On a quiet residential street on the west side of Longmont, Longs Peak United Methodist Church has gathered as a congregation since 1979. The building at 1421 Elmhurst Drive sits among homes shaded by mature trees, and the people who walk through its doors each Sunday come from across this northern Colorado city and the surrounding Boulder County communities. The congregation's tagline, "Together, We All Belong," signals what draws people in: a worshiping community that welcomes everyone and takes seriously both the long story of Methodism and the lives of its neighbors today.
From Main Street to Elmhurst Drive
Longs Peak United Methodist Church traces its roots to April 9, 1911, when 21 charter members organized as the United Brethren Church of Longmont under their first pastor, the Rev. J. N. Hanes. The small group met in a rented building at 834 Main Street until their sanctuary at 7th and Coffman was completed and dedicated in January 1912.
That church building served a growing congregation through the post-war years, with expansions to match the growth. In 1946, the United Brethren Church merged with the Evangelical Church, becoming the Evangelical United Brethren Church. A second major merger followed in 1968, when the EUB joined with The Methodist Church to create The United Methodist Church, and the Longmont congregation took the name Longs Peak United Methodist Church.
By the late 1970s, the original 7th and Coffman location was too close to another United Methodist church in town, so the congregation decided to relocate. The members met temporarily at Longmont Estates School for two years while their current home was built. The land at 1421 Elmhurst Drive was donated by the Hover Board in exchange for meeting space for residents of nearby Hover Manor. The first service in the new building was held on October 28, 1979.
Two Sunday Mornings at 9 and 10:45
Worship is the heart of life at Longs Peak UMC, and the church offers two Sunday services so that more people can find a seat. The earlier service at 9:00 a.m. runs alongside Spark Kids, the children's program for that hour. The later service begins at 10:45 a.m. A fellowship time fills the space between the two. Both services are livestreamed on YouTube for those who cannot attend in person.
The worship style is blended, drawing on both traditional and contemporary expressions of United Methodist worship. On any given Sunday, music might be led by the chancel choir, the handbell choir, the a cappella choir, or the praise team, and instrumentalists add to the mix.
A Welcoming and Inclusive Church
The congregation describes itself as an inclusive church that does not discriminate "on any level, on grounds of economic power, gender, mental health, physical ability, race, or sexuality." Members believe in a church "which welcomes and serves all people in the name of Jesus Christ," that is "scripturally faithful" and "seeks to proclaim the Gospel afresh for each generation." The phrase they use to capture this vision comes from Ephesians 3: grasping "how wide and how long and high and deep is the Love of Jesus Christ."
An Inclusion Initiative team carries this commitment forward. The group gathers regularly to stay current on advocacy needs, share ideas, and organize programs that help "queer folks and all marginalized people" feel treasured in church. Their public message is simple: "Together We All Belong."
Music at the Heart of Worship
Music has long been a vital part of ministry at Longs Peak UMC. The program includes a Choir, a Praise Team, an A Cappella Choir, and a Handbell Choir, all of which perform regularly during weekly worship. Music Director Parker Steinmetz, a Greeley native and Hastings College graduate, brings more than twenty years of experience as a singer, instrumentalist, and conductor, most recently serving as music director at First Congregational UCC in Longmont.
Small Groups for Every Schedule
Fellowship and study are woven into the rhythm of the week. There is a group for nearly any schedule:
- Sunday Study Group meets at 6:30 p.m. via Zoom, using current books and the weekly focus chapter as the basis for open discussion.
- Monday Women's Bible Study gathers on Zoom at 7:00 p.m. for an hour of study, with members taking turns leading.
- Wednesday Men's Breakfast meets online for informal fellowship on everything from astronomy to Longmont happenings.
- Thursday Women's Study meets in person at 10:00 a.m., often using materials focused on women in the Bible.
- Saturday Men's Book Study starts at 7:30 a.m. with coffee, donuts, and an hour of prayer and discussion.
For younger adults, The Table gathers in the spring and fall for a culinary Bible study and hosts social events around the Colorado Front Range.
Family and Children
Children have a clear place in Sunday morning life through Spark Kids, the children's ministry offered at the 9:00 a.m. service. The program is staffed by trained, background-checked volunteers who lead Bible stories, games, and creative activities in age-appropriate rooms. Special family events throughout the year help families support one another as the youngest members of the congregation grow in faith.
Caring Ministries: Rides, Grief Support, and Inclusion
Caring for one another and for the wider community is central to who the church is. Three efforts stand out.
Access LPUMC offers free rides to and from Sunday services for anyone who needs them. Safe Sanctuaries-approved volunteers handle the driving, and requests go through the church office by the Thursday before the Sunday someone would like to attend.
GriefShare is a 13-week, video-based grief support program that uses group discussion and a workbook to walk participants through the grief journey. Topics include loneliness, anxiety, anger, and how to recognize when grief has become something more serious. Anyone grieving the death of a family member or friend is welcome, whether the loss is recent or long ago.
United Women in Faith (UWF) connects women of the church for Christian spiritual formation, leadership development, fellowship, and mission. The local chapter is part of a national organization with roots going back to 1869, when eight Methodist Episcopal women formed the Woman's Foreign Missionary Society.
Local and Global Missions
The Missions Team looks for ways to be "the hands and feet of Christ" both close to home and far away. Locally, the congregation provides a monthly meal at the OUR Center and at the HOPE shelter and partners with Longmont Helping Hands. Globally, the church supports a social worker in Kenya through the Center for Health and Hope and partners with Noor El-Salam in Lebanon to deliver humanitarian aid and education to refugee children.
The Team
Rev. Jeremiah Harris leads the congregation as Lead Pastor. An ordained Elder in the Mountain Sky Conference of the United Methodist Church and a native Coloradan, Jeremiah holds a Master of Divinity from Iliff School of Theology in Denver and previously served as associate pastor at First United Methodist in Loveland and as a police chaplain. He is joined by his spouse, Rev. Lee Anderson-Harris, an ordained Deacon.
Jase Schiereck serves as Program Director, bringing a decade of experience in family ministries, connectional outreach, teaching, and preaching. Parker Steinmetz directs the music program. Alex Anderson manages the church's administrative life as Office Manager, and Thomas Chuang serves as Tech Specialist, supporting worship services and the many events that pass through the building each year.
Visiting Longs Peak UMC
First-time visitors are greeted at the door with a warm welcome and a sense that they belong. The office is open Monday through Thursday from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., and the phone rings at (303) 776-0399. Giving is simple: there is a collection bin as worshipers enter and exit the sanctuary, an online giving portal through Vanco, and an electronic funds transfer option for regular gifts.
Sunday mornings at 9:00 and 10:45, with coffee between, have been the rhythm of this Longmont congregation for more than a century in spirit and nearly five decades at 1421 Elmhurst Drive.