There used to be a law in New York State that any mayor could step in as a judge and preside over courtroom trials. It was a little used bit of law, but one mayor, the famous New York City Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia, knew about this law and decided to take advantage of it. He began to show up at court and oversee the trials of petty criminals personally, as a way of burnishing his “tough on crime” credentials. But one day he was sitting in the judges chair when an old woman was hauled in front of him for stealing a loaf of bread from a local shop. The woman explained her circumstances. Her daughter's husband had abandoned their family, leaving the grandmother to care for both her daughter and her grandchildren. She stole the bread so that those hungry children had at least some small morsel to eat before bed. LaGuardia looked at the woman and told her, "Well, the law is the law. You stole and now you must go through the punishment. I find the defendant guilty and levy a fine of $10." He then took off his hat, took out his wallet, and threw a ten dollar bill into the hat. The court was astonished but he wasn't done. LaGuardia then said, "I further find us, all of us, guilty of living in a city where a good and upstanding old woman has to steal simply to fill the stomach of her hungry grandchildren. I hereby levy a fine of fifty cents from each and every person in this courtroom.” The bailiffs went around and collected from each and every person, petty thieves, pickpockets, pimps, and police. The hat was handed over to the woman, full of coins. Mayor LaGuardia then bade the woman to go in peace and give his regards to her family. 

What Mayor LaGuardia did that day is something Bible scholars might call a “prophetic act.” He reminded those gathered that the responsibility for the poor, the widowed, the orphan, and the stranger lies with the community as a whole. This is deeply scriptural. For the prophets, for Jesus, for God, existence of poverty in society is primarily the result of communal sins. It is the result of greed and idolatry, a sign of a community that has forsaken God. In Genesis humanity as a whole is given stewardship over all creation. Sodom is destroyed because they, as a community, fail to welcome and care for the strangers among them. The Early Church is a community that shares their resources so thoroughly that poverty is eliminated among them. 

That’s why I love the way that the United Methodist Social Principles, our denomination's primary statement on the issues of the day, is framed in terms of “community,” with sections like “The Economic Community,” “the Political Community,” and “The Social Community.” This month we will be delving into our Social Principles, with a book study before church, a sermon series reflecting on these principles, and opportunities to engage deeper. I invite you to join us as we learn more about the call for us, as a community, to boldly and joyfully do the will of God.



Rev. Daniel

Sunday services can be viewed live at 9:30am on Facebook AND YouTube, or afterwards with the links found on the website and weekly newsletter.

Click here to view our worship on YouTube. 

NOVEMBER 2nd – COMMUNION SUNDAY & All-Saint’s Sunday

Justice & Mission: The Community of All Creation

Genesis 1: 27-31

NOVEMBER 9th

Justice & Mission: The Social Community

1 Corinthians 12: 12-31

*Join us for our Fall Clean-up after worship!

NOVEMBER 16th

Justice & Mission: The Economic Community

Leviticus 25: 8-24

*Join us for our Church Conference Trivia Brunch after worship!

NOVEMBER 23rd

Justice & Mission: The Political Community

Revelation 7: 9-12

*Join us for Hanging of the Greens after worship!

At service this past week, we celebrated our Quiet Disciple Award recipient - Matt Salis! Although we like to refer to him as our 'Not-so-Quiet Disciple' :)

Matt has been very involved for many years with Sunday School. He has helped with frozen water pipes, has also helped lock up many times over the years. He has been a VBS volunteer and "voluntold" and really dove into suitcases and backpacks years ago when we as the church started it with Kelly Carver's encouragement and a Youth Mission trip chaperone or adult helper and Pizza delivery guy for lock ins, among many other things!

Matt is always willing to help and we are so appreciative of his positive attitude and friendship.

Congratulations Matt!!

What's Next?

Learning: 



"For the Bible Tells Me So," a deeply moving documentary (made in 2007) that tells the struggle for LGBTQ+ inclusion in the Church through the stories of gay Christians and their families. Available on AppleTV or through your local library. Content Warning: Homophobia, Suicide. 

The Cross and the Lynching Tree by James Cone, the final book by acclaimed Black theologian James Cone, exploring the ways Jesus' life and death places God in radical solidarity with Black Americans and calls on the Church to confront racism, "America's Original Sin." 

Doing:

Sign up to be an organ donor, potentially saving up to eight lives! 

Donate to Global Ministries, the mission, humanitarian relief and development arm of the United Methodist Church. 

Help expand our ministries with people with disabilities by joining the Washington Park Disability Ministries Team! You can email Pastor Daniel at assocpastor@washparkumc.org if you are interested. 

Did you know that working women on average spend twice as much time on childcare and household work than working men? One of the most basic ways to address this inequality is couples having regular open and honest conversations about the division of household labor. Here's a short and helpful guide for having those conversations.



Join Pastor Daniel this November for a study of the United Methodist Social Principles! The Social Principles are an attempt by the United Methodist Church to speak to the most important issues in our modern world. Each day of the study will align with the sermon series that week. We will meet on Sundays at 8:30 am in where should we meet. You can buy a hard copy here, or you can find them for free online here. The schedule is the following: 

November 2: Community of All Creation

November 9: The Social Community

November 16: The Economic Community

November 23: The Political Community

Please join us for a fall cleanup day, sign up here!

From now through November 16th we're collecting 16 oz unopened peanut butter jars. The Wash Park UMC youth will be gathering with other UMC churches from across the area to pack Thanksgiving care boxes for our neighbors, and these jars will be the Washington Park contribution. Please drop them off outside the church office or the tea kitchen any time between now and 11 am on November 16th.

It's that time of year again! And by "that time" I mean time to clean out your basements, scour Facebook marketplace, and cruise thrift stores to find new and gently used rolling suitcases for Christmas in the Park! Please bring them to church between now and December 21st so we can brighten up the Christmas season for our unhoused neighbors. 

Christmas in the Park is an annual event where local congregations and other organizations gather and give out supplies to unhoused neighbors, from snacks to sleeping bags. Each year Washington Park UMC organizes handing out suitcases.It's an awesome event and an extremely meaningful way to spend Christmas Day. We will be setting up at 10 am, with distribution starting shortly before noon. We will start breaking down around 1 pm. We need help through all parts, but if you can only attend for part of it your help is still appreciated! You can sign up here. 

Habitat for Humanity

Give Thanks. Give Hope: Help Families Build a Place to Call Home

As we gather around our Thanksgiving tables, surrounded by the people and blessings we cherish most, it’s the perfect time to reflect on all

that God has provided — and to share that abundance with others.

This season, our church family is partnering with Habitat for Humanity of Metro Denver to spread the spirit of gratitude beyond our own tables.

Together, we can help families in need build something we sometimes take for granted — a safe, stable home.

Every fall, we’re reminded of God’s goodness through the warmth of family and community. But for many families, the foundation of a secure

home is still missing. Your gift can change that.

When you give to Habitat for Humanity, you’re

doing more than donating — you’re planting a seed of hope. You’re helping create walls that shelter love, doors that open to opportunity, and roofs that hold the warmth of family.

Whether it’s the cost of a Thanksgiving pie or a family meal, every contribution helps build a home — and a future — for a family who will have much to be thankful for because of your generosity. Our fundraiser runs from Nov. 9 through Nov. 30. Together, we can reach our

$6,000 goal.

Way to give:

Make checks payable to WPUMC with Habitat in the memo line

Send money through Venmo to Michelle-Hoskins-17 (our church treasurer)

Contact Carol Nelson if you have a stock or other type of donation at

customtrainingllc@myctl.net (note the new email address)



This Thanksgiving, let’s share our blessings and help more families find a place to call home.

Support a former WPUMC preschool mom and get in your holiday photos!



Holiday Minis That Give Back to WPUMC!

Book a festive 10-minute Holiday Studio Mini Session with Lily Red Studio and raise money for WPUMC!

• Five digital images included

• Up to five family members + two pets

• Session fee: $185 — use code WPUMC for $15 off

• 15% of your session fee is donated to WPUMC

Limited spots this November — perfect for holiday cards! Book here  lilyred.com/holiday-minis-2025

Altar Flowers 2025

If you’d like to sponsor Sunday morning altar flowers in honor of an occasion or in memory of someone, please sign up for a date below. The arrangements cost $45 ($35 for seniors) and you can take them home or give them away after service. We just ask that you return the vases to the Tea Kitchen so that we can reuse them. Make checks out to WPUMC and put altar flowers in the memo line or pay via Venmo @Michelle-Hoskins-17.

Please enter the occasion or person to be honored in the My Comment field after you click Sign Up.

Click HERE to sign up.

Link WPUMC to you King Soopers Card! Sign up here!