What God Did: 2023

2023

Harborside Christian Church 2023
“You will be enriched in every way so that
you can be generous on every occasion,
and through us your generosity will result in
thanksgiving to God.”
2 Corinthians 9:11
We humbly acknowledge that all the achievements in
2023 are solely attributable to the grace of God. This
document does not serve as a testament to Harborside
Church’s efforts but rather as an opportunity to
reflect and give thanks to God for His remarkable
accomplishments through our faithful obedience. May
you be uplifted by our cherished stories and embrace
gratitude for the blessings bestowed upon us by God
at Harborside this year.

Contents
A Message From Kurt Parker 1
5 Things Revealed This Year 2
Our Strategies 3
We Worship The Triune God 4
Digital Impact 6
Harborside Music 8
We Teach The Holy Scriptures 10
2023 Sermons 11
2023 Baptisms 14
We Connect People To People 16
“Hannah’s Journey: No Longer An Island” 17
Kids 18
Students 20
We Mentor 22
“God’s Plan Is The Best Plan” 23
“Invited Into Purpose” 24
“From Internship To Impact” 25
Harborside Chapel 26
We Empower Outreach 28
“Jesus In A Cup” 29
Harborside Cares 30
“Empowered By Love” 32
“Faith To Build A Home For Love” 34
We Value Generosity 36
“Hope Amidst The Storm” 37
We Are His Priests 38
“We Don’t Plant Churches, We Plant Pastors” 41
Looking Forward: 35 Acres 42

A Message From Kurt Parker
The Lord continues to show up and show off. As I scan
through the following pages, I am amazed by how
gracious God has been to us this year. We are undeserving
to partner with Him in Kingdom work. Yet, in His mercy,
we are given a purpose that bears fruit, fruit that lasts
throughout eternity. We have His favor. We will continue
to submit everything to the Lord. We lay our crowns at His
feet. We look to Him alone for vision, clarity, and direction.
All of this is for His glory.
“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably
more than all we ask or imagine, according to his
power that is at work within us, to him be glory
in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all
generations, for ever and ever! Amen.”
Ephesians 3:20
1

5 Things
Revealed This Year
We Raise Up The Next Generation.
In 2023, our passion for raising up the next
generation came to the forefront. However,
our aim goes beyond simply raising up the
next generation; it’s about empowering
them for ministry. In essence, we’re not
just engaged in ministry; we’re actively
equipping future ministers. Our goal is not
for the next generation to merely attend
church; we aspire for them to become
the church.
We Are An Outreach Organization.
In the past year, our outreach vision has
become more defined. Rather than treating
outreach as a separate entity, we see
that it is now our duty to be an outreach
organization. We view each ministry and
initiative as a vehicle to connect with
our community and the broader world.
Outreach has transcended mere financial
support to external organizations; we’re
now equipping our church ministries and
initiatives to take on kingdom work that was
once outsourced.
2
We Commission The Church.
For years now at Harborside, God has
emphasized our identity as ‘priests,’ echoing
the significance outlined in 1 Peter 2:9. This
year, our church wholeheartedly embraced
this identity, leading to a commissioning
that is narrowing the subconscious gap
between the clergy and congregation.
We Believe In Family.
2023 brought a powerful call to worship
as a family, a core value we share with
God, the creator of the first family. This
year, we witnessed remarkable growth and
community building within Harborside
Marriage. The Harborside Chapel extended
its reach to unchurched couples, sharing
the gospel and marital wisdom. It’s clear
that God blessed us with the mission of
empowering family ministry.
We Serve Him By Creating
Environments For Encounters.
Our mission is to love and lead people
into encounters with the fullness of God.
As a local church this year, our focus was
on creating environments where these
encounters were possible. We saw God
manifest His greatness and power, touching
and transforming lives forever.

We Worship The Triune God.
We Teach The Holy Scriptures.
We Connect People To People.
We Mentor.
We Empower Outreach.
We Value Generosity.
OUR
STRATEGIES
3

WE
WORSHIP
THE
TRIUNE
GOD
4

This is what the Harborside family
looked like on an average Sunday.
1213
437
adults in person
households online
249 kids
144 volunteers
5

Digital Impact
112,834
sermon and
media plays
26,351
people have the
Harborside App
2,931
app downloads
this year
6

22
countries
reached
44
states
reached
7

Music
This Year’s Data:
2,159,400
*Reimagined Vol. 1
music streams
369,062
*Secret Place Vol. 2
music video views
350,399
music listeners
Meeting Place Vol. 1
2
albums released
Lugar Secreto
8
* Released in 2023

All Time Data:
9,069,879
Secret Place Vol. 1
music streams
156
Won’t Wait Till Heaven
countries reached
A Sound For The World
Through a Spotify playlist, I somehow
stumbled upon the song “Temple.” As I
prepared to lead worship for our group in
North Africa, it became an anthem for me
specifically but also for our group as the
Father was taking me through a season
of really encountering His role as “Father”
and my invitation and position as “beloved
child.” Many people from our Muslim
community believed they needed to go
to a temple to meet with God, but as we
declared these songs over their lives, we
have seen and believe we will continue to
see God awaken them to the truth that they
are the temple.
On top of that, as I reached out to
Harborside Music to get the chords so I
could lead the song, we also connected
deeply for the passion to see worship go
out to the nations. Harborside Music is
committed to praying with us during the
month of Ramadan to cover our country
with 24/7 prayer. I immediately sensed
a kindred spirit with the heartbeat of
Harborside Music and the desire for worship
to passionately pour out from every tribe,
tongue, and nation.
Thank you, Harborside, for helping us to
pour out our worship, be encouraged as
we minister in a dark place, and give us a
renewed passion to be “Face to Face” with
our Savior. I look forward to going deeper
with Jesus with you all as you continue to
proclaim the coming Kingdom through
your music.
J, North Africa
9

WE
TEACH
THE
HOLY
SCRIPTURES
10

2023 Sermons
Kurt Parker
“Now, I know that because of American
consumerism, we have made worship
about us.
We say, “I liked the worship,” or “I liked the
songs.”
That’s really not the right comment. This is
not for you. This worship is for Him.
We come into this place together as a
body of believers, and we’re giving Him
glory and honor because He’s worthy. He
sent His Son on a cross to die for us, to
shed His blood so we could be forever free.
And so worship, it’s not for you. It’s not
about you. It is always for Him.”
“We have to get to the point where we
listen for an audience of One.
We’re listening to our Maker to give us
our acceptance. If you look for flesh and
blood to give you acceptance, you will
be so discouraged and so disappointed
in this life. But you have someone who
crafted you and made you, who loves you
and has accepted you. He received you
and is just crazy about you.”
11

Ethan Parker
“The songbird is such a great example for us. Scientists recently
were starting to discover how they learn to sing so beautifully. They
discovered that the songbird sits near the father bird, and they
echo what the father sings. Jesus, in John 12:49 states, “For I did not
speak on my own, but the Father who sent me commanded me to
say all that I have spoken.” The King of Kings recognized this truth.
We are not here to share our thoughts and opinions. We are here
to be an echo of the Father. This is our posture in life. To become a
child who lives to echo what we hear our heavenly Father saying.”
Paz Parker
“Our bodies were made to have rest. Can you imagine going days
without being able to lay your head on your pillow at night and
going on without a break? Your body will eventually say something
to you, “I need to rest!” And just like our physical body needs rest,
can you imagine how our souls also might need it? Our souls carry
offense, burdens, sadness, and maybe even depression. We’re
carrying that in our soul and it weighs on us. Could it be that there’s
also some sort of break, some sort of rest that our soul needs each
and every day?”
Amos Pierre
“In the midst of hard times in my life or in other people’s lives, I
have given this recommendation. I have preached it. “Pray that
God will show up in the middle of your hard times.” I say things like,
“I’m waiting for God to show up in my life. I need God to show up.”
That’s almost right. The full truth is God will not show up in your
hard times because he never left.”
Krystal Pierre
“Many times, we are very clear on “where” we need to go. We’re
clear on the “where” of the next step. We say, “I know I should
pursue that job.” “I should pursue that relationship.” “I should
pursue that endeavor.” “I should pivot in this area,” but we’re
just not exactly sure about the time. Furthermore, some of us
may even feel the pressure from the Lord or people around us
to get the timing right. But this is the kindness of God: He gave
us the advantage of the Holy Spirit to not just know where we
are supposed to be but also the perfect timing for when we’re
supposed to be there.”
12

Danita Parker
“Ephesians 6:10 says, “Put on the full armor of God…” So that you
can sit down? No! “...so that you can stand.” You have to stand.
There’s no passivity in this. You must stand against the devil’s
schemes. We stand against his strategies. We stand against his
words, his tricks, his schemes. We stand against this. What are you
hearing? What accusations are you hearing about yourself? Stand
up against the schemes and the attacks and the plans of
the enemy.”
Andrew Frazier
“Many of us have been to a wedding. Something we always look
forward to is seeing the groom’s face when the bride is walking
down the aisle. We see the doors open. We look at the bride, in
holiness, prepared in beauty, free from impurity, walking towards
the groom. And then we look at the groom. We often see tears,
intense emotion. Incredible love. I can’t help but think that the
heart of God is the exact same way when you submit to Him.”
Kaylyn Frazier
“Blessing is a spiritual practice of forgiveness. Blessing those who
hurt you is like a pumice stone that works away at the callus of our
hearts. Because of this, forgiveness is able to sink down into our
hearts and not just come out of our mouths.”
Matt Ternes
“What do you pray for in hard seasons of life - in moments of doubt
or confusion - when things aren’t going well? If you’re anything
like me you probably pray for protection, for deliverance, for ‘it’ to
end, or for a resolution to come about. And there’s nothing wrong
with that. God wants us to come to Him in prayer with those things.
But notice what the Apostles did. Before they prayed for a positive
outcome around them, they prayed for a faithful spirit within them.
They prayed for boldness.”
13

Baptisms
Alex Lewis
Out of Darkness Into Light
During Easter morning services at
Harborside Church in 2023, a remarkable
story unfolded as Alex Lewis took the
plunge into the waters of baptism. With
a smile on his face, Alex shared the
deeply personal journey that led him to
this momentous occasion.
“I had a lot of darkness in my life, a lot
of depression, and anxiety,” Alex shared.
“I felt so empty.” But in his darkest hour,
he found an unexpected messenger of
hope - his manager. Overwhelmed by
despair, he confided in his co-worker,
who, sensing the gravity of the situation,
led him to his manager.
In a pivotal moment, that manager
revealed how Jesus Christ had once
saved his own life. He shared his
personal testimony of redemption and
grace. Because of this, Alex decided to
give faith a chance. “I came to church
with my dad one time, and everything’s
changed since. All the darkness slowly
went away thanks to Jesus.”
Alex’s baptism, was a poignant
statement of newfound faith. His life,
once shrouded in darkness, now shines
brightly with the light of hope and
redemption, proving that sometimes,
the Gospel is shared by the most
unexpected sources.
14

252 people
baptized
Allen Cole
A Renewed Commitment
At a July beach baptism,
Honeymoon Island set the scene
for Allen Cole’s heartfelt revelation
as he stepped into the waves,
aiming to share his personal
reasons for choosing to be
baptized once again, in his
own words.
“I was baptized a long time ago,
around seven or eight. And that
was when I felt like I was being
forced to go to church,” Allen
reflected. Despite veering away
from regular churchgoing, he felt
a pull to return, driven by his son’s
unwavering faith. “I didn’t need
to understand everything,” he
mused. “I just needed to be there.
Hearing my son talking about
God and Jesus… it was completely
different.”
“If I’m going backward, how can
he go forward?” Allen said. His
baptism symbolized renewed
commitment to Christ: “I got to
put myself where I’m supposed to
be and let God take the wheel.”
15

WE
CONNECT
PEOPLE
TO
PEOPLE
16

Hannah’s Journey:
No Longer an Island
Faith, Friendship, and Transformation
244
people
attended
NEXT Class
1261
people were
in a group
In January 2023, Hannah, a member of
the Harborside community, embarked on
a transformative journey from isolation to
fellowship. Her story is a powerful testament
to Next Class’s impact on her life.
“In January 2023, we started the churchwide
fast. Pastor Kurt asked us to write
down our ‘mountains.’ My biggest mountain
was that I had no fellowship. I didn’t have
any Christian friends,” Hannah recounted,
reflecting on the realization that would set
her on this incredible path.
During our church-wide fast, Hannah
recognized this need for fellowship and
believed joining the Next Class could be her
path to a community. Her intuition proved
correct as she entered the next class, and
a group of wonderful women immediately
embraced her. “Week after week, I sat with
them. We went through our fast together,
and we supported each other,”
Hannah recalled.
On the last day of the class, one of these
newfound friends introduced Hannah to
Lynette, a staff member her age. Their
connection was instant, and they signed up
for a Connect Group together. She shared,
“Through that Connect Group, I have made
15 new best friends. I went from sitting
alone every Sunday morning to a row filled
with friends. These women are truly an
answered prayer.”
These friendships inspired Hannah
to embrace her identity as a “priest”:
something that we are all called to
according to scripture (1 Peter 2:9). “Through
Next Class, I was able to get involved in
serving, honestly, just through meeting
girls in my Connect Group,” she explained.
Learning about the High School ministry
through her friend Jacey, Hannah was drawn
to walk out her “priest” identity and decided
to get involved. “I just really was craving
more. I needed to be involved. I needed to
serve the Lord.”
Hannah’s story
illustrates the power
of faith, the beauty
of friendship, and
the fulfillment of
finding one’s place
at Harborside. She
realized that no
one needs to be an
island: that within
faith communities, we find companionship,
support, and God-given purpose.
17

Kids
2023 was incredible in Harborside Kids.
In the first half of the year, we studied
the Bible in our original curriculum, Truth
Tokens. Following adventurers through a
story-line, we discovered who God is and
who we are in Him. Many children decided
to accept Jesus as Savior, receive the Holy
Spirit, and get baptized.
Mid-summer, we hosted an on-site camp,
Kingdom Adventure Week. Our kids learned
about being priests in God’s Kingdom
through lessons, worship, games, and art. I
saw spiritual growth in just a few short days
as they opened the Bibles and had a true
“secret place” time.
18
In the fall, God deposited another original
curriculum, Kingdom Core Values. We
emphasized worship, the Word, God’s
presence, and His people. Our children
laid hands on one another in blessing,
worshiped with dancing and singing,
studied the Bible, and gave offerings. But
my favorite moment each week was seeing
a room full of children and committed
leaders on their knees praying.
We aren’t just a children’s ministry; we have
children who minister as priests. We are
leading our children to lead worship. We are
leading our children to know and teach the
Holy Scriptures. We are leading our children
to encounter God’s presence and hear His
voice in the secret place, then carry it into
the meeting place. We are leading our
children to bless one another as priests. We
are leading our children to bring their own
sacrificial offerings. And we are leading our
children to grow in wisdom, stature, and
favor with God and man.
Joy Ellcessor
Family Ministry Director

Not Just
A Kid’s
Ministry,
But Kids
Who
Minister
617
total kids
ministered
to this year
74
kids who
ministered
to us
33
children
dedicated
to the Lord
19

Students
Harborside Family, I’m honored to tell you
that God has been doing mighty things in
the youth ministry for our middle and high
school students. This year, we had around
25 students get baptized, a testimony
to how God has revealed Himself as real,
powerful, and life-changing to the next
generation. Personally, this year has been
transforming and humbling as their pastor
and leader. Not only has God done great
things in the lives of these students but also
in my own life alongside them. The Gospel
has become clearer and clearer, and His
voice has become louder in my life than
ever before. It is an honor to grow alongside
these students.
I want to share some brief stories of how
God is moving in this ministry. Since our
spring break trip with our high schoolers,
life and joy have been breathed back into
our students and their hunger for Jesus. I’m
seeing freshmen boys lift their hands and
worship Jesus and pour out their hearts to
Him, not prompted by anyone but simply
because they are grasping the truth of
the Gospel.
I got to meet with a single father who
has a 6th-grade daughter. He shared an
encouraging story with me. Our middle
schoolers started joining the adults in main
worship services on Sunday mornings
before heading upstairs to have fellowship
and teaching with each other. This father
told me, “Usually, I sit by myself during
worship, or I sit with a friend or two that I
know. But ever since the students started
joining in worship, I now get the opportunity
to worship with my daughter, even if it’s
just for 30 minutes. It’s humbling and gives
me great joy.” Our middle school students
are learning how to truly worship their God
by being together with the church body. It
is translating to our Monday night student
services, where we get to see them worship
independently, from their own love for God,
and not just because their parents do it.
Max DeOliveira
Student Director
20

40
students
beginning
2023
120
students
ending
2023
Anthony
Shahir
“God has been working through my life in so many different
ways. I used to hang around bad people and do bad
things, and I never felt at peace with myself with anything
I did. It was to the extent that I ignored what anybody
and everybody would say. Then I went on this trip called
Breakaway with Harborside Students, and it really opened
my eyes. I never really knew God and realized I had to fix
that. I never worshiped Him. I used to believe that worship
was very dull. I never thought anything about it. I would just
sit down, watch everybody close their eyes, and praise the
Lord. But I really just sat there. I didn’t realize until Breakaway
that my purpose is to praise and worship Him. Breakaway
was when I realized that Jesus was the only way I could fix
myself. So, whether it’s being a leader or learning to worship
Him, God has now been working through me in many
different ways.”
21

Summer Internship
20
interns
26
shadows
33
disciples
WE MENTOR
22

God’s Plan Is
The Best Plan
Josh Platt’s Journey Of
Surrender To The Lord
Josh’s musical journey began early, as he
received his first drum set at the age of
five. By the time he reached high school,
he was immersed in music, attending a
conservatory for the arts. He was driven
by a passion for music and a dream of
becoming a drummer in Los Angeles,
but his relationship with the Lord was
still in its early stages. In high school, his
love for drumming intensified, and upon
graduation, he received a scholarship to
the University of Miami to pursue a major in
studio music and jazz.
Josh’s dreams of making it as a professional
drummer were within his grasp, but then the
unexpected happened – COVID-19 struck.
As the world came to a standstill, Josh
found himself at a crossroads, questioning
the path he had chosen. In a conversation
with God, he said, “Lord, I don’t know what
I’m supposed to do now.” It was during
this time of uncertainty and reflection that
Josh’s faith took center stage.
Returning to Harborside for a
worship event, Josh had a profound
encounter with the Lord. “I was very
touched by the Lord. That was a very
beautiful and life-changing encounter.”
There, he felt a calling to ministry and a
desire to pursue a deeper relationship with
God. This experience marked a pivotal
moment in his life and set the stage for the
next chapter of his journey.
After graduating from college, Josh took
a leap of faith and joined the internship
at Harborside. He recounted, “I remember
thinking, if I don’t gain anything physically,
“… if I don’t gain anything …
at least I will gain wisdom
from the Lord. And to me,
that’s worth everything.”
- Josh Platt
monetarily, or communally, at least I will
gain wisdom from the Lord. And to me,
that’s worth everything.” The internship
deepened his understanding of the Bible,
grew his leadership skills, and supercharged
his walk with the Lord. “I just saw the Lord
in Harborside staff’s lives. And just simply
being around that changed my life. It wasn’t
necessarily anything that was said, done, or
given. It was just being in the presence of
people who were led by the Lord.”
Today, Josh Platt is on staff and is a
vital part of weekly Harborside worship
encounters as a music director. His story
reminds us that God’s plan is always the
best plan. “The internship program was a
time of stripping back everything that I had
known because up until that point, it was
all ‘my music.’ I was here for music, but I was
also here for the Lord. I was divided,” Josh
remembered. “So the Lord began rebuilding
me. He placed me in a healthy community
of people, encouraging me to pursue the
only thing that mattered: my relationship
with the Lord and the plan that He has for
my life.”
23

Invited Into
Purpose
Where Karinna Lunter Is Today
Karinna Lunter’s transformative journey
into the world of ministry began during her
Harborside internship in the summers of
2018, 2019, and 2020. Her first summer was
spent in the kids’ department, followed by
two years in youth ministry.
“I was also coming out of a season of my
life where I was recovering from just a lot
of poor decisions and a lot of bad friend
groups… I didn’t think I was worthy. And so
when Harborside staff saw me and said,
“Hey, we want you to be a part of this,” I was
like, “Do you know who I am? Do you know
the things I’ve done?” But they didn’t see
that. They said, “You need to be a part
of this.”
God used the internship to spark her
passion for ministry. Post high school and
internship, Karinna moved to Tampa to
attend USF. After months of prayer for
Christian community and purpose, she
found her place in Delight Ministries, a
student-led initiative. Delight Ministries
focuses on fostering vulnerability and
shared stories among women, promoting
strong community, accountability,
and discipleship.
Karinna helps lead Delight as the
Connections Director. Now, she is leveraging
her passion for ministry, “I was so passionate
about just being intentional with “the one”...
the girl that comes in for the first time.”
Karinna’s leadership skills, nurtured during
her Harborside internship, played a crucial
role in her ability to grow Delight Ministries
“I was encouraged to take
the reins and be a part of
something bigger than me.”
- Karinna Lunter
and help start a young adult ministry at
Creekside Church in Tampa, FL. She loves
helping newcomers feel welcomed and
valued, just as she once did. God has
blessed the Creekside young adult ministry
with rapid expansion, with attendance
growing from 9 to 75 in just a few weeks.
“I first found a true spark for ministry work
because of the internship. It specifically
happened when I was handed responsibility
for the first time, like true responsibility, in
the sense that I didn’t feel equipped. I was
encouraged to take the reins and be a part
of something bigger than me.”
24

From Internship
To Impact
Where Jocelyn Smith Is Today
In the summer of 2022, Jocelyn Smith
became an intern at Harborside, and her
experience turned out to be far more than
just a professional internship. Jocelyn,
who was studying psychology at Johnson
University in Knoxville, Tennessee, reflects
on her time at Harborside as nothing short
of amazing.
“It became less about my professional
studies and more about my spiritual growth
and relationship with God,” Jocelyn explains.
One of the things that struck her most
during her time at Harborside was the
genuine love for Jesus that the staff
embodied. “Their love for Jesus was evident
and real in everything they did,” she recalls.
During her time at Harborside, Jocelyn had
no idea what her post-graduation life would
look like, but she recalls, “God began to
show me that my future work would involve
working with those loved by Him whose
situations break His heart.” Little did she
know, her involvement at Garland Oaks
would become a fulfillment of those words
spoken over her during her time
at Harborside.
Jocelyn concludes with deep gratitude for
her internship experience, saying, “I am
forever grateful for the opportunity to do
my internship at Harborside and experience
all that God had for me… so much more
than I could’ve imagined!”
But Jocelyn’s journey didn’t end with her
internship; it was just the beginning. Fast
forward to today, and she has found her
calling in a Christ-focused non-profit
called Street Hope TN, working to eliminate
DMST (domestic minor sex trafficking) in
Tennessee and beyond. She serves as a
Resident Assistant at Garland Oaks, a safe
house dedicated to restoring the lives of
young survivors of DMST through the love
of Jesus.
Jocelyn’s journey from her internship to her
current role is a testament to God at work
within Harborside’s internship program. She
shares, “Through Harborside, God showed
me that a relationship with Him is most
important. He showed me what can happen
when you let Him break down your walls
and let Him reveal Himself to you.”
“Through Harborside,
God showed me that a
relationship with Him is
most important.”
- Jocelyn Smith
25

The Chapel
Changing The Trajectory Of Marriage Across The Nation
160
couples
mentored
90 marriage
mentors
23
states
reached
26

“Thank you both so much for making
our special day so beautiful. It was
so much better than we could have
imagined. Harborside Chapel will
always hold a special place in our
hearts! Thank you to both you and
all the team at Harborside! We will
always cherish our sessions with Jeff
and Deneen!”
- Megan & Brian
27

WE
EMPOWER
OUTREACH
28

Jesus In A Cup
Rhonda Montrose: Finding
Harborside Through HavenHouse
Rhonda’s story began with her move to
Safety Harbor from the east coast of Florida
in search of a new job and a fresh start.
Over time, some friends told her about the
HavenHouse Eatery and Coffee Bar. It was
the allure of a welcoming environment,
organic coffee, and the intriguing fact that
it wasn’t overtly religious that drew her in.
“I just liked the coffee because it was so
different. It was so organic. You know, really
natural tasting,” Rhonda recalls. Rhonda
notes that what sets HavenHouse apart is
that it doesn’t overtly preach about Jesus;
instead, it embodies the Gospel by its
actions and the welcoming atmosphere
it provides. She said, “HavenHouse is a
place that loves people where they’re at.”
HavenHouse became her safe place and
her sanctuary. It became a place where she
found solace and, in time, a second family.
Rhonda became a “regular” and formed
friendships with several HavenHouse
staff members.
Her desire for a spiritual community led her
to inquire with HavenHouse staff about local
churches. However, the road to finding her
spiritual home was not a direct one. Rhonda
had moved to Safety Harbor to escape the
hustle and bustle of larger cities, and she
was initially hesitant about attending a big
church like Harborside. She was searching
for a smaller, more intimate community
that she hoped would allow her to build
meaningful connections.
While searching, she unexpectedly
encountered Danita Parker at the beach
in what felt like a divinely ordained
connection. The two strangers separately
found themselves collecting seashells
on the same beach. Their interaction
spontaneously began because they both
found identical heart-shaped shells. From
this, a spiritual conversation ignited, and
in Rhonda’s words, “Her heart for Jesus… it
filled my soul.”
Their divine meeting eventually led Rhonda
to attend the Harborside Next Class, which
proved to be an eye-opening experience for
her. It wasn’t like any other church interest
class she had ever attended; it focused
on making disciples and was filled with
profound insights about the Bible. The Next
Class opened the door for Rhonda to dive
deeper into the Harborside community. She
began volunteering and felt an immediate
sense of belonging.
“Y’all are Jesus in a cup,” Rhonda remarks,
highlighting how the staff at HavenHouse
loved her and lived out their faith daily.
“Harborside is “being” the Gospel and not
just saying it with words, but like actually
inviting people into the mission.” The
community, love, and genuine connections
she found there helped her endure
challenging periods of her life. Rhonda
concludes, “I asked God for a church
community, a real church family. I don’t
want to just sit in a pew. And God answered
my prayers.”
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Harborside
Cares
We Have A Growing
Community Of Foster
Families In Our Church.
61
team members
26
responders
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Leading Counties Of
Children Entering The
Foster Care System
#1
#2
Hillsborough
Pinellas
In 2023, Harborside Church introduced “Harborside
Cares,” a foster care initiative designed to address
the heart of a pervasive issue – broken families. The
mission is to provide every child with the opportunity to
encounter Jesus within a healthy,
church-supported home.
In the state of Florida, Hillsborough and Pinellas counties
top the charts with the highest number of children
entering the foster care system.
In Tampa Bay alone, an astonishing 8 children find
themselves in foster care every single day.
The need for action was crystal clear, and this year, we
witnessed Harborsiders step up to make a difference.
Within “Harborside Cares,” there are three layers.
Volunteers known as “Responders” are those who
signed up to answer any general foster care need in our
local area. There are also “Care Communities,” which
are composed of team members dedicated to loving
and serving a specific Harborside foster family. Finally,
there are foster and adoptive families that are on the
front lines serving our local children. In the following
pages, you can read just a few of the many incredible
testimonials of what God did this year in foster and
adoptive care at Harborside.
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Empowered
By Love
David and Elizabeth’s Miraculous
Journey with Harborside Cares
We are the Konz family, and we have been
blessed by Harborside Cares. Elizabeth
and I (David) have attended Harborside for
seven years with our three kids: Braxton (10),
Dakota (8), and Makenna (7). We committed
to supporting vulnerable children as a family
ministry for Jesus, which has led us to serve
as a foster family for our community. Our
journey as a foster family is a testament
to the profound impact of Harborside
Cares group within our church and, most
importantly, God’s miraculous provision. I
would love to share a bit about our journey
and how your support helps families like ours.
A Journey of Compassion
Guided by the prompting of the Holy
Spirit, our family embarked on our foster
care journey two years ago. We wanted
to provide a stable and loving home for
children who needed it the most, and we
were “all in.” Over the years, we opened our
hearts and home to eight different foster
children, each bringing their own unique set
of challenges and needs. However, our lives
were forever changed when we welcomed
two brothers into our family. We’ll call the
boys Kyle (6) and Judah (4).
Facing the Storm
The first four months with Kyle and Judah
were a tumultuous whirlwind of emotions
and challenges. It was like 17 days in a
row of violent episodes. Kicking, biting,
spitting …extreme behaviors. These boys,
affected profoundly by their traumatic past,
exhibited big behaviors, a typical response
for many foster children facing change they
can’t control, uncertainty, and pain. These
behaviors became less frequent, but the
cumulative effect of the rollercoaster was
wearing on our biological family with loss of
appetite (Elizabeth), skin rashes from stress
(Dakota), and shutting off natural
empathy (Braxton).
A Beacon of Hope: Harborside Cares
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After four months of chaos and a family
pushed to our limit, a ray of hope emerged
in the form of Harborside Cares, a foster
care ministry rooted in our church
community. Harborside Cares came along
and helped us at a time when we needed
it most. The support we received from
volunteers and the church family was
nothing short of miraculous. From meals,
prayer, and emotional and physical support,
Harborside Cares became integral to the
success of our foster care journey by helping
us navigate the turbulent waters.

Thriving Against All Odds
The boys showed gains from a consistent
schedule with family meals around the
table and regular attendance at Harborside.
However, Elizabeth and I realized that our
home, though filled with love and healthy
relationships, was not enough to heal the
deep psychological wounds carried by Kyle
and Judah. We knew we couldn’t fix the
core trauma that was buried in there. In a
thoughtful decision by the system of care
team, the boys were moved to a therapeutic
home environment. The aim was specialized
care and a focused environment to help
stabilize them before the start of the next
school year. We saw God move in the
transition in many ways, affirming our
portion of the race had run its course.
An Emotional Farewell
The most heart-wrenching part of our
journey came when Elizabeth and I had to
say goodbye to Kyle and Judah. Our oldest
Braxton shared through his tears, “Foster
care is hard, Dad. We love them as much as
we can, then one day they’re gone.” I had
to tell these two boys, who we had been
pouring into for eight months straight, that
they were going to be moving out of our
home … That was the hardest conversation
I’ve ever had in my whole life. In the storm
came a glimpse of sunshine. When I told the
boys about the new foster parents, the first
two questions were:
1: ‘Memaw (the new foster mom), can she
cook?’
2: ‘Does Memaw go to Harborside?’”
When we met the new foster parents, it
was clear that this therapeutic home was
God’s plan. I explained to Kyle and Judah,
“Memaw basically lives at church. She goes
almost every day.” We saw that the Holy
Spirit would be the source of healing for the
boys and the Konz family. God was working!
It Takes a Village
After six months in the therapeutic home,
the boys are now matched with an adoptive
family and are set to move in on December
22nd, just before Christmas. Praise the Lord!
We hope and pray that the Konz family and
Harborside Cares have left an indelible mark
on the lives of Kyle and Judah. They still
have a long road on their path to healing—
but permanency and prayer are precisely
what they need.
Our family provided a thoughtful transition
with the support of Harborside Cares.
Anxiety and pressure were reduced each
day. This church community led songs
around the table at mealtime, played
catch in the backyard, and provided lastminute
supervision. After the boys left and
we had a few months of family recovery,
Elizabeth’s appetite returned, Braxton
engaged, and Dakota’s skin healed. As a
family, we have returned to fostering and
look forward to helping as many kids as we
can in the future. Our family provided the
base camp, but this church and Harborside
Cares helped us reach the summit. From the
bottom of our hearts, Thank you!
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Faith To Build A
Home For Love
The Remarkable Adoption Story Of
The Sandoz Family
Elizabeth, a single foster parent for many
years, had always been driven by the desire
to foster-to-adopt children. However, she
faced significant hurdles as the system
generally favored two-parent families
for adoption. The thought of repeatedly
bonding with children only to have her heart
broken when she couldn’t adopt them was
a painful reality. But God had something
incredible in store for her.
Later, Elizabeth married Gerry, and the
discussions about adoption began. “I
prayed about it for five years,” Elizabeth
reveals. During this period, she and Gerry
became mentors through the Big Brothers
Big Sisters program, forming a deep
connection with three children from a local
group home.
Their journey with these children, however,
was fraught with challenges. The COVID-19
pandemic and other hurdles disrupted their
mentorship, creating a painful separation.
“We got our hearts ripped out,” Elizabeth
says, but they didn’t give up. Jesus was their
anchor. Instead of despairing, they kept
their trust in the higher plan. They prayed
and continued searching for the right
children, confident they would find them.
Meanwhile, Gerry was designing a new
house in Dunedin, a retirement home
intended for the couple. However, his
perspective shifted after a conversation
with a friend. “This adoption thing. My wife,
I know how dear it is to her, but I’m 67. My
friend said, ‘What’s it matter? You’re going
to live to 124 anyway. Come on.’” I thought,
“Okay, so this is my Abraham story.”
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In faith, Gerry decided to redesign the
house without telling Elizabeth, expanding
it to make additional rooms for future

adopted children. When he finally revealed
this to Elizabeth, they both shared joyous
tears and excitement.
The faith decision to build their family
home in advance ultimately compelled
them to surrender to God’s divine plan
wholeheartedly. Though the journey was
arduous and marked by heartaches, the
couple unwaveringly placed their trust in
the hands of the Almighty.
Soon after, their prayers were answered.
The case manager introduced them to two
sibling girls, Sterling and Ayda. The bond
was instant. The adoption process moved
faster than expected, and before they knew
it, the girls were officially part of their family.
“There was a God movement in all of it,”
Elizabeth reflects, recognizing that faith and
patience had guided them to this moment.
Their adoption day was an emotional event
filled with tears of joy shared with family
and friends. The judge asked the girls if they
wanted to proceed with the adoption, and
they answered with a resounding “Yes!”
At one point, “A Harborside staff member
told the girls in that courtroom, “When you
were born, God knew this was the plan. This
home is where you were supposed to end
up,” Gerry recounted. “There wasn’t a dry
eye in the room.”
In hindsight, Elizabeth and Gerry see the
hand of God guiding their steps, closing
doors that weren’t meant for them, and
ultimately leading them to the children they
were meant to adopt. “Knowing now how
this unfolded, it was totally God in control.
God was waiting for us to be done trying on
our own,” Gerry said.
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We value generosity because God is
so generous with us. God modeled
generosity by giving His one and
only Son, Jesus Christ, to die in our
place (2 Corinthians 8:9). Generosity
is not something God wants from
us; instead, it’s something He wants
for us. We are called to a lifestyle of
generosity – not leftovers, but
radical generosity.
In 2023, we witnessed a community
of Christians who lived sacrificial lives
of generosity across many fronts.
Generosity takes many forms, and
of course, this includes sacrificial
giving — stewardship of finances.
Nevertheless, financial giving was not
the only kind of generosity poured
out at Harborside.
WE VALUE
GENEROSITY
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Hope Amidst
The Storm
Harborside Church’s Incredible
Generosity After Hurricane Ian
In October 2022, Hurricane Ian wreaked
havoc on Ft. Myers, leaving a trail of
destruction and despair in its wake.
Yet, amid the chaos and devastation,
remarkable generosity would change lives
and rekindle faith in Ft. Myers community.
Pastor Gary Cox, a pastor at First Christian
Church Ft. Myers, vividly recalls the moment
they realized the urgent need for cash.
He shared, “When the Hurricane Ian hit,
we realized that cash was not the only
immediate need, but it was one of the most
helpful things people could get. Just for
somebody to give them cash.”
The church’s response was swift and
resourceful. “I called our church bank
president and asked for $10,000 in cash
in 20 and 50 dollar bills,” Pastor Gary
recounted. “We instantly started standing in
lines at grocery stores, asking people their
stories and then handed them cash.”
We realized, “We don’t need a truckload
of clothes, we don’t need food, we don’t
really want workers because we have no
place to house or feed them because there’s
no power. But we do need money.” Then
support began pouring in from churches
nationwide, including the $100,000 raised
by Harborsiders. “More than $300,000
came in. Wow,” Pastor Gary exclaimed. To
streamline the process, they set up a simple
website form where people could
request assistance.
“We did everything from $500 up to
$3,000 based on the need,” Pastor Gary
noted. A small team, including Pastor
Gary, processed these requests diligently,
ensuring that help reached those who
needed it most. Stories of transformation
and gratitude were abundant.
One such heartwarming encounter took
place at Home Depot, where Pastor Gary
met Brenda, a checkout clerk who had
lost everything. He provided her with the
website’s information, and Brenda’s life was
profoundly touched. “You don’t know what
a difference that money made,” she tearfully
expressed during their next encounter.
Acts of kindness extended to unexpected
places, such as standing in line at a dollar
store, where Pastor Gary helped a woman
who was cooking for her community. “Here’s
$500, God bless your community,” he
quietly offered, resulting in tears
of gratitude.
The church’s support reached single
mothers, families in dire straits, and
countless others. “It wasn’t just about the
dollars, though. The big help was more than
the money. We kept hearing from people it
was just about the hope; that somebody’s
here. There is hope,” Pastor Gary reflected.
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We Are His
Priests
This year, we continued to walk in our
identity as “priests.” The priesthood was
God’s dream revealed throughout scripture.
One verse we embraced in 2023 is
1 Peter 2:9.
“But you are a chosen generation, a royal
priesthood, a holy nation, His own special
people, that you may proclaim the praises
of Him who called you out of darkness into
His marvelous light”
473
volunteers
churchwide
Being a part of the “priesthood” was not as
we usually would see it: the robe and collar.
Instead, we have embraced that being a
priest means that we do four things:
1. Steward meeting places: We take the
“hand” of Heaven and join it with the “hand”
of Earth. Everywhere we go, there is an
opportunity to lead others into encounters
with the fullness of God.
2. Carry the presence: As believers, we now
are carriers of the Holy Spirit. Wherever we
go, His presence goes with us.
3. Minister to God: Our first and foremost
ministry is to God. We spend time
worshiping Him in secret (what we call The
Secret Place). We give Him honor and praise.
4. Bless the people: We speak blessings
over those we encounter. These are not
merely nice encouragements. A blessing is
speaking God’s thoughts and not our own.
We find His thoughts about us in scripture.
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This year, 473 people in our church have
embraced this duty within the local church.
We have witnessed countless testimonies
of individuals who accomplished
“immeasurably more than all we could ask
or imagine, according to His power that is at
work within us.” Ephesians 3:20

9
local
organizations
we supported
Operation Christmas Child
Clothes To Kids
New Life Solutions
A Door Of Hope
Florida Dream Center
Mattie Williams
Intern Academy
Better Together
Man Up And Go
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40

We Don’t Plant Churches,
We Plant Pastors
Griffin Gilstrap Shares About His
Ministry In North Carolina
Griffin Gilstrap, a pastor nurtured by
Harborside Church for nine years, has truly
flourished in his senior pastor role at Poplar
Springs Christian Church in King, North
Carolina. As a testimony to the concept “we
don’t plant churches, we plant pastors,” here
is an update to how God has been working
in his ministry.
Griffin embarked on this journey with two
main prayers: “The first one was: God make
a way. Show us where you want us to go.
And then once we get there, God have your
way,” Griffin shared.
Moving to a smaller town in North Carolina,
he found himself leading a congregation
with a rich history spanning over a century.
Griffin’s initial approach was to immerse
himself in the local culture, getting to know
the people and the core members of the
church. The congregation’s commitment to
their church and their deep sense of family
were evident, with multiple generations
involved in the church’s life. Griffin
recognized the importance of building trust
as an outsider with a different background
and a different accent.
Griffin is now seeing God’s hand
orchestrating the staff and ministry in a
direction of health and growth. Families
have flocked to the church, particularly the
younger generations, drawn by a renewed
sense of worship and community. The
children’s ministry alone has experienced
substantial growth, with a surge from
averaging 30 children participating each
Sunday to 100.
The church has celebrated 40 baptisms in
a single year, ranging across various age
groups but with a significant presence of
younger parents. The ministry has become
very fruitful, ensuring that Poplar Springs
Christian Church remains vibrant and
impactful for another hundred years.
Amidst rapid growth, Griffin’s vision for
the church remains clear. He emphasizes
the church’s truth-centered culture, where
the Bible is revered. He also recognizes
the need to lead the congregation into a
deeper relationship with the Holy Spirit,
encouraging them to explore their faith on
a daily basis. “There is one thing that I’ve
really felt compelled by the Lord to do, and
it’s a product of where we are trying to help
people at Harborside over the years. I want
to invite them into a relationship with the
Holy Spirit and learning what that looks like
on a daily basis. A lot of the push forward
will be inviting people to foster relationship
with God outside of the church, and
throughout the week.”
41

Looking Forward By
Looking Backward
It Started With One Acre…
In 2018, we embarked on a journey of
prayer, strategic planning, and action to
construct a new worship facility on the
1-acre grass field adjacent to our existing
church building. The Lord led us to invest
in the future and build a beautiful facility
that would reflect our devotion to Him. In
faith, many of us eagerly participated in
the capital campaign. Little did we realize
that, at the time, only a fraction of God’s
remarkable plan had unfolded before us.
…But God Revealed It Was
Supposed To Be All…
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This year, we received fresh revelation from the Lord for the
capital campaign. “It wasn’t just 1 acre, it is all 35.” Thirty-five
acres for encounters with God, rest and healing, our local
community to enjoy, ministry to happen, empowering church
initiatives, peace and quiet, greenery and nature, expanding
the future church, and more. Our 35 acres will be the epicenter
for all these things to happen. We will steward every inch
of what the Lord has given us to love and lead people into
encounters with the fullness of God. And you are invited to
dream with us. How could you love and lead people into
encounters with God on our 35 acres?
Learn More:

Stewarding Every Square Inch
Steward Our Land
The Tampa Bay area has become densely
populated and metropolitan in the last 20
years. Beautiful, open green spaces are
becoming increasingly sparse within the
Safety Harbor, Clearwater, and surrounding
areas. Our property is brimming with the
potential to become a local haven of rest
and healing for our community. We dream
of walking trails, prayer gardens, sporting
fields, and a beautiful playground for our
church and city to enjoy together. Our
heart is to use every inch of this land to love
and lead people into encounters with the
fullness of God.
Build A New Facility
A future facility is on the horizon. It will
be a space for future generations of
worshipers to encounter the fullness of
God; a house where “the glory of the
Lord will be revealed, and all people will
see it.” Isaiah 40:5. The upcoming facility
will be tailored specifically for hosting
weekly church worship services. By doing
so, we will now have space in our current
building to empower Connect Groups,
host ministry opportunities, and love our
local community. We dream of a space that
allows our global online audience to move
from spectators to active participants in
worship and teaching. We can’t wait to see
how every inch of the new building will love
and lead people into encounters with the
fullness of God.
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2200 Marshall St, Safety Harbor, FL 34695
harborsidechurch.org