Mailing Address: PO Box 3672 Littleton, CO 80161-3672

Physical Address: 840 S. Powhaton Rd. Aurora, CO 80018

Phone: 720-955-4799

Email: stephanie@thelandumc.org

Follow us on Facebook /Find us on Instagram @TheLandUMC

Frank Garred Land Board President

Dave Stephens Land Board Treasurer

Rev. Dr. Andy Dunning Land Board Secretary

Rev. Claire McNulty-Drewes Board Member

Becca Boone Board Member

Blair Rollenhagen Board Member

Rebecca Dunagan Board Member

Patrick Kenney Board Member

The Land 2019 Board of Directors

Drawing people together from all walks of life to cultivate spiritual community

through faith, farming, and food.

E c u m e n i c a l S u n r i s e E a s t e r S e r v i c e

S u n d a y , A p r i l 2 1 s t a t 6 a m

C e l e b r a t e r e s u r r e c t i o n i n r e a l t i m e a s w e c o n n e c t w i t h c r e a t i o n i n

c o m m u n i t y . T o r y D o e r k s e n w i l l b e o u r g u e s t m u s i c i a n . T h e c e l e b r a t i o n

w i l l b e f o l l o w e d b y a n E a s t e r b r u n c h .

Winter went out with a fight this year with the arrival of the snow bomb cyclone. This his-

toric storm was responsible for the cancellation of more than 1,300 flights at Denver Inter-

national Airport, where a wind gust of 80 mph was reported Wednesday morning.

The strength of the wind took its toll on the infrastructure at The

Land, lifting and throwing the Port -a-Potty 500 yards and twisting

two of the steel bars on our Weather Port canopy structure com-

pletely leveling it to the ground. With less than a year into our faith community ’s incep-

tion, this damage felt emotionally overwhelming. The Saturday following the storm a Go-

FundMe campaign was created to help offset the costs of purchasing a new structure.

In just two days, The Land had received $4,000 in donations from people all across the

country who expressed their support for The Land ’s mission of cultivating spiritual community around food, faith

and farming. This same week an inventory was taken of the damaged structure and re-

placement parts were ordered.

The storm brought destruction but it left a blessing; the financial ability to have two per-

manent tent structures starting Easter morning. While we had planned for an additional

tent structure to accommodate our growing community, we had imagined this to be at

least a year into the future.

This Easter we celebrate New Birth and Resurrection thanks to the incredible generosity

and support of people who may never even step foot on The Land. The outpouring of love

in the face of discouragement remains a sign that we are headed in the right direction,

inspiring people to connect to creation in community as we work together to make the

world a better place .

What better way to celebrate Easter than sitting together under the physical resurrection of a canopy offering sanctuary to all people?

Te x t - t o - G i v e

T e x t t h e d o l l a r a m o u n t y o u

w o u l d l i k e t o d o n a t e t o 7 2 0 - 3 3 6 -

5 8 9 1 a n d f o l l o w t h e p r o m p t s !

D o n a t e O n l i n e

S e t u p a o n e - t i m e o r m o n t h l y d o -

n a t i o n o n o u r s e c u r e o n l i n e g i v -

i n g p l a t f o r m a t

w w w . t h e l a n d u m c . o r g b y c l i c k i n g

o n o u r “ D o n a t e ” b u t t o n .

M a i l Yo u r D o n a t i o n

C h e c k s p a y a b l e t o T h e L a n d c a n

b e m a i l e d t o T h e L a n d P . O . B o x

3 6 7 2 L i t t l e t o n , C o l o r a d o 8 0 1 6 1 -

3 6 7 2

Congratulations to the Rollenhagen Family on the arrival of

their new family member; Isabelle!

CELEBRATING GOOD NEWS FROM THE COMMUNITY CALLED, THE LAND

WINTER CAMP SUCCESS!

Thirty-four people participated in our first annual Winter Camp at

the John Wesley Ranch Retreat Center in Divide, Colorado. For

four days and three nights participants dove into the “Slow Liv-

ing” theme as we reconnected to ourselves and one another.

Congratulations to Denise Denton, recipient of the Humani-

tarian of the Year Award for her work as the Executive Di-

rector of Aurora Health Access!

Congratulations to Clyde and Patti Jo Oakley on the arrival

of their new grandbaby; Pascal!

Congratulations to Patrick Kenney and Marita Whalen on

their engagement!

BEV ROBERTSON RECEIVES QUIET DISCIPLE AWARD

Bev Robertson has been an instrumental force behind the launch of The Land in northeast Auro-

ra. Her regular presence on Saturday mornings provides a safety net in a context where I am not

always sure if this will be the dreaded Saturday that no one shows up. Her arrival to our gather-

ings is always accompanied with a homemade egg casserole, fresh baked cinnamon buns, or

some other delicious treat. In addition to offering hospitality, Bev ’s treats continue to be the

motivating force for my 10 -year-old daughter to attend worship. Bev regularly opens her home to host our launch

team gatherings and helps update our growing church directory. Her commitment to the mission of The Land ex-

tends beyond our community through her monthly volunteer work with High Plains Food Cooperative. In all she

does, Bev is a faithful source of strength and support and is reminder that, though we wander into the wilder-

ness, we never walk alone. (

T h e L a n d w e l c o m e d t w o n e w w o r s h i p l e a d e r s , R e v . C o n n o r D e F e h r a n d R e v .

T o r y D o e r k s e n . B o t h w i l l a l t e r n a t e i n w i t h o u r f a b u l o u s C l y d e O a k l e y w h o w i l l

c o n t i n u e t o l e a d m u s i c a t o u r S a t u r d a y g a t h e r i n g s .

C o n n o r a n d T o r y b o t h b r i n g w i t h t h e m t o T h e L a n d u n i q u e s e m i n a r y e d u c a t i o n

a n d m i n i s t e r i a l a m b i t i o n s . T o r y D o e r k s e n i s p a r t o f t h e n e w l y f o r m e d S p i r i t u a l i t y C o l l e c t i v e , a

g r o u p o f f i v e e c u m e n i c a l p a s t o r s p r o v i d i n g p r o g r e s s i v e s p i r i t u a l r e s o u r c e s . P r i o r t o t h i s n e w

v e n t u r e , T o r y s p e n t 1 0 y e a r s a s a f a i t h f o r m a t i o n p a s t o r w i t h M e n n o n i t e c h u r c h e s i n K a n s a s ,

O r e g o n a n d m o s t r e c e n t l y i n D e n v e r . A l o n g s i d e m i n i s t r y a n d t h e o l o g y , T o r y d o u b l e m a j o r e d

i n m u s i c i n c o l l e g e a n d p l a y s S t r i n g B a s s a s h i s p r i m a r y i n s t r u m e n t , w i t h g u i t a r a s a c l o s e s e c -

o n d . S o n g w r i t i n g h a s a l w a y s b e e n a n a l t e r n a t i v e s p i r i t u a l p r a c t i c e f o r t i m e s w h e n s o m e t h i n g

b e y o n d c o m p o s i n g s e r m o n s a n d B i b l e s t u d i e s i s n e e d e d .

C o n n o r h a s b e e n a p r o f e s s i o n a l b a s s i s t f o r m a n y y e a r s t h r o u g h o u t t h e D e n v e r a r e a , b u t a l s o

g r e a t l y e n j o y s s o n g w r i t i n g . W h e t h e r t h a t ' s p u t t i n g n e w l y r i c s a n d c h o r d s o n a n o l d h y m n o r

s e t t i n g a n o l d t u n e t o j a z z s o h e c a n p l a y i t w i t h h i s t r i o . H i s p a s s i o n f o r w o r s h i p h a s s t a y e d

w i t h h i m s i n c e t h e e n d o f m i d d l e s c h o o l w h e n h e p l a y e d b a s s a n d b e g a n b e i n g m e n t o r e d u n -

d e r t h e w i n g o f h i s g o o d f r i e n d Z a c H i c k s . U n d e r Z a c , h e d e v e l o p e d a p a s s i o n t o n o t o n l y p l a y

f u n w o r s h i p s o n g s , b u t a l s o t o e q u i p p e o p l e t o e n t e r i n t o a d e e p e r r e l a t i o n s h i p w i t h G o d

t h r o u g h t h e w o r d s w e s i n g t o H i m . C o n n o r r e c e n t l y g r a d u a t e d w i t h a n M D i v d e g r e e f r o m D e n -

v e r S e m i n a r y a n d p l a n s t o d o a c h a p l a i n c y u n i t s o o n . I n C o n n o r ' s s p a r e t i m e ,

h e e n j o y s g o i n g o n h i k e s , e a t i n g u n i q u e f o o d s , a n d r e a d i n g o f t e n . O f c o u r s e ,

a l l o f t h e s e t h i n g s a r e b e t t e r d o n e w i t h h i s w i f e , J e s s , h i s t w o c a t s : T o b i a s

a n d T h a l i a , a n d h i s b a b y g i r l o n t h e w a y w h o w i l l b e a r r i v i n g i n e a r l y A p r i l .

G a t h e r i n g s a t T h e L a n d

E v e r y S a t u r d a y f r o m 1 0 a m t o 1 2 p m

L o c a t e d i n a n o u t d o o r s a n c t u a r y , e a c h g a t h e r i n g m i r r o r s t h e

o p e n s p a c e t h a t s u r r o u n d s u s , i n c o r p o r a t i n g t i m e f o r s o n g ,

r e f l e c t i o n , s h a r i n g a n d s i l e n c e . W e g a t h e r t o e x p e r i e n c e c o n -

n e c t i o n i n c r e a t i o n , t o r e l a x a n d r e n e w .

B e g i n n e r s C o m p o s t i n g W o r k s h o p

S a t u r d a y , M a r c h 3 0 t h 1 0 a m — 1 2 p m

I n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h D e n v e r U r b a n G a r d e n s , T h e L a n d i n v i t e s y o u t o j o i n

M a s t e r C o m p o s t e r , R i c h H o y t , f o r a B e g i n n e r ' s c l a s s i n c o m p o s t i n g ! G r a b

a l a w n c h a i r a n d w a t e r b o t t l e a n d c o m e l e a r n w i t h u s !

G u e s t S p e a k e r : R e v . P e t e T e r p e n n i n g

S a t u r d a y , A p r i l 2 7 t h a t 1 0 a m

T h e L a n d w e l c o m e s U n i t e d C h u r c h o f C h r i s t p a s t o r a n d c o - f o u n d e r o f T h e E a r t h ’ s

T a b l e . R e v . P e t e w i l l b e s h a r i n g t h o u g h t s o n t h e t h e o l o g i c a l i n t e r s e c t i o n o f f a i t h

a n d f a r m i n g i n t h e 2 1 s t c e n t u r y .

G u e s t S p e a k e r : R o s e S e e m a n

S a t u r d a y , M a y 1 1 t h a t 1 0 a m

A u t h o r , A d v o c a t e a n d E n v i r o n m e n t a l E n t r e p r e n e u r , R o s e S e e m a n w i l l b e s t o p -

p i n g b y t o s p e a k a b o u t a d v o c a t i n g f o r C i t y c o m p o s t i n g ! R o s e i s a n A u r o r a r e s i -

d e n t a n d t h e f o u n d e r o f E n v i r o w a g g , a d o g w a s t e c o m p o s t i n g c o m p a n y .

Guest Speakers and Special Events

Save the Date: Anniversary Celebration!

Thursday, June 27th from 4pm to 6pm

Sierra Restaurant

10680 Cabela Drive, Lone Tree

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!

The Land is gearing up for construction and looking for helping hands! If you have a church or corporate group

looking to build benches and picnic tables, move dirt, install fence, and plant trees we are ready for you! Here are

a few of the upcoming work days we have planned!

April 19-20: Setting -up p 2 new Weather Port canopy structures.

May 11: Spreading wood chips on our new pathway from the parking lot to the tent.

We have lots of projects ready to go! Just email Stephanie at stephanie@thelandumc.org or call 720 -955-4799 to

see how your group can help!

CONTRACTORS NEEDED!

The Land is currently accepting bids for earth work and concrete installation. If you would like more information

on submitting a bid, please email Rev. Stephanie at stephanie@thelandumc.org

READY, SET, GO! The Land prepares for construction!

Diane Denwood visited the Land to talk water conservation

and community gardens!

Troy Cosmas and Greg Laudenslager finalized plans to

amend the grading plan on our Civil Plans.

A P P R O V E D , A G A I N !

I f y o u h a v e b e e n f o l l o w i n g T h e L a n d o n F a c e b o o k o r I n s t a g r a m y o u a r e p r o b a b l y a w a r e t h a t w e r e -

c e i v e d t h e a p p r o v a l o f o u r C i v i l p l a n s f r o m t h e C i t y o f A u r o r a l a s t m o n t h . . . a g a i n . A f t e r a n i n - d e p t h

r e v i e w a n d m a n y c o n v e r s a t i o n s , T h e L a n d B o a r d o f D i r e c t o r s d e c i d e d t o a p p l y f o r a n a m e n d m e n t t o

o u r g r a d i n g p l a n o n o u r a p p r o v e d C i v i l P l a n s . W h i l e i t f e l t l i k e a s t e p b a c k w a r d s a t t h e t i m e , t h e

a m e n d m e n t p r o c e s s d e l i v e r e d i n c r e d i b l e r e s u l t s i n r e c o r d a p p r o v a l t i m e .

T h e L a n d ’ s o r i g i n a l g r a d i n g p l a n r e q u i r e d t h e r e l o c a t i o n o f 1 0 8 , 0 0 0 c u b i c y a r d s o f d i r t a n d l e v e l e d

o u r p r o p e r t y . T h e n e w g r a d i n g p l a n w i l l o n l y m o v e 5 , 0 0 0 c u b i c y a r d s o f d i r t a n d w i l l m a i n t a i n o u r

n a t u r a l c o n t o u r s v i t a l t o o u r p l a n n e d i n f r a s t r u c t u r e . I n a d d i t i o n , t h e u p d a t e d g r a d i n g p l a n e x p a n d s

t h e d e t e n t i o n b o n d i n t h e n o r t h e a s t c o r n e r o f t h e p r o p e r t y a n d c o m p l e t e l y e l i m i n a t e s t h e d e t e n t i o n

p o n d o r i g i n a l l y p l a c e d i n t h e s o u t h w e s t c o r n e r o f o u r p r o p e r t y . T h e a p p r o v a l o f o u r g r a d i n g a m e n d -

m e n t p r o v e d t o b e a n i n c r e d i b l e w i n ; c o n s e r v i n g o u r p r a i r i e e c o s y s t e m w h i l e p r e s e r v i n g t h e i n t e g r i t y

o f o u r v i s i o n .

W i t h a p p r o v e d C i v i l P l a n s i n o u r h a n d s , w e a r e s e e k i n g b i d s f r o m c o n t r a c t o r s t o c o m p l e t e o u r m i n i -

m a l g r a d i n g w h i c h w i l l m a k e w a y f o r t h e i n s t a l l a t i o n o f o u r c o n c r e t e d r i v e w a y a n d p a r k i n g l o t . M o v -

i n g t h e t w o t e n t s t o t h e i r p e r m a n e n t h o m e a t t h e f a r n o r t h e a s t s i d e o f o u r p r o p e r t y w i l l e n s u r e t h e y

a r e o u t o f t h e w a y o f t h e g r a d i n g w h i l e n e s t l i n g t h e m n e x t t o o u r f u t u r e e d i b l e l a b y r i n t h . I m p r o v e -

m e n t s w i l l c o n t i n u e t h i s s u m m e r w i t h t h e h e l p o f v o l u n t e e r s w h o h a v e b e e n a n x i o u s l y w a i t i n g t o “ g e t

t h e i r h a n d s d i r t y . ” W i t h s o m u c h g r o w i n g o u t a t T h e L a n d , y o u a r e d e f i n i t e l y g o i n g t o w a n t t o s t o p b y

t h i s S p r i n g t o s e e w h a t ’ s s p r o u t i n g u p !

T h e L a n d i s a 5 0 1 ( c ) 3 e s t a b l i s h e d w i t h a p u r p o s e t o “ s e r v e a s a

c o m m u n i t y g a t h e r i n g p l a c e f o r p e o p l e t o g r o w , h a r v e s t , a n d s h a r e

f r e s h , l o c a l p r o d u c e w i t h o u r n e i g h b o r s i n n e e d . ”