The DHT’s Newest Congregation
The diocese’s newest congregation will be worshipping again this Sunday afternoon in Erie, Colorado. As it has monthly since January, the Colorado Mission Community will meet at 1:30 p.m. for Eucharist and fellowship at Erie Methodist Church, in a worship building built in 1888.
As with every month that they have met, they will be joined by Fr. Nicholas Harrelson, the priest-in-charge for the mission community. A graduate of Duke Divinity School in Durham, N.C., Fr. Harrelson was ordained to the priesthood in May 2023 by Abp. Mark Haverland, with Bp. Scarlett preaching at the service.
At the April 28 service, Bp. Scarlett and Fr. Harrelson prepare to administer the Eucharist
Last month, the congregation observed the Eastertide season with an April 28 Sung Eucharist led by Bp. Scarlett. The sermon by Fr. Harrelson was entitled “Holy Spirit comfort from life lived together: Lessons from Scripture and the US Army.” Bp. Scarlett and Fr. Harrelson were joined at the altar by Ryan Casson of St. Mary’s Denver, who is pursuing diaconal ordination in the DHT. The worship service featured both longtime members and invited guests from the community.
Afterward, the community (including numerous children) celebrated the Easter feast with a catered meal, outside the church facility. The meal included hand-pulled English cask ale delivered from Denver by the owner of Hogshead Brewery.
About the Colorado Mission Community
The Colorado Mission Community was founded by a nucleus of families in the Boulder-Ft. Collins area, who meet monthly for worship and fellowship. Some previously worshipped at St. Matthew’s in Newport Beach, and are seeking to offer to the Northern Denver suburbs the same vibrant worship and fellowship they experienced in California.
In the Diocese of the Holy Trinity, a “Mission Community” is a group of laity seeking to form an official mission, which is a congregation that is officially recognized and supported by the diocese as it seeks to become a self-supporting parish.