Until now, Castle Rock Adventist Hospital has been the only Adventist presence in Castle Rock, Colorado. That’s about to change on April 8, when the Castle Rock Seventh-day Adventist Church officially holds its grand opening celebration.
With more than 55,000 residents, Castle Rock is a growing hub for families and young professionals who call the vibrant, south-side Denver suburb home. In 2011, leaders of Adventist Health System saw the strategic potential for opening a hospital in this burgeoning community, so they built Castle Rock Adventist Hospital as a part of the family of five Adventist hospitals serving the greater Denver community.
The new church plant is the culmination of many prayers and dreams. For years, leaders from the Rocky Mountain Conference prayed for the opportunity to establish a church presence in Castle Rock. Hospital administrators had a similar vision. Church members living in the area who currently drive varying distances to other area churches have longed for a beacon of hope closer to home.
The Castle Rock Church plant is a wonderful example of the synergy that can happen between individuals and groups who experience a similar calling on their hearts. Hospital leaders are providing resources and meeting space, conference officials are supplying a salary for the pastor during the start-up phase and community members are enthusiastically supporting the birth of this new church family.
For several years, an informal launch team has met periodically to plan, pray and dream. Led by people like David Martinez, director of mission development at the hospital, and Clint Watson, director of radiologic imaging, the core team has been meeting to discuss ways to combine their love for Christ with a mission to serve the community’s needs for healing and wholeness.
The Rocky Mountain Conference invited Godfrey Miranda to join the team as pastor. Godfrey, his wife Debbie and their three young children have moved to Colorado from Modesto, California. They bring a young, vibrant energy that meshes well with the large millennial population in the Castle Rock area.
“We are so blessed to be working in a community where the road has been so well paved,” says Miranda. “The hospital has a wonderful reputation here, and we are building on the shoulders of what they’ve already accomplished. When you think about a church being at a hospital, the metaphor of being a place of healing is really just perfect!”
Eric Nelson, executive secretary for the Rocky Mountain Conference, is excited about what God is already doing in Castle Rock. “With our hospital presence, we’ve had golden opportunities to imprint on the community there, and with this new phase of expanded ministry presence, we can’t wait to see how God will continue to impact Castle Rock,” he says. “Pastor Miranda comes to us with the highest recommendations, and his skill set is uniquely qualified for the challenges of a church plant like this. We are so thankful to have him and his family join our Rocky Mountain team.”
Todd Folkenberg, CEO of Castle Rock Adventist Hospital, says, “We are just glad to be a part of what God is doing in our community. This is bigger than any one person or group; it’s obvious to all involved that God has ordained this new congregation. It’s a perfect extension of our stated mission of extending the healing ministry of Christ.”
All are invited to attend the Castle Rock Seventh-day Adventist Church’s grand opening celebration on April 8. Details are available on the church website at CastleRockAdventist.church.
—This article was submitted by Stephen King, senior vice president for Rocky Mountain Adventist Health/Centura Health, where he serves the five Adventist hospital campuses in Colorado. It was written by Mark Bond.
