Street's Hope: Celebrate & Meet the Challenge!

Less than $1K Left to Meet the $10K Challenge!

We are almost there! Please let your friends and family know about this great opportunity to double their money in helping Street's Hope. Then please come and celebrate with us this Saturday night...

Tropical Night in the Highlands

SATURDAY NIGHT ~JULY 31ST

Doors Open at 7:00PM

2215 W. 30th Ave (Asbury Bldg)

Dance to a Variety of 70's, 80's, & 90's music by Tommy & Paul LeRoux (members of Nacho Man band)

on an Air-conditioned Dance Floor!

Polynesian Food & Drink provided

Silent Auction, Mixers, Comedy & Door prizes

Casual attire Hawaiian shirts, shorts, and island attire ideal.

Net proceeds will benefit Street's Hope!

$15 at the door

For more information email: denverfunnetwork@gmail.com

About Street's Hope: Street’s Hope recognizes when women want to leave the sex trade industry, they often do not have the financial and emotional resources to do so. Women need a comprehensive approach to the complex issues that brought them into the industry. True healing is possible for women leaving the sex trade industry allowing them to have a meaningful future. ...for more about this important ministry, visit their website by clicking here.

Christian Associates: To Russia, with Love

Brian Newman served on the staff of LMCC as executive pastor from 2006 - 2009. This year he rejoined Christian Associates, the mission agency he and Susy worked with for many years in Europe. Christian Associates is a church planting and leadership development organization working in urban centers of Europe, the former Soviet Union, Latin America, and North America. Brian recently was in Ryazan, Russia to train church planters.



Dear Ministry Partners,

I returned from Russia and I want to give you an update. We spent our time in Ryzan, which is about 2 hours southeast of Moscow. Until the fall of the Soviet Union it was a "closed" city because of top secret military paces. It's a poor, industrial city of 500,000 people today.

Rather than recounting the teaching we did, I want to tell you what I heard that God is doing in Russia. Christian Associates is partnering with seven churches in four different cities. Some of the churches are struggling, some growing, all are facing renewed persecution in a country increasingly hostile to the Gospel.

I was amazed at the faith and maturity of our leadership team. Sergey (see photo with orphan girl) is our country director. He has wisdom beyond his years, vision for his country that deepens my faith in Christ.

There is another thing that has stuck with me since returning. Russians are a people in great turmoil, with a society which is increasingly unstable. The former Soviet states - Uzbekistan, Ukraine, Georgia, and others - often verge on civil war. The government, which was initially open to Christianity after the Soviet Union disintegrated, has retreated and there is much more persecution of Christians.

I cannot think of a more important time than now for Christian Associates to be planting and multiplying churches in Russia. Thank you for making it possible, and please pray for Russia.

Thank you for your partnership in the Gospel.


...learn more about Christian Associates by clicking here!
...or visit them on Facebook

Mission Navajo: The Amazing Jr High Team!

The "Mission Navajo" team returned last Saturday after an amazing and exhausting week on the Navajo reservation in Arizona. We joined three other youth groups (two from the Denver area!) for a week of "Kid's Clubs" and service projects on the reservation. Our goal was simply to be a light for Christ in a very dark place, and this group of teenagers accomplished that in amazing ways. Hopefully we can get some of their stories on here soon, but I can share a few very briefly.

Our group was split into two teams for the week and paired with other church groups. Each team spent two days running a summer camp for dozens upon dozens of Navajo kids, ranging in age from 4-18 years old. These kids have a violent nature and vocabulary to make any mother blush. Loving them through all of their "rough edges" can be difficult, but our kids did an amazing job of it anyway. They gave piggy-back rides for hours on end, sought out shy kids to get to know them and led times of Christ-centered skits and worship. The other two days were spent sweating away the hours as we helped with "beautification projects" like house painting and landscaping.

In the process we met many wonderful people, and we hope to share their stories through the kids soon. ...for more on the aftermath and tons of photos, click here!

~Kyle Vamvakas, Jr High Youth Director

Hands of The Carpenter: Record-setting Car Clinic!

Hands of The Carpenter hosted our largest Car Care Clinic this past Saturday at Lookout Mt. Community Church. Four times a year, we serve single parents and widows with a Car Care Clinic. The clients receive an oil change, along with a 51 point vehicle inspection, all free of charge. We have been hosting these for 6 years now, and there is a strong possibility that this will be our last one to be held at this location, as we are hoping to move to our new auto shop soon!

The Car Clinics are about more than just changing oil. I’m not sure who is having more fun – the volunteer mechanics – who have a friendly competition going among themselves on which team is the “best” - or the clients being served – as they visit over coffee and pastries, sharing life stories, and encouraging one another. ...for the rest of the story, click here.

See the mechanics in action and the recipients of this great service, click here!

Hands of The Carpenter: Driving Towards the Dream

Cindy is a recent widow. Her husband passed away in January after a long battle with cancer. She has 3 children at home – 2 of them with serious health issues of their own. With their constant need for medical attention, Cindy tries to work several part time jobs that work with her children’s schedules. Because of her grief and stress over the death of her husband, she found herself pulling away from family and friends, and isolating herself from any real sense of community. Cindy came to us with a need to get the brakes replaced on her Dodge Dakota. As we visited, her deeper need was for a place of comfort and support...for the rest of the story, click here

*For even more stories like Cindy's, please check out www.ehands.org/blogs


The Hands of The Carpenter Team: (l-r) Doug McCrimmon (Hands of The Carpenter, Board Chair), Mike Mulkins (Hands Automotive, Board of Directors), Randy Pickering (Hands Automotive, Board of Directors), Dan Georgopulos (Hands of The Carpenter / Hands Automotive, President), Rob Liley (Hands Automotive, Board of Directors) and Juli Hobin (Hands of The Carpenter, Client Services Director)

It is with a grateful and excited heart that I (Dan), announce that on July15, Hands of The Carpenter executed a letter of intent with an auto repair shop in Lakewood to purchase the business. HOW AMAZING IS THAT?!?. In just two and a half months, the dream is very close to becoming reality. We are grateful to our Father and all who are part of that blessing!

To follow through with the purchase, we need to finish raising the funds. At this point, we are short $25,000 from having all funds needed to cover the purchase and initial operating expenses.

Would you, your church, or your business please consider being a part of this final step in “Driving Towards The Dream”?

As an Enterprise Zone Project, financial gifts to "Hands of The Carpenter" receive a state tax credit equal to 25% of the gift. Check out http://www.ehands.org/ for updates and help make the dream a reality through an online gift!

India: The Team Takes Off!

Shev writes: It's early Tuesday morning and I am counting down the hours before I and eleven others embark on an adventure some only dream of. We set out at 8:41am on the 13th of July for the country of India. We are going to Kolkata to spend just under two weeks serving with the “Sisters of Charity” more commonly know as “the thing Mother Teresa started.”

...for the rest of the story, click here!

Dominican Republic: Baptizing

Not exactly your typical setting for a baptism - turquoise waters, the gentle breeze dancing with the warmth of the sun, Dominicans playing along the beach and the scattering of Speedo-clad European tourists wondering about this circle of Dominicans and Americans in the water.

What a joy to be a part of a baptism service with Pastor Janel and his ministry to the Youth of La Victoria. Eight kids, ranging from five years-old to eighteen, were baptized. Many of these kids come from challenging environments; they have found a community where they are accepted, loved, shown the gospel, and encouraged to live it out.

As I stood in this circle hearing the words of Pastor Janel and looking up at the clouds in the sky, I imagined God and the majestic hosts in heaven looking down, dancing with joy because the lost have been found.

In Luke 15, there are three stories in a row that Jesus gives about the lost. The lost sheep, the lost coin, and the lost sons. It is striking that in each of these stories, after finding what was lost, there is rejoicing and celebration. It is extravagant, bewildering, and shocking. It is a reflection of God's economy, He gives all for the lost. That is the depth of His heart for just one person.

Why?

Because He loves them. Because He desires that they would be a part of the celebration that is intrinsically a part of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. They are a divine circle, a dance of life looking down at this broken circle, in the middle of the Caribbean, declaring a need for God and His dance of life.

- Adam Long

Dominican Republic: Praying

I am thankful that our friends, the Bello’s, warmly opened their beautiful house to me and helped me feel right at home! It was good to re-connect with Betty, Mercedes, Eliezar , Elida and Pastor Bello. Their daughter-in-law, Marnie, was visiting from the States and I shared a room with the three girls. Thanks, girls!

Each day we connected in new ways with our friends in La Victoria and with our LMCC “team.” Mercy and Gregg Tucker arranged things for Adam, Jim, Damion, Judah and I; we were so grateful for their servant hearts.

It was a humbling experience for us the day we went out to visit and pray in people’s homes. Each family was so friendly and welcoming, with very large smiles for us! As she translated, Mercy’s warm heart and genuine interest gave us a glimpse of the struggles and joys in their lives. We prayed with confidence to our Abba Daddy knowing He heard us and that His timing is perfect to reveal His glory. What a joy to be in His presence together as brothers and sisters in Christ!

We prayed with Eduardo for his brother, Ramone, who had a fast growing tumor on his face and was in the hospital. Ramone passed away two days later and many of the town dropped everything to be there for his family.

We layed hands on Bonelli, who has lost his sight due to diabetes. He is the husband of our friend, Biemba, who cooked for us every day. Also, as we were walking, it began to downpour and Theresa and her mother, Matilda, let us into their house to wait until the rain stopped. We were grateful and prayed for both of them while we were there.

There were no “miracles” of healing that we could see that day, but I know in the spiritual realm that something changed or shifted each time we prayed. I have faith that God is always good and will continue to walk believing He is healing something in each person’s life, no matter what our eyes see.

The day we went to the compo (a poor area outside of La Victoria) we also prayed for people. A woman we knew from last year asked us to pray for her husband that was home sick in bed. We did. A little bit later he came to where we were meeting on his scooter and said that he had just started to feel better. Praises!

I have to admit to you that I had asked God that we would “see” His glory with our eyes while we were there in La Victoria. I think we did each time we trusted Him and prayed His love all over people in Jesus name!

More sweating for Jesus,
barbara