Posts in Together Church of Golden

25Sep '14 By communityfaithinaction

Tapping the Power of Community

Golden Community Commons- The Armory Building

Armory Building at the corner of 13th and Arapahoe

There has been a lot of speculation around what is going to happen with the Armory Building. We believe the diverse speculation is a good reflection of the kind of space this building could lend to as it just has so many possibilities. We have heard ideas of all kinds about the future use of the Armory. It is the kind of space that could be used for multiple opportunities and ventures. Calvary Church purchased the building in July 2014 with strong support and encouragement from many stakeholders in the Golden community and Jefferson County. Calvary’s intention is and has always been that this facility would become a community-gathering place, not a place for church programmatic development. History tells us that this building has always been used by the community in a wide variety of ways, such as the Engineering Corps in the early 1900’s, to a gun range, dance hall, event center, post office, home to businesses, services clubs, etc. and most recently as a multi-use facility hosting Colorado School of Mine’s students, residents and a few of Golden’s finest businesses.

In the past month a non-profit has been created, called “Golden Community Commons” and a board has been formed to give leadership to the non-profit and the future use of the building. The board is made up of a good mix of community leaders and Calvary Church representatives. Marcie Miller (Executive Director of the Golden Civic Foundation & City Council member) is acting as our president and our own Dan Thoemke is serving as the acting vice president as they work toward the development of the board and it’s officers. It is the board’s desire to go through the process of hearing from the Golden community about their desired use for this building. There have been two community conversations with stakeholders and residents asking them the following value based questions:

-What do we already see happening in Golden that could be enhanced through the use of the Armory space?

-What are the 2 most important things you think needs to happen in the future for us to continue to nurture and build community?

If you would like to be apart of this value-based conversation, they will be hosting another conversation Tuesday, October 7th at 6:30PM in City Hall. (911 10th Street Golden, CO 80401) This conversation will include a brief presentation about the Armory, the highlights from the values currently present in our community and an opportunity to discuss in small groups ideas that would enhance or add to these values through the use of this very cool community space. After this community conversation, it will be the board’s job to discern together how to move forward as it pertains to the Armory build and future use of the space. Community Faith in Action is committed to support this new Golden opportunity as it fits so strongly with our mission to tap the power of community and facilitate collaboration and partnership that unifies and supports sustainable change.

Run…Raise Money…Have Fun!

Imagine this: A chance to run off your Thanksgiving Day meal in downtown Golden while at the same time, raising money for The Neighborhood Rehab project. It’s really true! On Saturday, November 29, we are hosting a 5K run and a 1K Elf Parade for kids in partnership with Visit Golden on Small Business Saturday. This first annual event will start at 8am in Parfet Park and end under the Welcome to Golden arch. All proceeds will go towards providing materials for our ongoing efforts to assist elderly or low income homeowners with keeping their homes warm, safe and dry. This past Day of Service, we were able to do work on 43 homes using 400 plus volunteers – it was an amazing day! However, the needs continue throughout the year. We are already aware of 15 more homeowners needing assistance which is why your donations become vital for the Neighborhood Rehab Project. November 29 will be a fun and easy way to support this important work! After the run, folks can take part in a pancake breakfast, drawings to win some fabulous prizes and of course an opportunity to Buy Local in Downtown Golden. So come join us…be a “running tool” and know that you are supporting an organization that is truly making a local impact. Go here to register and to find out more details.

Fourth Annual Neighborhood Rehab Project Providing a Service that Matters

Senior citizens Paul and Mary are still reeling from the experience they had on Saturday, September 13th when a group of 18 people wearing tee shirts saying “I’m a Tool” appeared on their property near South Table Mountain. Mary says she can’t even begin to explain just how marvelous it was to have these jovial strangers devote an entire day to repairs on their home and work in their yard, tackling projects and chores that Paul and Mary, at 88 and 79-years-old respectively, haven’t been able to do themselves in years.

“The yard was just a terrible mess,” said Mary. “There were broken pots, overgrown weeds, rotted crabapples and the rats that were eating them. They cleaned up the whole place and hauled all the junk away. They even saved the top soil for me.”

Mary said she and Paul feel so blessed their home was part of Golden’s fourth annual “Be a Tool” Neighborhood Rehab Project and that it just “fell in our lap.” They are still not entirely clear, either, on what brought this combination of people together for this cause (most of the volunteers at their site were students from the School of Mines swim team). Even as the group was finishing up replacing tiles in the kitchen and re-screening the back door, Paul asked again, they weren’t part of some government program? And indeed, the very fact that nearly 400 volunteers, unaffiliated or from various organizations, all came together to be used as “tools” for their neighbors matters as much the work they did that day.

NRPis the foundational effort of Community Faith in Action, a Golden non-profit whose mission is to tap the power of community through the facilitation of multiple individuals and organizations in service to the common good. The scope of this year’s day of service is a testament to that achievement: the diverse army of volunteers stormed 43 homes with 32 gallons of paint, 18 gallons of roof seal, 55 bags of mulch, 20 tons of landscape rock, 3 truckloads of deck repair wood and lots of TLC. They hauled away 82 square yards of trash/debris (7 dumpsters full) and removed 50 square yards of branches. There were 28 roof repairs, 12 homes weatherized, a new hot water heater installed, pipes of 3 homes insulated to prevent freezing, insulation of ceiling/crawl space in 2 homes and 180 linear feet of fencing replaced. This was all accomplished with 3200 plus man-hours in one single day by folks with a good attitude who were all having fun in the process. No wonder people like Paul and Mary were awed at the magnitude.

So why does this day of service matter so much that 400 people with all different connections would volunteer a whole day of their time and physical labor? “I’m always looking for a way to give back within my skill set,” said project leader Aaron Simmons. “I don’t always go around talking to people about Jesus, but when I’m able to serve in this way, it’s an opportunity for me to live out my faith.”
Roy Masters, also one of the project leaders that day, said working with all the young adults on his team really made it fun. “It’s so rewarding to see the volunteers experience the appreciation of the people we’re serving,” he said. “This was my second year and I’m sure I’ll keep doing it. It’s a great cause that really brings the community together and I had a great experience both times.”
The day of service is clearly as close to the hearts of the workers as it is to recipients of the hard work and that connection is what seems to matter most about this community service effort. And then, of course, there’s the practical aspect as well. Said Mary in conclusion about her experience, “Now when I drive down the street, I don’t have to cringe when I get to my house!”

24Jun '14 By communityfaithinaction

Carving out Space for Community

Do you ever walk into a building, a room or a home and you just get that sense, “I want to be here”? On May 31st we got the opportunity to carve out a little space called Miner’s Alley for one day to make it a Better Block. (see betterblock.org) Folks from all over Golden worked for weeks planning for one day to transform a space for community to come alive. This one day was an opportunity to get Golden businesses, residents and leaders together to ask the question, “what could Miner’s Alley become?” The day was a success, people came, music played, food and drinks were served and once again this community acted like a community. The point is exemplified once again that when people gather in a SPACE designed for creating relationship and connecting over common interests, people thrive. However, there is a problem in our world. People do not know how to share their passions or gifts, they do not know where they fit and often times just feel too busy to try anything new. We want to help you overcome that, because we know the power of collective impact and it is truly fun to be apart of something that is bigger than ourselves, especially when it has the potential to change the world we live in! There are cities all across our nation that are embracing the idea of collective impact. Community Faith in Action exists to foster these kinds of relationships. We look around our community and see where people are working to make a difference and where our Christian values line up. That is where we want to work. We realize that if you are a member of a church, government organization, a non-profit or a business then you have a chance to make a difference in the city where you dwell. However, we need to re-learn how to define success. There is a new score card being developed as we speak and that card is defined by wins for the city collectively, not just your organization. This is what true community transformation is when we start living for the common good of our towns. So go ahead and carve out a little space for community, you will be surprised at what you find!

We want to challenge you this month to look around your city and see where people are gathering for the common good. Is the community engaging in these spaces? Is there room for you to get involved? You might want to offer to help those who are leading, share your personal passions with them and see where you fit. Then when opportunity presents itself, jump in for the common good of your community and do not worry about who gets the credit, just make sure you are leaving that space better than when you arrived. Some websites to explore: Neighborhood Rehab Project Community Faith in Action Together Church of Golden City of Golden Specific ways to volunteer this summer: the Community Garden contact Amanda Strouth or the Farmer’s Market contact Dawn Smith

Work Project Turns Teens into Tools

It’s better to give than it is to receive and the only thing sweeter than the truth behind that old adage is passing it on to the next generation and allowing them to experience the joy of community service for themselves. That’s the idea behind Golden’s annual Neighborhood Rehab Project spawning a new youth event July 23-24 with a similar mission. The new event will involve over 100 teens on their annual Rise on the Road trek from Iowa joining as many local youth in Golden to share a hands-on experience learning what it means to love thy your neighbor through home projects. The effort is being organized by Community Faith in Action and local Together Church youth leaders. This new event will allow the young people to serve residents in the Golden Terrace sub-division in much the same way the Neighborhood Rehab Project performs home repair locally for those in need, through its annual day-long event and its hundred plus volunteers donning their “I’m a Tool” tees come September. Unlike Neighborhood Rehab Project, however, where adults and various tradespeople do larger scale construction jobs like roof repair, Rise on the Road youth will work alongside Golden Terrace residents on smaller work projects like cleaning up debris, fixing fences, sealing windows and painting. “When we found out Rise on the Road was coming to Golden, we thought, what a great opportunity to help kids become a tool, too,” “We want to really connect them with the community rather than just have them come in, do some work and go home.” There are several ways CFIA hopes to create that connection through the two-day event according to Thoemke. “First of all, the teenagers are going to work right alongside the residents of Golden Terrace on the various jobs and get to know the people they are serving,” he explained. “In addition, the work projects will be surrounded by times of teaching the youth all around the values of one’s faith and what it means to be a good neighbor by becoming a tool in your community.” And last, said Thoemke, “We are going to throw a fun block party with our neighbors at Golden Terrace and celebrate our accomplishments together.” The two days of learning and work projects will culminate with the block party on Thursday afternoon which is being made possible by the City of Golden’s neighborhood block grant. Thoemke said there will be a BBQ, games for younger kids, a bounce house and live music by the local Denver-based band, Red Fox Run. To raise funds for events like Rise on the Road in July and the Neighborhood Rehab Project taking place September 13th this year, CFIA is teaming up with Small Business Saturday to organize the first annual “Be a Tool” 5K and Kid’s fun run on November 29th in downtown Golden. For more information on any of these events, please contact Dan Thoemke at 720-373-9605 or dthoemke@beatool.org

Buffalo Bill Days

Golden’s largest community festival, the famed Buffalo Bill Days, is just around the corner. While it is typically known for its “Best of the West” parade, Muttin’ Bustin’, live music, car shows and food vendors, there is another piece to the festivities that is worth highlighting. On Sunday July 27th at 9am in Parfet Park, The Together Church of Golden will hold its 9th annual Buffalo Bill Days Church Service. This has been a very inspiring event in years past as eleven of Golden’s local churches and their congregations worship, pray and learn together as a unified body of Christian believers. Denominational differences are put aside and people find great joy in turning their attention to hearing about how God is at work in and among our community. The focus this year will be on the impact youth are having in our city. We will hear from several of the youth who took part in the RISE on the Road event and about their time serving Golden residents during the week. This time is also a great opportunity to meet community members from Calvary Episcopal Church, Faith Lutheran Church, First Baptist Church of Golden, First Presbyterian Church of Golden, First United Methodist Church, Hillside Community Church, Horizon Christian Fellowship, Golden Church of the Nazarene, New Hope Community Church, Applewood Community Church, and Synergy Fellowship. So come, tell others about it and take part of this unique and meaningful piece of Buffalo Bill Days. For more information about the Together Church

18Oct '13 By communityfaithinaction

together church of golden

2013 Power of Community Collaboration

There is so much to be thankful for in this community. We have had the great privilege of being part of some of these projects and relationships. It is our passion at Community Faith in Action to facilitate opportunities within Golden that start and begin to foster sustainable change. We desire to see the lives of community members transformed as they serve and receive service. Thank you for being involved in so many tangible ways this year!

This fall we are celebrating several events and community projects that have required much community collaboration… here’s a few of them:

First off, the Snack-N-Wagon finished its first summer serving lunch to kids around Golden. It was a wonderful pilot year of learning, serving and watching an amazing group of volunteers step up to the call. We are looking forward to what 2014 will have in store for the S-n-W! We were also able to use the Snack-N-Wagon to deliver lunches to over 220 volunteers during the 3rd Annual Neighborhood Rehab Project Day of Service on September 7th!

We also had the 8th Annual Buffalo Bill Days Together Church Service in the park! We had folks representing 11 different churches and heard personal stories from community members about the impact the Together Church of Golden has made on their lives and neighborhoods. There was a moment during the morning when the church together was singing out to our Lord in one BIG voice that, I began to think, “this has to be a bit like heaven”. This was a great time of celebrating the unity of the Church in Golden and a sweet time of worship together.

The Together Church Community Garden in Golden was also a huge success! From this garden, we received over 600lbs of vegetables this summer! There were volunteers that harvested each week and brought the veggies to the Christian Action Guild, Canyon Gate Apartments, and the Lewis Court Apartments. If you are interested in participating next year, contact Amanda Strouth at amandastrouth@gmail.com or Melinda Warner meliowa88@aol.com

And also our 3rd Annual Neighborhood Rehab Project was a HUGE success!! Over 220 of you showed up and this huge horde of orange tackled over 33 projects! One homeowner said, “How wonderful it is to watch faith in action! I wish to convey my utmost, sincere gratitude and deep appreciation to you, to my crew of “tools” and to all those involved with coordinating this amazing project” and another said, “This work on our roof was perfect timing! If we had waited even a few more days, there would have been so much damage from the recent heavy rains”. It was such a great day of connecting relationally all the while meeting physical, tangible needs. If you want more of the story on what projects were done, click on the Neighborhood Rehab Project blog or on the Facebook page for more pictures.

Oh and it would be worth your time to sit back for about 17 minutes and watch the Day of Service VIDEO Documentary, called “Beyond the Projects”, do it you won’t regret!

There are also several things this fall that we are looking forward to:

The Gathering.

The meeting for Christian businessmen and women has started up and they are continuing to meet every second Thursday at 7:30am at Century 21 downtown Golden. Next meeting is on November 14. Feel free to contact Jeff Fox jefffoxhouses@gmail.com

Wednesday Night Live.

For many years each church in Golden has participated in their own education classes weekly, whether that is on Wednesday nights or Sunday mornings. This year, the Together Church of Golden wanted to collaborate and continue to build relationships and trust together by offering classes together once a week! Wednesday Night Live has just recently started up and several churches in Golden are offering different programs and everyone is invited to participate in whatever class you are interested in. Oh and be watching for the NEW www.tcgolden.org site, it is coming and will highlight all the TC activity and opportunities!

– AWANA – First Baptist Church begins Sept. 11, 6:30-8:00. Kids from age 3 to sixth grade. Call 303-279- 4605, go to www.fbcgolden.org or find them on Facebook.

– Engaging the Old Testament – Hillside Community Church (103 N. Ford St.) Sept. 4 – Dec. 18, 6:30-8:00. Contact Shawn Bowen at shawn@hc3.org for more information.

– Financial Peace University – Calvary Church (14th & Arapahoe) Sept. 4 – Nov. 7, 6:30-8:00.Cost is $100. Contact Mike Diener at michael.diener@comcast.net or 303-525-9007.

– Gospel of John, Part I – Calvary Church (14th & Arapahoe) Sept. 4 – Oct 9, 6:30-8:00. Contact Cathy Hitch at cathy.hitch@calvarygolden.net or 303-278-4436.

– Gospel of John, Part II – Calvary Church (14th & Arapahoe) Oct 16 – Nov 20, 6:30-8:00.

– Women’s Bible Study – Calvary Church (14th & Arapahoe) Sept. 11 – Nov. 20, 6:30-8:00.Contact Angela McLean at angelafmclean@gmail.com (303-989-1203) or Marissa Morris at mpmorris@whem.net (303-506-3282).

– Contemplative Prayer Group – Calvary Church Sept 4 – Nov 20, 6:30-8:00. Contact John Wengrovius at 303-279-2188.

– FaithLab: PRAYER – Faith Lutheran (17701 W. 16th Ave.) Oct. 9-23, 6:30-8:00. Call Judi at 303-279-5379.

Bell Middle School Prayer Group

There is a prayer group that meets every Friday morning to pray for the needs at Bell Middle School as well as community needs and events. They meet in the education center at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church– the long 1-story building across the street from Bell. Here is a tentative schedule of what you can expect:

6:20 Arrive

6:25 Share prayer requests and prayers answered

6:30 Prayer time

6:55 Bell staff leaves, remaining parents and community folk can stay and pray if needed.

Anyone is welcome and if you have any questions, feel free to contact Amy Jones at 303-947-0805 or amyhjones@msn.com

Thanks for reading!! Let’s continue to be about the work of God’s Kingdom within our city.

CFIA Staff

26Aug '13 By communityfaithinaction

buffalo bill days
community faith in action
Golden Colorado
neighborhood rehab project
The Gathering

Power of Community Part III

It’s that time of year again that we start gearing up for Neighborhood Rehab Project Day of Service!

Last year we had over 140 volunteers who worked over 1,100 hours on over 30 homes of Golden residents.This year we anticipate around 200 volunteers to work over 1,500 hours on even more homes!

So this is how we see this year going down: Volunteers will meet at Hillside Community Church (103 N. Ford Street) at 8:30am for breakfast, coffee, and late registration. We’ll have a “vision meeting” to discuss the heart behind this project, which is to truly build community. Then we will discuss briefly why we do projects like this and then we’re off to the work sites throughout Golden for the day! As a volunteer, you can choose to work in several different ways based on your skill sets. If you enjoy more administrative jobs, we have a few tasks that we need folks to fill. We also need a few people that day to prepare and deliver lunches to the volunteers who are working at job sites around Golden via the newly rehabbed Snack-n-Wagon. And of course we need people of all skill levels to do the actual rehab on the homes! Kids are welcome! Under 16 will be assigned to work with their parents or adult guardians. Around 3:30-4:00pm we’ll all head over to Parfet Park (10th & Washington) where the City of Golden will be hosting a Volunteerism Celebration for city volunteers and all the NRP volunteers. There will be a catered meal, live music, drinks, and even door prizes!

To register for this great day of service, go to www.beatool.org and at the bottom of the page, click “register”. Like Neighborhood Rehab Project on Facebook and stay updated on the projects throughout the year! Our sponsors this year are the following: City of Golden, Golden Rotary Club, Together Church of Golden, and Meyer Hardware

Buffalo Bill Days was July 26-28 and we had a great weekend! Saturday morning we had pancakes before the big parade made by the Golden Fire Department and served a meal Saturday evening to the Golden Police officers who were working the event. Sunday morning we had the 8^th Annual Buffalo Bill Days Together Church Service where three community members shared their perspective on how the Together Church Cares, Feeds, and Loves.

We took an offering for the Neighborhood Rehab Project Day of Service on September 7 and raised approximately $2,400! The Snack-N-Wagon also made an appearance and folks were able to see the final product. It was so wonderful to once again be together in worship in the heart of our city. Thank you to the Buffalo Bill Days committee who always bends over backwards to make this event a special memory for so many.

Jeff Fox, who we introduced last blog as a Community Faith in Action board member, has felt the desire to start a new type of gathering in Golden called…well, The Gathering! This is intended for Christian businessmen and women to meet every 2^nd Thursday of the month at the Century 21 in downtown Golden at 7:30am to hear a speaker share around relevant faith in the workplace topics, a prayer time, and networking to encourage one another’s roles within community. Contact Jeff at jefffoxhouses@gmail.com with questions or just show up as you are able!

Thanks for reading and keeping up with us in Golden! You can also like our Facebook page to stay up to date with events and connections in the community! Have a great week!

24Jun '13 By communityfaithinaction

buffalo bill days
Community Garden
snack-n-wagon

Power of Community Part II

Snack-N-Wagon Reveal This Saturday!

Yes, if you have not heard, we have converted an old 1993 Beer Tour Bus into a mobile pantry to feed hungry kids in the summer time starting July 1st! So many hands have been on the bus, removing seats, cutting in a service window, lowering the floor, installing cabinets and putting in shelving. Within the week it will be wrapped with the Snack-n-Wagon marketing and ready to roll down the street! We are so blessed by the collaborative partnership that has happened between the Golden Rotary Club, the City of Golden, Food Bank of the Rockies and CFIA. Golden residents have volunteered countless hours on the bus and have to be some of the most generous people I have ever met. This Saturday, June 29th at the Farmer’s Market in Golden, come check out the new bus wrap and take a tour of the Snack-N-Wagon! We’ll be next to the Tennis Courts on 9th Street from 8am-1pm.

(Pictured above, Don Bellavance and Todd Henderson doing their magic)

Check out the reveal video online now to get a feel for nature of this bus!

Community Garden Update

There was recently a work day at the community garden complete with a potluck lunch and garden party! There are now tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, pole beans, bush beans, summer squash, carrots, onions, lettuce and cilantro planted in the garden! Once the produce is harvested, it is donated to local food banks in Golden as well as several senior centers. Do you enjoy gardening? Here are some ways that you can still get involved with the Together Church of Golden Community Garden plot:

Weeding: several times a week volunteers are needed to weed.
Pest control: killing bugs
Harvesting: between July and September harvesting needs to happen 2-3 times a week. It is recommended that folks do this together, so grab a friend and go collect some veggies for the Food Bank.

If you have kids, bring them along! There are a bunch of really cool plots in the garden this year- including a fruit orchard and bee hive! Check out their Facebook page for up to date information and email Amanda Strouth (amandastrouth@gmail.com) for more information about getting involved!

Welcome new CFIA board members!

We also would like to welcome Jeff & Leslie Fox to the CFIA board!! They along with their two daughters (Sydney & Emily) moved to Golden about 2 years ago and Jeff works with Century 21 as a real estate agent, and Leslie works with Love and Logic, a parenting company based here in Golden. Jeff & Leslie will bring a very unique & needed strength and passion to the team. Their mixed love of mentoring younger folks and bringing the business community’s voice to the table when it comes to community need is a beautiful combination. This summer Jeff is starting a group called, The Gathering. It will be geared toward Christian businessmen & women and will meet monthly to have fellowship and discuss relevant topics in the work world.

Buffalo Bill Days Together Church Service FEED-LOVE-CARE

Each year during the Buffalo Bill Days here in Golden, the Together Church has been invited by the City of Golden to hold a community service in Parfet Park. This year will be the 8^th year the churches have gathered to celebrate and worship together. Now, if you’ve never heard of the Together Church of Golden, or are unsure about what exactly it is, hopefully this blog will help clear some of that up! The Together Church started about 12 years ago when a few pastors just started praying together, no agendas, no planning, no other reason but to pray. From those relationships that were formed, the churches started actually doing things together. Like combine resources to share a food bank (see www.goldencares3c.org for more info) or organizing community workdays to help Golden residents keep their homes safe, dry, and warm (see beatool.org ). Currently there are eleven different churches with different backgrounds involved at some level with the Together Church. Come join the community of churches for our 8^th annual Community Worship Service this year during Buffalo Bill Days at 9 am on Sunday, July 28th at Parfet Park. Take the opportunity to meet community members from Calvary Episcopal Church, Faith Lutheran Church, First Baptist Church of Golden, First Presbyterian Church of Golden, First United Methodist Church, Hillside Community Church, Horizon Christian Fellowship, Golden Church of the Nazarene, New Hope Community Church, Applewood Community Church, and Word Faith Chapel. CHECK OUT our fun new website featuring the FEED-LOVE-CARE focus we are celebrating TOGETHER at www.TCgolden.org or get in touch with Dan Thoemke (dthoemke@me.com) to hear the rest of the story!

Thanks for reading! We’ll keep you updated on what’s going on in the community of Golden!

Have a great summer!