A return to "normal" is a precarious place for many of our friends and neighbors, especially those who are immunocompromised, disabled, or otherwise at risk.

Please continue to show love and respect for all our friends, neighbors, and siblings in Christ and stay home if you are experiencing symptoms of respiratory illness in order to curb the spread of disease. We still encourage you to wear a mask and practice social distancing.

May 14 is Mother's Day.

To all the many different kinds of moms out there,

Happy Mother's Day!

To those for whom the day is a difficult one, no matter the reason, we see you, too,

and send our love.

Grief Support Group

You don't need to grieve alone. We are starting a grief support group here at Heart of Longmont. The group will be facilitated by our very own Chris Mason.

The group will start Friday, June 9, at 1PM and will meet the second Friday of the month for about an hour and a half. The group will meet in the Grace Space (formerly called the Bride's Room).

If you have questions, please contact Tricia Grafelman. 

Confirmation Sunday Highlight Reel

April 30, 2023, was confirmation Sunday. Congratulations to our Confirmands!

Concern for Affordable Housing

We have been invited by the UCC Church to partner with them in reaching out to the City of Longmont expressing our concerns about affordable, sustainable housing. If you agree with the letter below, you will have a chance to sign your name to a "petition" that will be presented to the City Council.

Hermine Ngnomire will be in the gallery before and after worship service this week to answer your questions and give you more information. 

The Heart of Longmont works hard to put more of God's love into the world, and collectively voicing our concern for those less fortunate than ourselves is one way to do this. 

Thank you for taking some time to read the letter below.

Dear Mayor Peck and Members of Longmont City Council,

Longmont has always found a way to provide services to its citizens. We build libraries, senior centers, youth centers, recreation centers, parks, cultural centers, all intended to serve both the general population and/or specific groups.This principle of service extends to all members of our community, housed and unhoused. We are writing to ask that the current Council goal of affordable housing include directing resources to meet the needs of those of our citizens who are unhoused and are at the lowest end of the income scale. 

Federal data on Homelessness estimates that one unhoused person uses an average of $35,578 in community resources per year. This can swell to over $100,000/year in cases of high utilization by persons who access multiple stays in hospitals, jails and shelters. Data from the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless estimates that supported housing and services can be provided for approximately $13,400/year. We are asking that the City Council direct funding more wisely by putting it toward preventive measures instead of crisis management. Our City is well resourced and funding is possible, if these goals are prioritized .

We recognize and applaud the city’s efforts to increase affordable housing units in Longmont. The Coordinated Entry program and collaborative building projects such as The Spoke have had a positive impact. We believe that now is the time for our city to adopt a “Housing First'' model with coordinated access for all people. “Housing First” is a policy that offers unconditional permanent housing to homeless people and offers other supportive services afterward. To make Housing First a viable program, housing must be made available. Therefore, we are asking that Council prioritize the acquisition of land and fund the development of housing facilities.  

First Congregational United Church of Christ, Longmont, and Heart of Longmont United Methodist Church have donated land to the Inn Between for low income supportive housing. (Micah Homes and Wesley Homes respectively). In a like manner, we are asking the Council to allocate unused city property or secure land for Housing First units.

We respectfully propose a three part plan to make housing possible for all Longmont residents:

1) acquire land (city owned or otherwise) and develop the property creating small apartments for the Housing First model.

2) convene agencies who work with people who are unhoused to implement “Housing First” in a coordinated city wide manner.

3) support local agencies and resources in providing a day shelter to facilitate the goal of helping people transition away from regular overnight sheltering to permanent housing. 

The following signatures of support are from First Congregational, United Church of Christ, Longmont and Heart of Longmont, United Methodist Church members and friends.

Library Books Available

The Library Burst Team is back going through books that haven’t been checked out in awhile and will be putting them out in the Gallery for you to look through and take what you would like.

Currently we have mostly Reference books but more will be added. They will only be available for a couple weeks before moving them on to make room for new choices.

All-Church Garage Sale

The overstuffed will supply the under-stuffed! Clean out those cupboards, closets and garages!

This is the year for our Bi-Annual All Church Garage Sale. It will be Friday and Saturday, July 14 & 15th, from 8 am-2 pm.

We will be setting up and marking items Monday - Thursday, July 10-13 from 9am - 3pm. We will need people to stay after church Sunday, July 9, to help set up tables.

Items can be brought in beginning Sunday, July 9, and put on the stage in Wesley Hall. We do not accept electronics (TVs, computers, iPads, etc., as we have to pay to get rid of them if they do not sell). We do not accept clothes.

If you have any large items (i.e. furniture) you must get pre-approval from Gloria Hinz and if it doesn't sell you must pick it up after the garage sale. We do not have pick-up or delivery.

Later this month (May) we will put out a signup sheet for volunteers. We need: checkers, setting up and marking, working the days of the sale, and take-down. It takes lots of people working lots of hours but we have lots of fun! Some of us have done this for 50 years!! We will call to confirm times once you've signed up. You can sign up for 1/2 days, full days, multiple days, etc.

Questions? Contact Gloria Hinz.

Thanks for all your support!

Days for Girls

Days for Girls need the following items for our project menstrual hygiene kits for African girls.

We need dark, all-cotton materials (no flags, animals, people, or eyes in the design); dark flannel; hotel-sized soaps, new washcloths, cotton underpants (not white) in girl sizes 10.12,14 and women’s sizes 5,6,7; grosgrain 3/4” ribbon, and /or money to buy waterproof material. There is a box near the west entrance in which to put these items. Money can be given to Marty Allison to purchase waterproof materials.

Lunch for

Habitat for Humanity Build Day

On May 20, Heart of Longmont will be working on a Habitat for Humanity Build Day. The sign-up sheet for workers is in the narthex. We are also supplying the lunch for our hard workers that day. If you cannot help on the build, this is a way that you can still support Habitat. Marty Allison is making her scrumptious sloppy Joe mix. Now we need the rest of the fixings for the meal. Please sign up on the sheet in the narthex. If you cannot deliver the items to the site, contact Jan Timmons. Delivery can be arranged. Thank you for supporting Habitat for Humanity.

Guest Pastor and Q&A on May 21

On May 21st Pastor Pedro Silva will be giving the message in the church service. He was in the film This Is [Not] Who We Are. The film was shown at Heart of Longmont on March 4th. If you missed that showing, you can watch it on PBS (KRMA Channel 6) on April 20th at 8 PM. The movie traces the history of racial inequities in Boulder.

Following the church service Pastor Silva and Katrina Miller (co-producer of the movie) will have a Q and A session about the movie.

A light lunch will be provided by the Justice Seekers.

OUR Center Needs

(From the OUR Center newsletter)

Critical Need for Food for our Market

We continue to see up to 30 new families per month in our Community Market, among an average of 75 families per day, stretching their budget to meet other basic needs such as housing and utilities and relying on us for healthy food and personal care items. Can you help by picking up a little something extra on your next trip to the grocery store?

Here are the items most in need at this time:

• Toilet paper
• Dish or laundry soap
• Toothpaste
• Corn
• Peanut Butter

Community Closet (Clothing Bank) Wish List

Are you doing Spring Cleaning? Perhaps we can help each other! OUR Community Closet is in need of the following items:

• Men’s & Women’s Underwear, All Sizes (NEW)
• Summer wear (Men's, Women's, Teen & Children’s, All Sizes)
• Bath towels
• Dishcloths
• Kitchenware/housewares
• Cookware

From Boulder County Health Coverage:

The continuous Medicaid coverage enacted in response to the Covid-19 public health emergency (PHE) and the PHE have ended. Thousands in our community will be impacted by this transition in the coming months. Our aim is to help those no longer eligible for Medicaid know their options and to help them enroll in health coverage that meets their needs. 

Boulder County's Health Coverage Enrollment Center's team offers free, bilingual, unbiased assistance to help people navigate the complex web of health insurance options. Financial assistance that is only available through our state's Marketplace, Connect for Health Colorado, can help make health insurance more affordable for many. 

Health Coverage Enrollment Center Team 

Phone: 303.441.4530 

Email: healthcoverage@bouldercounty.org 

Website: www.BoulderCountyHealthCoverage.org  

Boulder Office: 3460 Broadway, Boulder, CO 80304 

Longmont Office: 515 Coffman St., Longmont, CO 80501

Help out with Sunday Kids - If you would be willing to be a "helper" either in the Nursery or Children's Church, please let Tricia Grafelman or Lynn Greenhalge know.

Sunday Kids in Mission - Sunday Kids mission project once a month. Help is needed for gathering supplies and organizing these mini-projects. Contact Lynn Greenhalge if this activity speaks to you.

Youth Group Dinners - 5:00 PM every Sunday for 12-18 youth. It is helpful if you are able to stay to clean up. Please contact Emily Farrenkopf.

Prayer Shawls Ministry of Comfort and Prayer - Knitters and crocheters are called to help build our supply of prayer shawls for our members and community. Contact Peg Howard for more information.

Habitat for Humanity Build Day - May 20. Click here to sign up. Contact Tricia Grafelman with questions.

Habitat Build Day Lunch - Help is needed with supplying a lunch for the May 20 Habitat Build Day. Please sign up on the sheet in the narthex. Contact Jan Timmons if you have questions.

All Church Garage Sale Volunteers Needed - We are looking for volunteers to help with the all church garage sale in July. Contact Gloria Hinz or Lynn Greenhalge.

Habitat for Humanity Build Day - Our next Habitat Build is Saturday May 20. Sign up now! Click here to sign up. A sign up sheet is in the narthex of the church, as well. Also, we need help supplying lunch for the build day! Sign up in the narthex.

On May 21st Pastor Pedro Silva will be giving the message in the church service. He was in the film This Is [Not] Who We Are. The film was shown at Heart of Longmont on March 4th. If you missed that showing, you can watch it on PBS (KRMA Channel 6) on April 20th at 8 PM. The movie traces the history of racial inequities in Boulder.

Following the church service Pastor Silva and Katrina Miller (co-producer of the movie) will have a Q and A session about the movie.

A light lunch will be provided by the Justice Seekers.

All Church Garage Sale - This is the year for our Bi-Annual All Church Garage Sale. It will be Friday and Saturday, July 14 & 15th, from 8 am-2 pm.

We will be setting up and marking items Monday - Thursday, July 10-13 from 9am - 3pm. We will need people to stay after church Sunday, July 9, to help set up tables.

Items can be brought in beginning Sunday, July 9, and put on the stage in Wesley Hall. We do not accept electronics (TVs, computers, iPads, etc., as we have to pay to get rid of them if they do not sell). We do not accept clothes.

If you have any large items (i.e. furniture) you must get pre-approval from Gloria Hinz and if it doesn't sell you must pick it up after the garage sale. We do not have pick-up or delivery.

Later this month (May) we will put out a signup sheet for volunteers. We need: checkers, setting up and marking, working the days of the sale, and take-down. It takes lots of people working lots of hours but we have lots of fun! Some of us have done this for 50 years!! We will call to confirm times once you've signed up. You can sign up for 1/2 days, full days, multiple days, etc.

Questions? Contact Gloria Hinz.

May's compassion offering supports Habitat for Humanity.

If you wish to donate to this month's compassion offering, you can do so online by clicking here and navigating to the Monthly Compassion Offering tile. Or, you may send a check to the church office with "Compassion Offering" on the memo line.

Heart of Longmont UWF have a Facebook page!

Click here to follow us at https://www.facebook.com/uwfoftheheart/

United Women in Faith Circle Information

Please come join a group and see what it's about, we'd love to have you!

Lydia Circle

Catherine Murphy (chair)

Second Thursday of the month at 5pm in the church Gallery.

Sarah Circle

Ann Yoder (chair)

3rd Thursday of the month at 9:30am in various homes.

Contact the church office for location.

Esther Circle

Nancy Swope (chair)

3rd Tuesday of the month at 9:30am, various homes or church Parlor.

Call the church office for location.

Elizabeth Circle

Linda Morris (chair)

3rd Monday of the month at 1pm in the church Gallery.

Our Mission:

Putting More of God's Love Into The World

Helping all persons find deeper meaning and God’s purpose for their lives as committed Christ-followers.

Serving as the Heart of Longmont means:

We will welcome all persons, without reservation or judgment,

just as Jesus Christ would do.

We will work tirelessly by entering into intentional acts of compassion and social justice to make our community a place where God’s love is known by all, where poverty and deprivation are unknown by any, and where respect for the worth and dignity of each person is the norm.

We will respect and honor other religious traditions

while choosing Christ as our way of knowing God best.

We will emphasize life-long learning so that we may

engage our world from a dynamic and creative perspective.

We will work to protect God’s creation.

We will practice stewardship of all aspects of our lives,

including time, talent, financial resources, and spiritual gifts.

The office at Heart of Longmont is open

Monday through Thursday 10:00am to 3:00pm.