Dear Friends,
As we look back on 2021, God was faithfully at work growing the impact and influence of Denver Institute for Faith & Work (DIFW).
The 5280 Fellowship continued to grow as we partnered with Blaine Lay in Richmond, Virginia to launch our third fellowship site through CityGate. We had more than 850 women from 25 countries attend Women, Work, & Calling, both in person and online — our largest event ever. We also welcomed two new team members into leadership: Jeff Hoffmeyer, the VP of Advancement, and Abby Worland, the VP of Operations and Finance. As culture emerged from the pandemic, DIFW emerged stronger than ever.
Even as Christian belief in the US continues to decline and culture is as divided as ever, we are still motivated by the vision of a world healed by the gospel through the work of God’s people.
In this annual report, you’ll read about a 5280 Fellow’s journey from the dentist chair to launching a startup connecting medicine, values, and technology. You’ll read about our first digital course, created in partnership with RightNow Media, and the growing impact of our content, podcast, and programming. We at DIFW remain committed to connecting a faithful network in Denver, creating knowledge for the Body of Christ in this area of vocation, and forming leaders for community renewal.
As the Founder of DIFW in his last year in leadership, I often wonder, has my work made an impact? Have you ever wondered the same thing — has that to which we’ve given our Monday-Friday lives really influenced others?
I certainly have had my doubts. And yet occasionally I get notes like this: “It was because of you that I first got connected to a community of believers when I moved to Denver in 2014,” Kyle Kloptic, a friend of DIFW who emailed me not long ago. “From Bob Larkin’s finance vocational group to BCG [Business for the Common Good] to podcasts, I have strengthened my faith through DIFW and developed strong tools to more effectively apply that faith to my work.”
Paul says in 1 Corinthians, “So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow…. For we are co-workers in God’s service; you are God’s field, God’s building.” What good news. Our efforts to plant and water the fields of God’s broken world are modest, but he makes them grow. This is good news for our work and our world.
Thank you for your partnership in forming men and women to serve God, neighbor, and society through their daily work. It has been a privilege to serve alongside you for these past 10 years. I look forward to what God will do in the next 10 years.
Ever grateful,
Jeff Haanen
Founder & CEO
Denver Institute for Faith & Work
