Set in a suburban neighborhood just outside of Downtown Littleton, Littleton United Methodist Church has anchored its corner of the city since 1890. The congregation gathers under the simple three-word motto Faith. Life. Together. and lives out a vision of being a Christian extended family on a mission that embodies the grace, peace, and hospitality of Jesus for all people. Over more than a century, LUMC has grown into a full ministry campus with a Sanctuary, a Chapel, a Fellowship Hall, a commercial kitchen, an early learning center, and a columbarium, all surrounded by multiple parking lots and entries off Datura, Gallup, and Shepperd Streets.
A 130-Year Foundation in Littleton
Littleton United Methodist Church traces its roots to 1890, when a small group of worshipers first organized in the town. From those early days, the church has stayed committed to being an inclusive community of faith that welcomes and engages all people with God's grace, peace, and love. The congregation's stated mission is to grow committed followers of Jesus Christ as they do faith and life together for love of Littleton and the world.
That longevity shows up in the rhythms of parish life: a long-standing tradition of chancel and youth choirs, a drama ministry that has produced musicals for decades, a preschool that has shaped generations of Littleton families, and outreach partnerships that have crossed state and international borders.
Two Sunday Services and a Contemplative Start
Worship at LUMC is rooted in a traditional style that pairs classic hymns with prayers and a relevant message from the pastor. The Sunday rhythm actually begins at 7:35 a.m. with a Silent Centering Prayer Service in the Chapel. This gathering includes time to connect, a short reading, a scripture passage, twenty minutes of contemplative Centering Prayer rooted in early Christianity, and a closing prayer. Participants can join in person or online.
At 8:30 a.m., the first full worship service begins in the Sanctuary. This service features hymns, prayers, and a message from the ministry. During the school year the youth choir CrossFire leads the music, while summer brings soloists, ensembles, and other special music. The second service begins at 11:00 a.m. in the Sanctuary and runs in the same traditional format. The Chancel Choir sings for most of the year; in the summer, a walk-in Summer Choir open to all takes its place. The sacrament of Holy Communion is offered at both services on the first Sunday of every month.
Each week, the 11:00 a.m. service is livestreamed so that those unable to attend in person can worship from home. Replays and individual sermon videos are also posted online, and the church shares Children's Messages, anthems, and devotionals in chronological order through its online media archive.
Sunday mornings also include Sunday School for preschool through Grade 5 from 9:45 to 10:45 a.m., and four adult Sunday School classes that meet in the same hour. Every service includes a Children's Message, after which children are invited to move to the Children's Ministry area for Children's Church or remain with their families. A nursery is available for infants up to two years old throughout the morning.
Children and Family Ministries
Children's and Family Ministry at LUMC serves infants through Grade 5 and is led by Director Lisa Perkins, who holds a Master's in Education and previously taught elementary school in Austin, Texas. The program runs year-round and includes Sunday School, Children's Church for third through fifth graders at both worship services, and the nursery for ages zero to three.
Fellowship offerings throughout the year include family movie nights, sprinkler parties, holiday celebrations, craft parties, pageants, and summer camps. The annual Trick-or-Treat Street transforms Grant Fellowship Hall into a candy stop for neighbors and the wider community, and Bible Boot Camp gathers third through fifth graders for four Sunday afternoons of hands-on learning. Children's Council, which is open to all interested parents and volunteers, meets throughout the school year to plan these events.
Youth and Young Adult Ministries
The Youth Ministries program at LUMC provides year-long opportunities for teenagers ages thirteen through eighteen. Students come together for worship and study, participate in on- and off-campus events, play in sports leagues, and grow through mission trips, outreach, and service. Director Lizzy Flavin-Pine, who earned her B.A. in Biblical Studies from Colorado Christian University and a Certificate in Youth Ministry Leadership from Yale Divinity School, leads the program.
LUMC's youth ministry is intentionally intergenerational in outlook. The congregation believes that faith grows stronger when families and the church walk together, so the program partners with youth families, supports parents, and creates opportunities for connection both at home and in the church. UMYF, the United Methodist Youth Fellowship, meets Sunday evenings and is followed by CrossFire choir rehearsals, creating a regular mid-week rhythm for teens.
A Music Ministry for Every Voice
Music is woven into nearly every corner of LUMC. Under Director of Music and Fine Arts Ministries Dr. David Kates, who has served the church since 1991 and holds music degrees from LSU, Sam Houston State, and CU Boulder, the program supports musicians of all ages and experience levels.
- Chancel Choir leads worship at the 11:00 a.m. service most weeks and performs at additional services and concerts throughout the year. Rehearsals are Thursdays from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. No audition required.
- CrossFire, the middle and high school youth choir, leads the 8:30 a.m. service during the school year and rehearses after UMYF on Sunday evenings. No audition required.
- Jubilation Choir is a community of adult singers that meets Wednesdays at 10:00 a.m. in the Reception Hall for fellowship and rehearsal. The choir performs at selected events and services. No audition required.
- Music and Movement welcomes children preschool through fifth grade to explore music and movement each Sunday morning from 10:25 to 10:45 a.m., with the children singing at the 11:00 a.m. service throughout the year.
- Chancel Ringers is the adult and advanced youth handbell choir that adds a distinctive dimension to worship services and participates in area handbell festivals.
- Youth Ringers offers handbell experience to students in grades six through twelve, rehearsing on selected Sunday evenings and attending a festival each spring.
Church Organist Susan Cicirello brings decades of experience to the program, having served as organist and choir director at Lutheran and Presbyterian churches across the Denver area and accompanied the Denver Lutheran Chorale and Cherry Creek Chorale.
Adult Ministries and Lifelong Learning
Sunday morning classes at 9:45 a.m. give adults several paths for study and fellowship:
- Seekers meets in the Reception Hall and rotates through Bible and theology, social issues, and personal growth topics, with members and guest speakers sharing the teaching.
- Friends in Faith meets in Room 204 and gathers a wide age range of couples and singles for open discussion that ranges from traditional to progressive perspectives.
- Fantastic Fellowship (also called Crusaders) meets in the Parlor year-round for in-depth Bible study and lively discussion, with monthly social events for connection beyond class.
- Explorers meets in Grant Fellowship Hall and focuses on books about Progressive Christianity, Process Theology, Christian history, and world religions.
On weekday evenings, the Enlightening Gospels study group meets on alternate Mondays from 6:50 to 8:00 p.m. on Zoom to explore non-canonical gospels such as the Gospel of Thomas and the Gospel of Philip alongside writers including Cynthia Bourgeault.
LUMC also runs structured class series for the wider congregation. Recent offerings have included Radicle Methodism, a fresh look at the foundational roots of the United Methodist Church; The After Party, a course on engaging across political differences through the lens of the Gospel; and What in the World, a discussion series tied to the denomination's Social Principles. Classes are recorded and made available online after they meet.
Hands Reaching Out: Missions and Outreach
Outreach at LUMC stretches from the church's own neighborhood to the far corners of the globe. The Missions team organizes work beyond the local Denver area, while the Church and Society Committee focuses on the immediate community.
International partnerships have run deep. LUMC has maintained ties with Ganta United Methodist Hospital in northeast Liberia for over fifteen years, with a current covenant relationship with Missionary Priscilla Jaiah, Superintendent at Ganta Mission Station. Bibles and hymnals retired from LUMC's own library have been sent to Ganta for use in chapel. The congregation also raised funds in 2014 for a well at the United Methodist Church in Bopolu, Liberia.
Nationally, LUMC adult mission teams traveled to the UMCOR West Depot in Salt Lake City for ten consecutive years to assemble school and hygiene kits for disaster relief. In recent years, mission teams have also worked at La Puente Home in Alamosa, Colorado, a nonprofit serving the San Luis Valley with food, shelter, and advocacy for people experiencing homelessness and crisis.
Locally, the Church and Society Committee organizes regular service with partner organizations: providing after-school snacks at North Littleton Promise, preparing a hot dish for HAAT Force, tutoring kids through Whiz Kids, collecting diapers for Love INC, providing Christmas gift bags for seniors at Cherrelyn Care Center, and running the annual Ready, Set, School backpack supply drive for Integrated Family Community Services. Giving Heart and Grow Local Colorado also receive ongoing support. New and gently used hats, gloves, sleeping bags, sweats, and thermals are gathered during the annual Winter Clothing Drive for the Life Center.
Justice Team and Green Team
Two Outreach subcommittees channel members' convictions into specific work. The Justice Team, grounded in the Social Principles of the United Methodist Church, meets on the last Sunday of every month at 12:10 p.m. following the second service. Members learn, write letters, advocate, take stands, and volunteer to bring God's Kingdom closer to earth, focusing on the marginalized and the most vulnerable.
The Green Team carries the motto Stepping Up for Planet Earth. The group meets on the third Wednesday of each month at 5:00 p.m. and engages in a rotating slate of activities, including an annual recycling drive, bi-yearly church grounds cleanups, sorting donated supplies at Project Cure, apple gleaning with Grow Local Colorado, yearly trash removal from the South Platte River, and informational sessions on environmental topics.
Groups and Gatherings
Around the edges of Sunday worship, LUMC hosts a steady calendar of small groups, support circles, and fellowship gatherings. The Recovery Group meets Monday evenings at 6:00 p.m. in the Parlor for anyone seeking freedom from substances or other difficulties. Circle of Grace gathers Mondays at 2:00 p.m. in the Parlor as a confidential, judgment-free space for people facing addiction, grief, anxiety, codependency, or the general weight of life. Senior Pastor Chris Carr facilitates the group, with Director of Operations Kacy Popovich as the contact for newcomers.
Men are invited to F.E.L.L.O.W.s, Friends Eating Lunch Locally On Wednesdays, which meets every Wednesday at 11:30 a.m. at Romano's. Women gather for G.A.L.S., Gals at Lunch Socializing, on the first Friday of every month at 11:30 a.m., with locations chosen each month. A Grief Support Group meets Thursdays from 10:30 a.m. to noon in the Parlor. United Women in Faith connects women through spiritual formation, leadership development, fellowship, and education, and Senior Movie Monday hosts a free monthly screening with popcorn on the first Monday of each month.
Good Together: A Monthly Welcome to the Table
Good Together is LUMC's free community meal, served the second Wednesday of every month from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. in Grant Fellowship Hall. Open to everyone regardless of faith or background, the buffet-style meal is meant to nourish body, spirit, and community in a welcoming, safe place. Guests can store belongings along the wall, and accessible entry is available through Door 6 on Shepperd Avenue. Volunteers, including non-members, are always welcome.
Memorial Services, the Building, and the Encore Players
LUMC offers full funeral, memorial, and graveside services, supported by planning assistance with the pastor and staff, music selection through the Music Ministry, livestreaming when available, and a reception coordinated by United Women in Faith. The Sanctuary seats up to 780 for a larger service, while the Chapel holds up to 75 for a more intimate setting. Reception spaces include Grant Fellowship Hall, which seats up to 200, and the Parlor, which seats up to 100. Pre-planning is welcomed, and the church also offers columbarium niches for the permanent placement of cremated remains within the church's sacred setting.
Beyond worship and memorials, the LUMC campus opens its doors to community use. Six flexible rooms, including the Reception Hall, Parlor, Conference Room, Chapel, Sanctuary, and Grant Fellowship Hall, can be reserved for community events, education forums, weddings, retirement parties, birthday and baby showers, and more. A fully equipped commercial-grade kitchen with appliances, smallwares, and supplies is available to rent for catering operations and food-related events, with pricing on a flexible sliding scale.
The Encore Players, formed in the 1980s as the church's Drama Ministry, rounds out the artistic life of LUMC. Led by Kelly Kates and Renee Posey, the group produces liturgical, comedic, and musical theater free of charge to the public, with past productions ranging from The Music Man and Oliver! to Godspell, Harvey, and Jesus Christ Superstar. Performances are staged in the Sanctuary as part of the Terrific Tuesday Seniors Ministry, the LUMC Fine Arts Festival, Western Welcome Week, and a summer musical every other year.
Great Escape Early Learning Center
Sharing the LUMC campus, the Great Escape Early Learning Center is the church's outreach ministry for the youngest residents of Littleton. A fully licensed Colorado Shines Level 4 facility and CCCAP provider for qualifying families, Great Escape offers full- and part-time toddler and preschool programs under Director Amy Hunter, whose background includes a Bachelor's degree in Early Childhood and Elementary Education along with an Early Childhood Director Certification.
The curriculum includes daily music class and hands-on arts and crafts projects, with academic and social-emotional programming designed to prepare children for every marker of kindergarten readiness.
Getting Connected
Littleton United Methodist Church sits in a suburban neighborhood just outside of Downtown Littleton, with a private parking lot and on-street parking. Designated ADA spaces are located streetside along Shepperd Avenue with limited spaces in the South Lot, and accessible entry is available through Doors 6 and 7. Visitors can watch the 11:00 a.m. service each week online and find archived sermons, Children's Messages, anthems, and devotionals at the church's media site.
Giving is supported in multiple ways, including online through Elexio, by check mailed to the church office, by Zelle sent to the church's email address, and through the King Soopers Community Rewards program. The congregation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, and contributions are tax deductible.
The staff office is open Monday through Thursday from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., and the church publishes a weekly newsletter each Thursday with activities, announcements, and updates. To learn more about any of the ministries described above, visitors are invited to reach out to the office by phone at 303-794-6379 or by email at info@littletonumc.org.