Bethel Church of the Brethren in Arriba, Colorado, recently completed a 10-year project restoring the church’s recreation center.
The Bethel Community Center activities include church- and individual-sponsored events such as roller-skating, parties, family gatherings, funerals, meetings, Vacation Bible School, get to know your neighbor activities, social events, concerts, movies, recreation, and more, serving a wide range of people. Girl Scouts and 4-H clubs from the neighboring community and neighboring towns use the building for meetings, parties, and recreation. Multiple birthday parties are held, where skating and recreation are a featured part of the party. Youth use the building for basketball/volleyball practice. Neighboring youth groups use the facility for parties.
People from a wide area, including portions of three counties, use the center. It is a project designed to bring together, support, and deepen community engagement. The center also provides a shelter the community may use during catastrophic events.
The mission of Bethel Community Center is to be “A Gathering Place Where Friends Become Family.” From inception, the intent has been to open a modern ADA accessible facility to strengthen this community.
This project demonstrates an innovative way for one rural congregation to address the needs in its local community. Find out more in the Newsline story about Bethel Community Center.
Story courtesy of Newsline, with text by Mary Ann Saffer. Subscribe to Newsline here (it’s free).