The Chapel Mountaineer, August 28

A note about foster care from Adam & Kara… Their foster daughter, Ana, has been in their care since last October. Please pray for little Ana and her future.

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Have you thought much about your own Judgment Day? I hadn’t. That is until our more recent visits to the courtroom. Last Tuesday was a pretrial hearing for Little A’s case. We sat in the gallery of the courtroom several pews behind A’s mother. She sat at the defendant’s table all alone. Her shoulders were shrugged into herself and she looked even smaller than she is in the black and grey hooded sweatshirt she wore. The judge’s bench loomed in front of her. On the other side of the courtroom at the prosecution’s table sat a gaggle of well and colorfully dressed blonde-headed ladies – lawyers and caseworkers – all representing the best interests of Little A. It was impossible not to notice just how lonesome A’s mother was, juxtaposed to the pack of older, educated women at the competing desk. My heart was in turmoil, oscillating between demands of justice for Little A and gut-wrenching empathy for the solitary young mother before me. Her lawyer had called in over the phone – distant representation without a face or physical presence to offer guidance and support.

This was an important day in the courtroom. It was a day to determine if the case would proceed to trial on September 2.

Let me give you a little foster care process background so that you know what brought us to this point…  

Biological parents have a set amount of time to work on and complete their treatment plans. (See previous blog about treatment plans). In A’s case, due to her young age, the “set amount of time” is one year. If representatives for the child can agree that enough progress has been made on the treatment plan prior to the one-year mark, visitation with bio parents is ramped up and a schedule for reunification of the child with bio parent(s) is put in place. On the other hand, if representatives for the child do not agree that reunification of the child with the bio parents is in the best interest of the child, yet the biological parents still seek to regain custody, the case is brought to trial.

Bringing a child’s case to trial is not ideal. I am told it is an emotional situation for everyone involved and is to be avoided if at all possible. A’s parents and their state appointed lawyers will face off against A’s team of lawyers, caseworkers, and volunteer advocates. A day and a half of testimony will be presented. Witnesses will be called to the stand. Experts will be asked to weigh in. A’s bio parents as well as Adam and I will likely have to take the stand (um – freaking out!). Supporters for either side will fill, or not fill, the seats in the gallery. (click here to finish reading…)

Thank you for your prayers for Ana.  

xo,
Kara

Last week I challenged the congregation to “do one thing that scares you every day.” Eleanor Roosevelt said that. Well…You people must be fearless! Within minutes of that innocuous proclamation I had two takers. One offered me the chance to join him inner tubing down the Roaring Fork River that very day. I accepted the challenge and brought along my husband Tim for reinforcement. I am certain that I’ve been colder in my life…I just don’t know when. Brrrr. But thank you Randy and Jeanne Woods for a freezing coldlovely afternoon adventure. The second surprise was that the beautiful Judi Loubier – who volunteers for Moms Day Out, takes special care with our altar guild, creates amazing sweets and savories for after church fellowship – literally blew my mind with the pronouncement that the very next day she was going paragliding off the mountain. JUDI??!!!! Now for those of you who don’t know – all of the above mentioned people (with the exception of my husband and me!) are grandparents. And if they can stretch themselves and challenge their bodies and minds, and do one thing every day that scares them, then by George I think we can too. You guys rock. All of you. And I am duly impressed and inspired. Carry on. Charla

Children, Youth & Family News & Events

Back to School! The Aspen area kids and teachers all started school this week. Please pray for a great school year for one and all! Robert encouraged the children during kids sermon last weekend to seek out the new students at school and to offer kindness. Pretty good advice for us all, don’t you think? Join the Children’s Ministry Team! Thank you to all who have volunteered!! It’s not too late – if you’d like to be involved in something SO IMPORTANT that it could change the VERY LIFE of a child, then go ahead and give me a call. J We’d love to have you – teaching, doing music, helping with Christmas pageants, making our bulletin boards beautiful… we love kids and we would love to have you on our team! Contact Charla at 970-300-1213 or contact Charla. Kids Programs at Snowmass Chapel Every Sunday during the 9am service: Toddler Room open with supervised play Preschool – Kindergarten (Godly Play) 1st – 2nd grade 3rd – 5th grade Monthly: 6th-8th grade (3rd Sunday of the month) Bible Memory Verse – Play with a Full Deck! Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. ~ Revelation 3:20 You can find each week’s Bible memory verse here.

Our Stephen Ministry is Beginning!
Mission Statement: Our Stephen Ministry exists to serve God by bringing Christ’s healing love to hurting people.

There are times when every one of us experiences difficulties including:

• loss of a loved one
• spiritual crisis
• cancer
• hospitalization
• disability
• discouragement
• divorce
• rehabilitation
• job loss
• loneliness
• many other challenges

God never intended for us to go through these experiences alone. That’s why God has brought us together as a congregation – and why the Snowmass Chapel is building a Stephen Ministry.

Stephen Ministers will be people in our congregation who will complete 50 hours of training this winter to minister to people experiencing a crisis, facing a challenge, or simply going through a tough time. We’ll begin recruiting Stephen Ministers from the chapel this fall. Please pray about whether God is leading you toward this ministry.

Care receivers from the Snowmass Chapel and the community will be identified and matched with Stephen Ministers in the spring. Care receivers will meet with their Stephen Minister privately and confidentially on a weekly basis. Stephen Ministers will listen, care, encourage, support, and remind you of Christ’s presence in your life.

If you’d like to learn more about Stephen Ministry for yourself, a family member, or a friend, neighbor, coworker, or someone else you know – inside or outside of our Chapel congregation – please stop by our Stephen Ministry information table in the Creekside room to chat with our newly trained Stephen Leaders: Heather Kaplinski and Kari Stoll. Pastor Robert deWetter has training and experience in the Stephen Ministry and can also answer questions you may have.

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”
– Matthew 11:28

Women of Faith Gathering in Denver Ladies, let’s attend Women of Faith together this fall! For information or to purchase tickets, please contact Regina de Wetter at 970-456-8958 or[email protected]. We get a slight discount for a block of 10 or more tickets, plus we’ll have even more fun if we sit together as a group. The sooner we purchase, the better seats we will enjoy, so please give Regina a check made out to her or cash ($101 for a premium seat) by September 14th. We will leave our area around 1:00 on Friday, October 24 and return by 10:00 PM on Saturday, October 25. Please make your own hotel arrangements wherever you like keeping in mind that the event is at the Denver Coliseum. You might wish to share a room and the cost with a friend at the Hilton Garden Inn in Downtown Denver (1400 Welton Street, 303-603-8000), where I will be staying. I have three rooms reserved there so let me know if you want one of them ($171/two queen beds – total, including tax). Rooms are filling up fast, so make your reservation soon! I hope you will join me for this wonderfully entertaining event, which features inspirational Christian speakers, comedians, and musicians. Your sister in Christ, Regina

Shop on Amazon? Help the Chapel by using Amazon Smile! Log on to Amazon Smile (for free, with your regular Amazon log in) and select Snowmass Chapel. By doing so, and shopping this way, you will be helping the Chapel earn money. For each “eligible” sale, 0.5% will donated to the Chapel! So shop away and benefit the Chapel. Click here to get started! If you have any questions or want help, feel free to contact Caroline.

Thursday, August 28

AA Meeting 12 Noon – 12:45pm “Lunch Crunch” meeting in the Fireside Room

Sunday, August 31

Christian Worship 9:00am in the Chapel
This week, Michael Schoepe & Paul Dankers will be providing special music and Micha will be leading the singing.

Fellowship/social time with refreshments 10:00am following Sunday morning service

Thursday, September 4

AA Meeting 12 Noon – 12:45pm “Lunch Crunch” meeting in the Fireside Room

Friday, September 5

Baby Story Hour with Pitkin County Library 10:00am in the Creekside Room

O sing unto the Lord a new song: sing unto the Lord, all the earth.

KJV, Psalm 96:1