THE NEIGHBORHOOD CHURCH: Survival Kits

Thank You, Thank You, Thank You!

by Michael Klassen, co-Pastor of The Neighborhood Church

“Mike, you have no idea what a difference your church has made at our school,” the Dakota Ridge High School teacher exclaimed to me on the phone last night. “So please tell your congregation ‘thank you,’ ‘thank you,’ ‘thank you!’”

At The Neighborhood Church, we’re experiencing our most exciting season in our short history.

Last spring, I met with the principal of Dakota Ridge High School and proposed a ridiculous idea: supplying back-to-school survival kits for every staff member of the school. That’s 150 kits—a pretty big order for a very small congregation. “But,” I told him, “in order for us to pull this off, we’d like to invite the community to join us.”

“I love your idea,” he said. “Just tell me what to say and I’ll shoot out an email to everyone on my email list.” And he did.

So on August 9 and 10, I set up a table at the school registration and invited parents and students to sign a big poster board with their names and any words of appreciation in multi-colored Sharpie markers. While they were signing the poster boards, I asked them to contribute toward the survival kits. By the end of the second day, we had filled four poster boards full of names and collected $1,000. People associated from our congregation collected another $1500 which gave us $2500 to spend. They also asked local merchants to give toward the kits—which they did willingly!

The next week, I found myself addressing all 150 staff members of the school, thanking them for investing themselves in the lives of their students. A week later (August 23) we hauled into the school 150 survival kits filled with legitimate stuff like coupons for free pizza, subway sandwiches, appetizers, Starbucks gift cards, ibuprofin, green tea…and an orange.

The signed poster boards now hang in the teachers’ lounge.

Since then, my email box has been filled with thank-you notes from the staff. The teacher who called me on the phone last night told me, “Your church has helped our school start the year off in a new direction. There’s something different about this year.” All I could say was, “Thank you” and “We’re just trying to show God’s love in a practical way.”

In the meantime, we’re starting a mentoring ministry focusing on fatherless teenagers, which we’ll launch this month. The high school counselors have already agreed to help us identify the students in need of mentoring.

I could go on and on, but I’ll stop with this. Friends at Lookout, because of your partnership with us, this is your story too. Thank you, thank you, thank you for your generous financial support.

Here’s how you can pray for us:

· Pray for continued favor in the eyes of the Dakota Ridge High School staff.
· Pray that God will mobilize a strong team of mentors for the DRHS students—and students will who be receptive to our mentors.
· Pray that the hearts of the people in the DRHS community will be receptive to the gospel.

If you’re interested in learning more about becoming a mentor, please email me at mjk@tnc3.org.

Christ's Body: Summer Update

Since 1990 Christ’s Body has been Feeding, clothing, and sharing the Gospel in Denver, 365 days a year. They also provide showers and clothes washing for the homeless of Denver. Recently space was made available for 5 respite care patients…people who have recently left the hospital but have nowhere else to go.

Pastors John and Bruce (above photo) minister to the physical and spiritual needs of their many friends at Christ’s Body. Lookout Mountain has contributed to the funding of Christ’s Body for many years, and several groups in the church have helped with meal preparation, serving, and with worship services.

Recently the women’s Thursday evening Bible study cooked lunch for Christ’s Body Ministries. With the help of several family members, approximately 230 meals were served.

Carol Turpin, Brett Ross, Kathy Clemons, Jody Ross, Don Ross, Marianne Selkirk and Wayne Clemons prepare to serve lunch.

...for more about Christ's Body Ministries, click here.

Healing Waters: Trash 2 Treasure

I don’t like the dump! It smells and is full of garbage and objects that no one wants. Yet, last week as I traveled with the Healing Waters Transformation Team to the community of Landivar, located in the dump of Guatemala City, Guatemala, I found treasure.

I can’t imagine what it must feel like to call a garbage dump home. Vultures fly high above in search of a meal. The repugnant odor of garbage fills the air. Makeshift homes of metal and scraps form communities of people who hope to make a day’s wage by sifting through the trash in search of recyclables or other items of value that may be sold. In these dilapidated shacks there are no bathrooms, no running water, and certainly no drinking water.

Healing Waters International, or Agua de Unidad, has teamed up with Cristo es el Camino Church in order to meet one of the most basic human needs—safe drinking water. Healing Waters International opened a water purification system at the church in April 2006. Pastor Saul Perez leads the congregation of about 150 people to care for the people of the dump. One way of loving these people in Jesus’ name is through providing clean water.

The church building is located about ten blocks away from Landivar, the community adjacent to the dump. This is quite a distance to carry a 40 pound, 5 gallon water jug. In response to this, Cristo es el Camino purchased land in the heart of Landivar and built a water deposit for the church water system. As part of the Healing Waters Transformation Team, I was able to participate in preparing the site for its inauguration, which occurred on July 30, 2010. We worked alongside members of the church mixing concrete, painting, and building shelves for the water jugs.

The most meaningful time of the trip for me came when Pastor Saul brought us to the home of his friend Mariel. She resides on the edge of the landfill. After a short walk through the shacks, we reached Mariel’s home. She invited us in and told us of her life. She and her husband live together with their seven year-old daughter, Dulce. Life is very difficult. Both she and her husband have struggled with addiction and are in constant fear of the violence that permeates the area. She told us of her daughter being threatened by men wielding baseball bats as weapons, attempting to force her into their car. That incident occurred the week before we came.

She expressed gratitude for the work of the church, for the water system and for us being there. We prayed together for God’s protection over her, her family and her community. During the prayer I was overcome with the amazing feeling of how much God loves Mariel and her family. He does not see a woman who lives in garbage but rather his beautiful daughter whom he loves.

My heart was also broken. No one should live like this. No one should have to live in a garbage dump.

I’m grateful for our time in Landivar. I’m grateful for Healing Waters International and for Saul Perez and the Church. I’m hopeful for the community of Landivar, as Saul Perez and Cirsto es el Camino Church plan to expand the water deposit to include a training center for women to learn how to sew, a shower facility, and eventually a school for the children. As a result of their work and obedience to God, I’m certain that some will no longer need to call the dump home. Yet as I reflect on the entire experience, I am most grateful that God, for just a moment, allowed me to see and feel a glimpse of the love he has for Mariel and the people of Landivar as they truly are--treasure in the dump.

~Steve Annest, member of LMCC church body


...for more about Healing Waters International, click here.

Street's Hope: Good News

THANK YOU!

"We met our goal of $10K in the month of July! Now your generosity this month will be doubled by an anonymous donor. Thank you so much for your faithfulness to Street's Hope!" ~Karen Allen, Executive Director

Here's "One Girl's Story":

Carla's story is an amalgamation of the stories of those involved in street prostitution. Please allow your imagination to fill in the details of the picture painted below. Imagine the sights, the sounds, the smells, and any visceral responses you may have as you read this story.

Imagine a young girl. We’ll call her Carla. As a little girl Carla had dreams of growing up and being a mommy. She loved to play with dolls and wear pretty dresses. As Carla grew, she loved going to school. She loved to see her friends and her teacher each day. School was hard for her, but she worked hard and was cooperative in class. Her teachers would compliment her on her effort and her ability to get along with others.

When she was 7, Carla’s mom invited her boyfriend to come and live with them...for the rest of the story, click here.

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