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Unity Communion Service Brings Together Colorado Springs Churches »

Posted on April 12, 2018

Church members from Rocky Mountain Conference and Central States Conference came together for a joint communion service March 23. “It was a historic event,” said Mike Maldonado, pastor of the Colorado Springs Central Church. 

 The gathering took place on the campus of Springs Adventist Academy in Colorado Springs and brought members from four Colorado Spring congregations -- Central Church, South Church, the Colorado Springs Spanish Church, as well as Palace of Peace Church.

   According to Pastor Maldonado, the initiative for the joint worship service came from Pastor Jaden Miller from Palace of Peace who approached Maldonado about the “need for the churches to do more things together and to find an avenue to foster spiritual unity across conference, church and racial lines.”

   Palace of Peace Lead Elder Ronnie Thornburg stated, "The combined worship was a first step in the reunification of God's church."  
   “The communion service was preceded by an agape feast which included beautifully-decorated tables set up in the
shape of a cross with delicious soup and fruit served,” Maldonado explained.

Ben and Betty Barton, long-time members of the Central Church, shared Maldonado’s comment: "It was wonderful how all the churches came together, and to us, there was no cultural difference; we were all one. We were so blessed by the whole evening. The Holy Spirit was surely felt."

  Retired Pastor Jack Bohannon, a member of the South Church remarked, "I was happy to see people from different churches and different conferences come together in unity at The Lord's Supper."

The evening was a success with 115 members in attendance. “Many responded that an event like this was long over-due and wanted to make sure this worship services become an important annual event,” Maldonado said. "Long past due! Truly The Spirit of unity was felt", said Sarah Mann, Palace of Peace Church clerk and pianist for the service.

   Pastor Maldonado added that in the future, the churches plan to do a pulpit exchange and a combined men's ministry.

--RMCNews with Mike Maldonado; photos by Ted Bauer