This weekend, I finally checked off one of my long-awaited Colorado sight-seeing trips to Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs. While there, I was struck by a simple but powerful plaque in the Central Gardens:
“Given to the City of Colorado Springs in 1909 by the children of Charles Elliott Perkins in fulfillment of his wish that it be kept forever free to the public.”
Perkins, a railroad executive, originally acquired the land with the idea of building a summer home, but after experiencing the awe-inspiring beauty of the red rock formations, he had a change of heart. He believed that such wonder shouldn’t be privately owned or reserved for the few; it should be shared freely with all. His children honored that vision, ensuring the land would remain open to the public, forever free of charge.
In a world where so much is bought, sold, and branded, this act stands out as a quiet declaration that beauty and belonging are not commodities. We shouldn’t have to buy our way into these things that enrich our soul. They are meant to be received as gifts, shared freely and abundantly.
It reminds me of what the church strives to be. Not a place where we earn our way in or trade perfection for admission, but a community where everyone, regardless of background or belief, is welcomed just as God created them to be.
This vision isn’t accidental. It’s the fruit of generations who sought to follow Christ in grace and generosity. Now we must ask ourselves: how will we carry that vision forward? What does it mean to make a church — or a life, or a garden — that is “forever free to the public,” just as God intended from the very beginning?
May we each find faithful ways to live into that vision and extend that welcome, this week and always.
