Good morning, COG Family!
I hope that everyone is doing well. In the midst of a year that has at times seemed to go by painfully slowly, I felt like I blinked and half of October was suddenly gone. Thanksgiving is only six weeks away and Christmas only four weeks after that!

Election Day is just over two weeks away, and I've never before felt this level of electoral tension in our country as I've felt this year. Though the tension is present, we do not have to be a contributor to the strain. No matter the outcome of the voting, let's be known for the peace we bring.

"If at all possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone."
Romans 12:18

Please see below for some upcoming events that give us an opportunity to serve those around us as well as come together for some fun.

Be salt and light,

Pastor Chris
Tithes and Offerings
Thank you, COG family, for your generosity and faithfulness during these difficult times! Here are our giving numbers for the last tw0 weeks:

Week of October 6, 2020
Giving: $14,954.75
Weekly Budget: $10,121.44
Year to Date Giving: $384,192.05
Year to Date Budget: $404,857.60

Week of October 13, 2020
Giving: $3,995
Weekly Budget: $10,121.44
Year to Date Giving: $388,187.05
Year to Date Budget: $414,979.04

Below are the ways that you can contribute your tithes and offerings to the church.

  • Write a check to the church. You can either mail it in to the church or stop by the church and put it in the slot of our mailbox located by the doors of the North Building (4343 S. Flanders St. Centennial, CO 80015).
  • Bill Pay through your banking institution.
  • COG website - online giving.
Praising God
Praising God should be a regular part of our day. What are you praising God for? I would like to share your praises with the COG family in future newsletters. Email me your praises so we can all give God an amen. If you want to remain anonymous, just let me know.

Here are praise reports I received over the last two weeks.

"Praising God for the faith of the outcast, the favor of our Savior. - Mark 1:40-41"

"I am thanking God for his protection in uncertain times." - Chris

Children's Ministry Update
The Children's Ministry is starting back up this Sunday, October 18th! Nancy has been hard at work getting everything in place to bring our little ones into the classrooms. We will be following the state guidelines on spacing, wearing masks, and limiting how many can be in a room at a time. Due to space limits, we are asking you to sign up your kiddos via this link. The signup page also has all of the details for Sunday morning classes. There are a lot of changes, so please read over the information and reach out to Nancy if you have questions. As with all the changes we are experiencing in our routines, we are asking that you extend extra grace as we figure out the best and safest way to provide class time for the kids.

If you are not receiving emails from Nancy on updates, Sunday lessons, or other activity information, you can email her directly to get added to her distribution list.
Sunday Service Reminders
It is great to see so many of our regular attenders and guests joining us on Sunday mornings. The sanctuary is starting to fill in a little more each weekend. Here are a few important reminders:

  1. We are still following the CO guidelines by wearing face masks and social distancing at all times while inside the buildings.
  2. Please keep three chairs between family groups while sitting in the sanctuary.
  3. Try to sit three seats away from someone who is already seated in a row. This will allow us to maximize seating capacity.
  4. We have two offering plates at the front and two offering boxes in the back of the sanctuary. We will not be "passing the plate" during service.

If you have questions, feel free to reach out to the elders or staff.

Thank you!

Pastor Chris
Upcoming Events
Communion
We will observe the Lord's supper on October 18th.
New Members Class
There will be a New Members Class on October 25th, 2020 at 1:00pm in the North Building. If you have been with us for a while and would like to become a member of our church, please email Anita to R.S.V.P.
Child Evangelism Fellowship
There will be a Good News Club meetup every third Thursday from October thru January at COG from 4:30 pm - 6:00 pm. This group is for elementary-aged children. Check out the flyer below for more details on the Good News Club.

Masks are required during the Good News Club get togethers at COG. You can register online or download the registration form. If you have questions or want to be a helper/leader, you can email Kathleen Chandler or call her at 720-621-3602.
Helping the Homeless
Carol Bryan has coordinated a couple of opportunities to help those who are less fortunate. These opportunities happen each year, and it is a blessing to be able to help those around us who are in need. Thank you, Carol, for organizing!

Blankets for the Homeless: We are collecting donations to pay for new blankets to give to the homeless in Aurora and Denver. One blanket is $6, and we have ordered 72 blankets this year. Please give your donations directly to Carol Bryan or make a check to Community of Grace and put "blankets" on the "for" line. Donations will be accepted through October 18. If you would like to help hand out blankets, please contact Carol Bryan in person or at 303-522-2293 for date and time.

Titus 2 Ministry: Scarves for the Homeless. We will be meeting in the North Building foyer on Saturday, October 24 from 9-10am to make scarves for the homeless. Please wear a mask for this activity. We will have tables spread out for social distancing. Families are welcome to join in the fun.
Trunk-or-Treat
COG will be hosting a Trunk-or-Treat event in the COG parking lot on October 31, 2020, from 5:00 pm - 6:00 pm. This promises to be a fun event where we can get together as well as connect with our community. If you have never been to a trunk-or-treat, it is pretty simple. You bring a decorated vehicle to COG (or undecorated), maybe wear a costume, bring lots of treats, and hand out the goodies to our little guests. If you do not want to decorate a vehicle, you can show up with your kiddos to walk a lap or two around the parking lot to gather treats. We encourage you to invite your friends and neighbors.

Here are some guidelines for us to follow to help make sure the event is enjoyable for everyone:
  • If you are decorating a vehicle, be on site by 4:45 pm on Oct 31. You can come as early as you need to decorate and setup your vehicle. If you want to hand out treats without decorating a vehicle, we welcome the extra treats for the kids and ask you to also be on site by 4:45 pm.
  • We are recommending face masks be worn by everyone attending.
  • We are asking you to keep decorations and costumes in good taste and kid friendly.
  • Treats must be store purchased/sealed. No homemade treats.
  • Those who are handing out treats and cannot maintain 6' social distancing are required to wear a face mask and gloves to help protect themselves and our guests. COG has face masks and gloves if needed.
  • If you would like to be creative with handing out candy to maintain social distancing, use something like this "candy chute".
  • If you are not decorating a vehicle and are coming for the event, please park on Flanders Street. The parking lot will be closed off to traffic at 4:45 pm for the safety of everyone.
  • We will have prizes for the best decorated vehicles as well as the best carved pumpkins. Bring your pumpkins already carved and displayed for our judges.
  • Have fun! Be welcoming and inviting to those we interact with during the event.

Let's make this a great opportunity to get to know our community. If you have any questions, email Pastor Chris.
Operation Christmas Child
It is time to start building boxes for Operation Christmas Child. We have 250 boxes to fill with toys, school supplies, hygiene items, etc. to help out kids around the globe. COG is also going to help at the distribution center on Dec 4th from 6-10pm. There are spots for 40 people and Covid-19 rules will be followed. Volunteers must be at least 13 years old. You can pick up boxes in the foyer starting October 18th and boxes must be back by Nov 22nd. If you have questions or want to sign up for a volunteer spot, email Mitty Spidell. You can also learn more about Operation Christmas Child by going to their website.
Students of Grace
Remember that you can stay up to date on Students of Grace events and activities via this link: https://newsletter.dymapps.com/read/31342 . You can reference it at any time for SOGCOG information. If you have any questions or are not receiving updates, reach out to Pastor J to get connected.
Community of Grace Sunday Prayer Time
The prayer team is meeting on Sunday mornings on the COG lawn. We are extending an invitation to you to join us on the lawn from 9:15 to 9:45. Bring a chair and pray for our country, our state, our community, and our church. If the weather is bad, meetings will be held at the Chandler's home: 21415 E. Mansfield Dr., Aurora 80015. If you have questions, email Kathleen Chandler.