Mountain View United Church is living into our values!

Christ-Centered Prophetic. Community Focused. Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging. Generative, Partnering. Tension Bearing.

In the middle of Holy Week, Presbyterian News Agency came to Aurora and interviewed Rev. Dr. Tracy Hughes, Rev. Wayne Laws, our Stated Clerk, Olivia Hudson Smith, Rev. Fernando Rodriguez our Presbyter for Mission and Ruling Elder Jean Demmler.

Thanks to Jean, they heard about the good work Mountain View United is doing in the community along with Habitat for Humanity.

They wanted to hear the story of how the church community went had the tension bearing conversation with the neighbors, partnered with Habitat, were generative and made this happen! Watch view below.

A Message from our Presbytery Moderator about our upcoming HYBRID Assembly

Dear DenPres Community,

Our Assembly Workgroup is pleased to announce that we will hold our first-ever Hybrid Assembly for our May Assembly meeting on May 24. Wellshire Presbyterian has graciously agreed to host us and has already begun troubleshooting and planning for the challenges of a Hybrid Meeting. The Hybrid Assembly will allow those who are able to meet together at Wellshire Presbyterian Church for fellowship and a worshipful assembly. The Hybrid Assembly will also allow for those who need to remain safer at home, or those whose travel is complicated by weather or road conditions to join us via Zoom. It is absolutely your decision whether to attend in person or to join us through the Zoom meeting platform (link provided at registration), but please be aware:

1. If you are joining via Zoom this time you will need to join from a smart phone, computer, or tablet that has a camera equipped. We will not be admitting those with phone numbers and no picture to enable our voting by Zoom poll and so that we can verify your identity. If camera functionality prohibits your virtual participation, please contact the DP Office so we can facilitate your participation.

2. If you are a Ruling Elder Commissioner, please register as such under the name of your representative congregation. Not sure if you’re the Ruling Elder Commissioner from your congregation? You become so through a process where your congregation’s session votes, electing you to serve as a commissioner either per month or for the year. Then your clerk or pastor submits the name of your congregation’s commissioners to our Stated Clerk, Rev. Olivia Hudson (PS: A reminder to pastors to please submit their congregation’s commissioners for 2022)!

3. For voting purposes:

   1. In person voting commissioners will be given green (“yes”) and red (“no”) cards at the Assembly welcome table.

   2. All online participants will have four options for each Zoom Poll: “Yes,” “No,” “Not a Voting Member,” and “Abstain.”

We thank you for your continued flexibility as the Assembly Workgroup discerns how best to facilitate and make available participation in Denver Presbytery Assembly!

Peace in Christ,
Paula, Moderator of Denver Presbytery Assembly

Clerks of Session or Ministers, submit names/emails of your commissioners by using the link below.

The work for the Agency Review Task Force has begun!

With the approval of a new mission, vision, and values, our Presbytery has embarked on an ambitious program to review the current administrative structure of committees and workgroups (agencies) with the goal of proposing a new, more efficient structure well aligned with our mission, vision, and values. This is a significant undertaking, and the Council has asked our task force to recommend a new structure at the May Assembly.

Buckle your seat belts and hang on to your hats, there is a lot of exciting work going on in Denver Presbytery.  Working under a new mission, vision, and values approved by the Assembly in September, the Lead Presbyter Nominating Committee is hard at work narrowing down a list of strong candidates, and the Council has commissioned our Task Force to review the current administrative structure of committees and workgroups (we are calling them “agencies”) with the goal of proposing a new, more efficient structure well aligned with our mission, vision, and values.

One of the 8 new values of our Presbytery is Letting Go.  As we move to the next phase of life in Denver Presbytery with the possibility of some notable changes, we want to practice this value of letting go.  To help exercise this value, we are scheduling a series of listening sessions, open to anyone in the Presbytery.  These sessions will offer an opportunity to surface and express any past disappointments and hurts or major concerns related to your experience in the Presbytery.  We cannot promise to “fix” the past, but we do promise to listen.  Our prayer is that through listening, a wider path is opened for healing and leading by the Holy Spirit. 

GOALS

These were incorporated from your feedback at our retreat.

1. The new structure should be firmly based on the Presbytery’s Mission Vision and Values.

2. Understand the work and roles of the existing agencies, but do not be bound by them in creating something new.

3. Seek new efficiency and energy in responding to God’s calling for the Denver Presbytery by reducing the number of Presbytery agencies to no more than 12. 

4. Consider the strengths and resources of Denver Presbytery and how God might best use them.

5. Develop a new agency structure that is appropriate for Mid-Council work and responsibilities.

6. Include a separate implementation plan to succeed the organizational design proposal that leaves space for honoring the great work of the Presbytery and its agencies, and includes the ability to evaluate and adjust.

7. Update bylaws, Presbytery policies, agency guidelines and procedures, in a new Manual of Operations that clarifies authority and process. 

PROCESS

• Engage those in agencies, but not let them lead/drive the process; do this with sensitivity in mind; compassion and clarity; we want their input, but Council will make decisions.  This will require very careful and clear communication as we seek information from existing agencies.

• Transition will include a recognition phase of honoring and celebrating; bringing folks along, allowing for evaluation and adjustment.

We organize to serve our stakeholders in alignment with our Mission. Stakeholders are as defined in our mission statement: 

To encourage, equip, and challenge congregations, broader faith expressions, covenant partners, and their leaders, as they share the love and shalom of Jesus Christ.

Wondering What the Lead Presbyter Nominating Committee is Working on?

WONDERING WHAT THE LEAD PRESBYTER NOMINATING COMMITTEE IS WORKING ON?

WE ARE HERE | BIG NET

Your Nominating Committee for Lead Presbyter is meeting weekly on Saturday mornings and has already met 6 times since being elected at the October Presbytery Assembly.

Currently the Committee is at the “Big Net” stage of evaluating Personal Information Forms (PIF’s) for candidates that have been matched with the Lead Presbyter Ministry Information Form (MIF) or applied directly.  We are evaluating candidates for the best fit to the Ministry Information Form for the Lead Presbyter position. 

Does the candidate meet what we are seeking based on leadership characteristics, ability to carry out the Mission, Vision & Values of Denver Presbytery and have that rare blend of gifts for strategic leadership and pastoral presence?

By the January Assembly we will have collectively evaluated at least 20 of the Personnel Information Forms (applications) we have received.  We already have a list of high-quality candidates, in addition to others we want to learn more from.

What you can do:

• Continue to support the Nominating Committee with your prayers.

• Consider who you know that might be a candidate for Lead Presbyter in Denver Presbytery.  Personally invite them to discern the ministry and if so called, submit their Personal Information Form for consideration.  Don’t limit your contacts – do you know of a candidate outside the USA?  Do you know someone who might have the gifts we are looking for but hasn’t considered Presbytery level ministry, but should?

Please apply through the PCUSA’s Church Leadership Connection or send PIF via email to: LPSearch@denpres.org

Sandy Safford
Lead Presbyter Nominating Committee and
Commission Pastor for Byers Community Church

CHURCHES PARTNER WITH RAWTOOLS TO HOST GUN BUYBACK

Following in the wake of gun violence throughout Denver and Aurora, organizations come together to offer new opportunities to reduce gun violence on MLK weekend, including a gun to garden tool demonstration and gun buyback.

Mountain View United Church and 6th Ave United Church of Christ (UCC) are partnering with RAWtools to host a gun buyback from 1pm-3pm at Mountain View United Church, preceded by Sharletta Evans of Colorado Crime Survivors Network speaking at the 6th Avenue service from 10am to 11am. Ms Evans lost her 3-year old son, Casson, in the late 90s to gun violence and has since worked to address gun violence and the legal system locally and nationally for 25 years. RAWtools will also turn a gun into a garden tool at the 6th Ave service.

The buyback is the 3rd by a United Church of Christ congregation and first by an ecumenical congregation belonging to the Presbyterian Church (USA), United Methodist, and United Church of Christ since the Boulder mass shooting at a King Soopers, all facilitated by RAWtools. Community UCC in Boulder and Longmont UCC both hosted successful buybacks in June and September and both are paying forward visa gift cards to support the buyback in Aurora. RAWtools has been turning guns into garden tools since 2013, just after the Sandy Hook massacre. Based in Colorado Springs, RAWtools mission is to Disarm Hearts, Forge Peace, and Cultivate Justice. RAWtools provides and partners with other organizations working at intersections of gun violence to offer resources and trainings for mediation, dialogue, de-escalation, restorative and transformative justice, and more.

Colorado Crime Survivors Network, founded by Sharletta Evans, has a mission to support, advocate, collaborate and build coalitions for victims and offenders in addition to at-risk youth. Their programs include support for victims and survivors of violence, including advocacy and victim rights, victim/offender mitigation including juvenile offender reform and adult clemency. All of these programs echo Ms. Evans lived experience of gun violence and its aftermath.

6th Ave United Church Service with Sharletta Evans and Gun to Garden Tool transformation–
10am to 11am
3250 E 6th Ave
Denver, CO 80206
Rev. Christopher Gilmore Lead Minister cgilly314@gmail.com

Gun Buyback at Mountain View United Church 1pm to 3pm
NO PRESS TO MAINTAIN ANONYMITY (Photos can be provided after event by our designated photographer that maintain anonymity for participants)
10700 E Evans Ave
Aurora, CO 80014
Rev. Dr. Tracy L. Hughes, Lead Minister revtracy@mtnviewunited.org

Colorado Crime Survivors Network – cocrimesurvivorsnetwork.org
Founder Sharletta Evans- sharlettacevans@gmail.com 720-309-7623
Community Gun Violence Prevention Advocate Kia M. Ruiz kruiz@bradyunited.org

RAWtools – rawtools.org
Executive Director Mike Martin mike@rawtools.org 719-203-8069

Compensation Rates for Guns turned in at Buyback:
$100 for single shot rifles and shotguns, including double barrel shotguns
$200 for semiautomatic handguns and rifles
$300 for assault style rifles as determined by RAWtools.

Gun Buyback | January 16, 2022

Dear Friends in Christ,                                                                                                                

Gun violence has increased 135% in Aurora in 2021. Have you wondered how the congregation that you serve can take faith-based action in response to this pervasive violence?

Join Mountain View United Church, Aurora and 6th Avenue United Church of Christ, Denver  as we create an ecumenical coalition to host a RAWtools Gun BuyBack on Sunday, January 16, 2022 to get guns off the streets. RAWtools literally “turns guns into plowshares” by cutting the surrendered guns into pieces that are later foged into garden tools and jewelry.

We need to raise $10,000 to host a RAWtools Gun BuyBack. This money is used to pay individuals for each gun surrendered. The buybacks are: $100 for long guns like hunting rifles; $200 for handguns; $300 for assault rifles.  We believe we can do this with the help of an ecumenical coalition of Christians who are tired of the scourge of gun violence in our neighborhoods. Here is the breakdown for fundraising per congregation:  

10 congregaitons - $1,000; 15 congregations - $666; 20 congregations 500; 25 congregations - $400

On January 16, 2022, the Sunday of MLK Day weekend, we will honor the nonviolent legacy of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. with a worship service at 6th Ave. UCC (10:00-11:00) where volunteers will be blessed and commissioned for the Gun BuyBack that will be hosted at Mountain View United Church (1:00-3:00). During the worship service surrendered guns will be sawed into pieces to be made into garden tools and other resistance art.

Our partner “RAWtools’ mission to “disarm hearts, forge peace, cultivate justice” is driven by our ability to make a choice about the tools we use to navigate conflict. As we lose more than 109 people a day to gun violence in the United States, it’s becoming more and more clear that guns have no place in conflict resolution. Many folks donate their guns to RAWtools because they do not need them anymore”(from RAWtools website.)

We ask that congregations take a special offering during Advent, on Christmas Eve, or on Epiphany Sunday in the spirit to turn “guns into plowshares” as a gift to the Prince of Peace. Let us be messengers of justice and goodwill just like the wisemen who visited the Christ child and returned a different way as a defiant act of justice confronting Herod and his reign of terror. Gun violence in the U.S.A. is a reign of terror in our schools and neighborhoods. Let us join our hearts and fianncial gifts to confront and transform tools of terror to tools of life this Advent, Christmas and Epiphany.

Online giving option: Go to mtviewunited.org click on the Donation link. Once in tithe.ly click on “Mission All.” Once you have filled out the amount donated write “buyback” in the memo.

We are confident that as an ecumencial coalition of congregations we are able to raise $10,000 to jointly sponsor the January 16th RAWtools Gun BuyBack! Your commitment date is Janauray 6th – Epiphany! Will you step up and courageously support this effort? Please contact Rev. Tracy Hughes or Rev. Chris Gilmore if you have any questions.

Peace and Blessings,

Rev. Dr. Tracy L. Hughes and                         Rev. Chris Gilmore
Lead Minister                                                    Lead Minister
Mountain View United Church                     6th Avenue United Church of Christ
10700 E. Evans Avenue                                    3250 E. 6th Avenue
Aurora, CO 80012                                             Denver, CO 80206
revtracy@mtviewunited.org                          chris@sixthavenueucc.org