Welcome to the Nederland Community Presbyterian Church (NCPC), where this May, Rev. Zachary Hancock will be celebrating his one-year anniversary. Rev. Zachary Hancock is a Colorado native, born in Greeley and raised in the Ft. Collins/Loveland area. He attended the University of Colorado-Boulder.

The church is a congregation aware that it doesn’t have all the answers. It honors and respects the great traditions of faith because God is much bigger than any one culture, time, place, or prophet. “In the way of Reformed theology (Reformed and always reforming), only God is sovereign.”

The NCPC’s motto is Open Minds and Open Hearts, which they practice with its many programs, including the new youth program, centering around watching a selected film and discussing. The film program begins this Spring, with Les Misérables being the first film.

Its mission is to make relevant the aspect and reality of Spirit in all of our lives. “In an age when the spirit is often diminished in relevance, importance, and existence we seek to explore this reality through rigorous and humble intellectual inquiry (thoughtful sermons, book studies, etc.) and spiritual practices (meditation/contemplation, charitable service, etc.),” shares Pastor Hancock.

Nederland Community Presbyterian and its congregation believe in Science and Spirit. The two are not mutually exclusive. Rev. Zachary Hancock shares, “Overwrought hubris in either direction is folly. An attitude of open-minded humility informed by evidence and experience is our aspirational path.”

“At Ned Pres, we like to say: Our only dogma is the dogs who attend our church services! Finally, a key aspect of Ned Pres is being a vital member of the Nederland community. It is in our name: Nederland Community Presbyterian Church.”

The word “Community” was added to the name when a Jewish congregation used the building as a worship space. The church’s aim to be all-inclusive, expanded the name to reflect itself as both a Presbyterian and Community space.

Aside from Christmas Eve, Rev. Zachary Hancock’s favorite holiday to preach was Grateful Dead Sunday, a service his former church in Lake Forest Illinois created. He shares, “It was a wonderful Sunday to engage with the transcendent through the transcendent and God-filled yearnings of the Grateful Dead. We have yet to create a Grateful Dead service at Ned Pres but look for it in the future!”

Worship takes place Sunday mornings at 10 a.m., the same day as Sunday School for children. There’s also a women’s book club that meets periodically. Special services for Easter will occur on April 9, 2023, and a Blessing of the Beasts date is yet to be announced.

Please contact Cinda Kochen for more information on the youth program: cindakochen@gmail.com. Nederland Community Presbyterian Church is located at 210 North Jefferson Street, Nederland. You can find them on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ Nederlandcpc/ or give them a call at 303-258-3579.