Overland Park

John Collins Church earns historic designation

Meeting Minutes

Historic Designation MEETING Minutes
Tuesday, June 6, 2006 at 1:00 p.m.
MEETING LOCATION – 201 W. COLFAX, RM. 4.I.5


Members:
Present –
Carla McConnell, Dennis Humphries, Barbara Gibson, Sarah Goldblatt, James Bershof,
Stephen Leonard, and Ed Shalkey

Absent –
Elizabeth Schlosser
Staff Present: Molly Urbina, (Deputy Manager, CPD,) Everett Shigeta, Christie Murata, Sheila Doll, Kerry Buckey, (City Attorney,) and Robert Atkinson

Chair called meeting to order at 1:11 p.m.

I. Review And Approval of Minutes

May 16, 2006

Motion D. Humphries to approve the Minutes of the May 16, 2006 meeting as amended
Second by E. Shalkey
Vote: Unanimous in favor, Motion carries.

II. Public Hearings – for Designation

1. 2300 South Bannock St. - John Collins United Methodist Church Structure for Designation
Applicant - Nicole Hernandez, Historic Denver
Property Owner -Rocky Mountain Conference United Methodist Church

The Chair opened the Public Hearing.

Staff Report by Sheila Doll:
The application for landmark designation of the John Collins United Methodist Church, 2300 South Bannock Street is found to be complete. The period of significance is 1900. The applicant is the Nichole Hernandez. The Rocky Mountain United Methodist Church is the owner. The John Collins United Methodist Church meets the criteria for designation in the following categories: History, 1a, and c; Architecture, 2a and c; and geography 3c.

Comments by Nichole Hernandez, the Applicant:
I’m the Program Coordinator for Sacred Landmarks Preservation for Historic Denver. We’ve never had this much support for the designation of a church. We’re excited about this.

Public Comment:

Carl Zing For
2320 South Bannock Street
I’ve been at John Collins since I was a boy, 62 years. This church is very important to me, my church home. I love this church and wish it to continue.

Rev. Scarffe: Mr. Zing is one of our Lay Speakers and the Chair of our administrative council.

Myra Dawson For
2320 South Bannock Street
I’ve been a member of John Collins for a few years. This church is like walking back in time.

Stanley Symore For
625 Detroit Street
I’ve been a member for nine years. We’ve pulled together through hard times at this church.

James Beaulieer For
2564 South Bannock Street
I’m a Lay Speaker at the church. I’d hate to see this go some day. It’s a pristine setting and it predates the community.

Bob Grafton For
3434 South Clarmont Street
I’m a lay Speaker as well and I was Pastor here for two years. John Collins was responsible for opening six churches in this area. This is a beautiful old church.

Betty Uber For
2320 South Bannock Street
I’ve been a member of John Collins for 20 years. I’m the Wedding Coordinator. This is a beautiful old fashioned church.

Rev. Lois Strohmeyer For
2320 South Bannock Street
I’ve been associated with this church for years. This is my church home. I felt a call to the ministry but after retirement I returned to John Collins. It’s not just another church. It’s an important neighborhood center. The Overland Neighborhood Association was founded by a former pastor.

Rev. Albert Scarffe For
4495 East Harvard Avenue
Even though retired, I’ve been pastor of John Collins for 20 years. I’d like to give you a little history. In 1892 a Presbyterian lady started a Sunday school in the neighborhood and it kept growing. Reverend John Collins moved into the area and helped her with the Sunday school. He established this church in 1893. The present building dates from 1900. The building has been well cared for and the church is still working with neighborhood children and families. The sanctuary holds about 80 people, but I visited once when I was in seminary and that sanctuary was filled with 85 to 95 children. They built an education building and that filled up, nursery through high school. There are only about twenty children today but they maintain the same ministry.

James Lewis For
330 Acoma Street
I’ve lived in Denver for two years. When I moved here I looked for a church home. Few historic churches in the city are wheelchair accessible, John Collins is. It’s wonderful to be able to worship in an historic church.

J. P. Heider For
7745 Steele Street
Centennial, Co
I’ve been a member of John Collins for six years. I was lead by God to join this church. I was running late one Sunday morning and knew I couldn’t get to my regular church on time so I asked God to lead me to that beautiful little church I always passed. When I walked into John Collins I felt the love and presence of Jesus Christ. It reminds me of my childhood church. This is one of God’s special places.

Reverend Scarffe distributed a drawing of John Collins United Methodist Church to the Commissioners.


Discussion:
S. Leonard: I’d like to commend everybody involved, at Historic Denver and at the church
C. McConnell: Motion?

Motion by D. Humphries to forward the application for landmark designation of the John Collins United Methodist Church, 2300 South Bannock Street, to City Council for their consideration, as it meets the criteria for designation in categories of history, geography, and architecture
Second by B. Gibson
Vote: Unanimous in favor, Motion carries.

C. Zing: An anecdote about John Collins; an elderly lady at our church, now passed away, knew him when she was a little girl and she didn’t like him because he chewed tobacco.