‘ This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says: Take these documents, both the sealed and unsealed copies of the deed of purchase, and put them in a clay jar so they will last a long time. For this is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says: Houses, fields and vineyards will again be bought in this land.’
—Jeremiah 32:14-15
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Friends,
It is hard to believe that an entire year has passed! Here we are headed into fall and once again at the time in the church calendar when we thank God for all he has provided for this year and begin the process of praying over what we can freely give for next year. For those of you who are new to First Pres, Stewardship is time we set aside as a church family to pray over what God is calling us to do with our time, talents, and resources for next year. At First Pres, our yearly budget is developed based upon our faith commitments; commitment of money we will return to God for the support of First Pres and its mission for the following year. This year Commitment Sunday is October 28. From now until Commitment Sunday, we ask you to pray mightily about what we can each do throughout the year to serve God and to be good stewards of the resources He has given us. We ask each of you to pray over your investment in the future of First Pres. A key text for this idea of investing in our future comes in Jeremiah 32. On the surface, it’s the story of a man buying a field and burying the deed in the ground. But it’s really about a man following the will of God. In uncertain times his stewardship was to invest his resources in the work of the Kingdom, to invest in the future. In this special edition of First Pres Magazine — Invest in the Kingdom, are examples of First Pres investing in the future. We look at the story of June Pauline Gardner, a pillar of our community. Ms. Gardner led our Sunday Schools for 30 years and founded our Get Set Preschool. Not only did Ms. Gardner invest, literally, in the future of the Kingdom, raising thousands of children in the faith, but she invested in hundreds of volunteers who came alongside her to invest in those children, too. Mongolia is a recent investment, beginning in 2006. This is a country that was dead to Christianity just a generation ago. Now, as a faith community we are in partnership with many different organizations and people as fledgling communities form in Mongolia. The big question is what are we going to invest in next year, in five years, in 10 years? We know that our new senior pastor, Graham Baird, is hearing a call from God for us to invest in our city. How are we each individually and as a church family going to hear God’s call and use the gifts, talents, and resources to make a difference in our city? We get the privilege of being part of God’s mission. Together with His help we can accomplish great things at First Pres for the Kingdom of God. Together let’s invest our future in the Kingdom of God. Chairs, Committee for Stewardship 2013
Scott Nilsen Jim Martin
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INVEST KINGDOM GOD in the
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hen we hear the word investment, we think of a long-term commitment. It’s a commitment that requires time, energy, and love to flourish. Making that kind of investment is easy when times are good, but the challenge is to remain faithful to our investments when times are tough. We have endured a season of tough times, especially recently. No one can deny it has been a hard summer. There have been fires, changes, upheaval, arrivals, departures, and cherished members of our fellowship that have been called home. A natural reaction during those times can be to pull back. But time and again, God calls us to step forward during those hard times. In Jeremiah 32, we see an example of someone who stepped forward to invest in faith despite hard times and tough circumstances. Jeremiah was a prophet called to offer hard words from God during
“ . . . God calls us to push forward, to invest for the future, and to trust that he will mature our investment in ways that will surpass our wildest expectations.”
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tough times. For his obedience he was put in prison, saw his homeland besieged, and went into exile. Yet in the midst of this he was called to invest in the land that was being ripped from him on the promise God would restore his people to that land. And despite those hard times Jeremiah did make that investment by literally buying a field. “Then, in front of all of them, I told Baruch, These are orders from God-of-the-Angel-Armies, the God of Israel: Take these documents—both the sealed and the open deeds—and put them for safekeeping in a pottery jar. For God-of-the-Angel-Armies, the God of Israel, says, ‘Life is going to return to normal. Homes and fields and vineyards are again going to be bought in this country.’” — Jeremiah 32:13-15 (The Message) God’s promise to Jeremiah was that if he was faithful in his investment during the bad times, God would honor that faithfulness going forward. He did, He does, and He always will. Jeremiah didn’t live to see how his investment matured, but he trusted God to honor his promises. During this season of trying times — in the midst of a war, a recession, ugly political squabbles, and tragedies both local and national, personal and global — the impulse is to pull back. But this is just the time that God calls us to push forward, to invest for the future, and to trust that he will mature our investment in ways that will surpass our wildest expectations. That promise from God has been the foundation of First Presbyterian Church of Colorado Springs for the last 140 years, and it will be true for the next 140 years. In the following pages of this brochure we hope you will be able to see and feel the way God has honored the investments made by those in this faith community in the past, the present, and in the future. We pray this will encourage you and inspire you as you consider the ways God is calling you to invest in His work during this season.
INVESTMENT
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o institution gets to the age of 140 without the support and investment of countless individuals. First Pres is no different. Throughout its history, First Pres has seen the benefit of any number of dedicated men and women who sought to be a part of a larger kingdom movement. No individual’s investment in First Pres stands out larger than that of June Pauline Gardner. For many that name is now synonymous with the First Pres library, but for nearly 30 years she poured her heart and soul into a Kingdom investment at First Pres. It is impossible to quantify June Pauline Gardner’s investment in First Pres in numbers alone, but five decades after she first began her work here the ripples of her legacy continue to echo toward the shores.
June’s Story
June Pauline Gardner began her investment in First Pres in 1952, when she came to First Pres to take the position of Director of Christian Education. When she first arrived at First Pres total attendance in the Sunday School programs for all ages was 750 each week. She quickly worked to grow those programs and reach out to the community, and the program continued to blossom. Ø first-pres.org • 5
It is impossible to quantify June Pauline Gardner’s investment in First Pres in numbers alone, but five decades after she first began her work here the ripples of her legacy continue to echo toward the shores.
By the time June Pauline Gardner retired in 1981 — after 29 faithful years investing in the ministry of First Pres and the lives of all those that came through the doors — the average attendance was more than 2,000 per week. In fact, First Pres was recognized nationally from 1975-1980 as being the fastest growing Sunday School in the Presbyterian Church and boasted the largest Sunday School program of any Presbyterian Church in the country. Though June Pauline Gardner retired in 1981 and passed away in 2004, the seeds of her investment continue to flourish. First Pres continues to boast a vibrant, robust, and diverse Sunday School program that continues to nourish the souls of children and volunteers alike. Those who worship in this faith community continue to help her long-term investment in the Kingdom flourish.
June’s greatest investment was Get Set
But perhaps the greatest return on June Pauline Gardner’s investment was the way she reached out to the youngest souls that crossed her path. She was noted for her care, concern, and love for all the children at First Pres and in the community. It was out of that love that her greatest investment was born. 6 • first-pres.org
One day June Pauline Gardner watched a pair of children playing outside her office window. The core question she grappled with was how she could reach those children? As a tireless advocate and educator, she understood the importance of reaching and impacting young lives early on, even before they reached kindergarten. After a great deal of prayer, the Get-Set program was born in 1969.
Get Set invests in the youngest children
Get Set is a free pre-school for the children of families in our neighborhood who do not have the resources to send their little ones to other preschools. The idea, born out of June Pauline Gardner’s desire to invest in the future by investing in the youngest members of the community, continues to flourish more than 40 years later. Countless lives have been touched by this program that shows Jesus’ love and compassion to families in need in the Colorado Springs community. Each year 34 pre-school-aged kids from the community are selected to participate in the Get Set Program, which has become a model to other pre-school programs. Bea Romer, wife of the former Governor of Colorado, cited the program as “one-of-a-kind.” In addition to learning the alphabet, letter sounds, colors and numbers, the participants in the Get Set program are exposed to Bible stories and the Gospel. For many, the Get Set program marks the first time they’ve been exposed to the Christmas and Easter stories and other aspects of the Gospel. It is a unique mission proj-
Get Set invests in the whole family
ect of the church, and one that continues to pay forward an investment in future generations. Since 1990, Delma Cliett has helped shepherd June Pauline Gardner’s vision forward as director of the Get Set Program. Reaching younger kids, impacting lives at the earliest possible moment is a mission close to her heart as well. Over the years, she’s seen the way that Get Set has impacted not just the lives of the young ones that come through the doors each day but the entire Colorado Springs community. “We’ve affected the community through these children’s lives,” she said. “This program gives them a wonderful foundation, and it’s a wonderful program that has lasted for 40 years.”
Delma notes that the program doesn’t just allow the church to invest in the lives of the children, but the whole family. She works with her students’ parents, grandparents, and siblings. Get Set allows First Pres to reach into the lives of the most disadvantaged youth in the community and set them on a different path. The results of the program have earned it an incredible reputation with educators and youth advocates throughout Colorado Springs. During their time at Get Set students get more than an education. Delma notes that a major component of the program revolves around helping the students learn manners and the life skills necessary to be successful. And it’s having a lasting impact on those that pass through Get Set, something Delma appreciates first-hand as she’s starting to see the second generation of students she’s worked with enter the program.
From that initial spark formed by watching kids play outside her office, June Pauline Gardner’s investment in the children and youth of Colorado Springs continues to bloom in incredible ways years after her death.
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Make Your Investment How do you contribute to the Kingdom and to fulfilling the Great Commission? You invest your time, talent, and treasure wherever there is need. This month, First Pres wants to celebrate the investment made by this fellowship in Colorado Springs, the United States, and the rest of the world. In the hall outside Guest Central you’ll find two maps — one of the Springs and the other of the world. Please take the time to let us know the ways you are making an investment in the Kingdom by making a visible connection between this fellowship and the places you’re investing, be it at home or in the world.
u Summer Music and Art Institute
How do you help young people grow into the talents God has given them? You invest in outlets that help them realize their creative potential. That’s what the Summer Music and Art Institute at First Pres is all about — the fusion of art, music, and God. The program gives youth — starting as young as age 8 — the opportunity to praise God through music, worship, and art. “Working with young people and seeing them commit their lives to Jesus Christ as their Messiah and Lord is one of the fulfilling things I do,” said program founder Don Robinson.“
v Greenhouse Ministries
How do you help build the next generation of leaders in the church? You invest in the lives and talents of those who want to serve Him. Birthed out of our congregation’s response to a challenge by the late Cliff Anderson during our 2009 Stewardship Campaign, Cliff developed a vision for a community of young people working alongside our own children, youth, and college ministries. GreenHouse Ministry is a comprehensive and integrated intern development program that prepares and educates 20-somethings for Christian ministry in the church and world.
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How do you meet the needs of those with nothing? You invest in a program that meets the most basic of human needs — the need for nourishment. It’s impossible to nourish the soul of those in need if you don’t first quench their hunger and thirst. That’s the mission of the Marian House Soup Kitchen — to offer nourishment to the bodies of those who have the greatest need in Colorado Springs. In operation since 1985, Marian House offers meals to more than 600 people per week, 365 days a year. For years First Pres has aided in that mission by helping serve as the hearts and hands of those providing food to people who have none. 8 • first-pres.org
x Springs Rescue Mission
How do you help people get back on the right path? You invest in their lives and come alongside their journey. That’s the heart of the Springs Rescue Mission, which began in 1996 as a way to feed the homeless and provide emergency shelter but has evolved into so much more. Now, at its facility located on Las Vegas Street, the Springs Rescue Mission serves more than 4,000 families and 22,000 people annually. And its residential recovery program helps set people on a path to reclaiming their lives. First Pres has been part of this work by investing in the efforts of the Springs Rescue mission through funding donations, volunteers coming alongside those in the program, and opening the doors of the church to help the work of the Springs Rescue Mission flourish.
y Hope & Home
How do you provide love, stability, and support to young people who’ve never experienced those things? You invest in a program aimed at building hope and a home for foster kids. Hope & Home does just that, and for more than 13 years First Pres has been investing in the program. The goal of Hope & Home is to “provide a stable and nurturing foster family to live with until it’s safe to go home again, or when that safety isn’t possible, to provide a forever family through adoption.” First Pres has supported the program through time, abilities, and financial support. And today, Hope & Home is the largest provider of foster care and foster/ adoptive services in the county.
z On The Air
How do you reach people who don’t, won’t, or can’t get to church? You invest in a method that brings the message to them. Mike Trout attends First Pres, but he also uses his 30 years of radio experience to bring the message of First Pres to people in the community. Mike lends his talent to editing services into a one-hour program each week that is broadcast to those in the community. Literally breaking down walls, Mike invests himself in helping get the Good News to those outside the walls of the church. “I view radio as another missionary outreach,” he said. “It’s a tool for someone to use when they’re in the workplace or when they’re with friends in other places. It’s a way to introduce other people to Christ, a way to introduce people to the church.” first-pres.org • 9
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INVESTMENT in PARTNERSHIP
n the book of Acts, we read of whole households coming to faith, nations hearing the gospel in their own tongue, and those that seemed the farthest from falling on their knees before Jesus. The early church, empowered by the unstoppable force of the Holy Spirit, was in the thick of it all as the good news of Jesus was spreading at breakneck speed. In fact, onlookers, beholding all that was transpiring in and through those first century Christians, said these Christians are “turning the world upside down” (Acts 17:6). When one beholds the thrilling movement of God in and through the nation of Mongolia, it is like reading through the book of Acts. There is a deep sense that the course of nations, the fate of families, and the direction of individual lives are being altered before our very eyes. First Pres is blessed to partner in this Kingdom movement with Christians in Mongolia. It is hard to pinpoint an exact time when our partnership with Mongolia began — what conversation, what prayer sparked it all — but one thing is certain… it is a work of the Sprit.
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The beginning
In 2005 Floyd and Lynne Sebald, who at that time were country directors for Mongolia Campus Crusade for Christ (MCCC), were at First Pres sharing about their part in God’s work in Mongolia and its first generation Church. They didn’t share the challenges and disappointments of ministry in a post-communist country; rather they talked about opportunities: MCCC teaching ethics to all new military personnel, teachers establishing Young Life clubs in schools, the poor being reached through medical clinics held in local churches, and the young Mongolian believers full of passion and vigor to see their nation won for Christ. And then there was First Pres Colorado Springs. As a congregation full of educators, Young Life volunteers and staff, military personnel and medical professionals, our connections and opportunities to minister together were clear. It seemed that First Pres was being swept up by this movement of the Spirit. It was time to take action and invest our time, talents, and treasures for the sake of a nation.
The first team travelled to Mongolia in 2006
First Pres sent a team to the capital city — Ulaanbaatar — in 2006. Numerous teams have gone every year since. During these years, First Pres and MCCC have journeyed down the road of developing a healthy partnership which is mutual, reciprocal and relational. Together we are participating in God’s kingdom work and through it all the Mongolia partnership has flourished. Every year First Pres sends between two and five teams to Mongolia. The teams help open doors for the MCCC staff as they leverage our presence and experience to gain entry into deeper relationship and ministry in Mongolia. Alongside MCCC counterparts, our teachers go to teach English, our retired military personnel go to teach, encourage and support troops, and our doctors go to teach seminars to their colleagues. Our pastors teach at conferences, supported by lay teams who go to pray, encourage and mentor the young staff of MCCC. Others in our First Pres community go to mentor college students in their faith.
“ The importance of the informal mentoring of our Mongolian brothers and sisters by older godly believers cannot be overstated. Through the deep expressions of love and friendship, these leaders are not only rooted deeper in Christ, they are greatly valued as persons and their hearts are enlarged to serve the Lord in greater ways.”—Floyd Sebald
Friends of MonGOlia
The Mongolia partnership also continues through a community at First Pres called Friends of MonGOlia. This community is primarily made up of those who have travelled to Mongolia. The group meets quarterly to guide the partnership, pray, and plan together. The group has a Facebook page that connects our local group and MCCC staff, as well as churches and individuals around the country who love Mongolia. Our partnership relationships are paramount. The young Mongolian Christians are first generation Christians and have no family history or experience to rely upon in terms of what it means to daily live out one’s faith. Those on our teams serve as role models for these young Christians, showing what godly Ø
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Facts:
In 1989 there may have only been four Mongolian Christians Today there are over 40,000 believers and hundreds of churches.
parenting, marriage, and decision-making looks like and how to walk the way of Jesus in every sphere of life.
First Pres assists with seminary training
First Pres is also supporting the Mongolian Church by assisting MCCC staff with seminary training. Batdorj Juvaa (Bataa) completed his M. Div. and stepped into the role of Country Director for MCCC in March. Gantumur Bahrakh will complete his M.Div. in May of 2013.
In 2013, Uuganbaatar Chulanbaatar (Uuganaa), his wife Una and their daughter Ninjin (pictured to left) will join us here at First Pres as Uuganaa pursues an M.A. in Global Leadership Development at Fuller seminary. Uuganaa will return to Mongolia to help the Mongolian Church send missionaries to places where most of the world cannot easily go. First Pres will be blessed as we have the opportunity to learn from, love, and encourage this young family as they are among us — partners in the Gospel! The young Church in Mongolia has a critical need for solid, theologically trained leaders to strengthen their movement into the future. Developing leaders develops a nation. Past, present, future…King Jesus is on the move! Our fervent prayer is that, just like in the book of Acts, onlookers might behold the partnership and work of First Pres and MCCC and say, “They are turning the world upside down.” Friends, let us continue our investment in Mongolia.
Timeline
•2 006 Vision, Young Life camp, and Nomad/Jesus film teams go •2 007 Listening and Nomad/Jesus film teams •2 008 First staff conference speaker and counseling team, bible teacher, English teachers camp, and military teams •2 009 Second staff conference speaker, Rev. Dr. Jim and Sara Singleton and counseling team, Bible teacher, English teacher’s camp, military liaison, and military family teams. Launched Friends of Mongolia. •2 010 Third staff conference speaker and counseling team; Bible teacher, English administrators camp team, military liaison, and family counseling teams. •2 011 Fourth staff speaker and counseling team, Bible teacher, four English administrator camps, military liaison and first medical team, and Young Life camp and training team. •2 012 Fifth counseling team, Bible teacher, four English administrator camps, and additional team to staff conference and a medical doctor. Military ministry will receive two trips from First Pres. Launched the Friends of Mongolia Facebook page. Attended 20th anniversary staff celebration. 12 • first-pres.org
INVESTMENT in
Our Future he last few months at First Pres have been filled with incredible moments where we have seen glimpses of the future God is calling us into as a church. Where God has knocked on our individual hearts and on the big heart of First Pres and asked us to stand up for what we believe; stand up for our city; stand up for Jesus. Does this feel overstated? We have been challenged by the likes of Dr. Tim Keller, of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York City, on August 21 to bring joy to our city. We were challenged by Mark Labberton, Fuller Seminary professor, in his message to our church during the installation service on September 9, that God is calling us to a new thing (Isaiah 43:19). We were challenged by Matt Heard, of Woodmen Valley Chapel, at that same service, as he charged us to believe in our city, that we are called to our city. First Pres, we are called. God is doing a new thing. As you pray over your response to God’s call, consider three of the things we are pursuing as a faith community.
Children and Youth
A small percentage of young people between the ages of 18 – 25 go to church. And while some will likely enter a church for the first time upon marriage and the arrival of children, today this demographic group by and large has not been raised in the church. This group doesn’t know the church and has no family experience in a church environment to draw upon. Beginning this fall, First Pres has combined children and youth ministries under the leadership of Nate Stratman. Focused on ministry innovation, Nate has spent the last two years involved in the work of Dr. Kara Powell of Fuller Youth Institute, and a growing ministry area called Sticky Faith. Ø
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As a 2012 partner church in the Sticky Faith movement, Nate and our children and youth team have been at the center of cutting edge research around building faith in young people and making it stick. One of the keys to making faith stick is the involvement of all the people in the church in the lives of all the young people in the church. It is our goal for five First Pres adults to pour into the life of each and every child and youth in our community. Wouldn’t that be amazing if every one of our children and youth had five adults whose faith they could draw on, whose wisdom and friendship is available, and who partner with that young person into adulthood? Wouldn’t it be amazing if every child in our midst pursued Jesus all the days of their life with a life-long passion for the Kingdom? It is possible. How are you going to invest in the life of a child?
Worship
In his sermon delivered on Sunday, August 26, Graham used the story of Jesus and Zacchaeus as an illustration of meeting people where they are. It’s not meeting people where they are in the church, but meeting people where they are out there. Since this vision sermon, First Pres has begun the early process of developing a Saturday night worship service targeted at young people in our city. To successfully develop a new worship service that is 14 • first-pres.org
completely different — in a different space, featuring culturally-relevent music with accessible liturgy — it will take new volunteer leadership with great passion for young people. It’s worth our effort. How are you going to support a First Pres initiative to reach into the hearts of the young people in our city?
Our City
On August 21 we had the privilege of hosting Dr. Tim Keller. His is a passionate voice for faith in the urban wilderness, and Dr. Keller called us this way: “If you want your city to see God’s glory and pay attention to the Gospel of Grace, you have to put your lives and your money on the line.” It’s a bold statement. First Pres is uniquely positioned to proclaim the Gospel, to be a part of the Kingdom movement in Colorado Springs. We currently support many faith-based and justice-based organizations in our city, reaching out to all kinds of people. But, how is God further calling us to invest in this city and proclaim the Gospel of grace as stated by Dr. Keller? Graham, from his first sermon to all those that have followed, asks us how many seeds are you sowing? Are you sharing the Gospel? Are you out there being the hands and feet of Jesus? What will it take to be a true Gospel light to our city? Are you, are we, committed to every person in Colorado Springs? Friends, we are at the beginning of a new chapter in the history of First Pres. We are at the beginning of renewed commitment to our city — a community on the corner of Bijou and Nevada where we can continue to be the light of the world (Matt. 5:14 – 16). We look back over these last 140 years with incredible gratitude for all members of our community whose efforts combined have given us a great legacy. We stand on their shoulders. With great feeling of excitement and anticipation, we must look forward. What is our commitment, what is our collective ministry, what is God calling us to invest in for 2013 and beyond? It is with the knowledge that God is calling First Pres to a new thing that we ask you to pray for God’s guidance as to your investment in our future.
S T E W A R D S H I P
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Sunday, October 28
If you are moved to make your commitment today, you can complete your 2013 commitment card online at www.first-pres.org/pledge Fill out the card below and keep it for your records.
2013 Commitment Card - Stewardship Emphasis Out of gratitude to God for his gifts, I(we) intend to support the mission of Christ’s church as the Lord prospers me(us). I(we) make the following commitment for 2013. NAME ___________________________________________________________________________________________ ADDRESS ________________________________________________________________________________________ CITY __________________________________________ STATE ________ ZIP ________________________________ PHONE _______________________________________ EMAIL ____________________________________________ Please choose one:
Would you like First Pres to:
m I choose to pledge per week
m Send envelopes
m I choose to pledge per month
m Send information on auto bank withdrawal.
Total Per Year___________________
m Continue auto withdrawal as shown above.
Signature ________________________________________________________________________________________
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ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED
219 East Bijou Street Colorado Springs, CO 80903
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