Rocky Mountain Conference of Seventh-day Adventists

28 Mar

WE ARE ALL IN THE SAME BOAT TOGETHER

By Ron Price … I will be the first to tell you, even if others might not agree, that I am very easy to get along with. Even though I just ended a sentence with a preposition—which everyone knows is not to be done—I really am an easy person with whom to get along. I make this claim because I only place two requests (demands?) on others. One is that they do things my way, and two, that they do so according to my strict timeline.

While I write those words with my tongue firmly implanted in my cheek, so to speak, you likely know people who do strive to live life on those terms. Imagine now, for a moment, that you belong to a church comprised of self-centered people, each of whom believes everyone should do things their way. Well, truth be told—you do.

In the vast majority of churches, most members can put their personal preferences aside for the overall good of the body. Unfortunately, however, most churches also have members who do not choose to make that decision. When that latter group becomes the majority, or at least the vocal, powerful minority, that church is well on its way to becoming irrelevant and anything but God-honoring.

Several years ago, I heard an illustration from motivational speaker Eileen McDargh about two people who were in a rowboat in the middle of a lake when a leak developed in the front of the boat. The person in the front saw the problem and responded by baling as fast as possible. Meanwhile, the person in the back of the boat saw the problem but simply folded his arms and said, “I’m glad that hole is not on my side of the boat.” Wouldn’t it be something if the old saying, “We’re all in the same boat together” was the standard operating philosophy of every church?

So, you may ask, am I implying that we should all be docile people-pleasers who dare not ever “rock the boat?” I certainly hope not! In that same presentation, Ms. McDargh also asked us to consider one person in a rowboat rowing with just one oar and continuously going round and round in circles. I hope what I am saying is that as we all row (and grow) together, we are far more likely to stay on target and reach our destination.

Since churches are comprised of FHBs (fallible human beings), it is a given that divergent ideas and preferences will always be in play. That is not necessarily a bad thing. Unity does not necessitate or even thrive with uniformity. It is how those differing viewpoints and preferences are handled that determines the outcome they will have on the church’s overall health.

The founders of the Adventist church were willing to challenge the status quo, and they welcomed divergent thoughts to hopefully arrive at Truth. They sought the greater good and put their ideas, beliefs, and preferences in submission. Am I the only one who fears we have, to a large degree, lost that aspect of our pioneering spirit? We seem to have devolved to a church, a culture for that matter, where if you disagree with me, you must be my enemy, and I cannot accept you as you are.

So how exactly should we as brothers and sisters deal with our family’s differing viewpoints and preferences? Well, since you asked, I have three suggestions to consider.

First, please always keep in mind that it is not your church, as we read in Ephesians 1:22-23: “God has put all things under the authority of Christ and has made Him head over all things for the benefit of the church. And the church is His Body; it is made full and complete by Christ, Who fills all things everywhere with Himself.” When tempted to request/demand that a particular matter be handled according to your wishes, please run it by the Lord before running it by the church leadership. Ask Him to show you your heart and reveal your true reasons for bringing up the matter. Depending on how controversial your thought, you may want to run them by a trusted prayer partner before you even bring it to the church.

My second thought stems from a sermon I heard several years ago titled “51 One Anothers.” Though I have not taken the time to verify, the speaker said there are 51 “one-another” verses in the KJV which tell us how God wants us to treat each other. You’ll find texts such as “Love one another,” “Pray for one another,” “Confess your faults to one another” and so forth. Search as you may, I doubt you will find “Criticize one another,” “Find fault with one another,” or “Ridicule and demean one another” though we, unfortunately, see these behaviors when brothers and sisters disagree with one another. Since I am nearing my word limit, please put this down and read Philippians 2:1- 11, if not the entire chapter. It will give you a wonderful picture of how we are to act with each other.

My third suggestion is to consider the difference between principle and application. A principle is universally true. By that, I mean it applies to every person at any and all times. Principles are unwavering. You may try to go against them if you wish, but you will do so at your own peril. Applications are how one puts a principle into practice. These, by definition, will vary widely and dramatically from person to person. All too often, it seems conflicts arise due to differing opinions on how to apply a principle. Somehow, an image of the Pharisees just popped into my mind, but we won’t go there.

I doubt that any faithful church member would want to see our denomination become just a loose association where anything goes, and all practices are welcomed. I heard the other day of a church that boasted they had “fun worship.” It’s not my place to judge, but is that really the purpose of the church to have fun? On the other hand, I also doubt any would want to go to the other extreme and insist that everyone toe the “company line” or they must be shown the proverbial door. There simply has to be a middle ground, doesn’t there?

Let’s strive to be a church where divergent views are welcomed and encouraged, so long as they are presented in love and with the body’s best interests in mind. Let’s strive to be so secure in our beliefs that those of others are not viewed as an attack on us. I say we should use our diversity to grow the church and hasten, as much as possible, our Lord’s return. What say you?

–Ron Price is a member of the RMC Executive Committee and lives in Farmington, New Mexico. Email him at: [email protected]

28 Mar

ALWAYS A MAVERICK

By Rajmund Dabrowski … As I watched David Bowie in a commercial advertising Audi in the Spring of 2004, what struck me as important was its simple tagline. The ad issued a call to Never Follow.

Honestly, what it communicated to me was the opposite of what I learned from Jesus’ call to His followers: Follow me.

The marketing campaign tried to position the European car-maker as a product that many were to follow. Some did, more so in Europe than in America. Three years later, the company ditched the slogan. “You have to be bold to be noticed in America—certainly bolder and more aggressive than we’ve been,” they said. Well …

On the surface, this slogan does not connect with Matthew, Zacchaeus, and many others from Jesus’ entourage, if I may be so irreverent, except that all of them had to fail first, forsake their ego, and fly into the hands of … wonder.

David Bowie’s involvement in the Audi ad made sense to me. Never follow the crowd! His words, spoken in a video he shot: “There is no progress without failure. And each failure is a lesson learned. Unnecessary failures are the ones where an artist tries to second guess an audience’s taste, and little comes out of that situation except a kind of inward humiliation.”

That’s a lesson from our contemporary culture. For me, there was another lesson, one all of us had to learn and many continue to learn throughout their lives.

In the mid-1980s, a straw vote was requested by the General Conference on allowing the ordination of women. An upcoming world church session was potentially including it on its agenda. I recall voting at the Polish Union Executive Committee. I know how I voted.

We know the history of the ordination of women drama experienced by the church. Years later, I visited my dad, then a church leader in Poland, and I asked him if he remembered the outcome of this straw vote. He remembered the vote and that there was one Yes vote. After a short silence on my part, he looked at me and said, “You have always been a maverick.”

What an affirmation. I responded with a smile!

Nonconformity and free expression were and continue to be a part of my daily breakfast, so to speak. Apart from my own thought processes, as an Adventist Christian, I learned from the best: the pioneers of the Advent movement.

One of them stands out for me—Michael Belina Czechowski, a compatriot and pioneer missionary leader in Adventism. Before embracing Adventism in 1857, this Franciscan reformer-father was heavily engaged in social and political activities which swept Europe in the 1840s. He wanted his then church to change but became disenchanted with Catholicism.

After arriving in America in 1851, he engaged in sharing what he learned about the Second Coming of Jesus among the immigrants mainly in New England. At first, he was supported by other Adventist pioneers, as well as by the sales of his fascinating autobiography, Thrilling and Instructive Developments: An Experience of fifteen years as Roman Catholic Clergyman and Priest but there was an itch to return to Europe and preach there.

His church was not ready to support a foreign mission, but funding was offered to him by the first-day Evangelical Adventists from Boston. He was an example of climbing through the window if a door was closed. In several countries of Europe, Czechowski preached the message of the Sabbath and the Second Coming of Jesus and established numerous congregations in Switzerland, Italy, France, Hungary, and Romania.

In 1871 the church confirmed the missionary accomplishments of Maverick Czechowski. “We deem it duty to acknowledge the hand of God in planting the truth in Switzerland,” the record states.

It often takes a maverick to foster change and ignite progress. Mavericks of Adventism. What a privilege to join them. We have a job to do!

–Rajmund Dabrowski is editor of Mountain Views and RMC communication director. Email him at: [email protected]

24 Mar

NEW PASTORS JOIN OUR CONFERENCE

By Mickey Mallory – Denver, Colorado … Several new pastors recently joined our ministerial family at Rocky Mountain Conference. What follows is an introduction in their own words:

Brooke Melendez is the part-time associate pastor at the Adventure Church in Greeley, Colorado. Brooke’s greatest passion in ministry is helping people feel valued and to understand that they belong. According to Brooke, “one of the most beautiful parts about ministry for me is seeing people come to terms with and let go of the baggage that has held them back for so long. Sometimes, it’s beliefs about God that are burdensome, and sometimes it’s beliefs about themselves that are heavy. The freedom and joy that people experience when they come to know who God is and who they truly are because of Jesus is overwhelming in the most positive way possible.”

As the wife of Adventurer lead pastor Ricky Melendez, Brooke shared the one thing that impressed her and Ricky the most about their church: how much the people there loved Jesus and were committed to him being the focus of their church and lives. According to Brooke, “They didn’t care so much about all the peripheral things as they did the Main Thing (Jesus).”

Since starting at the Adventure Church, Brooke says, “It seems like every week there have been a number of things that continue to surprise and excite Ricky and me about the Adventure Church. It has been a delight to feel like we really fit in with our church and can be ourselves with them.”

Leandro Bizama is the associate pastor of evangelism and worship at the Campion Church in Loveland, Colorado. He and his wife, Jennifer, and kids moved to the Campion Church at the end of December. Leandro’s greatest passion is “to help mentor the next generation of worship/music leaders who will guide an inter-generational church in the true worship of the living God in the last days and to inspire all to live a life of service and meet the needs of those around them to allow the gospel truth to flow through them so that the Spirit can use them to bring more people to Christ.”

Coming from a teaching background, Leandro shared, “It was a very difficult decision [to make the move to Campion Church] because I love Adventist education and youth ministry. In the middle of that stressful time when we were trying to figure out God’s will for our lives, I prayed sort of in desperation, “I’d be willing to do anything as long as I know it is your will.” In my heart, I heard Him say, “Are you sure?” “Yes,” I responded and received a certainty of peace. That same day, “randomly,” two different churches reached out to me for the same type of worship pastor position. I had to pursue the conversation at the very least. Later, when we saw that there was a strong community who loved kids and youth and Adventist education, we made the decision to accept the call. Simply said, God answered our prayers for direction in very special and miraculous ways.”

Of all the things that Leandro likes about his new position at the Campion Church, he especially appreciates that “there is so much opportunity and [so many] possibilities in a church with a strong sense of community and a great leadership and spiritual team in the church and in both schools.”

Leonardo Jiminez is the new lead pastor of the Montrose Hispanic, Pagosa Springs Hispanic, and the Durango Hispanic churches. He and his wife, Wendy Medina, moved here from the Denver area.

Leonardo’s greatest joy in ministry is working with people and for people and seeing them give themselves to Christ, change their lifestyle, and live a life full of hope. According to Leonardo, “I am passionate when I have to preach to others about the love of Christ and his transforming power and tell them about the wonders I have seen in my life and the great things that he can also do in their lives and family.”

The main thing that motivated him to accept the call to serve the churches in the Montrose district was the call that he received from an early age to preach the gospel and to help others in their preparation for heaven. According to Leonardo, “Knowing that Christ is coming for the second time and that there is no time to waste led him and his wife to be willing to come to this country. In the same way, we have asked God to show us where to go, and through prayer and hope, God has now given us the opportunity to go to these places.”

Since his arrival, his most exciting discovery is the time he has had with the first elder of the Church of Montrose and his family. According to Leonardo, they have shown him disposition and love for the work of God. The church is a motivating church full of youth leadership. He and his wife feel very excited to be able to serve in a community of people so beautiful and full of Christian love and willing to serve God and his Church.

Daniele Fantoni is the new lead pastor of the Alamosa, Monte Vista, and Pagosa Springs churches. Daniele, and his wife Nayeli Cabrera, arrived in late February from Andrews University. Daniele’s greatest passion is knowing and bringing out the best in people and looking at them with the same loving eyes of God.

According to Daniele, “It was a great surprise when I was offered the pastor position for a three-church district. I was afraid of this possibility, but this was the only viable offer for me by God. So I trusted him and, despite my hesitation, I visited the district. What reassured me and led me to accept definitively, in addition to many prayers, was the welcome of the community and their genuine desire to know me. I saw their willingness to work together and the great potential of the district. Eventually, I put my fears aside and just desired to help this community and do great things with them for the glory of God.”

Since Daniele’s arrival, his most exciting discovery is how God has confirmed his call to pastoral ministry. According to Daniele, “After just one week of work and getting to know people, I realized that pastoral ministry was my vocation.”

Edrey Santos is the new part-time lead pastor of the Castle Rock Church as of February 1. He and his wife, Bobbi, come to us from the Denver area where he served as a chaplain at Porter Hospital. Edrey’s greatest passion in ministry is “the Christian journey and the fellowship that come as a consequence of loving God’s people.”

According to Edrey, the reason he was attracted to Castle Rock Church was “the eagerness and overall excitement of the church members to reach out to the community, but most of all, their willingness to recreate the church’s identity.” He is especially excited about partnering with Castle Rock Hospital to do ministry.

Since being at the Castle Rock Church, Edrey shared that his greatest discovery so far has been “the church members’ desire to recreate their identity, [which] has really shown forth through their willingness to work together, to bring forth fresh ideas, and [their] being receptive to the leading of the Holy Spirit. Personally, for me, I had some initial fears since I’ve been away from church ministry for 14 years. However, because of the helpfulness of the church family, I am humbled to see a strong desire to grow collectively. And that’s such an awesome feeling! God’s love is truly evident!”

“May we remember these pastors and their congregations in our prayers. We should pray, especially, for the Holy Spirit to be poured out on their ministry. We are blessed to have them in the Rocky Mountain Conference,” commented Mickey Mallory.

–Mickey Mallory is RMC ministerial director; photos supplied

Leonardo Jimenez

23 Mar

Bridging the Generational Gap: Having Conversations about Race with Your Family

By AdventHealth — The closeness and safety of family during uncertain times can be so comforting. Some cultures have a deep history rooted in the importance of close-knit families. “It takes a village” is a concept lived by many Asian American families who value close relationships with extended family. In a cultural tradition like theirs, the health of the community typically takes precedence over any one individual, especially for the older generations.

With so many important social issues currently at the forefront, we want to highlight our Asian American and Pacific Islander communities, empowering family members to talk to each other more openly about race, family expectations, societal pressure and how mental health is affected. Keeping communication lines open is key to staying well in body, mind and spirit — for families and individuals alike.

Under Pressure

While the intentions are good, when collective health is valued more than individual health, the expectations are set high. There may be many family members who feel pressured to hide any human imperfections or symptoms, preferring to suffer in silence for the sake of their family. Hiding struggles without support from family and friends can lead to mental health issues like anxiety and depression. Perceived failure to live up to expectations to succeed academically, personally and professionally can be a source of severe stress and lead to feelings of inadequacy.

The Model Minority Myth

Many of us are taught not to judge a book by its cover or to stereotype anyone, with the logic that stereotypes usually have negative connotations. While this is often true, it’s also true that there are positive stereotypes that can have a negative impact. Already held to high expectations by their families to achieve, Asian Americans who live with “the model minority myth” are unfairly held to higher standards by society, and suffer more as a result.

The narrative set forth by the model minority myth is that Asian American children are geniuses in math, science and music — and that their parents force them to excel to surpass everyone else. The stereotype unfairly characterizes Asian Americans as “polite,” law-abiding,” “successful,” and immigrants who live the American dream.

Like all stereotypes, this type of thinking stops people from being seen as individuals with differences and preferences. Those who are stereotyped are left with more anxiety to uphold what they think is expected of them from all ends.

Generation Gap

No matter what our ethnic or racial background, it can be difficult to start a conversation about race with family members, especially if the age gap is very different. Adult children talking to their parents, and grandchildren talking to their grandparents, about such a complex and important topic can be unnerving. Getting the conversation started is the first step, and it can lead to good outcomes where each participant can end up learning not only more about other perspectives, but more about themselves and their own biases in the process.

In Asian American families, “respect your elders” and “don’t make waves” often impact how family members relate to one another and what is expected of each person. Having a conversation where you will make waves and challenge your elders is a risk of being seen as disrespectful. Here’s how you can do it as sensitively and effectively as possible:

Be Humble and Educate Yourself First

Read, research and come into the conversations armed with knowledge of what you’re going to talk about. Consider that your older family members simply might not know as much about American history and the centuries-long history of racism if they didn’t go to school here or experience it first-hand. Honor their lived experiences, too.

Put Your Emotions Aside

If a family member says something that sounds racist as you’re trying to open the discussion to help change their worldview, it’s normal to feel angry, sad and offended. It’s how you respond to those comments that can make all the difference. If they feel judged for their beliefs, they’ll shut down and get defensive. Putting your emotions aside while you try to educate them can be the most effective approach in that you are perceived as being in control.

Ask about Their Lived Experiences

For many Asian American parents and grandparents, views on racism were shaped by their experiences in their home countries. Try to understand the situation they grew up in and how they still carry that with them.

Speak Personally and Empathetically

Your family members care about you, so tell them why supporting diversity, learning about racism and talking about it with them to bridge the generational gap is so important to you.

Care You Can Trust Across Cultures

At AdventHealth, we provide world-class care to everyone and treat every patient with dignity. We honor all cultures, respect all wishes and strive to meet all needs. We build trusting relationships between patients and providers and Extend the Healing Ministry of Christ to them and their families.

If you’re struggling, visit here and reach out for care from the heart that you can trust. You deserve to feel whole in body, mind and spirit.

–AdventHealth; photo supplied

This article was originally published on the AdventHealth website

23 Mar

COMMENTARY: STABILITY

By Doug Inglish … For some of you, this might be new, but I’ve seen this before.

When I was a young driver, not really needing my own car, yet but finding it necessary to borrow one of the family cars from time to time, I had enough sense of responsibility to put some gas in the tank now and then. No big deal. So, by the time I did buy my first car, the habit of paying for my own fuel was well established.

Then everything changed. Or, I should say everything began changing on a daily basis, sometimes multiple times in a day. Every time I passed a gas station, a new and higher price was posted. One evening, I came in from the construction job I had that summer and told my dad, “I don’t know how I can afford to drive to work if gas hits fifty cents a gallon.”

Always a man of calm perspective, he replied, “There will come a day, and soon when you will wish it would hit fifty cents a gallon again.”

As usual, he was right. That day was very soon after, and every day since then for that matter.

Things eventually settled down, and for several decades inflation was at a more reasonable, manageable pace. In fact, a lot of items actually went down in price while going up in quality, such as electronics. Gas itself has been a more volatile ride, with the global market being affected by wars, labor issues, technological advances, and political disputes. When it went past a dollar, I never thought it would go back under, but it did for a time. Same thing at two dollars.

But now everything seems to be going up, and fast. You can read about it in the news or go see for yourself at any store. Inflation is soaring again like it was around the time I was filling the tank on my battered Chevy Impala. Not only at the gas pump. We are all paying more for food, energy, insurance, clothing, tires, and household goods. Inflation is even affecting me at work, where my ability to invite a gifted pastor to fill a position in one of our churches is frequently stymied by the cost of housing.

With this kind of instability, it’s hard to plan. Can the water heater last another couple of years, or should I get one before the price jumps? Can we afford a vacation? Is the price of used cars going to come back to earth before this one falls apart? Will a college degree be out of reach?

I am not an economist, and happily so, because I consider the field to be one of the black arts, like voodoo, witchcraft, and automatic transmission repair. But as I said in the beginning of this article, I have seen this before, and watching our country (and indeed, the world) go through it again, I think I can safely declare a very real economic principle: Stability is an illusion. It seems to be around for a while, but then everything goes haywire, and you get left wishing gas would hit fifty cents again. Or two dollars, or whatever. Soon enough, we may find ourselves longing for the good old days of five-dollar-a-gallon gas prices.

But we long for stability in life. We like to know where our next meal is coming from, for everyone to stop at red lights, and to not get hit with a pop quiz in our 7:30 class. The stress of watching prices rocket toward the stratosphere is just one more reminder that stability is not just an economic illusion; it’s a fleeting vapor that we chase in our jobs, our relationships, our health, and our golf game, if that’s your thing.

But God is stable. He’s the Rock upon which the church is built (Matthew 16:18), our shelter (Psalm 61:3), our fortress (Psalm 91:2), and the One Who hears when we cry out to Him (Psalm 55:17). When things go bad, God is good. He is dependable. Unchanging. Stable.

One bit of evidence of His stability is found, oddly enough, in economics. Inflation has had a profound effect over the last 4000 years, but I am returning the same tithe that Abraham did that long ago.

If you don’t think that’s a remarkable fact, consider sales tax rates. When I was a boy growing up in Indiana, the state sales tax was 2%. Today, it is 7%–more than a threefold increase. If God were only as stable as the legislature of that rather conservative state, our tithe rates would now be 35%, and yes, that’s before offerings. But the One Who is from everlasting to everlasting remains steady, never adjusting His rates because circumstances change.

I know that is a function of the fact that it’s not about revenue for Him (Micah 6:6-8), or about His needs (Psalm 50:12); it’s about recognizing His sovereignty (Psalm 24:1). Nevertheless, the fact that tithe has remained at a steady rate throughout its history is an indication, from the dark field of economics, that our God is stable. The kind of stable that lets me know, even when inflation is eating away at our security and foiling our attempts to plan ahead, that I can count on Him to keep me afloat.

I’ve seen this before. Tithe is my anchor in this storm because it is the assurance of God’s stability.

–Doug Inglish is RMC vice president for administration and stewardship director; photo by Rajmund Dabrowski

22 Mar

OPINION: TRUE COMMUNITY

By Jon Roberts – We are blessed to be living in America; however, that blessing can also be our curse and downfall.

It took coming halfway around the world to a predominantly Muslim country for me to discover what true community is. I entered the trip with the normal anticipation every American has to see the famous sights of Egypt –the pyramids and the mummies, etc.

My curiosity rose when I saw a trip to the land of Goshen on the schedule. Goshen is where the Israelites settled and multiplied into the hundreds of thousands after escaping certain death in Canaan during the famine. When our tour guide mentioned that tourists rarely have the opportunity to go to the land of Goshen in Lower Egypt, it just added to my curiosity (Lower Egypt is to the north, and Upper Egypt is to the south because the Nile River runs South to North).

As we departed the very modern city of Cairo and started our journey to the North, the hustle and bustle of western civilization quickly faded and military and police vehicles joined the tour bus in caravan style. We were truly getting a VIP experience. After pulling off the interstate highway, the road immediately narrowed and turned into a mixture of gravel and pavement. The first village came into sight, and I was shocked to see a culture where nothing goes to waste, families take care of each other, and neighbor watches out for neighbor. While they had satellite dishes and cell phones, somehow, they still maintained the culture of a tight-knit community installed many centuries ago.

The tour guide mentioned that the shops are all family-run businesses, and the food comes from the surrounding farms. He also said that the shops have no set time to open since the family doesn’t rely on schedules to dictate their days.

In the stores, I saw multiple generations working together with the older teaching and training the younger generations while also communicating with people in the next store down to ensure everything is okay with that family. I also experienced a new phenomenon that Americans miss–nothing goes to waste. Old cars were salvaged for parts to keep newer ones running. Building materials removed from a remodeled home were available for those who needed them. Some could say it was dirty, but underneath what Americans saw as trash, was what the village saw as their future.

Driving along, we saw unfinished homes on the top floors of buildings. Those upper floors will eventually become the homes of the children since families stay together. The normal Egyptian family values togetherness, which is why I haven’t seen one retirement center or nursing homes in Egypt. They value and respect their elders. The elders also know that their future lies in the children and youth. This is perhaps why they spend time training and mentoring the youth and allowing them to run the family business. Many times, in the shops, it was the teenagers watching over the family livelihood.

I reflected on how we’ve allowed ourselves to become too busy and preoccupied with schedules and daily routines that we forget what true community is. Have we, as a church, forgotten that Egyptian family values are the same family values Jesus exemplified for us in His life. Instead of searching for a retirement center or nursing home for our parents, what if we invite them to become part of the family– brother taking care of brother, neighbor helping neighbor.

Have our lives become so occupied with a schedule that we have forgotten to slow down and get to know our neighbors. It’s okay to take time for yourself and your family. It’s okay to get to know your neighbors, to check up on them and make sure they are okay. Spend time outside of our daily Sabbath routine with our extended church family. Train and mentor our youth and “trust” them with running the “shop”.

It’s time, as Americans, that we claim the promise in Matthew 11:28 “Come unto me, all you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest.”

–Jon Roberts is RMC communication / media assistant; photos supplied

16 Mar

CAMPION STUDENTS MENTOR YOUNG CHOIR SINGERS AT 2022 MUSIC FESTIVAL

By Elizabeth Jureckova – Loveland, Colorado … The Campion Academy’s Music Festival returned to Campion Academy after a two-year absence on March 12.

The annual event was smaller than in the past out of an abundance of caution by only inviting fifth through eighth local school students. It was also the first gathering in a long while and students could enjoy seeing each other’s faces and singing without masks.

Under the direction of Campion’s music director, Yves Clouzet, the group spent Friday learning new songs and preparing for their performance for the church service.

While students got to experience performing in a larger choir, Campion students got to experience mentoring the younger performers.

“I loved working with the kids and singing with them. Music fest required a lot of dedication and hard work from both Campion students and the kids, but I’m glad our performance turned out great,” remarked Blessing, Campion senior.

The attendees learned valuable lessons about music and singing in harmony in a choir, a first for many due to the pandemic.

Reflecting on the event, Zachary, a sixth-grader at HMS Richards Adventist School, said, “The hardest part was learning to sing Jubilate Deo because we had to learn to sing all the Latin vowels correctly and to sing different notes and parts at the same time. I had never done that before, but I just listened to Brayan and Melody (Campion students) and followed what they were singing.”

While this year’s music festival was limited to local schools, Campion Academy’s music department will travel in April to provide an intensive workshop at Intermountain Adventist Academy in Grand Junction.

–Elizabeth Jureckova is a senior at Campion Academy; photos supply

16 Mar

RMC PATHFINDER CLUB ADVANCE IN NATIONAL BIBLE COMPETITION

RMCNews with Sue Nelson – Denver, Colorado … The 2022 Pathfinder Bible Experience (PBE) competition kicked off January 29 at the Fort Collins Adventist Church, with nine RMC Pathfinder clubs vying for a spot so that they can advance to the Mid-America Union competition on February 19.

The annual event is similar to a Bible Bowl where teams study and memorize a book of the Bible. This year, Pathfinders are studying 1 Kings.

Nine teams were reduced to five after the first event on January 29. They returned a week later to compete for two spots in the Mid-America Union Conference PBE. Those two spots were secured by Aurora Las Aguilas and Loveland Cougars teams, who competed for first place in Lincoln, Nebraska.

Competing in the PBE is deeper than just another competition, explains Aurora Las Aguilas team captain Clemente Martinez Jr. “We feel like the main focus of this experience isn’t just the competition itself or the amount of studying that each one of us do. It’s all about learning that certain stories and experiences that the people of God went through [can be] used by us as examples of how we should live our lives, and to reflect on the power that God has shown throughout the Bible.”

Martinez Jr. explained the process the Aurora Las Aguilas Pathfinders use to memorize Scripture. “We always have one method to study for PBE, and that is to memorize the majority, if not all of the chapters. We ask ourselves questions like how, when, where, and why of every chapter. Every question that is presented to us, we analyze before answering because sometimes there are simple ones and sometimes, confusing ones. Analyzing has proved to give good results.”

The two RMC teams competed against 17 other teams to secure one of the four spots in order to advance to the North America Division PBE on April 22 and 23.

The Aurora Las Aguilas came in first and are looking forward to the NAD competition.

Reflecting on the 2022 experience, Lonnie Nelson, Mid-America Union Conference PBE coordinator, said, “We added 13 new job positions utilizing more staff from each conference than ever before. This year was a team effort that was enjoyable to be a part of. My hat goes off to all leaders and staff at all levels for helping PBE run smoothly.”

–Sue Nelson is RMC Pathfinder Co-Coordinator; photos by Tim Floyd, Kansas-Nebraska Conference youth director

16 Mar

10 Ways to Lose Weight with Minimal Effort

By Jon Ewald, M.D. — I was browsing the health news a few days ago (as we at Life and Health often do) and I came across an article that I initially found mindless. It was about how Paris Hilton lost 5 pounds by quitting fast food. The article seemed about as newsworthy as an article about David Beckham’s newest tattoo. I’m much more accustomed to seeing stories about people dropping 100 or so pounds from quitting soda, or starting to walk around the block a few times each day.

I had a chuckle with one of my colleagues and put it out of my mind; but later in the day I realized I might have judged the article rashly. While it may not have been the author’s intent, the story highlighted an important truth: simple changes in our lifestyle can have profound effects. Paris Hilton didn’t have a lot of weight to lose, but she still dropped 5 pounds with minimal effort. If she can do it, you can too.

To this end, we’ve come up with 10 simple ways to lose weight with minimal effort.

Drink more H20

Drinking more water is standard health advice, but most of us still don’t get enough. For weight loss, water is beneficial for several reasons. First, water in the stomach gives people a full feeling, which suppresses hunger. While this does not directly affect weight loss, it does make us less likely to snack between meals (which can dramatically reduce our daily caloric intake). Additionally, most people lack the ability to differentiate between the body’s hunger and thirst signals. Oftentimes, when we feel hungry, our body is really asking for water. If we give it the water it wants, the “hunger” will go away.

Stop drinking soda, juice, alcohol, etc.

This tip is related to the previous one. Sodas, fruit juices, specialty coffees, and alcoholic beverages contain a lot of empty calories. For example, a can of coke contains 140 calories. A venti (20 oz) mocha Frappuccino contains 400+ calories (depending on the milk chosen and optional whipped cream). Alcoholic beverages are even worse, not only are they high calorie beverages, but they also slow down the metabolism.

For many people, beverages alone can easily amount to over 1000 calories a day. But even if you’re only drinking 200, it adds up. Any doctor will tell you that a pound of fat equals 3500 calories. Do the math. When you cut these types of beverages from your diet, it doesn’t take long to lose some weight.

Exercise in breaks

This will not be a surprise to many people. Exercise is really the key to long-term, sustained weight loss. However, since this is an article about simple ways to lose weight, we are not going to pressure you to join a gym just yet (although you should think about it). The truth is, the majority of people will receive great benefits from even moderate increases in physical activity.

During a break at work do some push ups, jumping jacks or walk around the office or block. It is a simple way to burn a few calories and get your blood flowing. Although it may not be practical, it is best to do these exercises with as much intensity as possible because even short, 10-minute bursts of intense physical activity have been demonstrated to boost metabolism for the whole day.^[1]

Eat a salad everyday

Even if you change nothing else, eating a large salad every day will really benefit your health. You’ll be getting a large quantity of vitamins, minerals, and dietary fiber. Plus, you will be filling up your stomach, meaning there will be less room for the other more fattening foods you may otherwise be eating. Perhaps this goes without saying, but choose a healthy salad without meat, cheese, and cups of fattening dressing or croutons. One tip for salad dressing is to keep it on the side. Then you can dip your fork into it before stabbing a bite of salad. This way, you’ll eat less dressing than normal, but still get all of the flavor.

Eat more whole grains and fiber

Adding more fiber to your diet can certainly help you lose weight. Fiber is essentially the structural framework for plants. It comes in two forms: soluble and insoluble. Soluble fiber attracts water and forms a gel, which slows down the digestive process and makes you feel fuller longer. Insoluble fiber does not dissolve in water, but bulks up the stool and acts as a laxative, helping to prevent constipation. Fiber is especially important in regulating the rate at which sugar that is consumed is absorbed into the bloodstream, which is a great benefit to diabetics.

In terms of dropping a few pounds, foods with lots of fiber will make you feel full more quickly. This means you are likely to consume fewer calories during a given meal. Additionally, both types of fiber help with satiety, meaning you’ll feel full longer. This means you are less likely to snack or get hungry just a couple hours after your last meal.

So how can you add more fiber to your diet? It is simple really, avoid refined or processed foods that have little or no fiber and eat more whole grains, fruits and vegetables, and beans. It is not difficult to switch to whole grain pastas, breads, or brown rice. It is recommended that women consume 25 grams of fiber per day while men should consume 38 grams. Give fiber a try and you could see the pounds begin to melt away.

Eat more home cooked meals

This one is comes from the story about Paris Hilton. Home cooked food is generally much healthier than what you will find at a restaurant. Typically, restaurant food is very fatty/oily, high calorie, and packed with salt. Another issue is portion control, many restaurants serve portions that are much larger than you would probably eat at home. Eating more home cooked food will also give you better control of your overall nutrient intake. Add this up and you have a simple way to lose some extra weight.

Hide healthy snacks

Snack foods tend to be high in sugar, fat, and salt and are an obvious source of extra calories. While it is better not to snack at all, snacking healthy is a simple change you can make. Instead of having chips or a granola bar (which is basically a glorified candy bar) have an apple, a handful of nuts and raisins, or some carrot sticks. These healthy snacks will have fewer calories, more nutrition, and more fiber than anything that comes out of a package. This can definitely lead to weight loss over time.

Don’t skip or skimp on breakfast

Breakfast is well known as an important component in sustained weight loss. It jump-starts the metabolism in the morning, meaning you’ll burn more calories throughout the day. Often, people skip breakfast because they simply are not hungry; others do so to try and cut down on their daily caloric intake. However, by mid-morning or lunch, these people are often starving. This can lead to the person nibbling on snacks throughout the day or binge eating later in the day. Even if you eat the same amount of calories that you did before, getting more of them in the morning can easily lead to weight loss.

Brush and floss for dessert

This is another simple tip. It functions through psychology rather than any physical effect on our bodies. Brushing and flossing after a meal can signal your brain that mealtime is over. But, even if it doesn’t, you may be less likely to snack on something if it means having to clean your teeth again. Also, there is the taste factor: Have you ever had a glass or orange juice shortly after brushing your teeth? These things combined should be enough to convince you to forgo second helpings, consume fewer calories, and lose weight.

Sleep

Our bodies need a good 7 to 8 hours of sleep each night, getting too little (or too much) has a variety of negative effects. Did you know that one effect is weight gain? There is a host of research demonstrating that people who sleep less tend to weigh more.^[2] There are several reasons for this:

First, sleep deprivation may change the way our bodies regulate appetite. Sleeping too little could cause you to end up with a larger than normal appetite and consequently consume more calories. Experts also believe sleeping to little will cause you to be drawn to foods that are higher in fat and carbohydrates. Getting too little sleep is also known to negatively affect the body’s metabolic rate, meaning the body will burn fewer calories throughout the day. This is something anyone looking to drop some weight will want to avoid.

So there you have it, 10 simple ways to lose some extra pounds. Give one (or more) of them a try. It won’t take much time at all, and you’ll look better and be healthier for it.

–Jon Ewald, M.D. graduated from Loma Linda University in 2020.

This article is reprinted with permission and was originally published on Life and Health website.

References

[1] “Short Bursts of Intense Exercise Can Fight Weight Gain: Study.” Consumer HealthDay. Accessed July 16, 2014. http://consumer.healthday.com/fitness-information-14/misc-health-news-265/short-bursts-of-intense-exercise-can-fight-weight-gain-study-669778.html.

[2] “How Sleep Loss Adds to Weight Gain.” Well. Accessed July 16, 2014. http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/08/06/how-sleep-loss-adds-to-weight-gain/.

14 Mar

LITTLETON CHURCH WELCOMES SENIOR PASTOR

By Jon Roberts – Littleton, Colorado … “Littleton Church, I would like to introduce your new senior pastor, Chris Morris,” Mic Thurber, RMC president, announced to the Littleton congregation. In response, the members applauded Morris, welcoming him to his new position.

The pastoral search committee narrowed their search for a lead pastor down to one individual who has been serving the church as associate pastor since July of 2020.

Brodie Philpott, head elder, and pastoral search committee lead, explained the process to the Littleton Church members in the church newsletter. “The search committee voted unanimously to recommend Pastor Chris to the church board as senior pastor. The board then met the next day and confirmed the church’s support for Pastor Chris with another unanimous vote. Meeting with the board, Mic Thurber informed its members that RMC had pre-approved the hiring of Pastor Chris and that, as of the vote, his hiring was official!”

The search committee included members of all ages, including Noah, a junior in high school. He said Morris was the right person for the job because, “He is kind, he listens, he loves the community of all ages, and he works hard to do everything possible to make people feel welcome.”

Thurber began the installation service by reading from Psalm 105. He then pointed out that Morris has already done many things the verse indicates. Addressing Morris, Thurber said, “You’ve been named to be senior pastor here, and that’s a fantastic, wonderful thing, but that doesn’t mean you’ve arrived. You will need the Lord every single day of your ministry life here. What I am grateful for and have already seen in you is that’s your pattern anyway, so keep that up and God will continue to bless you in powerful and mighty ways with your church family.”

Morris said, “The love I have for the Littleton church family is indescribable. I’m so grateful for the opportunity to minister alongside such a loving group of people. We have a work to continue for God’s kingdom. Let’s continue to glorify Christ and His word, live in loving community, and fulfill our calling as Christ’s disciples!”

The search committee’s work isn’t finished yet as they now switch to locating the associate pastor God has already called to work beside Morris and lead the Littleton church family.

–Jon Roberts is RMC communication/media assistant; photos by Jon Roberts

Pictured left to right – Mic Thurber, RMC President; Chris Morris, Littleton Church senior pastor; Brodie Phillpott, Littleton Church head elder

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