| Last Sunday, July 20, about 60 Colona residents were on hand for the rededication of the Colona Community Church. The 124 year old, non-denominational church, built in 1887, is one of the oldest churches on the Western Slope. the site where the church stands today, at 56 Thatcher, was donated by Preston Hotchkiss in 1912.
Singers from the Z-Bar Wranglers entertained at the rededication, and the guest speaker was Dutch Emert, who served as pastor of the church from 1975 to 1982. In October of 2000, Rev. Dean Freed accepted the invitation to come out of retirement to serve as pastor of the church. Also in 2000, the church received the Historical Building designation from the Ouray Historical Society.
Repairs and upgrades are ongoing, inside and outside of the building. A group of people from the Colona community have contributed tools, cleaning supplies and elbow grease to refurbish the historic church. Now the church is remodeled with new stained glass windows and an updated kitchen.
Those in attendance finished the ceremony with this: "We the people of this church and congregation, rededicating ourselves anew, pray and trust that this refurbished church building shall be used of God, in His own way, for salvation, and blessing in our beloved community and unto the ends of the earth. Amen."
|
