Welcome to Highlands!
We are a welcoming community, rooted in tradition and growing together as we follow Jesus’ teachings of justice and love.

It's in our name—Highlands is a Lutheran Church!

We are part of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), which is the nationwide organization with whom we teach and worship. Under that umbrella, we are part of the Rocky Mountain Synod (RMS), which is the regional expression of the ELCA across Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming, and West Texas. Being part of the ELCA and RMS means that we walk with the larger Lutheran community both near and far, and they also walk with us!

You can learn more about what we believe and teach as ELCA Lutherans here.

About the ELCA About the Rocky Mountain Synod
Queer Affirming

Queer people are welcome here. We have had transgender and queer pastors. Our Council (church governing body) has LGBTQIA+ members. We joyfully perform weddings for LGBTQIA+ couples. We believe that when God says ALL, God really does mean ALL!

Our Welcome Statement: We invite all into the fullness of God’s love. This invitation is inclusive of all human kind, national origin, immigration status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, physical or mental ability, sex, or station in life. We pledge to use our differences as gifts for our work together.

Reconciling in Christ

 We are officially a Reconciling in Christ congregation. The Reconciling in Christ (RIC) Program is for congregations, synods, colleges, seminaries, and other Lutheran organizations. Lutheran communities that publicly welcome lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people are accepted onto the Reconciling in Christ Roster which now exceeds 600 settings. Most groups start the process of consideration by engaging in a study program or series of educational meetings. Hearing the experiences of LGBT people and their families often creates greater understanding and insights. The process is completed by drafting and voting to pass a welcome statement. Click here for some additional resources about what it means to be RIC and how we can continue to grow together.

Land Acknowledgment

The Land on which this building stands is part of the ancient homeland and traditional territory of the Núu-agha-tʉvʉ-pʉ̱ (Ute), Očhéthi Šakówiŋ, and Tsétsėhéstȧhese/Tsitsistas/Só'taeo'o (Cheyenne) peoples. 

We acknowledge the sins of genocide, prejudice, and harm that has been imposed upon these communities. We repent for our role as Lutherans in this violence. We honor the Indigenous caretakers of these lands and waters, the elders who lived here before, the Indigenous who live here today, and the generations to come. We seek to work towards reparations, to commit to reconciliation, and to pray for God’s healing. 

Nation information gathered from native-land.ca.