So, it’s been a while since we’ve had an update. So, here’s goes everything that’s been going on in our lives in the last six months.
1. Guatemala in July. This was huge. One paragraph can’t really explain everything (Go here and start at the bottom for the lots and lots of posts). We spent 30 days in a small village in Guatemala and it was amazing. We learned Spanish (some). Learned how to enjoy black beans, tortillas, and hot green sauce. Our kids did great. It was quite a different lifestyle for them–walking everywhere, few toys, different food, different people. And we had a great chance to really launch an amazing relationship with a church and pastor that New Denver will be working with for years to come. We can’t wait to go back. (Oh yeah…and Norton got viral pneumonia for a week with a temperature of 103.8 degrees and four hours from the closest reliable clinic/hospital. A little scary since we didn’t actually know it was pneumonia until later.)
2. Kids are growing up! Townsend started kindergarten in September. He’s going to the local public school just a few blocks from our house and it’s been great so far. Ellory and Marin go to preschool three days a week. Marin is our dancer and most outgoing one. She’s the life of the party. Ellory is usually serious, but loves to paint and play basketball. Townsend is the easygoing guy. He’s learning to read and write and count and can’t wait to go to school everyday. All of them love church and pray every night before they go to bed.
3. Norton in school and teaching school. Norton took one PhD class this past fall: Twentieth Century American Intellectual History. And he taught one online church history class at Denver Seminary and co-taught an Old Testament Preaching class at the seminary too. It all kept him busy, but he wouldn’t change it for anything.
4. Camping. We did some family camping this fall. Norton also took Townsend backpacking with Townsend’s brand new trekking poles (he was so excited) and Norton’s new tent (single-wall, trekking pole supported, 4-season, ultra-light!) We hiked above treeline and woke up to snow in the air and on the tent and ground before trying
our hand at a little alpine lake fly-fishing (no luck; too snowy and windy). Ellory and Marin were jealous, so Norton took them camping in October. A bit chilly but lots of fun! Especially with smores. The picture is them climbing on the rocks near where we camped.
5. Not so small group. Last year, we had a small group of four couples. This fall we added six more couples to make twenty people. We break into two discussion groups each week, but so far it’s been really, really good. Everyone is faithful every week and we rarely have less than 16 people. We also just adopted a marginalized family for the holidays, bought them all gifts for Christmas and delivered them yesterday. It’s been a great way for us to serve together.
6. Lots of mentoring. This past semester, Norton mentored two seminary students and Janis mentored two students as well. Each week we get together with out “mentees” and talk through goals they set regarding ministry skills they want to develop and character issues they want to work on. Hopefully, they find some benefit in the little bit of wisdom we have to offer.
7. NDC going great. Amid all this busyness with Guatemala, family, school, and mentoring, we’re still fully invested in the vision and mission of New Denver Church. Norton preached an 8-week series in James this fall and 2-week series on the end times (just in case you want to know the day and hour Jesus is coming back. 
) We also both spoke to our young adults group (about 35 people) on two different nights about How to Be Single Well and How to Date Well. Janis stole the show. God continues to change lives through NDC and we couldn’t be more encouraged and excited about the future.
As always–we really are thankful for each and every one of you. Your prayers mean so much. We know so many of you have asked God’s blessings on what we are doing. And your financial gifts are invaluable. Our church is getting closer and closer to full self-sustainability; about 70% of all our funding now comes from local givers. But we could never have gotten to this point without your gifts. So thanks for hanging in there with us and continuing to believe in what we are doing. May God bless you richly during this holiday season!!
Norton, Janis, Townsend, Ellory, and Marin
