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By Lonnie Hetterle –  Denver, Colorado . . . A committee was recently appointed to monitor the pandemic in connection with our Rocky Mountain Conference schools and watch for ways to best address any lingering and/or new concerns that may arise. Meeting after graduations are complete, they will be working closely with our own state government as well as the Mid- America Union Education Office and our national and church leadership.

Recently, while looking through pictures on my phone from this past Christmas I was stunned to realize they were taken only five months ago.  Today is a different world from the one we knew lately.

Our teachers, students and parents, have not only survived but in many ways thrived, through the challenges of this pandemic.  We have grown in our digital competence and have incorporated some new and exciting avenues for learning into the curriculum that have been a blessing.

We are certainly hoping to open in August for the new school year.  Teachers and Students are missing that one-to-one contact, That personal touch that only an appropriate hug, high five, or fist bump can give.  The Zoom contacts, telephone calls, and work packets are good, but they cannot replace the rapport and faith-building relationships that are so vital in this confusing and chaotic world.

We assure our parents and church members that it is our strong desire and intent to open our schools in August.  We would love to be able to guarantee that we will be open for in-person instruction, but we don’t know what the world will be like in three months and we are depending on the wisdom of the newly-appointed committee to prayerfully study the ramifications of any path we take.

The Bible describes us as seeing the future “through a glass darkly”.  I think that glass has been given a thick coat of impenetrable black paint.  I do however, know Someone who can clearly see the days, weeks, and months ahead and He has promised to give His guidance and support as we seek Him.

My encouragement to you today is to listen closely to that “Still Small Voice” and to rest assured that although we may not “know the future” we do “know Who holds the future”.  Thank you for remembering God’s children in your daily devotions.

–Lonnie Hetterle is RMC education director

By Joel Reyes — I am at the school every day. I typically spend the day in the office with a headset pressed to my ears, instructing my students from a distance. It’s a blessing to see my students every morning and to get to talk to them. It does my soul good to know I am still relevant to them. It is also good to see them laugh, and interact with each other, even if it is only through a small window via an electronic device. During worship today, one of them said, “I just want this to end!” We all said, “Amen!”

The mailperson was here today. I’m usually busy teleconferencing with the kids and unable to answer the door; but today I had just wrapped up one of my classes and was able to open the door. The mailperson came in carrying a large package for the church. Our school and church share a large building, separated by a lobby. Needing to stretch my legs, I made my way across the lobby to the church office to place the package by the door. For some reason, the lobby seemed larger today. As I turned around to return to my office, it hit me. Right there in front of me. Empty. Silent. Lonely. The sanctuary.

I have walked through those doors so many times. I have sat in those chairs and have felt the joy of being home. I have seen the genuine smiles of those who like me, have come into that special place to seek refuge. Today, I opened the doors and sat in a chair in total silence and tried to remember all those faces. I saw so many. I saw smiles. I heard the music, and I felt the presence of the One we worship. Today I couldn’t help it but think of David’s words, “Oh Lord, how lovely is your dwelling place… My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the Lord.” (Psalm 84: 1, 2.)

Today, I sat there in silence, and prayed for all my friends, my brothers, my sisters, my students, my pastor, my staff, my family. Today, I worshiped in my own silent way in this special place. Today, I have felt that unexplainable presence and heard a small whisper.

I don’t know how long it is going to be before we see each other again, worship together through music and the spoken word, share our stories, and smile, glad to see each other. I don’t know, but one thing I do know. We are a family, and this is home. We are all unique, yet so alike. And it is this place with all its significances that brings us together, and gives us identity, and makes us one.

“…that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.” (John 17: 21). My prayer today is, “Lord make us one”.

 —Joel Reyes is Principal and 5th -8th Grade Teacher at Intermountain Adventist Academy, Grand Junction, Colorado. This reflection was first published in the Grand Junction Church newsletter, May 14, 2020. Photo by Rajmund Dabrowski

By Delanie Kamarad — Loveland, Colorado … Campion may have uncovered a new tradition worth continuing by allowing the senior class one last chance to make a lasting impact on fellow students. During the week of May 4-8, Campion hosted its last Week of Prayer for the academic year. This particular Week of Prayer was unlike any other, not only because it was held virtually through private zoom calls and was live streamed on Facebook, but because it was hosted entirely by the senior class.

Chaplain Wendy Eickmann and Technology Director, Steve Eickmann, also worked behind the scenes to make transitions between activities, speakers, and prayers seamless. Though current circumstances should have held the school back from gathering to learn about God’s Word, the message was clearly broadcast – focus on Jesus.

Chaplain Eickmann challenged the seniors to host all of the meetings from beginning to end. Responsibilities were distributed during senior Bible classes. Whether tasked with creating questions for Kahoot (an online quiz game) which brought many laughs to participants, sharing a favorite memory from years at Campion, or delivering a personal message reflecting Christ’s character, every senior had a part in ministering.

Sydney Halvorson, a sophomore at Campion commented, “having the seniors host Week of Prayer was really cool. It gave us some insight into what their personalities are like, and it was nice to hear some of their favorite memories at Campion.”

Junior, Ireland Anthony, agreed that hearing from seniors was unique and a blessing. “I really loved the fact that it was all about the seniors this Week of Prayer because it’s their last one at Campion!” She continued to say, “something that stood out to me was that I have never heard some of the quiet seniors speak before, and they did a really good job.”

Eickmann expressed, “I was super pleased with how Week of Prayer went. I was blessed every single day by those who presented. The seniors made me proud of how they stepped up, were real, and shared from their hearts. They inspired me! I loved having the seniors host it,” Eickmann said.

Having seniors present the last Week of Prayer for the school year may become a new tradition at Campion Academy. The delivery of testimonies and memories allowed students to turn their eyes away from the worries, cancellations, and uncertainties this year has brought them and simply focus on Jesus.

–Delanie Kamarad, Guest Contributor to This Week at Campion newsletter; photo supplied

By Alise Weber — This has been a unique time for all of us. I remember talking to my mom on the phone in early March and joking that I might as well buy toilet paper and canned goods, just in case. After all, even if I didn’t need those items, I could always begin assembling that emergency supply stash that we are all supposed to have. I had heard the quiet rumblings of panic and I couldn’t ignore them.

As the weeks passed, the amount of information regarding COVID-19 came like a tornado, whirling around, destroying “normal”, and leaving a lot of devastation in its wake. Like many around the world, I was glued to the news.  Facebook showed images of Italy, a few steps ahead of us, and on complete lock down. Worry settled in.

It was during this time that I reread the story of Jesus meeting the Samaritan woman at the well. Jesus simply asked her for a drink of water. It was a basic request, but the woman at the well complicated the request by mentioning the fact that Jewish people were not typically friends with Samaritans. In the Gospel of John 4:10, “Jesus said, ‘If you only knew the free gift of God and who it is that is asking you for water, you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.’” I love those words, “living water.” I realized that just as water is absolutely essential to our human bodies, the “living water” from Jesus Christ is absolutely essential in our Christian life. Amidst all the news flashes, panic and disruption, I had forgotten to fill myself with the promises and hope offered to each of us in the Bible. As my eyes turned from the world and towards God, that growing worry faded away, and I felt restored.

We all need to remember, amidst the panic, in the middle of the storm and through it, God offers us all living water. Let’s remember to “drink” and be renewed.

“On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, ‘If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’” (John 7:37-38)

—Alise Weber is Children’s & Family Ministry Pastor at Littleton Adventist Church

By Ardis Stenbakken — Loveland, Colorado … The COVID-19 pandemic has pushed pastors to be creative in finding ways for their congregations to have any group activities. The Campion Church pastors achieved that with a Mother’s Day vespers, May 9.

My husband and I arrived a bit late but were met at the entrance to the large parking lot by Dawn Fagan and the Gann family who gave each person in the car a home-baked cinnamon roll and a copy of the program. We drove to the far end of the four rows of cars, all facing the church like at a drive-in theater. Although we could see a couple musicians and the pastors standing on what is to become the entrance to the new wing of the church, I wondered how we were going to be able to hear. No problem. The program told us to tune to a particular radio station, and we had perfect sound.

We noticed that the family behind us in a minivan were having a picnic in the back of their vehicle. As we had driven in, we had seen people sitting on their vehicle’s tail gates and even others on top of their car or truck. Everyone was keeping their distance, but obviously there to enjoy vespers. It was an opportunity to be together even while separated.

There was music led by Pastor Soriano, a tribute to mothers by Pastor Morss, and a homily by Pastor Goetz. Everyone was invited to pick up a yard sign that they could put in their own yard or put in front of a grocery store, hospital, or wherever they would like to thank first responders and essential helpers. After the last song, as we drove away, I was handed a rose. What a lovely, creative way to celebrate the Sabbath and Mother’s Day!

—Ardis Stenbakken; photos supplied

By Nimsi Quiñonez  — Greeley, Colorado … Mother’s Day last weekend found us on unfamiliar territory as we practiced social distancing. When have we ever distanced ourselves from our mothers on her special day? But, creativity helped, reports Nimsi Quiñonez from the Greeley Hispanic Seventh-day Adventist Church youth group. Thirteen young people, some assisted by their parents, drove by 25 homes of mothers from the church.

First, they called to make sure the mothers would be home on that Sabbath afternoon, May 9. Then the youth drove by the 25 homes, where the mothers were greeted by messages on car windows and hand-held posters.

“Our church mothers range from several grandmothers, to one who just became a mother and two who are currently expecting,” said Nimsi.

The afternoon trip was organized by Nataly Lerma, church youth director, and began in Fort Collins with six cars that headed out to Johnstown, Nunn, Kersey, Evans and all of Greeley. “It took a long seven hours, but it was an amazing experience for us all. One of us, wearing a mask and protective gloves, got out of the car at each house to either hand deliver or leave a single rose and a bag of chocolates.”

Being part of this activity was a blessing to all participants, who have missed being with the women visited. Seeing them, even through a window, “was a wonderful feeling. In return, we received messages from many mothers who were grateful, full of love, overjoyed and who even cried tears of happiness,” Nimisi added.

Random neighbors who heard the excitement, went outside to see what was going on. One woman was so excited she took pictures of the drive-by group. “We gave her a rose, too,” Nimsi said.

“We feel privileged to be a part of a church that is united even in these difficult times. Being able to participate in this is something to remember,” she concluded.

— Nimsi Quiñonez with Nanacy Quiñonez; photos by Gonzalo Quiñonez

By Gabriela Vincent — Casper, Wyoming … With one week to plan the Mother’s Day, May 9, drive-in service to honor mothers, Casper Church volunteers had many hurdles to overcome. Pastor Shayne Vincent notified the Rocky Mountain Conference and contacted the Casper Police Department about the plan. Given the go-ahead to pursue their first priority was to maintain social distancing guidelines and to abide by the regulations of Casper County.

In preparation for the service, the Praise Team led by Erin Zavodny, met at the church Wednesday evening to practice outdoors and to test the sound system.

The Casper Church family prayed all week for good weather, but Sabbath morning brought some snow in the air, and temperature was 35 degrees.  It looked like the drive-in service might not take place, but leaders decided to go ahead with the plan.

“My favorite part of our drive-in service was that even [we had] poor weather, everyone had great attitudes and were truly excited to worship together, even in the falling snow. I loved when everyone honked their horns to say ‘Amen’ too! said Liz Cornett, a Praise Team member.

Tom McDonald, Mark Cornett and John Forsell, in charge of parking, made sure everyone was in their designated spots, so all could see and hear the service.

The hospitality team, Gabriela Vincent and Sydney Cornett, welcomed the women of Casper as they arrived, each given a red rose for Mother’s Day.

Mountain Road Christian Academy teacher, Traci Pike, welcomed everyone to the drive-in service and the Praise Team sang favorite hymns and praise songs.

Pastor Shayne Vincent encouraged everyone to express gratitude to their mother “for all the ways she demonstrates her love for you”. In his sermon entitled “The Love of a Mother,” he encouraged those with mothers still living to take time to appreciate them by giving them a call, visiting them, or sneaking them some chocolate and a kiss.

“Church service was amazing!” said member Starla Hughes. “I loved it! You, guys did a great, great job!”

“Today reminded me how much joy my church family brings to my life. I have missed them all so much and while I couldn’t hear them, I could see people singing along and that made me happy. I’m looking forward to worshipping together again soon in our beautiful church,” said the Mountain Road Christian Academy teacher, Traci Pike.

Jenette Thomas, a Casper Adventist Church member, said: “I really liked being together again today,” said member Jenette Thomas. I loved the message in the sermon on the importance of a mother and how they shape their child to know how to interact in the world.”

— Gabriela Vincent is church correspondent from Casper Adventist Church; photos by Sam Pankonin, Jenette Thomas,  Shayne Vincent, Gabriela Vincent

By Doug Inglish — I grew up in a notoriously flat state (although, my house being nestled in an old growth oak forest only a mile from the sandy shores of a Great Lake, it was anything but ugly). One of the things I constantly fought during my years in the Midwest was moles in my lawn. I won’t go into too many details, but at various times my arsenal included smoke bombs, traps, chewing gum (fresh and chewed), alum, castor oil, and crystalized bobcat urine (yes, you read that last one correctly). Victory was finally achieved by forming a partnership with black rat snakes, which shows that sometimes you have to make a deal with some shady characters to get things done.

Now, the mountains are a constant feature on the landscape. I see them from my house, I make trips into them, and from New Mexico through Wyoming, they are almost constantly visible from my car windows. I have, over the years, become acquainted with the scale involved in the old saying, ‘Don’t make a mountain out of a mole hill.”

But I serve a God who specializes in doing that very thing. He knows about small stuff, because He says that not even a sparrow falls without His notice (Matthew 10:29). He is intimately acquainted with the big things as well, such as stars and sun (Psalm 147:4). And if He decides to make a mountain out of a molehill by taking something small and turning it into something big, He does it. All the time.

Take the widow in 1 Kings 17. Her figurative mole hill was the tiny amount of food in her cupboard, enough only for one last meal, after which she and her son figured they were going to starve. The mountain came when God fed her, the son, and a prophet every day until the drought ended.

Or another widow found in 2 Kings 4. She had nothing but a mole hill of olive oil and a mountain of bills. But go read about how the oil in that little bottle poured out enough to fill all the jars, bowls, and pitchers in the neighborhood. Enough to pay off the debts and live off the rest.

It goes on like that through the Bible. Peter and his partners couldn’t catch a fish all night, but one cast of the net brought in enough to nearly sink two boats (Luke 5). A little boy’s lunch fed thousands (John 6). Clothes didn’t wear out through forty years of desert hiking (Deuteronomy 8:4). A shepherd with a sling won a battle that a fully-equipped army was afraid to fight (1 Samuel 17). A handful of men with torches ran off the entire army of Midian (Judges 7).

We often have difficulties with perspective. A splinter in our own eye can look like a log in someone else’s eye (Matthew 7:3-5). Sometimes we think our problems are bigger than we can imagine, when God knows they are barely detectable.  Even death itself is merely a mole hill of a problem, given that our hope in the resurrection is a mountain of a solution. That is why Job could declare, “Even if He slays me, I will hope in Him …” (Job 13:15).

So of course, take your troubles to Him, no matter what size they seem to be. But as you do, take a deep breath and say to yourself, “This is only a mole hill. The mountain has not yet come into view. But it will.”

—Doug Inglish is RMC director for planned giving and trust services; photo by Rajmund Dabrowski

By Matthew Hasty — Loveland, Colorado … Thirteen students from Campion Academy have made it their mission to spread a message of hope to Loveland area homes in order to reach them with the gospel.

“There’s a solution!” Kean Jagitsch, a junior at Campion Academy, exclaimed “We are planning a mass mailing to these little towns, giving them a chance to hear that good Gospel that has done so much in our lives! The mailing will contain GLOW* tracts.”

Some donors were so excited about what the students were doing that they decided to encourage their efforts by donating to their school bills in proportion to the amount they raise. “For every $1.50 you donate, I receive 75 cents towards my school bill,” Kean explained. The project has become a double blessing.

So far, students have raised enough money to mail GLOW tracts to more than 1,600 homes, but they aren’t finished yet. They will continue to collect donations through May 20, and you can donate too! Here’s how:

1. Go to: midwestglow.com
2. Click on the button near the top of the page that says, “Donate to GLOW Mailings”
3. Fill out your information and choose how much to donate. In part 4 of the form, you can add a Campion Academy Student’s name if you’d like to support them.
4. Pray for those who will receive the GLOW tracts.

Some of the students collecting donations, have in the past given out literature door-to-door. While the door-to-door work is currently on a pause, leaders of the Rocky Mountain Conference have been discussing when and how to start it back up again.

“We’re wrestling with how the literature ministry program can still be a light for Christ while following safety guidelines,” said Matt Hasty, RMC literature ministry coordinator. “Smaller groups, masks, and 6ft distances are a few of the modifications being discussed. We know we need to reach people where they are. Right now, they are in their homes.”

Many programs and events have been cancelled, but Matt believes there is still a work to do with literature this summer. Please keep the program in prayer, as they make decisions about how to proceed.

“So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; it shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.” (Isaiah 55:11)

*GLOW – Giving Light to Our World

—Matthew Hasty is RMC coordinator of Literature Ministry; photo supplied

By Samantha Nelson — Clark, Wyoming … Now that things are opening up and we can cross state lines again without fear of being quarantined, Karen Fettig, president of Beneath Our Wings, a nonprofit organization dedicated to eradicating human trafficking in Wyoming and educating the public to spot and report such crimes, will be conducting her 2nd annual trail ride in the fight against human trafficking. A member of the Worland Seventh-day Adventist Church, Karen has a passion for helping people, especially victims of abuse and trafficking.

Last year, Karen rode from the Wyoming-Montana border to the Wyoming-Colorado border. This year, she plans to ride from the Wyoming-South Dakota border through North Dakota, all the way to the Canadian border. The trip, which will begin in a few weeks, as weather permits, is being mapped out and the mules are being readied for the journey. A recent fundraiser, held on Facebook to help cover the costs of this journey, has so far raised $1,020.

Karen says, “Thank you everyone for your generosity and support of Beneath Our Wings. The plan is to traverse the country toward Canada as time, weather and circumstances allow, starting in a couple of weeks. Human trafficking is growing by leaps and bounds and Beneath Our Wings Ministry helps educate people by raising awareness of this crime against humanity, teaching the public what to look for, and evaluate how we need to protect our children.

If you’d like to help in some way, please contact Karen at [email protected], visit the Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/BOWMWY, or support the cause by making a donation online ( http://beneathourwings.com/donate).

—Samantha Nelson is a pastor’s wife and co-founder/CEO of The Hope of Survivors, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting victims of clergy sexual abuse and educating clergy and congregations. Photos supplied.