Community Life
Week of March 15th, 2026
Office Closed - March 16-18
Some of our staff will be taking a much-needed break next week so the office will be closed Monday through Wednesday. We will be more than happy to help you with anything you might need after we return on Thursday.
Celebrations and Opportunities
Hi Council Tree! If you missed Coffee With Council on Sunday, you missed some exciting news about some opportunities that will be coming soon. Here are just a few of the things we talked about.
Pastor Diane's Sabbatical -- June 29 - August 24
Pastor Diane Borden has served Council Tree faithfully for nearly twenty years (minus the time she was finishing her seminary degree and a short stint in Connecticut). But even the most faithful servants need rest. A sabbatical is not a reward — it’s a necessity. It’s a sacred time to reconnect with God, recharge emotionally and spiritually, and return with renewed vision. Diane has earned this 8-week sabbatical — and we are honoring her by giving her the space to be refreshed, so she can continue to lead with joy for years to come. Please click here to read more about what a sabbatical is and what this time away will look like for Diane and for Council Tree.
In order to ensure that our kids are cared for well in Diane's absence, we will need anybody who can to step up in volunteering to love on our kids. If you are available to serve once a month with our kids, or even occasionally, please reach out to Diane to see where you might fit in. We'll have more information soon about a summer sabbatical replacement, so stay tuned!
Part-Time Ministry Assistant and Volunteer Needs
We were excited to announce on Sunday that our current Ministry Assistant, Stacy Petersen, will be transitioning to a new role here at Council Tree. You can read more about the transition here. We are all grateful for the time and effort that Stacy has put into her current role in her three years in that position, and are eager to see what God has next for Stacy and Council Tree.
If you would like to apply for the Part-Time Ministry Assistant Role, please see the job description here and send your resume to Stacy. We are also looking to build a team of office support volunteers. If you are interested in volunteering just a few hours a week in the church office, please reach out to Stacy to discuss what opportunities might be a good fit for you.
Communications Team
We are in the process of building a new Communications Team at Council Tree. This team will be responsible for ensuring that our church's message will be shared clearly, creatively, and consistently. We will be responsible for the church website, social media, the weekly newsletter, and all other creative ways to keep our congregation informed as well as to help new members get integrated into our community. If you are interested in sharing your gifts and energies with this team, please reach out to Paula Beaty at paulabeaty1@comcast.net.
Annual Business Meeting 2025 - March 29 @6pm
We are hosting our annual time to gather to discuss what we believe God is calling us to in the year to come and vote on a spending plan to support that. We will also be welcoming new members as well as voting on new Council members. Everyone's voice is always welcome and members vote.
Please plan on joining us especially if you’ve never been to one of these meetings. We’d love to see you and experience this part of church life together. Childcare will be available. Please let Pastor Diane know if you will be bringing your kids so she can plan accordingly.
Rooted Dinner Party - March 26th
At our September ROOTED gathering, we asked the moms, "What are some of your biggest stresses in this season?" Over half of the moms shared something around finances and being -- or not being -- on the same page as their spouse. The Rooted Team is super excited for Thursday, March 26th when we'll have some experts in the field join us for a special "invite your spouse night" at which they'll share some practical tips and tools around money. Please RSVP here. If you've never come to Rooted we invite you to come check it out!
Holy Week at Council Tree
Art at the Garden: Voices of Hope
We will have two opportunities after the services on March 22 & 29 to create materials to be added to the outdoor collage that we will be creating again this year on the theme of HOPE. See the full announcement below for more information.
Good Friday
We have the tremendous opportunity to worship alongside our sister (and planting) church. We will hold a joint worship service with Lifespring Covenant Church on Good Friday at their church in Loveland. This is a collaborative effort and we're truly grateful for Lifespring's partnership in the gospel in northern CO. Please plan on attending this service with us at 7:00pm on Friday, April 3 at Lifespring Covenant Church in Loveland.
Childcare will be available. Please RSVP to office@lifespringchurch.org no later than March 25th if you plan to bring kids.
Easter Sunday
We will celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ on Sunday, April 5 at 10:00am here at Council Tree. Easter Sunday reminds us of the new life we have in Christ and that death does not have the final word. Come live into the hope of the gospel and worship with us at our normal worship time on Easter Sunday.
Pray With Us - Mondays @7:15pm
Join us Monday evenings in the Prayer Room to pray for Council Tree during this time of transition. Contact Anna Lachelt with questions.
Worship Songs and Hymns - March 15 - 29 @9am
Have you ever found yourself singing a worship song and wondering what the words meant ("Help Me to Abide")? Or whether you actually live up to what you are singing ("You Can Have It All, Lord")? The Sunday-morning class is going to explore some of our favorite hymns and worship music, exploring their background and what the author may have intended. Our prayer is that this exploration may enrich our worship as we raise our voices to God. Led by Paula Beaty.
Art at the Garden: Voices of HOPE
Here at Council Tree, we believe the church is uniquely positioned to speak hope into the areas of hopelessness in our own lives and the lives of those in our community. Despite a season in which hope might feel hard to find, we know that God is still with us, still moving among us.
We invite everybody, regardless of age or artistic ability, to contribute to our Art at the Garden: Voices of Hope community collaborative art project this year. You can read more about the heart behind this project here. We will have opportunities to create materials for the collaborative collage after the services on March 22nd and 29th. If you are interested in helping to prep the letters for display, please contact Stacy with your availability.
Financial update: April 2025 – February 2026
Below is a summary of our financial results for February and for the first eleven months of our 2025–2026 fiscal year.
February Results
Total income from offerings and facility rentals in February was $49,409, which was $19,091 below budget. While expenses remain generally well managed, the lower income resulted in a monthly net cash deficit of $20,319. We used our savings from the 2024 Nourish fund to cover this shortfall.
Looking Ahead
As we approach the final month of our fiscal year, our financial position reminds us of the importance of consistent giving to support ministry, staffing, outreach, and facility operations.
At the Annual meeting, 6 pm on March 29th, we will review the forecasted budget, and members will vote on the financial plans for the 2026_2027 fiscal year. We will publish details prior to the 29th. We invite your continued prayers as we seek to be good stewards of all God has entrusted to us.
We remain grateful for the faithful generosity of our congregation.
As always if you have questions please reach out –
Sarah
sarahk@stackfam.com
970.214.5209
Interim Search Team Update
Interim team:
Jackie Christman-Lead, Don Boxley, Dan Raymond,
Nicki Wuu, Tom Austin, Ann Everitt
Greetings Council Tree,
The interim pastoral search team has met and interviewed two people. We will have another interview coming up. Please ask the Lord to grace us with unity and clarity as we proceed. It’s a long process, and it takes patience to hear from the Lord. We count on your prayers. Please do not hesitate to reach out to team members directly or you can direct questions to the Council.
Covenant Corner
Crisis in the Middle East
At Covenant World Relief and Development we remain in close contact with our trusted partners across the Middle East. We are grateful to report our partners in the region, specifically in Israel/Palestine and Lebanon, have let us know they are safe.
They continue to serve their communities with courage and compassion through peacemaking work and caring for the displaced. The weight of uncertainty is being felt across the region as violence escalates. Families are anxious, communities are disrupted, and everyday life feels fragile. In moments like this we are reminded that behind every headline are real people seeking shelter and stability longing for safety and peace.
We ask you to join us in praying for their protection, strength, and wisdom in the days ahead. Our prayer is not shaped by politics, but by our shared humanity. We ask God to bring restraint where there is escalation, comfort where there is fear, and peace where there is violence. We ask you to join us in praying for peace.
If you feel led to respond in a tangible way, you can support ongoing relief and preparedness efforts through our Middle East Response Fund. Your generosity enables local partners to respond quickly as needs emerge and to care for vulnerable communities during times of crisis.
Lenten Sermon Series: “Journey to the Cross”
Starting March 8th, we’re launching a powerful 4-week sermon series based on Journey to the Cross: Devotions for Lent by Haug & Walker — guiding us through Christ’s final week with Scripture, reflection, and heart-level truth. We encourage you to get a copy and use it alongside the sermons for a richer, more personal Lenten journey.
Upcoming Preaching Schedule
March 15 - Dudley Callison
March 22 - Jodi Green
March 29 - Lexi Lang
April 5 - David Williams
April 12 - Lexi Lang
April 19 - Bret Widman
April 26 - Dan Raymond
May 3 - Lexi Lang
Save the Date
Mark your calendars for these upcoming Council Tree events:
March 8-15 - Faith Family Hospitality
March 15-29 - Worship Songs and Hymns: Adding Depth and Meaning to Our Worship, Sundays @9am
March 16 - Prayer in the Prayer Room, Monday @7:15pm
March 23 - Prayer in the Prayer Room, Monday @7:15pm
March 26 - Rooted Dinner Party, Thursday @6pm
March 29 - Annual Business Meeting, Sunday @6pm
April 3 - Good Friday, @7pm at LifeSpring Covenant Church
April 5 - Easter Sunday Service, @10am
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.
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