Gun Buyback | January 16, 2022

Dear Friends in Christ,                                                                                                                

Gun violence has increased 135% in Aurora in 2021. Have you wondered how the congregation that you serve can take faith-based action in response to this pervasive violence?

Join Mountain View United Church, Aurora and 6th Avenue United Church of Christ, Denver  as we create an ecumenical coalition to host a RAWtools Gun BuyBack on Sunday, January 16, 2022 to get guns off the streets. RAWtools literally “turns guns into plowshares” by cutting the surrendered guns into pieces that are later foged into garden tools and jewelry.

We need to raise $10,000 to host a RAWtools Gun BuyBack. This money is used to pay individuals for each gun surrendered. The buybacks are: $100 for long guns like hunting rifles; $200 for handguns; $300 for assault rifles.  We believe we can do this with the help of an ecumenical coalition of Christians who are tired of the scourge of gun violence in our neighborhoods. Here is the breakdown for fundraising per congregation:  

10 congregaitons - $1,000; 15 congregations - $666; 20 congregations 500; 25 congregations - $400

On January 16, 2022, the Sunday of MLK Day weekend, we will honor the nonviolent legacy of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. with a worship service at 6th Ave. UCC (10:00-11:00) where volunteers will be blessed and commissioned for the Gun BuyBack that will be hosted at Mountain View United Church (1:00-3:00). During the worship service surrendered guns will be sawed into pieces to be made into garden tools and other resistance art.

Our partner “RAWtools’ mission to “disarm hearts, forge peace, cultivate justice” is driven by our ability to make a choice about the tools we use to navigate conflict. As we lose more than 109 people a day to gun violence in the United States, it’s becoming more and more clear that guns have no place in conflict resolution. Many folks donate their guns to RAWtools because they do not need them anymore”(from RAWtools website.)

We ask that congregations take a special offering during Advent, on Christmas Eve, or on Epiphany Sunday in the spirit to turn “guns into plowshares” as a gift to the Prince of Peace. Let us be messengers of justice and goodwill just like the wisemen who visited the Christ child and returned a different way as a defiant act of justice confronting Herod and his reign of terror. Gun violence in the U.S.A. is a reign of terror in our schools and neighborhoods. Let us join our hearts and fianncial gifts to confront and transform tools of terror to tools of life this Advent, Christmas and Epiphany.

Online giving option: Go to mtviewunited.org click on the Donation link. Once in tithe.ly click on “Mission All.” Once you have filled out the amount donated write “buyback” in the memo.

We are confident that as an ecumencial coalition of congregations we are able to raise $10,000 to jointly sponsor the January 16th RAWtools Gun BuyBack! Your commitment date is Janauray 6th – Epiphany! Will you step up and courageously support this effort? Please contact Rev. Tracy Hughes or Rev. Chris Gilmore if you have any questions.

Peace and Blessings,

Rev. Dr. Tracy L. Hughes and                         Rev. Chris Gilmore
Lead Minister                                                    Lead Minister
Mountain View United Church                     6th Avenue United Church of Christ
10700 E. Evans Avenue                                    3250 E. 6th Avenue
Aurora, CO 80012                                             Denver, CO 80206
revtracy@mtviewunited.org                          chris@sixthavenueucc.org

THE NOMINATING COMMITTEE NEEDS YOUR HELP!

As we continue the process of providing nominations for the January, 2022 Assembly, we have a number of positions available for ruling elders. 

Specifically, we need volunteers, especially females, to serve on the Committee on Ministry (COM) in Classes 2023 and 2024.  This very important committee works with ministers and congregations and Presbytery resources to help address many issues.  COM helps churches in transition, supports congregations in times of stress and is particularly important when a congregation seeks an interim or called pastor.   

Individuals who enjoy a challenge while working to achieve a successful result will find serving on COM a rewarding experience. Although we have emphasized our recruiting for ruling elders, we also need ministers to serve on COM.   COM meets at 6:00 p.m. on the first Monday of the month, currently by Zoom. 

We also need ruling elders and ministers (male and female) to serve on the Committee for Preparation for Ministry.  This committee provides mentoring and support to inquirers and candidates seeking to enter ordained ministry.  Individuals serving on the CPM often build close bonds with persons entering the ministry and help enable that person to prepare for all the steps towards ordination.  Persons with an willingness to work with candidates using PCUSA educational requirements and standards are needed throughout the year. 

We also have one opening on the Partnership of Zimbabwe and Denver Presbyteries (PZDP) Committee for either a male or female minister, elder, deacon or lay person.  The PZDP is our mission outreach to our brothers and sister in Zimbabwe and is a very enjoyable way to support Christ’s church in Zimbabwe.   

Also, active and retired ministers are always needed in various leadership roles throughout Presbytery standing committees and work groups.

We have received no YAAD applications for General Assembly in 2022. If you know of a young member of the church age 17-23 who is interested, application can be found online on our website, click here.

Thank you for the help. We look forward to hearing from you with all those wonderful names!

The Presbytery Nominating Committee

Church Property Review to begin in January 2022

To:       Denver Presbytery Member Churches, Pastors, Sessions

From:  Denver Presbytery Council

Re:      Presbytery of Denver Real Property Review Program

In January 2022, Denver Presbytery will begin a two-year program to inventory and value all real property (land and buildings) owned by the presbytery and its member churches. This review will provide information that can assist you in determining appropriate insurance coverages and the need, if any, for a formal appraisal. The information can also help your church when considering property options, including potential sale or lease of portions of your property. For the presbytery, it will provide better knowledge of all the real property assets under the domain of the presbytery.

We anticipate this review program will be completed in two years by the real estate firm currently representing the presbytery, Shames Makovsky. The firm will utilize publicly available property records (such as zoning and any unique property restrictions) and will provide a realtor estimate of value based on viewing the property and considering comparable values from real estate sales of similar property. The realtor conducting the survey will not physically enter church buildings unless requested by you. You will be notified a few weeks in advance when and if the realtor will be visiting your church’s property.

Please note that a realtor estimate does not meet the standards of a property appraisal. If a member church wants to obtain a more in-depth review of its property, it can make separate arrangements with this real estate firm, or a firm of your choice. Churches that have recently completed a review and valuation of their property (due to construction, PILP loan, or for any other purpose) may provide the information to the presbytery in lieu of participation in the program.

Shames Makovsky has offered to complete the property review program over a two-year period. The firm has already provided property reviews and valuations for some member churches, and these have been very helpful. There will not be a cost to you or the presbytery for the review program. Denver Presbyter will cover the firm’s mileage reimbursement for visiting churches located outside of the Denver metro area.

Any questions you may have about the property review program should be forwarded to the moderator of Denver Presbytery’s Finance & Property Workgroup, Pat Queen at 303-997-4471 or pat_queen@comcast.net.

Help Afghan Refugees

Lutheran Family Services Rocky Mountains (LFSRM) works together with Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service (LIRS), and other churches, organizations, community groups, businesses, and individuals to provide the services and supplies necessary for refugees to become self-sufficient and integrate into their new communities.

Recently, LFSRM has received a large number of inquiries and offers of help concerning Afghan refugees who will be resettled in Colorado. Unable to respond to each request, they've compiled a list of answers to frequently asked questions, as well as some general information and resources, that we want to share with you.

When will refugees and Special Immigrant Visas (SIVs) from the emergency evacuations be arriving in Colorado? How many people will be coming here?

We don’t know—US-based resettlement agencies such as ourselves are not involved in the evacuation itself, and there are a lot of uncertainties about timing and logistics right now, as you have surely seen in the news. What we do know is that LFSRM and all the other resettlement agencies are preparing for when they do arrive. And Afghan refugees and SIVs have been part of our caseload for years, so we are using that experience to prepare to serve those who are evacuated due to current events as well.

How can I help?

Here are some of the most common ways that we can use the support of our welcoming community (you!):

Financial support:

We will need rental support for new refugee families. Contribute here and select “Refugee and Asylee Programs;” if desired, you can indicate “Afghanistan response” or “rental assistance” in the comment field; if you do not write a comment, funds will support our refugee programs in general (items such as case management, employment services, and household items).

Donating household items or furniture for new refugee families:

• To purchase new household items: we have an Amazon wish list. Bedding sets and pot/pan sets are a priority need; items ship directly to LFSRM.

• To donate used household items or furniture: please contact donations coordinator, Luis, at 303-525-5020. Please allow up to a week for response (we have received many inquiries in this area and we have limited storage space, so please understand that we may not be able to accept your donation). UPDATE: We are currently only accepting very limited furniture, as our warehouse is mostly full. BEDS and DRESSERS are still needed.

• If you have small basic household goods (bedding, towels, kitchen items), you can drop them off at our warehouse at 520 Raritan Way, Denver, 80204 on Fridays from 9:00-3:00 (until further notice). We are working to set up additional drop-offs for the coming weeks.

• We are working with local partners (military, faith communities, and nonprofit) to ship clothing and shoes to Afghan evacuees in Qatar. Please contact Brannon at brannonmaeaviation@gmail.com for more information.

Volunteer:

• We are in need of volunteer co-sponsors and Cultural Mentors. Each volunteer team of 4-6 volunteers is matched with a new family. Mentors make a commitment of 6 months/ approximately 4 hours per month. We are also asking co-sponsors of Afghans with refugee applications pending to raise $5,000-$10,000 to cover rent, as these families will only be eligible for very limited assistance and will need help with rent costs.

• Register for a volunteer informational session here.

Housing:

• If you are a landlord and are interested in renting a unit to a refugee family, please email our Housing Coordinator, Danielle.winter@lfsrm.org.

• We are currently keeping a list of those interested in providing temporary housing (~2 weeks, free of charge). However, this is a limited need at this time as the timing of arrivals is uncertain. Please email our Housing Coordinator, Danielle.Winter@lfsrm.org, with your contact information, and she will contact you within the next 1-2 weeks.

Advocacy:

• Write your elected officials to express your support for Afghan refugees and SIVs.

• Advocacy toolkit.

Youth Mission Opportunities Available with Scholarships from Cultivation & Innovation

The Youth Mission Co Mission Scholar program is a year-long intensive program for 9th-12th grade youth from around the Denver Presbytery area who are interested in diving deeply into mission, service, the root causes of social injustices, and discernment regarding God’s call in their lives.

Through the co-leadership of Rev. Doug Friesema (First Presbyterian Aurora) and Rev. Blair Buckley (Minister at Large), youth will have the opportunity to:

• learn about topics such as homelessness, poverty, food insecurity, healthcare, and other social concerns in the Denver and mountain areas. Together we'll learn about the root causes of these issues, their history, and the systems that perpetuate them.

• learn through our experiences, working among neighbors who are marginalized and working within agencies throughout Denver and the mountain region.

• look to our faith tradition and the Bible for insights of God's call to support and stand with the marginalized.

• listen for God’s call in our lives to help marginalized and oppressed people, through the exploration of our interests and life goals.

• have the opportunity to connect with youth from around the Presbytery of Denver, with leaders of community agencies (locally and nationally), and with community organizers and theologians.

WHO WILL BE PART OF THE COHORT?

Youth! This cohort is for high school youth in 9th - 12th grades living in the Denver and mountain areas. This cohort is capped at 10 participants.

• Facilitators: Rev. Doug Friesema and Rev. Blair Buckley both have a heart for mission and a passion for youth. They will be organizing and leading this group over the course of the year. Learn more about them at our YouTube Page.

• Youth Mission Co (YMCo): Youth Mission Co is a youth mission organization based out of Asheville, NC. YMCo has developed this program out of their experiences of hosting and leading mission opportunities for youth. YMCo's executive director, Bill Buchanan, and staff will join via zoom from time to time. While we won't see them much, they will accompany the facilitators and youth along the way and play a big role behind the scenes.

• Guests: Throughout the year the cohort will be joined by community and agency leaders engaged in justice work in our local area. YMCo has relationships with youth and community leaders from around the country. There may be opportunities to connect with similar cohorts in other parts of the country and to be joined by guests via zoom.

PROGRAM ELEMENTS

An initial group experience of Mission Immersion with fellow mission scholars and facilitators.

Monthly zoom and/or in person meetings with the mission scholars, including special guest speakers and planned discussions.

Ongoing mission engagement throughout the year, as determined in a mission immersion plan set at the beginning of the process.

Monthly connection with a designated mentor to debrief and discuss your local engagement.

A midpoint weekend mission immersion with fellow mission scholars and YMCo Facilitators

A creative project or presentation that the scholar chooses and develops throughout the year on a particular concern that is meaningful to them (homelessness, poverty, food insecurity, etc.) This project is shared with their fellow scholars and home congregation and includes their personal experiences engaging in this issue, the history of this issue, the systems and dynamics that perpetuate the issue, keys to solving the issue, and their theology related to the issue.

A closing gathering and celebration of Mission Immersion with their fellow mission scholars and YMCo Facilitator.

DATES

This cohort will begin with a Mission Immersion Day on Saturday, September 11, 2021. The deadline to sign up is August 21, 2021. You can apply online HERE!

COST

$100/month

Cultivation and Innovation, a workgroup of the Presbytery of Denver, will sponsor each youth participant for 1/3 of the cost. It is recommended that churches help offset the costs by 1/3, so that participants are responsible for 1/3 of the cost. This would amount to $400.00 for the year. Youth who are interested should apply regardless of finances.

Cost includes:

• Initial Mission Immersion Day

• Mid-year Mission Immersion Weekend

• Closing Mission Immersion

• Staffing and guest speakers

• Consultation for creative project

• Individual consultation with Youth Mission Co staff, including the Executive Director, Bill Buchanan

COVID CONCERNS

As formal health guidance and projections continue to change, we will continue to adapt our plans for this cohort to ensure the well-being of cohort members and our community. We anticipate a hybrid of zoom and in person gatherings over the course of the year together. Any in person gatherings will follow current guidelines for social distancing and health screenings.

In the face of this uncertainty, there is only one thing we can all do to prepare for the unpredictable—and that’s be flexible.

While this creates certain challenges, it also creates opportunities! We're hopeful that this makes it easier for youth in both mountain communities and the city to participate together via zoom. It also opens up the possibility for connecting with youth and leaders from around the country.

CONTACT

For questions or to express interest in participating in this cohort contact Denver.Mission.Scholar@gmail.com.

225th General Assembly Commissioner (and YAAD) Applications now available!

The 225th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church USA will meet in Louisville, Kentucky, June 18 – July 9, 2022. Denver Presbytery sends four Commissioners (two Ministers of Word and Sacrament and two Ruling Elders) and one Young Adult Advisory Delegate (YAAD) to each General Assembly. We are searching for a Minister of Word and Sacrament and a YADD to join three previously elected Commissioners. It will also be necessary to elect one alternate minister and elder.

In 2019 four Commissioners, two alternates and one YAAD were elected to represent Denver Presbytery at the 224th General Assembly, held virtually over four days in June 2020. Due to the abbreviated nature of that General Assembly (COVID-19 precautions), Presbytery asked the same commissioners to represent us at the upcoming 225th General Assembly in 2022. One of the previously selected Commissioners and the YADD are not able to participate next year.

Next year’s General Assembly will be a hybrid meeting, with committees meeting in-person between June 18 and July 4. Plenary sessions will be held virtually and in-person on June 18th and virtually between July 5 and July 9th. There will be a total of 10 days of committee and plenary service. Commissioners elected by the Presbytery are asked to place a tentative hold on their calendars from June 17-July 9, 2022, until committee assignments are made (by late February 2022). Once assignments are made, participants may clear any days their assigned committee will not be meeting. All commissioners and advisory delegates are expected to attend the worship and plenary sessions scheduled during the week of July 5-9. See the full docket here.

Being a Commissioner or YAAD is a wonderful opportunity to serve Christ’s church and to enrich your theological, social and spiritual life. However, it will entail some hard work. There will be extensive advance preparation for the General Assembly, possibly as much as 80 hours of reading and study. Nearly all reports, agendas, dockets and other documents will primarily be available electronically. You will need the skills and electronic devices to access these materials. We will also expect Commissioners and YAADs to report on the General Assembly activities at an appropriate meeting of Presbytery and speak upon request to forums, congregations, and Sessions.

There are eligibility criteria for each type of commissioner. Ministers should be an active or at-large member of the Presbytery for at least two years by the time of the election by the Presbytery to the General Assembly, and must have been ordained for at least three years by the time of the General Assembly. A minister should have attended six out of the last ten Presbytery Assemblies. Ruling Elders must have been a member of a church in the Denver Presbytery for at least two years by the time of the General Assembly. The church of the elder’s current membership should have had commissioner representation at six of the last ten Presbytery Assemblies.

All church Sessions will be invited to submit an endorsement of a young adult, who is age 18-23 years on the date the General Assembly convenes and who meets the General Assembly age eligibility. The young adult will also submit a self-nomination.

We ask that you give prayerful consideration to seek becoming a General Assembly Commissioner Alternate or Young Adult Advisory Delegate. Commissioners and the YAAD will be elected at the October 2021 Presbytery Assembly. The Presbytery of Denver policy governing applications can be found at this link.

APPLICATIONS WILL BE ACCEPTED THROUGH SEPTEMBER 17, 2021.

What is my time commitment for the 225th General Assembly?
In conversations across the church, many are asking that question as the hybrid General Assembly will cover a three-week period, June 18 – July 9, 2022. Commissioners and Advisory Delegates will spend 10 days in plenary sessions and committee work.

In this special edition of “On the Road to GA”, the Office of the General Assembly breaks down the schedule to give potential commissioners and advisory delegates a clearer picture of their time commitments.