For more than 10 years, Denver Presbytery has sought to develop new worshiping communities that gather people around God’s word that would not otherwise gather. Our passion around gathering new communities has run parallel to the areas dramatic increase in population.
Our presbytery currently has 10 active New Worshiping Communities (NWCs), 5 of which are immigrant communities and 5 are emergent communities that are exploring with different models of doing church. The immigrant communities include East African, Latinx, Telugu (Indian), Ghanaian, and Vietnamese. Additionally, we will have NWCs that focus on building Christian community through a paddle board shop, a mobile app, and also a new community in a local retirement home.
Thanks to the generosity of Jane Hays, the presbytery received a bequest of more than $1.9 million to be used for new worshiping communities. We have been able to use these funds to support the salaries of the leadership of existing communities, while also developing an initiative to begin 4 new NWCs.
In the Fall of 2021, as part of the new Vision, Mission, Values, the presbytery affirmed the launch of the Denver NWC Incubator. Since then, a national search has been led by the NWC Lead Team to find 4 spiritual entrepreneurs that will begin 4 new communities in our presbytery. Led by the Spirit, two offers were made and accepted for our first 2 NWC Incubator Leaders. We are thrilled to welcome Rev. Bethany Peerbolte and Rev. Evan Amo as NWC Incubator Leaders. They will begin their time as Incubator Leaders in December and January, respectively, and will be nested at Central Presbyterian Church in Denver. You can read more about the two new leaders in their bios below. The search team continues to meet with candidates to discern who God is calling to Denver Presbytery to join Bethany and Evan as NWC Incubator Leaders.
MEET THE INCUBATORS
REV. EVAN AMO
Evan was born and raised in sunny southern California, and after graduating from Princeton Theological Seminary, has served congregations in Charlotte, NC and Locust, NC, and as Associate Campus Pastor of an ecumenical ministry at UNC-Charlotte. Most recently, Evan served as Pastor of Peoples Presbyterian Church.
Evan is married to Lauren Osga, and they love their life of adventure with their new baby girl, Rainey. In his free time Evan is an avid trail-runner and hiker, musician, and songwriter in his project Bruised Reeds (streaming everywhere!).
Evan increasingly finds his spiritual life to be grounded in what he terms goodness: communion with God through enjoying the goodness of creation, as well as nurturing the goodness of creation through seeking justice. In his ministry, he thrives when he gets to be creative, strategic, and compassionate.
Evan is excited to reach younger adults who are disconnected or disenchanted with the Church to form a Christlike community exploring faith through intentional relationships, service and justice, and outdoor recreation.
REV. BETHANY PEERBOLTE
Bethany received her MDiv from Ecumenical Theological Seminary in Detroit where she studied along side colleagues from different denominations and faiths. Those rich conversations with diverse people of faith helped as she lead youth and mission ministries at Everybody’s Church in Birmingham Michigan.
Recently the conversations Bethany facilitates have shifted to digital spaces. The stories that flood her inbox have ignited a call to help people sever shame from their God created identity and reintroduce them to God’s staggering love.
I look forward to exploring digital ministry and discovering ways the Spirit is leading us to reach people in zip codes near and far.
Rev. Bethany
She/her