December, 2019

Dear Friends of Gateway Prayer Garden,

As we enter this Christmas season amidst all the political and social clamor in America and chaos abroad, there is no better time to contemplate the Prince of Peace, Jesus.  He is the One who not only brought joy to the world over two millennia ago; but continues to do so today in the lives of millions of His sons and daughters.

As we look ahead to 2020 and even the next decade, several things stand out for the Kingdom of God –

• In the Hebrew calendar, the year 5780 is to be a continuing year of deliverance, rescue, and restoration. The Hebrew letter for 80 is peh and it also means “mouth”.  May our mouths declare a message of Rescue and Restoration among the increasing cries for freedom around the world from Great Britain and France to Hong Kong.
• According to the Hebrew calendar years of 5780-5789, the next decade will provide our mouths with words declaring the intentions of heaven. Jeremiah 23:29 says, “Does not my word burn like fire?” says the Lord. “Is it not like a mighty hammer that smashes a rock to pieces?  May this next season of be known for us boldly declaring with our mouths that which we have seen and heard from heaven itself and know to be the will of God. These declarations can be over ourselves, our families, our churches, our nations, and our neighbors.  
  

Words can literally have power for life or death. This is why we pray and why the Gateway Prayer Garden will be so significant for His Kingdom purposes.

Wise words satisfy like a good meal; the right words bring satisfaction. The tongue can bring death or life; those who love to talk will reap the consequences. (Proverbs 18:20-21 NLT).

Just look at the impact of a young girl from Sweden named Greta Thunberg. While you may not agree with her personal beliefs and climate agenda, she has been provided a platform to espouse her message on a global scale. Her impassioned words are impacting millions of young people.

The Gateway Prayer Garden is an essential Kingdom ingredient being added to El Paso County and beyond!

Not only is the Prayer Garden and Trail a place to discover God as a Person, but it’s also a place to seek Him for personal direction and how your “voice and words” can impact the world God has called you to serve Him in.

Please join us as we proclaim His words and promises over the Prayer Garden for 2020 for the following –

• Final breakthroughs from the office of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) which has held up our approvals with the City of Fountain.
• The outcome of the Fountain Planning Commission on January 15^th will result in a positive recommendation made to the City Council for rezoning.
• The architect of God’s choosing who will help us design the next phase of our Development Plan for submission to the city of Fountain.
• Holy Spirit will speak to increasing numbers of Jesus followers to partner with our efforts as we begin to build the Gateway Prayer Garden.

Thank you for your continued support. If you haven’t had a visit to the Fountain Creek Prayer Trail yet, it is time to do so. Just bundle up warmly!

Thank you for your prayers and Merry Christmas!

Mark R. Spengler, Director

October, 2019

Dear friends of Gateway Prayer Garden,

It’s Official!

After many months of struggle with the city government of Fountain, GPG has formally requested a change of zoning to fulfill the long term purposes of the Prayer Garden. We had reported previously with great thanksgiving that the City of Fountain had concluded the prayer garden could be considered as a "park" within its current zoning of a “Regional Commercial” district. 

From the beginning, we had provided to Fountain a broad visual overview of intended use and building construction on the land with the understanding this would be allowable with our current zoning. It became clear over the past year the city had a different understanding (although undefined in the code) of what a park is. Therefore, we proceeded with bringing a modular building for security and construction on site.

As a result, and with additional loss of time, a decision has been made to rezone the property to “Village Center” which will allow for construction of the Visitor Center, Chapel, places of worship, large Cross, and other envisioned structures.

Many Groups and Individuals are Continuing to Make Use of the Garden Site and Prayer Trail –

Recently, the Prayer Garden hosted a group of about twenty who were part of a larger gathering celebrating the Jewish feast called “Sukkot”, aka “Feast of Tabernacles.” They had been meeting for 8 days, many of them camping outdoors as the Feast prescribes, at the Pikes Peak Raceway grounds south of Colorado Springs. Led by Chaim Goldman, “Sukkot of the Rockies” is planned to be an annual event that prepares individuals to worship and prepare for the coming of the Messiah.

News Flash –

The Colorado State legislature passed legislation this year that will allow every taxpayer due a refund to assign/donate all or a portion of their refund to a qualifying non-profit organization. As more details are available we’ll keep you informed as the Gateway Prayer Garden certainly meets the criteria as presently communicated.

Don’t forget, Gateway Prayer Garden can receive gifts of vehicles!

Just click on this link Vehicle Blessing and it will take you to our website, enter your information, and we’ll do the rest!

  Please Pray Now for clarity of understanding the architectural designs, and conceptual plans that are presently required in submitting an in depth development plan.

Updated Welcome Video Available on the website –

For those of you wanting to share our latest GPG video just click on Prayer at the Trail and you can cut and paste the link and send to your friends and family.

Thank you for your prayers!

Mark R. Spengler, Director

September, 2019

Dear Friends of Gateway Prayer Garden,

No, we are not a Campground BUT . . . 

We were blessed to have to have a youth group from Venga Tu Reino (Thy Kingdom Come) church come down and spend a night praying for the Garden and to see God move in our community.

News FLASH . . .

Ted Beckett will be the main speaker at this month’s “People with a Purpose” gathering at the Pinery sharing an extraordinary life story from being a 17 year old Marine in Korea, to globally pioneering mission work in multiple nations, currently launching a Prayer Garden in the Pikes Peak region and being on point for the fulfillment of Ezekiel 47 concerning the Dead Sea.

The date is Thursday, September 12 at the Pinery on the Hill, 775 W. Bijou St., Colorado Springs from noon to 2PM. Just RSVP to Jeanette Johnson at 949-547-8421 to confirm your attendance before 9/9/2019.

Special Prayer for the Preborn Starting this Month . . .

Do you realize God’s plan for the destiny of our city is inextricably linked to our actions toward the most vulnerable among us? That includes pre-born children and women in crisis mode. Find out how you can pray beginning September 25^th at Prayer for the Most Vulnerable. 

Now you can donate a vehicle to the Prayer Garden !

We now can accept gifts of vehicles . . .  Click on this link Vehicle Blessing and it will take you to our website, enter your information, and we’ll do the rest ! 

Please Pray Now For: The City of Fountain to allow water and electric hookups to the Security/Construction building on site.

Be sure to visit GPG website and “Like” us on Facebook for continuous updates ! 

Thank you for your prayers!

Mark Spengler, Director

411 Lakewood Circle, Ste. B117, Colorado Springs, CO 80910

Tel.719-574-0500 Website: www.gatewayprayergarden.org E-Mail: [email protected]

July, 2019

Dear Friends of the Gateway Prayer Garden,

Those who were in attendance on-site June 9^th for our Pentecost celebration heard Audrey Beckett declare, “It’s time for a breakthrough”. And we agree as we’ve been wrestling and negotiating with the City of Fountain, County Regional Planning, and even the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for over two years for appropriate permitting for this Prayer Garden.

As just one example, the Becketts had put in hundreds of thousands of dollars of creek bank improvements to ensure the property was above flood plain so that buildings could be constructed and commercial development occur. FEMA had made mistakes with its calculations and placed the Prayer Garden land in the flood way zone initiating a Letter of Violation to the City of Fountain.

Pentecost Sunday Reflects Progress and Remaining Challenges . . . !

      Committed to Being Good Neighbors . . .

 The city of Fountain has requested our assistance in protecting Bandley Drive (the frontage road to the Prayer Garden) by placing cement blocks committed to the Prayer Garden site next to the roadway. By limiting access to truckers on the roadside we protect adjacent properties and benefit mutually with the redeployment of some of our blocks.

A local company (Arrow Moving and Storage) Arrow Website has blessed the project greatly by donating transport for dozens of one-ton concrete blocks that will be used in the Prayer Garden. The owner, David Ottoes, is a person of Christian faith and sees his business as a Kingdom expression for which we are very grateful !

The City of Fountain provided the equipment and we provided the containment blocks . . .

Special Teaching on Intercessory Prayer we Believe You’ll Benefit Greatly by Watching Prayer Makes a Difference

 New Signage on our Security/Construction Office . . .

Now you can actually tell when you arrive at the Prayer Garden! We have a large sign installed and are just awaiting permitting from the City of Fountain to hook up our power and water. Please pray for this next step so we can set and occupy the building.

Please Pray Now For:

Permitting by the City of Fountain to allow use of the Security/Construction Building.

Be sure to visit www.gatewayprayergarden.org for continuous updates !

Thank you for your prayers!

Mark Spengler, Director

411 Lakewood Circle, Ste. B117, Colorado Springs, CO 80910

Tel.719-574-0500 Website: www.gatewayprayergarden.org E-Mail: [email protected]

May, 2019

Dear Friends of the Gateway Prayer Garden,

“Walk and Pray” Highlights . . .

We began with our 12 week “Walk and Pray” campaign here in El Paso County in April and have been emphasizing prayer in each of the Seven Mountains of Arts and Entertainment, Commerce, Education, Family, Government, Media, and Religion on a weekly basis. If you haven’t been following us yet either on Facebook or the website we encourage you to do so. Just click type in Gateway Prayer Garden on Facebook or Gateway Prayer Garden.

Each week we provide a succinct video featuring someone, either locally or nationally, who is providing leadership in bringing a Kingdom message or influence role in affecting our culture.

It will culminate on Sunday afternoon at 2 PM, June 9^th, on the Prayer Garden site in Fountain. We plan to be introducing the Gateway Prayer Garden to the wider Pikes Peak community in this season of Pentecost.

Recognition on the National Day of Prayer . . .

The Gateway Prayer Garden was graciously invited to present its ministry and participate in the National Day of Prayer here in El Paso County on May 2^nd, 2019. The gathering was hosted by Compassion International at its national headquarters and a brief video describing its purpose and vision was shown to all attendees.

If you haven’t viewed this video yet, just click on this link: GPG - National Day of Prayer

Urgent Need !

If you know of anyone who owns or manages a trucking business in the El Paso County region, we need to transport 94 concrete stones to the Garden site. These will provide boundaries of the Cross and also seats in the planned amphitheater area. Each stone weighs a ton and cannot just be loaded on a pickup truck . . . If you know of someone with this possible resource please call 719-375-8099 or email [email protected]

 If you haven’t already, circle your calendar !  

Make plans to attend ! It would help us if you let us know you’re planning to attend by emailing us or RSVP on Facebook.

And don’t forget to share about the Gateway Prayer Garden with a friend on Facebook . . .

If you haven’t “LIKED” us on Facebook yet, click on the logo.

We still have Volunteer Opportunities available for this summer . . .

Be thinking about how your church Youth group or Men’s group may want to come down to the Prayer Garden this summer and help further transform this amazing property into something that reflects the beauty and goodness of God. We’re going to keep reclaiming and beautifying the land along Fountain Creek as well. Email [email protected] or call 719-574-0500 for further details.

Be sure to visit www.gatewayprayergarden.org for continuous updates !

Thank you for your prayers!

Mark Spengler, Director

411 Lakewood Circle, Ste. B117, Colorado Springs, CO 80910

Tel.719-574-0500 Website: www.gatewayprayergarden.org E-Mail: [email protected]

March, 2019

Dear Friends of the Gateway Prayer Garden,

The lushness and greenery normally accompanying a visitor to the Fountain Creek Prayer Trail has given way to winter weather and only the bravest of prayer warriors challenge the elements these days.

Take Note !

Over the next 12 weeks we’re going to be rolling out a “Walk and Pray” campaign here in El Paso County we believe you’ll want to participate in!  It will culminate on Sunday afternoon at 2 PM, June 9^th, on the Prayer Garden site in Fountain.  Circle your calendar now and make plans to attend !  We plan to be introducing the Gateway Prayer Garden to the wider Pikes Peak community in this season of Pentecost.

“Walk and Pray” will provide “hands-on” participation with each of the following:

• How to pray for these specific categories of cultural influence called the 7 Mountains.
• Feature a weekly focus on each Mountain.
• Taking your prayer requests.
• Bring streaming video clips from those providing local leadership in each of these spheres of influence asking for prayer.
• We’ll be communicating these primarily through Facebook with appropriate links and believe it will be a very productive time together as we continue to seek the spiritual, social and physical well-being of the Pikes peak region.
• To better understand the origins and story of the “7 Mountain Mandate” go to gatewayprayergarden.org/7_mountain_prayer

Watch for more details and if you haven’t “LIKED” us on Facebook, yet, please do so at https://www.facebook.com/GatewayPrayerGarden/ . Share with your friends as well !

Security-Construction Office Expected to be Open by Spring

Gateway Prayer Garden suffered damage to its building during that destructive hail storm last year that will require replacing the roof and windows before use.

Please pray for the wheels of government – both local and federal for approval of our LOMR-F maps which demonstrate the Prayer Garden elevations are out of the flood plain.  Once received, we can move to the next level of approval by City of Fountain for our preliminary and final plat, development plan, and power and water hookups to our Security/Construction office presently on site.  This can take several more weeks to complete.

Thank you for Praying for the Following:

Breakthroughs and expedited handling of all Prayer Garden related issues with the City of Fountain.

• Expanded social media presence to provide greater awareness of what is coming with the Prayer Garden.
• Creation of an effective communication strategy with local radio stations for Spring implementation.
• Protection from vandalism.

Volunteer Opportunity . . .

Be thinking about how your church Youth group or Men’s group may want to come down to the Prayer Garden this Spring and help further transform this amazing property into something that reflects the beauty and goodness of God.  We’re going to keep reclaiming and beautifying the land along Fountain Creek as well. Contact [email protected] or call 719-574-0500 for further information.

Remember, “Prayer is the fuel that powers the engine of the Kingdom of God.”

Be sure to visit www.gatewayprayergarden.org for continuous updates !

Thank you for your prayers!

Mark Spengler, Director

411 Lakewood Circle, Ste. B117, Colorado Springs, CO 80910

Tel.719-574-0500 Website: www.gatewayprayergarden.org  E-Mail [email protected]