Elisabet Kirkland

01 Dec

HAPPY, HEALTHY VEGAN HOLIDAY COOKING CLASS HELD AT PIÑON HILLS CHURCH

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Samantha Nelson – Farmington, New Mexico … Just in time for the Thanksgiving holiday, chef Teresa Morlan held a three-night cooking school at the Piñon Hills Seventh-day Adventist Church in Farmington, New Mexico, on how to create delicious vegan holiday meals—from entrees like Sham Ham to desserts like pumpkin pie and parfaits.

“We were very happy with the turnout, as 60 people had registered in advance and 45 actually turned out—many from the local community who had never visited our facility before. Sadly, Pastor Steve and I had to miss the first two nights due to a funeral service for his father. Otherwise, the count would have been higher,” shares Samantha Nelson, coordinator of the event.

The testimonies received speak for themselves:

“I was shocked at how good the quality of the food was,” remarked participant Wes Branch. “I had never had vegan food before and was pleasantly surprised. I really liked it!”

Participant Alondra Delgado commented, “Good ideas for holiday cooking and vegan options. Inspirational testimonies that uplift the Spirit.”

“I have really enjoyed Teresa and Derek! I loved the sweet treats!” shared church member Robbie Wilcox, and participant Joshua Roy said, “I love good quality food!”

“My mom took the cooking class and absolutely loved it,” remarked Michele Wayne. “She brought home really good food and ideas.” Participant Sharon Wayne commented, “Excellent way to learn about vegan cooking.”

“I thought it was a wonderful way of learning how to cook differently and healthier and to fellowship and make new friends,” shared Aztec Seventh-day Adventist Church member Taylor Henning.

Morlan did a great job of presenting the importance of choosing the best and healthiest possible food and ingredient options and interspersed the cooking demonstrations with spiritual life lessons. Her husband Derek worked beside her in prepping, cleaning, and serving.

No one left hungry and those who won the drawings for leftovers each night were very happy. It was a great success with one attendee even saying she hoped we would plan to have Morlan back each year.

—Samantha Nelson writes from the Piñon Hills Seventh-Day Adventist Church where her husband is lead pastor. Photos supplied.

01 Dec

PIÑON HILLS CHURCH CELEBRATES 125 YEARS OF MINISTRY

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Samantha Nelson – Farmington, New Mexico … The Piñon Hills Seventh-Day Adventist Church in Farmington, New Mexico, celebrated its 125th anniversary, November 22.

It all started when Steve Nelson, pastor for the Farmington District, and his wife Samantha were reorganizing the pastor’s office after their recent transfer from Wyoming. As they put up new pictures, Samantha noticed that one painting was of the old church and was dated November 1900. Realizing that this year was the 125th anniversary, the idea of a celebration was brought to the board and approved.

It took a team of volunteers, including Jennifer Halphen, Brenna Kincaid, Wanda O’Nan, Ana Foley, and many others, to pull off the celebration—gathering historical information to be shared with the congregation, planning special music, a fellowship meal, decorating the sanctuary and fellowship hall, etc.—but all their hard work paid off! Everyone was blessed by the celebration of God’s faithfulness in keeping the church operating for so many years.

Shirley Stewart has held her membership at the church for 75 years, the longest of anyone. “It’s such a good church. It’s always been a good church because we won’t allow it to be anything else,” she says.

Cora and Tony Goldtooth were also present, and Cora shared that she started attending the church school here in 1957.

Church youth Ryker Watson shared special music while his grandmother and church member, DeAnn Weber, as well as members Bruce and Karen Bowen, shared some of the church history. The choir gave a moving performance, and the pastor shared an encouraging message about “Going Home.”

Afterward everyone enjoyed a delicious meal and an opportunity to take a photo in front of the decorations.

—Samantha Nelson writes from the Piñon Hills Seventh-Day Adventist Church where her husband is lead pastor. Photos supplied.

Cora Goldtooth, pictured with her husband Tony, attended the church’s school in 1957.
Church youth, Ryker Watson, provided the special music for the celebration.
Shirley Stewart, pictured with her daughter Jana Steuble and son Wes Stewart, holds the longest membership at the church at 75 years.
01 Dec

GREELEY ADVENTIST CHRISTIAN SCHOOL HOLDS SPECIAL CHAPEL IN HONOR OF LONG-TIME VOLUNTEERS

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Will Reed – Greeley, Colorado … Greeley Adventist Christian School (ACS) in Greeley, Colorado, held a special school chapel service in honor of two long-time volunteers who will be moving from the area, November 20.

Students, staff, and church members came together to celebrate Doyle and Susie Dick, a retired couple and members of the Greeley Seventh-day Adventist Church, who spent several years at the school offering their service to the school’s needs.

Mr. and Mrs. D, as they were known to the students, worked in several areas over the years, starting in the spring of 2015. Doyle, a retired teacher, taught upper-grade math for several years while managing most of the school’s technology, including teacher computers, student laptops, printers, and internet equipment.

Susie worked primarily in the library, sorting and cataloging books, helping students find books to check out, and reading to the lower-grades students. The D’s were willing to be of service in needed areas, often volunteering at school fundraising events or being available as substitute teachers.

Will Reed, upper-grades teacher and principal at ACS, expressed gratefulness during the chapel service that the D’s consistently supported the school and blessed it with their efforts: “Doyle and Susie, we are not trying to idolize you today but rather to show our great appreciation for the sacrifice of time and resources that you both gave to ACS and to thank God for sending people like you here to make the school a better place,” he said.

The Dicks were also celebrated during the service by Amber Fellers, a former Rocky Mountain Conference teacher, Michael Shannon, pastor of the Greeley Church, and two current ACS students. Tony Gowler, ACS school board chair, presented the D’s with a plaque commemorating their time at ACS. He referred to them as “two selfless servants of God. They make the rest of us want to be better.”

As the service concluded, Doyle and Susie shared their appreciation to the school community for allowing them to play a part in the functioning of the school which gave them an opportunity to watch the students grow up and have an impact on them. Being at the school “meant just as much to us,” they said.

—Will Reed is principal and fifth through eighth grades teacher at Adventist Christian School. Photos by Will Reed.

01 Dec

MHA STUDENTS SERVE DENVER COMMUNITY AT THANKSGIVING EVENT

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Cindy Roldan – Highlands Ranch, Colorado … Eleven Upper School students from Mile High Academy (MHA) in Highlands Ranch, Colorado, spent their day partnering with Denver Sur Hispanic Seventh-day Adventist Church to support their annual Thanksgiving breakfast and food bank operations, November 19. Students helped prepare and serve meals to community members and worked alongside volunteers to organize and distribute food to local families in need.

This service outing reflects MHA’s new Upper School service model—shifting from a single annual Service Day to ongoing, smaller-group service opportunities throughout the year. By mixing students from grades nine through twelve, the program aims to build stronger relationships and a consistent spirit of service within the school community.

MHA also contributed items for the event’s raffle, supporting the organization’s efforts to uplift and encourage families during the holiday season. Roger, MHA junior student, shared why these experiences matter: “It’s important for us to have empathy and put ourselves in someone else’s shoes. That is why my parents encourage me to participate in these events.”

MHA school chaplain RD Gallant reflected on the impact of the day, noting how diverse the human experience can be and how meaningful it is for MHA students to join organizations already doing significant work in the Denver area, such as Denver Sur Church.

Though the students returned tired from the full morning of service, each one expressed feeling blessed by the experience and grateful for the opportunity to make a difference. They also walked away with a deeper appreciation for the dedication of leaders like Margarita Meza, who works tirelessly to keep the food bank running for the community.

—Cindy Roldan is Mile High Academy’s director of Student Services. Photos supplied.

24 Nov

ROCKY MOUNTAIN REGION ADVENTHEALTH HOSPITALS RECEIVE TOP HOSPITAL SAFETY GRADE FROM THE LEAPFROG GROUP

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AdventHealth – Denver, Colorado … The Fall 2025 Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grades are in, and AdventHealth’s Rocky Mountain Region hospitals have once again been recognized for their commitment to patient safety.

AdventHealth Avista, Castle Rock, Littleton and Porter have all earned an impressive “A” Hospital Safety Grade from The Leapfrog Group, an independent national nonprofit organization committed to enhancing patient safety. These biannual ratings are considered a leading benchmark for measuring hospital performance and patient safety across the nation.

  • AdventHealth Avista: 14th “A” in a row – Straight “A” Since 2019
  • AdventHealth Castle Rock: 3rd “A” in row
  • AdventHealth Littleton: 4th “A” in a row
  • AdventHealth Porter: 8th “A” in a row – Straight “A” Since 2022

Leapfrog assigns letter grades, ranging from “A” to “F”, to general hospitals nationwide based on more than 30 measures of performance. These include how well hospitals prevent errors, accidents, injuries, and infections, as well as the systems they have in place to keep patients safe.

These grades are widely respected for promoting transparency and accountability in health care and for driving continuous improvement that leads to better patient outcomes.

“Providing safe, whole-person care is central to who we are,” said Brett Spenst, CEO of AdventHealth’s Rocky Mountain Region. “This recognition reflects the consistent effort of our teams to uphold the highest standards of safety and excellence. I’m grateful to our leaders, team members, providers, and volunteers for their commitment to delivering exceptional care and living out our mission every day.”

The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade is the only hospital ratings program focused exclusively on preventing medical errors, injuries, and infections that can cause serious harm to patients.

The grading system is peer-reviewed, fully transparent and free to the public. Grades are updated twice annually, in the fall and spring.

—AdventHealth News. Republished with permission from the AdventHealth News & Stories website, November 13, 2025, article. Photo by The Leapfrog Group.

24 Nov

COMMENTARY: WHAT YOU CAN CONTROL – A RESILIENCE CHECKLIST FOR WOMEN WHO LEAD

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By Brenda Dickerson

We hear much these days about the need for resiliency. In our high-burnout society, women who lead are especially vulnerable. What exactly is resiliency, and how do we increase it?

Resiliency can be defined as the ability to pivot, change, or adapt to new situations. Resilience is largely about attitude and having a healthy view toward change processes. A number of personal characteristics enable resiliency, including:

  • Flexibility
  • Self-confidence
  • A positive outlook/hopeful mindset
  • Well-developed problem solving skills
  • A willingness to embrace change
  • Personal strength based on one’s faith

People who have “stress-hearty” personalities realize what has to be done, and they do it right then. They look for the opportunities in every situation and choose to be involved in them.

Some practices that are foundational to increasing resiliency are taking time for soul-care, setting appropriate boundaries, managing stress in healthy ways, and practicing positive daily affirmations.

Here are additional practical ways of increasing personal resilience:

  • Laugh
  • Be creative
  • Set goals
  • Choose a positive attitude
  • Focus on good health
  • Focus on healthy relationships
  • Find balance
  • Believe in yourself
  • Remember, it’s temporary
  • Be aware of your feelings
  • Identify what you CAN control
  • Anticipate what’s coming next
  • Celebrate your efforts and your progress

Leadership isn’t a solo sport; it’s iron sharpening iron—voices in community shaping how we think, decide, and serve. Good leaders start by looking within—examining mindset, habits, and blind spots—then learn alongside others who are building teams, navigating change, and refining their craft.

—Brenda Dickerson is associate director of Communication for the Mid-America Union, editor of OUTLOOK magazine, and AWL Committee Member. Republished with permission from the November 10, 2025, Adventist Women Leaders email newsletter. Photo by Look Studio of Unsplash.

24 Nov

YOUNG CAMPION ACADEMY DONORS SAVE LIVES

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Bruno Lopes – Loveland, Colorado … The student body at Campion Academy (CA) in Loveland, Colorado, overcame the fear of needles and came together to contribute to the donor blood bank, November 14.

The donor blood bank gave our students and staff two options, a basic donation amount, and a double donation for those who met the requirements.

Marc Winokan, a senior student who did a double donation, expressed, “I really want to help others that might need my blood. The process felt a little weird because I did a double donation where they take my blood, separate the red blood cells from the plasma, and put the plasma back in my body.”

The blood drive is an event organized by CA registrar Shannon Brown twice a year with the intention of encouraging Campion Academy staff and students 16-years and older to donate blood and help people.

Brown shared, “When I came to Campion, we didn’t have a blood drive, so I organized one since I feel it is so important to keep this life-saving activity going among our communities.” She also said, “My hope is that students continue to donate throughout their lifetime and create a lifelong habit that continues to impact their communities and ultimately, their world.”

—Bruno Lopes, Campion Academy Student News Team. Photos supplied.

24 Nov

CAMPION HANDBELLS CHOIR SALUTES VETERANS

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Pamela Lah – Loveland, Colorado … The handbells choir at Campion Academy (CA) in Loveland, Colorado, got to commemorate Veterans Day by playing “A Patriotic Salute” in Loveland’s parade, November 11.

The bells worked hard, preparing for the parade for weeks. Theo Poloza, a senior student, reflected, “I was nervous to do something new, specifically playing while moving. However, in the end, we played really well and sounded great. It was truly an honor to perform for the veterans.”

The parade itself lasted for about 50 minutes and included a war plane flyover, historical military vehicles, and, of course, veterans. During the parade, four students held a Campion Academy banner in front of the bell’s float.

Andrew Blomberg, CA Maintenance director, drove the Campion maintenance truck, pulling the trailer full of bells, which had been decorated in a patriotic theme by Toni Odenthal, CA director of Alumni and Development. Dick Stenbakken and Elliot Fortener, Campion Seventh-day Adventist Church veterans, marched behind the float and threw candy at the crowd.

The bells rang nice and loud and impressed many around them in the crowd and in the parade

“It was so exciting that so many people stopped by our float asking for encores and about Campion. When they announced our names, they said we pride ourselves with our academics and music,” Naomi Fernandez, CA music director, resounded.

A bell player and student Tita Zuniga shared, “I liked seeing the little kids being excited about the bells. It was cool to see the airplanes and be a part of the parade.”

—Pamela Lah, Campion Academy Student News Team. Photos supplied.

12 Nov

ABUSE AWARENESS EVENT BRINGS CONVERSATION AND HOPE TO GRAND JUNCTION CHURCH

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Jose Briones – Grand Junction, Colorado … The Grand Junction Seventh‑day Adventist Church hosted an abuse awareness seminar featuring speaker Miki Sturges, an advocate known for empowering survivors and educating communities about the realities of abuse and Grand Junction church member, November 8. Drawing from her own personal experience, Sturges shared testimony and practical insight on the importance of recognizing and supporting victims of abuse.

The event drew local residents eager to engage in a difficult but necessary conversation. Attendee Sturges reflected, “These kinds of conversations are needed, and when we have them, our community becomes stronger.”

Organizers from the Family Ministries department emphasized that the gathering was not only about raising awareness but also about building bridges. “This is a step to reach out to the community,” noted Sylvia Barton, Grand Junction Church Family Ministry coordinator.

Nathaniel Gamble, lead pastor for the Grand Junction Church, added a pastoral perspective, explaining the role of mandated reporters in protecting vulnerable individuals. He reminded attendees that faith communities carry both a moral and legal responsibility to act when abuse is suspected. Gamble also offered a theological reflection, noting that “God understands abuse because He Himself experienced it in the person of Jesus Christ.” His words underscored the seminar’s message that faith can be a source of solidarity and healing for those who suffer.

The seminar further emphasized that abuse is not limited to one form. Presenters highlighted the different kinds of abuse—emotional, physical, spiritual, and financial—helping attendees recognize the many ways harm can manifest.

Through personal stories, practical resources, and theological grounding, the event drew attention to the role of churches in confronting abuse and fostering resilience. For many in attendance, it marked a meaningful step toward healing and collective strength in Grand Junction. CLICK HERE to watch the seminar.

—Jose Briones is the RMC Stewardship Promotion and Content creator. Photos supplied.

10 Nov

DONORS AND VOLUNTEERS MAKE GIRL’S DORM LOBBY RENOVATION POSSIBLE

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Pamela Lah – Loveland, Colorado … The girls’ dorm lobby at Campion Academy (CA) in Loveland, Colorado, is getting a much-needed makeover this fall thanks to the generosity of several donors whose gifts made the project possible. Renovations began in early September after a major donation launched the effort to replace the flooring and create a more welcoming environment for students.

In addition to the monetary donations, Joel Hernandez, member of the Denver (Pecos) Hispanic Seventh-day Adventist Church, and Paul Negrete, Associate Superintendent of the Rocky Mountain Conference, were instrumental in getting the project started, volunteering their time and expertise to install the flooring.

“We are really grateful for supporters of Campion who want to see it impact students for the kingdom,” emphasized CA principal Kaleb Leeper.

Following the initial donation, more funds were contributed specifically to improve the front desk, allowing the project to expand even further.

Renovations are still underway, but the team hopes to have the flooring completed by or before Parents’ Weekend on November 21. Students are already excited about the progress. “It’s looking beautiful,” said sophomore student Hannah.

—Pamela Lah, Campion Academy Student News Team. Photo supplied.

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