A Brief History of Holly Hills Bible Church
The seeds of what is now Holly Hills Bible Church were sown in the late 1890’s. Local Christians decided to use facilities of Ash Grove School as a meeting place for Sunday school despite its rural location from downtown Denver. The Ash Grove School was only a few blocks from the current church plant site.
It continued with some interruption through the years under various leaders. It was in 1929 that Robert B. Parker reorganized the Sunday school, and it continued at the Ash Grove School until 1947 when a building at the present site was dedicated. Mr. Archie H. Yetter was called to shepherd the flock in 1945. He became the first pastor in January 1947 when the church was incorporated as Ash Grove Union Church. On Easter Sunday 1949 the first building, a government surplus barracks recently moved to the present location, was dedicated. Pastor Yetter served until 1954, and was succeeded one year later by Pastor J. L. Garland.
In the summer of 1961 a new building was erected and at that time the church was renamed Holly Hills Community Church, a name that tied it more closely to the housing community that had sprung up around it. In 1967, the name was changed to Holly Hills Bible Church. Pastor Garland resigned in 1968, and was followed by Mr. Ron Merryman. Mr. Merryman pastored the church until his resignation in 1982. Several men filled in after Mr. Merryman, including Mr. Dave Ripley who was interim pastor for 1 year. Mr. Ken Marr came to Holly Hills in January 1985 and pastored until July 1993. Hal Molloy, an elder served as pastor from 1993 to 2000. In August of 2001, Vern Peterman joined us to serve as elder-shepherd, with Hal Molloy continuing to function as elder-shepherd. On November 16, 2006, Hal walked through Heaven’s Gates and is now Face to face with his (and our!) precious Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. In 2003, Mike Doyle was recognized as our 3rd elder-shepherd and in 2004, Roger Henderson was recognized as our 4th elder-shepherd. On December 2018 Vern Peterman resigned, he and Nancy have relocated to California.