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Church Is In Good Hands

A new pastor at St. James United Methodist has brought the church back stronger than ever after a scandal.

Tampa Tribune photo by CHRIS URSO

The Rev. Steve Ezra prays before Sunday service at St. James United Methodist Church in New Tampa. The church is thriving a year after Brian James resigned as its spiritual leader, citing an addiction to pornography.

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By KENNETH KNIGHT

The Tampa Tribune

Published: January 13, 2009

TAMPA PALMS - The healing is well under way at St. James United Methodist Church.

Less than a year after former church pastor Brian James resigned to seek help for an Internet pornography addiction, the church exceeded its Sunday services attendance goals.

More church members are taking part in mission outreach programs, volunteer projects and various church ministries.

"The church hasn't missed a beat,'' the Rev. Steve Ezra said.

Ezra took over as pastor at St. James in July. He served five years as associate pastor at Heritage United Methodist Church in Clearwater before his current assignment.

Ezra, a tall, bespectacled young preacher, has been praised by members for bringing stability and sound guidance to one of New Tampa's oldest, largest and most established churches.

"It's been great," said, Ezra, 39. "The church has been very receptive and supportive of me. This is a wonderful place."

The Indiana native was asked to fill a void left by James, who stepped down in December 2007 after seven years as the pastor. James left to seek treatment with the possibility of returning to the ministry.

The church hierarchy kept its promise.

On Jan. 1 James began a six-month appointment to preach part time at St. Mark United Methodist Church in Lakeland, said Erik Alsgaard, director of communications for the Florida Conference of the United Methodist Church.

James could not be reached for comment.

Church members said Ezra and Riley Short, who served as interim pastor for the first six months of 2008, deserve much of the credit for helping the 1,300-member congregation on Bruce B. Downs Boulevard to regain its confidence.

"They were the folks we needed for healing and reparation," said Patrick Joyce, a longtime member and chairman of the St. James's Staff-Parish Relations Committee.

Joyce said the bishop and district supervisor assigned to oversee area United Methodist Churches understood the church's needs at the time. They wisely assigned Short to begin the recovery process and for Ezra to later take over.

"Steve [Ezra] has been a breath of fresh air," Joyce said, adding that he also restored confidence to the pastor's office.

Of the interim pastor, Joyce said, "Riley Short built relationships in six months that are long-lasting."

Short is a retired pastor in Lakeland, Alsgaard said.

Ezra said he is motivated by the will of God to focus on the church's potential rather than on the past.

"That was not a positive situation, obviously,'' he said referring to James's admission and departure, "but this is a very good church, and I'm happy to be here."

The congregation has embraced the pastor, his wife, Karen, and their four children.

Ezra said he was called to the ministry at 16. He graduated from Purdue University in Indiana and Asbury Theological Seminary in Kentucky. He spent seven years serving congregations in South Bend and Fort Wayne, Ind., before the transfer to Florida.

He is studying toward a doctor of ministry degree at Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, Calif.

Although they never met, Ezra said he was aware of James's good work at St. James.

"Everybody loved the pastor," Ezra said. "He was a great guy, but the church moves on."

It appears the church is thriving.

A church audit conducted by the Rev. Sharon G. Austin, district supervisor for all of the United Methodist Churches in the area, found that from October 2007 to November 2008, St. James accomplished most of its goals and strategies for the year.

By November, the average attendance for Sunday morning services was 1,005, exceeding the 2008 goal of 900, the audit showed. St. James averaged about 850 for Sunday morning worship in 2007.

Ezra said church attendance swelled to about 1,500 on Sundays during the recent holiday season.

In 2007, about 300 parishioners were involved in church ministry work; the 2008 goal was to increase participation to a minimum of 400.

The audit said there was increased participation in the ministry programs, mission outreach and support classes last year.

"Through all we have been through, the unity of the congregation is tremendous," said Zebrah Jahnke, executive director of worship and arts at St. James.

"I'm so proud of the health of our church. We walked through together what could have been a difficult time, but it's all about looking forward."

Jahnke, a 10-year member at St. James and a three-year member of its leadership staff, said she cherishes a religious philosophy shared by all of the three past pastors. They preached on the importance of sharing God's love and "loving on people."

Brian Crawford, 56, of Lutz said he and his wife, Kim, visited St. James in June, just prior to Ezra's arrival. They liked the warmth and friendliness of its members, and then were drawn to Ezra's informal style of preaching when he arrived.

"We found him to be an excellent teacher," Crawford said. "He is all about the teaching."

Crawford, a church guitarist, said St. James has an intimacy that's infectious.

The building hosts three Sunday morning services: 8 and 11 a.m. contemporary services wrapped around a 9:30 a.m. traditional service.

St. James is a busy place most of the year. Many of its members volunteer at the church's charity-based ministries.

The church works with Metropolitan Ministries and The Children's Home. It also does mission work in Africa, assists a sister church in Cuba and supports homeless and HIV and AIDS ministries.

"We are about making disciples of Jesus Christ," Ezra said. "This church has been doing that for 21 years."

Ezra said the church is capable of reaching more people.

"There are thousands of people within easy driving to our church who don't have a church home," he said.

In addition to New Tampa, the church draws from Wesley Chapel, Dade City, Zephyrhills, Brandon and as far as Sarasota.

"If we can do our ministry with excellence, relevancy and provide choices, then we are fairly well positioned to reach more people for Christ," Ezra said.

He encourages the congregation to worship God with zest and joy.

"I think fulfilling our mission should be fun," he said. "It's about doing the Lord's business and having fun along the way."

Reporter Kenneth Knight can be reached at (813) 865-4842.

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