Aurora First Presbyterian Church makes space for what God is doing
‘What we end up doing together ends up so much better than what might be led by just one group’
Aurora First Presbyterian Church has stood as a cornerstone in Aurora, Colorado, for more than a century. Originally a large and dynamic predominantly white congregation founded in a rural community, both the community and the church have evolved over the years.
As the community of Aurora expanded into a suburban metropolis and became a destination for immigrants and refugees, the church also faced the challenges of declining membership and cultural shifts. Rather than retreating inward, Aurora First Presbyterian chose a path of partnership. The church opened its doors to several other congregations, creating a unique and collaborative space for a number of congregations to not just survive, but to thrive.
This community includes the original Aurora First Presbyterian congregation, an African American church called Living Water Christian Center, a PC(USA) new worshiping community serving African refugees (Neema Church), a Spanish-language PC(USA) new worshiping community called Divino Salvador, as well as the Eagle Tabernacle Church serving the community from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Iglesia Apostolica, a Spanish- language congregation.
Despite their diverse backgrounds and traditions, these congregations have successfully coexisted, respecting each other's boundaries and cultures while also finding opportunities for shared worship.
Rev. Doug Friesema has served as pastor of Aurora First Presbyterian for five years now and was drawn to the congregation because of its focus on partnership. “So often in churches we have had a colonizing mindset, thinking that ‘church’ means just one thing,” he said. “The reality is that God’s Holy Spirit moves in so many diverse and amazing ways.”
It is this giving of space, both literally and metaphorically, that has contributed to the partnership that has been blossoming in Aurora. “It is so important that we not set mandates on how people from other backgrounds and cultures live out their faith and worship God,” Friesema said.
There is value in giving the space for each congregation to have their own leadership, their own space, and to make their own decisions. “It gives us space to be surprised about what God is doing,” he said. “It is not FPC doing this thing, but God is doing this thing. What we end up doing together ends up so much better than what might be led by just one group.”
This “making space” has happened not just within the church building, but within the congregation of the First Presbyterian Church as well. An aging congregation, new life has been infused within it by the arrival of a Cameroonian community.
Lucas Nkwelle and his family moved to the United States to escape conflict in Cameroon, where his father had been a pastor. Nkwelle, a teacher, found FPC and became the president of a cultural organization that gives welcome to new immigrants from Cameroon. Lucas is often one of the first people they meet when they arrive in their new home of Aurora, and he invites them to church.
Divino Salvador began as a Spanish-language ministry within the First Presbyterian Church, initially serving families who had immigrated from Mexico. Pastor Lemuel Velasco, a former member of the church, was supported by the congregation to pursue his seminary education. Today, he leads the NWC that is now at the forefront of reaching out to the marginalized Venezuelan community.
Despite facing widespread misinformation and prejudice, both from media outlets and among the general public, including the Mexican American community, Divino Salvador has embraced these Venezuelan immigrants with open arms. As Pastor Friesema noted, “It would have been easy to push them away.” Instead, the members of Divino Salvador have demonstrated remarkable compassion and solidarity, providing vital support and resources to the immigrant Venezuelan community.
In the midst of all of this new life, partnership, and outreach, there also looms great challenge. As Pastor Friesema was driving to the church for the Maundy Thursday service this spring, he received a call that the church was on fire. Someone had kicked in a window and set fire to the church. “We are still digging out from that,” he admitted.
In addition to the $65,000 out-of-pocket expense that is not covered by insurance, it has been six months that they have not been able to use much of the space that was damaged. “We are able to keep everything running because we share the space, and share the financial burden together,” Friesema said. “We feel this big call to share the space, to partner with others and to invite them in, but because of the state of the building from the fire we haven’t been able to do that.”
There have been those who have come to the church’s aid in raising a bit more than half of the $65,000, including churches within Denver Presbytery, Presbyterian Disaster Assistance, and the Board of Pensions. “One congregation even decided to share all of the offering collected on Easter Sunday to give to the rebuilding effort,” Friesema said. “It was just amazing, and such a beautiful gift.”
A few years ago, the church needed a new roof, but didn’t know how they would pay for it. They asked, what are the resources we do have? What has God given us? “We saw our partnership and how much joy we all get out of music together, so we hosted a fundraising concert,” Friesema said. In November, the church hosted another fundraising concert, this time to help the rebuilding fund.
“As soon as we can, we will be back out in the community, looking for people doing good work who want to share the space and find more partners,” Friesema said. “There is so much hope for what God can do if we are willing to invite people into our lives, to share life together, and to love and support each other in the best ways that we can figure out together.”
Erin Dunigan is an ordained evangelist and teaching elder in the PC(USA). A graduate of Princeton Theological Seminary, she serves as a photographer, writer and communications consultant and lives near the border in Baja California, Mexico. In her free time, she is an avid gardener and leads horseback riding tours along one of the most pristine stretches of beach in Northern Baja.
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