Elisabet Kirkland

RMCNews – Denver, Colorado … Cathy Kissner, Community Services and Disaster Relief coordinator for the Rocky Mountain Conference (RMC), was honored with a lifetime achievement award at the 2026 Adventist Community Services (ACS) Convention, Wellspring, April 15-17, in Greenville, South Carolina.

Cathy began her service with the Seventh-day Adventist Church 46 years ago in the then Nebraska Conference until her husband, and former RMC pastor, Mike Kissner, transferred to RMC for Literature Evangelism. She became RMC’s ACS coordinator in 1996 in which she has since led the conference’s disaster relief efforts in the state of Colorado for all—except two—incidents and for two incidents in Wyoming.

During her tenure, Cathy has sat on the Colorado Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (VOAD) as board chair for two terms and vice chair for one term as well as vice chair for the Wyoming VOAD for one term. She also holds the role of Mid America Union Conference ACS coordinator and has worked with the North American Division (NAD) on developing the multi-agency warehouse manual which will be presented in May at the national VOAD conference.

Through Cathy’s efforts, the Rocky Mountain Conference holds a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the State of Colorado and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), in which they will call upon her in to assist with disaster relief. By request of the NAD, Cathy has traveled as far as Saipan, a U.S. commonwealth in the western Pacific, to more local incidents within the continental United States including the 2025 Kerr County Floods in Texas and the St. Louis tornados.

The largest and most recent incident in the RMC in which Cathy led ACS involvement was the Marshall Fire that swept through Louisville and Superior, Colorado, in December of 2021. Over 3,700 family units received assistance, and Cathy and her team were able to donate over $6.5 million in volunteer hours to the state.

Cathy remarked that this incident was particularly noteworthy as they were rotating 100 new volunteers every two hours. “It was amazing. Just amazing … the relationships that you develop with people when you work that long that hard to continually solve problems,” she reflected.

Currently, there are over 13 community centers and food or clothing banks across the conference, with Cathy having helped procure $10,000.00 seed improvement grants from division level for almost all of these centers.

“Cathy’s ministry has been an incredible blessing to those who are facing life’s crises. She exemplifies Jesus’s message found in Matthew 25 of how we are to serve those in the deepest need and, in doing so, serve Him,” praised Dave VandeVere, RMC president.

When asked why she has continued to serve in this often-stressful ministry for so long, Cathy replied, “A number of years ago, I read a book where the author described having a mission statement for your life. My mission statement is to show the love of the Father to His hurting children. And God’s children continue to hurt.”

—RMCNews. Photo courtesy of NAD Adventist Community Services.

RMCNews – Denver, Colorado … The April session of the Rocky Mountain Conference (RMC) Executive Committee held at the RMC Denver office, April 21, had a mission focus with highlights spanning both geographically and ministerially within the conference.

Andrew Abbott, who recently joined RMC as the lead pastor for the Loveland and Windsor Elm Haven Seventh-day Adventist Churches, led the session’s opening devotional. He started with the story of Tammie Jo Schultz, a former U.S. Navy fighter pilot, who gained acclaim for safely landing a commercial airline flight in 2018 after catastrophic engine failure, remarking on her ability to stay focused on the ultimate mission even under extreme stress.

Abbott then transitioned to the story of the biblical character Simon in Acts 8:9-24, reflecting on how Simon had tried to purchase receiving the Holy Spirit, presumably wanting power for his own glory and not for God’s mission. Abbott closed exploring how distraction and busyness is the enemy of discipleship where it is easy to lose sight of the greater Christian mission while still asking God for the power behind it.

President’s Report

Dave VandeVere, RMC president, did a short overview of spiritual retreats available for RMC staff including pastors, teachers, and office staff, thanking the staff at Glacier View Ranch in Ward, Colorado—where the retreats have been held—for their exceptional hospitality. He also reviewed the recent RMC Ministerial Meetings providing practical leadership training, pastoral ministry information exchange, and praise time remarking that it felt as much of a spiritual gathering as a professional development session.

VandeVere is also continuing to meet with RMC pastors and teachers that he has not already convened with since he began his leadership post in August of 2025, and gave updates on activities of some of the Conference’s committees. He also shared inspiring stories of what is happening in the communities from outreach by local churches he has recently visited.

Vice President for Administration’s Report

Doug Inglish, RMC vice president for Administration, reported on pastoral changes detailing the status of replacing the few vacant positions and filling the new associate and intern positions available. He remarked on the promising number of applicants for a few of the positions. Inglish also announced the Bylaw Committee’s plan to present suggested changes at RMC town hall meetings prior to RMC Constituency Meeting being held in August of 2027.

Mission and Vision

The RMC Executive Committee meeting then transitioned into mission highlights from the Conference’s three segments: church, school, and administrative ministries

Phil Mills, lead pastor of the Franktown Seventh-day Adventist Church in Franktown, Colorado, begin his highlight with the church’s intentional focus on prayer, organically leading to the formation of 26 prayer groups. “Prayer has been the foundation of where we have seen God moving in our church, and it is all member led,” he remarked.

Mills also shared about some of the programs focused on relationships at the church, including service teams and cooking classes, that have led to people of a wide array of backgrounds coming back to their faith or finding their faith for the first time.

Marsha Bartulec, principal at Vista Ridge Academy (VRA), illustrated the school’s philosophy with metaphor of a tree, beginning with roots for a strong foundation, the trunk being the school, the branches being highly effective teachers, and the leaves being the experiences when students are meeting Jesus and feeling loved.

Bartulec continued the metaphor with God as the sun providing the Holy Spirit energy, water coming from RMC’s CHERISH core values and the VRA Eagle Way, and apples representing the students who will go into the world to minister and spread the “seeds” of faith. She closed her time with a powerful testimony from a family of their children thriving in their new school environment at VRA.

The final highlight came from Mary Lynn Green, director for the RMC Planned Giving and Trust Services (PG&TS). She brought awareness to attendees of the unique ministry opportunities that occur through the department’s work while sharing the story of 14-month journey the PG&TS staff has had with an individual that is under their services.

From everyday banking to life care services, Green expressed the challenges and blessings of being able to help vulnerable members of the community, fulfilling Gods ministry who always provided what was needed at that time, and being witness to small acts of kindness along the way.

Financial Report

Darin Gotfried, RMC vice president for Finance, gave a very brief financial report for the first quarter of the year to accommodate the packed business meeting agenda. The Conference has seen a modest but notable 0.75% increase in tithe as related to this point last year, and income is above budget for the first quarter. It is a promising start financially for the year.

A consistent theme arose from the April 2026 RMC Executive Committee Meeting that the mission of the Rocky Mountain Conference is not confined to programs, positions, and places, but is lived out through people. From prayer groups and classrooms to pastoral care and administrative services, each report shared the commitment to keep Christ at the center and keep the Gospel in motion. United in purpose and empowered by the Spirit, the conference continues to move forward—intentionally, prayerfully, and mission-first—seeking to make a lasting impact in every community it serves.

—RMCNews. Photo by Liz Kirkland.

Abigail Brown – Loveland, Colorado … The touring music groups of Campion Academy (CA)  in Loveland, Colorado—Koinonia, Bells, and Jazz Band—traveled through Kansas for their annual music tour this year, April 15-19, led by CA music director Naomi Fernandez.

The groups performed their songs at many different schools and churches. Along the way they also had joint performances with Midland Adventist Academy (MAA) in Shawnee, Kansas, and College View Academy (CVA) in Lincoln, Nebraska, giving them a unique experience to connect with other music students.

The first stop was at Adventist Christian School (ACS) in Greeley, Colorado. After that, they performed at Topeka Adventist Christian School (TACS) in Topeka, Kansas, and finally traveled to MAA where they stayed the night.

On Friday, the groups got to mix in some fun at BRKThrough,* a local escape room, and met up with students from MAA and CVA who were also touring in Kansas. “It was fun going to BRKthrough with everyone and playing team building exercises. Everyone enjoyed getting to know the students and staff from the other schools too,” stated Fernandez.

Another popular moment on the music tour was when the Campion group went to the mall. A lot of people went out to eat, and they enjoyed the restaurants that were there. “I loved going to Panera with all my friends. The food was really good, and it was fun sharing new memories with everyone,” expressed CA student Grace B.

Campion Students performed with CVA and MAA at one of the churches in Kansas for a special Sabbath service and hung out together for the afternoon and evening. The church members and schools were all very welcoming and demonstrated gratitude for the students’ performances.

Zach H., CA student, recalled, “My favorite moment was playing basketball with CVA. It was fun getting to know them.”

After a whirlwind tour filled with performances and fun with other schools, the students returned back to Campion on Sunday.

* BRKThrough is not affiliated with the Seventh-day Adventist Church nor the Rocky Mountain Conference of Seventh-day Adventists

—Abigail Brown, Campion Academy Student Editor. Photos supplied.

Brenda Dickerson – Lincoln, Nebraska … After 44 years of dedicated service as a pastor and administrator, Elder Gary Thurber, Mid-America Union Conference (MAUC) president, has announced plans to retire.

Thurber shared his intentions with the MAUC executive committee on April 23, during a regularly scheduled meeting. He will continue to provide presidential leadership until the MAUC constituency session to be held in September of 2026.

During his announcement Thurber stated how much he loves the people of Mid-America, what an honor it’s been to serve, and how thankful he is to God for the privilege of 11 years as president. “It’s been a great run,” said Thurber. “I’ve gotten to work with the best presidents, the best committees. You’ve had courage to do hard things in the face of difficulties. To do the right things. It’s just been phenomenal for me, and I can’t thank you enough.” The committee responded with a standing ovation in recognition of Thurber’s leadership.

The MAUC constituency session nominating committee is scheduled to convene on August 2, chaired by G. Alexander Bryant, president of the North American Division. This committee is responsible for recommending candidates not only for the office of the president but for the other union officers including vice president of administration and vice president of finance. Their final report and nominations will be presented to the delegates for a vote during the MAUC constituency session on September 13 at the College View Church in Lincoln, Nebraska.

Thurber was elected MAUC president in August 2015. He has worked closely with Mid-America leaders and chaired key ministry boards, including the MAUC executive committee and the Union Adventist University board. He also served multiple terms as chair of the AdventHealth board of directors, in addition to collaborating with North American Division leadership on strategic initiatives.

Thurber will be remembered for his calm and authentic leadership style, his support of women in leadership, and his strong support of local conferences in the Mid-America territory. Milestone moments of his presidency include chairing the search committee selecting a new president for Union Adventist University in 2024, serving on the General Conference nominating committee in 2022, and overseeing hiring the most diverse team of staff the MAUC office has ever experienced.

The Mid-America Union serves more than 67,500 members through over 500 congregations and 75 schools across six conferences that include the states of North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa, Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, Minnesota, Colorado, Wyoming, and San Juan County in New Mexico.

Please keep Elder Thurber and his wife Diane in your prayers during this time of transition.

—Brenda Dickerson is the associate communication director for the Mid-America Union and editor of OUTLOOK magazine. Republished with permission by OUTLOOK magazine from the April 23, 2026, news story. Photos supplied.

RMCNews with Sandra Montano – Denver, Colorado … The Rocky Mountain Conference’s (RMC) Aurora Las Aguilas Pathfinder Club has a relatively long history of participation in the North American Division-level (NAD) Pathfinder Bible Experience (PBE) with this being the sixth year in a row at the event.

To be eligible to participate in division-level testing that was held in Hawthorne, Florida, April 17-18, Pathfinder Club teams have to score a first-place ranking in the local, conference, and union-level testing events. The Las Aguilas Pathfinder Club joined the event virtually from the Wellness Support Center at the RMC Office in Denver, Colorado, with the over 260 other teams participating and being tested on the biblical book of Isaiah.

Joining the event virtually meant a very early morning for the team members, their families, and club leadership. The morning programming for the event started at 8:00 a.m. eastern daylight time, so the team had to be logged in, registered, and streaming by 6:00 a.m. Denver time.

There to support and facilitate the testing was Julie Lim, RMC Club Ministries North Metro area coordinator, who entered the team’s responses into the testing system, Sandra Montano, RMC Club Ministries training coordinator, Club Ministries volunteer Juan Carlos Montano, and the Las Aguilas Pathfinder Club’s director, Ines Salazar.

“We give thanks to God for the experience we shared during these months of study, work, and fellowship,” praised Salazar. “As a Club—and as parents—we look forward to seeing the eternal results in our Pathfinders that will reward their steadfastness and dedication to the Word of God. We pray, dear Pathfinders, that our Good God grants growth to the seed that has been sown in your hearts.”

The Las Aguilas Pathfinder Club team closed the event with a very respectable second-place ranking, showing up well prepared to test and in full uniform. Even though they were not able to attend in person, other adults present remarked that the team members still had a wonderful experience and were excited for the day’s activities.

“I want to tell Las Aguilas well done!” remarked Sandra Montano. “They are smart and dedicated Pathfinders, and I have seen all of them grow too fast spiritually and in height. I’m so proud of them for participating four times under the direction of the previous director Martinez and for the past 2 years with Ines Salazar. Keep up the good spirit and the participation. It was a privilege for Julie Lim, my husband Juan Carlos, and myself to have been there to help support the PBE.”

—Sandra Montano is an RMC Club Ministries training coordinator. Photos supplied.

RMCNews – Denver, Colorado … The Colorado Indonesian American Seventh-day Adventist Church (CIASDA) in Denver, Colorado, celebrated a milestone on April 18 with a special 25^th Anniversary day-long event.  Hundreds were in attendance of all ages hosting guests from across the globe.

While the celebration was held for the anniversary of a single church, it was honored by many in the local and international Seventh-day Adventist Indonesian community, with all of the glory going to God and His works to make this day possible. The messages throughout the day were centered around the Bible verse from Romans 11:36 (NKJV):

For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever.

The event began with an Indonesian language worship service, followed by a Sabbath School lesson led by Praban Lim, CIASDA pastor. In his lesson, Lim warned of the dangers of pride and urged listeners to submit themselves to Jesus: “When you humble yourself, you can ask for Jesus. When you submit yourself, you see God. When you only see yourself, you never see Jesus.”

A final extended worship service was offered in English. Each service featured remarks, Bible memory verses, prayers, and special music from community leaders and members of the congregation. The special music ranged from a CIASDA youth team to a choir of over 50 people.

The featured sermon speakers included Roger Omallao Caderma, president of the Southern Asia-Pacific Division (SSD) and SSD executive secretary Samuel Yotam Bindosano. The SSD is headquartered in Silang, Cavite, Philippines and represents 14 countries in southern Asia from Pakistan in the northwest to Indonesia in the southeast.

“This church has been sustained by God for 25 years. It’s all about what God has done in our lives,” Caderma expressed. “We have one heart, we have one vision, and we have one direction. In our journey, brothers and sisters, we can’t afford to go with the selected individuals only. Our children must be with us. And all of us are waiting for the coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ.”

Doug Inglish, Rocky Mountain Conference (RMC) vice president of Administration, also provided special remarks and a prayer for continued blessings on the church’s mission. “It was wonderful to celebrate 25 years of service to the mission of the church with this congregation. Everyone was able to reflect on how God has led them, and I was privileged to join the local Indonesian pastors after the service as they talked about their plans to bring the message to the growing Indonesian community in Denver,” he reflected.

Following the cutting of a celebratory cake and Tumpeng, a traditional Indonesian rice dish symbolizing gratitude, prosperity, and harmony with God, was a fellowship meal with many cultural dishes.

The remainder of the event was centered around video testimonies and special music from the other four RMC Indonesian churches emceed by their lead pastors including Purasa Marpaung with the Rocky Mountain Indonesian American Church, Widy Gara with the First Denver Indonesian Church, Jani Pungus with the Indonesian Church, and Stanley Luntungan with the Mile High Indonesian Church.

Three Indonesian congregations in the Denver metro area with membership in the Central States Conference—Lifehouse International Church, Indonesian Unity Church, and Maranatha Indonesian-American Church—joined in the celebration with their sister church.

Also present for the event were representatives from several RMC ministries including Hugo Guillen from Ministerial, Paul Negrete from Education, Marlene Poole from Women’s Ministries, Rick Mautz from Wellness Support, Haremy Cordova from Planned Giving and Trust Services, and Reuben Kahler and Natalie Negrete from RMC’s young adult ministry Vine + Branches.

—RMCNews. Photos by Liz Kirkland and Susan Inglish.

Bruno Lopes – Loveland, Colorado … Campion Academy (CA) in Loveland, Colorado, hosted approximately 150 middle school students from nine Rocky Mountain Conference (RMC) schools for the RMC Music Festival, April 9-11, themed “Committed to Him.”

​The middle school students stayed on the Campion Academy campus for three days, transforming the environment with their smiles and musical talents. Daniel Biaggi, pastor for Witness and Worship at the Pioneer Memorial Church in Berrien Springs, Michigan, was the guest clinician for choral while Naomi Fernandez, CA Music director, conducted the band.

The RMC Education assistant director Sandy Hodgson coordinated the event. “The collaboration between schools helps to unify education in the Rocky Mountain Conference,” Hodgson expressed.

“Preparation starts long before students arrive. They are learning the music, participating in the t-shirt design contest, and reviewing the CHERISH Music Festival contract. Taking what they have learned on their own campus and putting it together with other students is a testament that working together can create a product that truly gives our best to God,” Hodgson concluded.

The program included a 125-student choir that performed during the Saturday morning worship service and 25 band students who played during the Saturday afternoon concert. The band was supported by several intermediate Campion Academy band students, as many middle school scholars were just learning to play their instruments.

The theme for this year, “Committed to Him”, was selected by the guest choral clinician, Biaggi. Hodgson mentioned, “When we give our best to God and commit our ways to Him, we can find purpose in life.”

The event reflects the message of Jesus in Matthew 19:14: Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.

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

By Lisa Cardinal

“Longing” is an intense desire to do something or have something. Food. Touch. Love. Meaning. Purpose. Conversation. Sleep. Health. Peace. We’re born longing. We grow up longing. We live with longing.

We can be driven by, exhausted by, and motivated by longing. Longing is part of being alive. It’s part of being human. When longing is satisfied, people describe it as quiet joy, relief, even peace. It’s what happens after working through a misunderstanding with a co-worker, enjoying a good meal and conversation with a friend, or a day off to create margin.

As life-giving as satisfied longings are, they are temporary. Not only that, there are longings that might never be satisfied in this life. While longing is part of being alive, so also is learning to live with (a) longings that might never be satisfied, and (b) the reality that satisfied longings are only temporary.

The good news is this can be learned.

The Apostle Paul learned and he wrote it down in chapter 4 of Philippians. He said, “I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation (verse 12).” Here’s the secret, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus (verses 6-7, NIV).” The words, “with thanksgiving” are key to Paul’s secret.

I’ve tried Paul’s secret.

For years—nearly every morning—I list at least three things I’m thankful for, and small things count. If you want to learn Paul’s secret, give this a try for no less than one week. Thanksgiving (or gratitude) is the secret to being content. Gratitude, even for small things, is the way we live in a world where satisfied longings are temporary, and some longings will never be met. You will experience the peace of God, which transcends all understanding and this peace will guard your heart and mind.

—Lisa Cardinal is lead pastor at Newday Adventist Church. Photo by BOOM Photography of Pexels.