Greetings!

Friday Contemplation: Once upon a time, I could tolerate the cold. I mean, I went to Penn State and trekked all the way across campus for a 7 a.m. English class in the dead of winter. But no more. 27 years in Florida will do that to a person. Saturday is supposed to be the coldest day in Tampa in a decade. I've heard folks discussing the impact on Gasparilla. We should be more concerned about something else: its impact on people who are unsheltered.

Cold Night Shelter. The Portico serves as a cold night shelter for people experiencing homelessness. When Hillsborough County activates the shelters, we open up for 45 people. It appears that we will be a cold night shelter on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday night. It makes a difference. But it takes servant volunteers to make it happen. To sign up click here.

Equal Justice Pilgrimage. Join The Justice Team as we "March Fourth" to The National Memorial for Peace and Justice in Montgomery, AL from March 4 - 6. We are chartering a bus and booking a two-night hotel stay near The Equal Justice Initiative. We'll also officially deliver the soil from the Robert Johnson memorial ceremony.

Spots are filling up quickly. 10 rooms have been set aside for single occupancy and 10 for double. Our goal is for 30 guests to travel in a 55 passenger bus. Click here for costs, registration, & more info. If you have any questions, contact Chalette.

It's going to be an experience that you will never forget. I hope you'll join me on this life-changing pilgrimage.

You are Loved.

Justin

--
The Rev. Justin LaRosa, LCSW
Director & Minister, The Portico
O: 813.222.2299 | M: 813.444.2941
1001 N. Florida Ave.,
Tampa, FL 33602
Conversation. Connection. Community Change.
Websites for The Portico and The Portico Cafe.


P.S. Join a new group below, invite someone to the Sunday Matinee (Chosen), or ORDER some coffee to support The Cafe. We are 33 coffee bags away from January's goal!

The Portico includes a neighborhood cafe, a historic chapel, spaces to meet and work, and an event space for the public that enhances the social, artistic, and spiritual fabric of Tampa through Conversation, Connection and Community Change!

The Portico Community is a non-conventional church whose mission is to make God’s Love Real through spiritual practices and to serve the city and world in ways that address equality, housing insecurity, and economic challenge. We are a community of Hyde Park United Methodist.

The Portico Cafe is a social enterprise that offers people transitioning from homelessness, addiction, and incarceration--job training, employment ladders, and connections to safe, affordable housing.
The Hillsborough County EJI Community Remembrance Project has been working as a coalition since January of 2020 to answer a call to action of Bryan Stevenson and the Equal Justice Initiative.

As a coalition and a region, we have acknowledged and raised awareness about the history of racial terror in our county. Part of this process has included a soil collection and memorial service in remembrance of those who died as a result of racial terror murders and lynchings in Hillsborough County.

The next step in this project is the delivery of the Tampa soil to The National Memorial for Peace and Justice in Montgomery, AL.
Join The Justice Team as we "March Fourth" to The National Memorial for Peace and Justice in Montgomery.
 
We have charted a bus and booked a block of rooms for a two-night hotel stay near The Equal Justice Initiative headquarters which manages both The Memorial and The Legacy Museum.
 
During our time at The Memorial, we'll officially deliver the soil from the Robert Johnson memorial ceremony previously hosted at The Portico.
 
For more information on how to join The Justice Team or our trip to Montgomery, contact Chalette@theportico.org.
Sunday Gathering
Grow more deeply in love. Consider these spiritual practices and gatherings:

  • Sunday Gathering, 2/13 at 10:30: Come every 2nd Sunday to build relationships, have conversations about life and scripture, practice silence, and serve together!

  • Community Meal, 2/13 at Noon: Participate Sunday where we get our "knees under tables" with friends and neighbors who are unsheltered or hungry and occurs immediately after the Sunday Gathering.

Join a Small Group

Our community thrives as we gather, grow and serve. The Portico's primary vehicle for that is small groups. We have a bunch. If you can't find one, Justin or Mark B will help you create or join one. These new groups have spots available. Join a Group

  • Men's Joe 8, 6:30 a.m. Tuesdays (in person). 2 spots. Justin.
  • Men's Joe 9, 7:30 a.m. Tuesdays (hybrid). 3 spots. 1x month in person. Group that focuses on how to grow in love. Email Mark.
  • Women's Joe 4, 6:30 p.m. Tuesdays (hybrid). 1x month in person. 3 spots. Email Sarah.
  • Transformational Elderhood, 10 - 11:15 a.m., (in person) Feb 1 - April 19. Email Gary.
Events, Gathering, Serve

  • Sunday Matinee at The Portico, Feb 6 - April 24, 3 - 4:30 p.m. Showing The Chosen Series! Community and Multigenerational Family Event with popcorn, coffee and soft drinks.

  • Habitat Build: build Mindi's house! The second Friday of every month for the next 6 months, we'll come together to build and create a great future. Sign up here.


Coffee On A Mission
As of today: 67 Bags Sold 

The Mission: 100 Bags in 30 Days 
The Coffee: Locally-roasted Portico Blends (medium and dark) and Don Carlos Espresso
The Cause: Stand against homelessness with every gift or purchase.
Buy, get a subscription, or donate: ThePorticoCafe.org.

We ship ANYWHERE in the U.S. coast to coast. 
The Portico | 1001 N. Florida Avenue | 813.222.2299 | ThePortico.org