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THE MESSENGERGOOD SAMARITAN CHURCH NEWSLETTER • VOLUME 111 • ISSUE 1 • JANUARY 2021At last we will be able to say that 2020 is hindsight! For many of us, that is amazingly good news. This year has put us through a lot. Many of us feel we just barely survived it. Much has been written about the damage that living under the stress of prolonged survival mode does to our psyches. Even if you’ve hardly done anything or gone anywhere of late, I imagine you are as exhausted as the rest of us. In the midst of a crisis, we drop to the bottom of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. We focus on the basics we need for life: food, shelter, safety, healthcare, and maybe if all of those are met, community and friendship. Everything else gets put on pause or neglected, including our deeper needs like self-actualization or finding spiritual meaning. Under this kind of stress we are more discombobulated, scatterbrained, and tired. We have more diculty focusing, remembering or doing things that used to be fairly simple for us. Why? Because our energy is all focused on survival. I don’t know about you, but I am ready to do more than just survive… I crave living fully again, and I am so very ready to say ‘goodbye’… ‘sayonara’ … ‘don’t let the door hit you on the way out’ to 2020. There is an old Irish tradition at the start of the New Year of chasing the old year out of the house. Aer baking some “Christmas bread” and banging it on doors and walls, the backdoor of the home is opened just before the stroke of midnight and the old year is kicked out, while the front door is opened to welcome in the new one. I’m not one for superstition, but I just might have to try this. At the very least, I may have to follow Jesus advice to his disciples whenever they le a town that had been inhospitable to them and shake the dust o my feet as I head into this new year, for certainly 2020 has not been very hospitable to us. Rituals can be important in helping us embrace a fresh start, a new thing. Yes, 2021 will have its own hardships. We already know that the pandemic will extend into the new year. However, we also know that things look hopeful that it will be brought under control in the coming year.The end of survival mode is in sight, and we will move into something new—yes, something new. There will be no resumption of life as usual. 2020 had changed us, taught us new skills, new ways of doing life, forced us to let go of some old habits. In so many ways life-as-we-knew-it has been deconstructed and now it is time to rebuild. The challenge for all of us will be not just to nail everything back into place as it was before, but to take this deconstruction as an opportunity to create something better and let go of some of what was harmful to us or not serving the common good. When I think Matthew’s telling of the Christmas story with Mary, Joseph and their son thrust into survival mode and a refugee flight to Egypt, I also think of what it must have been like to return home. Did they just resume life as normal? Did they intentionally live dierently as a result of their experience of crisis? Is this where Jesus absorbs his beloved community, kin-dom values? As we all reconstruct our lives in 2021, I pray that kin-dom and beloved community will be front and center in our minds and hearts. Survival mode really does push us into navel-gazing and self-focus and it would be so easy to just stay there—to pull away from others and focus on ourselves and our own needs. The challenge will be to pull out of survival mode with a focus on others—on community. A recent NPR article about the pandemic and America’s failures to come together to combat the virus, particularly our disregard for healthcare workers—and really it could be extended to any of our frontline workers from teachers to grocery clerks—used the phrase “toxic individualism.” It has le me wondering… how can I personally and how can we as a congregation participate in helping to build something on a dierent foundation? The pull toward simply going back to what we had before will be strong. Can we pull harder in a dierent direction—a kin-dom direction? Jesus guides us there. The Spirit empower us. The Christmas star is drawing us there. Let’s follow. Let’s open the door to 2021 with deep intentionality!Past JenFROM THE PASTOR'S DESK:STEPPING INTO A NEW YEAR… THANK GOD!1
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3STAY INVOLVED!BE A PART OF SUNDAY WORSHIP EACH WEEK!
4THE THEME OF OUR 2021 STEWARDSHIP CAMPAIGN ISOVERFLOWING WITH LOVE!IF YOU HAVE NOT MAILED IN YOURPLEDGE CARD, IT IS NOT TOO LATE!Please send it in at your earliestconvenience!
Sent too late for our December issue, but we wanted to still include it for your enjoyment...A 2020 COVID Christmas!Here we stay as Snowbirds. To Florida, we can’t go!The virus has us captive to shovel up the snow.A pandemic with a vengeance, shouting loud and clear,this awful deadly virus is altering our year.We need to heed the warnings and distance where we can.Wearing masks and washing hands we truly understand. This nasty, lasting virus is causing us much stress,but working all together, we might get through this mess.It’s hard to ght this battle!. We hope to make it through.With vaccines in our future, we wonder how we’ll do.We struggle with restrictions and wish our “normal” back.Especially at Christmas, we want a little slack.But some of us have issues, with our health we are concerned.And listening to the experts, there are facts that we have learned.We need to shelter by ourselves, avoid the family thingslike gatherings, delicious foods, the gifts that Christmas brings.This year of COVID Christmas will be a virtual showwith Zoom or Skype transporting us to households that we know.The smiles and stories that we’ll hear will certainly delightand draw us close to loved ones to help the day seem bright!Perhaps it is the hugs we’ll miss the most this Christmas day!The sharing of old memories of those who’ve passed away.It may not be the Christmas that we picture in our mind,but may you look for blessings and cherish those you nd.Remember that within our hearts, there’s so much love to giveand decisions made to keep us safe were only ours to live.And no amount of virus can take the joy away of wishing you the very best this COVID Christmas day!.Merry Christmas and Happy New Year 2021Affectionately, Cathi and Ted Swift5
FASTYEAR-END REPORTThis year has been a wild ride for all of us. Despite the challenges we faced in 2020, it has been an inspiration to see how our network members have adapted to FAST’s “new normal” and continue to press on in the fight for justice. There will be numerous research meetings with those in authority during the next two months. Proposals will be written to present at the Nehemiah Action. The next large event FAST is holding will be the Rally on March 8th at 7pm followed by the Nehemiah Action on March 22nd at 7pm. Both of these events will be blended in-person and virtual events. There will be a drive-up option, where folks will be able to participate safely from their cars, while also having an online option for those who prefer to participate on Zoom. Please put the Action date (March 22) on your 2021 calendar so you can witness justice being advocated for in our county. –Submitted by Bev Kelly 6PHOTOGRAPHY PROVIDED BY GRETCHEN ACKERSON AND KATIE FULLERTONHEAD START GIFTSA big thank you goes to the Good Samaritan congregation who made cash donations so that we could provide each child with a backpack, a jar of bubble blowing liquid, Play-Doh, a toy and two books each. In addition each child will get a gi card in the amount of $22.50. The parents can use this gi card for whatever their household needs. 2020 has certainly been a dierent year for all of us and a dierent year for Head Start giing, but we are pretty sure all the children, and their families, will be thrilled. Thank you all very much. – Submitted by Gretchen Ackerson and Katie FullertonTHANK YOU TO GRETCHEN & KATIEA huge thank you goes to Gretchen Ackerson and Katie Fullerton for coordinating our Christmas gis to Head Start again this year.With COVID-19 as a factor, they realized that most of us are trying not to get out and about too much, so they were willing to take on the responsibility to very carefully do the shopping for all of us!Thank you, Gretchen and Katie, for taking on this responsibility! This is just one more way that we are the “beloved community” to our neighbors during this rough time!
7IT IS NOT TOO LATE TO SEND YOUR CONDOLENCES TOTHE BROCKUS FAMILYPaul Brockus & Angie Jackson, Matthew and Christine Brockus928 E. Valencia St., Lakeland, FL 33805 Maria Brockus-Watson and Leroy Watson4818 81st Place SW #5, Mukilteo, WA 98275 Jill & Adam Brockus1146 Perry Avenue, Bremerton, WA 98310 Sarah Brockus, Nick, Anya and Naomi van Hoogstraten37 S. Calumet Avenue, Hastings on Hudson, NY 10706 �Harold’s sister and best friend, Sandra, is suering greatly.They talked each and every day. Cards would be helpful for her. Sandra Danner4721 S Shrank Drive, Apt B, Independence, MO 64055
8OBITUARY FORHAROLD BROCKUSReverend Doctor Harold M. Brockus, age 83, passed away with peace in his heart on Wednesday, November 18, 2020 at St. Anthony’s Hospital in St. Petersburg, FL. Harold was born on September 26, 1937 to Harold E. Brockus and Lillian Ray Brockus of Independence, MO. He was a graduate of Yale University, McCormick Seminary and San Francisco Theological Seminary associated with UC Berkeley where he received his doctorate. Rev. Brockus was the proud pastor of Good Samaritan Church, a Presbyterian and United Church of Christ union congregation, in Pinellas Park, FL for 33 years. Rev. Harold Brockus believed God’s calling for him and those he inspired was through putting his faith into action bringing equal opportunities to all God’s children and supporting “justice for all” as stated in our U.S. Constitution’s Bill of Rights.Aer helping to recruit Martin Luther King, Jr. as a speaker at Yale in the late 50’s and working with teen gangs in Kansas City, Mo, he decided on the ministry. In his early career he organized inter-racial “swim-ins” in Chicago, and fought for better education, decent housing and job training for Mexican farm workers in Iowa. Aer arriving in Pinellas County in 1970 he quickly created an interracial youth group and adult peacekeepers to walk the halls when race riots occurred at Dixie Hollins High School aer integrated busing. His Church, Good Samaritan was oered as an ocial “Safe Space” to activist groups throughout the 70’s and 80’s. In the 80’s, Rev. Brockus’ focus turned to LGBTQ rights when he inspired his congregation to become the first “More Light” Presbyterian Church (USA) in the State of Florida which lost him practically half of his congregation at the time. His fierce fight with aligned groups in the national Presbyterian Church (USA) advocating for changes in policy for gay marriage and ordination finally found success in 2005. At home, he organized a support group and Good Samaritan oered a safe place for GLBTQ crisis hotlines. As Chair of the AIDS Coalition – beginning in 1989 – “the organizational experience of his life” began. He helped organize a PFLAG (Parents and Friends & Family of Lesbians and Gays) chapter in the 90’s that wanted the Pinellas County school board to add “sexual orientation” to the board’s anti-harassment and discrimination policy. The night the policy was being considered, a “Gay basher” group from Tampa, brought in busloads of supporters. But Harold Brockus had already filled the room with PFLAG coalition supporters. It passed by one vote.Since his retirement in 2002 he served on the Board of Directors of Bethel Farm Workers, providing legal assistance, a Head Start program, housing and a literacy program. While serving as the President of the Pinellas Chapter of Americans United for the Separation of Church and State he joined in a lawsuit with multiple civil liberties groups, a Jewish Rabbi and a Baptist minister advocating against SB98, a bill allowing “prayer” in Florida school classrooms. In their direct letter to Governor Scott they wrote, “This bill is a solution in search of a problem,’’ “Forcing prayer upon public-school students not only violates the rights of those students, it also demeans the spiritual significance of religious belief.’’ In 2006, Rev. Brockus received the prestigious Gardner W. Beckett, Jr., Civil Liberties Award, from the Pinellas ACLU Chapter recognizing extraordinary contributions to the advancement of civil liberties in Pinellas County. Alongside this work he taught at Eckerd College’s Leadership Institute for over 26 years.As father, grandfather and friend, Harold greatly enjoyed his final years with his beloved Westminster Shores community. He also was lied by the many stories and accomplishments of his children and grandchildren. Harold is survived by his sister, Sandra Danner and brothers, Eugene and Donald Brockus, his children Sarah Brockus, Paul Brockus, Adam Brockus and Maria Brockus-Watson and their spouses and friend, Nick, Jill, Leroy & Angie along with his beloved grandchildren and great grandchildren. Due to COVID a Memorial Service will be held at a later date at Good Samaritan Church when all can gather together safely.Please send condolence cards to Paul Brockus at 928 E. Valencia, Lakeland, FL 33805. Please make any donations in his memory to: Good Samaritan Church, Attn: Rev. Jen Daysa, Good Samaritan Church, 6085 Park Boulevard, Pinellas Park, FL 33781 or The Virginia Baxter Scholarship Fund oering college scholarships to cafeteria workers. Make checks out to: Westminster Retirement Communities Foundation (WRCF) earmarked for Virginia Baxter Scholarship Fund, Attn: DeeLynn Rivinius, Westminster Shores, 125 56th Avenue South, St. Petersburg, FL 33705.qSome of the scholarship recipients through the years pose with Rev. Dr. Harold Brockus.
9THE SUN SETS ON 2020 AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO THE NEW YEAR!qBeryl Fruth and Ginnie Thompson attended our Thanksgiving Outdoor Concert on November 29 at the War Veteran’s Memorial Park and when they sent in the photo they took o the sunset, we thought it would be a perect analogy or the end o our year 2020. As we all look orward together to the coming year, may we see a renewal in our lives, may we count our blessings and reach out in love and generosity to those all around us.
10DON’T MISS OUR JANUARY POP-UP EVENTS!
11BE SURE TO STAY CONNECTED. MANY OPPORTUNITIES FOR VIRTUAL MEETINGS WITH PHONE OR COMPUTER ARE AVAILABLE.
12THERE IS STILL TIME TO PAINT A PEACE STONE!
13THANK YOU TO ALL WHO CONTINUE TO SUPPORT OUR MINISTRY!
TREASURER’S REPORTNovember Total Income was $5,689 under Budget. This was partially due to there being 5 Sundays in the month. The year-to-date income is more than $24,000 under Budget. The year-to-date expenses are $19,344 lower than the Budget. However, I have not yet paid the balance of the PCUSA Per Capita dues or the General Mission donations to both denominations. I will need to transfer funds from our local savings account in late December to cover some of these expenses. The Stewardship campaign for 2021 is concluding. As of December 29, 2020 we have received pledges from 27 members totaling $122,718. This number represents 74.99% of our goal for 2021. We need to hear from you even if you intend to continue pledging the same amount as in 2020. If you have not yet sent in your pledge card, you will be contacted in early January. – Submitted by Kate HallPASS A GRILLE UCC DELIVERS FOODTO OUR FOOD PANTRYMembers from Pass a Grille UCC brought a truck load of food to the pantry on Monday, December 21, with the promise that it won’t be the last – Submitted by Judy FriendSTARTING WITH OUR FEBRUARY ISSUE OF THE MESSENGER, OUR NEWSLETTERS WILL AGAIN BE AVAILABLE IN HARD COPY!If you wish to receive a hard copy of the newsletter in the mail, please contact Rebecca Kessel, our oce administrator, and she will put your name on a list of folks to get the newsletter sent to you through the mail.All others will still receive the newsletter digitally unless are notified that you prefer a hard copy.Once we are back in person and worshipping together as before, we will hand them out during service as we did before.Rebecca can be reached at the church oce at 727-544-8558. Leave a message if she is not there!14
15FOOD PANTRY: BEHIND THE SCENES...PHOTOGRAPHY PROVIDED BY JUDY FRIENDEach week 75 bags containing protein, Boost, milk, cereal and fruit are distributed through the food pantry to 55 or older clients. That means once a week the six items need to be placed in a bag and made ready for a trip from the church’s nursery to the food pantry. Beverly Finn or Robin Becker are frequently called to pack. Here they have divided the task with Robin bagging the first three items and then Beverly finishes by adding the last food and tying the knot.It’s an assembly line that gets very boring but is so vital to many of our clients. – Submitted by Judy Friend
16CURRENT FOOD PANTRY NEEDS:CANNED SOUPS, VEGETABLES, CANNED HAMS,RAMEN NOODLES AND SALTINE CRACKERSA SPECIAL THANK YOU TO ALL THOSE WHO PARTICIPATED IN OUR FOOD PANTRY ADVENT CHALLENGE!BIRTHDAY ANDANNIVERSARY CLUBSAs part of Stewardship, we ask that those celebrating birthdays and anniversariesdonate to Good Sam a dollar per year.The following are the names of those in the Birthday and Anniversary Club for 2020!The total collected so far this year is $1,096.BIRTHDAY CLUBJane GaylordJean CooleyKate HallBill CooleyJudy FriendCarolyn WoodardSuzie StegerBev KellyRobin BeckerMartha TaylorRalph MadisonDick HallGinger BreitkreutzANNIVERSARY CLUBJean Adams & Carolyn WoodardDick & Kate HallBill & Jean CooleyThank you to all who participate!– Submitted by Kate HallFOOD PANTRY REPORT OCTOBER 2020Number of days open to serve clients: 13Number of clients served: Adults 1,255, Children 336, Total 1,591Volunteers during November were Bev Kelly, Ginnie Thompson, Ginger Breitkreutz, Kate Hall, Carole Diehm, Tom Fauquet, Sarah Butz, Beryl Fruth, Judy Friend, Lewis Hill, Katie Fullerton, Kay Snyder, Joni and John Melville, Robin Becker, Beverly Finn, Jean Krauss and Jane Gaylord. Also helping to pack the 55 Plus bags for seniors were Mickey and Jim Moore, Beverly Finn and Robin Becker.The number of households served in November was 481. That means that our volunteers packed 552 bags of groceries for distribution in the 13 days we were open in November. The pantry has served 8,898 individuals in 2020 through November. Previously the greatest number of individuals served in a full year was 3,187 in 2015.We gave out bags with Thanksgiving themed foods on the Monday and Tuesday of Thanksgiving week. Volunteers put together over 100 bags for families of 2 or more that included either a 1 lb. ham, whole chicken or small turkey. Thanks to all who brought us canned hams, we were able to add a ham to bags for individuals as well. The line of cars on Monday extended down 61st Street and onto Park Blvd. When it was 11:30 and still a long line, Robin Becker volunteered to go out and stand behind the last car and tell anyone else showing up that they would need to come back the next day. Thank goodness, Tuesday was not nearly as busy!Oakhurst United Methodist Church in Seminole continues to hold monthly “Pop the Trunk” food drives for our pantry on the third Saturday of each month. Other outside groups and individuals have been bringing food to the “Donations” door. We also continue to receive checks for deposit to the Food Pantry Fund.The pantry received a donated used side-by-side refrigerator/freezer in November. Neighbors of the Melvilles, Sean and Priscilla Eick, donated it to the pantry. We now have 3 freezers and the “new” refrigerator. Sometimes we are lucky to receive fresh produce and previously had nowhere to store it.As always, thanks to all who keep this important mission running. – Submitted by Kate Hall
GOOD SAMARITAN CHURCH STAFFRev. Jen Daysa ......................................................................................................................... PastorRev. Jean Cooley ....................................................................................................Parish AssociatePosition to be Filled ...........................................................................Director of Music MinistriesRebecca Kessel ...............................................................................................Oce AdministratorShelby Lamb ........................................................................................................Nursery AssistantMirko Bratic ........................................................................................................................ Custodian GOOD SAMARITAN MINISTRY TEAMSResource Development Team ................................................Clarence Wilkinson (Moderator), Beryl Fruth, Gretchen AckersonKate Hall (Treasurer Liaison)Care Team .................................................................................... Ginger Breitkreutz (Moderator), Mickey Moore, Jim Moore, Beverly Finn, Jane Gaylord,Clarence Wilkinson (Disaster Preparedness Liaison), Justice and Mercy Team ............................................................ Rev. Jean Cooley (Moderator), Gretchen Ackerson, Lewis Hill, Linda Rupp, Sarah Butz, Rachel Wells, Judy Friend, Clarence Wilkinson, Kate Hall (Food Pantry Liaison),Bev Kelly (FAST Liaison)Spiritual Formation Team ........................................................Debbie Rasmussin (Moderator), Judy Friend, Chris Osberg, Sarah Butz, Rev. Bill Cooley, Lisa Ware, Steve CristFellowship and Outreach Team .........................................................Eric Johnson (Moderator), Jean Adams, Carolyn Woodard, Barb Steger, Robin Becker, Sandy Badger, Annie Gambino, Martha TaylorPersonnel Committee ...........................................................Clarence Wilkinson, Robin Becker, Gretchen Ackerson, Kate HallPastor Relations Committee .................................................... Carolyn Woodard (Moderator), Chris Osberg, Clarence Wilkinson, Ginger Breitkreutz, Lisa Ware, Bev KellyTHE MESSENGER — Newsletter of Good Samaritan ChurchPresbyterian Church (USA) “More Light” and United Church of Christ “Open and Arming”Sunday Worship 10:30 a.m. • Fellowship/Coee Hour Following WorshipTHE MESSENGER of Good Samaritan Church • 6085 Park Boulevard, Pinellas Park, FL 33781727-544-8558 • Email: oce@goodsam-church.org • Web Site: discovergoodsam.orgOurMissionTo Build TheBelovedCommunityA Ministry ofHospitality, Vision,and JusticeA Global MissionChurchJesus didn’t reject people. Neither do we!CELEBRATING OVER 100 YEARSRev. Dr. Harold M. Brockus – Pastor EmeritusCheck out Good Sam onFACEBOOK!SESSIONKatie Fullerton, ClerkKate Hall, TreasurerCLASS OF 2020Beryl FruthSarah ButzSophia StringerCLASS OF 2021Lisa WareCarolyn WoodardVacantCLASS OF 2022Clarence WilkinsonBeverly FinnLinda RuppST. JAMES LIST “Pray for one another that you may be healed.” James 5:16Let us remember those members and friends who have asked for our prayers and those who are unable to attend worship.Vicky VanDien (wife of Ferris VanDien), Dawn Johnson, Sophia Stringer, Shaddai Simmons, Drew Taylor and family (Martha Taylor’s son), Kirsten (Ginger Breitkreutz’s daughter), the family of Harold Brockus, Paul Brockus, Dottie Boake, Nancy Rudasill, Jean Adams, Eddie Kosinski, Sandy Badger, Donna Knight, all the families in our community aected by COVID-19 whether through sickness or financial stress, and Good Samaritan Church.