Members of First Christian Church voted on Oct. 15 with 73 in favor and 5 opposed to authorize the board of trustees to sell its Great Depression-era property at 16 E. Platte Ave.

“I think it’s sad we’ve come to this, but the congregation’s not going away; the congregation is going to survive this,” said the Rev. Gaylord Hatler, senior pastor emeritus.

Like many mainline congregations across the nation, COVID-19 was not a friend to large, older churches, many of which saw both membership and financial contributions decline precipitously.

First Christian’s problems began before the pandemic, though.

Leaders had an analysis of the building done in 2019, with a recommendation that it would be in the church’s best interest to sell, said Greg Hock, chair of the board of trustees.

“The costs of maintaining the building are increasing big time,” he said. “There’s just not enough money coming in with the membership and secularization of the country.”

The pandemic deteriorated attendance further, Hatler said.

“A lot of people discovered because we broadcast on YouTube and Facebook that they could get up in the morning, sit on their comfortable sofa with their coffee and go to church,” he said. “They got in the habit of doing that.”

Membership dropped from 375 at its height when Hatler was pastor for 16 years to about 200 congregants when he left in 2007.

Today, there are 71 substantial giving members, Hock said.

The pandemic also delayed decision-making on what direction the congregationally governed church should go.

Leading up to this month’s vote, a series of town hall meetings were held beginning in April, with Interim Pastor Caryn Yoast detailing the current state of the church. Other presentations and small group discussions continued over the summer and into the fall.

“It’s a sign of the times when you have a building that’s lived its lifespan, and the giving membership has declined so that keeping the church is not a wise financial move,” Hock said.

The 93% approval rate to sell means “that the church is united,” he said.

The development is proactive for the congregation’s future health, church leaders said.

While expenses are outpacing revenues, Hock said First Christian has “substantial assets,” including an endowment fund invested in the Christian Church Foundation in Minneapolis, a Disciples of Christ nonprofit.

The church has drawn 5% to 6% of the endowment in the past three years and has permission to withdraw up to 7% annually, according to a newsletter. The Christian Church Foundation’s recommended amount of withdrawal is 4% yearly, it said.

Operating expenses also are being augmented with savings, a $150,000 COVID-relief Economic Injury Disaster Loan and a Property Reserve Fund.

Hatler said the church has enough money to continue operations regardless of whether it sells the 31,000-square-foot building. The savings account had dwindled to less than $8 as of Sept. 22, the church newsletter showed.

“We’re thinking long term so that the sale can happen at the highest and best price,” Hock said.

The property is under an exclusive listing contract with a commercial real estate company and is not yet listed for sale on the market, he said.

Already, there has been “substantial interest,” Hock said, from nonprofit groups and other churches.

A sales price has not yet been determined, he added.

The El Paso County Assessor’s Office lists the market value of the property at $3.5 million.

A committee that’s searching for a new location for members has identified “several very attractive offers,” Hock said.

“The bottom line is the church is a congregation, it’s not a building,” he said.

The congregation was the first Disciples of Christ denomination to start in the Pikes Peak region, being founded in 1878. Members met in homes and other churches until its first building opened in 1891 across from Acacia Park on North Nevada Avenue.

Growth in parishioners led the church to purchase the site on the corner of East Platte and Cascade avenues in 1926. The English Gothic-style church opened in 1935, after fire damaged the original church a few blocks away.

The church acquired an apartment building to the north in 1953 to serve as its education wing.

First Christian started a concert series in 1996 as a way to help raise money for a new pipe organ and became known for hosting community musical performances, opening a public prayer labyrinth on its south side and presenting a welcoming and affirming environment to everyone, including LGBTQ+ people.

“The church has a long and illustrious ministry in serving the community and representing God’s love to all people,” Hatler said. “The church has been very involved in the music and cultural area of the community, and we intend to do our very best to continue that tradition.”

Divesting of the building was not an easy decision, said Hatler, who led a team that studied selling the property.

“It grieves me to see this happen,” he said, “and it grieves people who have been part of the congregation all their lives. Some were on the cradle roll.”

Contact the writer: 719-476-1656.

First Christian Church in downtown Colorado Springs is up for sale after a vote of the congregation.

jerilee bennett, gazette file

Members sing and complete the Community Hymn Sing at First Christian Church-Disciples of Christ.

the gazette file