The GRATITUDE Edition
Centennial, as we all experience gratitude to our wonderful God of the gift of his precious son, I have to take this edition and write how grateful I am for the many, many gifts you have given to our community through our local ministry partners this year. You are a wonderful, giving community of believers and I am so appreciative of the support you give to the many families and individuals that our partners work with.
So you may be saying, I haven’t “given” anything – but you have: meals for North Littleton Promise kids; meals for Love INC’s IMPACT Program; manning the hospitality table at the Toy Store Program; prayers for our ministry partners; administrative help in the offices of our partners; serving as mentors and teachers in the North Littleton Promise, IMPACT Program and the Master’s Apprentice Program; mentor Moms serving in our MOPS program; helping at the annual Back to School program Love INC sponsored giving away many many clothes to those in need; and driving elderly and infirm to their appointments during the year! And that doesn’t even mention the actual “tied up in a bow gifts” you’ve given this year to the Mile High Ministries Christmas Store Program, Parent Life Program Christmas Gifts, AND cash donations to our local ministry partners as well!
Thank you, Centennial, for your generosity and willingness to give of yourselves! Thank you!
Now let’s take a look at those events we participated in and some additional needs our ministry partners have going into 2024 – and just one more thing: Gratitude runs deep at Centennial – it’s a long newsletter full of gratitude! Read on and please hang in there!
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MINISTRY NEWS
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The Mile High Ministries annual Christmas Store brought out lots of generosity on the part of Centennial. Not only did Grace Ellsworth, Kathi and Scott Meyer, Tim and Kari Peterson, and Lee and Ellen Robinson man the hospitality table with lots of goodies, our congregation donated at least 20 toys and 12 financial contributions by dropping the toys off at church and ordering on Amazon directly for the event. Thank you so much!
Here’s some great words from Jeff Johnson, Executive Director of Mile High Ministries explaining the upside down economics of the Christmas Store:
This past weekend, for the 33rd year, over a hundred shoppers were joined by many dozens of volunteers for our annual Christmas Store. By now, you know our philosophy behind the Store. This time of year, sometimes the unintended casualty of holiday good intentions is the dignity of parents who are reminded that they are unable to provide for their children. Together, we’ve found the Christmas Store to be a practical way to care for families—and a sensitive way to support empowered parents.
Thanks to your generous partnership, our residents and alumni paid $5/gift—less than 20% of retail price in most cases. They walked out with armfuls of presents and the satisfaction of knowing they spent their money wisely and got great gifts for their kids.
The Christmas Store is upside-down economics—buy high and sell low! What a fitting way to celebrate the birth of Christ our Lord, who comes meek and lowly, appearing first to the poor and humble, offering us all what we could never afford to buy.
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Parent Life Christmas Gifts for Kids Drive: 85 gifts were provided by Centennial for this program! Praise the Lord! These teen parents can now provide a Christmas present for children. Thank you for your generosity to these young people! And many thanks to Jill Meyer who continues to spearhead this program year after year! See the picture below for a view of just some of the many gifts provided by our Centennial fellowship!
Great News! January 5th, 2024 is the OFFICIAL renovation finish date for the new ACO House Community Center where all the Aurora Youth for Christ, including Parent Life will center their work with students, the baby boutique, and their offices.
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REMINDER! The MOPS Christmas Celebration is Friday, December 15th! That’s 2 days from now! Moms, enjoy the time together and wear your ugliest Christmas sweater! Bring a photo or two of your kids, pets, family, etc. – we are making photo ornaments! Also, a toy/book swap! Moms bring items your kiddos have outgrown but that are still in relatively good condition!
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Would you believe that CCC was important in the formation not only of North Littleton Promise, but we provided the office space where Love INC kicked off their work 15 years ago? Wow what a history we have of supporting our fledgling ministry partners as they initiated their work! And look where both are now! Making sizable impacts in the Littleton community! Thank you, Centennial, for your support!
Love INC Littleton Founder, Rick Pfaffmann, and first Executive Director, Rev. Doug McKinney shared this great exchange on the 15th anniversary, October 29, 2023.
Rick: “Remember that first day? Marge, Trudy, you, and me in the ‘office’ in the back of Centennial Covenant. Our first “customer” was a distressed man wanting $20 for breakfast. I borrowed $20 from you to take him to breakfast but he walked away when I wouldn’t ‘just’ give him the money. Great first lesson in Redemptive Compassion and I didn’t even know what that meant at the time.”
Doug: “I recall us collectively thanking God for that encounter and the message for us in his response. Littleton is so fortunate to have Love INC. It truly is The Church at its best. Love INC is about the only way a community can accomplish Redemptive Compassion and It has been a gift to work with you, Rick!”
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ARE YOU BEING CALLED TO SERVE?
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Renewed Treasures needs :
- A strong man or woman to take one shift a week.
- A booklover to organize books and prepare them to sell.
Drivers are needed to help clients get to and from important appointments, creating fellowship and friendship in the process.
Connection Center volunteers are on the front line of needs in our community. Can you give 3 hours a week to this ministry?
Please complete the Volunteer Application HERE if you would like more information on these opportunities.
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NLP is giving God praise for exceeding their Colorado Gives Day challenge to raise $25,000 for the organization with a phenomenal $31,844 raised! Praise the Lord!
Right now, their main prayer request and NEED is that in 2024 New Volunteers come forward for the After School Program and Soccer. Are you being called to serve? Click here for a volunteer interest form.
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The Master’s Apprentice Program is giving praise for the 29 graduates of the program in Session 6 which ended November 29th. Praise the Lord for these young men and women who now are beginning apprenticeships in the construction trade as electricians, plumbers, HVAC technicians, and welders! This was the largest class ever graduated in the 10 years of the program!
These $40,000+ starting salaries along with paid health and retirement benefits mean they will be self-supporting for their families for years to come. Thank you for your prayers!
Session 1 of 2024 begins on Monday, January 8th! During the coming months volunteers who would love to teach basic Construction Math and Career Prep skills are needed.
Are you being called to serve? Click here or talk to Ron Mol, Pete Gammie, Robin Hurley or Amy Hughes for more information.
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Centennial, you may have noticed that its been a while since a Flourish Newsletter came out! It has been! We’ve gone to a once a month schedule to open up email space for our partner, Global Ministries Newsletter to go out – also once a month. If you need to find something in the Flourish newsletter and it’s not at your fingertips, go to the website, Serve, and Local Outreach and you will find a current copy of our newsletter always posted there with some other info on our ministry partners.
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What is Flourish?
Flourish Metro Ministries is the CentCov Team of volunteers who work with our local partner ministries, including:
North Littleton Promise • Love INC • Parent Life (Teen Moms and Dads via YFC) • The Master’s Apprentice Program • Issachar • MOPS • Housing Assistance Ministry
Our goal is to help those in our local area flourish by serving them as the hands and feet of Jesus.
If you would like to know more about Flourish, our ministries or how to join the team, please contact Flourish@centcov.org