Thrive Threshold Experience
In the past few weeks, the Thrivers have been exploring the Christian practice of kenosis, the value and meaning of creating a Rule of Life, and how ritual influences our identity and empowers us to cross the thresholds of life.
In the scenic outdoor classrooms of Highlands Camp and Retreat Center, the Thrivers learned how Christian monastic communities have been living by a Rule of Life for hundreds of years. We talked about how regular observance of rhythms of work and rest, prayer and play, solitude and community can be life-giving and even a form of resistance to the destructive values of consumerism and productivity. Thrivers were introduced to several new prayer practices that engage the natural world around us, involve our whole bodies, deepen our engagement with scripture, and invite us to write and wonder.
The following week, the Thrivers had the opportunity to serve with Westview Presbyterian Church's Round Pantry, and Rev. Norman Fowler and his wife, Helen, hosted the group for dinner at their home afterward. They were able to talk with pantry leaders and volunteers and process the experience and how it involved kenosis - self-emptying and creating space for others. Later that week, the group had the opportunity to observe faith groups, including Church World Service, as they advocated for vulnerable neighbors at a rally in Denver. They processed that experience with Church World Service representative, Jason Morgan.
Week 5 of the program introduced the elements of ritual and the importance of ritual in our lives and culture. Thrivers got to practice designing rituals in both playful and purposeful ways. They took a surprise field trip to a Colorado Rockies game where they were tasked with observing where ritual shows up in an American baseball game and how those rituals compare with rituals in the church and elsewhere in our lives and society. A hike around Lilly Lake in Rocky Mountain National Park the next morning included a reminder that rituals can be everyday practices like walking in nature.
Woven into these experiences of spiritual practice and growth is the internship at Highlands. Thrivers are learning all aspects of kitchen and housekeeping, and some participants have been able to use particular gifts to assist with marketing and maintenance work. The camp has hosted a variety of large and small groups in the past several weeks, keeping the Thrivers busy and learning a lot. They are learning basic employment skills like teamwork and listening to directions as well as training and certifications that will build their resumes for the future.
The Thrivers continue to meet with a therapist and spiritual directors as they process their experiences and discern about how God is showing up in their lives. They have also been connecting with churches in our Presbytery regularly. They served with the Round Pantry at Westview Presbyterian Church and attended Sunday worship at First Pres., Ft. Collins, First Pres., Berthoud, and Community Church of the Rockies in Estes Park.
Only five weeks into the program, we can see personal and spiritual growth happening. The Thrivers are learning to live together as very different humans. They are discovering their gifts and developing patterns of life that will serve them well as they cross the threshold into the next chapter of their lives.
This pilot program has been funded by the visionary generosity of the Presbytery of Plains and Peaks, Highlands Camp and Retreat Center, individual donors, and the following congregations and foundations:
1st Pres., Alliance
1st Pres., Gordon
Weldon Valley Presbyterian Church
1st Pres., Ft. Collins
LaPorte Presbyterian Church
Timnath Presbyterian Church
Westminster Presbyterian Church
United Presbyterian Church, Ft. Morgan
1st Pres., Berthoud
1st Pres., Sterling
First Foundation (First Presbyterian Church, Birmingham, MI)
We are very close to fully funding the budget for this pilot program, but any additional support would be very welcome and appreciated. If you feel called to contribute financially to this life-giving program, please send a check to the Presbytery of Plains and Peaks at 531 S College Ave, Fort Collins, CO 80524 and put THRIVE in the memo line.
Based on the responses from Highlands, the Thrivers, and folks in the Presbytery to just the first few weeks of this pilot program, the Thrive team is contemplating a second 18-week cohort in the spring. The Presbytery has created a line item in the 2027 budget and funded it with $5,000 to lead the way in encouraging this second cohort. If the Lily Grant is awarded in December, these funds will assist in long-term sustainability. If it is not awarded, these funds will lay the groundwork for additional fundraising and development for the program to continue.
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