About Spirit of Christ Catholic Community · Arvada, Colorado
Spirit of Christ Catholic Community is a large stewardship parish in Arvada, Colorado, a northwestern suburb of Denver, within the Archdiocese of Denver. Founded in 1974 by the Claretian Missionaries (Western Province) and still identified simply as a 'community' rather than a 'church,' it has grown from 200 households to roughly 3,400 families. The parish is widely known for tithing 15 percent of its Sunday offertory directly to mission and outreach, an intensive Small Church Communities program, and an energetic liturgical and social-justice life. Today the community is served by Pastor Fr. Chris Renner, with Deacon Charles Hahn and a sizable lay staff, and offers Mass seven days a week plus adoration and reconciliation.
- Established
- 1974
- Patron
- Holy Spirit (parish name: Spirit of Christ)
- Rector
- Fr. Chris Renner
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Denver
Why belong here
Spirit of Christ is one of the few parishes in the Denver area that calls itself a 'community' first and a 'church' second. Members commit to a stewardship way of life: roughly 15 percent of every Sunday offertory goes directly to local and global mission — from Arvada-area homeless services to wells in Nicaragua and orphan care in Africa — and there are no second collections. Discipleship happens in roughly 80 Small Church Communities, where about 800 parishioners share faith and life together, and formation continues through adult programs like OCIA, Small Church Communities, Theology Thursday, the Great Adventure Bible Study, Walking with Purpose, and Catholic Biblical School, plus a robust children's Anchor program with sacramental prep following the Archdiocese's Restored Order. The parish combines a lively liturgical life, strong preaching, and a 'joyous' welcome for newcomers — exactly what most visitors are looking for in a large, vibrant Catholic parish.
Mass times at Spirit of Christ Catholic Community
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:30 – 4:45 PM (in the Chapel)
- Monday 8:00 – 8:45 AM (in the Chapel)
- Thursday 8:00 – 8:45 AM (in the Chapel)
- Or by appointment — call the parish office
Adoration times
- Monday – Thursday 9:30 AM – 12:00 noon (in the Chapel)
- Friday 9:30 AM – 3:00 PM (in the Chapel)
- Adoration is suspended if there is a funeral (moves to the Church) or if the office is closed.
About Spirit of Christ Catholic Community
Spirit of Christ Catholic Community is a large, stewardship-centered Roman Catholic parish in Arvada, Colorado, in the northwestern Denver metro area, belonging to the Archdiocese of Denver. Founded in 1974 by the Claretian Missionaries and intentionally called a 'community' rather than a 'church,' it now serves roughly 3,400 households. Its mission statement commits members to 'loving and serving one another in the unifying and healing Spirit of Jesus,' to celebrating the Eucharist as the source and summit of Christian life, and to reaching out 'in our brokenness' in solidarity with the poor and marginalized.
- Parish type: Stewardship Community
- Diocese: Archdiocese of Denver
- Founded: 1974
- Founding religious family: Claretian Missionaries (Western Province)
- Location: 7400 W. 80th Ave., Arvada, CO 80003
History
Founded in 1974 with about 200 households, Spirit of Christ began as a community-centered, multi-purpose worship space with chairs. As it grew, an arched, Italianate 1,200-seat sanctuary was built, with a prayer garden and a separate daily chapel, and the plant has been expanded repeatedly. Stewardship tithing and Small Church Communities have been central since the founding; by the mid-2000s the parish supported roughly $300,000 of outreach each year and the 'Southern Exposure' mission-build program had constructed about 150 homes in Mexico. The community has also been a wellspring of vocations: 19 deacons have been ordained from its members.
- 1974 — Parish founded by the Claretian Missionaries (Western Province)
- Original worship space was a utilitarian multi-purpose room with chairs
- Italianate, arched 1,200-seat sanctuary with prayer garden and daily chapel added
- Screens projecting worship lyrics in use since 1974
- Grown from ~200 founding households to ~3,400 households today
- 19 deacons ordained from the community
Clergy & Staff
The parish staff includes clergy, deacons, and lay ministers who handle liturgy, faith formation, evangelization, youth ministry, and parish operations. Visitors can contact the parish office at (303) 422-9173 during office hours, or follow the staff-page extensions for specific ministers.
- Pastor — Fr. Chris Renner, [email protected], ext. 110
- Parochial Vicar — Fr. Kevin Kasel (starting 7/1/2026), [email protected], ext. 112
- Deacon — Dcn. Charles Hahn (member since 1983; ordained with the parish community)
- Music Director and Liturgy — Ben Colwell
- Religious Ed Coordinator / Anchor — Jolene Stolz, [email protected]
- Sacramental Prep Coordinator
- Youth Minister (Ignite / Rise)
- Director of Evangelization
- Receptionist & Office Coordinator — Mary Lu Rea, [email protected], ext. 100
- Facilities Manager
Stewardship & Outreach
Spirit of Christ describes itself as a Stewardship Community: members respond to God's gifts by sharing time, talent and treasure. A defining practice is the parish tithe — roughly 15% of the Sunday offertory — distributed directly to mission and outreach (the parish does not run second collections or fundraising events). Outreach has included wells in Nicaragua, care for AIDS orphans in Africa, local services for the homeless in Arvada, and the long-running 'Southern Exposure' program of mission-build trips to build homes in Mexico.
- 15% of offertory tithed to outreach — no second collections
- ~$300,000 per year given to outreach in the mid-2000s
- Southern Exposure mission-build program (≈40 groups, ~150 homes built in Mexico)
- Local Arvada-area homeless services
- Fair Trade online ordering through the parish
- Blood drives hosted on site
Faith Formation
Catechesis is described on the parish's Faith Formation page as 'a responsibility of the entire Christian community.' Spirit of Christ offers programs for children, youth, and adults, anchored by Small Church Communities, the Anchor children's program, the OCIA process for adults, and a robust slate of adult Bible studies and lecture series.
- Small Church Communities — about 80 groups meeting in homes
- OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults) — Becoming Catholic
- Anchor — children's religious education, Pre-K through 5th grade
- OCIC — Order of Christian Initiation for Children
- Youth Ministry — Ignite (middle school) and Rise (high school)
- Adult Bible studies — Great Adventure, Catholic Biblical School, Walking with Purpose
Children & Youth: Anchor, OCIC, Ignite & Rise
The Anchor program is the parish's family-based religious education and sacramental prep for children Pre-K through 5th grade, meeting Wednesday evenings from 5:50–7:15 PM, September through May. Sacramental preparation follows the Archdiocese of Denver's 'Restored Order,' with First Reconciliation in Sacramental Prep Year 1 (grades 2–5) and Confirmation and First Eucharist in Year 2 (grades 3–5). Older children needing initiation are served through OCIC, and middle- and high-schoolers have separate Ignite and Rise programs with sacramental prep and summer activities.
- Anchor — Wednesdays 5:50–7:15 PM, Sept–May
- First Reconciliation — SPY1, grades 2–5
- Confirmation & First Eucharist — SPY2, grades 3–5 (Restored Order)
- Three parent-child meetings + a retreat day
- OCIC for children of catechetical age
- Ignite (middle school) and Rise (high school) youth programs
Adult Faith Formation
Spirit of Christ offers a deep bench of adult formation: OCIA for those entering the Church; Small Church Communities for gospel-based faith sharing in homes; Theology Thursday lecture series; the Great Adventure Bible Study (also hosted at Shrine of St. Anne and St. Joan of Arc in Arvada); the multi-year Catholic Biblical School; Walking with Purpose women's Scripture study; and a three-day Parish Mission each November with morning and evening presentations.
- OCIA — adult initiation
- Small Church Communities — contact Susan at 303-867-9165
- Theology Thursday — 5-week topical series (e.g., 'A Portrait of the Apostles', July 23, 2026, 10 AM & 6:30 PM)
- Great Adventure Bible Study
- Catholic Biblical School
- Walking with Purpose
- Parish Mission — three days in November, 10 AM & 6:30 PM
Liturgy & Music
Liturgy is central to the parish's identity: 'We value and celebrate the breaking of the bread as the source and summit of our Christian lives,' the mission statement reads. Music and liturgical ministries involve roughly 400 parishioners, and the parish notes it has used screens to project song lyrics in its worship spaces since the original 1974 building. Low-gluten hosts are made available each Mass at a designated communion station. The Director of Liturgy and Music is Ben Colwell.
- Ben Colwell — Music Director and Liturgy
- Altar centrally located 'right in the midst of the assembly'
- ≈400 liturgical ministers active
- Screens projecting song lyrics since 1974
- Low-gluten hosts at Section 2 communion station
Parish Life & Fellowship
Spirit of Christ explicitly values hospitality and welcomes newcomers. The parish describes itself as 'a vibrant Catholic Community' of diverse members committed to loving and serving one another, and encourages visitors to call the office to arrange a tour. Fellowship and support ministries complement outreach and liturgical ministries on the parish's ministries page, and the parish hosts blood drives, Fair Trade orders, and other community-building events throughout the year.
- Parish tours available by calling the office (303-422-9173)
- Blood Drives
- Fair Trade Online ordering
- Fellowship & Support ministries (parish ministries page)
- Catholic Curious inquiry page for those exploring Catholicism
Sacraments
Information about the seven sacraments is woven through the parish website. Children's preparation follows the Archdiocese of Denver's 'Restored Order' of the Sacraments of Initiation. Adults enter the Church through OCIA, and the parish also offers preparation for marriage, funerals, and anointing of the sick, with a 24/7 sacramental-emergency line through the parish phone.
- Baptism (infant/child via Anchor; adult via OCIA)
- First Reconciliation (SPY1, grades 2–5)
- First Eucharist (SPY2, grades 3–5)
- Confirmation (SPY2, grades 3–5; adult via OCIA)
- Marriage — contact parish office
- Anointing of the Sick — by appointment; emergencies via parish phone line
- Funerals — see parish funeral schedules
Visit, Contact & Office Hours
The parish invites visitors to call (303) 422-9173 with questions or to arrange a tour. Office hours run Monday–Thursday 8:30 AM–8:00 PM and Friday 8:30 AM–3:00 PM, with a 12:00–1:00 PM closure each day. The parish is at 7400 W. 80th Avenue, Arvada, CO 80003, in the northwestern Denver metro area.
- Address: 7400 W. 80th Ave., Arvada, CO 80003
- Phone: (303) 422-9173 · Fax: (303) 422-8251
- Office Hours: Mon–Thu 8:30 AM–8:00 PM; Fri 8:30 AM–3:00 PM (closed 12–1 PM)
- General email: [email protected]
- Sacramental emergencies: call parish number and follow message prompts
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Robert Kinkel
Pastor in mid-2000s; described the parish's outreach and Eucharistic focus in U.S. Catholic (2008).
- Fr. David Bluejacket
Listed as pastor in the U.S. Catholic 'Better Know a Parish' feature (March 2014), which describes him leading the community of 3,400 households.
- Fr. Chris Rennerpresent
Current pastor; a native of Kansas who grew up in Boulder, ordained June 8, 1991. Spirit of Christ is his fourth pastorate.