Just northwest of Washington Park sits a quaint looking church that stands out from the surrounding houses. By just driving by, most people might not give it a second glance. This church, however, is anything but ordinary. Stepping inside, one is greeted by a friendly greeter at a front desk and a giant green sign welcoming you to The International Church of Cannabis.

The church is fairly new, as it was founded in 2017. Its members are called Elevationists. Elevationists believe that by using cannabis, also known as the sacred flower, they can reveal the best versions of themselves and enrich their communities.

Lee Molloy is a co-founding member of the church, and says, “The idea of the church came about when a few friends were Elevating in the chapel of the church, and we decided that instead of cutting the building up and turning it into unnecessary condos, we could keep it and build a peaceful community with the cannabis plant as a sacrament.”

According to Molloy, church events are very similar to what most people’s ideas of church services look like. Meetings include a speaker, fellowship and music. They also organize volunteer opportunities in the surrounding community.

“There is just a lot less dogma and a little more cannabis,” Molloy added.

The inside of the church is absolutely captivating. The first floor contains a gift shop featuring shirts, stickers and of course, pipes and bowls. Along with the gift shop, the first floor features several pieces of artwork, some of which are also for sale. Surrounding rooms feature lounges and meeting rooms for members to get together.

The second floor boasts the most eye catching portion of the building. Entering the chapel, it is impossible to not be amazed by the beauty of the art. Multicolored, bright murals have been painted across every inch of the wall and ceiling. The inside of the chapel and the outside of the church facade were painted by artists Okuda San Miguel and Kenny Scharf, respectively. Molloy shared how it took San Miguel only six days to complete the murals. A timelapse video of the artists painting the murals is available online through the church’s website.

Molloy also took some time to reflect on the cannabis industry in Colorado.

“I believe the business will continue to industrialize as federal banking becomes legal and we move toward big money entering the space,” Molloy predicted. “There will still be micro-farms as there are micro-breweries, but giant corporations are likely to take over the space within a few years.”

Anyone can visit the church during visiting hours, which are usually during the weekends and are posted on their website at elevationists.org. After visiting, those of legal age are welcome to sign up to be invited to a church event.

As for the future of the community, Molloy is eager and hopeful for what lies ahead. He shared how the church has exciting volunteer opportunities in store for the coming year, along with events planned leading up to 4/20. 

“I wish more people knew that we were here and are doing good work in our community,” Molloy said.