One of my favorite questions to ask the men in our residential program is, “What made the biggest difference for you?”

Recently, I asked Michael that question.

Michael spent nearly sixteen years experiencing homelessness. During that time, he visited shelters and ministries in several cities across the country. He came to Christ’s Body looking for the same things many people do: a meal, a warm place to sit, and practical help.

When I asked him what made Christ’s Body different, I expected him to mention the food, the housing program, or the services we provide.

Instead, he simply smiled and said, “The staff.”

He told me they took time for him. They listened. They encouraged him. They cared about him. More than anything else, he remembered being loved.

As I reflected on Michael’s words, I realized he had captured the heart of Christ’s Body Ministries.

Every morning, our staff welcomes people who are carrying burdens most of us will never fully understand. They prepare breakfast before sunrise, pray with guests, encourage those struggling with addiction, walk alongside men rebuilding their lives after prison, and remind people every day that they have not been forgotten. Long after the meals are served and the building is cleaned, they continue investing in lives one conversation at a time.

Michael now has a place to call home. But when he looks back on his time at Christ’s Body, he doesn’t first remember the meals or the programs.

He remembers the people.

Today, I’d like to invite you to invest in those people.

We are praying for ten new faithful partners, “Heroes of Hope,” who will give $100 each month to help strengthen and sustain the incredible ministry team that makes this work possible. These gifts will allow us to care well for the staff who spend their lives caring for others. They will help us encourage, equip, and pour back into the people who faithfully serve our guests day after day, year after year.

When we care well for those who serve, they can continue caring well for the people God brings through our doors.

If God leads you to become one of these ten monthly partners, your generosity will become an investment in the relationships that make Christ’s Body so much more than a place that serves meals. It will help ensure that the next Michael finds people who know his name, walk beside him, and remind him that he is loved.

And thanks to our $50,000 Challenge Grant, every gift you make today will be doubled, allowing your generosity to have twice the impact as we continue sharing Christ’s love with our neighbors in downtown Denver.

Thank you for believing in Christ’s Body Ministries. Thank you for believing in the people who serve here so faithfully. Most of all, thank you for helping us continue sharing the hope of Jesus with every person who walks through our doors.

In Christ,

Dr. Jim Copeland
Executive Director
Christ’s Body Ministries

P.S. Michael remembered the people more than the programs. If you’d like to help strengthen the ministry team that made such a lasting impact on his life, please consider becoming one of ten Heroes of Hope giving $100 each month. Together, we can continue offering the kind of care that changes lives.