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Fall From A Bike

I was winding up my water hose in the yard when a 20-something girl wiped out on her bike on the trail that runs behind our house. I hurried over to her as she lay on the ground - neither of us knowing how bad she might be injured. 

She was crying, but when I came over with, "Oh my gosh, honey, are you ok?" she seemed to cry even more intensely. It turned out she was a little scraped but ok. She went on to tell me that she was recently in a car accident - actually rolled her car - the worst accident she's ever been in and she said, "No one stopped, over a dozen cars drove by my overturned car, but no one stopped." 

She was crying hard now, seemingly more from the memory of being all alone in an overturned car than from this bike crash. I listened and felt shocked. 

I want to be appalled with her story. I want to say, "What is wrong with our world?" I want to say, "What is wrong with these people? Were they never loved, never cared for? Who were the Mama's raising all those people who just drove by her car?" I want to be self-righteous and judgmental. 

But truth be told, I too, might have  driven by. I too, might have allowed my sense of self-importance and busyness to keep me driving on. I too might have allowed fear to stand in the way of love. When I'm honest, I'm embarrassed to admit that as much as I have taught the story of the Good Samaritan, I do not always live it. 

It's a simple idea really, we teach it to our children: Do unto others, as you would have them do unto you. 

I'd have others stop if I needed help. So why wouldn't I stop? 

Busyness. Important responsibilities. The inconvenience and unknown of getting involved. Fear. Apathy. When I look at that list, it screams, "excuses!" to me. 

Today I hurried to help, and maybe that's because I'm on sabbatical and not as hurried as I usually feel. 

Whatever the reason, I hope I take this sabbatical-self with me into my every day future. Because often it is in seeing the "other" that we see Jesus.





This Sunday Banner

Religion can get pretty strange pretty quickly. Mystical. Superstitious. Legalistic. Judgmental. Hypocritical. But religion isn't going away. The human race has an insatiable curiosity for the divine. Since the beginning of time, men and women have established elaborate rituals and traditions in an attempt to bridge the gap between the seen and the unseen; between the sacred and the secular.

Today there is no lack of resources to teach us about God. We are often quick to tell each other about the latest podcast, teaching, or song that stirs something within us. The problem is that often we have not learned how to let that stirring within our souls continue without the constant need of external things to stimulate us. We become dependent on "religion" and "religious offerings" allowing others to digest our spiritual food for us. So when the pressures of life come pressing in upon us we resign ourselves to the fact that the stirring within us will never be more than sporadic or temporary - when we can get to another conference or back to that book in the hammock without a to-do list bombarding our mind.

But what if that stirring in our soul was meant to come alive even in the busy, even in the mundane? What if what we longed for 'out there' had been offered to us within all along?

Join us this weekend as we begin a new message series called "Losing Your Religion" where we will be talking about engaging God, not religion.

Worship with us this weekend at 9am or 10:30am. Childcare and Sunday School/Youth Group* classes available.

*There will be no Youth Group this weekend, due to the All-Church Campout.

What's Ahead Banner
 

Just Worship   Join us on the evening of August 2nd, from 6:30pm - 7:30pm, as we gather together and "Just Worship". Forget yourself, your circumstances, your problems, and just focus on God for an hour. Come, relax, rest, sing, BE in the presence of God as "He inhabits the praises of His people." (Psalm 22:3) (Childcare provided for infants and children 0-5 years old.)

Sign Up for Nepal Updates   Are you interested in staying connected with our ministry partnership in Nepal?  Let us know! We would love to include you on our monthly ministry update email newsletter. To be added, please fill out a connection card via paper or via our app, or email us at   info@plattparkchurch.org .

New Guest Lunch  New to Platt Park Church? Join us for lunch Sunday, August 13th, immediately following the 10:30am service to learn more about our history, mission, and how to get connected in the life of the church. No registration necessary...just come on in!

Download our Church App.   We now have a custom church app you can download to stay connected with everything here at Platt Park Church! You can access sermons, events, and give, right through our Church's app. Just go to your phone's app store, search for Platt Park Church, and download. Or click here:  Download Our App

Party in the Parlor. Looking for ways to connect in our faith community?  Want to find a place to serve in our church, in Denver, or globally?  Come to our "10 minute Connection Party!" Susan Stein will be in the parlor following both the 9am and 10:30am services and is excited to share opportunities for serving and connecting at Platt Park Church and beyond! 

Looking for a way to connect in our faith community?  Consider volunteering during Sunday morning services. We have needs for volunteers in the following areas: Greeter Team, Communion Servers, Hospitality Team, Media Presenters, and Children and Youth Ministry Volunteers.  Contact Susan Stein (susan@plattparkchurch.org) for more information, and get involved!

#CasseroleCare Volunteers.  We're thrilled to offer #CasseroleCare to our new moms, families undergoing a severe illness, and others in need! It's a good-old fashioned meal train, where we deliver home-cooked or freshly prepared restaurant dinners. Service opportunities include meal preparation, delivery, or simply donating a gift card from your favorite fast casual restaurant! Please indicate #CasseroleCare on your comment card, or contact Marcie Everett at marcieneverett@gmail.com for additional details. 

The APPLE TREE CLOSET is open for shopping!  Beautiful, upscale women's clothing, shoes and accessories are regularly donated to us by Common Threads on South Pearl and you can purchase them for a fraction of their original price. Students and those with low income can even shop for free!  The proceeds from this ministry benefit our Benevolence/Blessing Fund.  Come check it out on the lower level!  (Due to space limitations we are no longer accepting donated items from the congregation).

Groups Banner
NEW SUMMER GROUPS ARE HERE!

Small groups are one important way to grow deeper in relationships with God and with one another. We learn to know Christ more and how to follow him in word and deed in the context of community. Joining a small group is such a vital and easy way to get to know others in the church, establish friendships and grow in Christ in a more relaxed setting. Sometimes participating in a group can help you determine if joining a church in Denver is for you.

Adoption Connections  - Leaders: Tim & Gwen Vogelzang
Fourth Friday of every month, 6:15pm - 8:pm in the Parlor
We welcome  Platt Park members as well as anyone outside the church body who has ties to the world of adoption. Whether you've adopted internationally, domestically, through foster care, you're considering adoption, you were adopted, you placed a child for adoption...everyone is welcome. Bring dinner and eat as a family at 6:00pm if you wish! Our formal time together will begin at 6:30 when we will share journeys, discuss adoption related topics, and grow in community.  Child care   provided  (starting at 6:30).   
   
Evening Edition (Women) - Leaders: Carol Schmidt & Heather Easter  
Thursdays, 6:30 - 8:00pm in the Lounge, meal provided   
"What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us." -A.W. Tozer.  W e will look at who God is, what He says about us, and how we can live out these truths. We will approach this subject in a lighthearted and fun way :  by choosing a popular song each week and see what we can learn about the true nature of God. We hope to be encouraged and challenged to live well!    
   
An Embodied Life: God in my Mind, Body and Spirit - Leaders: Heather Taylor & Carolyn Duhn    
2nd & 4th Thursdays, 7:00pm - 8:30pm in the Parlor   
This group is open to all. We will be creating space to experience God in a holistic approach by integrating practices that engage the mind, body and spirit. Allowing God to restore the joy that exists in each of us, as we become aware of His holistic presence, so that we can live an abundant life in the Kingdom today.   
   
Family Group - Leaders: Anne Coughlin & Olivia Kosky   
Summer meeting times and locations TBA   
Want to connect with other parents in our Platt Park Church community? Join us this summer for food, fun and fellowship. We will be gathering in different homes each month, so sign up here to be added to the email list and to get more information. Kids are welcome!   
   
"Just Worship" - Leader: Charlie Dodrill  
1st Wednesday of every month, in the Sanctuary
Do you ever just want to forget yourself, your circumstances, your problems, and simply focus on God for an hour? That's what we will do once a month this summer  by getting  together and worship ping  God through song. Come, relax, rest,  sing,   BE  in the presence of God as 'he inhabits the praises of his people' (Psalm 22:3). Childcare available for 0-5 years of age.   
  
Monday Night Men - Leaders: Mark Bixler and Tim Vogelzang  
Mondays @ 7:00pm, at Tim  Volgelzang's  Garage   
This summer we will be meeting together for "Garage Mondays".  Whether you are a motor junky or just wanting to hangout, come join us! We tackle working on everything from oil changes on a car to engine rebuilds on a motorcycle. Even if you don't like working on cars you can still come join for the great fellowship!   
   
Morning Edition (Women) - Leaders: Kelli Detzel & Terri Hedberg  
Thursday mornings, 10:00am - 11:30am, in the Parlor   
We invite all women to join us this summer for a meaningful discussion of two relevant and thought provoking books. For the first 6 weeks, beginning June 1, we will discuss Rebekah Lyon's book, "You are Free."  Next, beginning on July 20 we will discuss Ann  Voskamp's  book "The Broken Way."  Come and join the conversation!  Childcare is provided.      
  
Simply Jesus - Leaders: Cindy & Marc Haverland and Doug & Margi Kidd    
First & Third Mondays of every month, 7pm - 8:30pm, Location rotates homes   
This group will provide a conversational space that will inspire people to consider, wonder, and dialogue about the person, life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth. We will watch video talks from the Simply Jesus Gathering by renowned Christian thinkers such as Carl  Medearis , N.T. Wright, & Phillip Yancey, and enjoy conversation around discussion questions. Sign up here to be placed on the email list.   
 
Wednesday Morning Men - Leader: Tim Grade  
Wednesdays, 7am - 8am @ the REI Starbucks (1416 Platte River Rd.)   
We will be reading The Gift of Being Yourself: A Sacred Call to Self-Discovery, by David Benner. Come and join the conversation!   
 
One Question Dinners  
Enjoy a meal and get to know  some of the amazing  people in our faith community! Your host will offer "one question" to get the conversation started. The goal is simply to make friends and build community! Your host will provide the main course and guests are asked to bring a side or a dessert to share. Space is limited for each  gathering.  
Please email your host directly for more details and to RSVP. 

For more information or to register for a group, please visit   www.plattparkchurch.org/growing
Giving Banner
 
Generosity is our joy and privilege because Jesus was first generous towards us. Join with the vision of Platt Park Church to make an impact in the Denver community and beyond.


We believe giving is at the heart of the message of the Gospel. John 3:16 says, "God loved the world so much that he gave..."

We appreciate your presence and partnership in our family of faith. Thank you for your generosity. Our weekly budget is $7,000. 
 
July 2: $14,131.25
July 9: $2,770.00
July 23: $6,420.00
July 30: $8,060.00

Ways to Give:
  1. Online at plattparkchurch.org/give
  2. Text the word "platt" to 77977
  3. Download the Platt Park Church app (visit your app store and search "Platt Park Church" then download)
  4. Via an offering envelope (included in the weekly worship program)
  5. During Sunday worship gathering (via the offering boxes)

Platt Park Church
303.974.7489

We are a simple, honest community of faith in Denver's historic Platt Park Neighborhood.