Two Sections, 40 Pages of Community News
Brandon/Winthrop
C E L E B R A T I N G
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March 2019 Volume 14, Issue 3 Ph: 657-2418
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P U B L I S H I N G
P O S I T I V E
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Bay Life Church Celebrates 25 Years New Dad Thanks His Fire Rescue Team After Electrocution Accident Of Community Service By Amanda Boston
“I am grateful that God has used us over our first 25 years to draw so many into faith. As we look to our future, I pray for more—more life change, more church campuses, more people responding to and then sharing the good news.” In addition to the support rendered within the body of believers through its life groups, children and youth ministry, counseling and such, Bay Life also makes an impact on both its surrounding community and abroad. From local missions like Feed the Bay, which originated at Bay Life, to global missions in Uganda and Africa, the church seeks to help those in need while spreading the good news. Stephen Stough, communications director at Bay Life, added, “A few of the things I loved was that my sons, now 19 and 13, could hear about the faithfulness of God to His people and be here to witness firsthand how God moves in His time and for His purposes for His glory.” The programs mentioned above and missions are only a sampling of the areas where Bay Life serves. An in-depth list and more information can be found at www.baylife.org. Service times are Saturday at 6 p.m. and Sunday at 9 and 10:45 a.m. Bay Life is located at 1017 Kingsway Rd. in Brandon.
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On Sunday, March 3, Bay Life Church of Brandon celebrated 25 years with a unified service and anniversary picnic. A total of 1,546 people were in attendance, and the service featured worship pastors from both past and present for a time of worship and teaching from Pastor Mark Saunders. Leading up to the event, Bay Life’s Facebook page was seasoned with posts featuring personal stories of how lives had been changed at Bay Life. “Celebrating 25 years as a church was special in ways I hadn’t expected,” said Pastor Mark Saunders. “Sure, there were the stories of ‘humble beginnings’ and ‘grassroots growth,’ but I was marked most by the significant changes that occurred in individual cases. Over and over again in the days leading up to our celebration, people posted on social media their personal stories of how God had used His church called Bay Life to alter the course of their lives forever.” Pastor Saunders stressed that Bay Life Church is not a building or location, but the church is its people. At Bay Life, this family of followers, who affectionately call themselves Lifers, seek to love, serve and share Jesus Christ. Speaking about Bay Life’s impact, Pastor Saunders said, “Marriages were saved, addictions were overcome, minds were renewed, all by the power of Jesus and the love of His saints.” He continued,
By Kate Quesada
A team of small, handHillsborough carved signs to County Fire farmhouse Rescuers tables, home (HCFR) decor, sliding received a spebarn doors or cial thank you entertainment last month. centers, to Bloomingdale name just a resident Wes few. Everything Stevens preI make is to sented the fireorder for cusfighters that tomers of saved his life in mine.” December with Bloomingdale resident and Tampa Firefighter Wes Many of handmade Stevens’ Stevens recently presented handmade wooden flags to the team of Hillsborough County Fire Rescuers pieces of art wooden flags who saved his life in December. to thank them include the for coming to his aid when he lost confractal burning of designs into wood. He sciousness in his home. came up with a special design to thank Stevens, who is also a firefighter at the firefighters who saved his life. Tampa’s Fire Rescue Station 22, was “The gifts I made for the County firewoodworking in his garage in December fighters were small wooden ‘Thin Red when he was electrocuted with a 2,000 Line’ American flags,” said Stevens. “I volt current that ran through his body and wanted to thank them personally and stopped his heart. According to since I do woodworking, I felt that would Hillsborough County Senior Media be a nice gift.” Relations Strategist Chris Wilkerson, the To learn more about Black Axe accident left Stevens clinically dead for 17 Designs, search for the business on minutes until the team arrived to jolt his Facebook or Instagram or call 625-7292. unresponsive heart with a defibrillator. “The second jolt brought him back,” said Wilkerson. HCFR transported Stevens to Tampa In This General Hospital, where he spent 11 Issue days in the Burn Intensive Care Unit, and this month he returned to full active duty. Three days after the accident, BLOOMINGDALE RELAY FOR LIFE.......PG 3 Stevens’ wife Hannah gave birth to the IMPACT’S GOT TALENT ....................PG 13 couple’s son, Morgan, in the same hospital. PARKINSON’S WALK ........................PG 15 “The accident happened on TEACH AT ACHIEVEMENT SCHOOLS PG 19 December 6 and my son was born on December 9,” said Stevens. “He is now BUSCH GARDENS FOOD & WINE .....PG 20 three months old, the same as me.” EYE ON BUSINESS .......................PG 25‐26 Stevens is a woodworking hobbyist who sells his art through his business, CHALKLINES .....................................PG 28 Black Axe Designs. ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT................PG 38 “I have been doing woodwork for several years,” said Stevens. “I started READ MORE LOCAL NEWS ONLINE making cornhole boards and my love for woodworking expanded to anything from www.ospreyobserver.com
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Cater Your Parties & Events! Enjoy your family, while we do the work! Call us today! Look for our Summer Camp Guide in the second section of this edition. From baseball to swimming, theater to arts, there is something for every camper this summer. For the complete guide, see pages 29-36.