By: Rev. Joel Adams, Temporary Associate Presbyter for Church Development with Denver Presbytery
Someone asked me recently, “what do you love about your new job with Denver Presbytery?” My response was easy, “oh seeing God at work in our new worshiping communities and congregations.” I am encouraged by the many ways I have seen the Spirit at work both in the work of new communities, seeding and growing and in our established congregations. This leads me to another part of my job I love. I get to share with you how I see this happening. So to start it off, I want to share with you some good news about Neema African Presbyterian Fellowship!
Early in 2015, the Reverend Jemimah Ngatia, the first female African ordained in the PCUSA, with a strong faith and hope in God, started her community with seven people! In coordination with Rev. Joe Mares, then the pastor of First Aurora. They began a small gathering, hoping to reach the African and immigrant population arriving and growing in Aurora and Denver. A year later, as this community grew they applied for a Seed Grant with the 1001 New Worshiping Communities initiative with the PCUSA. They rejoiced when awarded this grant, which was then matched by Denver Presbytery!
If you know Jemimah, then it is no surprise she put that grant to work immediately and began to wonder with God what would be next. In the coming years, the Spirit continued to bring African refugees and immigrants into this community. Jemimah laughs when she tells you she “[I] can smell Africans arriving before they land!” and “I can tell people are African by the way they walk!” Jemimah makes connections with folks in all sorts of ways and her heart for African immigrants and refugees is strong. She loves to meet women in the grocery store and easily introduces herself! Thanks to Jemimah’s leadership, the Spirit has grown this church into a vibrant, powerful new worshiping community!
So when the community applied for the next grant with 1001 New Worship Communities, they were awarded $25,000 to support and encourage this wonderful ministry! Denver Presbytery, through the Cultivation & Innovation Workgroup of Council, has matched this grant. Additionally, Cultivation & Innovation is applying to the Hays Bequest for an additional $25,000 to support this community and its leadership. The Hays Bequest was received from the Trust of Jane Hayes, a former member of Shepherd of the Hills Presbyterian Church for the purpose of starting new churches and communities like Neema.
The New Worshiping Community Lead Team which is a team within Cultivation and Innovation Workgroup, recently met with Jemimah. The community continues to grow. Jemimah has done a fabulous job of equipping and empowering leaders to share in the ministry of the church both in worship and outreach. The community recently elected a leadership team which will carry out the ministries of the church and is the precursor of their session! Eduard, is a pastor who fled the Congo to Rwanda and came to the United States to give his ten children an opportunity for education and a new life. Eduard is a vital part of this shepherding ministry and as he continues to learn English will apply to the Dubuque Seminary Christian Lay Pastor/Ruling Elder program. In the meantime, the Chairman Josphat has already begun his online studies in preparation to be commissioned as a Lay Pastor. This means that Jemimah is actively developing leaders to carry this ministry into the future.
The Neema Fellowship continues to find ways to reach out to the African community, through sports, music and building relationships. They have a budding and strong youth group who is now in the process of purchasing instruments to start a youth worship band. When you go to worship with Neema, you will find a Spirit filled, vibrant worship service, with great preaching. Gabriel their treasurer is a teacher, and translates French and Swahili and other dialects with ease for all to be included in the service. As always, Josphat and his wife prepare a feast fit for kings of wonderful African food for all to gather around the table.
This pandemic has not slowed this community down for a second. They have continued to work with their 1001 coach Rev. Bobby Musengwa. They quickly learned Zoom and have taken this as an opportunity to train their leaders in being Presbyterian, in stewardship and evangelism. The women and men meet separately on Zoom for prayer and worship. The youth meet on Zoom and of course they gratefully worship every Sunday afternoon. Just this past Sunday, they experimented with an outdoor worship service held in a local park. I am so grateful to tell their story, and to have this amazing, faithful community as part of our life and mission as Denver Presbytery!
Want to learn more about Neem, Denver Presbytery New Worshiping Communities, you can reach Joel at joel@denpres.org.