy.

the History of Our Faith Community

Our Collective Life of Faith

“Fr. Dennis told us that at that time the average parishioner age at St. Timothy was 18,” Brenda says. “After a few months here, we just loved it. The parish has always been friendly and welcoming. When Deacon Jerry asked for help with RCIA, I immedi ately volunteered.”

Brenda remembers volunteering with multiple different parish ministries when space was limited. They enjoyed working together as a team.

“Because space was limited, the Bible study leaders held meetings either in the sacristy or in the mobile units,” Brenda says. “I remember using a pushcart at fu nerals to hold the deceased’s photo, a can dle, and sometimes the cremation ashes. I sewed a fitted cloth to hide a chipped table.”

One of Brenda’s favorite memories at St. Timothy has been working in the office as a receptionist in the evening and enjoying parish carnivals.

“Being a receptionist gave me a chance to meet more parishioners who attended different Masses,” Brenda says. “I also enjoyed the carnivals when everyone participated and helped with cooking, and we had children’s rides and enter tainment. We had people join the parish after the carnivals as they realized how fun and friendly we are.”

After several years, the community of St. Timothy outgrew their church space, and building began on a new property in Lutz. The new church was dedicated on Dec. 7, 2002, and the community continues to grow.

“Originally they built the church itself here and a parish hall, but it has expanded,” Deacon Jerry says. “We’ve added a youth facility, a diocesan school, and a parish center.”

Today, Brenda continues to work with multiple parish ministries, including the Bereavement Ministry, and she’s

grateful for the increased staff and spaces like a dedicated classroom to meet and support grieving families.

“What stands out to me about St. Timothy is the people and how they are loving, helpful, dedicated and supportive,” Brenda says. “We now have space for our over 40 ministries. Our clergy see changes and adapt. During the pandemic, the livestream was a gift, and some of our elderly still rely on it. St. Timothy is our family!”

Like Brenda and many of us, Deacon Jerry feels deeply that St. Timothy is truly his parish community no matter what spaces we have occupied over the years. His favorite memory of the community is celebrating his first Mass as a deacon in the newly opened provisional church on May 3, 1987.

“After a five-year formation program, I stood before this faith community and realized the fulfillment of my calling to the diaconate,” Deacon Jerry says. “What I had anticipated for years had come to pass. I am so grateful for this community and what we have become.”

Annual Stewardship Renewal

Periodically, we need to re-examine the ways in which we answer the call to stewardship, which is the reason for our Stewardship Renewal. You will be receiving in the mail your Stewardship Renewal packet. Enclosed in this packet is a brochure that will lead you through that selfexamination. It is a time to ask how we can better use our time, talent, and treasure.

• Do I make time for prayer? By myself and with my family?

• Is my talent at work in our parish actively building the Church?

• Do I give a proportionate amount of my treasure to the weekly offertory?

Is your prayer life in need of a tune-up?

Honestly ask yourself, “How much time do I spend in prayer each week?” The answer is probably a bit embarrass ing. Everyone wants to spend more time in prayer, but there’s just never enough time to do everything we want to do. Good intentions are just that: intentions. This year, as you’re discerning how you will offer your time to God, resolve to follow through with your commitments. Consider each mo ment you spend in prayer as nourishment for your soul. The spiritual health of our parish is only as strong as the sum of its parts (individual parishioners).

Is your level of parish involvement in need of a boost?

We give our talents back to God when we get involved in ministries at St. Timothy. With a host of ministries to choose from, there’s something for everyone. Sure, ministries give parishioners opportunities to serve others in the com munity, but they also benefit those in the ministry itself. Ask anyone who actively participates in a ministry at St. Timo thy, “Why do you enjoy serving in this way?” They’ll probably say, “I get more out of the ministry than the people I serve.” This year, as you’re discerning how you will offer your talents to God, consider signing up for a ministry that may benefit you, like a Bible study, prayer group, or retreat. Or contribute

Every parish family receives a special “Stewardship Package” in the mail that further explains our parish’s vision of stewardship. It includes a booklet that describes every ministry in the parish, as well as your Commitment Card.

to an outreach ministry, where your good deeds not only help others in the community but also give you feelings of satisfaction and thankfulness.

Do you give a percentage of your income to the offertory?

It may be hard to see offertory giving as a way to “help yourself,” but when we approach the subject from a spiritual viewpoint, it can lead to individual spiritual growth and an increase in faith. Even the savviest businessperson worries about his or her personal finances from time to time. Add ing a weekly offertory check to the list of monthly bills may seem crazy but, ultimately, sacrificial giving forces us to cut unnecessary spending, create a budget and have faith that God will help us make it through the month. All of these are good things for each of us, individually. After faithfully giv ing to the offertory for a few months, many Catholics find that it’s not only possible to give a weekly offering, but that the fruits of their gift far outweigh the expense.

Who Was St. Timothy? Getting to Know Our Patron Saint

As we joyfully reflect on the history of our St. Timo thy Parish, which began as a mission parish of St. Paul's in Carrollwood, we have a wonderful opportunity to also learn about our parish's namesake, St. Timothy. In fact, the origins of our parish's name as a mission of St. Paul's Parish reflect Timothy's discipleship to — and missionary partnership with — St. Paul. It is also befitting that his name, Timothy, means "honoring God" — that is what we strive to do each day as a people of faith!

Timothy was born in Lystra, Lycaonia — now pres ent-day Turkey — to a Greek father and a Jewish mother who had become a Christian believer. Understood to have been a timid child, Timothy had been acquainted with the Scriptures as a young man. It is understood that Timo thy likely embraced the Christian faith upon Apostle Paul's first visit to Lystra. Upon Paul's second missionary

journey and return to Lystra in 50 A.D., Timothy became his companion and missionary partner, alongside Silas and replacing Barnabas. Impressed by Timothy's charac ter, knowledge of Scripture and devotion to Christianity, Paul referred to Timothy as his "own son in the faith."

Timothy apparently suffered from ill health, with Paul directing him to "stop drinking water only; take a little wine for the good of your stomach and your frequent illnesses" (1 Timothy 5:23). These ailments are why he is the patron saint of those suffering from stomach and intestinal disorders.

Throughout their ministerial work, Paul came to re gard Timothy as a true confidant. Such was Paul's regard for Timothy that the apostle dispatched Timothy to Corinth, in order to help the members of the church there

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PRAYER TO ST. TIMOTHY

Lord, you blessed St. Timothy with Apostolic virtues.

Through his intercession, may we be filled with the desire and will to live good and religious lives here on earth and thus be worthy of our heavenly home with you. Amen.

St. Timothy, pray for us.

Who Was St. Timothy?

follow Paul's Christlike example. And in the face of Paul's first Roman imprisonment, Timothy relayed news about the Church back to Paul, which encouraged and lifted Paul's spirits.

As Timothy followed Paul's direction in giving his full attention to pastoral issues, offering himself entirely to Christ and His work, Timothy's own notable progress in develop ing his faith served as a strong example for those to whom he ministered. And even as Timothy was imprisoned for a time, devotion to his pastoral calling never wavered. Such was his devotion to the truth of the faith that he was martyred around 97 A.D. when a mob stoned him to death for his opposition to pagan worship.

Now, and in just a few short months when we celebrate St. Timothy's feast day — Jan. 26 — we have an opportunity to embrace and emulate Timothy's devotion to Christ and the teachings imparted by his mentor, St. Paul. Our community re mains prayerfully grateful to our patron, St. Timothy, for his strong examples of faith and evangelization.