Edgewater United Methodist Church

In 1890, a small group of families gathered in a humble tent on Chase Street. This marked the beginning of Edgewater United Methodist Church’s journey. They called it the Edgewater Mission. Can you imagine worshiping in a tent with board sides and a simple floor? O.L. Fisher, Superintendent of the Denver Mission, delivered the first sermons. This tiny congregation, led by individuals like Mrs. Phoebe Ricker, was determined to build a spiritual community in a burgeoning town. Edgewater United Methodist Church wasn’t just about Sunday services. The Epworth League of the Edgewater Mission actively campaigned against saloons in the 1890s. Their petition in 1896, containing 100 signatures, successfully convinced the county commissioners in Golden to deny several saloon licenses. This demonstrated their commitment to shaping the moral fabric of their community. As Edgewater grew, so did the church. A wooden building replaced the tent in 1897 at 27th and Depew. By 1902, with over 100 families in Edgewater, they built a new church at 26th and Depew. In the late 1910s, a vision for unity took shape. Reverend Roy H. McVicker spearheaded the creation of the Edgewater Community Church. This brought five denominations under one roof. The new Edgewater Community Church building at 25th and Fenton opened in November 1921. The congregation marched from the old building to the new one, 170 strong, for their first service in their grand new space. Edgewater’s post-World War II growth prompted further expansion at the Fenton Street location. An education wing was added in 1957. The original structure was replaced with a sanctuary, chapel, offices, and other facilities in 1965. In 1968, a merger with the Evangelical United Brethren Church resulted in the renaming to Edgewater United Methodist Church. The mortgage was finally paid off, celebrated with a mortgage burning ceremony in 1980. Throughout the years, the church remained a pillar of the community, engaged in local and international service. Even with recent pauses in regular services, Edgewater United Methodist Church’s legacy of community engagement continues. The building hosts A Child’s Place daycare, community groups, and the Edgewater Collective, demonstrating the enduring spirit established in that simple tent over a century ago.