Good things are happening at Stratmoor Hills.
I have often said that I vision us being “light and leaven” to our community. We are lighting spiritual candles and kneading yeast into the dough that is our community at the Community Center on B Street and the after school tutoring. This past Sunday, we returned to God during our offertory, food that will be used both here at Stratmoor for internal needs as well as at the Community Center cooperative venture with Westside Cares, Broadmoor Community Church and Meadows Park Community Center.
Good things are happening at Stratmoor Hills.
I expect us to continue to be in relationship with Fox Meadow Middle School continuing our fruitful relationship with them through our weekly tutoring.
Good things are happening at Stratmoor Hills.
I pray that these initiatives can be sustained and new initiatives that are light and leaven in their own ways can be started.
Towards the idea of starting new ministries, I have invited the Reverend Paul Howard, formerly ofRedemption Fellowship and now at Montclair UMC in Denver to come and speak to the men on September 11th. This will be a simple meal starting at 6:30 PM at the church, and Paul will speak to us from his heart about the life changing ministry that is Redemption Fellowship in Denver, a ministry of Denver Trinity UMC. I pray every man who participates in the life of this church can be there that night to hear Paul and ask how we might create a Redemption Fellowship-like ministry here at Stratmoor. Save the date.
Good things are happening at Stratmoor Hills.
Our United Methodist Women continue to produce prayer shawls and bears that are being used in a ministry of compassion. These are being gathered on Tuesday mornings and if that time is not convenient, speak to any member of the UMW about how you might help here. This entire ministry is not being done only on Tuesday in the morning, it is happening throughout the week.
Good things are happening at Stratmoor Hills.
Our annual budget assumes an income of $9,000 a month. We averaged for the first 7 months over $10,000 a month. Most, if not all, of the extra $1,000 a month were resources earmarked specifically for items that were not budgeted i.e. the new clavinova and mortgage assistance for a family. That said, while we do need to celebrate the sustained accomplishment of our $9,000/month goal, and also realize and be aware that our monthly needs are closer to $13,000/month to accomplish church goals. We are making good progress here, and our belief is that as our membership and attendance continue to increase, this will follow along.
Good things are happening at Stratmoor Hills.
Our membership is now at 123 with the seven who joined on July 31st. This is the highest our membership has been in more than a decade. Our attendance is holding at 100. We have had sixteen Sundays so far in 2011 where our attendance was at or over 100. I expect us to exceed 2010’s achievement of 25 Sundays in this area with a solid final third of the year.
Good things are happening at Stratmoor Hills.
I am proud to be the Pastor of a church that sees itself in such hopeful, caring, and growing ways.
Pastor Dennis
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