Living Hope Covenant Church
2014 Annual Report
Pastor’s Report 2014
It is with joy that we now have 35 people worshipping with us at Living Hope that were not
present with us a year ago! Praise God for the growth God has brought us this past year. How
did it happen?
In January, we posted our goals to Go, Make Disciples, in all Nations, Baptize, Teach to Obey
Jesus’ commandments to love. Throughout the year we have watched as people have written
their one sentence testimonies of practical ways in which they have fulfilled these goals.
We have continued to intentionally fulfill the recommendations of last year’s Strategic
Planning Committee. In January Mandy Gramprie was hired as our Ministry Coordinator. Over
the course of the year she has worked wonderfully with our Ministry Leaders to help provide
quality programming and web site advertising here at Living Hope.
Throughout the spring our Finance Team and Leadership Team worked diligently to prepare a
trimmed down budget that allowed us to get caught up on our mortgage. The renting of our
facility on Saturday nights to Keystone Church has helped our financial situation. As of today
we are caught up on our mortgage completely and have paid off $19,000 in principle this past
year. I am grateful for the support of National Covenant Properties in creating a modified
mortgage that has allowed us to get to this point.
In late November and December, we hired two part time worship directors that have brought
both a change of direction and a sense of life to our worship! We welcome Les Webb and Ben
Carlen to our ministry team here at Living Hope.
To fulfill the SPC’s recommendation to minister to children, we continue to host Mission DO
which serves as a creative avenue to teach our children how to care for those in need.
While staff and positive finances are one indicator of the year at Living Hope, it is the actual
ministry that is really taking off. Early morning prayer meetings once a week have provided the
spiritual basis for Bible studies, youth group meetings, small groups, outreaches, ministries of
care to those in need, Sunday school, children’s church, nursery and one plus one tutoring.
These are all ministries that have been actively used by God this year.
Ministry highlights of the year included our 20th Anniversary celebration, including a Blake
Bolerjack concert and personal greetings from many of our former attenders. Another highlight
was our baptism services held in the spring. Another highlight has been the training and our
sponsorship of two Afghani refugee families. Our Drama team once again did a tremendous job
of putting together a Christmas program about Jesus’ flight into Egypt as a baby. It was great
to host our refugee families in the audience as we focused on Jesus as a refugee.
My thanks to all Ministry Leaders for their creative work in making the ministry of this church
happen on a shoestring budget. Thanks also to the Leadership Team made up of Pat Dorbin:
Chair, Tim Cruz: Secretary, Lars Dunberg, Beth Delvaille, Corrie Lawson.
Perhaps the greatest thing about this congregation really boils down to love and acceptance.
Each of you has a way of making people feel like they matter to God and to others.
It is with a warm love in my heart that I look back on what God has done through this
congregation this past year. I have been privileged to be a part of it, to lead where needed, and
to lend my support where needed. May God continue to use us together in 2015!
Pastor Greg
Chairman’s annual Report 2014
This year we began our goals with a different approach, focusing on the text from Mattew 28:1819 “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father
and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you” This
became an invitation for each of us to Go, Make Disciples, of All Nations, Baptize and Teach to
Obey (to Love Him and Others).
We are grateful for many answered prayers for growth, guidance and provision. Starting in
August, Living Hope was able to partner with KeyStone church in a rental agreement that
allows two churches to minister to Colorado Springs using our facility. The increased income
has allowed us to stay current with our budget, but most importantly has allowed greater
ministry at our facility.
One of our members returned from a conference in South Korea where he experienced a typical
prayer gathering for the church there with over 10,000 praying at a time. As a result, he was
moved to begin to ask others to meet at Living Hope every Wednesday at 6:30am for a time of
prayer. The response has been exciting! The prayer time has been an opportunity to connect
with others as we ask, listen and receive from His presence.
It has also been great to see many new faces at Living Hope and have the opportunity to make
new friends and connections with others.
I have been excited to see God answer specific prayers regarding changes in our Sunday
worship. The Strategic Planning Committee concluded their work over 1 year ago and a key
recommendation was the hiring of a Worship Leader. The SPC recommended we hire a
Worship Leader who would collaborate with Pastor Greg, allowing him time and freedom to
meet and minister to people on Sundays.
Financially, the foundation budget level (which includes the amount for the Worship Leader
position) is being met and we have begun to fund other ministry needs by putting the funds on
pre-paid cards. We have reduced our mortgage principal by $21,000 and continue to make
progress. We are finally current and no longer behind on any payments as of the end of
January. This hasn’t been done for many years. We have given 10% first out of the giving to
world, regional and local ministries because we believe in and want to set a pattern of tithing.
Thank you for your faithful giving.
Finally, Living Hope has been ministering to several refugee families for several months. A
highlight for us was having several of those families join us at our Christmas celebration event
in December. This reminds me of what Jesus said in Matthew 25:34-40 “For I was hungry, and
you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a
stranger, and you invited Me in; naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I
was in prison, and you came to Me.' Then the righteous will answer Him, 'Lord, when did we see
You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You something to drink? And when did we see
You a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You? When did we see You sick, or in
prison, and come to You?' The King will answer and say to them, 'Truly I say to you, to the
extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.”
Let us pray and ask God to be glorified this year through His church at Living Hope!
Pat Dorbin
Finance Report 2014
The Finance Team at Living Hope is designed to remove some of the financial burden from the
Leadership Team of the church to allow them to focus more on listening to God's direction and
ensure that we are following God's direction for our church. As such this team does monthly
high level review of the church accounts, prepares the initial budget, provides reports to the
Leadership Team and Congregation, and handles various other tasks passed down from the
Leadership Team. Leadership Team still has direct responsibility for the budget and other
financial decisions, and still spends much time on these tasks as well.
In the past year, I'm very pleased with the progress we made on the budget that we approved in
July. The new approach we took with the Foundational Budget and the Vision Budget allowed
us to get much closer to budget that we can meet. In fact in December we closed the 2014 year
about $1,916 below our income projections for the Foundational budget (that's pretty close).
Regarding the Church Mortgage, we made significant progress in 2014 as well. We have paid
down $18,999.53 in principle from the loan. Additionally, we are paying the loan back each
week and at the rate we're going as of January 22, we will no longer be delinquent and actually
be slightly ahead. Thanks to all the congregation for their generous giving to allow us to make
this happen.
Finally, I'd like to thank the members of the Finance Team; Chris Diehl, Don Ingram, Ken
Rudeen, and Paul Shannon. These folks have given their time to help me on a monthly basis to
ensure everything is covered. Additionally I'd like to thank our Leadership Team Liaison Pat
Dorbin who also sits on the team, provided his counsel as well as communications to and from
the Leadership Team. I would like to also especially thank Paul Shannon (our Treasurer) for
the work he does every week to ensure bills are paid, processes are followed, and everything
balances.
In His service,
Jon Spieker
Report of the Chairman for Administration
Administration is responsible for maintaining of the church facilities and grounds as well as the
counting and recording of offerings.
Our fine group of trustees including Jon Satre, Nick Gramprie, Paul Shannon, Ken Stegman
and others did a fine job of caring for the building. We were blessed this year to have Ryan
Hope take on the rehabilitating of the Prayer Trail as his Eagle Scout project – it looks beautiful
and inviting now. We scheduled two Clean-Up Days during the spring and fall and raked and
disposed of large piles of leaves and branches through the efforts of many volunteers.
A special thank-you goes to Debbie Baisley for her faithfulness and hard work as Financial
Secretary, overseeing the counting and recording of offerings to the church. Debbie has worked
in this position for many years and her final term has come to an end.
Don Inghram
Christian Discipleship & Education programs
This church wants to thank the dedicated volunteers who help in the nursery, teach Children's
church and lead Sunday School classes month in and month out. Thank you so much, all of
you! You represent the front lines of teaching and encouraging our next generations.
To the gentle and nurturing folks who volunteer, or volunteered this year, in the nursery: Dan
& Marilyn Danielson, Erika Castle, Michelle Haist, Kit Ruff, Daelyn Long, Jackie Wheeler,
Kathy Dorbin, Patty Ralston, Suzanne and Mark Graden, Daniel Dorbin, Beth & Ashleigh
Delvaille, and Karen Glispy, thank you for being there to hold, play with and comfort the
smallest of our kids.
To the energetic teachers of Children's church, we applaud and thank you for leading these kids
in creative, age-appropriate lessons about the Bible and its meaning. Thank you Becky Hope,
John and Jennifer Satre, Corrie & John Lawson, and Pat Dorbin.
To the volunteers who host Sunday School after church, thank you for teaching our school-age
kids about God and the Bible in a fun and interactive atmosphere. Debbie Baisley watches the
nursery-aged kids. Patty Ralston and Julie Wheeler are with the elementary school children.
Pat Dorbin, with help from a rotating band of moms (including Cathy Dorbin, Stacy Selley and
Corrie Lawson) leads the middle and high school kids.
And lastly, to the youth group workers Pat Dorbin, Pastor Greg, and Marina and Paul Dunburg,
thank you for coordinating such fun youth activities.
Thank you all so very much! Without these folks, these Christian Discipleship & Education
programs couldn't happen.
Stacy Selley
Care Ministry
This last year:
I took over the Care Ministry in the fall of 2014.
Spoke with two previous Care Ministry leaders and got a list of CM volunteers and a wonderful
rationale on why we do CM.
Met with Pastor Greg a few times to discuss guidelines for CM, and distribution of Christmas
gifts to members of the congregation in need. We decided on Walmart gift cards, which Walmart
added value to.
Emailed CM volunteers to see if they wished to continue to be CM volunteers (most did).
Asked newer members of the congregation if they would consider being a CM volunteer and was
able to recruit a few new volunteers.
Asked CM volunteers if they preferred visitation, transportation or cooking meals.
Visited people and helped take food to people in crisis and have put people on the prayer chain if
they wished.
Provided transportation to a few members of our congregation (to church, appointments and
shopping).
Some ideas/goals for 2015 (in no particular order)
1. Update the CM volunteer roster with phone numbers and emails.
2. Share with CM volunteers the purpose of CM (?).
3. Possibly have a meeting of CM volunteers.
4. Communicate to the congregation how to relay needs for food, visitation, transportation etc.
(contact Mandy or Kit).
5. Formalize guidelines for CM.
6. Encourage CM volunteers to write their volunteer activities on the board in the foyer.
Kit Ruff
Living Hope Prayer Team Report:
The Living Hope Prays group meets each month to pray. We meet on the 2nd Sunday of the
month at 6 p.m. This past year, we have prayed for the world, for Living Hope and people in
Living Hope. We had a special week of prayer emphasis from January 18-25th culminating with
a special prayer time to culminate the week at 6 p.m. on January 25th.
A special thanks to Mary Buesing and Dan Danielson who helped lead prayer times. We will
continue to pray during 2015. Please come join us on the second Sunday of each month at 6
p.m. for a time of prayer.
Philippians 4:6-7
In Him,
Ken Rudeen
Health Ministry: The Intentional Integration of Faith & Health
“Go therefore and make disciples of the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and
the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am
with you always, even to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:19-20
God is with us always! For the year 2014, the Living Hope Covenant Church Health Ministry
team has served our church family and neighborhood community by:
 taking Blood Pressures on the second Sunday of the month following worship (average of
12/month)
 encouraging and counseling individuals to improve personal health (via cards, emails,
phone calls, one-on-one)
 church bulletin board education
 promoting various educational classes in the community, such as Cardiac Pulmonary
Resuscitation (CPR), Fall Prevention, end of life issues, heart health
 weekly Zumba classes at the church
 medical equipment loan closet
This team thrived because of our faithful volunteers: Carole Zemple, Leigh Jamison, Pat Howe,
Ed Hanson. Thank you for your service to our church family and friends!
The Health Ministry team also encourages others by making and presenting prayer shawls and
lap quilts that have been made with love and blessed with prayer. Sharon LaForest knitted and
crocheted prayer shawls, presented new parents with crocheted baby clothes, provided
hats/scarves for Serve Now missionaries to present to children in India and other countries.
Sherry Everest has been our prayer partner and chief encourager for the team. Funds from a
hospital grant provided financial support for our LHCC Mission Do team to make hats for Serve
Now missionaries to bless little children. Susie Biggs recycled/reused jeans to make 10 new lap
quilts.
We are thankful for our fantastic knitting/sewing volunteers: Mission Do volunteers, Sherry
Everest, Sharon LaForest, Susie Biggs, and others who have helped by praying over these handmade items.
Many people have been blessed by presenting the quilts and shawls to those who need them –
whether it is a person who has moved, underwent surgery, dealt with loss, or needed an extra
dose of God’s love. Please see Kandy Hanson if you would like to know more about our Prayer
Shawl ministry (shawl patterns, how to give a lap quilt or prayer shawl away to someone who
needs it, prayer shawl/quilt storage, financial help for supplies).
We thank God for the prayer and encouragement of our Ministry Liaison, Beth Delvaille, our
Ministry support person, Mandy Gramprie, and our fellow ministry leaders and Pastor Greg
Ralston at LHCC.
To God be the GLORY for the things HE has done!
Kandy Hanson RN BSN FCN
Faith Community Nurse
Women’s Ministry Annual Report
In 2014 Women’s Ministry had been focusing on the goals laid out the previous year. The goals
were as follows:
1. To increase age 40 and under participation and attendance at events
2. To promote and encourage service and outreach opportunities
3. To host onsite and offsite events to promote fellowship and create invitational
opportunities
4. To continue Bible study opportunities
5. To mentor the girls and teens within our church
Well, how’d we do?
We hosted a women’s only game night and sold jewelry for W.A.R (Women At Risk) raising
several hundred dollars. The Priscilla Shirer Simulcast was held in April and there were
approximately 35 women in attendance, many from outside our church. At the first annual
Restore Innocence Restoration Bag packing drive, cohosted by Compassion Mercy and Justice,
we packed about 40 bags to be used to help rescued victims of human trafficking. And this
summer we went a little crazy and went river tubing from the Pueblo Reservoir to the Pueblo
Nature Center, FUN!
Heading into fall, several of our women attended the Women’s Retreat in September at the
Covenant Heights camp in Estes Park. We cohosted a Beloved and Boys the “Be” event for boys
and girls with Mission Do. A small group went on our second annual Geocaching hike and picnic
to Black Forest Regional Park where we were challenged to find the treasures. Thankfully, we
had “Eagle Eye Delvaille” with us! We promoted the 40 Days for Life Prayer event to stop
abortion twice this past year. And finally, we hosted the Christmas Brunch. The theme this
year was “Every Captive Free”. We had fabulous food, amazing entertainment by a Christian
dance group and we wrote and prayed over Christmas cards that were being sent to men and
women in prison across the country. There were almost 40 women and girls in attendance,
many for the first time.
Our Bible studies continued on both Wednesday mornings and Thursday evenings. On
Wednesday we offered, “Hebrews: Race to Glory”, a study on Philippians, and “John, a Bible
Study for Everyone”. The Thursday classed consisted of “Crazy Love”, by Francis Chan,
“Gideon”, by Priscilla Shirer and “Kingdom Woman”, by Tony Evans.
As we look ahead to the New Year, we don’t plan on slowing down. We are continuing our
Wednesday and Thursday Bible studies. Our second annual Restore Innocence bag drive is just
around the corner and the Spring Brunch is scheduled for April 25th (mark your calendars). We
look forward to some fun with possible tubing or camping this summer and another game night.
Sometimes we just wait for God to present us with new opportunities and ideas and then we
just run with it!
In closing, I would like to thank the amazing Women’s Ministry team. A big “Thank You” goes
to Doreen Dunberg, Jackie Wheeler, Natasha Cooley and our liaison, Corrie Lawson. God has
certainly blessed this team and this church with you and I appreciate you more than you know.
I would also like to thank Pauline Inghram, Faye Spieker, Mary Buesing, and Kit Ruff for your
leadership, ideas, cooperation, and help with many of these past events. Your participation has
enabled us to do more than we could have on our own and for that, I am grateful. And finally,
thank you Mandy Gramprie. Your help with organization, book ordering, printing, and with all
the little details has saved my sanity many times! I love you all.
Thank you to my Lord and Savior, for giving me the opportunity to serve You by serving the
women of this church and the community around us.
Jennifer Satre
Drama Ministry
This year our actors performed during the worship service on several occasions. Dick Baugher
and Daniel Dorbin made quite a pair helping Pastor Greg to hit home sermon themes.
Easter morning our youngest actors performed with Faye Spieker emphasizing that Christ’s
resurrection was not a fairytale. Christmas brought an unusual theme centering on the holy
families escape to Egypt. Our kid angels sang, and giggled, as they helped tell the story. Three
year old Jesus (Aaron Delvaille ) kept Mary and Joseph (Christopher and Beth Delvaille) on
their toes. John Matsko’s monologue as a wise man brought laughter and tears. The drama was
accentuated with the lovely singing voices of Kit Ruff and Dick Baugher. Carole Zemple and
Faye Spieker worked on crafting the stage. Pauline Ingrahm kept everyone perfectly costumed.
Thanks to everyone that help produce dramas that inspire, teach, and encourage the church
body.
More exciting opportunities for drama can be expected in 2015.
Sincerely,
Faye Spieker – Drama Director
Mission Do
Mission Do is an intergenerational crew learning about, and actively participating in, justice
and mercy within our church, neighborhood, and around the world.
With the amazing assistance of Carole Zemple and Mandy Gramprie these are the projects,
intertwined with Bible lessons, we have worked on this year.
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Church work day
Making hats to earn money for Serve Now.
Doll blankets for dolls going to children in Nicaragua.
Donations for Vega Family in Nicaragua to fix their home.
Made packs for our church members to give to the homeless people on street corners.
Made valentines and bagged candy for Meals on Wheels
Beloved and Boys that Be event challenging girls and boys to live for Christ.
During the summer we changed from meeting once a month and met for one full week,
combining a VBS style program with ways to serve others. We learned about the poverty in
Colombia, and the stunning resilience of these people. We also learned how to follow Jesus.
These are the services we worked on during that week.
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Filled backpacks for legal child refugees coming with nothing of their own into our
country.
Painted rocks for the prayer trail.
Made picture trading cards for one another.
Decorated mason jars, and placed homemade cookies inside.
Distributed mason Jars around the neighborhood.
I am so excited for the plans that are already coming to action this 2015. It will be a pleasure to
combine forces with Women’s Ministry and Ministry of Community in future events. I would
like to give special thanks to all of the crew, adults and kids that have diligently served in an
effort to love not with words or tongue but with action and in truth.
Sincerely,
Faye Spieker – Mission Do Director
Go Team (Outreach Team)
In Aug. Pastor Greg asked me to start a "Go Team". He asked me to find a project where a team
of individuals could work with internationals on a regular basis. After Lutheran Family
Services trained our team, we began working with two families of Afghan refugees in
November. Our team of seven is committed to a minimum of one hour of service per month per
team member, but we have provided over 70 hours of service in the last three months. We have
provided many supplies including kitchen items, blankets, furniture, and diapers. Also we have
provided transportation to many medical appointments. Another service is driving instruction.
One of our refugees acquired his driver's license last week. Another refugee has made great
progress in driving. Both the fathers of our families have jobs, and both families now own cars.
Four of our team and two others from our church enjoyed the Lutheran Family Services winter
party with some of our refugees, and ten Afghan refugees joined us for our Christmas program
at Living Hope. We thank the congregation for all of your contributions and prayer support.
Pauline Inghram