The Round Church on the Corner
Drivers approaching the corner of Hover Street and 15th Avenue in Longmont, Colorado notice something unusual before they notice the signs. Four circular buildings, arranged like overlapping hubs around a central courtyard, make up the campus of Westview Presbyterian Church. The design was inspired by African Tiki huts, and the locals have a nickname for the place: the Chocolate Chip church. Three of the pods were built together and completed in 1965, and a fourth, larger pod that houses the sanctuary and offices was added in 1983.
Westview was started as a church plant on the west side of town by Central Presbyterian Church. Planning began in May 1964, and the first service was held on June 7, 1964. Longmont at the time had about 9,000 residents and was barely growing. To start a new church in that era, one needed 100 charter members, so to get the word out, the new congregation broadcast its entire Sunday morning service on Longmont radio station KLMO. The little fellowship rented space for worship from the Seventh Day Adventist Church and did its printing on Central Presbyterian's mimeograph machine in the evenings. Westview has been a presence on the west side ever since.
Joyfully Seeking and Sharing God's Light
The vision statement that guides the congregation is a sentence: "Joyfully seeking and sharing God's Light." The four words are unpacked as a kind of working theology.
Joy, the congregation notes, is found 250 times in the Bible and is named by Paul as a fruit of the Spirit. It is something that shows up in the music, the children's programs, the shared meals, and the ordinary life of the church. Seeking is the posture of a community that wants to learn. Jesus said "seek and you will find," and Westview reads itself as a community of seekers who study Scripture, listen to one another, and welcome newcomers. Sharing is the outflow of that seeking. It includes the Great Commission, but also the more ordinary generosity of a Round Pantry that hands out bags of food twice a month. Light, the final word, came to a member during a prayer exercise as an aerial image of Westview glowing like a beacon.
The church's brief statement of belief is grounded in the same themes. Westview affirms that God created the earth and called it good, that human beings were created in God's image and carry inherent dignity, that Christ was present at creation and that in him all things hold together, and that Jesus came into the world to save it. Following Christ means following the pattern of his death and resurrection and being transformed by the Holy Spirit. Westview names itself a community of faith that "may not agree on every point of doctrine or political persuasion," echoing the 1789 General Assembly principle that "God alone is Lord of the conscience."
Westview is a congregation of the Presbyterian Church (USA) and belongs to the Presbytery of Plains and Peaks. Its leadership follows the Presbyterian pattern of teaching elders (clergy) and ruling elders (laypeople elected by the congregation to three-year terms who serve regardless of gender, race, or sexual orientation).
Sunday Morning at Westview
Worship takes place at 9:30 a.m. on Sunday mornings in the sanctuary pod, the largest of the four circles, built in 1983. The service runs about an hour and is offered both in person and through a Zoom livestream. The Zoom link is published, and Zoom attendees are muted when the service begins and join as an audience.
Visitors can expect a friendly, casual environment. The church's own description of the dress code is memorable: some folks wear suits, others wear hoodies. The service includes engaging music, prayer, scripture readings, and a sermon by Pastor Norman. The first Sunday of each month is set aside for communion.
The Rev. Dr. Norman Fowler currently serves as Temporary Supply Pastor while the congregation looks forward to calling a long-term pastor. Fowler came to Westview after a nearly twenty-year pastorate at First Presbyterian Church in Moscow, Idaho. He and his wife Helen have settled into the Longmont community, and he focuses in his preaching on the grace of God received through Jesus Christ. The bulletin for each Sunday is posted as a downloadable PDF, and recent recorded services are available on the church's YouTube channel.
The Round Pantry
The thing most people outside the church know about Westview is The Round Pantry, a free food distribution that the congregation has run since 2010. It is the largest regular ministry the church runs, and it gives Westview its sense of identity as a congregation that reaches well beyond its own walls.
The Round Pantry operates on the second and fourth Tuesday of every month, except in December, when it runs on the second Tuesday only. Distribution runs from 2:00 to 6:00 p.m., with the parking lot entry opening at 1:30. Shoppers arrive by car or on foot and receive standard prepacked bags of food. Each household typically gets non-perishable canned and packaged goods, fresh fruits and vegetables, bread and desserts, and a gallon of fresh milk when available. Mother boxes, with items specific to pregnant and nursing mothers, are available on request. There are no income or residency requirements. Shoppers are asked to register with basic information so the pantry can apply for grants, but registration can be declined.
The process is set up as a drive-through. Shoppers enter from 15th Avenue (not from Hover Street), turn right into the parking lot, open their trunk before reaching the loading zone, and stay in their vehicle while volunteers load the food. Walkers and bikers are welcome too; they approach from 15th Avenue, sign in with an intake volunteer, and receive a smaller amount suitable for a backpack. The pantry uses a driveline method that allows it to serve 400 to 500 households on a typical distribution day.
The Round Pantry is a distributing agency of Community Food Share and operates with no paid staff. It relies on more than 200 volunteer shifts across Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday of each pantry week. Volunteers pre-pack food, prepare cardboard and plastic for recycling, load groceries into vehicles, and manage a Wednesday community distribution. The volunteer pool is intentionally broad, including members of more than two dozen other faith communities and community groups, and bilingual skills are noted as helpful. The minimum age to volunteer is fifth grade, with younger students welcome when paired with a parent on the same task. A typical shift runs 1.5 to 2.5 hours, and tasks range from light seated work to heavy lifting.
Kids and Families
Children are a visible part of life at Westview. The most distinctive children's program is Kids Gather Round, a free parent- and caregiver-led playgroup that meets the first and third Tuesday of each month, September through May, from 9:30 to 11:00 a.m. It is open to children from birth through age five and is not limited to Westview members. The play space is set up with toys for different developmental stages, craft supplies, and books, and coffee is provided for the adults. Each play date is capped at ten children, and families sign up in advance. During the summer the program takes a break.
On Sundays, the children's ministry aims to give kids a lifelong, joyful relationship with Jesus Christ. From September through May, after the children's sermon and Pretzel Prayer, kids head to church school. During the summer months, the model shifts: a table at the back of the sanctuary is set up with crafts, coloring pages, and Bible stories, and parents are welcome to bring their children there after the prayer. For families who prefer to keep children in the main service, cloth "busy bags" hang near the sanctuary and narthex entrance and can be returned to the pole afterward.
Adult Education and Spiritual Journeys
Westview takes seriously the Presbyterian commitment to lifelong education for all the people of God. The Spiritual Journeys Ministry Area organizes Sunday and midweek Bible studies that move between the Damascus Room and Zoom.
Sunday Bible Study meets at 11:00 a.m. in the Damascus Room after worship and coffee fellowship. The current book study is "Tears of Things" by Richard Rohr. A separate Wednesday Bible Study meets at 11:00 a.m. in the same room and works through the scripture passages that will form the basis of the following Sunday's sermon. A Zoom Bible Study, led by Pastor Norman, meets Wednesday afternoons at 2:30.
Music at Westview
Music is a regular and visible part of Westview's worship. The Chancel Choir, led by Music Director Dr. Karin Buer and Kay Daugherty, regularly offers anthems and leads congregational singing. The choir rehearses two Wednesdays each month from September through May, from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. in the sanctuary, with a brief warm-up at 8:45 a.m. on Sunday morning before the service. Anthems are typically chosen to complement the sermon and the theme of the day. The choir welcomes new singers of any experience level; the ability to read music is helpful but not required.
Dr. Buer, who holds a doctorate in piano performance from the University of Northern Colorado and teaches music theory and aural skills at CU Boulder, also serves as the church's principal accompanist. In addition to the Chancel Choir, occasional vocal and instrumental ensembles and a handbell or other musical offerings are part of the church's broader worship life.
Pastoral Care Through Deacons and Prayer Shawls
The pastoral care of the congregation falls largely to a Board of Deacons, who are each assigned a parish of members. The Deacons' primary ministry is personal contact: visits, notes, phone calls, meals after surgery or illness, transportation to medical appointments, and ongoing connection. Several specific ministries sit under the Deacon umbrella.
The Prayer Chain gathers prayer requests and praise reports through the church office and sends them out by e-blast. The Meals ministry provides light luncheons or dessert receptions after funerals and memorial services, and home meals for people recovering from surgery, illness, or the death of a loved one. The Shawl Ministry distributes prayer shawls, warm caps, and flannel baby blankets to members and friends going through difficult times or celebrating a new baby. The Deacons also keep a stock of grief support booklets and Upper Room devotionals available at no charge.
Outreach Beyond the Pantry
The Round Pantry is the largest piece of Westview's outreach, but it is far from the only one. The Outreach Ministry Area organizes volunteers and directs financial support to organizations addressing homelessness, hunger, poverty, oppression, natural disasters, and spiritual growth. The congregation has historically given to Changing Lens, Changing Lives; HOPE; Recovery Cafe; One Great Hour of Sharing; and Safe Shelter, among others.
Westview's outreach to the wider world runs through its local Presbytery of Plains and Peaks as well as through nationwide efforts of the Presbyterian Church (USA). Members have participated in Presbyterian Disaster Assistance trips, including rebuilding after Hurricane Katrina in Louisiana, the Joplin tornado in Missouri, and tornadoes in Oklahoma. The Colorado floods in 2013 brought local cleanup efforts. Donations collected through annual campaigns support ministries for children at risk around the world and help fund Presbyterian Disaster Assistance.
The Community Food Share Mobile Pantry also visits Westview on the third Thursday of each month from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m., operating while supplies last.
Coffee, Cards, Dominoes, and Breakfast
Much of the social life at Westview happens in small, easy-going gatherings. The Men's Coffee Fellowship meets Thursday mornings at 8:00 a.m. at the coffee shop inside CommonSpirit Hospital on Mountain View Avenue for conversation about life and faith. A Men's Breakfast is provided on the first Saturday of each month from September through May at 8:00 a.m.
For those who prefer indoor activities, the Card Making group meets at 1:00 p.m. on the third Tuesday of the month to create handmade cards that are used for pastoral home visits and special care notes. Mexican Train Dominoes draws a crowd at 1:00 p.m. on the third Wednesday of the month in the Fellowship Hall. Summer barbecues bring the congregation together during the warmer months.
How the Building Works
Because the campus is a set of four circular pods rather than one rectangular building, finding the right entrance can take a minute the first time. The sanctuary pod is on the western side of the campus; its main entrance is most easily reached from the 15th Avenue entrance and is the first set of double doors on the way. The church helpfully points out that visitors should open the LEFT side door, which is the one that is typically propped open. The other three pods, the Gathering Place, the Fellowship Hall, and the Outreach pod, can be entered from multiple directions; there are double doors on the north (16th Street) side, the east side, and from the central courtyard.
Office hours are Monday 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., Tuesday 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., and Thursday 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. The office is staffed by Financial Administrator Sharon Boeye and Office Administrator Meg Palmer. The mailing address is 1500 Hover St., Longmont, CO 80501-2465. The main phone number is (303) 776-3242, and the general email is wview@westviewpres.org. Questions about The Round Pantry can be sent to roundpantry@westviewpres.org.
Giving and Supporting Westview
Giving to Westview supports Sunday worship, weekly Bible studies, adult Sunday school, the Prayer Chain and Helping Hands ministries, pastoral visits to homes and care centers, Presbyterian mission efforts, and The Round Pantry.
Several giving options are available. Online credit card donations are processed through the Presbyterian Foundation's Vanco system and carry a 2% transaction fee, which donors may choose to cover. PayPal is also available for a small fee, and electronic funds transfer (EFT) from a checking or savings account has no transaction fee at all. Checks can be dropped in the Sunday offering plate or mailed to the church office, with the purpose noted in the memo line. Designated gifts can support the operating budget, the Round Pantry, roof loan debt relief, or be made in memory or honor of an individual.
Westview is also part of the King Soopers Community Rewards program. Shoppers who link their King Soopers loyalty card to Westview Presbyterian Church contribute a percentage of their spending to the church every time they check out, with no extra cost to themselves. The church also maintains a Legacy Society for members who want to include Westview in their estate plans.
Volunteer Opportunities Throughout the Week
Sunday morning has its own roster of volunteer roles, and the church lists them clearly. Greeters welcome people at the narthex with a handshake, hug, or friendly face. Ushers are stationed at each set of doors, hand out bulletins, and assist with the offering. Coffee hosts set out coffee, tea, and lemonade about 45 minutes before the service and clean up afterward. Other roles include liturgist, sound tech, projectionist, chancel choir, and Sunday school teachers.
Outside of Sunday, the Helping Hands ministry coordinates rides to medical appointments, the Shawl Ministry knits and sews for members in need, and the Meals ministry provides food after funerals and during recovery. The Round Church Garden offers another way to serve, and the Round Pantry itself is a continuous source of volunteer opportunities for those who want to be part of feeding neighbors.
What to Know Before Your First Visit
Westview's information for first-time visitors is unusually practical. Come as you are. The service runs about an hour, with engaging music and prayer alongside a Bible-based sermon. Coffee fellowship follows the service. Communion is offered on the first Sunday of each month. If you have young children, busy bags are available near the sanctuary and narthex entrance, and a children's program is offered during part of the service from September through May. The Round Pantry operates on the second and fourth Tuesday afternoons, and visitors who arrive at other times can simply come to worship and explore the campus. The church's leadership emphasizes five personal invitations: a place to belong, a place to believe, a place to become, a place to bring, and a place to be brave.