By Marsha Bartulec – Ameritowne, Colorado …Fifth and sixth graders from four Front Range schools–Brighton Adventist Academy, HMS Richards school, Mile High Academy, and Vista Ridge Academy– united on March 31 to run a town for a day.
The students participated in Young Ameritowne, a hands-on educational experience in free enterprise while learning about the basics of banking, economics, and citizenship. Ameritowne is a four-hour event where students physically apply concepts they have learned as they step into roles as town citizens.
The journey to Ameritowne began with teachers covering 25 lessons in basic economics, banking, government, money management, ethics, and philanthropy. All citizens (students) fill out applications and are interviewed for the jobs of their choice. Citizens running for mayor and/or judge must submit a written speech. The candidate with the most votes from other citizens wins.
A few days before the Ameritowne event, students met on the campus of Vista Ridge Academy for training. They were divided into training groups–quality control, management, sales, accounting, and media. Student citizens finished the training by meeting in their business groups, with managers leading team meetings. Reflecting on the training, HMS Richards student Conner said, “It really prepared me for Ameritowne on Thursday.”
Upon arrival at Ameritowne, the citizens were given an orientation about the day’s expectations. Then they went to their shops to prepare for the town to open. All citizens then met in the town square for opening ceremonies. The town hall workers, which included the mayor, judge, and police officers, were introduced by reporters and were sworn in. The mayor gave a speech and opened the town by cutting the ribbon. Once at work, citizens began working as producers, earned a paycheck, and spent their breaks as consumers purchasing goods and services from the businesses.
“One of the lessons students learned was the importance of teamwork,” said Natalie, an HMS Richards student. “When we work together, we can have success! I learned this by having an awesome team.”
Vista Ridge Academy student Luke, learned what it’s like to have a job, “I had fun, but you learn that you don’t always get along with your co-workers. There are ups and downs with a job.”
For others, staying out of trouble was the most important lesson. “My favorite part was not getting arrested,” a student from Brighton Adventist Academy shared.
After leaving Ameritowne, students evaluated the success of their day. Each business group received a bank balance statement to see if they made a profit. They also assessed their spending habits and the choices they made in Ameritowne. Reflecting on the experience, HMS Richards student Suelita has advice, “Learn now; don’t wait until later.”
Sandy Hodgson, Vista Ridge Academy principal, said, “The opportunity to collaborate with sister schools in this real-world learning is amazing. Our students were able to practice skills that will help them be better citizens now and in the future.”
Vista Ridge Academy plans to continue coordinating this event for local Adventist schools biannually.
–Marsha Bartulec is vice-principal for administration at Vista Ridge Academy; photos supplied
By Paula Vogler – Gillette, Wyoming … With planning well underway for the International Pathfinder Camporee to be held for the first time in Gillette, WY, in 2024, thoughts are turning to how the group can get involved with the community while they are there.
Community service projects are a big part of the camporee and for residents of Gillette that could mean seeing more murals spread throughout the town. Gillette resident Laura Chapman and Jessica Seders, Campbell County Convention & Visitors Bureau director, came up with the mural idea after learning about the camporee and the desire for its participants to get involved with their host community.
Chapman said the concept is simple: have local artists prep a mural somewhere and then have groups of pathfinders come to paint them in something like a paint by numbers format. However, she said executing that idea is going to take a lot of planning.
From lining up local artists and identifying locations for the murals to securing funding and supplies, Chapman said the planning will also include figuring out exactly how to coordinate this with the groups of pathfinders that sign up for a two or three hour block of time.
“It’s quite ambitious,” Chapman said. “I’d love to have 20 sites for them. There’s a lot of pre-planning that needs to be done ahead of time, like how can we accomplish it in a set amount of time? What’s realistic to expect? We have a very talented pool of local artists. I’m really excited to get us all on the road to make this happen.”
Seders said Gillette already has a few artists who do murals and because Gillette is a “pretty active art community,” she is not concerned about finding artists to help.
“We do have a few artists who do murals already in town and their style is very different from each other so I think we’re going to see very different styles in the projects,” Seders said. “We have to identify property owners who will let us paint directly on the building or put up a canvas next to or on a building.”
Heather Rodriguez, a Gillette artist who completed a mural inside the town’s Adventurarium, said she saw the paint by number mural concept in action at Disney World. She said there, someone sat at a booth and when visitors came by, they received a paint container with a number on it and a foam brush to help paint the mural.
Rodriguez said there are so many ways to create murals, even ways to do it where they could be set up and taken down before the harsh Wyoming winters affect them. As another project, she also suggested pathfinders could paint a number of fiberglass animals native to Wyoming like a fox or antelope and spread those around town. “It’s another way for the kids to be involved and have permanent art on display,” Rodriguez said. “I think we’re all created to make things. With kids it’s just this sense of doing something great. Creating something that has a lasting impact and value is really important.”
Chapman echoed those sentiments.
“I’d love to do something in such a way that when the kids come back next time they can say, ‘oh I did that,’” Chapman said. “It would be something to celebrate their efforts.”
Anyone interested in getting involved with the mural project is encouraged to contact Laura Chapman at 480-205-9879.
The International Pathfinder Camporee will be held at the Cam-Plex grounds August 5-11, 2024 with 55,000 pathfinders from 105 countries expected to attend.
— Paula Vogler writes for 2024 International Pathfinder Camporee; photos supplied
This article was originally published on International Camporee’s Facebook page.
RMCNews – Denver, Colorado … Treasury staff, stewardship directors, and planned giving and trust services personnel from various conferences within the North America Division recently met in Denver for the annual Beyond the Bottom Line convention and training.
With the event theme, Transformative Leadership: Thriving in a Changing World, the convention took place at the Grand Hyatt Hotel on March 27–29. The gathering allowed conference employees to fellowship, share ideas and techniques, and attend professional-growth classes.
Fellowshipping and sharing best practices were a highlight of the convention for Darin Gottfried, RMC vice president of finance. “I enjoy getting to see other treasury employees and hear about how they are doing things differently and how we might be able to use some of those ideas in RMC. It was a great time of getting to know new people and reconnecting with others that I have known for years.”
The convention was hosted by Southern Adventist University School of Business and the North American Division of Seventh-day Adventists. According to the event’s website, the overall mission is “To offer the highest quality continuing professional education designed to encourage excellence in financial management to the treasury leadership and support staff of conferences, academies, Adventist Book Centers, and institutions within the North American Division of Seventh-day Adventists.”
A variety of seminars were offered, ranging from stewardship to investing for retirement.
Gottfried appreciated the seminars and feels better equipped to meet the challenges ahead for the church as an organization. “I learned about new challenges that are coming for the church as an organization and ways in which we can meet these challenges.”
RMCNews – Denver, Colorado … The annual camp meetings held in the Rocky Mountain Conference have deep roots in Adventism and are a special time that many look forward to with anticipation. Camp meeting is a chance to come together to study God’s Word, rekindle friendships and make new ones, and get re-energized for the year ahead.
The Rocky Mountain Conference has five camp meetings to choose from:
Southeast Colorado camp meeting May 20 – 22
The Power of Love will be the theme for the Southeast Colorado camp meeting held at the Canon City Adventist Church. Speakers include Dwight Nelson, senior pastor at Pioneer Valley Adventist Church in Berrien Springs, Michigan, and Clifford Goldstein, editor of Sabbath School Bible Study Guides, and author.
Northeast Colorado camp meeting June 3 – 4
The Northeast Colorado camp meeting will be held on the campus of Campion Academy in Loveland, Colorado. The theme will be Our Greatest Need with presenter Hyveth Williams, Professor of Homiletics at Andrews University. For more information, email Michael Goetz, senior pastor Campion Adventist Church at [email protected].
Wyoming camp meeting July 12 – 16
Wyoming camp meeting will be held at Mills Spring Ranch, located on Casper Mountain. The theme is Be Bold. Dr. Joseph Kidder, Professor of Theology and Discipleship at Andrews Theological Seminary, will be the featured speaker. To register or for more information, visit https://www.millsspringranch.com/wyomingcampmeeting.
Cowboy camp meeting July 13 – 16
If you are looking for a camp meeting off the grid, this is for you. This gathering is located outside of Montrose, Colorado on a gravel road an hour off the main road in the Uncompaghre National Forest. The camp meeting offers two gatherings per day to give you plenty of time to experience the wilderness. The theme and speakers are still being decided. For more information, visit https://cowboycampmeeting.org/.
Western Slope camp meeting August 3 – 7
The Western Slope camp meeting will feature Dr. Dick Davidson, Professor of Old Testament Interpretation at Andrews Theological Seminary. He will be presenting messages on the Sabbath. The location of the camp meeting hasn’t yet been released. For more information, visit https://www.facebook.com/SDAWSCM/.
By Jill Harlow – Loveland, Colorado … After ten days of holding evangelistic meetings at multiple churches in Costa Rica, the Campion students returned to campus both exhausted and blessed. The mission group included seven students, four Campion alumni, and Campion church pastors and members.
During the evangelistic outreach, each member was assigned to preach at a different church. The students would spend their mornings reviewing, practicing, and personalizing their sermons. They would spend time visiting homes in the afternoon and inviting them to attend the meetings. Each evening they would preach a sermon on a different topic and spend time interacting with the congregation. The meetings culminated with a total of 74 baptisms.
Reflecting on the experience Lily, sophomore, explained, “Costa Rica was exhausting, but rewarding. It was awesome seeing people getting baptized and knowing it was most certainly not because of any of our exceptional sermons and public speaking abilities but because of the Holy Spirit. We really got to see God in action down there.”
The students were especially challenged with the preaching aspect of the trip. Megan, sophomore, shared, “For me personally, public speaking is not an ability that comes naturally, which made it both terrifying and exhausting.”
Caleb, sophomore, shared her sentiments, saying, “Before this trip, I really disliked public speaking. However, after this trip, I do not mind public speaking anymore. The first meeting, for the first five minutes, I was very nervous, but then the Holy Spirit came over me and made me calm, and I was able to comfortably deliver all ten of my messages.”
The preaching aspect of the trip also grew their relationship with Jesus. “While I was preaching, I learned many things about how much I appreciate God. I grew spiritually because I had to learn to depend on God and trust Him that everything would be okay, and so it was,” Marcela, freshman, reflected.
Besides the meetings, the group took time to enjoy Costa Rica by visiting the beach, ziplining through the rainforest, and exploring a nature center.
The students were warmly welcomed at their various churches. “One of the many blessings I received was my church–everyone was extremely nice and accepting,” said Jared, senior.
Megan experienced the same acceptance at her church, explaining, “Being in Costa Rica taught me a lot about being friendly; the people there are all so open, and experiencing their culture showed me that in our culture, we are often cold. They showed me that sometimes it’s better to approach people and say “Hi” rather than just minding my own business.”
Caleb agreed with the other students that the culture and the faith of the people they met in Costa Rica made a significant impact on him. “What I learned from my time in Costa Rica is that we need to be more like the church members in Costa Rica,” he reflected. “They are on fire for Jesus, and they are so invested in every single worship service.”
–Jill Harlow is communication director for Campion Academy; photos supplied
By Gabriela Vincent – Casper, Wyoming … Gabriela (Anca) Vincent, wife of pastor Shayne Vincent in the Casper District of Wyoming, has felt the pain of the war in Ukraine very personally.
She grew up under communist rule in Romania, and her hometown, Iasi, Moldova is just across the border from Ukraine. Her sister’s family still lives in Iasi. Her 12-year-old niece, Miriam, moved by the thousands of refugees flooding into their town, wanted to help. She decided to give the money she had been saving for a new smartphone, to purchase two mattresses for refugees who were staying in the local Adventist church.
When Gabriela shared this story with the Casper and Wheatland churches, they were inspired to give. They raised nearly $4,000 for the Ukrainian refugees through their generous donations and the funds were sent to Miriam, who was able to purchase ten more mattresses, as well as food, medication, and more essential items.
The needs of the refugees have inspired the Romanian Pathfinders to become directly involved. Dorin Cristea, children and youth ministries director of the Moldavia Conference, said, “The Pathfinder Law is for me to ‘Go on God’s errands,’ which means we will always be ready to go about doing good as Jesus did. But I never thought it would mean to ask you to get involved in helping those impacted by war.” The Pathfinders are involved in a weekly trip to Southern Ukraine, taking food, winter clothes, and medication to those in need.
Approximately ten million people have now fled their homes in Ukraine because of Russia’s unprovoked invasion. The UN High Commissioner for refugees says, “As many as 3.6 million Ukrainians have left for neighboring countries. Another estimated 6.5 million people are thought to be displaced inside the war-torn country itself.” According to AP reports, thousands have died since the Russian war began, including hundreds of children. It is a sobering picture and a call to action in solidarity with the people of Ukraine.
“I am extremely proud of what my family and friends in Romania are doing to assist with the increasing number of refugees and emergency supplies needed to support the Ukrainian people. My home church in Iasi is now a place where Ukrainian women and children find a safe place to stay until they have in place for their final destination,” Vincent said.
She added, “The church’s Sabbath School classes have been converted into temporary shelters, and with funds raised by the local church, they were able to install a washer, dryer, and shower for the refugees. With the remaining funds from our giving, the church has purchased generators, food, and medication, and the weekly convoy has distributed the emergency supplies to a shelter in Ukraine.”
This war is far from being over, and the needs are many as the people of Ukraine bravely fight for their freedoms. Gabriela and the Adventist church in Iasi are deeply grateful for the generous hearts who have given.
If you would also like to support the work in Romania, you can donate to www.adra.ro. May God bless the people of Ukraine with courage and strength.
–Gabriela (Anca) Vincent writes from Casper, Wyoming; photos supplied
By Rajmund Dabrowski – Boulder, Colorado … It was the first week of March and the war was well underway on the Eastern and Northern fronts of Ukraine. A car, which started its 365-kilometer (226 miles) drive from the outskirts of Zhytomyr to the border with Poland, carried seven refugees.
Two families with five children squeezed into a vehicle with three of the children in the trunk of Peugeot 508. The memory of flying missiles and the sound of explosions at the Zhytomyr military airport near their home were soon just a painfully etched memory. Hope drove them to safety.
Olga Charucka and her husband Waldemar Kutrzeba were awaiting them on the Polish side of the border, ready to welcome them to safety—the five kids, the mother, and a grandmother.
The night before, all seven of them slept in the basement of their house a short distance from the airport destroyed by cruise missiles and bombs dropped from Russian planes. A wall was cracked in their home from an explosion, and a portion of the ceiling had fallen.
After arriving in Poland, four-year-old Zlata, hearing the siren of an ambulance or police car, would run to Olga. Clinging to her, she cried, “We must hide.”
***
Olga and Waldemar live in the home of my parents near Warsaw. They were caregivers to my father and mother before they passed away. Their spacious home welcomed all seven of them. Kutrzebas are members of the nearby Adventist Theological College Church in Podkowa Leśna, which these days is serving as a shelter housing two-dozen refugees. Their church is one of many throughout Poland serving as shelters, among them Warsaw, Łódź, and Lublin. A congregation in Warsaw alone has accommodated and fed 400 refugees.
I welcomed the idea of having refugees in my parents’ home. Though far away, a plan of action was formulated during recent weeks to find support for several of our brothers and sisters in Poland engaged in helping thousands of refugees. Requests for help soon turned into questions from different parts of the Rocky Mountain Conference: How can we help? Members of Casper and Wheatland churches in Wyoming were engaged in fundraising for refugees in Romania (see https://www.rmcsda.org/a-simple-gift-inspires-others-to-give/).
From Bernie Hartnell of the Grand Junction church comes the comment, “God has blessed us in so many ways here in Colorado and the wider United States. However, Marti and I have been impressed by the Holy Spirit, to do something about the refugees flooding out of Ukraine into neighboring countries.”
He continues, “We felt time was critical to help support our Adventist brothers and sisters, who have opened their homes, churches, and schools in this crisis! So we, along with others in our Grand Junction church, have made it happen by giving either directly to our churches in Poland or through ADRA’s Ukrainian refugee fund.
“I would like to emphasize the inspiration to not sit on our hands in cozy America but listen to the Spirit’s bidding. From the ‘widow’s mite’ to the amounts that the Lord impresses, this effort, you can be assured, will go to its intended worthy purpose!” he added.
“How can one watch the news on the Ukraine crisis and not be moved to do something,” wondered Gordy Gates from Boulder. “And then to learn how the Polish people are opening their homes to the refugees led me to talk with you [Rajmund Dabrowski] to see how we might be able to get involved.”
Learning that my family’s home was part of this refugee relief, Gordy commented that he “knew he had found the way to get involved where every dollar given made it to the Ukrainian people, and [he is thankful] for being given the opportunity to help.”
Shawn Nowlan, a member of the Contemporary Issues Sabbath School Class at the Boulder church where I attend, asked how to get involved.
“Our Sabbath School wondered [how we could help] Ukraine [since] the problem is so big and beyond our control. What can we do (as suggested in the Epistle of James) to help those Ukrainians in need to go in peace, keep warm and eat their fill? Organizations like ADRA have wonderful, specialized skills. What do we have?”
He continued, “This is when we heard about Adventist congregations in Poland, the Czech Republic, and Romania who were turning their buildings into refugee centers to house the refugees streaming out of Ukraine. Maybe we could support those congregations directly so that ADRA’s resources would be free to use in the war zone itself?” Nowlan wondered.
“We could help those Eastern European congregations directly by feeding them, clothing them, and keeping them safe. We have the contacts. We can use them. And that is what we are intending to do,” he added.
***
Last week, I asked the kids if they would draw their experiences. Wiktoria is 15 years old and the oldest child of the Zhytomyr family. She sent her drawing full of war images and symbols of her country. When asked about the memories of the day she left her home, she said, “I remember fear. The biggest difficulty was choosing if my mother should join us or stay with dad as his support as he had to stay in Ukraine. The children decided that she would stay and be of help to my father.” The fathers are a part of the Territorial Defense Army in their region.
Zlata’s drawing was poignant, illustrating the distressing emotions of her experience in and what was being shown on TV. For her, memories were symbols of falling rain. She remembers the falling bullets and missiles.
Reports from the frontiers of the neighboring countries with Ukraine–Moldova, Romania, Hungary, Slovakia, and Poland–describe the Adventist Church being present by setting up welcoming centers with ADRA* representatives and volunteers offering food, clothing, and medical assistance. Local church volunteers provide transportation, accommodation, and meals. More than three million refugees have left Ukraine, the majority of them finding refuge in Poland.
In Poland, and elsewhere, human solidarity is at work.
–Rajmund Dabrowski is editor of NewsNuggets; photos supplied *For donations contact www.adra.pl
By Love Pickle – Loveland, Colorado … After two years of limiting campus visits, Campion Academy was once again able to host Academy Day on March 26. An annual, free open house for prospective students in seventh through eleventh grades, Academy Day gives these visitors an opportunity to experience a bit of life on campus.
The visiting students began their Campion experience with activities planned by the Student Association (SA) officers, including human bumper ball, jousting, and knockout.
Reflecting on the visit, Sarah, an eighth-grader, shared, “The activities in the morning were my favorite part of the day and playing bubble soccer. I feel good about coming to Campion next year, and I thought the event was nice.”
The SA officers proceeded to give tours of the campus which left a strong impression on Sarah, “The students who gave the tour were kind, and they answered all of our questions.”
Academic contests were held, including opportunities for the students to win various scholarships, like athletics and music.
Dean Helm, business manager, with his creative art known as Helmdini, entertained the students with a special magic performance. Evie, an eighth-grader, pointed out, “My favorite part was the magic show.” She added that she is excited to come to Campion because, during her visit, the students were friendly and welcoming.
The students toured the dorms and participated in mini-scramble games before supper. After dinner, Dean and Sue Helm took the students out for ice cream to satisfy their sweet teeth. Angel, an eighth-grader, remarked, “I enjoyed the ice cream. The classes and the people who were there were nice.”
The event concluded with an award show and a vespers program. The visiting students were sent off with a farewell gift put together by Campion Academy with the hope of seeing them again as future students.
–Love Pickle is a senior at Campion Academy; photos supplied
By Dustin Stegen … At one point in our lives, we all had to be introduced to every food we now eat. We weren’t born to love certain foods. No one came out of the womb salivating at the thought of peanut butter toast. We had to acquire the desire for it. This is especially true for foods whose characteristics may not be as desirable as a chocolate treat or salty chips. Those foods do not take much time or effort to enjoy.
This is especially true for our children. Introducing new foods can be challenging. I am not talking about chocolate ice cream with crushed Oreos all over it, once our children have this type of food they seem to want it all of the time. Who can blame them? I am talking about foods like broccoli, asparagus, turnips, and tofu. These foods may sound delicious to some but may not be what our children desire but it is the food we help they learn to love. Our job as parents is to keep trying to give new, healthy foods for our kids. Children are hard to predict when it comes to their eating habits. Some days they want to eat anything and everything put in front of them. Then other days, even their favorite meal disgusts them. It can take 10 to 15 attempts for children to eat and then enjoy new foods. So don’t be discouraged and don’t give up if it take longer than that. If you have prepared the food well with delicious ingredients, your children will learn to love it. Try your best to never force, pressure and coerce your children into eating their foods. Make eating a time of fun and fellowship. (The way we treat our children when it comes to food is a giant topic and is not fully covered in this blog. Look out for future blogs covering parenting and eating tips). Please remember, children do have a more sensitive palate than older adults. They can detect bitter flavors quickly. Give them some grace when trying kale for the first time.
Our children will also be more likely to try food if we, the parent or adult, are eating and obviously enjoying the food. If we are hesitant to eat the meal with a grimus you can almost guarantee our children won’t be trying it. Speaking of adults, we too sometimes need 10 to 15 times to try a new food. How many of us have a friend who is unwilling to try certain foods because they know they disliked them as a child? As we age, we must eat our fruits, vegetables, and whole grains to aid in our own health promotion. These types of foods are essential and should be incorporated into our diets. The most important step in improving our diet through nutrition is actually eating the food. If you disliked broccoli as a kid, that may be because it was not prepared well. I am sorry to say it but who actually liked steamed broccoli? I can’t be the only one who dislikes it. But I love broccoli, lightly baked in olive oil. Crispy and sweet. Truly amazing.
I think it is important to make a distinction between healthy foods and not-so-healthy foods. I am not saying you should expose yourself to foods that require an acquired taste and are detrimental to your health. For example, I do not like coffee. I bet if I drank it more and more, I would learn to love it. But coffee is not necessarily a healthy beverage. I want more people to eat more fruits and vegetables. Keep trying those, not all the other stuff.
The point is, at any age we need to eat more plants. We don’t have to eat every single one, but a humble variety fuels our bodies with its optimal fuel. Children and adults can benefit from trying different plant foods 10 to 15 times. The food we eat literally makes up our cells and fuels them. Expose yourself to new, healthy, and delicious plant foods by just trying them.
— Dustin Stegen is a Registered Dietitian and lover of all things outdoors, cooking, and teaching others about living a healthy lifestyle and eating. He is the founder of Ten Times Better, LLC a nutrition consulting business that focuses on connecting faith and food. Photo by iStock.
This article was originally published on Outlook Magazine website
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
