Histories of Christianity in our City
Upcoming and Past Events
The Histories of Women Voting Rights in Denver
Histories of Christianity in our City
Friday, January 24, 2025
Center for Colorado Women’s History
The Histories of Women Voting Rights in Denver
In 1893, Colorado became the first state to grant women's suffrage through a popular referendum, marking a significant milestone in the movement for women's voting rights. The following year, Colorado elected three women to its House of Representatives, making them the first female state legislators in United States history.
This event will feature women who lead in our city as historians, archivists, and present day political strategists. Learn how communities of faith both supported and opposed women’s voting rights and the lasting impact of this movement on our city. This will be a memorable moment reflecting on the legacy of those have formed the Histories of Christianity in our City.
Registration is $25
Registration includes:
Miss Peabody's Southern Tea Cakes
Coffee & Tea
Museum General Admission
Arrive early for a private tour, or plan to tour the museum after the event.
Museum admission is available at 9:30am and until 12:30pm.
Seating space at the Center for Colorado Women’s History is limited.
Please register only if you are confirmed to attend.
We believe transformational learning occurs most often in the context of relationships.
We provide a discount to encourage you to attend with someone.
Use the discount code: PLUS1 for discounted registration ($20 per person).
Scholarships available
Questions we will be reflecting on:
What was occurring in this time in our city?
What were the influences on Christianity in our city during this time in history?
How did the people following the way of Jesus respond to the needs of our city?
How was Jesus reflected or distorted by the Church in our city in this time in history?
What can we learn from this moment in our past to guide us in the present and future?
Histories of Christianity in our City 1880 - 1920
Histories of Christianity in our City 1880 - 1920
Friday, August 23, 2024
Montview Presbyterian Church
Histories of Christianity in our City 1880 - 1920
Montview Boulevard Presbyterian Church
Friday, August 23, 8:30am - 1:30pm
8:30 am- 9:00 am - Coffee & Pastries
Café Tres Cuban Bakery
9:00 am - 9:20 am - Opening & Welcome
Welcome to Histories of Christianity in our City 1880 - 1920
MiDian Holmes & Jared Mackey
Co-Directors, Histories of Christianity in our City
Welcome to Montview Boulevard Presbyterian Church
Rev. Clover Reuter Beal
Co-Pastor, Montview Presbyterian Church
9:30 am - 11:00 am - Session One
The Klan’s Control of the City & the Church
Adrian Miller
President, Colorado Council of Churches
The Lasting Wound of the Anti-Chinese Riots of 1880
Linda Jew
Great-granddaughter of Chin Lin Sou
Buildings of Faith: The Architecture of Churches in Denver
Erik Hall
Partner, VTBS Architects
11:00 am - 11:30 am - Coffee & Conversation
11:30 am - 12:45 pm - Session Two
The Tattered Life of Jim Goodheart: How Denver Rescue Mission Began
Blake Nauman
Director of Philanthropy, Denver Rescue Mission
Faith Without Borders: St. Frances Xavier (Mother) Cabrini's Lasting Legacy
The Very Reverend Samuel Morehead
Rector of Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception
Invitation to a 10-Year Project
MiDian Holmes & Jared Mackey
Co-Directors, Histories of Christianity in our City
12:45 pm - 1:30pm - Lunch & Conversations
Registration is $99.
Local coffee, breakfast foods, and lunch are included.
We believe transformational learning occurs most often in the context of relationships.
We provide a discount to encourage you to attend with someone.
Use the discount code: PLUS1 for discounted registration ($79 per person).
Scholarships available
Topics we will be learning from
the Histories of Christianity in our City from 1880-1920
Denver’s population in 1880 is 35,000 and grows to over 250,000 by 1920. With the growth of Denver there is the establishment of new churches and construction of historic worship spaces that form the landscape of faith communities in the city.
Denver is built by an influx of immigrants. There are riots and acts of overt racism in Denver with a dominant presence of the Ku Klux Klan in the city and the Church.
Christian social services meet the needs of the growing city. Denver Rescue Mission, Catholic Charities, Salvation Army, and Children’s Hospital all founded before 1920.
Colorado is the first state to grant women the right to vote. There is both support and opposition to women’s voting rights by leaders in the Church.
Questions we will be reflecting on from
the Histories of Christianity in our City from 1880-1920
What was occurring in this time in our city?
What were the influences on Christianity in our city during this time in history?
How did the people following the way of Jesus respond to the needs of our city?
How was Jesus reflected or distorted by the Church in our city in this time in history?
What can we learn from this moment in our past to guide us in the present and future?
SPEAKERS
Adrian Miller
President, Colorado Council of Churches
Adrian is the executive director of the Colorado Council of Churches, as such, is the first African American, and the first layperson, to hold that position. Adrian is also the co-project director and lead curator for the “Proclaiming Colorado’s Black History” exhibit at the Museum of Boulder. Adrian served as a special assistant to President Bill Clinton with his Initiative for One America to address issues of racial, religious and ethnic reconciliation. Adrian Miller is a food writer, James Beard Award winner, recovering attorney, and certified barbecue judge who lives in Denver, Colorado.
The Very Reverend Samuel Morehead
Rector of Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception
The Very Reverend Samuel Morehead has served as the Rector of the Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception for the last three years, in addition to his responsibilities as Dean, overseeing twelve parishes in the heart of Denver. Father Sam first studied English and broadcasting journalism at the University of Colorado at Boulder before attending St John Vianney Theological Seminary in Denver. With over 100 years of personal family history in the city, he is a Catholic priest with a passion for history: for the persons and stories that still shape us today.
Erik Hall
Partner, VTBS Architects
Erik Hall laid down his creative pen to pursue God’s call in ministry, but discovered the creative drive to design and create beauty was God’s good gift and intention for him all along. He holds an M.Div in Christian Formation and Soul Care from Denver Seminary, and is a Partner and Design Director of Van Tilburg, Banvard and Soderbergh, AIA (VTBS Architects) in Denver, Colorado. Living life holistically without a sacred and secular divide, he understands his calling as “turning it beautiful,” be it through architectural design, pastoring, painting, or shepherding his four children with his wife Amanda.
Blake Nauman
Director of Philanthropy, Denver Rescue Mission
Blake has served in various roles in ministries and nonprofit organizations since 2012 and is currently the Director of Philanthropy at Denver Rescue Mission, where he has worked for 9 years. His passion for homelessness alleviation was furthered during his masters program at Denver Seminary, where he focused his studies on justice, advocacy, and best practice work around serving those experiencing homelessness right here in our city.
In 2019 he became a Certified Fundraising Executive (CFRE) due to his successful tenure as a fundraiser. Blake is a graduate of the University of Colorado’s Leeds School of Business and received his Masters of Arts from Denver Seminary.
A Legacy of Love - The Life of Clara Brown
The life and legacy of Clara Brown is foundational to knowing the Histories of Christianity in our City.
The Histories of the Black Church in Our City before 1880
The history of the relationship between Black & White churches in our city before 1880 is pivotal to having an informed perspective of the Histories of Christianity in our City.
The Complexity and History of Trinity United Methodist Church before 1880
The complexity and history of Trinity United Methodist Church before 1880 is crucial to cultivate an understanding of the Histories of Christianity in our City.
Histories of Christianity in our City before 1880
Histories of Christianity in our City before 1880
Friday, August 25, 2023
Zion Baptist Church
8:30 AM - 12:30 PM
The unheard and unknown perspectives of the past is foundational to remember rightly the Histories of Christianity in our City.
This inaugural event will be a unique opportunity to listen to diverse perspectives on the past, and learn the Histories of Christianity in our City before 1880. A panel of local archivist and historians along with resident local historian. Jeff Johnson, will provide a memorable response to the question, “What was the first church in our city?”
Three dynamic communicators are speaking on how we hold our perspectives of the past. Mark Charles, speaking on “Unsettling Truths”, Brandon Washington on “Remembering Rightly Our Past”, and Dr. Dwinita Mosby Tyler on “Living With What We Learned”.
Histories of Christianity in our City before 1880 is hosted by two women with generations of Colorado family history, MiDian Holmes and Jill Gilley. The inaugural event is hosted at Zion Baptist Church, a historic landmark with a rich legacy of Christianity in our city.
Histories of Christianity in our City before 1880
Coffee & Pastries
Served outside of Zion Baptist Church from 8:00-8:30am
An Invitation to Transformation: Welcome to the Histories Project
MiDian Holmes, The Epitome of Black Excellence & Partnership
Jill Gilley, Mile High Ministries
Welcome to Zion Baptist Church
Rev. Frank Davis, Zion Baptist Church
Remembering Righty Our Past
Brandon Washington, Embassy Christian Bible Church
Unsettling Truths
Mark Charles, author & public speaker
Break
Panel: “What was the first church in our city?”
Jeff Johnson, MileHigh Ministries
Hattie Reeves, Zion Baptist Church
Shaun Boyd, Trinity United Methodist & Colorado History Museum
Living With What We Learned
Dr. Dwinita Mosby Tyler, The Equity Project & Shorter A.M.E.
SPEAKERS
Mark Charles
Mark Charles is a dynamic and thought-provoking public speaker, writer, and consultant. The son of an American woman (of Dutch heritage) and a Navajo man, he teaches with insight into the complexities of American history regarding race, culture, and faith in order to help forge a path of healing and conciliation for the nation. He is one of the leading authorities on the 15th-century’s Doctrine of Discovery and its influence on US history and its intersection with modern-day society. He pastored in Denver for two years. Mark co-authored, along with Soong-Chan Rah, the book entitled “Unsettling Truths: The Ongoing, Dehumanizing Legacy of the Doctrine of Discovery”.
Brandon Washington
Brandon Washington is the Lead Pastor at Embassy Christian Bible Church. He grew up in Dallas, Texas. He has degrees in both Systematic Theology and Apologetics & Ethics from Denver Seminary. Brandon serves on the Board of Trustees for for Denver Seminary, and the author of, “A Burning House: Redeeming American Evangelicalism by Examining Its History, Mission, and Message.” He and his wife, Cheri, and are the parents of Reese and Ellis.
Dr. Dwinita Mosby Tyler
Dr. Dwinita Mosby Tyler specializes in the development and delivery of equity, leadership, diversity, cultural responsiveness, and inclusiveness training programs and strategies. Dr. Mosby Tyler is the former Senior Vice President and Chief Inclusion Officer for Children’s Hospital Colorado—the first Black woman to hold that position in the organization’s 100+ year history. She is also the former Executive Director of the Office of Human Resources for the City and County of Denver—the first Black woman to hold that position in the 63+ year history of the agency.
MiDian Holmes
MiDian Holmes grew up in Denver, Colorado, and has a rich history in our city. She is the product of a multi-generational presence of Black family and Black community. MiDian’s faith story was formative at Berean Bible Church in Denver. MiDian is a mother, mentor, founder of the Epitome of Black Excellence & Partnership, and the owner of 8PM Consulting for Humanity.
Jill Gilley
Jill Gilley grew up in Littleton, Colorado as a fifth-generation resident of the Denver area. Jill’s faith story was formed at Columbine Catholic Church (now St. Frances Cabrini) and through Young Life during her youth. Jill is married with three children and works with Mile High Ministries on strategic partnerships. She has experience in government, business and non-profit sectors.
Program
FAQs
What is the format of the 12 Month Program?
There is an Annual Event hosted the last Friday in August each year to begin the 12 Month Program. Each year the 12 Month Program focuses on a specific period in time in the Histories of Christianity in our City.
The Continuing Conversations are in-depth discussions over the next 12 months.
The Annual Event presentations reflect on the past from diverse perspectives to form a deeper understanding of the Histories of Christianity in our City. The Continuing Conversations provide in-depth insight and context of historical moments, individuals, and events from a specific time period in the past.
Who is curating the content of the 12 Month Program?
There is a council of diverse leaders who follow the Way of Jesus who are serving as advisory voices on the content, topics, and speakers for each year’s program. If you are interested in collaborating with other leaders in curating the content please contact jared@thesacredgrace.com.