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Gerrad Chuy Vat – Loveland, Colorado … Campion Academy (CA) in Loveland, Colorado, hosted a basketball game against Mile High Academy (MHA) in Highlands Ranch, Colorado, January 17. Both academies went home with a win, with Mile High Academy winning the girls’ team game and Campion winning the boys’ team game. A huge crowd turned out for both teams, filling the gym to standing room only.

First on the court, the girls’ basketball varsity game was very close with team captain Victoria Matthews, CA sophomore student, scored sixteen points. Matthews mentioned, “It was a tough game, and it challenged us as a team, but, despite our loss it, helped us grow and prepared us for the next game.”

Liz Lopez-Morquecho, CA sophomore student, scored thirteen points in the intense game. Despite the very close game, the MHA girls’ team took home the win 30-34.

The CA Cougars boys’ team won their match by 13 points after an impressive comeback. After ending the second quarter down by several points, Campion came back out to dominate the second half, with a final score of 78-65. As Jonny Lopez-Morquecho, team point guard, put it, “We got our act together and started to cook.”

Izuchi Nwankwo, CA senior student, started the game on a high note by getting the tip-off to Lopez-Morquecho who sent him a pass for an alley-oop dunk. In the second half, he put up two more dunks as the crowd roared in excitement. With 38 points, Nwankwo will go up on Campion’s wall of fame with the second highest points in a game.

Nwankwo expressed, “It was a great experience, especially as a senior since this one of the last times I’ll play Mile High [Academy]. I had so much fun and was glad to be part of such a wonderful event.”

—Gerrad Chuy Vat, Campion Academy Student News Team. Photos supplied.

Pamela Lah – Ward, Colorado … Students from Campion Academy (CA) in Loveland, Colorado, worshiped with other high school students from within the Rocky Mountain Conference (RMC) and Mid-America Union Conference at RMC’s Greater Youth Summit, a prayer conference at Glacier View Ranch (GVR) in Ward, Colorado, January 18.

Arriving in the morning, the students and adult sponsors enjoyed a hearty breakfast at the GVR cafeteria and then united with the larger group for a morning worship service.

Jonny M., CA freshman student, expressed, “I had fun. I really enjoyed the worship and getting to spend time with friends”

In the afternoon, attendees split into breakout sessions for discussion. Afterwards, they chose from activities such as volleyball, pickleball, soccer, or a hike.

CA freshman student Enzo D. shared, “They had a good message and entertaining events.”

Hannah M., CA sophomore student, added, “Getting to go was fun. It was a great bonding experience and, overall, a great time.”

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

Jose Briones – Denver, Colorado … The Rocky Mountain Conference’s (RMC) Hispanic Ministries department launched the new year with a strong emphasis on equipping local church leaders, hosting two Spanish‑language lay leadership training events that drew more than 250 attendees across consecutive Sabbaths. The seminars, held January 17 at Denver South Hispanic Seventh‑day Adventist Church and January 24 at Grand Junction Seventh-day Adventist Church, brought together deacons, elders, treasurers, clerks, ministry coordinators, and pastors for a full day of practical instruction and hands-on learning.

Designed to strengthen every level of local church leadership, the training covered a wide range of responsibilities from financial stewardship and church governance to pastoral care, worship coordination, and community engagement. Pastors from across the conference partnered with departmental leaders to teach the sessions, ensuring that participants received both theological grounding and real‑world guidance tailored to the needs of Hispanic congregations.

For many attendees, the investment in leadership development was deeply appreciated. Rafael Subervi, treasurer of the Denver South Hispanic Church, expressed gratitude for the department’s commitment to keeping leaders informed and empowered. He noted that the training offered “cutting‑edge information” that helps congregations operate more effectively and ultimately “thrive” in their mission.

The impact of the seminars was immediate for some churches. Moises Juares, a leader from the Aurora Hispanic Church, shared that after conversations with Julio Diaz, lead pastor of Denver South Hispanic Church, their church board had already begun implementing several of the ideas introduced during the sessions. “We didn’t want to wait,” he said. “These tools are practical, and we knew they would help our ministries right away.”

One of the most talked‑about segments of the training was the communion bread‑making class, led by Michael and Alicia Shannon. The workshop blended tradition, reverence, and practice, giving members the opportunity to learn how to prepare unleavened bread for their local services. The class proved so popular that the Shannons found themselves running out of supplies. Laughing afterward, they remarked, “We’ll have to bring more next time,” a sign of both the enthusiasm in the room and the growing desire among members to participate more fully in the life of their churches.

For Hispanic Ministries, that enthusiasm is exactly the goal. By offering accessible, high‑quality training across the conference, leaders hope to ensure that every member—regardless of their role—feels equipped, confident, and supported. With strong turnout, positive feedback, and immediate application in local congregations, the January seminars marked a promising start to a year focused on strengthening lay leadership throughout the Rocky Mountain Conference.

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

Jose Briones – Denver, Colorado … LifeSource Adventist Fellowship (LAF) in Denver, Colorado, deepened its commitment to community wellness with its most recent Nourish Cooking Class, an event that blended the Adventist tradition of health education with spatula learning and warm hospitality, January 25.

For generations, Adventists have emphasized the connection between faith, food, and well‑being, and LifeSource is carrying that legacy forward in a way that feels both practical and deeply relational for its neighbors. The evening opened with a lively round of “Name That Spice,” an icebreaker that had guests laughing, sniffing mystery jars, and discovering new flavors. The game set the tone for a night built around curiosity and connection—reminding everyone that healthy living can be joyful and communal.

Participants then moved into a series of cooking demonstrations, where presenters walked through simple, nutritious recipes for a main course, salad, and dessert. Each dish was designed to be accessible for home cooks, and attendees received printed recipe handouts to take home. The goal wasn’t just to teach techniques, but to empower families to make healthier choices in their everyday routines.

A highlight of the evening was a presentation from a registered dietitian, who explained the growing body of research linking gut health to mood, physical well‑being, and long‑term outcomes. Her talk helped participants understand how the foods they prepare—like the ones featured in the class—can support emotional balance, immune function, and overall vitality.

Heidi Carpenter, LAF associate pastor, shared that events like this reflect the heart of LifeSource’s mission. “We love doing this event,” she said. “It’s a chance to invite the community in, learn something meaningful together, and enjoy a nice dinner at the same table.”

By the end of the evening, it was clear that the Nourish Cooking Class is becoming more than a workshop. It’s a gathering place where neighbors learn, eat, and become part of the family—continuing the Adventist legacy of health as a gift meant to be shared.

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

By Lisa Cardinal

It happened many years ago, but I remember as though it were yesterday …

“Watch where you’re going!”

My dad was teaching me to ride my two-wheel bike, and he was frantically yelling. I was pedaling, steering, applying breaks, and trying to follow those instructions. The next thing I knew, I crashed into a row of thorn bushes.

I WAS watching where I was going. I DID see the bushes coming, and I kept watching until I was inside them.

“Look in the direction you want to go” would have been better instructions. Eventually, I learned that my bike would go in whatever direction I was looking. If I wanted to stay on the road, all I had to do was look at the road.

We are pedaling through 2026, and all kinds of things grab our attention. The instruction to “Look in the direction you want to go” is as key to living as a Jesus’ follower as it is to keeping a bike on the road. Time in prayer and God’s Word are the way we, as Jesus followers, “Look in the direction we want to go.”

CLICK HERE to check out the Bible study plan offered for the first quarter by Newday Adventist Church. It’s not too late to get started. Imagine what would happen if, together in 2026, we “Look in the direction we want to go!”

—Lisa Cardinal is lead pastor at Newday Adventist Church. Photo by Sebastian Pociecha of Unsplash.