In a vacant lot along Cheyenne Meadows Road, far back from Venetucci Boulevard across from The Broadmoor World Arena, is a tall, six-sided stone monument with the words “Stratmoor Hills.”

The weathered monument stands exactly where it was built in 1955 by Fred Abrahamson, who used it to advertise his new Stratmoor Hills, where he developed 540 homes on 800 acres.

Nearby is the Stratmoor Hills United Methodist Church, built on land donated by Abrahamson, who also gave money for construction.

A newer, but equally worn sign for the church sits closer to the boulevard with the message: “In a time of anxiety, look here for peace.”

But peace is the last thing that has existed in Stratmoor Hills recently because of Pastor David McGee’s desire to replace the broken church sign and update Abrahamson’s old monument.

A group of neighbors in the unincorporated community at the north entrance to Fort Carson didn’t like the idea of the church touching the old monument, and suddenly it was the center of attention.

Some sent a series of breathless emails out with the battle cry: “HELP SAVE OUR NEIGHBORHOOD SIGN.”

An online campaign accused the church of trying to “take over” the sign.

For example, neighbor Jim Pesicka said “the word got out he was going to stucco the sign.” Others said the sign would be destroyed.

They didn’t seem to care that the sign looks out of place so far from the boulevard – which did not exist in 1955 – and faces the wrong direction to be seen by passing cars. Or that it is decaying. Its stone is faded and weathered under built-up dirt and grime. Mortar is crumbling between some stones. Several of its steel letters are bent or broken, and rust stains drip from them down the stone.

Emails urged neighbors to bombard McGee with calls and emails to protest his “decision.”

The allegations troubled McGee, who has led the church for three years.

“No decisions have been made,” McGee said. “And we have never proposed tearing down the sign.”

He wondered why the monument had been allowed to deteriorate, if it was so beloved.

“It has not been maintained,” McGee said. “It needs upgrade work. We wanted to light it. Make it more visible. And possibly use it to make the church more visible.”

McGee tried to reassure neighbors in conversations and Facebook posts. But the rumors persisted, some accusing him of “blatant disregard for our neighborhood.”

The attacks ignored what McGee and his 130 or so parishioners do for the neighborhood, starting with the all-volunteer B Street Community Food Pantry it opened in April 2011. It has provided food and clothing for an average 400 needy residents and active- duty military each week.

Or the Christmas gifts the church hands out, or the mentoring program the church sponsors with area schools. Or the donations it collects and distributes to help poor neighbors pay their medical bills, or to prevent utilities from being cut off, or to make mortgage payments.

McGee said his concern for Stratmoor Hills should be obvious after he turned down a $1 million offer from a company wanting to build a huge gas station on the property.

“We didn’t think it would enhance the community,” McGee said.

But by week’s end, he surrendered. Late Thursday, McGee announced the church had, in fact, made a decision:

“We have decided to honor the historical legacy of the Stratmoor Hills sign and leave the sign as is.”

Now, it falls to the angry neighbors to fix up the neglected monument.

Pesicka promised the neighborhood association would make repairs.

Maybe then peace will return to Stratmoor Hills.

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Some residents of unincorporated Stratmoor Hills became enraged when Pastor David McGee of Stratmoor Hills United Methodist Church considered updating this neighborhood sign. It was erected in 1955 by Fred Abrahamson, who conceived Stratmoor Hills and developed 540 homes on 800 acres he bought from the Sinton Dairy Farm. This sign sits outside the church and McGee wanted to update it and use it to enhance visibility of the church. Bill Vogrin / The Gazette

Bill Vogrin – Side Streets

Some residents of unincorporated Stratmoor Hills became enraged when Pastor David McGee of Stratmoor Hills United Methodist Church considered updating this neighborhood sign. It was erected in 1955 by Fred Abrahamson, who conceived Stratmoor Hills and developed 540 homes on 800 acres. This sign sits outside the church and McGee wanted to update it and use it to enhance visibility of the church. There are obvious signs of decay and neglect with bent and broken letters and crumbling mortar and rust stains on the stone. Bill Vogrin / The Gazette

Some residents of unincorporated Stratmoor Hills became enraged when Pastor David McGee of Stratmoor Hills United Methodist Church considered updating this neighborhood sign. It was erected in 1955 by Fred Abrahamson, who conceived Stratmoor Hills and developed 540 homes on 800 acres. This sign sits outside the church and McGee wanted to update it and use it to enhance visibility of the church. There are obvious signs of decay and neglect with bent and broken letters and crumbling mortar and rust stains on the stone. Bill Vogrin / The Gazette

When this sign for the Stratmoor Hills United Methodist Church broken, Pastor David McGee considered updating a nearby neighborhood sign to replace it. The idea enraged some residents of unincorporated Stratmoor Hills. They launched an email campaign against McGee and provoking some angry emails and calls to the church. McGee said the neighborhood sign has obviously been neglected with bent and broken letters and crumbling mortar and rust stains on the stone. Bill Vogrin / The Gazette

Some residents of unincorporated Stratmoor Hills became enraged when Pastor David McGee of Stratmoor Hills United Methodist Church considered updating a stone-and-steel neighborhood sign on the far right background. When the newer church sign, in the right foreground, broke, McGee began thinking of using the old neighborhood sign to enhance visibility of the church. Bill Vogrin / The Gazette

A six-sided stone-and-steel monument was erected in 1955 at Cheyenne Meadows Road along the old Pueblo Highway to advertise the new Stratmoor Hills subdivision on 800 acres of unicorporated land south of Colorado Springs. It became the community logo. Plans by the Stratmoor Hills United Methodist Church to upgrade it and use it to improve visibility of the church sparked outrage among some neighbors recently. Courtesy photo.

Pastor David McGee of the Stratmoor Hills United Methodist Church Courtesy photo.