Dear First Pres Family, I do hope this summer magazine finds you relaxed. With any luck, it will be bent and wrinkled as you pull it out of a backpack, maybe even catching a little sand in the binding on the beach. At a minimum, it deserves a few nice rings on the cover from a cool glass of lemonade or iced tea. Summer is a time to breathe. Inside, on page 4, you will learn about the time Rev. Nate Stratman has spent with us. We can be so proud of how the Lord used First Pres to shape this man of God and his family to serve in new and exciting ways. You will read about Sues Hess and Family Life Services (page 10), reaching out with care and protection to those who need it most. We celebrate a new connection with Fuller Theological Seminary (page 8). You will also see a few faces of our true inheritance, the children of First Pres. Even though summer is a time to breathe, some of us are breathing pretty hard chasing these precious kids around! Just look at the array of camps and events our kids are experiencing this summer, and you will see — God intends to reach the next generation with His good news, and He is using First Pres to do it. So, take some time to read and enjoy. Take some time to breathe. But as you relax and refresh, don’t forget worship. Psalm 84 begins, “How lovely is your dwelling place, Lord Almighty! My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God.” (Psalm 84:1-2) Your soul needs worship. Your flesh needs the presence of God. You need worship as much as you need physical rest and recreation. In fact, I believe you will find creation so much more beautiful when you have spent time with the Creator. The mountains are more majestic, because we know their Maker. The skies are more heavenly when we have sung to the King of Heaven. Take a break. But don’t take a break from the food that nourishes your soul! See you in church.
Yours in Christ,
Tim
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Jul/aug 2016 contents Bringing Hope to Wilmington . . . . . . 4 An Interview with Rev. Nate Stratman Summer Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Sharing Space and Preparing Leaders . . 8 Matt Fox Serving Our City . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 An Interview with Sues Hess
Contributing Editors: Matthew Fox, Alison Murray Graphic Design: Beryl Glass Proofreading Team: Mary Bauman, Deb Berwick, Christine Dellacroce, Betty Haney, Daisy Jackson, Marty Kelley, Karen Kunstle, Linda Pung, Chris Sebby All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, © 2011 International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved. First Pres Magazine July/August 2016, Volume Eight, © First Presbyterian Church of Colorado Springs, CO. Published by First Presbyterian Church, a non-profit organization. To contact First Pres Magazine: 719-884-6175 or 219 E. Bijou Street, Colorado Springs, CO 80903-1392 or magazine@first-pres.org. Printed in the U.S.A.
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n August Rev. Nate Stratman and his family — wife Kim and daughters Ruthie and Ellie — will begin a new journey as church planters in Wilmington, North Carolina. Their church plant, Hope Community Church, will be an ECO church that aims at reaching the lost in a place desperately in need of Jesus. In a city of 200,000, only 18 percent are connected to a worshipping community. According to the Hope Community Church Website, “Hope will be a worshipping community where skeptics, believers, the unchurched, dechurched, those who are busy, stressed and the spiritually curious can find a place to explore faith, find belonging and experience the hope of Jesus Christ.” Nate came to First Pres nearly nine years ago as director of high school ministry. His journey has pushed him to grow in unexpected ways that have helped prepare him for this next step in ministry. Recently First Pres Magazine sat down with Nate to talk about how he’s been prepared to take this step of faith by his experience here and what comes next. First Pres Magazine: How has your ministry changed since you first came to First Pres? Nate Stratman: My role has changed five times, and each change has brought new roles and responsibilities. When I came here I said I didn’t want to be ordained. I saw myself as the life-long youth guy who might go into more speaking and writing. The path I’m on now is taking me somewhere I never expected to go. FPM: How has your time at First Pres prepared you to take this step with Hope Community Church? 4 | www.first-pres.org 7-8/16
NS: Not only First Pres, but also Colorado Springs is filled with more Christian leaders than any city I’ll ever be in. I’ve been deeply shaped by the different ways people lead here and the different leaders I’ve met on staff and in the church. It’s allowed me to see a broad picture of different ways of leading in the church. I’d say all the transitions — both the hard things and celebrations — have helped shape me for what’s next. FPM: What’s been the most meaningful part of your ministry at First Pres? NS: It’s really felt like I’m part of a family
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AN INTERVIEW WITH REV. NATE STRATMAN
here. My wife and I were looking for a place where we could worship, and a place that took Scripture and serving your neighbor seriously. That’s what we found here. When people say church is family, we really feel that here. That’s been the best and hardest thing about leaving.
bringing the right people with the gifts I don’t have to come alongside me. That will allow me to live even deeper into the gifts God’s given me.
FPM: You’ve talked about the idea that you’re not leaving First Pres so much as being sent by First Pres. What does that mean to you?
NS: I feel like I’ve been trained here in so many ways that I’m excited to take what I’ve learned and reach out to folks who aren’t connected to a local church. I look forward to spending time with folks who have these deep Spiritual questions and to connect them to a community of believers.
NS: God is a sending God, and this has historically been a sending church. God started doing something in me, saying it was time for me to lead my own church. This church really does love to celebrate, send and support people. When the cloud moves, like in Exodus 40, we move with the cloud. FPM: You’ve said this was a long journey to discern where God was calling you. How did you know Hope Community Church was the right call? NS: Two years ago I started a Quaker practice called a Clearness Committee. Essentially it’s a group that can’t tell you what to do, but rather they can only ask you questions you have to wrestle with as you discern your calling. Part of what I came away from that understanding is that I’m not a church planter. It was something I told God I didn’t want to do, so it seemed like the next logical step was to help lead an established church. But what kept Kim and I awake at night and got our blood pumping was this idea. There’s risk to it, but it taps into my entrepreneurial spirit. It’s still something I can’t believe I’m doing, but it’s also been about God
FPM: What excites you about this new church vision?
FPM: How can we be praying for you and your family during this journey? NS: My real prayer is that this church plant is not a shifting of the sheep but is about bringing the hope of Christ to people who lost it, don’t see it or don’t know it. My prayer is also that our family will continue to trust God that He’ll provide for all our needs during this transition. Pray that I can be a strong dad and husband through this process, and pray as we adjust to a new place.
Come hear Rev. Nate Stratman preach in all morning services on Sunday, July 24. To learn more about Hope Community Church, visit www.hopeforwilmington.com.
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p “Hat's Off toYou” Volunteer Banquet
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qAscent Camps
all generations
p “Ordinary Joe” Upbeat Camp performance
q“Annie” Fourscore and More banquet
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Sharing Space
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Preparing Leaders P
art of our call as a church is to Impact Lives. There are many ways that happens. Sometimes it’s serving with local organizations. Sometimes it’s taking our talent and passion to those in need of both in countries around the globe. And sometimes it’s about using the resources we’ve been blessed with to bless others. Perhaps the biggest resource God has given First Pres is its facilities. We have a dynamic campus in the heart of downtown, much of which is available to be used weekdays. By partnering with local organizations in need of space we can help Impact Lives throughout our city. One of those partners is Fuller Theological Seminary. First Pres has called a number of pastors who are Fuller graduates, and the First Pres Foundation has supported several individuals called to be pastors as they’ve studied at Fuller. Beginning this month we’ve entered a new phase of partnership with Fuller, which will share our space in their mission of “forming global leaders for kingdom vocations” here in Colorado Springs.
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A New Campus Home Fuller Theological Seminary has had a long relationship with Colorado, offering theological training to Colorado residents since partnering with Young Life in the 1960s. The Colorado Springs campus allows students to continue their theological training while working and living in Colorado Springs and other cities around the country through numerous online degree programs. Beginning this month, Fuller entered a new partnership with First Pres to use our facilities as its Colorado campus. The Fuller Colorado Campus offices and library are now at Café 225 and classes for students will be offered at our main campus. “We are thrilled to partner with Fuller in this way and to have them share our space,” said Rev. Dr. Tim McConnell, Lead Pastor at First Pres. “The work that they’re doing is vital to preparing the next generation of church leaders and we’re grateful to be a part of helping them fulfill that mission.” Will Stoller-Lee, director of the Colorado Springs campus, sees it as a perfect fusion of available space and the changing needs of
Impact Lives
students. The new focus of the campus is online and Hybrid+ courses, which mix 10 weeks of online study with one week of classes in person. With the Hybrid+ courses, once a quarter students will gather to study at the main campus at First Pres “We’ve seen a massive shift in enrollment trends,” Stoller-Lee said. “We rolled out several new online degree programs three years ago, and as a result we’re now recruiting numerous part-time students from all around the country who are full-time marketplace or ministry leaders looking for these flexible degree options.” The main offices are upstairs at Café 225, housing campus staff members Stoller-Lee and Lindy Williams, who works in the area of Call Discernment. In the basement, opposite the children’s play area, Fuller has set up its student library. Stoller-Lee said he loves the mix of uses in that space, and said the library will be an available resource for the use of First Pres as well. Stoller-Lee said he loves the synergy of having the campus offices and library in a coffee
shop, which is a natural gathering place for community and students of all ages. And he is excited about deepening the partnership with First Pres. In addition to hosting events for Fuller students, he said he hopes to partner with First Pres and other local ministries and churches to offer evening programs and seminars in the future. “There’s been a long history of partnership between First Pres and Fuller, so I think this is just a continuation of that collaboration,” he said. To learn more about the Fuller Theological Seminary Colorado Campus, visit www.fuller. edu/colorado. Matt Fox is manager of Communications at First Pres.
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Serving Our City
At First Pres we’re committed to Preparing All Generations to Impact Lives For Christ. It is that commitment to doing all we do For Christ that lies at the heart of the vision for the church, and for members of the church in the city. Many in our church work passionately to honor the call Christ has put on their lives. Each month we’re going to feature someone who is working For Christ in Colorado Springs, sharing a bit of their heart and vision for our city.
Sues Hess Executive Director of Family Life Services
First Pres Magazine: How has God prepared you and called you to your position?
By Lindy Keffer
Sues Hess: My key spiritual gifts are administration, leadership and hospitality — which are all needed in this role. An old friend once called me a “social butterfly” — I thrive best when I have relationships with all kinds of people. At FLS I build relationships with the staff, program participants, board, donors, volunteers and other non-profit leaders. I love working with other women and helping them to find the resources they need to keep growing in their walks with the Lord. And I love equipping the Body of Christ to help those who are hurting. I’ve had the honor of doing that as a missionary and pastor’s wife, in crisis pregnancy center ministry and globally through spiritual care following disasters. I’ve personally seen God’s healing hand following my own divorce and cancer. During my five years as a single mom I experienced God’s daily provision. At FLS I draw from all of those experiences to effectively help hurting families. When my ministry focused on global coordination, I missed working closely with other women. Now I have that opportunity once again. Along with others I get to realize 2 Cor. 1:3-8 — passing on God’s comfort that I have experienced. 10 | www.first-pres.org 7-8/16
FPM: What role does faith play in your work? SH: We firmly believe that when Christ transforms a heart, lasting transformation can take place. We invite our program participants to meet with Bible study mentors, and to become active in local church communities. By fostering a community environment, we have the privilege of working out our faith with others watching. There isn’t a day that we aren’t keenly aware of our need for Christ’s grace and mercy, let alone His provision in what we do. Daily we trust that the Lord will motivate people to respond to His call to support our ministry, and to bless them when they do. We see God provide for our needs one day at a time; I invite anyone and everyone to join us on that faith walk! We’re grateful that First Pres has supported FLS since the 1950s with volunteers, finances and prayers. We wouldn’t be here today without that critical support! About 350 volunteers help us each year to keep our grounds (2.5 acres) safe and secure, as well as our 111-year old buildings functioning well. It’s fun to see who God sends our way to meet these needs. I hope some of those reading this will join us this fall for the Loving Our City weekend! We have an urgent need for more skilled volunteers to help with our youth and children. Would you join us in asking God to call these volunteers? FPM: What do you see as God’s vision for where you’ve been placed?
SH: God called FLS to facilitate healing and restoration. As the hands and feet of Christ, we minister to the hurting. As people learn who they are in Christ, and who He created them to be, they can begin to write new stories for their futures. I want to see every family involved with FLS follow Christ, and provide stability to their kids. We have challenged some of our community women to step into leadership roles. I want our families to “pass it on” — to be healthy enough to serve others. I want to see more local churches involved — “adopting” our families, welcoming them into their own communities. And, ideally, I never want to see an empty apartment on our campus!
for christ FPM: What’s one dream you have for our city? SH: I long to see Colorado Springs be where Jesus followers are known to be welcoming to foreigners, widows and orphans, helping them to be well integrated in our community. May the Body of Christ locally provide places of acceptance, healing and refuge for all. What a challenge it is to love our neighbors as ourselves.
Family Life Services facilitates life transformation of struggling single moms and their families through faithbased community.
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graduate of Wheaton College, Sues Hess first began in ministry with the Christian Medical Society in Illinois and Texas. After marrying, she ministered in Europe, where her three sons were born. Her ministry took her to Germany and Austria. Sues has been at First Pres with her family for 20 years, since they returned to the United States. Acclimating to life back in the U.S., she was looking for a place that afforded her boys the freedom to be normal and wanted solid Bible teaching, which she found at First Pres. Sues serves as Executive Director of Family Life Services, which facilitates life transformation of struggling single moms and their families through faith-based community. FLS accomplishes this through a resident program and a community outreach program. Its ministry is designed as a place where our families are embraced by community. Its physical campus provides safety and security for both resident families, and the families in its community group. FLS also provides the framework for the wider community to help address the needs of these struggling families.
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Non Profit Org. U. S. Postage PAID Colo. Spgs. CO Permit No. 419
Wednesdays at 6:30 p.m. Aug. 10, 17, 24 & 31 Café 225 225 N. Weber St Nursery available
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