Community Life
Week of September 14th, 2025
Kids Hope Mentor Need
Kids Hope has an urgent need for a mentor for a 4th grade girl at Werner. We don’t currently have many details about her, but we are looking for someone who can step in to fill this need. If you have considered mentoring in the past, or even have mentored in the past, please search your heart, and God’s, to see if He might be calling you. Contact Karen Lachelt or Kathryn Brush for more information, and thanks to everyone for considering it!
Last Chance to Join a Fall Huddle Group
A Huddle Group is a 9-session intensive small group experience with 5-8 others that gives significant intentional priority and energy to learn how to live more like Jesus did. They are safe but challenging places of learning that center on Scripture and how spiritual, emotional, and relational maturity are inescapably linked.
More information and registration can be found here.
Calling All Moms!
Our Rooted Dinner Parties are back. Our first gathering of the fall will be September 18th at 6pm. Click here for more information.
Membership Meal - September 21st @12:15
If you have an interest in becoming a member of Council Tree Covenant or simply would like to look a little deeper at what this church is about, you are invited to a potluck meal at Bert and Heather’s house to discuss this. Click here to sign up.
The Barn Dance is Coming!
It's that time of year once again. Please join us for pony rides, a petting zoo, chili, pumpkins, live music, and more. We need all hands on deck for this event to happen, so please click here if you are available to help.
Fall Sermon Series
This Fall we will continue our annual rhythm of exploring our Huddle Group content by focusing on "Track 2" which is all about community: the deep relational connection we share with others. Join us on Sunday mornings as we learn to love more and more like Jesus.
Christian Formation Class - Why Church?
Join us on Sundays in September to learn about why the church matters for how we live our lives. More information here.
Youth Group is Rolling!
Middle School: Wednesdays @6-7:30pm
High School: Sundays @6-8pm
Ladies, Check This Out!
If you would like to join with other women this fall to grow in relationship with one another and with God, check out the Bible study being offered on Friday mornings. More information here.
August Financial Update From Council
Here is a summary of the financials for the first five months of our fiscal year.
Above is a table showing the Council Tree cash flow for April through August 2025. Total Giving/Income for August was slightly above the budgeted expectations!! Although expenses were slightly below budget we still had to dip further into our savings account by $4.8K to make ends meet this month. Fortunately, the actual year-to-date expenses are running below budget as the Covenant Pension billing will occur in the Fall instead of the budgeted summer timing. Fiscal year to date we have used $44,000 of the savings account provided by the Nourish Fund to cover our expenses.
The budget follows giving trends which historically increase significantly in September. Our forecast for September is to have a positive cash flow month so that we can restore some of our savings’ withdrawals. We invite you to prayerfully consider your participation in meeting our body’s financial needs.
As always if you have questions please reach out –
Sarah
sarahk@stackfam.com
970.214.5209
PH Check / Summit Feedback Meeting
As promised, the Council will hold an informational meeting for anybody who is interested to hear feedback from our recent PH Check survey and Summit on October 12th, after the service.
Stories from the Garden
Leeta’s Chair
There’s an old green wicker chair out here in the garden. The paint is peeling off, and it’s not in the best shape. It just showed up here, last winter, and no one knew where it came from, or why. Then one day this summer Leeta showed up, and said “Oh, you still have my chair!” And with tears in her eye she told us this story. She doesn’t go to the church, but she would often come to the garden, walk around, and just admire all the plants and flowers. The garden was a special place for her. Then she was diagnosed with terminal cancer, and the doctors told her she had less than a year to live. In despair she brought the chair to the garden and left it there. About six months later, through a miraculous turn of events, she got better. As soon as she was able to get out and about she came to the garden, and there still was her chair! She was so thankful that we’d kept it. The next week she brought me a tray of homemade fudge as a thank you gift. She comes out to the garden a couple mornings a week now, and sits in her chair and says it continues to be a healing place for her. Leeta’s chair reminds me that things are just things on there own, but when they are attached to a story they become full of meaning. I, or any of the volunteers, could’ve thrown away that ugly old chair and I don’t think anyone would’ve thought twice about it. But now that I know it’s story it’s the most precious seat in the garden.
--Rico Lighthouse, Council Tree Gardener
Save the Date
Mark your calendars for these upcoming Council Tree events:
September 12 - Friday Morning Women's Bible Study @9:15am
September 14-28 - Why Church?, Sundays @9am
September 18 - Rooted Dinner Party @6pm
September 21 - New Member Lunch at the Wright's home, Sunday @12:15
September 26 - Friday Morning Women's Bible Study @9:15am
October 3 - Friday Morning Women's Bible Study @9:15am
October 5 - Barn Dance @4-6:30pm
October 12 - PHCheck / Summit feedback with Council, Sunday after the service
Volunteer Opportunities
From the beginning of creation, God established holy rhythms of life and service for those who follow in God’s path. We each have personal seasons of rest and restoration, and of new life and service. Council Tree encourages spiritual wondering alongside the Holy Spirit to discern what spiritual season you may be in.
If you find yourself in a place where you have margin to serve, we could definitely use your gifts! If you feel God is calling you to explore serving, we would encourage you to start an exploratory conversation with a team lead to find out more.
Click here to find out some of the many serving opportunities that are currently available.
Give Online
If you would like to give online click here.
Weekly Email
Here at Council Tree we believe that living in community is an important part of life.
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