“Only a life lived for others is a life worthwhile.”
Albert Einstein
At our core, we believe that serving something greater than ourselves for the benefit of others is a life well lived. We actively steward our time, talents, and resources towards missions that we feel strongly connected to for the betterment of all people.
Armed Services Arts Partnership
Blayne Smith currently serves as the Co-Chair of the Board of Directors at the Armed Services Arts Partnership, where they work to cultivate strong communities for veterans and their families to thrive through the arts. The ASAP mission every day is to spark connection and belonging through the restorative power of comedy, storytelling and creative expression.
You can learn more about this critical mission at Armed Services Arts Partnership.
proximity: caring for those wounded by war
In the fall of 2021, after the unceremonious end to the 20 year war in Afghanistan, Brandon Young and a team of veterans and supporters at Denver Seminary and Mission Hills Church created Proximity, an evening of veteran story telling to increase understanding of moral injury and its insidious effects upon service members re-experiencing their injuries in isolation. Moral injury results in shame, guilt, and isolation. Processing shame and guilt in isolation exacerbates PTSD symptomology and contributes to the growing veteran/ military suicide rate. At Proximity, attendees heard war stories with a purpose, gained a better understanding of moral injury, and learned how to play a role in the healing process by performing simple acts of loving others.
A full presentation recording and supporting resources can be found at Proximity: Caring for Those Wounded by War.
Veteran wellness alliance
Blayne Smith has been a critical contributor and leader within the The Bush Institute's Veteran Wellness Alliance, an innovative alliance that connects high-quality care providers and veteran peer networks to empower veterans to seek treatment for mental and brain health. With proper care, service members and veterans can continue to thrive on and off the battlefield.
The Alliance will soon release a nationwide platform called Check-In to facilitate a simple, safe, and seamless process to connect Veterans and their families to care.
You can learn more or connect (yourself or a loved one) to care by visiting: www.VeteranCheckIn.org
reengage marriage ministry
Since its initial launch at Mission Hills Church, Brandon and Kelly Young have served as leaders and facilitators for the Re|engage marriage ministry, a national ministry program hosted in churches across the United States. Re|engage offers hope to marriages by helping couples move toward oneness through stories of grace and teaching, focusing on things like humility, confession, forgiveness, and commitment.
Couples can find churches in their local communities that host this program at Re|engage Locations.
What does love look like? It has the hands to help others. It has the feet to hasten to the poor and needy. It has eyes to see misery and want. It has the ears to hear the sighs and sorrows of men [human beings]. That is what love looks like.
- Augustine of Hippo