Wellshire eNews
The mission of Wellshire Church is to seek, embrace, and nurture disciples within a community of hope that plays together, sings of God's glory, and celebrates Jesus Christ through service.
This Sunday, October 19

The Rev. Kira Stringer preaches on Matthew 22:15-22; Wellshire's youth and young adults will help lead worship.  This lectionary scripture poses the question, "Is it lawful to pay taxes to the emperor, or not?" Even Jesus, God incarnate, had to think about taxes.  But this text is about much more than taxes - the Pharisees are trying to put Jesus 'in between a rock and a hard place' and trap him with his own words.  But Jesus is Lord and confronts the question, leaving the crowd in a state of  amazement with his answer.  Today, the debates over religion and state still put leaders and people 'in between a rock and a hard place.'  How does this debate still inspire amazement in us?  Click here for the 11:00 am Order of Worship.
Next Sunday, October 26

Wellshire celebrates Reformation Sunday.  This special Sunday is particularly poignant as this year we mark John Knox's 500th  birthday.  Also, Session has called a brief congregational meeting to follow 11:00 am worship to elect a new class of officers.

Sunday, November 2: All Saints' Day

All Saints' DayWorship on November 2 will celebrate All Saints' Day, focusing on the departed saints of Wellshire Presbyterian Church.  We will once again read out the names of those who passed away during the previous year and light candles in their memory.  This moving and memorable tradition will be accompanied by Malcolm Archer's Requiem at 11:00 am, presented by the Wellshire Sanctuary Choir.

Events This Sunday TOP
New to This Issue
Your Currency of Generosity gen

Snippets from a letter to the congregation by Wellshire's Generosity Workgroup
 

Dear Wellshire Friends and Family Members,

 

We are grateful for your time, which you give generously to mission, service, caring, teaching, and leadership.  We are grateful for your many talents shared through Wellshire ministries like music and Christian education, as well as when your individual skill sets align with a way to help others in your Wellshire family.


We are thriving at Wellshire in so many areas; your faithful generosity enables all of this to continue and to grow.  How is God asking you to share your richness - your time, your gifts and talents, and your financial giving? Please pray about this and join us on Generosity Sunday, November 9, as together we publicly declare our gratitude to God for all God's blessings.

 


Excerpted from the Giving to God Generosity Brochure

  

Congregational Life life0525

PHOTOS: BLESSING OF THE ANIMALS
Click here to view a photo album of last Sunday's Blessing of the Animals at Wellshire Church.

JOIN WELLSHIRE  join 

Membership at Wellshire is open to ALL who affirm faith in Jesus Christ!   To join, please contact Beth Hamstra at 303-758-2233, ext. 224.  Membership orientation will be held on Sunday, November 9, and all those interested in membership are encouraged to attend the TheoAcademy classes at 9:55 am.  New members will next be received on Sunday, November 16.

 

TheoAcademy

Through November 9 (no class October 19) at 9:55 am

To be Presbyterian is to join a way of life informed by a particular rhythm: God calls us in grace and love; we respond in gratitude.  This video and discussion series will focus on the Foundations of Presbyterian Discipleship.  The series is designed for new members or those considering membership but is open to all who may wish to review, reconsider, or share what it means to be particularly Presbyterian -- attend all classes or just drop in!  Leader: Rev. Katie Robb Davis 

 

 FACEBOOK facebook

"Friend" us!  The social media policy at Wellshire encourages congregants to friend  pastors on Facebook (in lieu of pastors friending individual parishioners).  Please feel free to look up and friend:  John H. Bell, Katie Robb Davis, and Kira Stringer.  Connect with Wellshire Church on Facebook.

 

PIONEERS pioneers

Pioneers, Wellshire's fellowship group for those in their 40s and beyond, Denver Botanic Gardens at Chatfield's 8-acre Corn Maze Saturday, October 25 @ 3:00 pm (8500 W Deer Creek Canyon Road, Littleton, CO 80128).  If we have 15 or more, we can get the group rate; regular adult admission is $12.  Burgers and refreshments to follow at Waterton Tavern (8361 N Rampart Range Rd, Littleton, CO 80125). RSVP to Nina  Fritsch.

SCHOONERS schooners

Schooners, fellowship for those 50 and better, gets together for a potluck at Wellshire Church at 5:00 pm followed by a concert by Denver Brass at Bethany Lutheran Church at 7:30 pm on Saturday, November 15.  Tickets are $20 each; please write out a check to University of Denver and deliver it to Sue Cady or Janet Frantz by October 19. Contact Janet or Sue for more information.  For the potluck, last names A-P, please bring a salad; last names Q-Z, please bring a dessert.   Please bring $6 per person to chip in for the main dish (lasagna).  

 

MERRY WIDOWS MW

Merry Widows will celebrate Halloween on Friday, October 24 at  1:00 pm in the Fellowship Hall. Please bring one of your favorite childhood books to the meeting.  We are delighted to have the Rev. Katie Robb Davis lead us in recapturing some of the  joys of our youth. Hostesses are:  Lou Fox, 303-756-7812, and Dugan Frederick, 303-777-9367.

 

NEXT YOUNG ADULTS MINISTRY next

NEXT Young Adult Ministry (formerly called YAX) is a group for those in their 20s or early 30s in transition with school, entering the workforce, and everything in between. 

    • Theology on Tap: First Tuesday of the month @ local restaurants/pubs @ 7:00 pm.  Fun, safe, real conversations over drinks and food led by Kira Stringer, Associate Pastor for Youth and Young Adults.  Contact Kira for November 4 location.
      Add a description
      NEXT at Hanson's for Theology on Tap on  October 7
       
    • Gathering at the Table: Second Tuesday of the month @ Wellshire Church Room 207 @ 7:00 pm (upcoming study: October 14). Please bring $5 for food.  Gather around the table for a meal and to catch up on life and get to know each other; a lesson led by Kira Stringer exploring the Bible and other aspects of Christianity follows.

  Contact Kira with questions.


 
SAFETY AND SECURITY AT WELLSHIRE safety

Wellshire is committed to a safe and secure environment when you are here for worship or other activity.  For any safety concerns on Sunday mornings from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm, please call or text 303-842-4137.

 

CONNECT WITH YOUR WELLSHIRE CHURCH COMMUNITY

Fellowship groups, Bible and book studies, and manifold other opportunities abound at Wellshire Church.  Click here for Fellowship Groups; click here for Connection Opportunities, like book and Bible studies.

 

Adult Education ed

 

FALL 2014 ADULT EDUCATION BROCHURE 

Education opportunities for all ages is in full swing.  Click here for the 2014 Fall Adult Education brochure, which covers class options, fellowship groups, and Chapel presentations. The brochures are also available as hard copies in the Narthex at Wellshire. Books for the Man's Search for Meaning and MOMS classes are available for sale at the reception desk this Sunday for $10.


 

 


 


 

Educational opportunities this Sunday @ 9:55 am: classesthissun

  • Embracing Spiritual Awakening: Through November 9  |  Room 208  | 

    Explore what Christianity may look like "beyond religion and beyond the church" with author and cultural observer Diana Butler Bass. In this thought-provoking DVD series, Bass discusses why she believes we are in the midst of another of history's "great awakenings," both culturally and spiritually, and what that means for Christians like us.

    Leaders: Mark and Holly Inglis
  • MOMS: Moms Offering Moms Support: Through November 9 (no class September 28)  | MOMS is a gathering time for moms in all ages and stages of life where we read devotions from Jen Hatmaker's book Out of the Spin Cycle - Devotions to Lighten Your Mother Load.  No preparation required.  Leaders: Abby Krause and Angela Duggan
  • 'Clif'Notes Bible Study: Through October 26 (no class September 28) Plumb the depths of the Gospel of Luke, the longest of the four gospels.  Discover who Theophilus is and explore the author's understanding that God's purpose is seen in the way God has acted, and will continue to act, in history.
    Leader: Clif Carey
  • Common Ground: Talking With People From Other Faiths COMMON
    October 19-November 9  |  9:55 am  

    Have you ever wondered what the "average" Muslim believes the role of women should be?  Or what the law of karma means in the daily lives of Hindus?  We begin an exciting new study on Sunday, October 19 that will give you the opportunity to discuss the practices of the other major religions with actual followers.  During this four-week course, "Common Ground: Talking With People From Other Faiths," Jews, Buddhists, Muslims and Hindus will share the basics of their religions and what their faith means to them. You'll discover, through all the many differences, there's still plenty of common ground among people of faith.  If you are a young adult, this is the place to connect with other 20-somethings, but ALL ADULTS ARE WELCOME! No preparation required. Leaders: Various

Upcoming:

Resum� Writing: Surviving the 13-Second Scan

October 26 |  9:55 am

Learn what four details the hiring manager wants to know about you within the first 8-13 seconds of reading your resum�. If you don't know them and what other key details your resum� should include, your resum� won't survive the initial read.  Led by Packard Brown, Wellshire member and Director for Career Services at Iliff School of Theology.


 

Mid-week Classes: midweekclasses

Pre-registration required by email to [email protected]

  • Six Steps to a Generous Life  Tuesdays September 16-October 21 |6:15-7:30 pm  Would you like to increase your 'generosity quotient?'  Cultivating a thankful heart through prayer, worship, witness, serving, and study will lead us to giving more than we can ever imagine in more ways than we can imagine.  Leaders: Chuck Sparks and Holly Inglis
Youth youth

SUNDAY NIGHT YOUTH GROUP/VESPERS SCHEDULE youthsched
  • 5:00-6:00 Middle School (Youth Suite)
  • 6:00-6:15 Dinner Senior High and Middle School (Fellowship Hall -- bring $5 for food)
  • 6:15-7:00 Vespers SH and MS (Chapel)
  • 7:00-7:45 SH Small Group * (Youth Suite)

*  After Vespers is finished, Middle School programming is done.  Middle schoolers riding home with senior high students stay for MS Study Hall while the Senior High students have Bible study.  Middle Schoolers staying after 7:00 pm must attend MS Study Hall for safety reasons.  For a full Youth Group schedule and fall themes, click here.

 

Contact Kira Stringer with any questions.

NOTE: Youth Group deviates from its regular schedule next Sunday, October 26;  all youth are instead invited to Wellshire's Swing Band Concert & Dance from 3:30 to 6:00 pm. 

MIDDLE SCHOOL EXTRAVAGANZA msretreat

CHANGE OF PLANS!  The Middle School Retreat has morphed into the Middle School Fall Overnight Extravaganza!  All 6th-8th graders are invited to Wellshire Church on Friday, November 7 from 6:00 pm to 8:00 am on Saturday morning for a night full of games, small groups, music, and worship. The theme is "Messy Spirituality," inspired by Mike Yaconelli's book by the same name.  The cost is $35. Friends are welcome to register! Click here for a sign up form or get one at Youth Group.   If you have any questions, contact Kira Stringer. 


Ministries to Children + Families chfam

 

CLUB 45 club45

Club 45 for fourth and fifth graders gets together for a special event for the whole family on Friday, October 24 at the Chatfield Corn Maze from 6:15-7:45 pm.  Upcoming: Sunday, November 2 Hunger Awareness Night @ Wellshire 4:30- 6:00 pm.   Contact Holly Inglis with any questions. 


 

FAMILY TIES familyties

Families with children up through 5th grade often meet at Wellshire on the 1st & 3rd Sunday evenings from 4:30 to 6:00 pm for fabulous and lively discussions (childcare provided). Special "parent-only" evenings are scattered throughout the year, as well as social and mission opportunities for families.  Please contact Jll McLain for details.

 

Upcoming Events: 

  • Sunday, October 19 from 4:30-6:00 pm: Bring the kiddos and join us for a fun evening with the kids decorating Halloween cookies and sharing dinner together in Fellowship 2.  Please email Jll if you will be joining so we can plan for enough cookies and dinner. 
     
  • Sunday, October 26 from 3:30-6:00 pm WPC Swing Dance.  Instructors available from 3:30 to 4:00 pm.  The concert is free, but donations are accepted.  There will be desserts and snacks.  The group Sentimental Sounds will be playing swing and big band songs.  All ages are welcome.  All proceeds will be split between the local mission committee and the Lomagundi Clinic Mission Partnership.
  • Sunday, November 2 from 4:30-6:00 pm FT will meet in the adult education suites at church for fellowship and study led by Tom and Allison McQueen. Please bring an appetizer to share and dinner for your kids.
  • Sunday, November 16  *Postponed* (dinner to the men at New Genesis -- this event will be picked up later in the year on a Friday or Saturday night).
  • Sunday, November 23 from 12:15-2:15 pm FT annual tradition of assembling the sanctuary Christmas tree and pot luck.
  • Friday, December 5 at 7:00 pm Adult only Christmas dinner party at the McLains. 

  • Sunday, December 21 FT dinner and Living Nativity.

Back to Top

Beyond Wellshire Walls: Mission and Service  mission

 

PEACEMAKING FINAL TALLY

Making Peacemaking a Reality: Contributions to the 2014 Peacemaking Offering have topped $2,800, which will assist Global Mission partner Building Bridges in peacemaking efforts with young adults around the world.

 

MISSION SWING DANCE lomadance

Come get your groove on at Wellshire on Sunday, October 26!  We'll host a Swing Dance benefit for both Local Service Ministries as well as Global Service Ministries partner Lomagundi Medical Clinic in Chinhoyhi, Zimbabwe. Dance lessons will be provided at 3:30 pm, and the Sentimental Sounds Swing Band will start playing at 4:15 pm. Enjoy the live music and maybe even swing a sugarfoot!  Click here for an invitation to share with friends.
 
BABY DAVIS WANTS YOU TO SHOWER BABY HAVEN! babyhaven

Women of Wellshire are invited to a baby shower luncheon in honor of the Rev. Katie

Robb Davis after church on Sunday, November 2. In lieu of gifts for Baby Davis, Katie would be honored if you would bring a gift for the babies of Wellshire Local Mission Partner The Haven.  Please click here for the complete invitation and shopping list.  Baby Davis is due December 7. Please RSVP by noon on Tuesday, October 28 to Kris Griffith. Lunch cost is $5/person.

 

CARPENTER'S HELPERS PUMPKIN PATCH pumpkin

The Carpenter's Helpers Pumpkin Patch to raise funds for Habitat for Humanity is open  at St. Andrew Presbyterian Church (3096 S. Sheridan Blvd. at Sheridan and Dartmouth) through Halloween from noon until dusk. 

 

WELLSHIRE MICROFINANCE microfinance

September Begins a New Season

We have begun our fourth year with an outstanding month.  Our members invested in 68 loans worth $1725.  We had loans made by our committee, the Pioneers, and Club 45, in addition to many loans made by individuals.  Many thanks to all who contributed.  It was a team effort.

September was also a transition month for WMF.  Katy Fink-Johnson has graciously volunteered to take over as moderator for Wes Smits.  She brings energy, enthusiasm for microfinance, and dedication; WMF will doubtlessly continue growing as a viable organization in the fight against worldwide poverty.  Thanks to all who help WMF succeed! 

  

A PRAYER FOR BANGLADESH bangladesh

13 October 2014

O holy God, we pray for Bijoli, our sister in Christ, who lies fragile and emaciated in a small apartment in Dhaka, Bangladesh.  Having never fully recovered from the devastating effects of pulmonary tuberculosis, she coughs and has no appetite.  Now she weighs less than eighty pounds, and her skin is dry and peeling.  Despondent, she has resigned herself to an imminent death.  Lord, speak to Bijoli, your servant, who so desperately needs to hear your words of love, hope, and healing.  Anoint her with your grace and restore her into the joy of your salvation, in the name of Christ we pray.  Amen.

Written by Drs. Leslie and Cynthia Morgan

Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)

Mission Co-Workers / Bangladesh 

 

WELLSHIRE'S OCTOBER COLLECTION collection

During October, Wellshire collects shoes for Soles for Souls and men's socks for New Genesis Men's Shelter.  Please bring donations to the table in the Narthex.  Thank you!

 

FAIR SHAKE SHOPPE FSS

Wellshire's Fair Shake Shoppe, located at the east entrance, sells global and local fairly traded merchandise.  It is open on the second Sunday of each month and whenever the Wellshire Church Office is open; please ask receptionist Kris Griffith to open it for you.  Cash, check, and credit cards are all accepted!

  

 

 

 

Notes from the Presbytery of Denver  presbytery

 

Do you notice the number of acorns squirrels gather or how late into the fall hoot owls call? Some people use these natural phenomenon to foretell the severity of the upcoming winter. What signs presage the future of our churches? Rodger Nishioka uses the Acts of the Apostles to make predictions about the future of the church and what actions to take now. Join him at the Leadership Work Group's annual fall retreat, "The Ancient Future Church," Friday and Saturday, November 14 -15, at Highlands Camp and Conference Center. Register here or by calling 303-747-2888. Registration deadline is October 31.

 

Save the Date Date0525

OCT 26Reformation Sunday; Resume Writing Workshop; Mission Swing Band Concert/Dance 
NOV 2All Saints' Day
NOV 7-9Middle School EXTRAVAGANZA
NOV 9Generosity Sunday
NOV 146th Day
NOV 16Deacons' Pancake Breakfast
NOV 23Alternative Christmas Market; Thanksgiving/Christ the King Sunday
DEC 12Longest Night Worship Service
DEC 21Living Nativity

 

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