A Denver Landmark Born from a Garden Accident
South Broadway Christian Church has stood at the corner of Lincoln and Ellsworth streets in Denver for more than 130 years. The Disciples of Christ congregation occupies a building designated as a Landmark by Historic Denver, and its sandstone walls hold a story that begins not with a preacher but with a flower garden and a stumble.
In the summer of 1888, Henrietta Sutton was tending her garden near South Broadway and Bayaud Avenue when she tripped over a wire and fell. Her injuries proved fatal. Her husband, John Sutton, was comforted in those final hours by the Reverend Bayard Craig, then pastor of Central Christian Church at 20th and Broadway. A year later, grieving and seeking a way to honor his wife, Sutton offered Craig twelve thousand dollars - a remarkable sum at the time - to start a new congregation in the South Broadway neighborhood. Craig prayed about it, abandoned his plans to move to California, and accepted.
On January 16, 1890, thirty-eight people gathered at 50 West 2nd Avenue, signed a covenant, and founded what became South Broadway Christian Church. The early congregation grew so quickly that Sutton erected a large tent, which they called a "Tabernacle," near his home. For two years, services drew five hundred to six hundred worshipers who braved potbellied stoves in winter and umbrellas in the rain. The cornerstone of the permanent building was laid on June 28, 1891, with Governor John L. Routt presiding. Henrietta Sutton's Bible was placed beneath the stone. The first baptism was held on May 1, 1892, and the sanctuary was dedicated five weeks later with eight hundred Sunday School children marching in from the old tent.
Sutton eventually gave nearly thirty thousand dollars - almost half the total cost of construction - to his church. He asked only for permission to live in two rooms in the tower of the building for the rest of his days. He died in 1901 and was buried at Riverside Cemetery. The congregation still remembers him as "Uncle John," the father of South Broadway. In 2015, the church marked its 125th anniversary by restoring those tower rooms, completing fifteen years of building work largely funded by the Colorado State Historical Society.
An Open and Affirming Congregation
South Broadway describes itself as "an Open and Affirming faith community." It welcomes people of every race, national and ethnic origin, language, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, family organization, economic status, political belief, ability, faith origin, and religious belief. The church belongs to the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), a Protestant denomination that has been part of the American landscape since the early 1800s. Its regional body is the Central Rocky Mountain Region, which connects South Broadway with other Disciples congregations across Colorado and Wyoming.
The congregation's self-description borrows from a 1934 poem written within the church: "Warm Hearts, Open Minds, Adventurous Spirit." Warm Hearts points to a commitment to care for one another and for those beyond the walls of the church. Open Minds signals a willingness to ask difficult questions, name doubts, hold tension in differences, and welcome diverse perspectives. Adventurous Spirit describes a readiness to try new ways of living into ministry and connecting with the surrounding community.
Worship, Communion, and Belonging
The Disciples of Christ practice two central acts: baptism by immersion at an age of accountability, and the celebration of the Lord's Supper each time the congregation gathers. South Broadway takes communion every Sunday. The church practices "open communion," meaning that everyone is welcome at the table - "Our Lord is the host, not the ministers or Elders." Baptisms performed in other traditions are also recognized.
Becoming a member requires no classes. The only question asked of someone who wishes to join is whether they believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God, and receive him as Lord and Savior. Membership is available during any worship service by speaking with one of the pastors or Elders.
The chalice, the recognized symbol of the Disciples of Christ, anchors the congregation's worship. Red wine within the white cup represents the blood Christ shed and his purity. A St. Andrew's Cross inside the chalice recalls the denomination's Scottish heritage and the call to share the good news with all people. The essential words around the table - taken, blessed, broken, and given - shape how the church understands both the sacrament and its life together.
Children, Youth, and Family
Children and youth are deeply woven into the life of South Broadway. All adults working with young people carry current background checks.
The nursery is staffed on Sunday mornings with professional caretakers for infants and toddlers up to age three. During worship, children in pre-K through third grade are invited to the front of the sanctuary for a Children's Sermon before heading upstairs to Worship and Wonder, a nationally recognized, interactive learning model held in the Balcony House above the Great Hall.
Older youth meet in three traditional Disciples groups: JYF for grades three through five, Chi Rho for grades six through eight, and CYF for grades nine through twelve. Each summer, young people have the chance to attend camp at LaForet Camp and Conference Center in the Black Forest of Colorado, a regional Disciples property. Campers consistently describe it as the highlight of their summer. The Women's Fellowship group also funds scholarships to help church children attend.
Community Outreach and Mission
South Broadway describes itself as "an outreach/mission oriented church that reaches beyond our doors to the community and the world." The Outreach Team plans service projects and seeks opportunities to address the needs of those outside the congregation.
Mission trips in recent years have gone to Costa Rica, the Navajo Work Camp near Shiprock, New Mexico (twenty years of service), San Luis Valley, Colorado with Habitat for Humanity, and post-Katrina rebuilding in New Orleans. The church, working with other Disciples congregations in the Central Rocky Mountain Region, continues to plan new projects. Mission work is led by Ed Hawkins, Minister of Mission.
One of the congregation's longest commitments is to the Women's Homelessness Initiative. Since 2011, a consortium of interfaith congregations from the Capitol Hill area has joined together to offer safe shelter to twenty homeless women every night of the year. Volunteers are always needed.
The community garden, planted each spring and summer by volunteers, feeds the church family in early harvests. Later in the season, its produce goes to support children and families at College View Elementary. The garden is coordinated by Judy Pendleton.
Prayer Shawls, Fair Trade, and Women's Fellowship
The Prayer Shawl Ministry is a prayerful, spiritual practice that reaches out to those in need of comfort and joy. Each shawl, lap robe, or baby blanket is knit or crocheted with intention and given as a tangible reminder of love and care. A group meets weekly on Wednesday evenings from 5:30 to 7:00 in the conference room - meetings pause during July and August. The ministry is coordinated by Ginger Lewis.
The Fair Trade Exchange sells coffee, tea, chocolates, nuts, fruits, and Palestinian olive oil on Sundays to support growers in the developing world with fair market value.
Two women's groups gather for fellowship, study, and service. The Christian Women's Fellowship (CWF) hosts the Study Group, and a separate Social and Service Group meets the second Saturday of each month at 8:30 a.m. - members bring their own breakfast. Past projects have included canned food drives, donations to the Tennyson Center for Children's "Dress a Child" program, Blankets+ donations through Church World Service, scholarships for camp, funeral receptions, baby and wedding showers, and the annual church Thanksgiving dinner.
Music, Sunday School, and the Building
A volunteer ensemble currently sings during Sunday morning worship. An Adult Sunday School class meets on Sundays and welcomes adults of all ages. Tuesday-evening book and film series offer further study and conversation.
The historic building in the heart of central Denver is available for weddings and events. The facility has two on-site parking lots for guests. Rehearsals are scheduled the day before a ceremony, and the wedding party may arrive three hours ahead. A deposit is required, with the balance due three weeks before the event.
Leadership and Staff
The church is led by a four-person ministry staff. Phil Munsterman serves as Executive Director, a 2024 graduate who completed his Master of Divinity with high honors and the DOC Outstanding Graduate Award and who is beginning doctoral studies at Phillips Theological Seminary. Ann Munsterman is Minister of Pastoral Care. Richard Ward serves as Minister of Worship and Membership. Leah Kabira is Minister of Digital Ministry.
Four boards share governance. The General Board approves the annual budget and policy changes. Elders oversee the spiritual life of the congregation, preside at the communion table, and support members. Trustees handle legal transactions, investments, and memorials. Deacons prepare and serve communion each Sunday and provide acolytes for the services. Ministry Teams - including Worship, Resources, Facilities, Youth and Education, Outreach, Communication, and Engagement - carry out the ongoing work of the church.
Sunday school classes for adults, weekly Prayer Shawl gatherings, women's fellowship circles, and seasonal community dinners form the steady rhythm of life at South Broadway Christian Church, where an 1890 act of generosity still shapes a congregation that aims to keep its heart warm, its mind open, and its spirit adventurous.