Kingdom Impact in Denver
There is a long story of God working through the Mennonite Brethren in Denver, Colorado but the recent short story from 2019 and 2020 tells of how, through 6 ministries and available investment funds, He is beginning a new and expanding chapter.
Lighthouse Church had its beginning as a home group in 2015. They grew quickly and by fall of 2018 they were in a rented facility. At the same time, the Garden Park MB Church, a church serving in Denver since 1955, made the tough decision to close their doors in the Ruby Hill area. They merged with Lighthouse, transferring their memberships and assets to them. The assets included a sanctuary, neighboring house, gym and a parking lot.
Lighthouse became the owners of the former Garden Park complex, while leasing where they were currently meeting. A long term tenant, Community Ministry, continued to lease the gym for their food and clothing bank ministry for the community.
Early in 2019, Lighthouse learned the lease for their facility was not being renewed. They started to look for another worship location and identified an indoor soccer facility that would fit their vision for ministry. As a young church in the Denver market, it wasn’t going to be easy but their offer was accepted and all they needed was the financing. That’s when they called MB Foundation.
The financing need was too steep for Lighthouse alone so Southern District Conference agreed to partner with them. As a result, MB Foundation was able to put a financing package together to purchase the indoor soccer facility, utilizing the new property and the former Garden Park properties as collateral. But to make the debt for Lighthouse a manageable level in the long term it also required the sale of the former Garden Park properties.
God revealed the story was still unfolding. The properties were put on the market and sold within 14 months. The house sold first. The gym and parking lot were next, with the tenant Community Ministry purchasing after a successful fundraising campaign. They are now able to continue serving the community from their established location.
The Church Denver, another young growing church whose ministry fit was perfect for the Ruby Hill area, began leasing the sanctuary in 2019 because of their need for additional space. Attendance continued to increase in their new location and by early 2020 it was feasible for them, with financing through MB Foundation, to purchase the sanctuary building. Read more about their ministry.
By the end of the 2020 chapter, God worked through 6 ministries to expand his Kingdom in new ways; Garden Park MB Church, Lighthouse Church, Community Ministry, The Church Denver, Southern District Conference and MB Foundation. Three tenants became owners and are now set up for maximum ministry impact in their new facilities.