Crossroads Church Enters Discernment

Over the last few months you may have heard that a church in Loveland called Crossroads is  discerning becoming part of the United Church of Christ.  While their affiliation with the Evangelical Covenant Church over the past 28 years has been mostly positive, they have been in active dissent over issues on human sexuality since 2015 and have been searching for a denomination that more closely aligns with their vision and mission to follow a more inclusive, peacemaking path of Jesus.

After two years of exploring and discerning various denominations that more closely align with their values, their church council voted on Feb 25, 2024, to move towards affiliation with the United Church of Christ.  During this time of discernment the lead pastor, Rev. Ryan Howell as well as members of the congregation have been in conversation with our Transitional Conference Minister, Rev. Erin Gilmore , and they have also invited her to preach and be present on a few Sunday mornings for worship. 

Becoming a Church in Discernment

Much like the process for becoming a Member in Discernment, after the church discerned they wanted to move forward with the UCC, members of Crossroads requested a meeting with our Formation and Authorization Subcommittee (FAS) of the Conference Committee on Ministry.  On June 1, 2024, the FAS formally affirmed Crossroads as a “Church in Discernment” with the Rocky Mountain Conference, UCC. 

As a next step in the discernment process, the FAS formed a covenant team that will work with Crossroads during this continued discernment process, members of this team include Rev. Craig Whitcher, Rev. Candace Woods, Rev. Tamara Torres-McGovern, Rev. Phil Campbell, Rev. Erin Gilmore and Rev. Amy Ward.  This team is working with the Crossroads staff and leadership to create opportunities for intentional reflection, prayer, and conversation between Crossroads, Platte Valley Association and the Rocky Mountain Conference. 

Why Now?
Crossroads Church has a long history of community engagement, spiritual vitality and inclusive community. In recent years, the ECC began to draw more strict lines in the sand around human sexuality which meant it was becoming more and more challenging for them to stay as a dissenting voice inside the denomination.  Becoming a church in discernment offers a structured way for Crossroads to explore the covenantal structure, polity, and values of the UCC, and for the Rocky Mountain Conference to learn more about Crossroads Church, its mission and vision and how it sees itself benefiting from and offering gifts to the UCC. 

What’s Next?
Over the next several months there will be opportunities for members of the Conference to learn more about who they are, their vision for their church, and their journey to the UCC. Likewise, this will also be a time for Crossroads members to learn more about and begin to participate in Conference and Association life.  Keep watch in the Together Newsletter for more information.  If you have questions about this process, please contact one of the members of the discernment team listed above. During this time of discernment we invite you to check out their website (which you can find via this link), include them in your prayers, and get curious about what the Spirit is up to in bringing us together in the spirit of the united and united Church.