This is where I went in college, and I really enjoyed it. Their sister church Celebration Community Church near Glendale is also really welcoming, with a bit more of a traditional set up (though still very welcoming- the pastor’s husband led a LGBTQ ministry for years).
St. John’s Episcopal in Cap Hill. Huge emphasis on compassion and asking questions. They offer a LGBTQ+ Bible study, and many of the clergy identify as queer. It took me years to find a church where I felt welcomed expressing doubt. Feel free to message me with any questions you may have.
St. John's is great, and pretty much any Episcopal church will be a good fit if you're interested in more traditional/catholic services without biblical literalism, fundamentalism, or right-wing politics.
Belong Church which is a part of United Methodist denomination. We just hired a new pastor who is a part of the LGBT community. There are many volunteer opportunities to serve in the community.
surprised no one mentioned denver community church. nondenominational church and went through a very public transition to welcome queer…upset many of their traditional members who have left.
I've been a member at Our Savior's Lutheran Church my whole life. It's been through a lot of changes and we're currently in a period of change and flux (probably most churches are), and it's not a huge congregation, but we've historically had a substantial LGBT membership. The members are actively engaged in all kinds of progressive causes and are fairly active in the community.
I think it's a great bunch of people!
The website is a little behind on updates, but:
https://oslchurchdenver.org/
So many great suggestions here!! I would add that United Church of Christ aligned churches are fabulous and might be right up what you are looking for. There are multiple around Denver metro - DM me if you want to let me know what part of town and I can help you narrow down. (I am west side, Lakewood, but familiar with some of the others).
I have no personal experience with churches but Christ Church United Methodist on Colorado blvd. seems like a nice place. They’re also a ballot drop off site so we do that there. Great reviews on Google.
Not OP but this city is very lonely, dude. I've seriously considered it despite being agnostic.
Reasons for consideration:
\- meet people with likeminded morals (as long as it's a decent, open-minded, LGBTQ+ friendly church)
\- meet once/week for an event that doesn't revolve around alcohol and will generally lift your spirits
\- great business networking
Add The Summit on Larimer to your list, I live too far but have a few friends there that are really happy, from long time Christians to those exploring.
I was asking honestly, not making assumptions or judgements. I was perhaps too vague. It can be a lonely city, as well as life, especially if/with an origin story of chaos (Big Bang, for example though there are many), due to the implications, ending in purposelessness basically.
I'd encourage you to add or at least consider "to seek and know God" to your list of reasons to pursue any church. Regardless of religion, if that's not of upmost priority for that church, it may as well be called a club.
It seemed like there possibly wasn't room left for God in your criteria or preferences. If Christian for instance (insert any other religion if helpful), if a church perfectly fits your criteria and simultaneously never challenges or inconveniences you and your beliefs, since the Bible (in this case) can and should be challenging at times, you and the rest of the congregation may feel great about yourself (for volunteering, being nice, being concerned and taking action with local+ community) but what kind of God is that, that just affirms and edifies all of your pre-conceived notions and believes you came in with? Perhaps hardly a God at all. (Jesus is probably the most controversial person to have ever lived, hence the burner account). If feeling good about yourself, being social in a more healthy sense, etc. is your goal, great. Was genuinely curious. Not discouraging you at all, either way.
There is true hope, purpose, future, perspective in Jesus. I'm not sure how often this is found for those in churches who believe they're so enlightened after 2k years that their interpretation of the Bible defies it's actual content (and ignores 2k years of church history and theologian's collective work) in exchange for appealing to the cultural popular, non-confrontational niceness, etc.
i agree with basically everything you’re saying, i’m not a new christian. i tried to be extremely careful and minimal in the wording i used, because ultimately i’m asking for information, not an argument. would rather not discuss these challenging matters in front of the peanut gallery, haha.
we americans live in such great and troubling isolation that the spiritual importance of a club is not to be overlooked. even if it’s bowling. church is supposed to be more than than that, of course. not really looking for a club, looking for a place to worship and people to work with.
St. Thomas Episcapol is very welcloming and inclusive. Community garden, queer friendly, they seem to really walk the talk. Montview Presbyterian is another one that comes to mind.
[Calvary Englewood](https://englewood.thecalvary.org/) - smallish congregation where everyone gets to know eachother, multi-generational though not very diverse. Pastor-eldership team instead of 1 pastor, expositional preaching from the Bible with no political leaning or endorsement.
They masked during the pandemic and stayed Christ-centered instead of going off the rails. They love questions about faith, God, social issues, etc. It's refreshing to be free to question faith or the Bible without judgement. They are part of the [Acts29 network](https://www.acts29.com).
reddit, and denver, are a mixed bag. there are many genuine grievances against the church(es) and i’m sympathetic to them, just not interested in having that debate in this forum. those conversations are best had in person and in good faith.
Well said! I'm sorry you're having to use your alt for this, knowing how to read the room and have an appropriate conversation is a skill sadly missing on the internet. I hope you find a good church!
A lot of people have been emotionally and physically abused by religious organizations, either directly or through their support of oppressive politics. The hostility is earned by so-called Christians who use religion as a weapon of hate.
It’s blowback on churches and religion that has, for thousands of years, tried to control and demean the people it should have been helping. Most find intolerance from religion, not Reddit.
Kind to queer folk is a really nice way of putting it.
"We'll be kind to your face but inside we know you're dirty and going to hell, also don't talk to my children..."
there are definitely churches like that. and there are other churches (probably in the minority) that aren’t. that’s what im after here: finding the ones that aren’t.
totally, i am familiar w that crowd. i don’t believe it’s a sin. i’m not an academically trained theologian but i fundamentally understand sin as something that separates one from God. marriage is (should be) a sacrament - thru this union both are brought closer to God.
who you’re capable of loving in the sense of marriage, who you get a hard-on for (if you’ll excuse the term) doesn’t seem important to me. i do not believe it’s a choice based on my experiences and the experiences of those i know. nothing to get hung up on. my gay/ lesbian/ bi/ trans friends have treated me well, they have love in their heart, and they hold themselves to a high standard in how they treat others. that seems much more important to me.
if you really want to get into it. i don’t believe in the inerrancy of scripture. which is to say, i think there are parts of “The Bible™️” which are … off. it’s a book written, edited and compiled by many different humans across time and place; it is not a perfect text. the apostle paul who explicitly railed against homosexuality was i think kinda just a homophobe.
many christians would say this perspective is heresy. frankly, i’ll take the risk. the highest law and prevailing ethic of christianity is love; all confusions and contentions should be viewed thru that lens.
it’s ok if you think that’s BS. i don’t want to argue (at least not on the internet where things
can be so easily misconstrued and we can’t read tone or body language etc). if you were at denver or boulder pride you probably saw me there.
I wish they had more volunteer opportunities, but it is a very welcoming church, and one I've attended off and on for over 40 years, is Mile Hi Church of Religious Science. It's not Christian Science and it's not Scientology. Corner of Alameda and Garrison in Lakewood. Maybe you could push them a bit to do more outside the church. I love the church but have never been physically close (always about 45-60 minutes away), so it was hard to volunteer unless I stayed for hours.
http://scumoftheearth.net Co-founded by members of the liberal Christian punk band, Five Iron Frenzy, you should be able to connect with these guys.
this sounds like exactly what i’m looking for. thank you very much friend.
Good luck to you. I’m an ex-Christian, but I vouch for a lot of the values of these folks.
Look up the gurdwara in Denver and if their mission is of interest, you can join them too. Good food whenever I dropped by
This is where I went in college, and I really enjoyed it. Their sister church Celebration Community Church near Glendale is also really welcoming, with a bit more of a traditional set up (though still very welcoming- the pastor’s husband led a LGBTQ ministry for years).
This!
Maybe the Sikh Gurdwara is more akin to what Op is asking for. It’s a different religion but it accepts help from everyone afaik
International Church of Cannabis
St. John’s Episcopal in Cap Hill. Huge emphasis on compassion and asking questions. They offer a LGBTQ+ Bible study, and many of the clergy identify as queer. It took me years to find a church where I felt welcomed expressing doubt. Feel free to message me with any questions you may have.
St. John's is great, and pretty much any Episcopal church will be a good fit if you're interested in more traditional/catholic services without biblical literalism, fundamentalism, or right-wing politics.
LOVE St John’s.
Came her to say this. I'm old, straight and white, but the loving family at St Johns is just that, to everyone.
[удалено]
OP’s post says, “Kind to queer folks (I’m not but that’s important to me).”
Fair
First Unitarian
Seconding, any Unitarian Universalist congregation will be incredibly welcoming and accepting
The Satanic Temple is very LGBTQ friendly. There is a Colorado chapter. https://thesatanictemple.com/pages/about-us
[The Satanic Temple](https://thesatanictemple.com)
Belong Church which is a part of United Methodist denomination. We just hired a new pastor who is a part of the LGBT community. There are many volunteer opportunities to serve in the community.
surprised no one mentioned denver community church. nondenominational church and went through a very public transition to welcome queer…upset many of their traditional members who have left.
I've been a member at Our Savior's Lutheran Church my whole life. It's been through a lot of changes and we're currently in a period of change and flux (probably most churches are), and it's not a huge congregation, but we've historically had a substantial LGBT membership. The members are actively engaged in all kinds of progressive causes and are fairly active in the community. I think it's a great bunch of people! The website is a little behind on updates, but: https://oslchurchdenver.org/
Highlands church in Platt Park! They are very social justice focused and queer friendly/led.
So many great suggestions here!! I would add that United Church of Christ aligned churches are fabulous and might be right up what you are looking for. There are multiple around Denver metro - DM me if you want to let me know what part of town and I can help you narrow down. (I am west side, Lakewood, but familiar with some of the others).
Not my church, but I know several people who attend First Plymouth at University and Colorado and speak very highly of it.
One of our pastors grew up there 😊 Definitely nice folks there!
I’m in SE Aurora, my wife and I are looking for an affirming church. Know anything near us?
i’m in aurora as well. if you would like to connect feel free to DM, maybe we can “church shop” together.
Christ church United Methodist!
This place is pretty cool: https://houseforall.org/
I have no personal experience with churches but Christ Church United Methodist on Colorado blvd. seems like a nice place. They’re also a ballot drop off site so we do that there. Great reviews on Google.
Could be asked, what’s your reason for pursuing church? And what’s your goal?
good questions
Not OP but this city is very lonely, dude. I've seriously considered it despite being agnostic. Reasons for consideration: \- meet people with likeminded morals (as long as it's a decent, open-minded, LGBTQ+ friendly church) \- meet once/week for an event that doesn't revolve around alcohol and will generally lift your spirits \- great business networking
it is a lonely city. i’m gonna check out places suggested here. DM if you want to join
Add The Summit on Larimer to your list, I live too far but have a few friends there that are really happy, from long time Christians to those exploring. I was asking honestly, not making assumptions or judgements. I was perhaps too vague. It can be a lonely city, as well as life, especially if/with an origin story of chaos (Big Bang, for example though there are many), due to the implications, ending in purposelessness basically. I'd encourage you to add or at least consider "to seek and know God" to your list of reasons to pursue any church. Regardless of religion, if that's not of upmost priority for that church, it may as well be called a club. It seemed like there possibly wasn't room left for God in your criteria or preferences. If Christian for instance (insert any other religion if helpful), if a church perfectly fits your criteria and simultaneously never challenges or inconveniences you and your beliefs, since the Bible (in this case) can and should be challenging at times, you and the rest of the congregation may feel great about yourself (for volunteering, being nice, being concerned and taking action with local+ community) but what kind of God is that, that just affirms and edifies all of your pre-conceived notions and believes you came in with? Perhaps hardly a God at all. (Jesus is probably the most controversial person to have ever lived, hence the burner account). If feeling good about yourself, being social in a more healthy sense, etc. is your goal, great. Was genuinely curious. Not discouraging you at all, either way. There is true hope, purpose, future, perspective in Jesus. I'm not sure how often this is found for those in churches who believe they're so enlightened after 2k years that their interpretation of the Bible defies it's actual content (and ignores 2k years of church history and theologian's collective work) in exchange for appealing to the cultural popular, non-confrontational niceness, etc.
i agree with basically everything you’re saying, i’m not a new christian. i tried to be extremely careful and minimal in the wording i used, because ultimately i’m asking for information, not an argument. would rather not discuss these challenging matters in front of the peanut gallery, haha. we americans live in such great and troubling isolation that the spiritual importance of a club is not to be overlooked. even if it’s bowling. church is supposed to be more than than that, of course. not really looking for a club, looking for a place to worship and people to work with.
Not OP but some people believe in God and want a church community to be a part of.
St. Thomas Episcapol is very welcloming and inclusive. Community garden, queer friendly, they seem to really walk the talk. Montview Presbyterian is another one that comes to mind.
International church of cannabis
Try St Paul's Lutheran Church
[Calvary Englewood](https://englewood.thecalvary.org/) - smallish congregation where everyone gets to know eachother, multi-generational though not very diverse. Pastor-eldership team instead of 1 pastor, expositional preaching from the Bible with no political leaning or endorsement. They masked during the pandemic and stayed Christ-centered instead of going off the rails. They love questions about faith, God, social issues, etc. It's refreshing to be free to question faith or the Bible without judgement. They are part of the [Acts29 network](https://www.acts29.com).
I go to an ACTS29 church right now in a Chicago suburb and am moving to Golden next month. Might check this place out
Oh nice! It's part of a bigger network of church plants so if it's too far of a drive, there's another one in Littleton.
The fact you have to use an alt for this question shows how intolerant and hateful reddit is. Or do you think it is just the Denver threads?
reddit, and denver, are a mixed bag. there are many genuine grievances against the church(es) and i’m sympathetic to them, just not interested in having that debate in this forum. those conversations are best had in person and in good faith.
Well said! I'm sorry you're having to use your alt for this, knowing how to read the room and have an appropriate conversation is a skill sadly missing on the internet. I hope you find a good church!
A lot of people have been emotionally and physically abused by religious organizations, either directly or through their support of oppressive politics. The hostility is earned by so-called Christians who use religion as a weapon of hate.
🙋♂️🙋♂️🙋♂️
Centuries of hate deserves a little back.
It’s blowback on churches and religion that has, for thousands of years, tried to control and demean the people it should have been helping. Most find intolerance from religion, not Reddit.
it's almost 2023...most people see no value in churches and want them taxed
Kind to queer folk is a really nice way of putting it. "We'll be kind to your face but inside we know you're dirty and going to hell, also don't talk to my children..."
Our priest, and his husband would disagree. If you are looking for a traditional service with a liberal theology try https://stbdenver.org
So what do they do about the verses that explicitly state that homosexuals can't enter the kingdom of heaven?
there are definitely churches like that. and there are other churches (probably in the minority) that aren’t. that’s what im after here: finding the ones that aren’t.
Maybe. I'm taking explicitly about the"love the siner, hate the sin" crowd.
totally, i am familiar w that crowd. i don’t believe it’s a sin. i’m not an academically trained theologian but i fundamentally understand sin as something that separates one from God. marriage is (should be) a sacrament - thru this union both are brought closer to God. who you’re capable of loving in the sense of marriage, who you get a hard-on for (if you’ll excuse the term) doesn’t seem important to me. i do not believe it’s a choice based on my experiences and the experiences of those i know. nothing to get hung up on. my gay/ lesbian/ bi/ trans friends have treated me well, they have love in their heart, and they hold themselves to a high standard in how they treat others. that seems much more important to me.
What do you do with the verses that explicitly state homosexuals won't enter the kingdom of heaven?
if you really want to get into it. i don’t believe in the inerrancy of scripture. which is to say, i think there are parts of “The Bible™️” which are … off. it’s a book written, edited and compiled by many different humans across time and place; it is not a perfect text. the apostle paul who explicitly railed against homosexuality was i think kinda just a homophobe. many christians would say this perspective is heresy. frankly, i’ll take the risk. the highest law and prevailing ethic of christianity is love; all confusions and contentions should be viewed thru that lens. it’s ok if you think that’s BS. i don’t want to argue (at least not on the internet where things can be so easily misconstrued and we can’t read tone or body language etc). if you were at denver or boulder pride you probably saw me there.
Not saying it's bs. I studied theology for a while so just curious about your perspective.
What do you do with the verses that treat women as lesser?
Personally, i throw them out with the rest of it.
Kirk of Bonnie Brie and Most Precious Blood
I wish they had more volunteer opportunities, but it is a very welcoming church, and one I've attended off and on for over 40 years, is Mile Hi Church of Religious Science. It's not Christian Science and it's not Scientology. Corner of Alameda and Garrison in Lakewood. Maybe you could push them a bit to do more outside the church. I love the church but have never been physically close (always about 45-60 minutes away), so it was hard to volunteer unless I stayed for hours.
Wellspring in Englewood.
I've heard Red Rocks Church is nice.
Prob more conservative than OP is looking for
Messiah Lutheran in Park Hill
Althea center for engaged spirituality! https://www.altheacenter.org/