Castle Rock's First United Methodist Church celebrates 150 years in Colorado

A church older than the town of Castle Rock celebrated 150 years with a special homecoming service Sunday. The service was the culmination of a year of work honoring the church's history.

"It was a great crowd. We had former pastors come back. We had former choir members come back and sing in the choir," said Matt Franks, senior pastor at Castle Rock First United Methodist Church.

For 150 years, people have worshipped, served, and lived their lives in this church.

"It's a very warm and welcoming congregation and welcoming to all," said member Laryce Nitsch.

First United Methodist was founded in 1874 at Third and Wilcox Streets, in the downtown Castle Rock building that is now the Masonic meeting hall.

"The first meeting was in August of 1874 in a carpenter's shop here in Castle Rock," said Nitsch.

The church soon moved down the road to Third and Perry Streets, what is now Ecclesia Market, before finding its current location on South Street in the 1970s.

As Castle Rock grew up around it, the church helped form the town.

"They saw a need in the community and they stepped up," said Nitsch.

Members were instrumental in starting the Douglas-Elbert County Task Force on Park Street (now known as Help and Hope Center), the Castle Rock Senior Center, and the women's crisis centers.

Today, the church still serves the community through food drives, a backpack ministry serving the formerly incarcerated, a group that donates blankets to the homeless, and other missions.

"We're busy in our community as well as in our church family," said Nitsch.

Laryce Nitsch has been a church member since 1971. She's spent all year documenting the church's history in a booklet.

"That's our roots and we need to appreciate that and build on that," said Nitsch.

Photos, memorabilia, and quilts brought that history to life at the homecoming service.

"All the quilts tell a story from different families and what that means to them. And that bleeds into the life of the church. We're coming from all these places and spaces and yet also we're connected to people that have been here for quite some time," said Franks.

After the service, old and new members shared a potluck meal.

"All the faces and all the hair have gotten much older! Fifteen years makes a great difference," said Grace George, who was a church member from 2000 to 2010.

"I saw an associate pastor today who I hadn't seen and he was here in the '70s," said Nitsch.

They gathered to remember, and plan for the future.

"I think it's remembering our past but not being tied down by it. Just really leaning into who we are but moving forward into who we're becoming," said Franks.

In the next 150 years, the church hopes to continue welcoming anyone and everyone, and serving the Castle Rock community.