Monthly News from Washington Park United Methodist Church
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Happy Summer everyone! I enjoy summer so much: the sunny days, the altered pace, and the opportunity to reconnect with the people and practices that fill life with meaning and purpose. I hope that you are finding some of those opportunities as well.
I’m mindful of the ways that summer also marks transition. For students, it’s a transition between one grade and the next. For United Methodist pastors, it’s a traditional time of movement from one appointment to the next – like Rev. Jamielee and her new appointment in Montana. Our prayers are with her and her family!
For us at Wash Park UMC, it’s a time of figuring out what’s next. With our associate pastor and youth director position open, there are lots of questions and possibilities for what might happen. Interestingly, but not surprisingly, the church is dealing with the same kind of employment concerns as other industries – more people leaving ministry through retirement or change-of-career moves than people entering ministry to fill those vacancies. Like many conferences across the UMC, we are in a clergy shortage!
All of this means that the SPRC (Staff Parish Relations Committee) and I are looking at a variety of possibilities. We want the best possible leader for our youth program, and that might not happen right away. And still, we don’t want the program to lag or lose momentum. So, we ask for your prayers as we continue to search for best ways to be in ministry here at WPUMC.
In the meantime, join us for a new sermon series called “Summer of Love”, where we spend time considering the most important topic of Jesus’ ministry – our expressions of love. Come spend time with us for Food Trucks on Wednesday, July 13th, serving breakfast at Denver Rescue Mission on July 16th, and/or Blessing of the Pets & Courtyard Worship on July 24th!
Happy Summertime Adventures!
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Sunday services can be viewed live at 9:30am on Facebook AND YouTube, or afterwards with the links found on the website and weekly emails.
July 10th
Summer of Love: Loving Community
John 6: 1-13
July 17th
Summer of Love: Loving Family
Luke 10: 38-42
July 24th – COURTYARD WORSHIP & BLESSING OF THE PETS
Summer of Love: Loving God
Mark 2: 23-28
July 31st
Special Guest Preacher: Rev. Dr. Wes Magruder,
UMC Global Ministries Missionary
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CELEBRATING BAPTISMS
Over the last couple of months, we have celebrated the baptism of 10 children!
What a joy!
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Theodore Harrison James Bromley
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Join us for our next Food Truck Wednesday on July 13th! We will have Karaoke and an "Open Mic" Night. Mike's 2 Kitchen Taco Truck will be here along with Divine Ice Cream treats!
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It's time to order your peaches for our annual fundraiser! You can pick up a form outside of the church office, outside by the WPUMC Preschool sign, or click this link and fill it out online. Please make sure forms are turned in by August 5th along with your payment.
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A Habitat Home Is Good for Her Health and Their Future
Quana and Josh’s story is inspiring and provides another testimony to the impact a Habitat home can have.
According to Habitat for Humanity’s Metro Denver website “Quana was doing well, pursuing a Ph.D. at CU Boulder, when she faced a dire health diagnosis requiring her to undergo several emergency surgeries related to cancer. The medical treatment financially bankrupted her, leaving her with chronic pain, which made working difficult. Once again, her life was unstable, she was living with friends, unable to afford her own place.
Zach had grown up in unstable circumstances in Vermont—childhood homes purchased and lost, parents divorced, moving constantly, and homelessness as well. He was looking for a fresh start and moved to Denver where his sister lived. But the cost of housing created struggles that he hadn't anticipated, living in substandard conditions, moving constantly once again, chasing cheaper rent.
As luck would have it, Quana and Zach met one other over their shared passion for art and design. Quana and Zach recently moved into the new home they purchased and are excited to use their creativity and artistic expression to style it.
"Getting accepted into the Habitat program to buy our first home has had a profound impact on my health, Quana shares. Recently her doctors have asked her what has changed. She has enthusiastically told them, "…having a safe, amazing home and community is really helping my recovery."
"This entire process has felt like a fantasy," shares Zach. "Thank you for giving us hope that homeownership can actually happen for us!"
To see a video about Quana and Zach’s story, click here.
There is still time to help future homeowners like Quana and Zach.
The following dates have already been reserved for us, but available slots are filling fast! Mark your calendars and sign up soon!!
o Sat., July 9 from 7:45 AM – 3:30 PM
o Thurs., Aug, 4 from 7:45 AM – 3:30 PM
o Sat., Aug. 20 from 7:45 AM – 3:30 PM
If you prefer, you may support Habitat and work in the climate-controlled production shop. You’ll paint house walls and parts that will later be delivered to a Habitat site. The following date is available for the production shop:
o Sat., July 16 from 8:00 AM – 3:00 PM
Note: If you would prefer to work a different day, please contact Carol Nelson, and I will see what I can do!
For more information about Habitat, contact Carol Nelson at 303.810.4635 or at [email protected]. I’d love to hear from you!!
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Denver Rescue Mission
On Saturday, 7/16/2022, WPUMC has 7 slots for volunteers to prepare and serve breakfast at the Denver Rescue Mission at the Lawrence Street Community Center. The time slot is: 6:15 to 8:30 a.m. Please sign up here.
In order to participate, you must have your COVID-19 vaccination.
The mission does have a dress code: Please dress in a manner that is modest and appropriate for working. Please refrain from wearing opened toe shoes, tank-tops, midriff tops, short shorts, and any clothing that is: tight, low-cut, or has controversial imprints. If you are dressed inappropriately, you may be asked to reschedule. A tip for kitchen volunteers: If you wear a hat (and a pony tail for long hair), you will not be required to wear a hairnet. At this time, masks are required.
Sign Up Below:
FISH of Denver East
We continue to support the food bank at FISH of Denver East. FISH is one of the few food banks that actually deliveries food to the needy families they serve. There are bins in the Narthex and they will be there through the end of July – recognizing that we will have a slow period during the summer months. Below is a good list of common items that they request routinely:
Toiletries:
- hotel and small-medium retail size unopened shampoo
- hotel and small-medium retail size unopened conditioner
- hotel and small-medium retail size unopened lotion
- deodorant
- toothpaste and toothbrushes
- hotel and small-medium retail size unopened mouthwash
- hotel and small-medium retail size unopened body wash
- bar soap
Food:
- hearty soups and pasta sauces
- variety canned beans (no black or refried)
- healthy snacks
- hot chocolate
- microwave popcorn packets
Clothes for Kids – Denver
This is a new mission for WPUMC. The organization’s mission is: Clothes To Kids of Denver proudly provides new and quality used clothing in a boutique setting to Denver area students from low-income or in-crisis families, free of charge. Our vision is that all students will have the clothing they need to feel comfortable, confident and prepared to thrive. A typical CTKD Wardrobe includes:
5 tops
4 bottoms (shorts, pants, skirts and/or dresses)
1 additional dress or skirt (optional)
5 pairs of new underwear
5 pairs of new socks
1 bra (optional)
1 pair of shoes
1 coat or jacket
Extras (accessories, school supplies, etc – if available)
There will be bins in the Narthex through the end of July. We are asking for the following:
- All school age sizes
- New or gently used
- Both male and female options
- Tops
- Bottoms (shorts, pants, skirts and/or dresses)
- Underwear
- Socks
- Shoes
- Coats/jackets
- Accessories
- School supplies
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Vacation Bible School 2022
What's better than a week at Vacation Bible School? TWO weeks at VBS!! Join Wash Park UMC at the end of summer break for VBS the week of Aug 1st-5th. Attend University Park UMC at the beginning of summer break June 6th-9th.
VBS-Adventure Island- at Wash Park will run for children 3years old and potty trained through completion of 6th grade, August 1st-5th, 9 -11:30 AM Mon-Thurs and 9-12:00 on Friday.
Register now with the button below or on our church website. Anyone interested in helping to support this event by spending some time with our attendees, decorating or donating, please reach out to me to find out how you can be a help to us. One way we could use some help right now is to spread the word, invite neighbors, friends, cousins, grandchildren, you get it, tell EVERYONE!
We will be using all safety protocols recommended by the CDC and state health department for schools and childcare facilities to help guide us to host a safe and healthy Vacation Bible School. We look forward to seeing returning faces and new faces. My email address is [email protected]. I would welcome your time, thoughts and ideas.
Blessings,
Sheri Salis
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There are lots of ways that you can offer your gifts in service to our congregation – looking for a way to be more involved at WPUMC? Here are a few opportunities:
*Ushering – online or in-person! We schedule individuals for a specific Sunday a month for their ushering “shift”. Online ushering doesn’t require you to be in the building, but to engage with online worship participants. In-person ushering requires your presence, and includes greeting people and helping with offering and communion. Email Rev. Sandi at [email protected].
*New Baby Meal Team - Volunteers Needed!
Wash Park United Methodist Church and Preschool are organizing a team of meal providers from our church and preschool communities that would be willing to offer meals to preschool families that are welcoming new babies into their home. All of you know that when a new baby arrives, life can get hectic. We'd like to make sure that all of our families with new babies feel supported and cared for with the delivery of a meal or two. If you are interested in joining this team to provide meals--please contact Rev. Sandi at [email protected].
*Sunday Morning Liturgist! If you’d like to help offer a greeting to our worship participants, lead the call to worship and read the scripture, email Rev. Sandi at [email protected].
There are lots of other ways to volunteer at WPUMC – if there is something specific you’d like to share, or if you are interested in a certain area of leadership, please contact Rev. Sandi at [email protected].
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July 02 Juniperlee Demske Zitterkopf
July 07 Kevin Eronimous
July 07 Ron Hoskins
July 08 Bryce Dickson
July 12 Anna Haemer
July 14 Clara Haemer
July 19 Jordan Zitterkopf
July 24 Carol Hammond
July 30 Jamielee Demske
July 30 Keaton Miller
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Altar Flowers 2022
If you’d like to sponsor Sunday morning altar flowers in honor of an occasion or in memory of someone, please sign up for a date below. The arrangements cost $45 ($35 for seniors) and you can take them home or give them away after service. We just ask that you return the vases to the Tea Kitchen so that we can reuse them. Make checks out to WPUMC and put altar flowers in the memo line or pay via Venmo @Michelle-Hoskins-17.
Please enter the occasion or person to be honored in the My Comment field after you click Sign Up.
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