 The Rubio Family, Kathy Reul, Lori Vaclavik and Alan Landes Habitat House Project, May, 1997 |
By 1988, the session strengthened the commitment to mission and outreach by adopting a goal of a 2 percent annual increase so that 30 percent of our budget would be dedicated to mission by the year 2000. During this year we supported: Presbyterian General Mission, Project Verdad, Church World Service for Hurricane Relief, Jeffco Action Center, In Jesus Name Shelter, Christian Athletes, InnerCity Parish, Suffer Children Ministry, Central Denver community, and Home of Neighborly Service. The Crop Hunger Walk also was supported and the mission and outreach group continued presenting a Minute for Mission each Sunday. A task force worked with the YMCA on a pre-school program, and a Christmas Joy offering was taken that December. |
The day care project became a reality in 1989. The YMCA provided the directors and both facilities were used. Fees were set on a need basis.
Shepherd of the Hills continued to support Joyce Witulski in the work in El Paso. Proceeds from King Sooper coupon sales were sent to help build a laundromat there. The church sponsored a Polish refugee family and helped them with household goods, friendship, counseling and Christian love.
We became part of the Personal Interest Program, which interprets mission to the congregation by personal involvement with a missionary. The individual was selected for SOTH by the national mission board.
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In Jesus Name Shelter was organized by Mac Tschanz of St. Pauls Episcopal, Judy Ford of Holy Shepherd Lutheran, Bill Headrick of Believers Christian Fellowship, C.W. Zinor of Lakewood Community Church and Russell Slade of Shepherd of the Hills in January 1982. The purpose of IJNS was to honor God by obeying his command to remember the poor, to shelter and feed the homeless, and to help meet spiritual needs. The first church to house IJNS was St. Joseph’s Episcopal on Jewell and Kipling. SOTH housed the IJNS at Christmas time also in 1982. The IJNS closed in 1988 after continuous service for seven years. During this period, 88,000 person nights were provided at an average cost of $2 to $3 per person night. |
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Some of the people who helped by providing suppers, transportation and supervision were Lynn and Mary Carpenter, Willis and Dorothy Alderman, Rus and Lou Slade, and Bill and Carolyn Linsenmayer.
The only cost to IJNS was the paid supervision which was provided by students of seminaries and citizens of Lakewood. Monetary support was provided by churches throughout the Denver metro area and individuals. Housing for IJNS was provided by 18 churches in Lakewood, Wheat Ridge, Westminster, Golden and Denver
. Presbyterian churches involved were SOTH, First of Golden, Green Mountain and Bear Creek.