About Us

Our First Church

St. Stephen's Lutheran Church was officially added to the National Register of Historic Places.

This beautiful building was completed in 1964, and is an exceptional example of mid-century Neo-Expressionist architecture and post-World War II thin-shell concrete engineering techniques. Designed by Boulder-based master architect Charles A. Haertling, St. Stephens uses an inverted vaulted thin-shell roof, which gives the swooping effect of a lily bloom. Haertling designed many buildings in the Boulder area, but this church is a beautiful representation of the use of expressive lines and abstracted shapes in architecture

About St. Stephen's

Before Northglenn was incorporated as a city, Pastor Robert Beard of the United Lutheran Church in America, conducted a survey to investigate the plausibility of establishing a Lutheran church in this area. The result showed both a need and desire for the church. St. Stephen's church came into existence in September, 1960.

In November, 1960, Robert Beard was installed as pastor of St. Stephen's and the church worshiped in the gymnasium of Hulstrom Elementary School in Northglenn.

In 1964 the "white, funny shaped" (an upside down Easter Lily) building at the intersection of Huron Street and Kennedy Drive in Northglenn, CO was completed and dedicated. The architect for our first church was Charles A. Haertling. Watch for a detailed story on the design and construction of the original St. Stephen's Lutheran Church.

In 1967, Pastor Robert Sieckman became the second pastor to serve the congregation. As the church grew, the congregations of St. Stephen's and Good Shepherd Presbyterian churches built the PAL (Presbyterian and Lutheran) building. This building, sitting right in the middle of both churches, still exists but now houses a private Day Care/PreSchool operation.

Pastor Sieckman retired in 1994. A call was extended to Pastor Mark Van House. Pastor Van House resigned in 1996.

Pastor Dave Denzer answered the next call and became pastor of St. Stephen's on December 2, 1997. We experienced a large influx of new families joining our church, defined our mission, and adopted our new slogan.

In November 1999, the St. Stephen's congregation was rededicated as a Mission Congregation as a "rite of passage" into a new era of mission to the unchurched of our community. We have established an exciting direction as a visitor friendly, Christ centered, mission driven congregation.

During Pastor Denzer's tenure we completed the building of a new church building right next door to the old building. Partial credit for this new building goes to United Church Structures. Dedicated in November 2001, we began our mission of sharing the new St. Stephen's Lutheran Church with the world.

Pastor Denzer left for another call and on July 1, 2010 we installed a new pastor, Rev. Tracy Hinkel.

In 2018 Pastor Hinkel received a call that put him closer to family and we are currently taking an adventurous trip through the call process.

Here we are in June of the year 2020, the year of COVID-19, and we have made a call to Pastor Mandy Achterberg and she has accepted. We are now on our way to another new chapter in our story.

Our New church

Built by United Church Structures - Click Here for company information

Northglenn, CO

Click Here for City of Northglenn information.

Picture to the left of Kiwanis Pool in Northglenn.

City of Denver - Click here for information

State of Colorado - Click here for information

Colorado Trip and Road Information -- COtrip.org or CODOT.gov

ELCA



Martin Luther's Seal

The first thing expressed in my seal is a cross, black, within the heart, to put me in mind that faith in Christ crucified saves us. "For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness."

Now, although the cross is black, mortified, and intended to cause pain, yet it does not change the color of the heart, does not destroy nature -- i.e., does not kill, but keeps alive. "For the just shall live by faith," -- by faith in the Savior.

But this heart is fixed upon the center of a white rose, to show that faith causes joy, consolation and peace. The rose is white, not red, because white is the ideal color of all angels and blessed spirits.

This rose, moreover, is fixed in a sky-colored ground, to denote that such joy of faith in the spirit is but an earnest and beginning of heavenly joy to come, as anticipated and held by hope, though not yet revealed.

And around this ground base is a golden ring, to signify that such bliss in heaven is endless, and more precious than all joys and treasures, since gold is the best and most precious metal. Christ, our dear Lord, He will give grace unto eternal life.

Amen.

Martin Luther

While a professor at Wittenberg, Luther devised this seal which he declared was meant to be "expressive of his theology." This explanation is the gist of a letter written to his friend, Herr Spengler, town clerk of Nuremberg.