SERVING THE COLORADO BODY OF CHRIST

Archive for the ‘News’ Category

Shorter to Host Jobs Meeting Mon, Dec. 16

Friday, December 13th, 2013

Some 500 people of faith, at least 20 clergy members and several Denver-area politicians are expected to participate in a public meeting for jobs on Monday, Dec. 16 at Shorter Community African Methodist Episcopal Church, 3100 Richard Allen Court. The meeting is sponsored by Shorter and Together Colorado.

In Colorado, African Americans are 4% of the population yet comprise 14% of the unemployment rate, Shorter said in a press release about the event. In response to this “disproportionality and heeding the cries of the people in our pews,” Shorter Community AME Church in Denver and Together Colorado, a non-partisan interfaith community organization, are hosting an “Evening of Prayers, Testimonies and Action.”

The meeting is scheduled for 6:30–8 at the church located just off Colorado Boulevard and Martin Luther King Drive in Denver.

Attendees will be able to ask direct questions of Tony Pickett with Urban Land Conservancy concerning job creation in the organization’s 40th & Colorado Blvd. development project. Picket is the non-profit’s vice president for master site development. The Park Hill development project sits in the heart of the African-American community in Park Hill.

Those expected to attend include: Rep. Rhonda Fields, Rep. Jovan Melton, Senator Jessie Ulibarri; and representatives from the following offices: Mayor Michael Hancock, Senator Mike Johnston, Councilman Albus Brooks, Councilman Chris Herndon, Councilwoman Debbie Ortega and Councilwoman Robin Kniech.

A New Movement

Friday, December 6th, 2013

The open letter below was written by Marico D. Rivers, master level social worker, licensed chemical dependency counselor and certified anger resolution therapist. It was too good not to share. Read below

“I hope this letter reaches the people whom I am writing. I invite you, the reader, to help me share this letter with as many Black men, Black boys as you can. The Trayvon Martin murder and joke of a trial has created a much needed movement to rescue and save you, us. There are people (of all racial and ethnic backgrounds) all across this country participating in marches, community meetings, think tanks, and political forums trying to bring about more protection for the Black male. There are Black men and Black women especially, losing friends, risking their lives to stand up for you. There are people, including myself, volunteering to make you and your existence top priority in this country. Personally, it is my job to speak up for you because I am a Black man living in this country and I, too, can fall victim at the hands of a George Zimmerman type in this country or at the hands of a self-hating Black person who readily participates in the genocide of Black on Black crime.

So, I need your help in this movement. I need you to be a positive and willing participant in this movement. I need the parents of these black boys to be positive and willing participants in this movement to rescue and save Black boys/ Black men. I need you (the men and the boys) to work hard at changing the negative behaviors and senseless actions that too many of you are currently involved in so the work that is presently being done by so many people right now and on your behalf is not being done in vain. Black men, Black Boys I need you to drop out of the gangs. Get as far away from a gang as you can. I need you to stop killing other Black men, Black boys. … . I need you to stop getting women pregnant whom you are not married to. I need you to go to school. It doesn’t matter to me. It can be a university, a community college or even a trade/technical school as long as you go to school!

I need you to get back into school if you dropped out to pursue the street life. I need to you pick more positive music to listen to and produce. (Fathers, my words) I need to you to be there for the children you have helped to create in this society. I need you to go to counseling to help bring about a change in which you currently express your anger. I need you to get a mental health assessment for any possible mental illness that may have gone undiagnosed for far too long, which could be the cause of many of the bad choices you have been making in your life. I need you to stop smoking weed and using other drugs as a way of trying to medicate what hurts you on the inside. I need you to stop using your “hood” environment as an excuse to fail and to hurt others. The quote “Hurt people, hurt people” is very true.

I need you to learn to use/speak correct English. You can learn to do this by going to school or going to your local library and reading books for free. Malcolm X did it in prison by reading the entire dictionary from the letter A to the letter Z. You can also learn to speak better by hanging around people who speak correct English. I need you pull your … pants up. I need you stop putting videos of yourselves on World Star Hip-Hip and You Tube acting a … fool by fighting or …… I need you to stop applauding celebrities who behave badly on television, in their music, and in their music videos. I need you to stop pushing/promoting the “thug” mentality within your own community. This is not who you are. This is who white supremacists want and need you to be in order for them to justify killing you. I need you to stop believing that creating bastard children and shooting other Black men, Black boys makes you a man. I need you read up on your Black history, your Black legacy so you can learn about who you are as a Black man. I am a firm believer in when a man learns who he is; he then knows whose he is. I need you to either create or join an existing men’s group in your community whereby you can meet with other Black men and boys and have a discussion about surviving in America, respecting each other, and making an Atonement for the way we have treated each other

Continue reading from digital, print editions in bold in the following paragraph

I need you seek out actual men in the community and ask if they would mentor you and show you how to grow to be a man with dignity, character, and morals if you don’t have a father or positive men in your family to show you the way. I need you to want to be alive. I need you to want to grow up and grow old with your families. I need you want to do your part in making this movement a successful one. I need you to understand that as I am I writing this letter, I am writing it from my heart, which has cause tears to form in my eyes as I struggle to type this letter, this plea, to you. I need you. I need you. …, I need you to help me, to help us, help you.”

BROTHERS, I did not write this letter but it expresses ‘many’ of the sentiments that I believe the LORD has placed on my heart for so-many years. If you’ve been ‘waiting’ and ‘looking’ for a ‘savior’ to come and bring healing and health to our community and families, with God’s help, I am confident, WE ARE THE ONES!

Is This Not A Hate Crime?

Friday, March 1st, 2013

The Greater Metro Denver Ministerial Alliance (GMDMA) is overwhelming concerned regarding the recent death threats on State Representative Rhonda Fields life. It comes as rude awakening to the fact that violence abounds at all levels of our society.

The desire to maintain the status-quo regarding the availability of guns has created a sharp division among all levels of our society. We have had great debates and open dialogue between all points of view, which is “most American.”

However, the line must be drawn at the point when a man would threaten the life on one of our law-makers. One who would dare to courageously lead us in a constructive direction designed to place a ‘check and balance’ on gun control that will help to cure some of the violence and death in our communities.

The fact that Representative Rhonda Fields has championed this cause and given great leadership to seeking positive legislation to save lives in our community has released a violent verbal attack on her character as a person, as a woman, and on her family. This attack is another significant declaration expressive of the need to have her proposed legislation passed.

The issue of second Amendment rights, free speech, becomes contradictory when those who make claim towards free speech seek to silence those who would speak for our communities and the betterment of our society. Threats and hate crime language hurled at our law makers and against a specific race of people provides validation as to why legislation needs to be in place to protect our citizens.

History reminds us that some of our greatest leaders in this nation have been destroyed by acts of violence. These acts of violence have often been in retaliation for those who have had to courage to don the mantle of leadership guiding us in directions of peace.

Case in Point:

  1. Abraham Lincoln while leading us out of Slavery – gunned down
  2. John F. Kennedy while supporting the Civil Right Movement in the 60’s – gunned down
  3. Robert Kennedy while attempting to extend the legacy of JFK – gunned down.
  4. Martin Luther King Jr. while extending his civil rights efforts to garbage workers – gunned down
  5. Malcolm X after returning from Mecca with a new vision of light & understanding – gunned down
  6. President Ronald Regan at the height of his leadership, after signing MLK Holiday Bill – shot and wounded
  7. Arizona Congress Gaby Giffords while Campaigning for a new term of office – shot and wounded

Countless other who lead and others who followed gave their lives through violent acts with the
use of guns. In light of our history, and the present distress, we must lift a voice of light and love to dispel the darkness and hatred of those who would hold us hostage in a sea of disillusion; believing we can maintain the easy access to weapons designed for mass destruction and at the same time stop the violence. Weapons produced for mass destruction were used in shooting at: Columbine, The Century 21 Theater, and most recently in New Town. Unlike these incidents, there has been a twist from concerns regarding random shootings and the issue of gun control to specific racial intimidation and personal prejudice.

As the African American community views the incarceration of a disproportionate number of males, in particular, it recognizes that there is an obvious disparity in terms of charges and administration of bail. The GMDMA is appalled at the inconsistency of the charging system by those who are called to administer justice on behalf of the citizens of our community.

If this is not a “hate crime” what should it be called? If the ranting and raging towards Representative Fields is not an unfulfilled hit list, what is it to be called? The language used towards Representative Fields is expressive of a mind filled with anger and a heart filled with hatred. In today’s climate, it is expressive of an incident waiting to happen. Law enforcement ought to move in a proactive manner. In emails and voice messages addressed to Representative Fields there is an obvious prejudice towards her, people of color in general, and to our President specifically. On that basis, the GMDMA wonders why there has not been a call for a federal investigation.

As men and women of faith, we, the GMDMA, declare we need better gun control. However, there is a greater need for better self-control. Recognizably, no legislation can fix what is wrong with our society. What is wrong lies not in legislative correction but is resident in the hearts of men and women. What we need is light, a new and brighter light, to dispel the darkness of despair and re-kindle the hope of our forefathers that has made this the great nation we are.

We are asking that we as a people join hands together and began to lift a “light of hope and courage” that will illuminate the minds and hearts of America; to collectively lift our voice and with purpose and focus declare, “God Bless America, Land That I Love!”

On April 4, 2013 at 4:00 p.m. we invite you to join with us at a Candlelight Vigil on the west steps of the State Capitol Building as we salute those who have lost loved ones to acts of violence, from Columbine to the Century 21 theatre and all the families in between in an effort to “Stop the Violence” and allow love to bring a peace in all of our communities.

Bishop Acen,
Vice-President of Political Affairs

Pastor William Golson,
President GMDMA

Bannered Host Launches Youth Mentorship Program

Tuesday, February 5th, 2013

Back in 1963, Martin Luther King, Jr. would write words from a jail cell in Birmingham, Alabama that would years later, ring in the spirit of a young Michael Spivey. Those words were: “Let justice roll down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream.” (Martin Luther King Jr., 1963 “I Have a Dream”). These words would resonate in the spirit of Michael Spivey until they were ripe with faith and the corresponding actions to step out in faith with a visi on for the youth in the Denver community. Bannered Host Ministries is a teaching, edifying and helps ministry aimed to build the mind of Christ within the youth participants. This is a program designed to promote life building skills, strong interpersonal skills, and reassert a sense of hope for the future. The mission of Bannered Host Ministries is to instill the principles of RESCUE: Responsibility, Empowerment, Serving, Commitment, Understanding and Ethical values.

Many of us remember Michael (Mike) Spivey as the distinguished football player at the University of Colorado in the 1970s. Not only did he attend the University on a full-ride scholarship from Houston, but his athletic abilities garnered him the prestigious titles of Second Team All-American, as well as First Team All Big Eight. And this was not the end of his football career. From C.U., he went on to be second round draft choice for the Chicago Bears and play with other such professional teams as, the Oakland Raiders, the New Orleans Saints and the Atlanta Falcons. Today, however, Mike is on a different award-winning team – he’s the first round draft pick on God’s team to mentor and develop the business, as well as the biblical skills of young men, women and young adults in the Denver community.

For this necessary endeavor that will begin at the end of March, 2013, Mike and his lovely wife, Debra Spivey intend to “love” participants into quality youth. Debra herself brings not only a heart for excellence for our youth, but has been a successful business woman with nearly 36 years of experience in a major communications company, and for the past ten years has been the Director of Dance at Bethsaida Temple Christian Center. She is hopeful that her gift in dance ministry will be an addition to the Bannered Host Ministries program over time.

HOW IT ALL HAPPENED: Mike is no stranger to mentoring youth or getting out in the community to serve. As God’s preparation for Bannered Host Ministries, Mike is involved in the Synergy Program at Fort Logan, mentoring and teaching youth how to become successful men. “We will build on this in our immediate community with a program called “After God’s Own Heart,” – a program designed to mentor young men and women ages 11-16 with a curriculum that includes a code of purity, financial planning, job readiness, college preparedness and martial arts/self-defense. This mentorship program will equip young men and women with the core values expressed in Daniel 6:3 [“Then this Daniel was preferred above the presidents and princes, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king thought to set him over the whole realm.”] to develop strong men and women of God and to equip them with a spirit of excellence. MENtorship and LeadHERship will always be the underlying message and direction of this Ministry.

“After God’s Own Heart” will be the first program that we officially launch in a structured format, because all that I have read in the Bible shows the excellence, giftings and talents of the people of God are exceedingly greater than those that the world has,” said Mike. “We see in Luke 16:8 [“And the lord commended the unjust steward, because he had done wisely: for the children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light.”] that the children of the world are craftier than the children of Light – we are the children of Light,” explained Mike, “but then, there is an answer to this in Luke 21:15 [“For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist.”] where God said “I’m going to bless you so that the world dynamics will turn around for you and that the world no longer will have more advantages or access to education and wealth than we do,” said Mike. “We need to start doing this [dynamic] with our youth so they know how to compete in the marketplace – so they know how to get a job and go on an interview, and they know how to put together a resume and present themselves, for not only a first interview, but for a second and even a third if necessary. We want to teach them how to interview in front of a panel of people, not just one-on-one interviews. These are the job situations and types of challenges we want them to be trained and prepared for.” Mike said.

God has further solidified Mike’s qualifications for this program as he is currently involved in one-on-one mentoring with young athletes in addition to his position as Chaplain at the University of Colorado where he stresses to young male athletes that “. . .they do not want to just be known as a football player, but a man, and a well-versed man, well-educated. I didn’t get to enjoy the wide variety of things available to me because we [athletes] were put into a box.” The Ministry plans to accomplish their goals by operating as a “Ministry of Helps” within the community with an emphasis on young men, young women and young adults to have an understanding of who they are in today’s times and to be valuable assets in schools, the marketplace, and churches. “Our schools have removed Christ and our children MUST be taught at certain Biblical levels because so much more can be added to them. Debra and I intend to fill in the gap and do this through Bannered Host Ministries which is based on the Scripture in Song of Solomon 2:4 [“He brought me to the banqueting house and His banner over me was love.”] to help the youth recognize that we have a banner of love over us. I Corinthians 13:13 in the Bible talks about faith, hope and love and says that the greatest of these is love. [“And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.”] So what we want the youth to connect with in this Ministry is that this banner of love never fails, and the opportunity to demonstrate this love in our communities is to have a program that shows our youth and young adults the capacity of the love of Christ and what it can do,” asserted Mike.

THE PROGRAM: For those interested in the Bannered Host “After God’s Own Heart” mentoring program, a downloadable application is available here.
Completed applications can be mailed to:
Bannered Host Ministries
P.O. Box 17808
Denver, CO 80217.
The deadline for turning in the application is February 21, 2013. For further questions, applicants may call
(303) 373-4000.

The program will meet once a month on Saturdays for six months. Friends of Mike and Debra have opened their Home Care building in Aurora to facilitate the program. Said an enthusiastic Debra, “We are happy to begin our program by the end of March. We are so excited to pour into the participants, the resources, talents and experience that God has blessed us with. We have received excellent volunteers and are looking forward to seeing the move of God!” Mentorship sessions will include subject-matter experts – not just sports figures, but experts in business and financial sectors as well. “We want to step up to the forefront to teach and develop the applications that Martin Luther King wanted us to utilize” emphasized Mike. “This is what he was saying way back in 1963, out of the Book of Amos 5:24, that justice and righteousness would roll down like a mighty stream, meaning we would have the opportunity for equality and we would have the knowledge and wisdom from God to compete in the seven mountains of influence in our own nation – the seven mountains being Education, Business, Government, Family, Media, Arts & Entertainment, and the Church.,- so that we have transferable skills to achieve our dreams.” Mike and Debra are very encouraged for the future! “As we grow, we will be able to expand to other age groups.

This program is so important because it will not just prepare our youth for college, but life as a whole, and will stress a developing relationship with God so that He is never left out of our pursuits.” Under the Pastoral leadership of Bishop Earl O. Holiman, Mike and Debra will be using the things they have learned in church, learned about in spiritual warfare and the challenges related to their life in order to apply faith in action to meet the adversities facing our youth today. “This is a spiritual and an educational program, because ultimately, salvation of their souls is the most important thing. And this is where they will need to have a growing relationship with God, in order to fulfill The Purity Code.– We want them to have a heart to do the things of God that we are teaching,” said Mike. In addition to the six times that participants will be meet for training, Mike and Debra hope to have team building activities in the community that will connect the youth back to the community. This aspect of the training is a major part of the program; to give back to the community, to serve and help others and understand the joy that this brings. This part of the program is called “GO,” in which the participants are encouraged to go out into the world and fulfill the great commission. Mike has been undertaking such commission activities since 1980 and as part of these ongoing efforts, the ministry recently adopted two families over the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays.

The Spivey’s contend that as the program grows, the training will expand to develop the minds of the participants so that they speak well, are educated, are able to compete in the marketplace, become wise, are good athletes, are intelligent, dress well and present themselves well in all situations. According to the Spivey’s, the initial program will begin at the end of March and will run one Saturday per month for six months. Curriculums are now being developed and each session will include Purity Code training, Financial Planning, and will alternate with different subjects such as Job Readiness, Self-Esteem, College Preparedness, Personal Appearance, Interviewing Techniques and Martial Arts/Self-Defense Techniques).

Only 40 applicants will be accepted into the initial program, and all applicants are required to write a 200-word essay concerning their goals in their natural and spiritual lives in order to be accepted in the program. Whoever fills out an application will be considered for entry into the program, but 40 participants is a manageable number for Mike and Debra to successfully train (at this time). “These are the last days when the hearts of the fathers return to the children to teach them the unfailing love and how to be a servant of God,” said Mike. “There are so many things in the Word of God that have not been applied and need to be applied [in our lives] to enhance the quality of life for our children. This is our objective.” Mike and Debra are currently meeting with a core team to determine and to identify issues to include in the curriculum for training. “At this point, we have determined that the program sessions will range from four to six hours.

We are grateful to the Lord for all those He has sent to help in this endeavor” explained Debra. Others who have partnered with Bannered Host Ministries to bring forth this program represent the following materials, churches companies and organizations: Bethsaida Temple Christian Center, Agape Care Community, Kingdom Services Training, Ranch Oil Companies, Hua Quan Dao Dojo of North America, Teq Media Group, Boots on the Ground Ministries, Young Men of Purpose LLC, HomeWord, Options Hair design, Dr. Thomas Perry, Ph.D., University of Arizona and Dr. Ryan Ross, Ph.D., University of Colorado Denver.

Nicole Williams: Budding Social Worker Seeks Donation

Tuesday, February 5th, 2013

Hey guys! It’s Nicole!

I am currently a junior at Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Oklahoma. As many of you know, I am a Social Work major and a Spanish minor. This fall semester at ORU I interned at a children’s shelter called Laura Dester Children’s Center. This is an emergency shelter in Tulsa where kids go when they have been removed from their homes due to abuse, neglect, or foster care placement disruptions.

Continue reading here from digital and print editions

I learned a ton at this shelter, not just about social work, but also about advocating and serving the poor. It was a great experience! My next adventure will be studying abroad in Costa Rica for two months during the summer of 2013! Costa Rica is a beautiful tropical country in Central America, right smack dab in between North America and South America.

During the first month, I will be taking Spanish classes at the Universidad de Costa Rica
The second month, I will be interning at a missions organization called the Abraham Project. The Abraham project is a nonprofit organization that operates children’s homes, a daycare, and a church. It also offers vocational training and legal consultation.

This trip is extremely important to me for a number of reasons:

  • I absolutely LOVE the Spanish language. I really want to become fluent in Spanish. The ability to speak in Spanish will help me in a variety of settings, both professional and informal. I believe that spending two months submersed in a Spanish-speaking country will definitely help develop my Spanish skills.
  • I want to do international social work at some point and this will give me a snapshot of what that will be like. I am very excited to work with the Abraham Project where I will be able to give tangible & practical services to the poor, which is my passion!
  • I love learning about different cultures.I want to make sure that I take advantage of the opportunity to go on an ADVENTURE before I graduate.
  • And of course this trip is required in order to complete my minor degree in Spanish. I’ve got the vision for my future, now I just need the funds.
  • I need to raise $1,925 by the end of March in order to make this trip happen. It may sound like a lot, but I strongly believe that it is worth the investment. If everyone were to give just a little here and there, this goal could definitely be achieved. Please remember: I can’t do this without YOU. Everything helps.

    Even the smallest donations can accumulate to something great; please don’t feel as though your small contribution does not matter. Your giving encourages me because it shows me that you believe in my dreams. Thank you for being a part of my life. I appreciate each individual family member and friend taking the time to read this.

    If you have absolutely nothing to give, your prayers will be more than enough. Please spread the word if you know anyone else who might be able and willing to help out. Please help me to fulfill a desire that I believe God has placed in my heart. Please believe with me that I will be provided with all of the resources I need to go on this trip.

    “So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” — 2 Corinthians 4:18

    Much love and gratitude,
    — Nicole Williams

    Please mail checks to:
    Nicole Williams
    ORU CPO Box 71-0034
    7777 S. Lewis Ave.
    Tulsa, OK 74171