Around the COG - July 18, 2019

Hello COG Family! I pray your week is going well. As summer keeps moving forward, I hope you are all getting outside and enjoying God's creation with one another. We are blessed to be so close to so many created things that are reminders of who God is. As Paul wrote in Romans 1:20,

"For since the creation of the world, God's invisible qualities - His eternal power and divine nature - have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse." Romans 1:20

Please see below to keep up to date on COG activities. Reach out if you have questions or want more information.

I look forward to seeing you Sunday!

Pastor Chris

Upcoming Events

Communion will be observed on August 18th during service.

Women's Ministry: Ladies, come and enjoy an evening of fellowship with an hour walk in Cherry Creek State Park and then food at Mama Louisa's . Meet up on July 20th at 5 pm at Mama Louisa's parking lot .

Rock the Reservoir: We will have our annual Aurora Reservoir BBQ event on August 4th starting at 12 pm at the Pikes Peak Pavilion . Last names beginning with A-H bring a side dish to share and I-Z bring chips or a dessert. If you wish to be baptized at this event, reach out to Pastor Chris or Pastor Joel .

New Members Social: If you have been attending COG for a while and want to learn more about what it means to be a member, your opportunity is on August 5th at 6:30 pm in Pastor Joel's office. Child care will be provided if needed. Sign up at the Get Connected table in the back of the sanctuary.

Annual COG Musical: The theme this year is "Musicals at the Movies" with shows on August 9th and 10th in the north building. Theater snack foods will be provided along with drinks.

Colorado Rockies Faith Day: The Rockies Faith Day is on August 18th at 1:10 pm. A concert by Kari Jobe will follow the game. Tickets are $20 per person and we have a limited number. Sign up soon at the Get Connected table in the back of the sanctuary or reach out to Jeff Drury if you have questions.

Camp Out at Long Scraggy: The annual camping trip will be August 30th - September 2nd at Long Scraggy Ranch . Details can be found at the Get Connected table in the back of the sanctuary or reach out to William and Amy Fabrizio or call them at 720.469.9927.

More event information can be found on our website .

Recurring Events

Men: Tuesday Bible Study at 6 am in Joel's office.

Friday Bible Study at 6 am at Carino Coffee .

Women: Thursday Bible Study at 9:30 am and 6:30 pm in the North Building.

Friday Bible Study at 9:30 am at Carino Coffee .

Student Ministry: Wednesdays at 6:30 pm in the South Building.

Olin Ministry: Saturday meal rotation. Contact Missy Noel @ 720.373.0216.

Prayer Ministry: Sundays at 8:30 am in the South Building.

COG Celebrations

LifeGroups at COG

I want to thank everyone who participated in the LifeGroup Survey. This information will help us focus our efforts in this ministry moving forward. We currently have six LifeGroups that meet on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, and in August we will be adding new LifeGroups to our current roster. More information will be provided when we can solidify meeting days, times, child care, etc.

If you are not currently in a LifeGroup, I cannot encourage you enough to give them a try. The spiritual growth and friendships you will develop are beyond measure. Check out the current LifeGroups listed in our Sunday bulletin and look for the new LifeGroups in the next newsletter.

LifeGroups are one important way we seek to mirror the early church as "they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer" according to Acts 2:42.

Feel free to email or talk with me directly if you have any questions regarding LifeGroups at COG. If you are interested or have high school students who are interested in being a child care provider for LifeGroups, please reach out to me .

Spotlight

The Olin Ministry at COG has been going strong for over twenty years. This ministry is cared for by families from COG who prepare and take meals to 24 residents at the Olin Apartments in Denver every Saturday. The Olin is a HUD property located close to Denver's Capital Hill that assists older and disabled individuals.

Each week, two COG volunteer families prepare and take these meals to 12 residents each. The volunteers purchase, cook, package, and deliver the meals. Currently volunteers prepare an serve meals for six week rotations.

Over the years, many of the Olin residents have built friendships with our volunteers. This has given our volunteers an opportunity to enjoy fellowship with them and show God's grace. This ministry is also a great opportunity for our children and youth to get involved and see the importance of helping those who have a need. Building up a spirit of charity helps us understand how the smallest of actions can bless not only the recipient but also the giver.

Twice each year the congregation at COG prepares and serves meals for Thanksgiving and Easter at the Olin. This allows all the residents to share a community meal and fellowship. The event is opened with prayer and then volunteers take orders for the residents to serve them directly. Adults oversee the serving line and kitchen areas and also find plenty of time to dialogue with the guests. It is truly a God-filled day.

The Olin ministry currently has eleven families serving this ministry and could use more help. If you are interested or want more details, email Missy or call her directly at 720.373.0216.

Thank you to Missy Noel and all current and past volunteers for keeping this ministry running for so long.

The Staff's Choice

In my July 4th newsletter, the staff listed some of their favorite movies to watch for the holiday. Here are the answers so you can see how well you did.