Mary R. Tellis is an ordained minister in the American Baptist Churches and National Baptist USA denominations. A native of Louisiana, she is the founder of the life coaching ministry BeTrue2U. She is also the founder of Queen, a movement that inspires women from all walks of life to love, lift and liberate one another by providing them with coaching, mentoring, support, and scholarships.
Formerly, she served as the Associate Executive Director at Open Door Ministries, Ministry and Mission Coach at American Baptist Churches of the Rocky Mountains, an educator with the Denver Public Schools, Operations Site Manager at Bayaud Enterprises, and currently serves the Executive Director at Restoration Outreach Programs in Aurora, Colorado.
Mary has received numerous degrees from Louisiana Tech University, Truth Bible College, and Denver Seminary.
A dynamic preacher and motivational speaker, Mary has been invited to preach, conduct workshops, and facilitate leadership training throughout the U.S. and beyond. She has traveled as far as Africa, Israel, Thailand, France, and the Bahamas to share her passion and gifts through presentations.
Mary recently received the Excellence in Community service award from the Ministers Widows and Wives Association, 100 Faces in the Crowd, and the Excellence in Leadership award from the Gospel Music Academy and Hall of Fame Academy. Although she has received numerous commendations, Mary is most proud of the ones she has received from the youth she has been privileged to serve and mentor.
Moreover, Mary is primarily motivated by the Word of God and aligns her assignments with His will. She stands on the platform of “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us.” Ephesians 3:20
Mary Tellis is married to the humble Rev. John L. Tellis Jr., Pastor, Solomon Temple Missionary Baptist Church, Denver, Colorado. They are the grateful parents of three beautiful children and four blessed and favored granddaughters.
Daughter of a farmer turned engineer and a champion of the debate, Vicki grew up familiar with curbing chaos, fixing stuff, and the ability to see an argument from either side. However, Vicki was a city kid born to a rural family. She became a prodigal street kid living along East Colfax by the age of 9 and proceeded to make uninformed and simply bad choices which led to crime and abuse. Her story could have ended there, as a victim living in fear and emotional isolation, but for the grace of God.
Nothing fancy changed her prodigal perspective. She just began meeting some everyday Christian people, just like you. People that prayed, chatted, invited her for a meal, or simply treated her with quiet respect. Steered back to reconciliation with her family, she and her parents worked to rebuild trust and friendship. The Holy Spirit did the rest and she discovered that she could find healing for her body, mind, and soul through Christ. No longer a victim, she is a survivor.
Now Vicki lives a surrendered life for her Savior, a missionary to the very streets that had almost broken her once before. She now feels passionate about sharing God's plans for building relationships, and for community development with church partners and champions. Vicki has served with Prodigal Gatherings as a volunteer for 4 years beginning on July 2002 and on staff at ROP since September 2006. Called of God to work with inner-city teens initially, Vicki has grown into duties that include mentoring her staff, interns, and alumni teens, as well as directing small groups and volunteers in mission trips and outreaches with ROP.
She is no longer a smoker, although she has yet to kick her addiction to pastries.
Tracey Grant has served in community partnership alongside ROP for many years through her church, Agape Missionary Church under the leadership and guidance of Pastor Norman and Mother Cheryl Hurd. It is there she serves the Lord with gladness as the Women's Ministry Leader, teacher and Director of Curriculum and Instruction. She has been blessed to have been surrounded by strong faithful brothers and sisters in Christ who live Matthew 22:37-39 to love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and love your neighbor as yourself. Growing up as a Colorado native near the old Stapleton International Airport, Tracey has seen many changes and development in this community and is excited to be a part of ROP working as Director of Work Readiness and GED.
She is eager to unite all of her education, experience, passion and love for the Lord and His people in this new role at ROP. Tracey received her undergraduate education from Metropolitan State College with a degree in English and Secondary Education. She went on to earn a Masters' Degree from the University of Phoenix in the Diverse Learner and in Educational Administration. As a lifelong learner, currently, she is finishing another Master of Arts degree in Biblical Studies from Colorado Christian University as the Lord prepares her for this next phase of life.
Proverbs 3:5-6 says to Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not unto your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your path. Truly God has ordered her path and she has been blessed in the process. Serving 33 years in the Cherry Creek School District, she enjoyed a rich career as Teacher, Dean of Students, Assistant Principal, Principal, Director of Human Resources, and her final position before retirement as Executive Director of Middle School Education. Each role was filled with opportunities, challenges, and much learning all to the glory of God. Tracey counts herself blessed that every position she has held and every role she has been fortunate to serve has enabled her to be used by God to touch lives.
Sowing into the lives of God's people brings her great joy. She serves as one of the founders and the Education Leadership Executive Director of the Music and Leadership Institute of Denver. This community non-profit organization serves to Cultivate a Future of Excellence in young people through music education and leadership development. It has been and continues to be a passion project but is just one of her community outreach endeavors.
Tracey Grant is the youngest daughter of Rodell (Rudy) Grant and Della Scarver. She is the proud mother of Kendra and proud Mama-Aunt to Gabriel. Most recently, she added the new title of Bibi (Swahili for grandma) when she became grandmother to Nathaniel. To know her is to know them and the love of God that radiates through them.
Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth. (3 John 2) Her greatest desire is to be available to be used by God for the building of His kingdom.
As a Colorado native, Meghan has always had a love for the Rocky Mountain state. However, over the last several years, the Lord has been stirring up an even greater love for Colorado and the many people that call it home. This deep love began taking root throughout her time at Colorado Christian University, where she recently earned her BA in Youth Ministry. While there, she was greatly blessed to serve in numerous ministry contexts. Looking back at each of these unique opportunities, she is astounded by the ways the Lord has utilized each one to grow a passion for reaching the lost with the Gospel and offering spaces of belonging to those who are not often received with love. Through beginning her life in ministry as a KidZone Teacher at Cherry Hills Community Church, later working as an intern for Wellspring Church, to working as the Church and Community Relations Intern at Denver Rescue Mission, the Lord finally brought Meghan to the East Colfax community through her position of Social Media Coordinator for Jesus on Colfax.
She is beyond thrilled to have the opportunity now to continue loving and serving the East Colfax neighborhood at ROP. The Lord has given her big dreams for the teens of this community, and she cannot wait to continue pressing into these dreams and see some of them come to fruition. The Lord is already moving and bringing His Kingdom to East Colfax, and Meghan feels so humbled to join in the redemptive work that is at hand!
Meghan is married to her husband Crosby and they live in Englewood.
My name is Ashley Leopold. God has had a plan and a purpose for me and my life before I was even conceived, just like you. God has carefully authored my life allowing me to serve Him. It is amazing how He has created and directed my path to fill so many of ROP's reasons for existing. I am in awe of The Lord and His sovereignty. I have had the honor of being married to my amazing husband for nearly 10 years now. God has given us four littles girls ranging from 5-13!
ROP states we “exist to meet needs, build relationships, and restore lives through Christ in an urban context with children and youth that are refugees.” Jesus called my husband and me to mission work over 12 years ago, before we were married. He has allowed us to travel to India, Nigeria, South Sudan, and many places in between. He led us to live life in a community of Somalians for over a year and let us enjoy relationships with amazing children of God from Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Nepal, Nigeria, and many other cultures. Everyone is so beautiful and unique. Everyone enjoyed hearing and talking about Jesus' words, ways and stories. I love seeing the beauty of God in each and every child of God from all over the world.
Refugee children and children living in poverty face many trials that are not even on the radar for some of us. I pray that some of the hard things that I have faced in my life can be used to minorly relate to these littles and the difficult situations they face every day. God has restored me to Himself and healed me of the pains of the past however small they may seem. I believe I can lead others through difficult situations see Him do the same thing He did in my life to theirs if they can feel and know the love our God has for them. God has also allowed and made the way for me to have the privilege of going to college and getting an associate’s degree in Biblical Studies, a Cosmetology License, and become Group lead qualified in ECE. I have had the opportunity for the last 20 years of my life to volunteer and work in the church. For the last three years, I have been able to be the director of the AWANA program at our church and Coordinate the Elementary Sunday School program. I am so thankful for that opportunity!
Jesus has given me a heart for women, children, and the world, and opened doors for me to work alongside Him in this community to reach our next generation for Christ. I am so excited to see and be a part of the impact He is going to make in the lives of children all around ROP.
Tish is a native of Colorado, always living around the Westwood area. Her history is not an easy one. Abuse, drugs, and drinking dominated her youth and she became pregnant at age 14. She has stayed close with her brothers and one sister through the years, however.
Her Christian story didn't really start until 2007 at age 40. She walked into Restoration Worship Center looking for a food bank option and met Pastor Doug and his wife Deb. Tish marks the changes in her life from that moment onward. Not overnight but one step at a time, for good.
Tish started volunteering with ROP's Food & Clothing Bank while continuing to attend RWC with her grandkids. She came to love Lucy's leadership and the people she was working with to distribute food to our Colfax community.
Now Tish is living a baptized life, married in Restoration Worship Center to Dustin Freeman. She loves God, His people, and what He continues to do in her life each day. Frogs are a favorite of hers and she likes the Christian sentiment, too. Fully Rely On God! (FROG)
Star joined the ROP team in December, 2022 and her smile is a blessing to everyone who comes in the door.