Boots on the Ground

I first met him at the Breakfast Church. He was a tall, lanky man. Probably in his mid to late 50's, although it was hard to tell...

This week, we moved our shelter offices out of the shelter and into a street level strip mall on the fringe of the downtown core. The...

We get lots of calls at the shelter. Many calls are asking about space and resources, but many people call asking if they can donate...

Have you ever sat in a corn field on the front range of Colorado with an ex con and some youth, pulling bindweed off of corn stalks? No?...

I got my first tattoo on a mission trip. I was the leader. I went with two youth. For those of you in youth ministry, this likely sets...

On Sunday afternoons, Shelter Church, the little congregation I co-pastor, meets for a meal and worship. Some days we are in the parking...

It is early July up North in cabin country. The days are warm and sunny, but the nights are still cool. The painted turtles have...

Sleeping Rough The first time I heard the phrase, it made me cringe. I don’t know why, but the semantics of it immediately made me...

It's funny to look back on life and try to pinpoint the things that lead us to our most fulfilling callings. For me, the work that I am...

This is the last week in the series on Hard to House. We hope that you have learned a little as we have shared some of the barriers our...

Have you ever made a poor choice? Gotten tangled up in a bad situation? Done something stupid and lived to regret it? For most of us,...

It was such a hot June day. The wind swept across the fields bending the growing soybeans toward the ground. The trees swayed and...

This is the first in a series on what can stand in the way of getting those experiencing homelessness housed. I have known ‘Ben’ for 10...

ALL are welcome Jolly, Princess, Bailey, Tala- these are the names of some of my favorite congregants. Upon meeting them, you might be a...

In this work, we say a lot of goodbyes. Goodbyes wrapped in mystery or confusion. Goodbyes that were full of celebration and the promise...

In the Still of the Night I happen to be working the overnight shift at the shelter tonight. It’s not something I usually do as one of...

(This post was originally posted as part of a series on The Parking Lot Pastors Blog) We preach dignity. We stake our deep belief on the...

(Blog originally posted as part of a series on the Parking Lot Pastors blog) One of the very first opportunities we get to sit down with...

(This post was originally posted as part of the Parking Lot Pastors Blog for Connections Shelter) Dignity. Webster defines it as “the...