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Craig — Books, papers and other office materials are strewn about the office of Pastor Bill Ditges, while in the corner stand a cowboy hat, saddle and horseshoeing tools. Ditges said these western decorations are an indication that he has never really left Northwest Colorado.

Ditges has begun Central Baptist Church of the Yampa Valley, located at 185 N. Second St. in Hayden. The town's First Baptist Church previously occupied the building before closing in 2004.

"Our church will not be a restart of First Baptist," Ditges said. "The name is different because we want to make a fresh start. It's a new church that is using an old church's building."

Ditges' approach to starting the church has been one of necessity.

"The reason we came to Hayden is because I love the region, and there was no longer a Baptist church in the town," he said. "The building was available, and I hate the idea of a vacant church."

Ditges was born and raised in Craig. He graduated from Moffat County High School in 1987.

"People who knew me then will remember that I was very, very rebellious," he said.

After a year at Grand Junction's Mesa College, he joined the Navy. During this period, he began taking religion more seriously, becoming a born-again Christian in 1993.

"It changed my life forever," he said.

Ditges married his wife, Misty, the same year and, following his military service, went on to earn two degrees in Farrier Sciences from Montana State University. He took up a career in horseshoeing in 1995 in Grand Junction and was actively involved in church activities until 2002, when he felt his calling for the ministry.

Ditges obtained his degree in theology from North Carolina's Ambassador Baptist College in 2007. Following a summer at Treasure Mountain Bible Camp in Glenwood Springs, Bill, Misty and their children Abigail, 13, and Nathan, 11, came to Hayden in August 2007 to begin work on Central Baptist, an independent, fundamental church.

"It has mostly been a lot of cleaning and painting," Ditges said. "We've also put in new windows and replaced the roof. We've received help from Baptist churches in Craig, Steamboat, Loveland, Montrose, Grand Junction and even from out of state, like Salt Lake City, Utah, and Fostoria, Mich."

The church also contains its own library and an apartment for visiting missionaries. Bible studies currently take place at 7 p.m. each Wednesday.

"We plan to have vacation Bible school from July 21 to 24 once we get up and running," Ditges said. "I have a vision for what I want to do with the church."

The church's first official Sunday services will begin at 11 a.m. July 6.

"We want to reach out to the Yampa Valley area," he said. "All are welcome to come."