Temple Terrace Community Church

Testimonials

Congregant Phyllis

Phyllis:

Raised Baptist in England, Phyllis Joined our church in 1979 and was married in our church in 1980. Prior to joining Temple Terrace Community Church, she was a part of a Southern Baptist church. Her previous church refused to re-marry her after divorce due to regulations in the church but she has happily been a part of our church family ever since.

She fell in love with our church family and has served our church for 46 years. Phyllis states “I call this my church, because it is and always will be!”. Phyllis loves being an active member helping distribute communion, finding scripture readers for service, contributing to our local community food bank, and supporting church refreshments- all which bring fulfillment to her life. “I help because I feel it’s something I should do.”

Phyllis has been an active member of our church council for over 10+ years and has been an inspirational advisor on our council. Phyllis states “I consider everyone in the church my family”. Phyllis feels attending church benefits her life as life has brought tremendous loss: “With all the losses I’ve endured, if I didn’t have the good Lord on my side, I don’t know how I would have gotten through life’s challenges. My faith has brought me strength to overcome any challenge life brings”. Phyllis is blessed with 26 grandchildren, great grandchildren, and great- great grandchildren with #27 on the way. She feels fulfillment having been able to bring all her children to church, watching them grow up in the church, as she knows the importance of church in not just her own life, but in their lives as well.

Regularly attending service refreshes our soul, guides us down the right path God intends for us, and gives us the strength we need to face any obstacle in life. Phyllis feels refreshed each week and enjoys singing traditional hymns as their words are timeless. Phyllis loves our pastor and feels his weekly sermons do not rebuke us but help guide us down the right path of building and maintaining a strong relationship with our God.

Fun facts:

Congregant Debbie

Debbie:

My name is Debbie Anders. My mom, my husband, and I became members of TTCC in the early 2000’s. I became a Christian when I was 12 years old. Raised by a staunch Baptist Grandmother, she taught me to always trust in God and have faith that God would lead us through the good and bad times.

When I was a teenager, I came to this church many times with my mother, who was a florist in Tampa, to decorate weddings here. I always dreamed of being a member of this church because of its beauty and the warm, friendly feeling I received when I first came here. Little did I know that God was directing me here to help give me strength through some of the hardest times of my life. First the loss of my Mom, Betty Howard, in 2013, and then I lost my dear husband of 45 years, Larry Anders, after a long battle with bone cancer in 2014. Some of the most sincere responses of love, support and strength came through my relationship with this wonderful church family. I was able to stay strong and face my challenges without fear because I knew my faith in God would see me through.

My life motto is “Fully Rely On God”, “FROG”, that’s why I collect frogs! I love our church; I love the Fellowship and Love in this church; it has truly been my refuge from the storms of my life for me.