HarvestDowntown is a young, urban congregation with a clear call to serve the city of Colorado Springs, Colorado. Even the church’s name is spelled without a space—HarvestDowntown—to symbolize that the church is connected to its city. Lead Pastor Kurt Trempert said, “We are deeply committed to being in and serving downtown.”

Like many urban congregations, HarvestDowntown meets in a historic building. The facility was originally constructed by a Presbyterian church in 1898. Though it has been updated and expanded repeatedly during its 120-year history, because of its age much of the building is not subject to current building codes or accessibility requirements. The church’s restrooms—added when the building was retrofitted with indoor plumbing—are small and difficult to access. The sloped floor and fixed seating in the original worship center made it challenging for wheelchair users to attend Sunday services.

Pastor Kurt explained that the church’s goal is not only to create access to its building, but also to create access to the Gospel around the world.

Until recently, the worship center was not practical for gatherings other than worship services because of its limitations. But HarvestDowntown had a vision of a building that could be used as a community center and a mission center, not just a worship center.

In order to make its building more accessible to people with disabilities or mobility issues, and to fulfill the church’s vision, HarvestDowntown partnered with Orchard Alliance to update and retrofit the property. The church leveled the floor in the worship center and removed the fixed seating. A brand-new addition with large restrooms, storage, and a kitchen is now complete. The church celebrated the grand opening on Pentecost Sunday.

In order to make its building more accessible to people with disabilities or mobility issues, and to fulfill the church’s vision, HarvestDowntown partnered with Orchard Alliance to update and retrofit the property.

Now that the renovations are complete, HarvestDowntown is accessible to people of all ages and abilities. Pastor Kurt said, “We’re spending this money so a grandmother, mother, and daughter can come to church together, enter through the same door, and worship or eat in the same place.”

In addition to financing from Orchard Alliance, HarvestDowntown raised funds for the project through a campaign it called the “Creating Access Initiative.” Pastor Kurt explained that the church’s goal is not only to create access to its building, but also to create access to the Gospel around the world.

As a result, HarvestDowntown is donating 10% of everything given to the Creating Access Initiative—half to Alliance missions, and half to new church planting. While the church is deeply committed to downtown Colorado Springs, it is still taking the Gospel to the ends of the earth. “After all,” Pastor Kurt said, “we are an Alliance church!”

Kurt Trempert
Pastor of Harvest Downtown (Alliance) Church
Colorado Springs, Colorado