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Welcome to DOOR Denver!
Please Visit us on Facebook. We have so many photos and videos from this summer's Discover program.
This was sent directly to our church host in Denver and was sent to the congregation in last week's email. Thank you Edmund!
Thank you: "I was a member of one of the youth groups that went on a mission trip this summer and stayed at your church, through DOOR Denver. I must say, I had an amazing time. The activities we did were awesome, the people I met were awesome, and it was overall just a great experience. However, upon further reflection, I realized that part of the great time I had was your church. The environment there allowed me to interact with new people, make new friends, and get closer with people from my group. This was mostly due to the huge meal room, and the large social room in the basement, both of which were friendly environments, where one could play music, hang out, and just generally chill. It reminded me to a certain extent of the buildings at an overnight camp, in that it was roomy, comfortable, and clean. I'm almost a hundred percent certain that without the way your building is set up, and the building itself in general, I would have never met the people I had met, never made the connections I did, and generally not had as good an experience as I did, in the end. So, I would like to thank whoever allowed that to happen for their generosity, their compassion, and their overall hospitality. If we could go back, I'd be back in a heartbeat. All the best, Edmund
The Denver Dwellers (year-long volunteers) are moved in, serving in their agencies and meeting the neighbors. Follow their reflections through their blogs.
Johanna Bontrager http://www.johannaindenver.blogspot.com/
Sarah Keller: http://supportmeinco.wordpress.com/
Megan Leatherman http://www.meganlynleatherman.blogspot.com/
Maegen Norman: http://myadventuresinchrist.blogspot.com/
Chad Pittman http://chadpittman.wordpress.com/
“Vocation does not mean a goal that I pursue. It means a calling that I hear. Before I can tell my life what I want to do with it, I must listen to my life telling me who I am”
Parker Palmer,
Let Your Life Speak
As my first summer season official comes to a close, and my first Dwell year officially begins. I have begun to pay more attention to my life telling me who I am and what I am capable of. The contributors to this process came in many different ways. The ones that stand out are how Discover groups responded to the program in Denver, and how much the Discern staff spiritually grew in community.
I have struggled in the past trying to make my life what I thought I wanted it to be. This was usually influenced by religious leaders in the church, or society (the world). Both pointed me to dead ends, and yielded me no fruit. Once I was able speak about my life to discover groups this summer, and openly share my “messy spirituality” with staff. I was able to find comfort in who I am and what I have to offer. As I saw lives being changed and truth being developed through community I would shout loud praises of joy to myself, and say this is where I belong, this is what I am supposed to do.
-Antonio
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Please enjoy some reflections by our first two groups of the summer.
“One day this one kid went to Denver. He thought he was all good and going to spread the Word to poor people. He got there but saw it to be different. While there were people who needed it, there were others with much, much more. They had so much inside them that they spilled out toward him. He came away with so much more than he could have ever though. Jesus used him and others for him. The world is better because of this week”
“They gave with such passion and might
Who knew we would be the ones to put up a fight.
But God knew what was to come,
With our hearts pounding like a drum
We saw His love and grace through unexpected ways
And ultimately through unexpected ways
The clouds lifted the haze
To see God’s beautiful face.”
-Antonio
June 7
From bottom left to right : Missy Abeyta (Denver, CO), Manual Alvarez (Lakewood, CO), Davina Santovena (Denver, CO), Kyle Balzer (Denver, CO) Lakewell Gordon (Montebello, C0), Sara Abeyta (Denver, CO), Jesus Garcia (Denver, CO), Alyssa Rodriguez (Intern, Denver CO), and Kelli Miller (Mount Pleasant, IA)
Orientation week:
· We started our week by getting to know our community where we serve. Individually we walked and explored the Baker District, one of the oldest neighborhoods in Denver. We were to use our five senses to get a good feel for the neighborhood. It was a gorgeous walk through an amazing neighborhood rich in old culture and new culture.
They were able to recognize certain aspects of gentrification. How it can affect the neighborhood in a positive and negative way. We then finished up with a long walk down vintage Broadway. This is an area filled with thrift stores, mom and pop boutiques, as well as local food, and restaurants. Broadway is always an interesting walk.
· The next day we did the same lesson for the La Alma/Auraria neighborhood. This was a much different walk than the Baker District from the previous day. They noticed that the neighborhood was a little more diverse, and a lot poorer. This neighborhood is also home to the famous Santa Fe Art District, where thousands flock to First Friday, a showcase for galleries to the public every first Friday of the month. It is also home to the north Lincoln Housing Projects. Again the Discern staff noticed a gentrified community, the positive effects and the negative effects. Once we convened to La Alma park we each shared our testimony. It was an emotional time for all of us and it really broke the ice and drew us close together.
We also took a tour of FMC where we will host the Discover participants. We visited with Brothers Redevelopment and went over some safety issues. Later in the evening we had our Denver board BBQ with staff introductions. It was a good evening of community.
· Wednesday was an extremely long day. It was our day for CPR/First Aid training. Considering it was such a long day we did make light of it and had fun with the instructor. She left saying that we were her most lively group she has ever taught. Even though it was CPR/First aid training I still saw it as team building and opening up to one another especially during the dummy exercises. Afterwards we all went to Chubby’s for some hot green chile!
· Thursday was our Outdoor Ed experience. We went up for a hike at St. Mary’s Glacier. There was still a lot of snow left on the glacier. We were knee deep just trying to get to our location to have lunch (inserted pic). This was quite comical even though most of the staff is from Denver not a lot of them hike of go to the mountains. So we had some that were unprepared for the snowy conditions. There was little complaining, but everybody did manage to make it all the way up.
· Friday our last day we visited some of the agencies that we send discover groups to. The staff that have agency assignments had all day orientation for their placements. Lastly we rehearsed our Sunday night orientation.
· We introduced ourselves to the FMC community during their service on Sunday. We were welcomed with a lot of love, and encouragement. I am pleased to be in a partnership with them.
Thank you,
Antonio
Link to our new Official Page for DOOR Dener! Join our staff, alumni, participants and fans. We welcome your posts, photos, videos, comments, questions, and fun shout outs! May 28
Please be blessed by this quote by Nelson Mandela:
“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frighten us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small doesn’t serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you.”
At first I thought this quote to be a little selfish. Then I thought deeper into it, and realized how true it is to me.
Earlier in my faith walk I was taught to lessen myself and fill myself with the Holy Spirit. So goes the prayer “help me, become less of me and more of you oh Lord”. A noble request right? Who doesn’t want to be love, joy, peace, kind, meek, and patient, just to name a few. So, I really did lose myself and tried to become that perfect being. Now I didn’t mind the loss of being a gang banger, self-absorbed, drug dealing, lying, and a hustling cheater. I’m most certainly glad that person is dead. It is the other characteristics that also got lost that bother me, like confidence, talented, witty, articulate, spontaneous, and venturous.
So yes, I have asked God “who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and fabulous?” and God answers me back by confirmation through the groups I serve that I am light with many gifts to give. That I shouldn’t have to play small for others not to feel insecure.
There is great pride in ownership of who we are, and our ability to showcase it in the proper theater. So as we begin this daunting task of showing “the face of God in the city” this summer, I encourage all of us not to lose ourselves. For all of us to shine like the light from the furthest star in the universe. To use all the wonderful gifts the Almighty has blessed us with, and most importantly that we love one another!
Game on people, game on!
- Antonio
May 15 Ready for Summer!
This spring seems like a warm up to the big race this summer. So many from all across the country will come ot Denver to see the face of God here. I am blessed to have Davina Santovena on board as summer program coordinator. All of the staff make up such an incredible team. I can't wait to started.
May 9 Thank you to all who came, supported, danced, ate and enjoyed our Cinco de Mayo Celebration.
April 26
Local Board meeting tonight at 7pm. Can't wait to see everyone and plan for our big event May 7.
April 2 Welcome YES of Kansas City
This weekend we are excited to be serving with this great group. This is their year for a North American focus so they've made the trek across Kansas to beautiful Denver. This weekend has been full of new experiences and deep reflections.
March 2011 Westside Stories (It wasn't that long ago...)
by Antonio Lucero
WOW I can’t believe it! I am actually working in the hood that I grew up in: the Westside, the oldest hood in Denver. Gentrification is trying hard to take it over. But the heart and soul of the Westside is making it hard to do so.
It wasn’t long ago that I was riding my big wheel up and down Inca Street hoping I could burn rubber. Little did I know the wheels were made of plastic.
It wasn’t long ago me and my li’l homies used to steal rhubarb from back yards or light fires in the dumpsters.
It wasn’t long ago when I attended the Boys Club (Lincoln Branch) and get into fights with the other kids because they tried to steal my clothes.
It wasn’t long ago when my family had BBQ’s on Fourth of July at Sunken Gardens. My dad dropped me off at 8:00 in the morning with all our stuff to save a spot and not return with everyone till noon.
It wasn’t long ago my mom and I waited in line at the Denver Inner City Parish to get a big block of government cheese. That cheese was good! It made the best quesadillas and nachos.
It wasn’t long ago the immigrant neighbors and I played marbles for hours in the dirt. We would finally stop because the cuticles on our thumbs were too bloody.
It wasn’t long ago that we adopted one of these kids that I used to play marbles with. His mom, a Mexican prostitute, dropped him off at our house with only the clothes on his back. She told him she’d be right back.
It wasn’t long ago that my li’l sister and brother used to go to daycare at First Mennonite.
It wasn’t long ago that Cinco de Mayo was celebrated right in my hood on Santa Fe St.
It wasn’t long ago I would hear my dad’s whistle or a loud “AAANTHOONIO!” when he got home from work to call me home for dinner or a public discipline for not doing chores or running away for the day
It wasn’t long ago I would see used needles and crack pipes in my alley.
It wasn’t long ago I saw a girl get raped and couldn’t do anything about it because of fear I would be killed. But I saw justice take place on all the boys responsible.
It wasn’t long ago I got beat into the Inca Boys at my sister’s house on Inca St. That night I became part of one of the most feared gangs in Denver.
It wasn’t long ago a close friend of mine got shot to death in front of the Denver Inner City Parish.
It wasn’t long ago that I saw neighborhood brawls between drunks, druggies, and prostitutes almost every night in the summer.
It wasn’t long ago I gave myself to the Lord and started serving at His Love Fellowship.
It wasn’t long ago that I accepted a position at DOOR to become the new City Director. Now I can share my neighborhood and help lead young adults to “See the face of God in the City.”
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