MISSIONS
We want people to hear and see and embrace the gospel of Jesus Christ, in Peru and Mexico, but also in Littleton and Denver. And we do that in words and actions. We tell people about Jesus, but we also help with medical clinics, church buildings, houses, and events. Our approach to fulfilling our mission is “give and go”. We rarely just send money….we bring it with us. Those who can’t go can send. And that way everyone is involved in the mission.
For more information on how to get involved with our Missions Program please email our missions coordinator, John Trovinger.
COMMUNITY-WIDE
Since 2008, dozens of churches have provided hundreds of volunteers who have served thous of people. Their mission: Love In the Name of Christ (Love INC) seeks to be the eyes and ears in the community, while local churches are the hands and feet. Together, we are the body of Christ serving our community with love.
They offer free IMPACT CLASSES. Currently:
1. Affirming Potential, focused on helping everyone find and pursue their God‑Given potential
2. Overcome – a course focused on your mental health
3. Faith and Finances, learn God’s purpose for your money
4. Boundaries, establishing healthy relationships
They are a resource for people needing resources, such as:
· Food Bank Resources
· Rent Assistance Resources
· Shelter Respite Resources
· Mental Health Resources
· Prepared Meals Resources
· Municipalities and Churches
Alternatives is a community of individuals and organizations unified in the belief that every human life, born and pre‑born, has inherent worth and dignity. They believe teens, women and men in the greater Denver area deserve access to non‑judgmental, compassionate care and medically accurate education when faced with life-altering pregnancy decisions. Alternatives’ whole‑person approach to care is woven into education, counseling and medical services.
Alternatives works every day to empower women to make a brave choice and surround them with necessary resources. See their website for additional detail.
West Bowles has partnered with Alternatives since 2016. Typically, in the month of January, Alternatives helps us honor Sanctity of Human Life Sunday. Also, Alternatives has made several presentations in our Sunday School classes and they have in held workshops for the middle and high school youth through their ‘A Promising Future’ team. Additionally, they give out hundreds of baby bottle banks in January to members of the congregation and have raised approximately $3500 each year! As a congregation, we have also collected diapers, baby clothes and gift cards for moms and babies. On Mother’s Day, the youth group has distributed seed packets to every woman in our church services to honor them.
ChannelMom Media & Outreach aims to love, coach, and encourage moms. ChannelMom’s goal is to love, coach and encourage moms and families through media and outreach, in order to share the love of God. ChannelMom was founded by Jenny Dean Schmidt, who attends West Bowles.
ChannelMom encourages moms with advice, information and spiritual truths and places a premium on the value of motherhood.
Programs in place for the following outreaches:
· Outreach for Moms
· ChannelMom Coffees
· Homeless Mom Help
· Moms in Prison Help
· Speaking Outreach
· Resources for Moms
Dry Bones staff and volunteers are committed to serving the large population of homeless teens and young adults living in downtown Denver. The youth who live on the streets of Denver range in age from 12 into their mid‑twenties. Dry Bones connects these young people with resources, nutrition, entertainment and new friends. West Bowles prepares and serves food for Dry Bones once a month.
Each month we collect one specific item–from Juarez Christmas boxes to baby bottles filled with change to school supplies for at-risk kids–to help out various ministries in our community.
We ask each person to drop one dollar in the bin on the way out of service so that we might provide benevolence for those in need.
WORLD-WIDE
In 2003, leaders from West Bowles had an opportunity to visit Peru which sparked an excitement within WBCC to raise funds to assist a local church ministry and to bring a message of hope through our support. Many years later, our partnership is still going strong. From building a school, to remodeling a church, to conducting Vacation Bible School, to purchasing Christmas gifts.
Iquitos is a small northern Peruvian port city and gateway to the jungle and tribal villages of the northern Amazon. One has to either fly directly into Iquitos or take a river boat as there are no roads to Iquitos. The needs in this community are real as they battle poverty, lack of education, a lack of medical care and the Dengue, (DENG‑gey). Dengue is a mosquito‑borne illness that occurs in tropical areas of the world. Mild dengue can cause high fever (104°) and flu‑like symptoms. Severe forms can cause hemorrhagic fever or even death. Households generally don’t have money or access to medicine.
We have partnered with Pastor Victor Evert who has planted and oversees 12 churches in Peru. Pastor Evert works with local Peruvian supervising pastor, Pastor Emilio. Pastor Evert lives in the Denver area part of the year and travels often to Peru, leading pastor Emilio and the other pastors as they bring the word of God to their people.
Our San Juan church acts as a school during the week. It sits in the district of Belén, which is the Spanish word for ‘Bethlehem’. We continue to support the San Juan school with two teachers, one para‑teacher and a nurse.
A child’s yearly education costs $360 at the school we help fund. Our goal for 2023 is to sponsor the education for 35 children.
Additionally we would like to continue to fund the school nurse, who also helps in the community. The cost of the nurse is $6,000/year.
These are very tangible ways that we can make a difference in the lives of many families for a small investment. Click here to donate.
WBCC has been partnering with Missions Ministries (MM) and building homes in Juarez, Mexico just across from El Paso, TX since approximately 2007. Our annual trips are just four days long but meaningful and fun! Our teams include both young (age five and older) and old (you name it), singles, couples and families. No construction experience is required. We stay at MM’s local team center in the rural Juarez colonias. The team center has nice, clean rooms, running water and showers, a play area, a basketball court, and a team kitchen.
Local pastors determine and prioritize needs for the families who will receive homes. The local conditions, just 12 hours from Denver, include people living in pallet shacks with cardboard walls to rough cinder block structures. Most have dirt floors and no running water. The need is severe. We work with MM’s local construction crews who help us raise the home. We build a small 12’ x 36’ frame home on a concrete slab, side it, insulate it, drywall it, roof it, install windows and paint it. While a simple structure, it is a mansion for someone who could never afford it otherwise.
In addition to the homes, we always conduct a community outreach. This takes different shapes each trip but can be in the form of a soup kitchen, a blanket outreach or playing with the kids at the local Bethel Orphanage.
Please email us if you are interested in going on a future trip.
A big THANK YOU to the West Bowles congregation for making this mission trip possible.
Garret & Emily Schlegal are field missionaries on campus at Washington State University and have family roots here at WBCC. They team with the Navigator organization to help connect and mentor college students through small group community and growing their faith. Please pray for Garrett & Emily.
Brianna Wheeler—who was an active volunteer in our children’s ministries here at West Bowles–is a missionary in Bolivia. Bri works in a neurological rehabilitation center while also working with the adventure foundation, providing outdoor adventures for kids in orphanages. Please pray for Bri as she continues her important work with the people of Bolivia.
This past year the church supported young adults and youth connected to West Bowles for short term missions. Ethan Klingenberg, Jeremy Felker, and Hayden Morton all traveled to serve overseas—from Nepali to Thailand to Honduras, these students have been our “boots on the ground.” They taught bible studies, did community work, made meals—planting many seeds and trusting that God will follow with a harvest. Your financial support made these trips possible so please continue to give as the Lord lays it on your heart.