Early Beginnings
The initial concept of a Seventh Day Adventist Church in Estes Park, Colorado began by H.M.S. Richards Sr. when he conducted a series of evangelistic meetings in Estes Park from 1911-1914. At this time, H.M.S. Richard Sr. was a student at Campion Academy in Loveland, Colorado. Several years later, another series of evangelistic meetings were conducted by the Loveland Seventh Day Adventist Church. After that, a weekly branch Sabbath School was sponsored by the Eden Valley Institute in 1971 to January 1977. At this time, the Colorado Conference invited Elder Ben Trout to become the leader of the group.
Evangelistic meetings in the Stanely Hotel
Plans for the church began to take shape when Dr. and Mrs. Russell Hanson moved to Estes Park from Boulder, Colorado. They decided to make the establishment of the church their retirement project. The first organizational meeting was held in the spring of 1976 in the Hanson’s home. At this meeting, the Seventh Day Adventist Colorado Conference decided to make the future church in Estes Park a priority. Another series of evangelistic meetings were held in the Stanley Hotel.
Services in The Old Church Shops
On March 12, 1977, the group was organized into a Company of twenty-eight members under the direction of Elder Hatch, the (SDA) Conference Colorado President. Then on May 21, 1977, the Estes Park Company was organized into an official church with thirty members. Elder Ben Trout was the first pastor. Church services were held in the Old Church Shops on Elkhorn Avenue in downtown Estes Park.Elder Avery Dick became the second pastor in 1979.
Built by volunteers
A building site was purchased at 450 Valley Road. After the foundation had been laid, a Maranatha Flights International group of approximately 100 members began working on building the church on July 28, 1978. The building construction began in the summer in 1978 and was completed in the fall of 1979. A Thanksgiving candlelight service was held on Sabbath evening, August 12, 1978, when Maranatha completed their portion of work on the church. The building was then dedicated on July 6, 1981.
Front page headlines!
The miracle of a church being built with no labor costs and no debt caught the attention of the Denver Post and the Rocky Mountain News who gave front-page coverage and a story in the Sunday Magazine sections.
Light on a Hill
This sanctuary stands as a memorial to the love and goodness of God and to the generosity of His people. For this we give thanks! We pray this church will always be a light on a hill which cannot be quenched.
Sanctuary
Foyer
Mother's Room
