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Business Donates Land for Colorado Church
COLORADO SPRINGS, CO (January 16, 2001) - Christmas came early for Living Hope Covenant Church when the church received a letter December 20 from a local construction company promising that a 7.5-acre piece of land in the north end of Colorado Springs would be deeded to the church in February 2001.
The property that Living Hope Covenant Church has been gifted is valued at approximately $2 million, said pastor Greg Ralston. The experience has reminded Ralston that God gives generous gifts when asked.
Ralston's first interaction with Classic Companies came when he was part of a one-year leadership class conducted by a local leadership development group in the city. During the class, he met Doug Stimple, part owner of Classic Companies, and a friendship soon developed. Little did Ralston realize that the friendship would become valuable in more ways than one.
In early December, Ralston was driving near his home when he saw Classic Companies working at what seemed like a perfect spot for a new church. Ralston's 100-member congregation had recently moved into a strip mall from a school where they had been worshiping, but Living Hope Covenant was still searching for a site of its own. Ralston reflected on that day (December 5) when first viewed the site.
"I was driving down Union Boulevard and about a mile and a half from my home there was a site that Classic Construction was working on," said Ralston. "That afternoon, I picked up the phone and called Doug and left a message. Basically, I said, 'Doug, this is your old and bold friend Greg calling. I was wondering if your company would like to make a donation of land at the end of the calendar year to our church...' He called me back the next day and said that my timing was incredible.
"Doug had been crunching numbers throughout the day," Ralston recalled, "and said that if he gifted the land to the church or developed it, the benefit to their company was just about a wash. He had to go to the city planning commission the next day about this piece of property. He said to me, 'Greg, I may be able to make your year.'"
Ralston prayed and fasted the next day and asked the church prayer team to pray as well. On December 7, Ralston was meeting with Ken Moore, pastor of nearby Faith Covenant Church, when Stimple called "and began the conversation with the words, 'Merry Christmas.'"
Stimple told Ralston that he and his partners at Classic Companies believed the circumstances "were being orchestrated by divine providence." A letter confirming the donation of property stated that the company has a strong Christian foundation and feels blessed to be in a position to offer the gift of property. "Classic Companies is quite proud of our commitment to this community," the letter read, "but we truly recognize that we are solely caretakers of what has been bestowed upon us through His (God's) unmerited favor. This gift is extended in our role as stewards of these blessings."
Ralston is still amazed at the recent turn of events, stating in a recent newsletter, "I am still astounded and humbled. I cannot fathom the wonderful gift that God has given to our congregation." This came at a time when finances were a major concern," he said. "But
God is clearly in the vision of Living Hope and we took this as a way of God saying, 'I am still here.'"
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