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By Rajmund Dabrowski — We all have stories. This one is mine to tell.

It was exactly 18-years ago, on May 31, 2002, when I connected with a page of my family history and could not, but let tears flow to no end.

We were standing on the bank of Dojnicia, a brook weaving through the village of Bojarka in Western Ukraine. My father pointed without hesitation to the very place where in 1943 the family found Antoni, his uncle. His arms were broken and nails sticking out of his head. “He was a blacksmith and the water-well crank he made is still working. They killed him ruthlessly, and we were instantly scared, asking ourselves what might happen to the rest of the family,” he explained.

The early successes of settling and establishing a family homestead in a Polish enclave of Western Ukraine were met with fascist Ukrainian nationalistic resistance, ethnic cleansing, and soon the WWII German invasion. The Polish families were intimidated and ruthlessly driven out, or exterminated. “We all were selected and destined to be singled out and be butchered. We belonged to a different race,” I recall him saying these very words.

Now, 18-years later, we watch the horrors of deep-seated racist attacks on dozens of fellow Americans who years after slavery was abolished still wonder if they will be next.

We all react to what can only be described as American terrorism and angrily say: This must end. When it gets close to us, our anger gets intense. Antoni’s murder flashed through my mind as I watched a short video of George Floyd’s murder in Minneapolis. I am writing this just five days since the horror of seeing the knee of a policeman crushing his neck. He begged to be allowed to breathe but to no avail.

I am still breathing. And I am also listening and electing to speak out. Today, and tomorrow.

Because all of us, children of God, are being given the breath of life, and Floyd deserved to breathe. And he deserved to be loved.

This … in memory of George Floyd, and scores of my fellow brothers and sisters, African Americans, who have been violated and killed, I bow my head to them and take a knee.

Rajmund Dabrowski is RMC communication director. Pictured is the area of Dojnicia brook where Antoni Dabrowski was bestially murdered in 1943.

North American Division of Seventh-day Adventists Administration — Columbia, Maryland . . .The Seventh-day Adventist Church in North America is responding to the tragic killings of Ahmaud Arbery in Georgia, Breonna Taylor in Kentucky, George Floyd in Minnesota, and other recent events that clearly document the racial divide destroying the quality of life for so many and the very fabric of our democratic society. As Christians we condemn such actions of hate and violence and call for justice to be served for the victims and their families.

Walls of separation that serve to destroy the essential rights of human dignity, self-worth, and freedom have been built up. These rights are required for all Americans to live and thrive in their local communities. Some of those who have been trusted to protect all members of society have broken their solemn pact to serve others; especially those in need. Americans should never have to live in fear of going out in public just because of the color of their skin or their ethnicity. We can and must do better.

We urge all our church members to prayerfully consider how they interact with everyone in their communities. We ask you to speak out against injustice and hatred, just as Jesus did when He was on this earth. We can make a difference for those who are marginalized and betrayed by others, and we must provide a forum for the voices of the victims of hatred and racism. Our actions can speak louder than words. We can lead by example in how we treat others and demand that all people be treated equally and fairly. As the most ethnically-diverse Christian faith in the United States, our voices represent nearly every community in this country. They must be heard as we serve to heal our broken communities with the love and compassion of Jesus.

— North American Division Administration

Click here to read the statement on the North American Division website.

By Doug Inglish — My dad used an old saying rather frequently when I was growing up. I’m sure you have heard it before as well: This Too Shall Pass.

Like any child or adolescent, I would get worked up over what was, in the grand scheme of things, astonishingly temporary. You didn’t get what you wanted for your birthday, or you lose a game on a bad call, or a teacher mistreats you (it happens), and it seems big at the time. But dad, who had been through much worse, would calmly recite those words. I didn’t always see how that could be true, but it always was, because he knew when to apply and when not.

So, why did those things seem to matter at the time? After all, buy the time I was a teenager I was aware that the future would be a lot different. Birthday parties and softball games and biology classes would be replaced with grownup things like church board meetings, a wife, and a job. Why did I sweat the small stuff?

For the same reason you did. Because at that age, it was all small stuff. I didn’t’ have a job to keep, I had a quiz to pass. So, when my father reminded me that “this too shall pass”, he was sometimes talking about the most important parts of my life at that time. But that time passed, and those issues passed as well.

So perspective is good, and having been through seemingly important things that did, after all, pass, I learned what else is going to pass.

Everything.

“But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare.” (2 Peter 3:10 NIV).

This sure puts everything that seems important now in perspective, doesn’t it?

This too shall pass. COVID-19, your job, the mortgage, your retirement plan, it all passes away. The graduation ceremony that you worked twelve years to celebrate and just got to experience from the family car. The dream vacation that will not be happening on your 40^th anniversary. Baseball season. Whatever seems important now.

It. Too. Shall. Pass.

Don’t get me wrong, things in this life do matter. Your job, your family life, your vacation, these are things that take a lot of effort on your part, and it’s no fun to watch them slip out of your grasp. I especially feel for the Class of 2020; this is not fair.

But it will pass.

It’s okay to take some time for reflection, and to feel a sense of loss. Even my father, that fount of wisdom who so often tried to give me a sense of perspective, is struggling with the closing of his local library, which is as important to him as football season is to Bronco’s fans. Peter also was talking about loss when he noted that the earth and everything in it would burn. But even that he could keep in perspective because of what was to follow. In the meantime, we must be patient, and generous, and kind, and hopeful.

The things my father told me would pass. And they passed. The things Peter says will pass, will pass. And on that day, none of us are going to complain that it wasn’t fair because we never took that cruise or got that promotion or wore that cap and gown. When it all passes away, our future above the clouds will give perspective.

—Doug Inglish is RMC director for planned Giving and trust services

By George Crumley – Denver, Colorado . . . The last few months have been very difficult as our lives have been turned upside down.  With our churches having to suspend in-person services due to the pandemic, and many individuals facing uncertainty with employment, one would expect tithe and offerings to take a negative turn as a result.

The opposite happened!

For the month of April, I’m pleased to report that tithe is up by 9.82 percent over April 2019.

Thank you for living out the promise God gives us in Malachi 3:10: “Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in my Temple. If you do,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, “I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you won’t have enough room to take it in! Try it! Put me to the test!”

Our overall tithe is down by 15.85 percent for 2020. The reasons for the decrease include the significant windfall tithe we received last year, which was an unexpected blessing for the conference. Additionally, for half the month of March, our churches were closed. Your continued faithful giving can turn the decrease into an increase in a few months.

Thanks to each of you for your faithfulness. I would like to encourage you to continue your giving to advance God’s Kingdom in the Rocky Mountain Conference.  You can give anytime at http://Adventistgiving.org by using a check, debit, or credit card.

It is because of systematic benevolence on the part of all of us that we can continue to advance God’s mission within our region and beyond.

–George Crumley VP of finance; photo by Rajmund Dabrowski

By Karrie Meyers — Highlands Ranch, Colorado … Graduation ceremonies for Mile High Academy’s Class of 2020 are complete. And while they didn’t resemble the traditional MHA celebrations, the teachers and staff made it their mission to ensure each graduate felt special in spite of the mandated restrictions.

The Kindergarten class was the first to officially graduate with families participating in a unique, drive-through graduation ceremony. Yard signs proudly showcased student achievement and a pre-recorded Question & Answer between the teacher and graduate completed the recorded event. The video footage was shared with the Mile High Academy community on Tuesday evening, May 19.

“The MHA graduation ceremony was awesome, especially in our current environment with COVID-19,” commented Craig Applegate, MHA Kindergarten parent. “The drive-through graduation experience was really special to us and to our little graduate, Marley. It was really sweet to watch them interact together during the Question & Answer video. We appreciate all the school did to make the kids feel special.”

The eighth-grade class graduated on what would have been their official last day of the 2019-20 school year. The administrative team delivered yard signs, along with caps and gowns to each graduate and shout-outs to each student were posted on MHA’s social media pages. Finally, a drive-through graduation ceremony was held, and pre-recorded graduation commentary with background music was shared with the community on Wednesday, May 20.

“It was a new and unique method of graduation that will remain memorable,” said eighth-grade graduate and class treasurer Jonas Jaklich. He’s looking forward to summer and said, “I’m thankful school is over and there is no more stress whatsoever.”

For the Senior Class of 2020, the weekend came with many bittersweet memories. Instead of being able to celebrate together their last week at Mile High Academy was filled with schedules for pre-recorded messages. There also was the bittersweet memory of their classmate, Mya Pena, who passed away earlier in the school year. Even with the many unexpected and even tragic events that occurred, MHA still honored school tradition in spite of required directives, holding four senior events – Blessing, Consecration, Baccalaureate and Commencement.

After the administrative team delivered yard signs, balloons, caps, gowns and cords, a weekend followed of pre-recorded and live Commencement events. On Sunday, May 24, juniors, seniors and their families arrived on campus for the final graduation weekend event, a drive-in commencement ceremony. Graduates proudly wore light blue cords to honor their classmate, Mya Pena. Pastor Tony Parrish, commencement speaker, encouraged the class to stick together. Then, Brenda Rodie, MHA’s VP of operations, admissions and records, read off the names of the 18 graduates, including two students who joined from China via Zoom.

A mix of emotions was present throughout the ceremony, as graduates they went from crying to cheering. The graduates marched to the front of the parking lot to receive their diplomas as their parents and friends turned the parking lot into the sound of car horns, cheers, noisemakers, and one giant shell horn.

The Rocky Mountain Conference together with the academy, issued an honorary diploma for Mya Pena. Mya’s mom and her sister marched and accepted her diploma.  When Mya’s name was called, the loudest cheers and honks erupted during the entire ceremony.

When reflecting on the year and the graduation ceremony, senior Emily Raymond said, “I am so thankful I switched to Mile High Academy. The staff cares about us so much. This [graduation] is all possible thanks to them, and I know they did their best to make it special. Most people are ready to leave high school, but Mile High Academy is the best. I will miss it a lot and am not ready to leave,” she added.

Senior class president and valedictorian Jocelyn Curiel Ruiz’s graduation reflections matched Emily’s, “I’m grateful for everything the teachers and administration have done so graduation could actually happen. During the school year, I was so excited to leave and be done with high school. But I feel like it’s not actually over, and I don’t want it to be over. I’m going to miss MHA so much, and I’ll definitely be coming back to visit as much as I can.”

The class has one more event they are eagerly anticipating. If restrictions allow, the seniors will enjoy their delayed class trip to Lake Powell in July.

“These graduating classes have faced more changes in the past few months than many of us have faced in a lifetime,” said Jocelyn Aalborg, MHA VP of finance and development. “And while we’re sad to see the school year end as it did and to say goodbye to our seniors, we hope our students can look back on their special day with fondness and pride in their outstanding accomplishments.”

Additional reporting by Jon Roberts; photos by Brittany McLachlan, Jocelyn Aalborg, and Jon Roberts

All of the graduation ceremonies are available to watch online on Mile High Academy’s website, https://www.milehighacademy.org/class-of-2020-graduation-ceremonies/.

By Jill Harlow — Loveland, Colorado … It was a unique ceremony, with Campion Academy celebrating the accomplishments of the 39 members of its senior class with a drive-in graduation on Sunday, May 24. As expected, the ceremony included speeches, special music, awards, photos, diplomas, and all the traditional aspects of a typical graduation despite the fact that the attendees were mostly regulated to their vehicles. And there was a drone flying above the parked cars, adding a bit of buzzing noise and … wonder.

“Campion came through,” affirmed graduate Naomi Boonstra. “They gave us the best graduation they could under the circumstances, and it was amazing. Certainly, a day we won’t forget.”

The class sponsors and officers planned out many details to make the event memorable. Entering on the west side of campus, the graduates were greeted by a large banner and staff members who handed them their caps, gowns, sashes and chords. As the vehicles formed a line around campus, families could pose together for a picture in front of their cars. Then the vehicles were directed into Campion’s RV park for the outdoor ceremony, parking the smaller cars in front so everyone could see the stage. The graduates were asked to stand in front of their cars as the traditional Pomp and Circumstance was played and they posed for an aerial group photo.

Social distancing was maintained as class members and staff went to the stage for speeches, songs, and to receive their diplomas. During his address, class president Nolan Eickmann said, “I’m not going to lie, I didn’t know how this was going to look, but standing up here, this looks pretty awesome.” Nolan’s mother and Campion’s interim chaplain Wendy Eickmann was the keynote speaker.

Campion Academy’s class of 2020 is a high-achieving class. Between them, they were awarded a total of $2,785,750 in scholarship money from Seventh-day Adventist universities across the nation. With 39 graduates, that is an average of more than $70,000 per student. Nineteen of the students received College-preparatory or Advanced College-preparatory diplomas. Twenty-two students graduated with honors with a 3.5 GPA or above, and nineteen were inducted members of the National Honor Society.

The weather forecast had called for a high chance of rain, but thankfully it held off until the very end of the ceremony as students were receiving their diplomas. When asked for a comment about the event, one official visitor remarked that for him, a special bonus was the sky. “The sky delivered,” he said.

Confetti cannons were shot off at the end of the celebration, adding more decor to the wet cars. As the vehicles exited, the attendees were handed cupcakes and juice boxes through their car windows, so even the usual refreshments were included.

“The drive-in graduation was extremely organized and very well thought out by the staff,” commented graduate Megan Michalenko. “I can tell how much the staff members cared with the planning and execution of the graduation. Everyone had smiles on their faces.”

Another graduate, Bela Cinco, explained, “Honestly, it was so much better than I had pictured. In some ways it was better than a regular graduation; it was unique and fun. It’s a graduation we’ll never forget, and one that will go down in history.”

—Jill Harlow; photos by Darcy Force, Jill Harlow, and Rajmund Dabrowski

By Rachel Skaife – Grand Junction, Colorado . . . Two Grand Junction church members plan to run the entire length of the Colorado Trail in 18 days this July to raise money for Intermountain Adventist Academy (IAA) in Grand Junction.

The Colorado Trial is 490 miles beginning in Waterton Canyon south of Denver and concluding in Durango. Runners Doug and Melinda McCaw will cross the continental divide several times on this route that includes elevations up to 13,271 feet.

“Running the entire Colorado Trail in 18 days is our way of bringing our idealized worldview to life, along with indulging our love of new adventures, challenging ourselves physically to improve our overall health, immersing ourselves in the beauty of nature, and helping children in general, and our daughter in particular, live better lives,” the McCaws commented.

The McCaws and their fundraiser for IAA was featured on local TV station KREX, last week.

Funds raised from the run will be used for the expansion of IAA from a K-8 grade school to a K-10grade school, with the goal of initially benefitting the current 6^th grade class as they move toward 10^th grade. All donations will be matched up to $5,000, thanks to a generous donor.

Funds will also be raised for a local non-profit Kids Aid, which focuses on supplying food to hungry kids in the Mesa County school district.

Donations can be made by following this link.

Rachel Skaife is a member of the Grand Junction, Colorado Church.  Photos supplied.

By Karla Klemm — Grand Junction, Colorado … In the spirit of the sunny Western Slope, two Grand Junction Adventist Church members, Don and Dollie Bell, are set to visit all church members during the pandemic’s social isolation. They are “spreading sunshine to all of us,” commented Karla Klemm, who together with her husband, David, were recipients of their visit, May 23.

In the month of March, Dollie turned to Don and asked him what he thought of “visiting” all the church members, as she missed seeing them.  He said “yes” and that he “would even be her driver.”

With address directory in hand, they set out to cover all the zip codes.  “As I am writing this short report since their visit, they have visited a total of 60 members from the curb, with approximately 60 more to go,” Karla said.

Each visit starts with a phone call to announce their arrival. They hold a placard that says, “We miss and love you!” and give a wave, exchanging smiles and greetings. Sometimes they have a chat with the parishioners from the curb to their porch or hold a conversation by phone, as they sit in front of the house. Once their visit included a “socially distant” walk.

“It has been so much fun to see everybody well and we have considered it a blessing,” Dollie said.

Remarking about the visit at their house he received, David commented that “Don and Dollie have a gift for uplifting those around them and it was great to see them.”

Don and Dollie had planned to retire and move this October to a town near St Petersburg beach, Florida. Needless to say, those plans have been interrupted due to the current pandemic. As greeters in the church, they have enjoyed learning what is going on in people’s lives and now, driving to their homes has continued those efforts.  Dollie is happy that people have been so receptive and welcoming.  “They even met one young lady that hasn’t been to church for a while and she was so excited for the visit.  She now wants to bring her mom to our newly-built church, Karla said.

Don and Dollie’s spirit of community is a living example of what Solomon wrote: “A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity.” (Proverbs 17:17)

—Karla Klemm is a member of the Grand Junction, Colorado church; she facilitates church community events. Photo by Karla Klemm

By Marsha Bartulec — Erie, Colorado … Kindergarten and 8^th grade Vista Ridge Academy graduates participated in a drive-thru graduation ceremony May 20, and teachers and staff showed their support by lining the school drive holding signs while waving and cheering as students drove by.

After Brittany McLachlan, photographer and VRA Board member, took pictures of each graduate and their family to capture the extraordinary event, students picked up their diploma and gifts from the table where kindergarten teacher, Sandy Hepp, and 8^th grade teacher, Andrew Jones, stood socially distanced to congratulate each student.

Reflecting on the experience, Hepp commented she missed being able to hug the kids. “The graduation experience was surprisingly better than I thought it was going to be,” said Hepp. Parents could see it was important to the entire staff, and it spoke volumes that we all came together during this time.”

A total of seven Kindergartners and six 8^th Graders were in the 2020 graduating classes at Vista Ridge Academy. One graduate started in Pre-K at VRA. Her mom, Abigail Nunez, commented on her experience at the school: “I’ve seen her strength with God. She has Him first in her heart. That’s one thing I liked about this school. They showed her how to lean on Him.”

Feeling a little nervous, scared and happy, Nunez’s daughter was ready to graduate. “I would have preferred an actual ceremony,” Nunez continued, “but this is the best they can do, and I appreciate it.”

Vista Ridge Academy announced in early May the graduation ceremonies would look different this year due to COVID-19 concerns. VRA moved all classes to remote learning at the end of March and is making plans to reopen this fall.

Kindergarten parent, Kassandra Cunningham, said working through being an online student was a difficult time for her daughter, but thinks she transitioned very well.

Cunningham commented, that “the teachers were super supportive. We just can’t wait to be back next year.” When asked about her favorite part of kindergarten, Cunningham’s daughter replied, “Getting pizza lunch on Mondays, recess and practicing violin.”

Andrew Jones’ 8^th grade class grew a ton this year. The class met every goal and challenge that was given to them. I will miss them greatly, Jones reflected. “I want them to keep working hard, striving for greatness, pushing themselves to do better and better, and to not be okay with okay.”

Hepp wants her kindergarten students to know, “No matter what they go through in life, God is going to be with them through the difficult times, and we will always have their back.”

Congratulations to the Kindergarten and 8^th Grade classes! CHERISH life!

—Marsha Bartulec, VRA VP for administration; photos by Marsha Bartulec, and Kassandra Cunningham.