BRECKENRIDGE, Colo. — On the corner of Lincoln and French Streets in Breckenridge, St. John the Baptist Episcopal Church is one of the most historic buildings in town and Reverend Charley Brumbaugh says it needed a renovation.
“We have been here for 130 years,” said Brumbaugh. “It was time for a remodel.”
That remodel came during the pandemic, at a time when they had to close anyway. The church was given a new foundation and a larger kitchen and meeting space so when they reopened they could serve more meals at their traditional community dinner.
“Before our renovation our parish hall could maybe seat 40 people at a time, which is awkward if you have 100 or 200 people for supper,” said Brumbaugh.
On the last Tuesday of June, that new kitchen got put to the test when the church started serving those dinners again. At a celebration party, they served more than 400 meals at a time when the cost of living has been on the rise.
“It’s very expensive up here -- the cost of living is expensive, housing is expensive," said Brumbaugh. “It really helps, especially with people who work on the mountain, to have one time a week where they can gather in a warm safe place and have a warm home-cooked meal.”
The community dinners are every Tuesday night at the church, which not only gives people the chance to have a warm meal but after the pandemic the chance to gather again in person.
“The chance to gather again and sit down and eat is an amazing miracle to us,” said Brumbaugh.
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