Denver Seminary

Jessica Brown (2006) | MASTER OF ARTS Jessica Brown graduated from Denver Seminary in 2006 with an MA in community counseling. She spent six years working within counseling agencies in the Denver community and is now the development officer at Denver Seminary. Learning counseling at Denver Seminary provided a foundation of relational and communication skills that she uses in all areas of her life. Currently, as the development officer, she builds relationships with friends of the Seminary. Representing the mission and vision of President Mark Young and the Seminary, she meets with individuals nationwide and enjoys ministering to people as relationships are built. Jessica has a unique opportunity to daily share about the impact Denver Seminary students and alumni are having on the Kingdom of God. Among other tasks, Jessica manages the Seminary's alumni relations. Denver Seminary alumni are serving around the globe and she is able to hear their stories, encourage them, and pray for them. Additionally, she and her colleagues manage alumni relations programs such as the Alumni Connections emails, alumni webinars, and regional alumni gatherings. If you are interested in participating in any of these programs or want to share your story and where God has led you after life at Denver Seminary, Jessica wants to hear from you. Please contact her at: jessica.brown@denverseminary.edu or 303.357.5891 Caring for the Orphaned Eight years ago in Colorado there were 875 foster children in our own community waiting for a loving family to adopt them. As an adoptive father and lead pastor of Colorado Community Church, Robert Gelinas (MA, 1996) began researching this issue in order to ultimately answer the question that seemed to be concerning everyone, "Why are we not able to give these children a home?" In response to this question, God brought his attention to James 1:27 where the Church is called to take care of the fatherless. He determined that if each church in Colorado had only one family that was willing to take in a waiting foster child, there would instead be families waiting for children. With that vision, Project 1.27 was established. In order to achieve the vision of "A Family Waiting for Every Child," Project 1.27 has been working with churches up and down the Front Range to inspire, recruit, and resource families to become foster and adoptive parents to children in Colorado. Hundreds of children have been placed in Project 1.27 families, and 254 of these have been adopted to date. Recently, with fewer than 300 waiting children in Colorado, the focus has grown to include recruiting families for all children in foster care as well as starting similar efforts in other states. Providing families for the 101,000 waiting children across the nation is a feat that can only be achieved through God's power to rally His church. Robert often pleads with his congregation, "Everybody needs to be involved. Now, the only question is: How are you involved? Somehow all of us together are going to provide families and care for orphans." It's not just a Project 1.27 vision. It's God's vision for the Church that we might rally and support families to take care of the fatherless in our own communities. If you, or your church, are interested in this resource, visit project127.com or contact Susan Wright at swright@project127.com Robert Gelinas, MA FOUNDER OF PROJECT 1.27 Robert Gelinas serves on the board of Project 1.27, is the lead pastor of Colorado Community Church, and recently published The Mercy Prayer. CHURCH ENGAGE 11

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