Six Sayings for Strength
~ “You will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you,” declares the Lord.  -- Jeremiah 29:12-14
~ When in search of strength, I look in two places . . . above and inward. – Jahna Michal
~ I have set the Lord always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. – Psalm 16:8
~ Security is mostly a superstition. Life is either a daring adventure or nothing. – Helen Keller
~ The Lord gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak – Isaiah 40:29
~ Whenever you think you can or you think you can’t, you’re right – Henry Ford

Ministry Jottings

Winning Preparation
The horse is made ready for the day of battle, but victory rests with the Lord –Proverbs 21:31

I enjoy the Kentucky Derby, and it’s one of the things I missed because of the season we are in – though it is planned for the fall. Nearby Lexington, Kentucky is renowned for producing the finest thoroughbred race horses in the world.

More than 140 horse farms are located within the city limits and on the outskirts of the city. But it’s not just the beautiful acreage that draws serious breeders to buy farms or horses in that area. The Kentucky Bluegrass area has something that cannot be found in such abundance anywhere else on earth – a particular type of limestone that lies just the right distance under the surface of the ground, continuously releasing vital minerals into the soil. 

Plants grown in this soil, such as the grass the horses eat, are rich in the precise combination of minerals needed to build extremely strong but very light bones – ideal for racing. Thus, a colt eating Kentucky bluegrass spends their first two years eating exactly what will help them win the race of their life!

There is a spiritual lesson here for all of us, maybe more so during this time we are in. Challenges await us, and we must be prepared. Having enduring faith, strength and wisdom for what is needed can be developed by spending time feeding ourselves on spiritual Kentucky bluegrass. Getting those vital minerals into our system. Thus, we can be prepared for however God calls us forward. We rely on the living presence of Christ to be with us and lead us through every step of what lies ahead, but we can do our part by keeping ourselves fed in order to gain passion, fortitude and energy for what will be needed. 

We have been given such a time these past couple of months. We have been corralled in our pastures. We been given opportunities to be spiritually fed without having to run the usual races of life. We’ll need what we have gained during this “stay at home” period as we come out of this season as individuals, families and, most certainly, as a church. 
Our re-launch/re-opening [which we are hopeful to begin sometime in June] will call us to adjust to new ways of doing ministry and coming together. The “strong but light bones” we are adding to our spiritual framework will prepare us as we are off to the starting gate and the Post-COVID19 Derby – as we run for the roses.  

Pastor Deb Olenyik
WELCOME TO TRACY ATLAS
The Staff Parish Relations Team is pleased to announce that Tracy Atlas has accepted the position of serving as our church bookkeeper/payroll officer. She will begin her transition into this role starting Monday, May 18th. Finance Chairperson & Treasurer, Matt Sailor will be training Tracy during the coming weeks.  

During the interview process, Tracy's recent graduation with a Master of Professional Accounting from CSU Global, her experience in the non-profit sector, and her current part-time work as the bookkeeper for her husband’s veterinary business made her an excellent candidate for this position. We also believe she will bring new ideas and improvements to our financial processes which will benefit our church.  In addition, Tracy has been an active member of our church, giving particular energy to our missions work, and is currently serving on The Barefoot Mile planning team for Joy International. We are truly blessed to have her join our staff.

Originally from the Denver area, she attended college in upstate New York and has lived in Evergreen since 2014 with her husband, two daughters, and four pets. In her free time, Tracy enjoys attending her kids’ many activities, running on the local trails with her dogs, or trying to keep up with her husband on the ski slopes. Tracy is excited to be part of the UMCE community.
GREAT ESCAPE SUMMER PROGRAM
Great Escape Resuming June 9 with Limited Summer Program
Great Escape director, Julie Cleminshaw, announced their program will resume in a limited way beginning June 9. They have been given the okay by the Colorado Department of Human Services, Early Learning Division.  As long as nothing changes between now and then, they will operate three days a week. 

Here are some of the guidelines they will be operating with:

  • Temperature checks done daily on both staff and children
  • Staff wearing masks as all times
  • Contactless drop off and pick up.  Parents will not be permitted to enter the building & are to remain in their vehicle.
  • Outside entry will be through the lower level classroom door, instead of the usual one by the church office
  • The main level of the church will not be used at all
  • Extra cleaning and sanitizing will be done daily
  • Classes will not mix, including on the playground, and maximum class size is 10.

Julie shared, “ It has been a long eight weeks for us all. We are so excited to be getting back to what we love to do, and to provide this much missed and needed program for our families. Thank you for continuing to allow us to occupy space in the church building to serve our community. ”
INTERACTIVE ADULT CONVERSATIONS & STUDIES
To join, email Jessica to receive the entry code information for the offerings you are interested in.  She is our registrar and Zoom manager. 
“What Happened after the Bible Ends: A Look at Early Church History”: Mondays at 7PM
Join us as we take a brief overview of early church history and discuss how things unfolded the way they did. From persecutions to early church fathers to decisions about what stayed in the faith and what didn't. The desert fathers, establishing the Bible, the growth of the church under Constantine, the expansion of the church to the British Isles, the monastic movement, early worship forms, the papacy, the split between the Eastern and Western church, the crusades, to the dawn of the reformation. We'll include excerpts from the A & E series "Christianity: The First Two Thousand Years". This online class meets Mondays, 7-8 p.m. Starting April 27th. Contact the church office or Pastor Deb to register. Reference materials will be sent to participants.
YOUTH & KIDS ONLINE PROGRAMS
We are continuing all our regular programs in their usual time slots, though will be shorter. Let Sarah know if interested so she can provide connecting information. 
Youth Group Coffee Talk
12pm-1pm on Sundays with a devotional, discussion and check-ins.
Kids Action Pack
9:30am on Sundays.
EverKids Sunday School
10:30am on Sundays and includes a lesson, discussion and even a craft.
Kids Heroes of the Bible Study
4pm on Wednesdays with a short check in, Bible study, devotional, and craft.
JOY INTERNATIONAL NEWS
A Family-centered Approach to Internet Safety FREE WEBINAR
We tell our children not to open the door of our homes or talk with strangers out in public, yet our families, including children, are inviting strangers into our homes, talking to them through social media platforms, and in some cases going off and meeting with these strangers. Some of these children never make it back home. How can we better identify and stop these predators? The greatest way to ensure the safety and security of our children from potential dangers and threats is to involve the entire family in developing a family protection plan that is unique and specific to the dynamics of each family. Through this webinar, parents will be introduced to a family-centered worldview of safety and security and take away the tools needed to develop an internet safety plan as a family. REGISTER HERE.

The 2020 Barefoot Mile that supports the lifesaving work of JOY INTERNATIONAL will happen, just not in June! Last year, with your help, the JOY Team raised over $21, 600, and we hope we can count on your support once again. The new date is August 29 , same place - Marshdale Park, same time - 9am-noon. However, another change in plans as a result of COVID-19, participants will have a choice to do a virtual walk, whenever and wherever they choose, or on site at Marshdale Park where social distancing will be no problem.

The memorable silent auction will likely be virtual which will allow it to be much bigger! Stay tuned for more details about BFM 2020! Please phone Jan Thurling at 720 391 9550 with any questions.

The bottom line, expressed by Dr. Jeff Brodsky, founder of JOY International, almost 40 years ago : "Crisis or not....as long as one more child waits to be rescued, we will not quit !'
THE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH OF EVERGREEN
Growing a community of faith by serving a world of need and changing lives. We affirm a spirit of openness and hospitality to all, including persons of all races, ages, genders, sexual orientations, financial strata, and abilities who seek a closer walk with God.

Visit us on the web:   www.evergreenumc.org