iHOPE

Nominations, Please!

One of the distinctives of our presbyterian tradition is its reliance upon church officers to lead the church. The name 'presbyterian' describes a church led by elders (presbyters). Do you know someone who you would recommend as an Elder or Deacon?  How about the Board of Stewards? Maybe you know someone you would recommend as a Member-At-Large for future Church Officer Nominating Committee (CONC)?  If so, or if you just want to know more, click here.

The task of the CONC is to present a slate of nominations to the congregation at a congregational meeting sometime after Easter. The congregation votes on those nominations, either to accept them or to elect someone else to one of the offices. Once elected, the new officers receive instruction and training, are confirmed by Session and then ordained to office in late June. Typically, an officer serves for a three year term, which can be extended another three years.

Why all this work? It gets to the heart of who we are as Presbyterians- but that will have to wait until another post!

 

Ash Wednesday: An Invitation

The longer I live, the more I appreciate Lent- and Ash Wednesday.

Neither Lent nor Ash Wednesday (the official beginning of Lent) was much a part of my tradition or piety. It was always a Catholic/Lutheran/Episcopal thing.  I was a Presbyterian. We didn't do Latin. We didn't do candles and incense. We didn't do high liturgy, and we didn't do Ash Wednesday.

Over the years I have come to appreciate Lent as a pilgrimage and Ash Wednesday as its invitation to begin.

When tourists travel, they go to see and sample. They take pictures, get an experience and then go home. Not much really changes.  When a pilgrim travels, they go to be shaped and formed by their journey. When they return, not much is the same. They see their world differently. They see themselves differently. Even 'home' is different.

Easter can be a tourist event where people come to see what has been going on, hear the choir, check in and experience something of the great life that is ours through the death and resurrection of Christ. To those folks I always say, "Welcome! Glad you are here! Taste and see!" Easter is all that- and can be so much more.

God is Smiling: Early Responses

We issued a simple challenge a couple weeks ago: Make God Smile.

People recieved envelopes with money inside as part of a reverse offering. If people chose to open the envelopes, they agreed to use whatever was inside to use it for something that they thought would make God smile. The only stipulations:

1. You can't use it for something 'inside' New Hope.
2. You have to write and tell me about what you did.

 

Early Results

I am already getting some stories back! Here is one from Vickie Benedict. Her group used what was inside as seed money:

 

Even though the majority of the participants in the Monday afternoon women's Bible study are not members of New Hope, the enthusiasm of the New Hopers made the group wish to participate in making God smile.  Everyone contributed $20 and we did two projects.  Half our our funds purchased gift cards  given to the Women's Crisis center.  The other half purchased Girl Scout cookies from a newly formed Volunteers of America Brunetti Lofts Girl Scout troop 1287.  Brunetti Lofts is a Transformational Affordable Housing Project for the homeless.  The cookie sale will support the girls in this troop and we in turn will give the cookies to the homeless in the Denver area.

Bob Roetruck gathered up the gifts from many and then multiplied the amount:

Numerous folks gave me their envelopes because I promised to match the total amount and donate it all to the Douglas County Veterans Monument Foundation. I wanted to let you know that including my envelope, I have $145. I will be making a donation in the name of New Hope in the amount of $290.

I love the creativity and generosity reflected in these responses. God is smiling.

What are you doing with the gift you received?