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King of Peace MCC Matters
April 15th, 2026
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April 19th, 2026
10:30 am
Sermon:
"Cultivating a Future of Hope"
Sacred Text:
Jeremiah 32:6-9, 13-15
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This Sunday begins a series on HOPE—what it really is, and how we learn to nurture it in our lives and in our community. We start with the prophet Jeremiah, speaking from one of the darkest moments in Israel’s story. Jerusalem is under siege. Jeremiah is locked away. The nation is collapsing. Nothing looks salvageable. And in that moment, God tells Jeremiah to buy a field (Jeremiah 32:6–15).
It sounds ridiculous—like investing in beachfront property during a hurricane—but that is exactly the point. Hope is not naïve optimism; it is a courageous, prophetic trust that God’s future is already at work even when the present is falling apart.
Join us this Sunday as we take our first steps into this journey of discovering and cultivating hope.
Blessings,
Rev. Ray
| | The Passing of Addie Dunlap | | |
We are sad to let you know that Addie Dunlap passed away on April 6th at the age or 85. Most Sundays, you would see Addie sitting on the front row next to her sister Dr. Lillian Dunlap and Ms. Stella.
Addie was quite the character, always bringing a smile to all of our faces. We know that she is now a part of the great cloud of witnesses looking down on us, and was fully embraced by the Jesus that she loved.
We ask that you pray for all those who are grieving her loss, especially her sister Lillian. May perpetual light shine on Addie as she enters her eternal rest.
| | If you like to play board or card games, join us tonight, Wednesday, April 15th for a Game Night. Feel free to bring some of your favorite games to play and your favorite chips and dips to share! If you have any questions, see Jeremiah! | | Grab your purple shirt and join us for the FAST Nehemiah Action on Thursday, April 16th at 7 pm at First Baptist Church of St. Petersburg, located at 1900 Gandy Blvd. FAST stands for Faith and Action Stronger Together, and King of Peace has become a partner congregation in the last year. During the FAST Nehemiah Action, all partnering congregations will come together, along with invited elected officials to discuss some very important justice oriented topics that are affecting Pinellas County. If you have any questions or want more information, see Kathy Moll or Louis Ortiz. You can also visit the FAST website here. | | |
On Wednesday, April 22nd at 7 pm, King of Peace welcomes local author Charles Michael Brill for a special book signing of his work called "An Uncertain Life: Growing Up Gay and Southern Baptist". In this memoir, he takes us on a remarkable journey of his life. Raised in the South as a Southern Baptist, he wanted nothing more than to please God. As a child he faced difficult challenges resulting in a growing sense of worthlessness. As he came to know of God’s love for him, he began a long journey of self-discovery and acceptance and came to understand that God’s love was for all.
In a review of the book by Guillermo Marquez-Sterling, the book is described as “an amazing literary work of art that weaves together the dangers of homophobia in a White Supremacist culture with the tragic, and at times humorous, journey to find meaning and joy in life.”
To learn more about the book, visit here and https://www.anuncertain.life/
Books will also be available for purchase at the event, and a light supper will be provided.
| | Our next church picnic will be on Saturday, April 25th at War Veteran's Memorial Park, starting at 11 am. If you plan to come, please sign up in the foyer or email melanie@churchstpetersburg.org to let us know what you plan to bring. If you've been before, you know this is always a good time! | | We are now collecting pictures for our special Mother's Day presentation on Sunday, May 10th. So, if you have pictures of your mothers and mother figures that you would like included, please email them to photos@churchstpetersburg.org, including their names. Photos will be accepted through Sunday, April 26th. If you don't know how to scan pictures, bring them to church on Sunday and Tim will help make that happen. Please note: Even if you have submitted pictures before, we are asking you to resend the picture you would like to have included. | | Our next monthly Dinner Club will take place on Monday, April 27th at 6:30 pm at Leverock's Great Seafood (840 Pasadena Ave. S., St. Petersburg). This is always a great time of food and fellowship. We hope you'll join us if you're able. | | |
Invite all of your friends! Drag Bingo is returning to King of Peace on Saturday, May 9th, with Veronica Foxx. At 5 pm, we'll open up the Social Hall for a Pasta Dinner, with Bingo in the Sanctuary starting at 7 pm.
1 Set of Bingo Cards- $10
Pasta Dinner- $10
The night will also include a 50/50 Raffle and performances by our hostess for the evening! This will be a great night of fun, fellowship, and fundraising. So, we hope you'll help us fill up the room! It's always a great time!
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The newly requested items for the month of April are as follows:
Pasta, Cereal, Canned Meat, Canned Proteins,
and Cases of Bottled Water (16 oz. bottles)
If you are able to donate, please bring them with you on Sunday or during the week when the office is open, and place them in the donation cart in the foyer.
Help us get the word out about our food pantry, both for clients and those who could donate food needs. Feel free to pass this flier on to anyone you can!
The Food Pantry is also looking for some extra volunteers for the weekly distributions, especially on Mondays. If this is something you are interested in, please reach out to Buddy Gulliford or call the church office.
| | Want to schedule a meeting with Rev. Ray? Click here, and you can easily select a date and time that Rev. Ray has available. After you submit your scheduling, you'll receive a confirmation email. | | Upcoming Community Activities | | |
Health Buddies is a free, 12-week phone-based program for adults 18+ who are experiencing isolation or managing chronic health conditions. Participants receive weekly calls from trained, background-checked volunteers who provide encouragement, companionship, and basic health education, helping reduce feelings of loneliness and support self-management of chronic issues.
This may be especially helpful for congregation members who are socially isolated, calling frequently for support, or struggling with ongoing health challenges.
| | Tickets for the next concert of The Gay Men's Chorus of Tampa Bay are now on sale. On May 29th and 30th, GMCTB presents Love in Technicolor in St. Petersburg and Tampa. This concert will feature songs of love and heartbreak and songs from the movies. Click here to order your tickets today, and if you use the discount code EARLYBIRD10 before May 1st, you'll get 10% off your tickets. Get your tickets early, before they sell out! | | Would you like to join Rev. Kevin Konkle and MCC Merida-Iglesia de Amor, celebrate Pride on June 4-8, 2026? For more information on how you can join them, you can reach out to RevKevin@MCCPB.org. | | |
Budgeted Monthly Tithes & Offerings for 2026:
$26,528.92
Actual Tithes & Offerings Received for March 2026: $22,812.21
Total Weekly Budget for 2026: $6,122.06
Total Income for week of 4/05-4/11: $6,934.46
Onsite attendance for 4/05: 156
Online attendance for 4/05: 25
YouTube Views: 114
Class/Event Attendance: 138
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