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1955 East Arizona Ave. Denver, CO 80210 303-777-3043
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From Reverend Jamielee Demske, Associate Pastor
1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. 3 And God said, "Let there be light," and there was light. 4 God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness. 5 God called the light "day," and the darkness he called "night." And there was evening, and there was morning-the first day. -Genesis 1:1-5
Over the next seven weeks, we will set off on a great adventure through the first book of the bible, Genesis 1. We will be discussing creation and the constant re-creation of ourselves and our world. But it all starts with beginnings and the new beginnings taking place all around us. I felt moved to preach on the subject of beginnings, especially since I am in the midst of a new beginning as your new Associate Pastor and Youth Director. If we haven't had a chance to meet in person yet, Hi! My name is Rev. Jamielee and I am overjoyed to be your new pastor! I can't wait to get to know each and every one of you. Here are a few tid-bits to help you get to know my family and I:
- My husband is Jordan Zitterkopf, and you'll see him hanging around. And I do promise you'll SEE him, he's a very tall blond guy. He works for Safelight Auto Glass, and as such, has perpetually dirty hands. Jordan is very happy to be at Wash Park and looks forward to tie-dying and fun with the Youth at the Youth Kick off on August 27th.
- I also have a wonderful step-daughter named Addy, who, like her father, is tall and blonde. She is eight, loves Moana, arts and crafts, dogs and sushi! She goes to school in California with her Mom, but will be back at Christmas to celebrate with us. She already loves Wash Park's children's program and can't wait to be in Youth Group one day!
- I am originally from Wisconsin (yes, I love cheese and I am an avid Packers fan!), and have been a Denver resident for 3 years in August. I'm almost finished with Seminary and can't wait to be done with school. I love my dogs, Cora Mae and Murphy Lou, and in my spare time I read, paint, do yoga, and cook for the empty pits that are my husband and daughter's stomachs. I also LOVE coffee, and would love to get to know you and your story, so if you'd ever like to grab a coffee and chat, please call me at the office.
I am so excited to embark on this great journey with you, which will be created and re-created in each season. May you be blessed in your week and filled with the light offered to us on our first day.
-Rev. Jamielee Demske
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August Worship
- August 6 - Communion
Creation/Re-Creation: DAY 3 (Genesis 1: 9-13)
- August 13 - Blessing of the Pets (pets are welcome in worship to receive a blessing)
Creation/Re-Creation: DAY 4 (Genesis 1: 14-19)
- August 20 - Blessing of the Backpacks (bring your backpacks and receive a blessing for the school year)
Creation/Re-Creation: DAY 5 (Genesis 1: 20-23)
- August 27 - Creation/Re-Creation: DAY 6 (Genesis 1: 24-31)
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Preschool
Summer was a big success and will officially come to an end on the 18th! Looking forward to fall, we still have a few openings in our older classrooms. Please visit us or email the Director Melinda Svenkerud at
[email protected]
or the Assistant Director Jessica Sipes at
[email protected]
. Learn more about the WPUMC Preschool.
Boots, Blues, & BBQ Fundraiser - Sept 30
Join us for WPUMC Preschool's 4th Annual Fundraiser-Boots, Blues & BBQ- on September 30 at 5:00 pm. This fun community-building event includes live music, excellent food, a silent auction, and is being hosted at Four Mile Historic Park. All money raised will help support school improvements. If you cannot make it, you can still help out by donating money towards teacher tickets or donating items to our silent auction. If you would like to donate, please email
[email protected]
.
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Blessing of the Pets (Aug 13) & Blessing of the Backpacks (Aug 20)
The annual
Blessing of the Pets will be held on
Sunday, August 13 during worship service. Bring your pets--whatever they are--appropriately controlled (leash, cage, carrier, etc.) to be blessed by Rev. Sandi.
We ask that only animals who will do well in a public place, and with other animals, join us at the service.
Alternatively, you are invited to bring a picture of a pet who has passed. There will be a time during the service to remember them. There will be a special "humans only" section of the sanctuary for anyone with allergies, but if you are aware of major allergies, please use your discretion. With some flexibility and creativity, we hope our Blessing of the Pets will be a worshipful service.
Blessing of the Backpacks will be held on Sunday, August 20. All students are encouraged to bring their backpack to church (preschool through college!). The students will receive a blessing over their backpacks and a special pin.
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Concert in the Courtyard - "The Schoolboys" Aug 2
Join us for a free Concert in the Courtyard,
Wednesday August 2
,
6:00-8:00 pm
.
We will host "The Schoolboys", including our very own Steve Bondy on guitar!
Come hear some great music: classic rock, some Motown, and more recent tunes as well. Based here in Denver, The Schoolboys have been playing for 15 years, and have a couple of great summertime sets of music to share with you. You'll hear songs from the Beach Boys, the Beatles, Brandi Carlisle, Lucinda Williams, The Kinks, Stevie Wonder, and a whole lot more.
Bring a blanket and picnic. Bring friends--the whole community is invited to this free event. Please remember, no alcohol is allowed on church property.
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Children's Ministry
We hope you are enjoying a wonderful summer. Lots of fun things take place in the summer and one of my favorites is VBS! We had a great time during the last week of June with our Passport to Peru Vacation Bible School. Rev. Sandi put together a
slideshow that can be viewed on our YouTube channel.
It was an amazing week of community as we learned about a country very different from ours and were comforted to know that God's love knows no borders. I am already searching for VBS 2018 curriculum and praying that one calls to us the way this did! Thank you to all my wonderful volunteers for their time, effort, attention, and talents. Thank you also to those who donated items to eat, borrow and use for this special event. Without our community, VBS would not be possible.
Mighty Missions:
During VBS and the month of July, we collected money to help with clean water resources for parts of the world that do not have easy or any access at all to this basic human need. Our kids in Sunday School and VBS learned how simple this could be with us all donating just a few coins. I will have the final total on July 31, but as of now we have raised about $39! Not bad for a group of kids sharing their piggy bank money.
S
tarting in August, the Park Kids will be collecting donated backpacks, gym bags and small suitcases. These items will be distributed during "Christmas in the Park". More information to come, but while you are shopping for back to school items, please consider donating an adult bag to help the homeless have a way to carry their meager belongings.
A BIG "THANK YOU" to Park Kids for putting together Bags of Hope for the congregation to hand out to those in need. The kids really enjoy this project and realize how this small bag can offer so much to someone they see on the corners around town. Please replenish your supply of Bags of Hope from the plastic bins in the Narthex.
Our quarterly LunchBunch/Club 456 was held July 22. Our next one will be October 21, 10:30 am - 1:30 pm. Lunch Bunch is for kids age 3 and potty trained through 6th grade. We have a fun time of community, lunch, lesson, and play. This is a great way for parents to get in a lunch date and for the kids to meet outside of Sunday School. Neighborhood kids and friends are welcome!
Grow in Grace,
Sheri Salis
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The gifts of WPUMC arrived in Kenya: 44 pounds of books and 5 soccer balls. Gratitude abounds!
See the old soccer ball that has been replaced held by Chin of Denver. The children are street children--homeless.
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Missions
The mission of the Center for Health and Hope (formerly known as the Center for the Church and Global AIDS) is to support and advocate for persons infected and affected by HIV and AIDS around the world with programs of education, prevention, care and treatment. WPUMC supports their mission once a year in two ways:
1. Swinging @ AIDS - Annually, WPUMC sponsors a hole at the Swinging @ AIDS Charity Golf Tournament. This event raises awareness and money for AIDS treatment for women and children in rural India, as well as, serving those in need in Colorado. The golf tournament is Wednesday, August 16th, 2017 at City Park Golf Course in Denver. We are looking for a four-some to play. Please contact missions@washparkumc.org if you are interested.
2. Claudia Svarstad visited Kenya to distribute the donated soccer balls and children's books.
Morning has Broken Orphanage in South Africa
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Daniel Marutle (back row, center) at Morning Has Broken Orphanage in South Africa.
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Good news! For everyone who hasn't had a chance to contribute to Rev. Daniel Marutle's mission "Morning has Broken", we have extended the deadline to
Aug. 16. We are working hard to raise $6K so he can continue his work of HIV/AIDS education in Africa where it is so desperately needed. And thank you to everyone who has very generously contributed to this absolutely essential and noble cause!
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WPUMC Online
Join our social communities to learn about church events, activities, and programs and connect with the WPUMC family. We welcome you to share your experience at WPUMC via social media.
Facebook:
Washington Park UMC (@wpumcdenver)
You'll find links to our social media at the bottom of every page on our website:
www.washparkumc.org.
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Worship Service Usher Training - Aug 13 & 27
Rev. Sandi will be holding two usher training sessions after worship service during August--
13th and 27th
. If you have considered joining the usher team, now is a great time! Ushers help out during the service one
Sunday
a month.
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Calendar
August 2 - Concert in the Courtyard featuring The Schoolboys
6-8pm
August 4 - Peach pick-up
2-7pm
August 5 - Peach pick-up
9-12pm
August 13 - Blessing of the Pets
- Worship Usher Training
August 20 - Blessing of the Backpacks
- Assemble lunches after worship
August 26 - Distribution of lunches for homeless people in Civic Center Park
August 27 - Worship Usher Training
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Birthdays & Anniversaries
| Birthdays |
Anniversaries |
8/01 Steve Moats
8/01 Barry Steelman
8/01 Genna Morrow
8/02 Diane Seccombe
8/03 Andrew Esposito
8/04 Jim Quartarone
8/04 Emme Weddle
8/04 Finnean Weddle
8/06 Brewer Couch
8/09 Colin Johnson
8/09 Luke Smith
8/09 Jennifer Miklosi
8/11 Carrie Wieder
8/11 Becky Schaub
8/11 Lori Scheffler
8/12 Marie Dorr
8/12 Teboho Marutle
8/12 MK Fleming
8/13 Mark Warren
8/14 Jamey Thompson
8/15 Robert Harber
8/16 Sheri Salis
8/16 Owen Kortsch
8/17 Carri Hazell
8/18 Carl Mikesell
8/19 Ellie Hamrick
8/20 Marni Warren
8/20 Lila Gonzales
8/24 Emily Hoskins
8/25 Kathryn Codo
8/25 Mia Casey
8/26 Amy Sublette
8/26 Juliette Jones
8/26 Dixie Poppell
8/27 Daniel Kozlowski
8/27 Bill Mrzlikar
8/27 Tanner Partsch
8/27 Whitaker Clarke
8/28 Heather Steelman
8/31 Bowen Banbury
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8/02 Lori & Mike Scheffler
8/05 Karee Justice-Bondy & Steve Bondy
8/05 Michelle & Ron Hoskins
8/07 Sandi & Jim Dillon
8/08 Jennifer & Thomas Nolan
8/12 Griffen & Ryan O'Shaughnessy
8/13 Meghan & Karl Schock
8/18/ Megan & Luke Ortgessen
8/20 Joanne & Daniel Esposito
8/25 Susan & Zack Carpenter
8/29 Jennifer & Tom Parnell
8/29 Olivia & Eric Webster
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