As we end this year, our mission continues to be the same – help people cultivate love of their neighbors and neighborhoods. In a cultural moment marked by relational isolation and cultural divisiveness, people loving their neighbors is a signpost of hope. This year we have helped people love their neighbors and neighborhood through: Content, Conversations, Cohorts, & Collaborations.

CONTENT 

“Your emails inspired me to build a front deck so I could spend more time out front.”
Mike Sandgren, Littleton 

Our work began with creating content. I received the text above from Mike, a reader of Sacred Place: a bi-weekly digital publication we began this year. It was a reminder the influence our writing about loving neighbors and neighborhoods can have on everyday lives. 

The newsletter shares simple rhythms of a prayer, practice, and place. Our distribution list has grown from 200 to over 700, and it has maintained a 70% open rate. More valuable to us than statistics are the replies from readers who share the prayers, engage the practices, and tell us their stories of seeing the sacredness of place. 

“Goodness, this is so rich and lovely.”
Katie Fowler, Nova Church

This year our content has expanded and we are thrilled that our first short film premiered in December. It is available for limited release online. We have plans for our first guidebook to be printed in early 2024. Each week we witness how creative content can ignite the imagination to love the people and place around us. All our content is available at sacredplace.co.

CONVERSATIONS

“I’m hosting a meal with my neighbors after the conversation about hospitality.”
Wendy Oliver, Denver 

Our work extends beyond content. We co-hosted 9 conversations this year on various topics surrounding loving our neighbors and neighborhoods.

In 2023, we had over 150 people attend our conversations. Memorable moments include Adrian Miller, a local James Beard award-winning author, sharing a rich history of BBQ and the Black Church; and Peter and Margo Wanberg, founders of City Park Farmers Market, presenting how buying from local farms supports the local economy and personal health.

Participants consistently shared how the conversations, held in a relational and interactive space, were pivotal in turning ideas to tangible action.

Wendy told me over coffee her experience of inviting her neighbors to dinner following a conversation we co-hosted with Cari Jenkin on Sharing Meals. One woman hosting a handful of neighbors is the hidden and holy work we want to consistently celebrate.

COHORTS 

 “The cohort has opened my eyes to understand how my story has shaped who I am, and therefore, how I am uniquely shaped to love my neighbors and neighborhood.”
Daniel & Alli Coffey, Redemption Anglican Church

We’re invested into deep, lasting change. In 2023, we launched a pilot cohort with six participants. This program is a patient process of excavating our own stories of faith and place, digging into the history and needs of the communities we live in, and establishing a Rule of Life rooted in place.

Daniel and Alli Coffey are in the cohort, and with our operational support, are planting Redemption Anglican Church with a foundational value of loving the people and place of the Denver West neighborhoods. Alyssa Alexander is another leader in the cohort, and recently launched Integrated Faith, a neighborhood focused faith community in south east Aurora. Our cohorts invest deeply in leaders to see their faith rooted in place.

COLLABORATIONS

“In order to love and care for our city, we must first get to know our city. I love this project and the people involved in making it happen.”
Dave Runyon, City Unite

Our collaborations around faith and place expanded this year. In 2023, we initiated a 10-year project for leaders grounded in their faith to learn the Histories of Christianity in our City. The initial gathering of Histories of Christianity in our City had over 60 leaders from a spectrum of Christian faith traditions and racial diversity. In 2024, we will expand the influence of this project by creating a podcast with co-director MiDian Holmes, promoting greater unity and equity among leaders who love our city.

“Thanks so much for all of the time, heart, and soul you put into this group of leaders.”
Matt Wallace, Dry Bones Denver 

Matt Wallace, a passionate non-profit executive director, is one of over 70 leaders who attended a Denver Non-Profit Leaders Luncheon (dnell.org) we facilitated in 2023. I met one-on-one with 22 non-profit leaders to listen and encourage them in their important work of caring for people and places. DNELL has become a catalyst for relational connection, professional development, and collaboration among non-profit leaders in Denver.  

INVITATION

We have created and cultivated so much together in 2023. And, we’re excited about the year ahead. This year has been an inspiring beginning of new content, new congregations, and new collaborations.

Will you consider joining The Block, a growing community of monthly givers?

The Block are generous donors who give $40 or more per month.

Our total budget expense for 2024 is $214,000. This funds all of the Content, Conversations, Cohorts, & Collaborations. We have a small, creative, and competent staff, committed to being generous with our time and resources for the sake of others.

Your financial gift is an investment into helping people love their neighbors and neighborhoods through creating beautiful content, co-hosting meaningful conversations, guiding leaders in cohorts,and facilitating Kingdom collaborations in and for our city.

FUTURE

We are preparing for the new year with confidence about our vision, mission, and programs.
We’re excited about: printing our first guidebook, co-hosting more conversations, deeply investing into leaders through our next cohort, and growing the impact and influence of Histories and DNELL in our city. 

We invite you to: share our newsletter, watch our short-film with friends, attend a conversation next year, or join The Block as a monthly donor. 

Thank you for your support of The Sacred Grace.

It would be wonderful to hear from you how your faith is being rooted in place.

All blessings.

Jared Mackey
Executive Director