The early Christian leader Irenaeus famously said; “The glory of God is a human being fully alive.” Jesus even more famously said he came so that people would have full and abundant lives.
Abundant life. People flourishing. These seem to bring God great joy! They’re also a lens through which we at Mile High Ministries view our community development work.
We’ve eagerly begun our 37th year of cooperating with God to create the conditions for more of our neighbors to flourish—especially those who have experienced poverty and other forms of trauma. We call our work “housing that heals,” and introduce it with these simple ABC’s:
- A is for Advocacy: We skillfully support people who are engaged in their own healing and the healing of their neighbors.
- B is for Beauty. We search for the preciousness of every human person created in the image of God.
- C is for Community. Because none of us can do this alone, we create communities of hope and healing where people are seen and known, where both joy and sorrow can be shared, and where even small victories are celebrated.
These ABC’s prompt big plans for this year and beyond. In coming weeks, I’ll share some highlights with you and invite your good will and participation.
This year feels tumultuous in our city and society. This touches all of us, but the upheaval makes life especially tenuous for our neighbors who have already suffered greatly from crises of housing instability, displacement, and social isolation. In addition to individual acts of caring, these times invite an upswell of dedicated collective action. Together with you, we are uniting in strategic movements of love in our city.
Blessings and Peace,
Jeff Johnsen
Executive Director
