Shared Funding Ministry Now Accepting Grants Applications!

Your church is eligible to apply for a Shared Funding Ministry grant in September.

The Shared Ministry Funding grant program was started in 2021 to help Presbytery churches move forward and fund projects and initiatives important to the future of their church. The funds for SFM grants are provided using a portion of the proceeds received from the sale of closed churches. The SFM Workgroup can approve and fund grants up to $75,000. Larger grants require Council approval. The program was designed to evaluate and approve grants at specific times during the year. The next grant application time period begins September 1, 2022 and grant applications are due no later than October 7, 2022 for early 2023 funding. Approximately $191,000 total in grant funds remain available at this time. Some other important facts about the program:

• The word “Shared” in the program name means that the church applying for a grant is expected to share in the cost of project using their own funds or funds obtained elsewhere.

• A church obtaining a SFM grant cannot apply for another SFM grant for 3 years.

• Examples of eligible expenses include:

  • Minor facility improvements

  • Technology and A/V equipment for enhancing or streaming worship

  • Temporary or partial funding for new or transformed staff reporting to pastor

  • Expenses related to safety, accessibility, and ADA compliance

  • Energy efficiency expenses

  • Start-up funds for innovative new programs or ministries

  • Funds to supplement or put the finishing touches on a major project

  • Funds for retaining a consultant to help the church plan for the future

  • Be creative and ask if you have a need not described above

• Certain type of expenses are not eligible for grant funding, such as:

  • Emergency expenses

  • Current operating expenses

  • Expenses otherwise funded by the Presbytery (e.g. Mission Partnerships)

  • Facilities/buildings major renovations and construction (PILP available for these)

  • Pastor salaries

Seventeen of your fellow Presbytery churches have already benefitted from this grant program. Get additional information and the grant application by emailing sharedfundingministry@denpres.org or by visiting the Presbytery website, denpres.org/grants

You showed up DenPres Community! Matthew 25 Month of Engagement Summary

The Denver Presbytery invited all churches to participate in a Matthew 25 Month of Engagement in May. Almost two thousand hours were posted across ten churches. THANK YOU! The stories of Hope in Action are inspiring to all.

Matthew 25 Presbytery-wide Initiative | A Bold Vision and Invitation

Build Congregational Vitality | Dismantle Structural Racism | Eradicate Systemic Poverty

EDUCATION
Education continues to be a major theme in our collective journey to understand – and prepare ourselves to take meaningful action against -- structural racism and systemic poverty. 

Faith Formation Leadership from the Presbytery gathered to share resources for the Matthew 25 Initiative in congregations for all ages. A rich resource list was created and shared.

Books cited across the Presbytery included “How to be an Anti-Racist” by Ibram X. Kendi and “God and Race” by Siebeling and Francis.  “God and Race” cites Revelation as God's plan for race: 'After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb.'"

Other helpful resources were “Facing Racism” from PCUSA, “Enduring Legacy of Racism,” and "The Flag and the Cross." The PBS documentary “Slavery by Another Name,” lays out how a corrupt criminal justice system continues to drive catastrophic results.

Published diversity-related definitions in weekly enews and/or bulletins to keep anti-racism in mind and to build related vocabulary,. For Pride Month (June) the definition included the Presbyterian history with LGTBQ+ people. Prepared a flyer for Juneteenth for distribution during worship.

COLLABORATIVE WORSHIP
A joint worship service between a historic Black congregation and a majority-white congregation included significant conversation and a sermon about love shown through acts of service -- presented in dialog form. Encouraged participation in Central Presbyterian’s Civil Rights Pilgrimage in June.

ADVOCACY
Emails and petitions for human rights and environmental rights especially for those most exposed to pollution, typically communities of color.  Contacted Senator Bennet asking for a "yes" vote to end Title 42, the public health order that keeps thousands of migrants from entering the US and seek asylum.

Attended vigils at GEO Detention Center in Aurora in support of immigrants held in detention.

IMMIGRANTS and REFUGEES
Emails and petitions for human rights and environmental rights especially for those most exposed to pollution, typically communities of color.  Contacted Senator Bennet asking for a "yes" vote to end Title 42, the public health order that keeps thousands of migrants from entering the US and seek asylum.

Attended vigils at GEO Detention Center in Aurora in support of immigrants held in detention.

FOOD BANKS | HELPING THE MARGINALIZED
Donated time and resources to Good Shepherd’s Food Bank, Food Bank of the Rockies, Metrocaring, the St. Francis Center, and other food banks in the area.  Also provided fresh water and clean-up for the unhoused.

Good Shepherd has been operating a busy food bank for almost 30 years. In May served over 380 individuals of which 86 are seniors and 192 are children. Some of the Food Bank clients attend worship with us.

Metrocaring works with our community to meet people’s immediate need for nutritious food while building a movement to address the root causes of hunger.  Also offers innovative programming in Healthy Foods Access, Nutrition Education, Cooking Classes, and more.

Hosted a thank you Dinner for nine of the volunteers who served at CARES Shares Food Bank in Strasburg, which closed on May 13th.  Shared food, fellowship, sadness and thanksgiving as we expressed our gratitude for the many hours of service!

PARTNERSHIPS
Partners that we work with to advance Matthew 25 tenets include:

Central Visitation Center, a supervised visitation program. Supervised parenting time is designed to be a safe but temporary solution for maintaining a relationship with a parent until he or she parent resolves court or lifestyle issue.

Gathering Place offers services to combat poverty and address the impacts of marginalization and oppression that are often contributing factors to poverty or homelessness focusing on women, transgender folks, and children living in poverty.

Benefits in Action in Lakewood, increases understanding, access, and utilization of healthcare resources, especially for low-income older adults.

​New Genesis, a sober living program for homeless men, women and their families striving to become self-sufficient.

The Third Story, a ministry to neighborhood kids in west Denver, that offers Bible clubs, tutoring, mentoring, music camp and other opportunities. 

MWANZO, which means HOPE in Swahili, is working on establishing a self-sustaining community center in Rabhor, Kenya.

Matthew 25 is an ongoing initiative across PCUSA.  Structural and systemic change is hard work!  We together celebrate all efforts by churches, individuals, and Presbyteries.  You are truly helping make “God’s kingdom come, on earth as it is in Heaven.”  THANK YOU!

Click here for printable version.

Mountain View United Church is living into our values!

Christ-Centered Prophetic. Community Focused. Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging. Generative, Partnering. Tension Bearing.

In the middle of Holy Week, Presbyterian News Agency came to Aurora and interviewed Rev. Dr. Tracy Hughes, Rev. Wayne Laws, our Stated Clerk, Olivia Hudson Smith, Rev. Fernando Rodriguez our Presbyter for Mission and Ruling Elder Jean Demmler.

Thanks to Jean, they heard about the good work Mountain View United is doing in the community along with Habitat for Humanity.

They wanted to hear the story of how the church community went had the tension bearing conversation with the neighbors, partnered with Habitat, were generative and made this happen! Watch view below.

A Message from our Presbytery Moderator about our upcoming HYBRID Assembly

Dear DenPres Community,

Our Assembly Workgroup is pleased to announce that we will hold our first-ever Hybrid Assembly for our May Assembly meeting on May 24. Wellshire Presbyterian has graciously agreed to host us and has already begun troubleshooting and planning for the challenges of a Hybrid Meeting. The Hybrid Assembly will allow those who are able to meet together at Wellshire Presbyterian Church for fellowship and a worshipful assembly. The Hybrid Assembly will also allow for those who need to remain safer at home, or those whose travel is complicated by weather or road conditions to join us via Zoom. It is absolutely your decision whether to attend in person or to join us through the Zoom meeting platform (link provided at registration), but please be aware:

1. If you are joining via Zoom this time you will need to join from a smart phone, computer, or tablet that has a camera equipped. We will not be admitting those with phone numbers and no picture to enable our voting by Zoom poll and so that we can verify your identity. If camera functionality prohibits your virtual participation, please contact the DP Office so we can facilitate your participation.

2. If you are a Ruling Elder Commissioner, please register as such under the name of your representative congregation. Not sure if you’re the Ruling Elder Commissioner from your congregation? You become so through a process where your congregation’s session votes, electing you to serve as a commissioner either per month or for the year. Then your clerk or pastor submits the name of your congregation’s commissioners to our Stated Clerk, Rev. Olivia Hudson (PS: A reminder to pastors to please submit their congregation’s commissioners for 2022)!

3. For voting purposes:

   1. In person voting commissioners will be given green (“yes”) and red (“no”) cards at the Assembly welcome table.

   2. All online participants will have four options for each Zoom Poll: “Yes,” “No,” “Not a Voting Member,” and “Abstain.”

We thank you for your continued flexibility as the Assembly Workgroup discerns how best to facilitate and make available participation in Denver Presbytery Assembly!

Peace in Christ,
Paula, Moderator of Denver Presbytery Assembly

Clerks of Session or Ministers, submit names/emails of your commissioners by using the link below.

The work for the Agency Review Task Force has begun!

With the approval of a new mission, vision, and values, our Presbytery has embarked on an ambitious program to review the current administrative structure of committees and workgroups (agencies) with the goal of proposing a new, more efficient structure well aligned with our mission, vision, and values. This is a significant undertaking, and the Council has asked our task force to recommend a new structure at the May Assembly.

Buckle your seat belts and hang on to your hats, there is a lot of exciting work going on in Denver Presbytery.  Working under a new mission, vision, and values approved by the Assembly in September, the Lead Presbyter Nominating Committee is hard at work narrowing down a list of strong candidates, and the Council has commissioned our Task Force to review the current administrative structure of committees and workgroups (we are calling them “agencies”) with the goal of proposing a new, more efficient structure well aligned with our mission, vision, and values.

One of the 8 new values of our Presbytery is Letting Go.  As we move to the next phase of life in Denver Presbytery with the possibility of some notable changes, we want to practice this value of letting go.  To help exercise this value, we are scheduling a series of listening sessions, open to anyone in the Presbytery.  These sessions will offer an opportunity to surface and express any past disappointments and hurts or major concerns related to your experience in the Presbytery.  We cannot promise to “fix” the past, but we do promise to listen.  Our prayer is that through listening, a wider path is opened for healing and leading by the Holy Spirit. 

GOALS

These were incorporated from your feedback at our retreat.

1. The new structure should be firmly based on the Presbytery’s Mission Vision and Values.

2. Understand the work and roles of the existing agencies, but do not be bound by them in creating something new.

3. Seek new efficiency and energy in responding to God’s calling for the Denver Presbytery by reducing the number of Presbytery agencies to no more than 12. 

4. Consider the strengths and resources of Denver Presbytery and how God might best use them.

5. Develop a new agency structure that is appropriate for Mid-Council work and responsibilities.

6. Include a separate implementation plan to succeed the organizational design proposal that leaves space for honoring the great work of the Presbytery and its agencies, and includes the ability to evaluate and adjust.

7. Update bylaws, Presbytery policies, agency guidelines and procedures, in a new Manual of Operations that clarifies authority and process. 

PROCESS

• Engage those in agencies, but not let them lead/drive the process; do this with sensitivity in mind; compassion and clarity; we want their input, but Council will make decisions.  This will require very careful and clear communication as we seek information from existing agencies.

• Transition will include a recognition phase of honoring and celebrating; bringing folks along, allowing for evaluation and adjustment.

We organize to serve our stakeholders in alignment with our Mission. Stakeholders are as defined in our mission statement: 

To encourage, equip, and challenge congregations, broader faith expressions, covenant partners, and their leaders, as they share the love and shalom of Jesus Christ.

Wondering What the Lead Presbyter Nominating Committee is Working on?

WONDERING WHAT THE LEAD PRESBYTER NOMINATING COMMITTEE IS WORKING ON?

WE ARE HERE | BIG NET

Your Nominating Committee for Lead Presbyter is meeting weekly on Saturday mornings and has already met 6 times since being elected at the October Presbytery Assembly.

Currently the Committee is at the “Big Net” stage of evaluating Personal Information Forms (PIF’s) for candidates that have been matched with the Lead Presbyter Ministry Information Form (MIF) or applied directly.  We are evaluating candidates for the best fit to the Ministry Information Form for the Lead Presbyter position. 

Does the candidate meet what we are seeking based on leadership characteristics, ability to carry out the Mission, Vision & Values of Denver Presbytery and have that rare blend of gifts for strategic leadership and pastoral presence?

By the January Assembly we will have collectively evaluated at least 20 of the Personnel Information Forms (applications) we have received.  We already have a list of high-quality candidates, in addition to others we want to learn more from.

What you can do:

• Continue to support the Nominating Committee with your prayers.

• Consider who you know that might be a candidate for Lead Presbyter in Denver Presbytery.  Personally invite them to discern the ministry and if so called, submit their Personal Information Form for consideration.  Don’t limit your contacts – do you know of a candidate outside the USA?  Do you know someone who might have the gifts we are looking for but hasn’t considered Presbytery level ministry, but should?

Please apply through the PCUSA’s Church Leadership Connection or send PIF via email to: LPSearch@denpres.org

Sandy Safford
Lead Presbyter Nominating Committee and
Commission Pastor for Byers Community Church