New Pastor at Peoples PC is interviewed by CNN

Apathy, anger and relief: How voters around the country are processing the end of Mueller

Evan Amo, a self-described liberal independent, is a pastor at Peoples Presbyterian Church in Denver.

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"I care about corruption and conspiracy and collusion and nepotism and all that, but I think that the duration of this whole process has led me to feel skeptical and less hopeful," said Evan Amo, a 30-year-old Presbyterian pastor who just recently moved to Denver and did not support Trump in 2016. "I think a lot of people are just feeling fatigued by the whole investigation process."

Democrats and liberals now have to confront a difficult truth: The inquiry that consumed so much of Washington for the better part of two years ended, and which many Democrats hoped would bring down the President, has left him and his supporters feeling vindicated and vengeful.

For Amo, a self-described liberal independent, the outcome has caused him to examine his own motivations. "I would prefer that Trump is not our president, but I just don't think it is constructive to wish for this investigation to prove his guilt just because we despise him or to have a victory over Republicans," he said. "That's the tension that I have: What are my motives? Do I want a loss for Trump and a win for my party, or do I want justice for our Democracy as whole?"

Rev. Carol Parsons Talks with the Director of The Spirituals Project Choir

The Sacred Power of Spirituals

Talking with the Director of The Spirituals Project Choir

For more than a year, the Saturday Lunch Committee has worked to bring The Spirituals Project Choir to the First Presbyterian Church of Littleton. Their faithfulness and God’s grace has proven successful. This astonishing Choir will perform in our sanctuary on April 27 at 1 p.m.

Rev. Carol Parsons, recently sat down with the Choir’s director, M. Roger Holland, II, in his office at the Lamont School of Music on the University of Denver campus. A graduate of Union Theological Seminary in New York City where he received his Master of Divinity degree, Roger also served as Artist-in-Residence and director of the Union Gospel Choir for over 13 years. In 2015 Union awarded him the Trailblazer Distinguished Alumni Award, the first given to a graduate whose ministry is music, for his contributions to the legacy of African American music. He received a master’s degree in piano performance from the Manhattan School of Music also in New York, and completed his undergraduate work at Westminster Choir College in Princeton, New Jersey, where he majored in Music Education with concentrations in piano and voice. “Come and hear,” Carol Parsons.

Carol: In my experience, many people, myself included, confuse Spirituals with Gospels or think

they are two words for the same music. What’s the difference?

Roger: First of all, they are two separate genres. The music of Spirituals precedes Gospel music. There’s a quote I like to use from the musician and scholar, Wendell Whalum, who wrote that “The Spirituals are the root and trunk of all black music, and really all American music.” Spirituals emerged during the period of slavery in this country and are the convergence of African culture, Christianity, and the social condition of slavery. So, you have enslaved Africans, who brought with them their own culture, their own understanding of the world, and their own musical idioms. Then they were introduced to Christianity, which they understood even though very often the message that was presented to them by their slave owners and missionaries was that slaves should obey their masters and that God had ordained for them to be enslaved. But they did not believe that. They heard the other Bible messages—that God is a deliverer and intercedes on behalf of those who are oppressed and less fortunate.

Carol: Are there recurring themes in the music of Spirituals?

Roger: The main themes have to do with freedom, heaven, and the humanity of people.

Carol: What is the Spirituals Project Choir?

Roger: In 1998, The Spirituals Project was founded by Dr. Arthur C. Jones to preserve and revitalize the music and teachings of the sacred songs called “spirituals”, created and first sung by enslaved Africans in America in the 18th and 19th centuries. The Spirituals Project Choir endeavors to accomplish this through performance and various educational initiatives such as lectures, symposia, and conferences. The Spirituals Project Choir is perhaps the most visible part of The Spirituals Project, as an entity that meets to regularly rehearse and perform. One may think of The Spirituals Project Choir as the public ambassador for the work of the Project.

Carol: Where do the members of the Spirituals Project Choir come from?

Roger: They come from the community at large. A wide range of people, who are Jewish, Protestant, Catholic, non-denominational, and unaffiliated participate in the choir. They are all ages and from many cultures and ethnicities.

Carol: Why has the music of the Spirituals endured as long as it has?

Roger: This music has a power unto itself. These songs were a great part of why slave communities were able to manage. Creating and singing Spirituals affirmed for them their own humanity. And that power has not diminished through time.

Carol: Can you say more about the community-based aspect of Spirituals?

Roger: It’s not like after working a 12-hour shift in the fields, slaves got together to work on the songs they were going to sing the next day in the fields, saying, “You sing this part, and you sing this part, and you lead.” These melodies had to be easy to catch on to. A person started singing and others joined in and verses came about as people were inspired, responding to real life situations.

Carol: Why did you decide to leave your roots and successes in New York City to come to Denver

to teach at the Lamont School of Music and direct The Spirituals Project Choir?

Roger: Again, it is important to distinguish the overall mission of The Spirituals Project, which is achieved through both education and performance. I strongly believe in the work and mission of the Project, and greatly appreciate the diversity of the music that the Choir performs, inclusive of various styles and genres of the African American experience. It’s dual approach of education and performance was attractive to me, myself as a performer and educator.

Carol: What is your hope for The Spirituals Project Choir?

Roger: My hope is that through this ministry, if you will, the music that we do and the mission we have—sharing the story and sharing the music—that people will become cognizant of what this music means; and we can use Spirituals not only for change, but also for healing and reconciliation.

Presbytery of Zimbabwe Statement on Cyclone Idai

Presbytery of Zimbabwe Statement on Cyclone Idai

March 2019

The Origin and Path of the Cyclone:

Cyclone Idai originated on the 4th March and has taken a two week journey of destruction into south-east Africa. The cyclone hit Mozambique causing catastrophic damage with whole towns left destroyed and underwater in and around Beira. The cyclone moved into Malawi and into the eastern part of Zimbabwe, a completely landlocked country. Idai reached its peak with maximum winds of 195 km/h (120 mph)!

According to statistics from the news, Cyclone Idai has claimed the lives of hundreds of people and affected more than 1 million others. The death toll so far is at:

-          150 in Mozambique

-          98 in Zimbabwe

-          56 in Malawi

-          7 in South Africa

-          3 in Madagascar

The Destruction in Eastern Zimbabwe:

Many roads are underwater, damaged and rendered impassable, whole villages have been totally sunk under the flood waters, and bridges have been compromised. The result is that many communities have been left trapped because there is no way of getting into their areas and no way for them to get out. This includes boarding schools that are also trapped with children in them.

A new problem is the resultant lack of electricity in the affected areas. This means that communication has been cut off because even cellphones and internet connection require electricity to be usable.

Ironically, there is “water water everywhere but not a drop to drink,” because the water everywhere is actually mud water. In addition, there is a dire need for food, shelter, clothing, blankets - everything that a person needs to survive. Fuel also is needed for helicopters to take provisions to affected people and to airlift the ones who need to be taken to hospitals.

The Response of the People of Zimbabwe:

Zimbabwe has been experiencing a build-up of negative experiences: from the prevailing economic difficulties, to the semi-drought situation of this last farming season, to the January public riots, demonstrations and violence, to Cyclone Idai and its destructive effects.

Yet the people of Zimbabwe have responded overwhelmingly by putting aside their own hardships and instead putting together aid for the victims of the cyclone. In every town and city there are collection centres that have been set up by companies, churches and non-profit organizations where people are giving food, clothing, medical supplies and money for the victims. Many are offering their labour as they do the job of sorting, packing and loading trucks full of supplies going to eastern Zimbabwe.

A major collection centre for receiving and distributing donations has been set up at St Columba’s Presbyterian Church in Mutare. From there, the goods will be taken into the affected areas with the help of helicopters and planes. In Harare, Highlands Presbyterian Church has also been set up as a major collection centre loading goods onto haulage trucks headed for eastern Zimbabwe.

We are witnessing a measure of the Matthew 25 community: “For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me” (Matthew 25:35-36).

 Our Call:

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·       Ironically the cyclone was named ‘Idai’ which in Shona (a Zimbabwean language) means the instruction, the imperative or the command to “love!” We are calling on the people of Zimbabwe to continue to love those who have been affected.

·       The Presbytery of Zimbabwe affirms the united ecumenical, inter-faith, and diverse efforts that are already taking place in the country to send aid to the victims.

·       The Presbytery is calling on every single person in the Presbytery to take their place in helping the victims of Cyclone Idai: we can encourage our school children to collect goods, congregations to organize assistance in whatever creative ways they can, citizens to raise awareness, and those in companies to raise funds, because we all can and need to do something.

·       We call upon all to take advantage of the collection centres that have been set up in each and every city and town, waiting for our donations and/or our labour. 

 In summary we are calling on everyone, inside and outside Zimbabwe, to come alongside us to engage in 3 C’s: 

1.     C- Care:          Care for the victims by giving material help & solidarity messages.

2.     C- Comfort     Comfort the victims psycho-socially, and raising awareness.

3.     C- Cover         Cover the disaster and all the humanitarian aid efforts in prayer. 

Click here for printable copy of statement.

Stephen Ministry Materials Available

The follow Stephen Ministry Material is available to any interested church:

  • 32 Books: “A Time to Grieve” by Kenneth C. Hough

  • 2 boxes of Supervision Group Facilitator materials

  • 1 box of Promotional materials (buttons, booklets etc.)

  • 10 packets containing the book “Speaking the Truth in Love”

Please contact Elinor Packard at First Presbyterian Church in Littleton for more information.

Puppet Ministry Available

Dave Day, a member of one of our churches has over $1000 of equipment including: 

  • 35 puppets with storage bags for each

  • A complete puppet stage, which is made up of PVC poles and associated curtains. This is approx. 25 ft wide when completely set up, but can be set up without the side wings.

  • fax band equipment for performances

  • Bubble Machine

  • Smoke Machine

  • Christian Puppet skits books

  • A giant Octopus and Lion (puppet) for Daniel and the Lions Den skit

 Click here for video that shows the stage and lots of pictures of the puppets that are available and of all the ancillary equipment.

Anyone interested, please contact Dave at 303.880.2660.