Month: May 2017

Reg’s Activities January through May 2017 (What does Reg do everyday?)

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What does Reg do each week? My time each week is focused like this:

  • 20% connecting to pastors and church leaders
  • 20% meeting with business and community leaders/leading groups
  • 20% service activities like Whiz Kids or Lakewood church involvement
  • 10% Jeffco Human Services – Power of Partnership
  • 10% Attending events
  • 10% meetings with school district, county, city leaders/serving on boards
  • 10% administration/organization

Each week I meet with at least 2 – 5 pastors. There are around 30-33 churches that are connected to or active in the Lakewood Church Network and another 20 in the Lakewood Faith Coalition. My goals in these meetings is to consult, encourage, admonish and support. I’m also preaching regularly at churches in the network across Lakewood.

Each month I organize and lead a prayer gathering for pastors from the Church Network. Usually 15-25 faith leaders, Christian therapists and others meet at one of the network churches to pray. We believe prayer is the catalyst that facilitates positive action in Lakewood.

In addition to monthly prayer I lead the Faith Coalition steering committee bi-monthly as they focus on projects and programs related to collaborative church service to the community.

In addition to these groups I serve on committees related to education at the School District Ed Center, meet regularly with other education leaders, city leaders, county leaders and business partners who are aimed at serving in the city at various degrees. These meetings are enjoyable for me and are fueling much of the project direction Lakewood Connects is involved with.

Each week during the school year I support the faith based afterschool tutoring program at Foothills Elementary called Whiz Kids. I’m there Tuesday and Thursday evenings for 2 ½ hours. I also attend Lakewood Church of Christ staff meetings and support programs linked to their community connections ministries. This allows me to nurture the relationship connection between the church and neighborhood, which is the central spiritual passion of my work.

I’m currently serving part time at Jeffco Human Services on reinvigorating their Power of Partnership program which links the county Human Services department to all the nonprofits and churches in the county. This links to various events, meetings and connections that bring together church, government, school, nonprofits and neighborhood associations to perform service together. This is wildly satisfying to participate in.

Last, I don’t do enough admin/organization work as evidenced by a newsletter coming out 3 months late! That’s where I could use some help! Website, newsletters and database management! If you can help please contact me or Amy. Thanks!

 

 

How can I help Lakewood Connects?

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There are a few ways you can help us at Lakewood Connects:

  1. Prayer – Lakewood Connects strives to enhance the “brand” church in Lakewood Colorado through linking churches and church members to effective partnership service opportunities with secular and civic leaders in the community. This is effectively a faith building effort and we can use your prayer! Pray for opportunities to make Jesus famous in meetings and projects!
  2. Financial – As a nonprofit the entire operation depends on financial support from friends and supporters like you. Some funds are needed now for building and improving our database, website, newsletters, office supplies, an office, pastor retreats and program needs for a few of the local Title 1 elementary schools. We are always blessed by your gifts and are pursuing support to complete our salary needs and an additional $10,000 for organizational growth plans. If you are in a position to help we are ready to put your gift to work!
  3. Fundraising events in the fall – This fall we will design and host a few fundraising events. If you would like to help Lakewood Connects Board or leadership plan, host or support an event please email Reg and Amy. We will post information on these events in upcoming newsletters.
  4. Webpage development – up to now volunteers including Courtney Drysdale and Don Scanga have led Lakewood Connects webpage development. The webpage helps tell our story and connects folks to our work. We are discussing developing a more robust and professional web presence and a supporter has donated funds for this. If someone in the Denver area had expertise to coach us/help on this that would be appreciated. Please email Reg or Amy.
  5. Newsletter development – obviously Reg is struggling to balance too many spinning plates and regular communication with supporters has fallen by the wayside. If you would like to help Reg and Amy develop regular monthly newsletters please contact us via email.
  6. Supplies for Rose Stein Elementary – Reg is working with a principal of a reopened Title 1 elementary in Lakewood named; Rose Stein. The school needs classroom books, library books, PE equipment and Art supplies before August 2017. We are collaborating with the Jeffco Schools Foundation and they have set up a website to list specific school needs. Click on: https://loveourschools.communityfunded.net/, then on the right side you will see lists of schools and needs. Rose Stein is listed more than once…please donate directly here.

*The picture is of the empty library at Rose Stein elementary…Lakewood Connects is partnering with the Jeffco Schools Foundation to get the supplies this school needs before August 2017! Please Help!

The Power of Partnership and Jeffco Human Services

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In every County in the U.S. there is a Government office that coordinates services for people in need that live there. Lakewood, Colorado lies in Jefferson County, Colorado. Jefferson is the most populous county in the state with over 550,000 residents. With so many residents you can imagine there are more folks with needs than any county in the state of Colorado living here.

Human Services employs hundreds and manages over 50 programs under 6 main divisions. These programs serve thousands of needs from ageing to infants and from homelessness to foster care. The work is daunting and the people who serve here are all compassionate servants.

Nationally Jeffco Human Services is known for ground breaking work with the Jeffco Prosperity Project.

http://jeffco.us/human-services/community-initiatives/jeffco-prosperity-project/, The Prosperity Project is a ground breaking program linking nonprofits and agencies of every kind in order to target, guide, mentor and support over 50 families from crushing need to sustainable life success.

Under the leadership of Human Services around 2006 the Power of Partnership was created. The Power of Partnership (PoP) is comprised of county Human Services employees, nonprofit leaders and faith leaders who work together to serve needs in the county. PoP has a steering committee and holds bi-monthly meetings designed to improve networking, awareness and collaboration for serving needs together. That’s right, the government, churches and nonprofits work together! Brilliant!

In April, Reg took a part time contact with the county to help reinvigorate PoP. He will be focused on rebuilding the church connection database, expanding church involvement and supporting a new newsletter to better communicate “win” stories, expand awareness of partnership opportunities and tools and make connections in order to grow the network. Reg’s work with PoP will enhance the impact and recognition of Lakewood Connects in the city of Lakewood and across the County. This is a great opportunity to link Lakewood Connects with Countywide impact!

The Lakewood Faith Coalition and Title 1 Elementary Schools

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When Reg is introduced by city or school district leaders he’s usually called the; “Director of the Lakewood Faith Coalition.” What does the Faith Coalition mean in the city of Lakewood or in Jefferson County?

As a City Connector facilitating opportunities to mobilize churches and church members for effective service in the community the Faith Coalition is a primary connection point for achieving this mobilization.

The Lakewood Faith Coalition is a movement, an aim and an organization that provides an effective process of connection. As a movement the coalition is something of a miracle! Reg leads a Steering Committee comprised of faith leaders, school leaders and members of the city of Lakewood’s staff. These committee members are leaders from various faith heritages and government working together as one!

The steering committee: Gregg Moss serves on staff at Mile Hi church of Mind and Science. Drew Ross is senior pastor at Bethlehem Lutheran. Larry Linsenmaier is senior pastor of Grace Covenant church. Mike Fletcher is deacon at Christ on the Mountain Catholic church. Mary Ruther serves as the Strategic Initiatives Director for the city of Lakewood. Brett Berninger serves as director of Lakewood’s family services. Sean Kovar is director of the Title 1 family engagement liaisons at the Jeffco School District. Perry Richards is the president of the LDS church in Lakewood.

The fact that this diverse group exists at all is reason enough to be impressed! The vision of the coalition is that when we work together opportunities multiply to do and accomplish more than any one entity can accomplish by themselves! Impossible becomes possible when we work together! The steering committee models the “silo” and division busting philosophy that we hope grows throughout the entire faith community in Lakewood.

As an entity that is moving in the city of Lakewood, Colorado the Faith Coalition is aimed at a certain point of service: Title 1 elementary schools. Title 1 is a federal designation that both identifies schools with great need who receive special federal funds to support programs and services to help the students and families achieve success.

For the Faith Coalition the philosophy behind this aim is critical. It is our belief that when you transform the lives of elementary school students you change the future culture of a community. These Title 1 schools are located in the most under-served neighborhoods in the city. If the efforts of the Faith Coalition can lead to positive change in the lives of hundreds of students then it is possible to transform whole areas of our city that are now struggling in many ways. This isn’t a Band-Aid social program but instead a long term commitment to change the future by strategically investing in a key population.

There are currently 6 Title 1 elementary schools in Lakewood and there will be 8 in 2017-18. Our main goal in each school for 2017-8 will be to develop a Support Team comprised of local church leaders, neighborhood association leaders and other volunteers who would serve as a group to meet regularly with school leaders to discuss the needs of that school. These Support Teams now exist in 4 of the current 6 schools and are working together to offer after school tutoring, program support for school events, backpack food programs and teacher appreciation efforts.

Long term these Support Teams will seek effective ways to serve that school. The first priority of each Support Team is to develop relationships and build trust. These relationships and trust will lead us to effective plans and programs in the future! Look for news and updates on the Lakewood Faith Coalition Support Teams in blog posts in the future.

*The picture is principal Esther Valdez of recently remodeled and reopened Rose Stein Elementary, our 7th Title 1 school in Lakewood. She is standing in the empty library. The Faith Coalition is partnering with businesses and other groups to get books before August 2017.

Law Enforcement, Faith and a new Therapist Network

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A least three times a year the Lakewood Church Network meets for a lunch meeting. The lunch is designed to provide food, fellowship and focus on information pertinent to leveraging our churches to improve the community in some way. February 22 the Lakewood Church Network lunch was hosted by the Wednesday class at Lakewood Church of Christ. The meal was incredible, the fellowship energized and the presentation powerful!

Presenting to the faith leaders, nonprofit directors and citizens assembled that day was new Lakewood Police Chief, Dan McCasky. Dan introduced himself to the audience then spent 30 minutes offering connection and partnership plans so the faith community can better serve the city in partnership with law enforcement. Police ride-alongs, participation in safety summits, partnership serving the homeless, keeping dialogue open with neighbors to improve the connectivity of our neighborhoods…safety and peace is born in partnership and it’s everyone’s responsibility. It was great to feel connected to law enforcement and be invited into making our city safer.

After the lunch meeting several Christian therapists met with a group of Lakewood Church Network pastors to discuss the formation of the “Trusted Health Network” (THN). The network will be formed by and for therapists in Lakewood who will then prepare a directory of services, a list of therapists, classes, conferences and other support tools churches can use to connect strategically to therapeutic help for members or the people they serve in the community.

The directory was especially interesting for the pastors because it can be a tool for linking specific member counseling needs to the best therapist. The directory will include information on location, billing and areas of counseling expertise. All therapists listed will be referred and accepted professionally by the THN and will have reference information from churches and anonymous individuals who have enjoyed that therapists services.

The Lakewood Church Network is building networks upon networks in all areas of our world. The partnership forged in the connections between churches, public servants and therapists represents an example of how unity in one area breeds connection, partnership and unity across an entire city.

 

Partnership, pastors and prayer

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For over 12 years a group of pastors, faith leaders and the directors of area nonprofits from around Lakewood, Colorado have met monthly to pray. The very fact that a group of pastors from different Jesus tribes (denominations) have been meeting to pray every month may sound trite or tremendous, it all depends on your perspective of faith and prayer, but this time of holy conversation has connected us, grounded us and transformed us. Anything good happening in Lakewood has been birthed here.

Central to the purpose of faith is the responsibility to create and sustain positive change in the world around us. That change begins inside an individual as they strive to build hope or learn how to live hope or both. Where does hope come from? Prayer is the single greatest tool related to faith hope for at its core hope isn’t a fact or a feeling it is an unshakable faith that tomorrow will be better and that we have a promise and a pathway to that better tomorrow.

The Lakewood Church Network devotion to prayer has made love tangible for thousands of people in the city of Lakewood. Love is, after all, the greatest command of Jesus (Matthew 22:34-40) and the proof of our true allegiance to Him (John 13:35-35). Love is relationship and as relationship it is organic. Prayer grows relationship love as we gather to communicate to God and each other. When spiritual leaders connect to each other in prayer a unique and profound kind of love happens – unity!

January 17, 2017 the Lakewood Church Network gathered at Colorado Christian University with their new president, Dr. Don Sweeting, Lakewood Mayor Adam Paul, CCU campus pastor David Jongeward, several CCU professors and student leaders and dozens of faith leaders from across the city. Over 50 of us huddled to seek God for the city together.

Unity is no small thing in faith and it is an even more important thing when you consider the world we live in today. Jesus ends his ministry the night before the cross praying for it (John 17). This final request of Jesus is the most important work of people of faith today because together we can accomplish what alone we cannot. The fact of “together” is the key ingredient in transforming the world in positive ways.

Too often we set out to change the world before we have humbled ourselves and sought personal change in prayer. Prayer is confession, openness and the acceptance of others wholeheartedly. That’s where prayer has led us in Lakewood and it is our prayer that through prayer we will seek and find the greater good for the city together.

Scope of Lakewood Connects

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Lakewood Church Network – Lakewood Faith Coalition – Lakewood City Connector

What is a “City Connector”? A City Connector builds relational bridges among vital community leaders in a defined geographic area in order to develop, support or sustain breakthrough service projects. These relational bridges are designed to link the faith community to government, business, school, nonprofit and neighborhoods to develop collaborative partnerships aimed at serving the greater good in the city.

Philosophy

Faith Networks: The key to developing these partnerships are various faith communities working together. The positive impact of a faith community (church) is increased when they unite their leadership, values, desire for service and membership with other faith communities for the purpose of doing good. The aim of Lakewood Connects is to meet, connect to, link together and support faith communities in Lakewood so that together they form a resource for volunteer service and positive impact in the city.

 

Networks of Networks: When faith communities are linked together then that network can connect to leaders in government, school, neighborhood, business and nonprofits to serve the city together. This merging of service resources creates exponential positive impact.

History

Background to City Connecting:  Lakewood Connects represents two church networks; The Lakewood Church Network and the Lakewood Faith Coalition.

Lakewood Church Network (LCN) – The LCN was formed in 2005 and currently 30 churches are involved meeting regularly for prayer, vision synergy and service collaboration. The LCN has partnered with government, schools, neighborhood and nonprofits to develop breakthrough projects including elementary school facility restoration, afterschool tutoring programs, a severe weather shelter network for the homeless and a collaborative health project serving underserved neighborhoods in the city.

 

The Lakewood Faith Coalition (LFC) – In 2014 Lakewood Mayor and Reg Cox formed the Faith Coalition. The LFC connects all faith groups in the city (approx.70) merging the Evangelical/Protestant Christian community with the Catholic, LDS, Mind and Science, Muslim and Buddhist faith traditions.

The LFC is led by a steering group of leaders from several different faith communities who formalized a mission and policy in order to develop and manage collaborative service projects in the city. The LFC is focused on serving Title 1 Elementary schools in Lakewood (8 schools) by building, supporting and maintaining Support Teams for each school.  These teams are comprised of local community and faith leaders who will develop relationships, explore needs and build service projects for each school.

Reg Cox – City Connector

City Connection – Reg and Lakewood Connects function as a connector between needs in the city and organizations and individuals who have available resources of time, energy and money. Lakewood Connects bridges the divide separating groups, needs and resources and helps guide committed groups to service success.

  1. Lakewood Church Network – Each week Reg meets with pastors and nonprofit leaders from Lakewood, Colorado. The purpose of these meetings is to: mentor, consult, support and guide these churches and nonprofits to collaborate, partner, sustain outward community service vision and maintain a positive collegial relationship with city and county government, local businesses and one another. In addition to these individual meetings Reg plans and communicates a prayer event monthly (second Tuesday) and a three times a year lunch meeting that features pertinent information and networking opportunities for these church and nonprofit leaders. Reg also maintains the church network communication for events, needs and service opportunities.
  2. Lakewood Faith Coalition – Reg leads the faith coalition steering committee meetings which meets six times a year. The faith coalition steering committee is focused on growing, supporting and sustaining Support Teams for each Title 1 elementary school in Lakewood. To support this effort Reg works with the City Manager and Mayor offices, school district leadership and other leaders from the community to develop and support success in faith coalition projects. Reg also leads faith coalition communication and vision processes that will aim the growth of the coalition in the future.
  3. City Connector Activities – As a “connector” Reg links various nonprofits, community leaders and citizens together to support existing or future projects for good in the city. In order to facilitate this “connecting” Lakewood Connects is a member of various chamber of commerce groups, school district and city committees and attend meetings and events sponsored by various groups in the larger Lakewood, Colorado community. Reg meets regularly with the city Mayor and leaders in the City Manager’s office.