Parker Chronicle > News
It’s a beautiful day
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| Tim Merrigan cuts down a dead tree from single-mom Nancy Schumaker’s home in Parker, part of the Beautiful Day program, consisting of seven churches helping out the community. Courtesy photo |
By Michele Sample
Nancy Schumaker, a single mom and hair stylist, said she can barely keep her house clean, let alone cut down four dead trees in her backyard.
“I called my HOA and they said I had to cut them a certain width, tie the branches a certain way,” Schumaker said. “It was very complicated.”
She then called some companies about renting equipment to cut the trees down herself, but became discouraged by the cost.
As a member of Crossroads Community Church in Parker, Schumaker decided to try that route, and called the office looking for a men’s group possibly to help her, due to finances and lack of time.
“My son was at church one morning, and Pastor Joren made an announcement about what I needed,” Schumaker said.
Her prayers were answered by the Beautiful Day program, consisting of seven churches in the Parker area who come together to serve their community and people in need. Joren Christensen, pastor at Crossroads Community Church and Rowland Smith, pastor for Pine Crest Community Church, worked with the Beautiful Day ministry in San Jose, Calif., together, and found themselves both relocated to different churches in Parker.
“We decided we would try to birth that same ministry in Parker,” Christensen said.
South East Christian Church, Parker Christian Center, Parker Evangelical Presbyterian, Joy Lutheran, and the Open House Community Church are also involved in the program.
“It depends on the magnitude of the projects,” Christensen said. “When we bring all the churches together.”
At an April Easter egg hunt in O’Brien Park, the seven churches wanted to get exposure into the community, by hosting the event, providing up to 4,000 eggs. Christensen said they wanted to get their name out there, so people would know them in case they were in need of help.
“We are pleased to see the community respond and come together to help one another,” Christensen said.
The Beautiful Day program is a multi-layered philosophy, according to Christensen, that happens throughout the year, unifying churches and communities without obligation, commitments or fees.
When Schumaker came home from a long day of work on June 27, she said there wasn’t one stick left in her yard.
“It was all smoothed over, it was really a nice thing to come home to,” she added.
Schumaker’s elderly mother also lives with her in the Canterberry Crossing community, and was home when the volunteers came to remove the trees.
“My mom said it took them about an hour, but they said it was only half an hour,” Schumaker said.
Beautiful Day is in the process of mobilizing another team of volunteers to help another Parker family who is struggling financially and has been ordered by their HOA to re-paint the trimmings on their home.
According to Christensen, there is not a Web site, or formal non-profit organization set up.
“We are churches who want to work together, and we are calling ourselves Beautiful Day,” Christensen said. “This is our own thing, and if someone is in need, they can contact myself or Roland.”
Schumaker said she immediately sent all the volunteers thank-you notes and while attending church noticed in the brochure Beautiful Day was listed.
“There was another mom who needed help.”
For more information contact Joren Christensen, joren@crossroads-parker.org, Rowland Smith, worshipdude@gmail.com, or Chris Page, pastor for Southeast Christian Church, Chris.page@sechristian.org
“I called my HOA and they said I had to cut them a certain width, tie the branches a certain way,” Schumaker said. “It was very complicated.”
She then called some companies about renting equipment to cut the trees down herself, but became discouraged by the cost.
As a member of Crossroads Community Church in Parker, Schumaker decided to try that route, and called the office looking for a men’s group possibly to help her, due to finances and lack of time.
“My son was at church one morning, and Pastor Joren made an announcement about what I needed,” Schumaker said.
Her prayers were answered by the Beautiful Day program, consisting of seven churches in the Parker area who come together to serve their community and people in need. Joren Christensen, pastor at Crossroads Community Church and Rowland Smith, pastor for Pine Crest Community Church, worked with the Beautiful Day ministry in San Jose, Calif., together, and found themselves both relocated to different churches in Parker.
“We decided we would try to birth that same ministry in Parker,” Christensen said.
South East Christian Church, Parker Christian Center, Parker Evangelical Presbyterian, Joy Lutheran, and the Open House Community Church are also involved in the program.
“It depends on the magnitude of the projects,” Christensen said. “When we bring all the churches together.”
At an April Easter egg hunt in O’Brien Park, the seven churches wanted to get exposure into the community, by hosting the event, providing up to 4,000 eggs. Christensen said they wanted to get their name out there, so people would know them in case they were in need of help.
“We are pleased to see the community respond and come together to help one another,” Christensen said.
The Beautiful Day program is a multi-layered philosophy, according to Christensen, that happens throughout the year, unifying churches and communities without obligation, commitments or fees.
When Schumaker came home from a long day of work on June 27, she said there wasn’t one stick left in her yard.
“It was all smoothed over, it was really a nice thing to come home to,” she added.
Schumaker’s elderly mother also lives with her in the Canterberry Crossing community, and was home when the volunteers came to remove the trees.
“My mom said it took them about an hour, but they said it was only half an hour,” Schumaker said.
Beautiful Day is in the process of mobilizing another team of volunteers to help another Parker family who is struggling financially and has been ordered by their HOA to re-paint the trimmings on their home.
According to Christensen, there is not a Web site, or formal non-profit organization set up.
“We are churches who want to work together, and we are calling ourselves Beautiful Day,” Christensen said. “This is our own thing, and if someone is in need, they can contact myself or Roland.”
Schumaker said she immediately sent all the volunteers thank-you notes and while attending church noticed in the brochure Beautiful Day was listed.
“There was another mom who needed help.”
For more information contact Joren Christensen, joren@crossroads-parker.org, Rowland Smith, worshipdude@gmail.com, or Chris Page, pastor for Southeast Christian Church, Chris.page@sechristian.org
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