1001 New Worshiping Communities put together another wonderful video sharing the ministry happening at Aurora First Presbyterian Church. Check out this video to learn more about Neema and Divino Salvador and the connections Aurora First is creating in the community.
When the staff is working
As the Presbytery staff continues to reach out and make connections with the members of Denver Presbytery where you are, we are trying to be strategic in scheduling open hours at the Presbytery Office to ensure someone is at the office.
Our roles are different in that some are called to build relationships out and about in the presbytery and community; this is not accomplished behind a desk.
For others, they sometimes need to be out and about coordinating details of hosting events, providing opportunities for gatherings, attending the remote staff days, and running errands, all of which require time outside of the Presbytery Office. We are equally aware we are holding the tension of making these essential connections, setting up logistics, and holding down the home base of the Presbytery Office so that someone is here.
Many may not realize that, on average, on any given week, only 1-2 people come into our office other than for a scheduled meeting.
To balance these tensions, we are adjusting the hours the Presbytery Office is open to 9-2 Monday through Thursday. We assure you that the staff are committed and still working the total hours of their respective workloads. Please note this is a change in the office hours, not our work hours. We want to create flexibility for us to be with you and avoid the possibility of someone showing up unannounced and there is no one here to greet them. This creates flexibility if several of us have meetings elsewhere offsite; we won't have to decide who cancels their plans to keep the office open for that one person who might drop by.
We continue to encourage you to make an appointment if you are coming in to ensure we are here, open, and prepared to resource you.
Our staff do join evening meetings via Zoom, and that requires them to leave the office, have dinner or take care of children or pets to be at home to join the meeting. If staff are out and about working remotely or at a gathering, if you leave a voicemail on the office number, these voicemails are automatically forwarded to our emails so we can return your call as soon as we are able.
Below are the staff work hours:
Dee. Typically, Sunday -Thursday 9-5 (some evening, and some weekend meetings). Days off Friday and Saturday
Fernando. Typically, Sunday -Thursday 9-5 (some evening, and some weekend meetings) Days off Friday and Saturday
Gretchen Typically, Sunday-Thursday 9-5 (some evening and some weekend meetings, Days Off Friday and Saturday.
Beth. Monday - Friday 8:30-4:30
Brontë. Monday - Thursday 9-2
Chuck. Tuesday - Thursday 7:30-11:30
Funding for Church Energy Efficiency or Renewable Energy
Funding for Church Energy Efficiency or Renewable Energy—A message from the Presbyterian Hunger Program
For congregations, there are many great webinars and websites out there about how to fund and pursue energy efficiency and renewable energy with financial resources, tax incentives, and pathways provided by this year’s legislation passed through the U.S. Congress. In addition to the curated list below, you can find other great webinars from Interfaith Power and Light as well as Presbyterians for Earth Care (PEC).
Holy Heat Pumps! explains how heat pumps work and how to lower the costs for installation at your churches with the new government funds available to congregations for the first time.
The Tools & Resources to Green Congregations webinar covers the ways houses of worship and religious institutions can update their facilities to become more energy efficient and save on their energy bills. It also offers important information regarding first-time federal funding available to nonprofits to support investment in energy efficiency and renewables.
In the Summer Solstice Webinar on Solar Financing, learn about the different ways congregations can finance solar from Jerry Bernstein, author of IPL’s Solar Financing for Congregations. Then take a deeper look at power purchase agreements, one of the options allowing a congregation to install solar with no up-front costs.
Presbyterians for Earth Care offers a webinar on Federal Funding Resources for Houses of Worship with Tiffany Hartung.
A follow-up webpage from Interfaith Power and Light has a lot of content; the spreadsheet might be particularly helpful to you, as it has things broken down by types of work.
This website deals with what is covered by “direct pay.”
This FAQ may also be useful.
In addition to these webinars and web sites about public funding and tips for saving energy and money, a reminder about the Restoring Creation Loan from the Presbyterian Investment and Loan Program. Many congregations have made use of this great resource as a way to get started.
Just to give you an idea about the effectiveness of solar panels, Green Mountain installed them in 2014 with an average monthly bill of $918. After they finished paying for them in 2020, they have saved $18,659 from 2014 prices!! Their electric bill for the building last month was $13 and has averaged $71 a month in 2013.
Paddleboard Ministry...what does that look like?
Shout out to 1001 New Worshiping Communities for helping Mindy Heimer & Nathan Heimer tell the story of how God is moving in and through A Stoked Life, a New Worshiping Community, through paddleboard ministry!
Mindy and Nathan have found a way to bring church to the people in the mountains, allowing them to “reconnect with their Creator while being in creation”.
What does an online Ministry look like?
A big thanks to 1001 New Worshiping Communities for sharing the story of the great work Rev. Bethany Peerbolte is doing through Our Tapestry, a New Worshiping Community, an online community.
In the Fall of 2021, as part of the new Vision, Mission, Values, the presbytery affirmed the launch of the Denver New Worshiping Community Incubator. Rev. Bethany is one of four new worshiping communities in our presbytery.
Synod of the Rocky Mountains Annual Report
Our commissioners to the Synod met in Salt Lake City with leaders for a gathering in September to give their annual reports via video.