Saturday Sabbath on South Downing Street
Denver South Seventh-day Adventist Church gathers on the seventh day of the week, just south of the University of Denver in central Denver. The building sits at 2675 South Downing Street, a quiet residential stretch of the city where parked cars and mature trees shade the sidewalk on a Saturday morning. The rhythm of the church is set by the Sabbath: Friday evenings are for family, Saturday is for rest and worship, and the rest of the week flows from there. Visitors who show up on a Saturday morning find a congregation that takes its Bible study, its music, and its potluck meals seriously, and that has built a year-round calendar of events around a single, recurring rhythm.
Surrender, Share, Serve
Three words sit at the heart of how Denver South talks about itself: Surrender, Share, Serve. Surrender is living "in agreement with the Spirit" and trusting that "the world and people are as God says they are despite what we see and experience." Sharing flows from the conviction that everything is a gift and is meant to be passed along to others. Service is not obligation but identity, the way God made human beings to be: "joyful servants of those around us." The trio has become a kind of short creed for the people who call Denver South their church, and the language shows up throughout the building, the newsletter, the bulletin, and the church's communications.
The Sabbath Rhythm on Saturday Mornings
The Sabbath School hour and the main worship service are the anchor of the week. Life groups and Bible study classes meet at 10:00 AM, and the main worship service follows at 11:00 AM. A printed bulletin, updated weekly and available for download, gives the order of service along with announcements and a prayer list. Children from age three through nine have their own program during the 10:00 hour, and the bulletin always notes what is offered that week for kids. Everyone is welcome to stay for the main service, and parents are encouraged to bring their children into the sanctuary alongside the rest of the congregation.
For those who cannot attend in person, the service is livestreamed on YouTube and on Facebook Live. A handpicked worship playlist is shared on Spotify to help the congregation prepare for the service beforehand, with the invitation to "get your praise on." Visitors can also sign up for SMS reminders so they do not miss an upcoming service. The church's bulletin is refreshed every week and posted as a downloadable PDF.
A Door That Is Open
The church is direct about who is welcome. The church states, "We believe that every human being is valuable in the sight of God and we seek to minister to all people in the spirit of Jesus," and the congregation hopes that visitors "feel accepted and loved" when they come through the doors. The same posture shapes how Denver South approaches involvement: anyone with an idea for a new ministry or a way to serve their neighbors is invited to bring it to the pastors and lay leadership. The church says simply, "You BELONG! Come and be part of the family."
Ten Sessions Through Daniel and Revelation
Perhaps the most distinctive ministry running through Denver South is a ten-session Bible study called "Anti-Christs at War: Islam and Christianity Political Chaos in Prophecy," led by Pastor Tim Roosenberg. Roosenberg, who holds an M.Div. degree, began studying the prophecies of Daniel 11 around the year 2000 and published his first book on the subject in 2011. He left twenty-five years of pastoral ministry to take the message on the road as a full-time traveling speaker, presenting at conferences, pastor meetings, and seminars around the world. He and his wife Karen travel together, and they have raised four children and parented more than forty foster children over the years.
The course moves through ten sessions, each with its own study guide PDF that participants can download and print. The opening session, "The Basics," traces how Daniel 11 has been fulfilled over two thousand years of history. "Anti-Christ at War" compares the parallel lines of prophecy in Daniel and Revelation. "The Role of Israel in the Growing Conflict" looks at the place of biblical Israel in end-time events. "Anti-Christ Alliances and the USA in Prophecy" turns to the role of the United States and global politics. "Anti-Christs at War Today" brings the prophecy into the present day. "Tidings from the East and the Mark of the Beast" looks at the meaning of the seal of God and the mark of the beast. "When Michael Stands Up" explores a frequently overlooked passage. "The Worst Ever Time of Trouble" covers the tribulation and plagues. "Jesus Rescues His People" focuses on the glorious return of Christ and the resurrection of the dead. "Millennium and the New Earth" closes the series with the thousand years and the two resurrections of Daniel 12. Participants can move through the series on the church's own learning platform and track their progress along the way.
The series is presented alongside a live Islam and Christianity Seminar held at the church on a Friday evening, described as "a Bible based non-confrontational presentation that even Muslims can't find fault with." The wider work of Pastor Roosenberg is hosted at islamandchristianity.org.
Music, Drama, and the Feast of Lights
The Creative Ministries Department runs two of the most colorful traditions of the year at Denver South. Each fall, the choir and orchestra begin rehearsals in the sanctuary on Friday evenings under the direction of Leandro Bizama, building toward the annual Feast of Lights. The Feast of Lights is a Christmas musical and drama production staged in early December, weaving the Christmas story together with the wider arc of Scripture. Past productions have carried titles like "The Sons of Promise," and the evenings blend choir, orchestra, dramatic scenes, and worship into a single retelling of the Christmas narrative. Rehearsals and the production are open to newcomers who want to sing, play, or act. Interested musicians reach out to the choir coordinator, and aspiring actors connect with the drama coordinator to learn what is involved.
The Denver South Drama Society, a life group that meets on Wednesday evenings, serves as a kind of training ground for the Feast of Lights and for other staged presentations during the year. Members learn what it takes to get on stage, from blocking and characterization to stagecraft behind the curtain. The Drama Society is open to newcomers, and the only requirement is a willingness to step on stage. The AV Ministry complements both groups, training volunteers in slides, cameras, and livestreaming so that the productions reach beyond the sanctuary walls.
Women, Young Adults, and Family
The Women's Ministry at Denver South is unusually active. Its calendar includes a Sweet Magnolia Tea in early May that honors mothers and welcomes all women, a Father's Day Breakfast hosted for the whole family with crafts and a hearty spread, pottery-painting afternoons in the fellowship hall with supplies like terracotta, paint, brushes, and sponges, and a steady rotation of potluck meals that follow the Sabbath service on Saturday afternoons. The Women's Ministry also helps host some of the fellowship meals around Easter and other seasons. RSVPs are requested for the larger events so the team can plan adequate seating, food, and supplies.
For young adults, the Vine + Branches vespers program gathers on Friday evenings, often beginning with a potluck dinner at 6:30 PM and continuing with music, a short worship service, and time to socialize. The vespers have been held both at Denver South and at Mile High Academy, the Adventist school nearby in Highlands Ranch. Game nights and other social events follow the vespers about once a month. Newcomers are welcomed into both the Women's Ministry and the young adult program, and the events are usually open to anyone in the surrounding community.
Mid-Day Manna on Tuesdays
Beyond the Sabbath rhythm, the church gathers on Tuesdays for Mid-Day Manna, a midday prayer and Bible study held from 11:30 AM to 12:30 PM in the chapel. The group works through various books of the Bible together, with the explicit purpose of getting to know one another better and applying what they read to daily life. The time is short enough to fit into a workday lunch break and is open to anyone who wants to drop in. Members are invited to bring a friend along.
Health, Hospitality, and the Life of the Building
Health is woven into the life of the church. The congregation hosts a recurring Plant-Based Cooking "Hands-on" class every other Sunday afternoon, held at the Rocky Mountain Conference building just up the street at 2520 S. Downing Street. Sessions are donation-based and focus on "delicious, healthy meals that support optimal health and longevity." Past themes have included a full-day Plant Based Cooking class on a Saturday as well as shorter Sunday sessions. The church also runs a multi-week "Can Diabetes be Reversed?" series on Thursday evenings that walks participants through lifestyle changes for managing Type 2 diabetes, held in partnership with the conference. Both programs are open to anyone who wants to take control of their health.
Hospitality at Denver South looks like a long table. Sabbath potlucks follow the worship service about once a month, with the congregation invited to bring a favorite dish to share. Some are themed around a holiday like Easter or a season like summer salads. The church's social committee organizes an annual church picnic in a city park (James A. Bible Park has been a recent host), complete with canopies, lawn chairs, and family games, and a community garage sale held in the church's kindergarten room where members can bring their own items to sell. Men's, women's, family, and intergenerational events share space in the calendar throughout the year, including an annual International Sabbath that features a parade of flags, scripture readings in different languages, and a potluck brimming with international dishes.
Prayer, Giving, and Beliefs
A dedicated prayer ministry stands ready to pray for any request sent in by text or through the church's prayer request form. Visitors who want to pray with someone in person can request a call from a member of the prayer team, and prayer warriors are on standby. The church teaches that prayer transforms the lives of both the person praying and the person receiving prayer.
Tithing and offerings are a regular teaching at Denver South. The church teaches that the practice goes back to the Old Testament tithe and is reaffirmed by the picture of the early church in Acts, where "all who believed were together and had all things in common." Giving supports four channels: the local church budget, which keeps the lights on and funds local ministries; the local conference (the Rocky Mountain Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, covering Colorado and Wyoming); the union, which covers ministry in the Midwest; and the General Conference's worldwide work. Tithes and offerings can be given through Adventist Giving, the Adventist Giving app, in person, or by mail to the church address.
On belief, the church is concise: "We believe that at the heart of who we were made to be, we are to love God and love each other." The worldwide Seventh-day Adventist Church maintains a statement of beliefs. The Adventist tradition teaches that the Bible is the final authority on matters of doctrine and practice, observes the seventh-day Sabbath as a day of rest and remembrance, looks for the soon return of Jesus Christ, and emphasizes a holistic approach to health that includes a plant-forward diet. The Rocky Mountain Conference, the regional body that includes Denver South, oversees Adventist work across Colorado and Wyoming and provides administrative support for pastors, schools, and institutions in the territory.
The Building and the Location
The church building sits a few blocks south of the University of Denver's main campus and within easy reach of the regional light rail. The sanctuary is used for the principal Saturday morning service, the chapel hosts the Tuesday Mid-Day Manna prayer hour, and the fellowship room serves as the gathering spot for potlucks and other small events. Mile High Adventist Academy, a local Adventist school that hosts some of the young adult events, is in Highlands Ranch to the south, and the Rocky Mountain Conference offices are just up the street on Downing at 2520 S. Downing. Parking is available on site, and the building is reachable by car, light rail, and the surrounding bike routes.
Reaching Out and Getting Involved
Visitors can join Bible study at 10:00 AM on any Saturday morning, stay for the 11:00 AM worship service, share a potluck meal afterward, and stay for one of the many afternoon programs. The church office is reachable at 303.744.1271 and at office@denversouthsda.org, and the prayer team is always a text message away. The church's posture is to support anyone who wants to serve their neighbors in the name of Christ, and people with ideas for new ministries are invited to bring their ideas forward and put them into practice alongside the rest of the congregation.