Welcome to Community In Christ. We’re glad you’re here! At Community In Christ, we are a warm and welcoming congregation dedicated to sharing the love of Christ with all. Whether you’re new to faith, seeking a community, or looking for a place to grow spiritually, you’ll find a home among us. Join us as we worship, learn, and serve together, building a vibrant community grounded in faith and love. We look forward to getting to know you!
Are you looking to deepen your faith and make a meaningful impact in for your neighbors? At Community In Christ, we embrace the call of Jesus to “go and make disciples of all nations.”
Our community is committed to engaging with people from all walks of life. Through outreach events, personal connections, and discipleship programs, we create opportunities for everyone to experience the transformative love of Christ. From baptisms to Bible studies, there’s something for everyone!
Imagine being a crucial part of a community where you can grow spiritually, serve others, and share your faith. Our supportive environment empowers you to develop your spiritual gifts and take part in meaningful service projects. Together, we learn to live out Jesus’ teachings and make a real difference in the world.
Ready to take the next step? Join us for our upcoming events, sign up for a discipleship program, or get involved in our outreach efforts. Together, let’s fulfill the Great Commission and make disciples in our community and beyond!
18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Grace to you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
I am Pastor Gary Witkop, and I love being a pastor, especially here at Community In Christ. I have been a pastor for 36 years and this is my second time here at CIC. I have a BS degree in Aquatic Biology. I have served churches in Kelso, WA., Watertown, SD., and here at CIC. Before accepting the call to return to CIC I served as the Regional Pastor to the Western Region of the Church of the Lutheran Brethren.
My wife is Debra and she is a third grade teacher. She loves children and it shows. Together we hope we can serve the Lord as the pastor and wife here at CIC and lead this congregation to draw closer to Jesus and to the people God has put into our lives. Deb and I love to camp, do almost anything in God’s great outdoors, and be with our children and grandchildren.
I came to the Lord through Inter-Varsity in college and went to Lutheran Brethren Seminary. I believe that Jesus Christ has the solutions for all the issues of our heart and soul and is the One we come to for everything. I look forward to meeting you in our worship service or anytime.
Meet our team
Our dedicated leadership of pastor and elders brings together a diverse range of experiences and expertise, from seasoned spiritual leaders to respected mentors. Together, they provide guidance, support, and insight to nurture our community and foster spiritual growth.
Mark Timmier
Elder
Steve Thompson
Elder
Wyatt Timme
Elder
Reece Leishman
Elder
A Journey of Faith: The Story of Community In Christ
The church was founded when Luther and JoAnn Larson, along with their children, were sent by the CLBA board of Home Missions to plant a church in Arvada. They arrived on July 1, 1978, and held the first worship service in September at Fremont Elementary.
A congregation was established and chartered on September 11, 1979, with 20 voting members and 13 children. Shortly after, one more family joined, bringing the total to 22 voting members and 16 children.
Community In Christ initially met in various locations until purchasing the property at 12229 W. 80th Ave. on December 22, 1981. The first service there was on January 10, 1982, after remodeling, which was officially dedicated on September 26, 1982.
A new addition was completed in 1999, dedicated in July, with the first service on Easter Sunday that year, attended by over 200 people. The addition cost approximately $235,000, and a steeple was donated by NexTel Communications, completed in 2000. This project exemplified God’s guidance and provision.
Pastors who have served include Luther Larson (1978-1988), Peter Bradford (1988-1989), Joel Backstrom (1990-1992), Luther Larson (1993-1995), Gary Witkop (1995-2009), and Jason Rogness (since July 11, 2010).
Elders include George Kalmbach (first elder, elected January 1, 1980), Darwin Ohlin, Dennis Whalon, Richard Sorensen, Wyatt Timme (elected February 5, 1995), Bill Poore (February 4, 1996), and Steve Thompson (elected in 2009). Wyatt Timme and Steve Thompson continue to serve as elders today.
FAQs
What is your position on the Bible?
The Bible, both the Old and New Testaments, as they were originally given, are the true and divinely inspired Word of God. They are without error, both in their entirety and in every detail. Thus, they stand as our final and unerring authority for all matters of faith and conduct.
Who is God?
There is but one God, eternally existing in three distinct persons—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—united in one divine essence. This holy mystery reveals the fullness of God’s nature and His active presence in our lives.
Who is God the Father?
God the Father has made Himself known as the Creator and Sustainer of the universe, to whom all creation and every creature are subject. His sovereign authority governs all that exists, reflecting His power and care over the world.
What is the penalty for sin?
God created Adam and Eve in His own image, intended for a loving fellowship with Him. However, they fell into sin through Satan’s temptation, severing that precious relationship. As a result of their disobedience, the entire human race became wholly depraved—self-centered sinners who stand in opposition to God. By nature, we are unable to trust, fear, or love Him, subject to the devil and condemned to death under the eternal wrath of God.
Who is Jesus?
Jesus Christ, the Eternal Son, is the visible image of the invisible God. To achieve our redemption, He took on full humanity, being conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. Fully God and fully man, Jesus, through His perfect obedience and sacrificial death on the cross, secured our redemption. He rose from the dead for our justification in the very body that was crucified. Afterward, He ascended into heaven and now sits at the right hand of God the Father as our interceding High Priest. Jesus will return personally, bodily, and visibly to gather believers to Himself and to establish His millennial kingdom. He will judge the living and the dead, creating an eternal separation between believers and unbelievers. His kingdom will have no end.
Who is the Holy Spirit?
The Holy Spirit, the divine Comforter, is eternally one with the Father and the Son. He convicts us of sin, leading to heartfelt confession, and regenerates the dead in sin, sanctifying and preserving believers in true faith. Through His guidance, the Church is empowered to fulfill the Great Commission, proclaiming the Gospel and comforting the weary. Let us yield to His leading, for in Him lies the path to righteousness and eternal life.
The knowledge and benefit of Christ’s redemption are delivered to humanity through the means of grace: the Word and the sacraments.
a. Through the Word of the Law, God reveals our lost condition, prompting repentance. The Word of the Gospel brings belief in Jesus Christ, justifying us and initiating our sanctification. The Holy Spirit awakens us to our sin, convicts us, and invites us to accept God’s grace, granting instant forgiveness and Christ’s righteousness. The Word then instructs believers in leading a godly life.
b. In Baptism, God offers the benefits of redemption, bestowing regeneration and newness of life on all who believe. The baptized are called to daily repentance and faith in Christ’s forgiveness. By grace, they receive the power to overcome sin and live anew. Infants are baptized, becoming members of the Church, and, through the Holy Spirit, they will come to acknowledge their sinfulness and confess their faith in Christ.
c. In Holy Communion, Christ gives His body and blood in, with, and under the bread and wine, declaring forgiveness and strengthening the faith of believers.
Eternal salvation is available to all through God’s grace alone, by faith alone, in Christ alone. This salvation has both an instantaneous and ongoing aspect.
a. Justification is God’s gracious act of instantaneously acquitting repentant believers and crediting them with Christ’s righteousness. At that moment, each believer receives a new, godly nature, and the Holy Spirit begins the process of sanctification. Human effort has no role in justification.
b. Sanctification is God’s continual work of spiritual renewal in the life of every justified person. Through the means of grace, the Holy Spirit reproduces Christ’s character in believers, guiding them to live out their new nature. He empowers them to resist sin and produces spiritual fruit and gifts. The process of sanctification will be complete only when the believer reaches glory.
The Church Universal comprises all who truly believe in Jesus Christ as Savior. A local congregation is a gathering of believers in a specific area where the Gospel is taught purely and the sacraments are rightly administered.
Confessing members of the local congregation include only those baptized in “the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit,” who confess personal faith in Christ, maintain a good reputation in the community, and accept the constitution of the Church of the Lutheran Brethren. It is important to acknowledge that hypocrites may be present in the congregation—those whose unbelief is not evident to others.
The Lutheran confessions summarize biblical doctrines. We adhere to the following writings: the Apostles’ Creed, the Nicene and Athanasian Creeds, the unaltered Augsburg Confession, and Luther’s Small Catechism.
For More Information Check out The Church of the Lutheran Brethren of America website.