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TORKELSON: Springs churches finding new life after trails, tribulations

By Jean Torkelson, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published October 20, 2008 at 12:05 a.m.

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Tribulation has stalked three Colorado Springs churches in unusual ways. After being turned away Sunday by the first, I was inspired to drop in on the other two, to see how they were doing:

Trinity Missionary Baptist Church: Everybody's dressed elegantly, in crisp suits, high heels, beautiful hats. Appearances aside, since May police have been called here nine times to investigate fisticuffs among church members - lending new meaning to the term "spirit-filled."

"Even the city attorney ended up out there," Sgt. Jeff Maxson, a community relations officer, told me last week. It's an age-old complaint - the pastor's leadership. But I couldn't find out more because Pastor James Dotson left the pulpit to tell me himself, politely, he never does business on Sunday (or talk to reporters).

"It's very difficult to sort out," Maxson said, describing it as "a personality clash" with the pastor, who "rubbed some church members the wrong way."

The last clash, mostly pushing and shoving, was three weeks ago. There have been harassment complaints, too.

"We got scars; we've been through some things," prayed Associate Pastor Josie Funchess, "but Lord, we are still here!"

And the crowd shouted "Amen!" which will have to be the final word for now.

Grace Church & St. Stephen's: This gothic landmark has had it all: prestige, prosperity, a storied history - and now, a fight to the death with its former mother church, the Episcopal Diocese.

Out of the limelight for a year, the Rev. Don Armstrong had some fresh news Sunday about the legal battle over who owns this stately property.

The rupture, as in many dioceses around the country, revolves around conservative parishes rejecting the increasingly malleable doctrines of the Episcopal Church for strict, traditional Anglicanism.

Armstrong announced that three former vestry members are being deposed today in the ongoing civil lawsuit, which goes to trial in February. (He'll be deposed soon.)

Still master of the dramatic quote, Armstrong asked for prayers for the vestry members. "Interrogations by the other side are not pretty - pray they can face the enemy who challenges us," he said.

After losing one-third of his parishioners, membership is now back up to 1,400, he told me. Later this year the parish will be joining a newly created province of conservative Anglican churches. And how will he feel if the diocese gets the property? Armstrong shrugged: "Our community is not defined by a building."

New Life Church: Here's tribulation only a fiction writer could love: In 2006, super-evangelist Ted Haggard disgraced the church with a sex scandal. A year later, a gun-wielding maniac stormed the church, killing two.

But this Sunday, it was clear that New Life was, well, brimming with it. The lobby, once refuge to brave-faced loyalists, exploded with people. The bookstore, which had been down to a skinny selection of titles (especially after Haggard's books were removed), looked like Barnes & Noble.

Members say the new pastor, the Rev. Brady Boyd, has restored the 11,000-member church with his Bible-and-person-centered style ("God knows you - and he's crazy about you!"). A French film crew was waiting to interview him on the American election, yet Boyd lingered for 30 minutes or so, just to schmooze with his flock.

"I still get a ton of attention from all over the world," Boyd said later, with a shrug and a take-it-or-leave-it smile.

His wife, Pam, would rather leave it. These days, she said, "We're trying to keep New Life out of the news."

Comments

  • October 20, 2008

    3:48 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    sldfkd writes:

    11,000 people?! Holy Crap!

  • October 20, 2008

    7:22 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    bronco writes:

    Where's Ted Haggard?

  • October 20, 2008

    8:09 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    jay writes:

    hate begets hate

  • October 21, 2008

    1:30 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    SWF writes:

    "Trails" and tribulations? Isn't that "Trials" and tribulations?
    Did the Rocky stop using proof readers?

  • October 27, 2008

    11:01 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    bull666 writes:

    Before all the Don Armstrong problems showed Grace Episcopal Church membership was claimed to be 2400, and after losing 1/3 membership is now up to 1400??? Is this new math or what?