The Chapel in Drake, CO

08/05/2026

(Full pictures on website)
Another one of our congregation was able to visit the construction site for the new Chapel building. We can see people currently working. There aren't as many drastic changes as we've seen in our previous visits, but these construction guys have been doing an amazing job. There will likely be plenty of work happening that isn't obviously visible.

One of the changes we can see is the new green stuff on the roof. It looks like tar paper (which goes under the shingles to prevent water from getting through).

Thank you all for your prayers. God bless.
Full Pictures: https://drakechapel.org/update-more-pictures/

08/01/2026

Fifty years ago today, Colorado experienced one of the deadliest natural disasters in our state’s history.

On the evening of July 31, 1976, a nearly stationary thunderstorm parked over the Big Thompson Canyon and dumped as much as 7.5 inches of rain in about an hour, with up to a foot of rain falling in just a few hours. The Big Thompson River transformed from a peaceful mountain stream into a devastating wall of water that roared through the canyon with little warning. (USGS)

By the end of the night:

144 people had lost their lives.
More than 250 were injured.
Hundreds of homes, businesses, bridges, and miles of roadway were destroyed. (USGS)

For many of us who forecast weather in Colorado, the Big Thompson Flood isn’t just history. It’s a reminder of why we take Flash Flood Watches and Warnings so seriously.

Mountain canyons are beautiful, but they’re also unforgiving. Rain doesn’t have to be falling where you’re standing for floodwaters to reach you. A thunderstorm miles upstream can send a wall of water racing downstream with astonishing speed.

So today we remember the victims, honor the survivors, thank the first responders who risked everything, and recognize the lessons that tragedy taught us.

If you’re recreating in Colorado’s mountains

🌩️ Keep an eye on the sky.

📱 Have a way to receive weather alerts.

🏕️ Never camp in a dry creek bed or too close to a river.

🚗 If a Flash Flood Warning is issued for your area, move to higher ground immediately. Don’t wait to see the water.

May we never forget the lives lost, and may we continue to learn from one of Colorado’s darkest days. ❤️

Image courtesy of the Loveland Reporter Herald

07/31/2026

We remember.

From the Greeley Tribune

Big Thompson Flood was Colorado’s deadliest disaster in modern history. Here’s a collection of stories from our coverage.

On July 31, 1976, a torrential downpour over the Big Thompson Canyon caused a massive surge of water to rush down the canyon, resulting in the deaths of 144 people.

Full Article:
https://www.greeleytribune.com/2026/07/31/colorado-marks-big-thompson-flood-50-anniversary/?fbclid=IwY2xjawTZqVJleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZA80MDk5NjI2MjMwODU2MDkAAR7zbln01GC7GHiU4n8WbAGcz4bc7qeD2kr0X_1D_-hnSrfkn86aTaXkEdMJvg_aem_q92pHlnLjqD3REPLxO6_UA&utm_campaign=mrf-facebook-greeleytribune&utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&mrfcid=202607316a6a238119e4296bf049d816

Reporter-Herald staff dug deep into the tragedy, uncovering stories of survival, loss and resilience.

07/30/2026

(Full pictures on website)
Hallelujah! We have more progress to report on the new Chapel building!

We now have a roof and siding. There are cutouts for windows, frames for doors, and interior structure for the back rooms. In my mind, I am able to start thinking about where people will be sitting, how we'll setup tables for fellowship, or how equipment will be set up.

From here, it's reasonable to assume we'll see work like plumbing, electrical, insulation, and roofing. We may see additional work outside the building like sidewalks and steps. We are excited to see what's next.

The progress is REALLY encouraging. Thank you all for your support and prayers.

Website: https://drakechapel.org/update-sides-roof-and-rooms-with-images/

07/21/2026

(Full Pictures on our website)
Wow! I just posted yesterday with pictures of the bare concrete foundation, and I expected that the next step would be putting up the frame. But I didn't expect them to be moving so quickly! The construction team is currently working on the frame of our new building!

Hallelujah!
Full Images: https://drakechapel.org/update-the-framing-is-already-up-pictures/

07/20/2026

(Full Images on our website)
We have a foundation! The construction team has poured the foundation and have started marking out the next steps for construction!

The first image was taken days ago. The concrete still looks slightly wet and must have been poured very recently.

The second image was taken on Sunday, and we can see lines marked for the next stage of construction and lumber for what we expect is for walls and the structure of the church.

Hallelujah! Thank you for your continued prayers and support for the Chapel.

Visit our website for more information: https://drakechapel.org/

07/07/2026

This is an AI depiction of what the Chapel building MIGHT look like when completed. We are excited to see the progress so far and we look forward to seeing what God will do next!

07/02/2026

The Chapel in Drake is the only church in the Big Thompson Canyon area and we need help rebuilding our church. Take a look at our website and Facebook for the full story (link in bio). Also, we are using GiveSendGo to collect donations. Anything you provide is appreciated. Thanks!

https://www.givesendgo.com/drakechapel

06/29/2026

(Full Images on our website)
BUILDING PROGRESS UPDATE:

We have new Chapel building photos! While I'm not an expert on construction, I'll try to point out changes, progress, and what might be coming up soon.

First off, we can definitely see the shape of the new Chapel building. This is really exciting! The builders laid concrete for the frame of the Chapel and have nearly (if not already) finished leveling the foundation of the building. It seems like we are very close to pouring the foundation.

We can also see plumbing work with the green utility pipes and the giant white septic tank on the opposite side. We didn't see the work of digging the holes for either and the green plumbing pipes are already filled back in. I would expect some hookup connections for the septic tank before it gets its top and is covered up. I expect that'll take some time.

I don't know what the extra hole is in one of the photos. It's likely additional plumbing work and/or maybe an access point for utility maintenance. We'll just have to see.

Also a huge thank you to our church members who took these photos. We can see multiple angles and perspectives because they climbed up and got good scene shots. Thank you.

Website Post: https://drakechapel.org/update-visible-building-shape-pictures/

06/22/2026

We need help rebuilding our church in the canyon in Drake on Highway 34. We have a GiveSendGo page where all donations will be allotted to the rebuilding fund.

Please pray for us! And, if your curious, check out our Facebook and website for the full story.

GiveSendGo Link: https://www.givesendgo.com/drakechapel