San Luis Valley ministry relies on UCC contributions

"Every year, La Puente depends on collection at churches for 'migrant kits,'" explains Shirley Bowers, of Hilltop UCC in Parker.

The 'migrant kits' hold hygiene products, washcloth, towel, and sunscreen, commonly used by folks first arriving to the San Luis Valley area. They are looking for work.

Hilltop has sponsored projects such as the collection for more than 20 years, beginning with Jean Sherer's involvement with Advocates for San Luis Valley. More folks were led into this ministry upon visiting La Puente several years ago for an 'interpre-tour.'

Bowers was impressed with the leadership of La Puente. She noticed an ethos which treats each person not as a client but as a guest - whether they are there for a short time, for a 2-year program toward independent living, or long-term.

"This has always been an area with low employment, except for the college, industry, and migrant labor," said Bowers.

She is quick to point out that she is not the only one to have participated in Hilltop's La Puente relationship, with her partner and grandchildren. Church youth have gone to work in a fall gleaning program benefiting area shelters with produce, while adults have supported the food bank, thrift store, Christmas gifts, and many other programs.

La Puente is an official mission partner of the Rocky Mountain Conference of the United Church of Christ. La Puente, which means "The Bridge," also offers 2-year volunteer service placements through the UCC's Partners in Service.

Long-time UCC pastor to lead Denver's Cinco de mayo worship service

Denver's Civic Center Park will host a worship service at 10 a.m. on Sunday, May 4, as part of the city's annual Cinco de mayo celebration. Pastor Steve Johnsen (UCC) will lead what he calls "mass" for all in attendance.

Johnsen has served 44 years at the Denver Inner City Parish, an ecumenical mission serving the Latino and greater West Denver community.

Partial to using the Book of Common Prayer, Johnsen's typical worship year also includes a celebration of Dia de los Muertos, Las Posadas, and an Easter Vigil.

This year's Cinco de mayo communion service will feature mariachis including Parish member Hector Madrid. All are welcome.

Forthcoming release of Adult and Youth Sunday School DVD Curriculum

“Who Is My Neighbor? A Faith Discussion on Immigration” Release Date: August 2008

Immigration is an important issue for the United States. As Christians enter into this debate, they are called to look at the issue through the lens of faith. This interactive DVD curriculum provides an opportunity to reflect on faith responses to immigration while offering a better understanding of the complexity of the issue.

This dynamic curriculum will be comprised of four 1-hour sessions, with segments of film interspersed with group activities. The sessions are:

• We are all strangers in the land of Egypt

• What does the Lord require of you?

• Perfect love casts out fear

• The Good Samaritan: Who is my neighbor?

This curriculum will be distributed free of charge to all congregations of member denominations of the Colorado Council of Churches. Others may purchase a copy for $25. You may pre-order a copy of the curriculum by contacting Dr. Jim Ryan, Colorado Council of Churches Executive at 303-825-4910, jrryan7@qwestoffice.net, 3690 Cherry Creek S. Dr., Denver, CO 80209.

Partners: Colorado Council of Churches, American Friends Service Committee, Iliff School of Theology, The Bell Policy Center and the Colorado Immigrant Rights Coalition.

Laborers speak out on HB 1325 with minister's support

Colorado Representative Douglas Bruce, with his verbally abusive remark about Mexican "peasants," offered the immigrant community a platform to respond to proposed House legislation on Wednesday.

Rev. Malcolm Himschoot was one of the speakers at a Denver press conference to address the indecency of racism at the capitol and the necessity for worker justice in the fields.

"We don't need more underpaid, exploited, locked-in-poverty members of the human community," said Himschoot.

The press conference was held at Centro Humanitario para los Trabajadores, a site where men and women come for training, hiring, and to file lost wages and worker's compensation claims - which last year amounted to hundreds of thousands of dollars.

HB 1325 could make workers with H2A visas even more vulnerable to unscrupulous employers. Phone calls are encouraged today to secure strong worker protections in the proposed legislation.

Update - Register for Centro Romero trip

For the June trip to the Mexican border led by Rev. Kristina Lizardy-Hajbi, information and registration forms can be found at the Rocky Mountain Conference UCC website: http://www.rmcucc.org/calendarevents/CentroRomero.htm.

Save the Date - Linda Jaramillo rejoins local worshippers on Sep. 13

"It's always good to come home," says Rev. Linda Jaramillo, one national minister for the United Church of Christ, member of the Collegium and executive minister for Justice and Witness Ministries.

Jaramillo, originally from southern Colorado, has accepted an invitation to lead a worship service on September 13, gathering bi-cultural and Latina/o families from UCC congregations throughout the state.

The worship service will be hosted in La Foret's Taylor Chapel, near Colorado Springs, symbolic of the region's Hispanic heritage.

Centro Romero attracts Colorado delegation

Rev. Kristina Lizardy-Hajbi, of Colorado Springs, says it is part of her calling as a Latina minister in the United Church of Christ, to reach across borders.

As part of that ministry, Lizardy-Hajbi will be taking a group this summer to Centro Romero, the UCC's new Justice and Witness Ministries site in southern California.

The aim of the trip is to equip UCC leaders in Colorado to deal faithfully with immigration concerns, the kind that historically have stymied white Protestants in the Southwest. The trip will be learning and leadership development focused. The hope is that churches who send delegates from Colorado will enter a process on their return, to discern their next steps in multi-cultural ministry.

Dates are set for (first choice) June 23-27, or (second choice) July 21-26.

For more information, contact Kristina Lizardy-Hajbi and check out http://www.ucc.org/justice/centro-romero/.