To know Christ, and to make Christ known.
About St. Timothy's
A Caring Church...
At St. Timothy Lutheran Church, we have a simple desire: to know Christ and to make Christ known. For over 60 years, we've been helping spread God's good news in Tarpon Springs and throughout the world, and we pray that God will continue to use our congregation in the ways that He sees fit. Whether you've been attending church for years or haven't stepped into a sanctuary in decades, we hope you'll come and join us if you're looking for a church in our area, or maybe join us online.
Since 1961, we have been steadfastly dedicated to embodying the spirit of Jesus Christ in every facet of our ministry. At St. Timothy Lutheran Church, our commitment to being a caring church has been the heartbeat of our journey, shaping our identity and purpose. Our mission is "to be a caring church, sharing Jesus Christ with the world by offering help, hope, and home."
For more than six decades, St. Timothy Lutheran Church has been an integral part of this community, weaving a tapestry of love, faith, and service. Our history is one of resilience, growth, and an unwavering commitment to uplifting those in need. From our earliest days, we have strived to create a haven where individuals find not only spiritual solace but also genuine connection, mirroring the compassionate teachings of Jesus.
Join Us in our Daily Journey
As we embrace our future, we invite you to become a part of our community at St. Timothy. We truly want to welcome you to come and see, just as you are. Whether you are seeking solace, companionship, or a place to serve, know that you are welcome here. Together, let us continue serving with compassion and sharing the transformative message of Jesus Christ—one act of love at a time.
Come, be a part of something deeply rooted in faith, compassion, and community. Welcome to St. Timothy, where every story matters, and every soul is embraced with the love of Christ.
Ministry Beyond Walls
Our ministry extends far beyond the walls of our church building. We believe in actively embodying the teachings of Jesus Christ by serving the community with open hearts and hands. Through the years, St. Timothy Lutheran Church has engaged in initiatives that offer tangible help, inspire enduring hope, and provide a welcoming home for all who seek refuge and belonging.
Mission Statement in Action
"A caring church, sharing Jesus Christ with the world by offering help, hope, and home" is not just a statement; it is our guiding principle. Every ministry, every program, and every interaction at St. Timothy is infused with the essence of this mission. We fervently believe that by extending a helping hand, instilling hope, and creating a sense of home, we are truly sharing the transformative love of Jesus Christ with the world.
Walking in the Footsteps of Jesus
At the heart of our mission is the profound desire to emulate the life and teachings of Jesus. We strive to be more than a congregation; we aspire to be a living testament to Christ's love in action. Through selfless service, genuine compassion, and a commitment to inclusivity, we aim to create a community that mirrors the boundless love exemplified by our Savior.
In our commitment to "Offering Help," St. Timothy embraces a ministry of compassion and support within our community. Rooted in the teachings of Jesus, who exemplified selfless service, we extend a helping hand to those in need. Through various ministries, outreach programs, and volunteer initiatives, we seek to make a tangible difference in the lives of individuals facing challenges. Inspired by Matthew 25:40, "Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me," our mission is to embody Christ's love by offering practical assistance, addressing physical and emotional needs, and fostering a sense of community where everyone is valued and cared for.
In the pursuit of "Finding Hope," St. Timothy invites all to discover the transformative power of hope in Jesus Christ. Grounded in the belief that true and lasting hope is found in a relationship with the risen Savior, we provide a sanctuary for individuals seeking solace, purpose, and spiritual renewal. Our ministries and programs are designed to offer a beacon of hope, drawing inspiration from Romans 15:13, "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." Through worship, prayer, and a supportive community, we aim to guide individuals on a journey of discovering profound hope in Christ, transcending life's challenges and uncertainties.
St. Timothy extends a warm embrace through our "Coming Home" initiative, creating a space where individuals can experience the love and acceptance of Christ. Inspired by the biblical concept of hospitality and community, we strive to embody Hebrews 13:2, "Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it." Whether you are a newcomer or a longtime member, our church is a home where every person is valued, celebrated, and encouraged in their faith journey. Through fellowship, shared worship, and a spirit of inclusivity, we aim to foster a welcoming environment that reflects the love of Christ, making St. Timothy a true home for the hearts and souls seeking a sense of belonging and connection.
Vision Statement and Values
Vision Statement: "Invite, Educate, Inspire, and Equip all people to celebrate the presence of the Risen Christ in our midst, through a lifestyle of discipleship, guided by the Holy Spirit."
Values:
Pray: daily and often
Worship: Weekly at church and at home
Relate: with others to encourage spiritual growth
Read: the Bible daily
Serve: utilizing God-given spiritual gifts
Give: a tithe and beyond
What We Believe
We believe and confess God as Three-in-One (Trinity): Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
We believe God, the Father, created heaven and earth and all that exists seen and unseen. The Father created us to be in loving relationship with Him and to live with one another in harmony, peace (shalom) and active love.
We believe Jesus is God’s Son, sent by God to reconcile us to the Father. Through his life and his being Jesus broke the shackles of sinfulness and thus restored the relationship of love and trust the God intended to exist between God and his children. Though Jesus Christ is eternal, with God at the beginning of time, Jesus was at once truly God and truly human, born on earth of a virgin, by the power of the Holy Spirit.
The man, Jesus of Nazareth, lived and died in Palestine during the governorship of the Roman administrator, Pontius Pilate; we believe Him to be the Messiah (Christ) chosen by God to show God’s love for the world. He is God, yet with all the limitations of being human. His relationship to God, however, was not one of sin but rather of perfect obedience to the Father’s will. For the sake of a sinful world, Jesus was condemned to death on the cross.
But death could not contain Him. On the third day after his execution, the day Christians observe as Easter, Jesus appeared among His followers as the one whom God raised up, the living Lord. By this great victory God has declared the Good News of reconciliation and gives us the promise of eternal life with God. The distance between us and our Creator has been bridged. Christ is alive today, and with us as we gather in His name, fully
present to us in Holy Communion and present as the Holy Spirit empowers
us in the covenant of Baptism and interceding for us with the Father.
Communion, present as the Holy Spirit empowers us in the covenant of Baptism, and interceding for us with the Father.
We believe the Holy Spirit enlivens the Church, giving it life and unifying us in a common mission. The Holy Spirit sanctifies or matures us in faith and is present in our hearts from our baptism into Christ, guiding, encouraging, and motivating us to live lives that please and honor God.
We believe the Church is the living body of Christ, created on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2). The Church has the same ‘DNA’ as Jesus Christ in that the Church is in the world in the same way as Jesus Christ – announcing the Good News of God’s coming kingdom, or reign; bringing healing and restoration; preaching, with deeds as well as words; and teaching all that Christ has commanded us.
The Lord gave a Great Commandment to the disciples, to “love the Lord your God with all your heart and soul and mind and strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself” (Mark 12:30-31); and He also gave the Great Commission to the disciples, to ‘go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit and teaching them to obey all that I have commanded you’ “(Matthew 28)” and “I am with you always to the end of the age” This succinctly defines the mission of the Church.
It means we are in the theological lineage of Martin Luther, a 16 th century Augustinian monk and professor of theology in Germany whose questioning of Roman church practices, whose translation of the New Testament into German and whose inflammatory writings regarding the only source of salvation as being God’s undeserved grace in Jesus Christ, accessible to all with no need of intermediaries, sparked what’s known as the Reformation. Emphasize theology (understanding of God) as a theology, of the Cross of Christ rather than receiving God’s grace for our own glorification on earth.
From the Reformation came the Protestant church movement. The Lutheran heritage is one of accepting (through the intervening power of the Holy Spirit) Jesus Christ and his suffering and dying as saving us from death and assuring us eternal life; of grace as a free gift and our acceptance of that gift a result of faith bestowed by the Holy Spirit; of one Baptism as a cleansing from sin and entry into the Christian church; of Christians as all having a calling and being part of a ‘priesthood of all believers’; of the Lord’s Supper being a means of grace, giving comfort, peace and the forgiveness of sin and an event in which Christ himself is truly present, as Luther said, ‘in, with, and under; the sacramental elements of bread and wine.
The Lutheran tradition celebrates two sacraments, Baptism and Holy Communion. A sacrament is a means of conveying of God’s grace to us that; is commanded by Christ using an earthly element. Leading followers of Jesus, thru the guidance of the Holy Spirit, in the way of the cross laying
down our lives in love and service for our neighbors in obedience to God.
Our History
1961-03-15
Lutheran Mission's Pastor Arrives
"On March 15, 1961, the Reverend Wayne. S Allran, former associate pastor of First Lutheran Church in Greensboro, NC arrived, without fanfare at night..."
(The Church with the Bells 1961)
1961-05-21
First Worship Service
Our first worship service was at the old Sunset Hills elementary school in the cafeteria, now the west side of Tarpon High School.
1961-12-10
Church Chartering and Dedication
December 10th, 1961 - The St. Timothy Charter was created. At this time the church was meeting on Sundays at the old Sunset Hills Elementary School and having worships at Howard Park. The Founding members would go door to door in town talking to anyone that would listen about being a part of welcoming home a non-Orthodox Christian congregation in Tarpon Springs.
1963-06-16
Second Pastor Comes
Reverend Delwin Curtis arrives and preached his first sermon. Pastor Curtis left May 30, 1971.
1965-02-21
Groundbreaking for first Chapel
The day of the ground breaking of the chapel and first Sunday school hall.
1965-08-18
The First Sanctuary was dedicated
In 1965, the church's first sanctuary, what is now know as the fellowship hall was built and dedication.
1971-11-01
Third Pastor Comes
Pastor Langley Collins arrives and is Pastor until November 12, 1980
1981-04-14
Fourth Pastor Comes
Pastor Brad E Ridenour arrives April 14, 1981 until April 1996
1986-05-04
Current Sanctuary Was Built
The dedication of the current church sanctuary after it was built.
1993-02-01
Associate Pastor Joins
Associate Pastor James Christ joins St. Timothy until April 2001
1997-04-15
5th Pastor Comes - Pastor Curt Snare
Pastor Curt is called to become the current shepherding minister of St. Timothy.
2011-12-10
50th Anniversary
The 50th Anniversary at St. Timothy was December 10th, when we celebrated at the Tarpon Yacht club, with Charter Members still present: Don and Mark Reichert, Dave and Ruth Bartelt, Susanne Ferren
Join a Bible Study!
Young or old, new or seasoned, St. Timothy has a bible study community that would be happy to welcome you into the fold. Check out some of our different options to see where you might fit!
See Our Beliefs
St. Timothy is a part of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. We preach that Christ has died, risen, and will come again. Check out more specifically what this means for us.
Serve!
At St. Timothy we believe in living out God's work with our hearts and hands. We have tons of different opportunities to serve in the community and in worship spaces, check out some opportunities that may be a good fit for you!
Join a Bible Study!
Young or old, new or seasoned, St. Timothy has a bible study community that would be happy to welcome you into the fold. Check out some of our different options to see where you might fit!
The Bible Hub
Pursue biblical literacy together us, and learn to know the Jesus of the scriptures.
Serve!
At St. Timothy we believe in living out God's work with our hearts and hands. We have tons of different opportunities to serve in the community and in worship spaces, check out some opportunities that may be a good fit for you!
