NN Feb 2020 Page 2

20 Feb

Mile High Academy’s Annual Auction Raises More Than $100,000 For Worthy Student Fund

In

Highlands Ranch, Colorado … Mile High Academy’s annual auction, Eat, Mingle & Give, is one of the most anticipated events of the school year. Attendees know it’s an opportunity for staff, families and members of the local community to relax, play some golf, eat and enjoy an afternoon together at Topgolf Centennial – all while raising money to benefit the school.

Held the second Sunday in February, this year was particularly special as the focus was on MHA’s Worthy Student Fund. Guests learned that more than 35 percent of MHA’s students receive some form of financial aid. MHA is committed to raising approximately $250,000 per year, opening possibilities for those who think a private, Christian education would be less than affordable. These funds can’t be raised without help from generous families, local community and staff.

A feature video was shown to attendees, sharing the story of current MHA Senior Amanda Sasmita. Her father was deported while she was attending MHA’s lower school. She and her mom never expected she would be able to remain at MHA. News of the family’s story reached local church members. And a donor stepped forward, asking to contribute to Amanda’s tuition. For years this family – with absolutely no ties to MHA – has assisted with funding so Amanda’s tuition could be paid in full. This spring Amanda will be graduating with her fellow 2020 MHA classmates.

It takes just one person to make a difference.

The eventful live auction resulted in lots of laughter, memories and intense bidding wars. Classroom items were auctioned off – with final bids exceeding more than $1,000 – and a silent auction was held throughout the event, filled with generous community and Colorado-donated items. In total, more than $100,000 was raised for MHA’s Worthy Student Fund.

“The purpose behind MHA’s Annual Auction may be about creating awareness and raising money, but it means so much more than that,” said Jocelyn Aalborg, VP of finance and development. “Our school and community know this event gives us a chance to come together for a little fun while reconnecting about what makes Mile High Academy so special and – with help – continue to provide Christian education for many generations to come. We can’t say thank you enough to everyone who supports this yearly event.”

The next Eat, Mingle & Give will be held in early 2021, but sponsorship opportunities are available now. Questions? Please contact Jocelyn Aalborg at [email protected].

Click this link to watch Amanda’s story and to view more photos from the event.

—Karrie Meyers; photos supplied

20 Feb

Greeley and Aurora Pathfinders participate at Bible Experience event

In

Lincoln, Nebraska … Two Pathfinder teams from Rocky Mountain Conference churches participated February 15 at the 2020 Mid-America Union Conference Pathfinder Bible Experience in Lincoln, Nebraska. All six MAU Conferences were present with 19 teams participating, reports Chris Hill, RMC Pathfinder leader. The teams representing Rocky Mountain Conference were Aurora Las Aguilas and Greeley Lesem.

Pathfinders have been studying the books of Ezra, Nehemiah, Jonah, Amos, Hosea and Micah for several months in preparation for this event. These were exceptionally difficult books, Chris Hill commented. “But all 19 teams placed at third place or higher.

“It is certainly a long drive to Union College from Colorado, and we acknowledge the dedication of the parents and staff for encouraging their Pathfinders to study and excel in learning God’s word,” Chris said.

—Chris Hill; photos by Tim Floyd

20 Feb

Campion Chinese students raise funds to support fight against Coronavirus

In

Loveland, Colorado … For Jarrod and Gregory Lang, students from Kunming, China, the news of the novel Coronavirus, known as COVID-19, hits a bit closer to home. While the majority of their province remains unaffected, they want to do something to help the efforts to contain the virus throughout China. They came up with the idea of doing a school fundraiser to support the Red Cross in China.

“We want to help our home country of China and help medical teams get the supplies they need so they can treat people safely,” explained Jarrod.

Several other Campion students from China had planned to return home for spring break but had to change plans due to the outbreak and travel bans. At this point, even being able to return home for the summer remains up in the air for these students.

Donations are being accepted to support China’s Red Cross in Campion’s business office.

–Campion Academy Newsletter

13 Feb

Preparations for Catch 2020 outreach of 13 Northeast Colorado churches accelerate

In

Greeley, Colorado … A recent meeting at The Adventure Seventh-day Adventist Church brought together pastors representing 13 churches of the Northeastern Colorado area. There was excitement as reports revealed accelerated preparations to engage all churches in the upcoming Catch 2020 outreach.

Brighton church pastor, Wayne Morrison, commented, “With over 650 requests for Bible studies, we are praising God for the incredible stories He is providing as we follow up on Hs blessings.”

“Working as a group of churches, toward a common goal, lifting each other up in prayer, is drawing us closer as pastors and helping us feel united, rather than the sense that we are all alone in our pastoral roles,” he added.

Mickey Mallory, RMC ministerial director, noted effects of cooperation between pastors involved with the outreach. “One of the byproducts of working together for this evangelistic thrust, is that our pastors have drawn closer to each other. There is a sweet bond among them that did not exist prior to this initiative,” he commented

Named Catch 2020, the outreach series initiative involves “Northeast Colorado churches working together to fish for men,” explains Nestor Soriano, pastor for evangelism and worship from Campion. He lists 13 congregations from Akron, Brighton, Campion, Carbon Valley, Chapel Haven, Fort Morgan, Greeley, Holyoke, Loveland, Mountain View in Loveland, Sterling, the Adventure in Greeley, and Louisville’s Twin Peaks, all of which are participating in the evangelistic initiative scheduled to begin on March 6. Churches decide the length of the series. The Campion Church plans for two weeks of meetings (five days each) and three weekends.

According to Soriano, each church has the same theme–Discovering Revelation. Churches participating in Catch 2020 have their own preachers, in most cases, they are pastors. The only churches that will use a streaming service are the five congregations under one senior pastor, Don Lopes, in the eastern area of Colorado.

Congregations have been creative in pre-evangelism activities.

In the last four or five months, churches mailed over 200,000 Bible study interest cards and have received over 650 Bible study interest cards. Church members have been trained in visiting with these interests and giving Bible studies. A Bible worker, Kelly Miranda, has been spending one week at each church, mainly to train members how to find and give Bible studies.

A variety of events in the churches are being held, including cooking classes, Christmas holiday gatherings, Love Reality Tour, or the Final Empire video series aimed at inviting members of the community. The Greeley congregation organized art classes attended by members of the community, where they were invited to Bible studies and the upcoming Match outreach meetings.

Kris and Andrea from Campion said, “We had the privilege of visiting with someone who mailed back a card for Bible studies. We went to the door and met Nicole. She was surprised to see someone come to the door, but she was so appreciative that we came in person to drop off the lesson! She was eager to learn about God! After we got home, she texted us and asked if her fifteen-year old could join. We’re convinced there are people in our community who are hungry to know Jesus!”

“It has been a real blessing for me to be part of this team. All the churches have been connecting with their community through community events. We’ve been praying for God to pour out His Spirit in people’s lives. He’s been answering our prayers,” Soriano added.

RMCNews with Nestor Soriano; photo by Mickey Mallory

13 Feb

reENVISION Change initiative creates new culture for young adults at LifeSource Fellowship

In

Denver, Colorado … I am a millennial. I am young enough to use google as a verb, but old enough to have owned mix tapes. I refuse to shop at Walmart because of the labor conditions in their Asian factories, and yet I will admit I have no idea who my state representatives are. That is the millennial generation. A passionate sea of contradiction and controversy. Our parents told us that we could follow our dreams and our hearts. As a result, we travel on a dime, fight for the acceptance of all people, while at the same time being the most narcissistic generation in history by a long shot. It’s almost as if millennials are pinned between technology and a deep need for fulfillment, and so we grab onto the new, while feeling nostalgia for the way things used to be.

One more characteristic of millennials is that we want change in our churches. We don’t do things just because that is how they have always been done. We question tradition, we are skeptical of titles, and we believe each individual should be seen, known, and heard.

Research from the Barna Group says that only 4 percent of millennials, ages 22-35, are Bible-based believers. In fact, the Barna Group says that,

  • Only 2 in 10 Americans under 30 believe attending a church is important or worthwhile (an all-time low).
  • 59 percent of millennials raised in a church have dropped out.
  • 35 percent of millennials have an anti-churchstance, believing the church does more harm than good.
  • Millennials are the least likely age group of anyone to attend church (by far).

Millennials are the most educated generation to date. Roughly 34 percent of us have a college degree. This is a generation of people who were taught to ask questions. And so we do. We ask questions of our government, we ask questions of our bosses, and we ask questions of our church.

Millennials are the most impatient generation this world has ever seen and studies are now showing that millennials will click off a web page if it takes more than 3 seconds* to load. What implications may this have for our services?

Marcus Lemonis, best known from CNBC’s hit show, The Profit, said the key to keeping millennials fulfilled and happy is to give them the “opportunity” to make a difference in the workplace.

As a church, I believe we can learn a lot from the research that is being done on millennials in the workplace. Understanding how millennials function in their careers, could help churches understand how millennials might perceive their place of worship.

We started reENVISION Change because we wanted to stand in the gap of our church and our generation. We wanted to provide a space for people to get what Marcus Lemonis called “the opportunity to make a difference.” We are living in the day and age where everyone gets to be seen and heard, and then we tell people they have to sit down and be quiet in our pews. We wanted to try something different that we hoped may attract young adults, so we started asking the people who attended our Saturday night services, to participate in them. If you are coming, could you sing a song, share a welcome, write a poem, or deliver the prayer?

The goal of reENVISION Change is to create a church environment that is based on participatory experience. Each month, a different young adult is asked to participate in the service in some way, and our hope is that every year, each person attending will have stood on our stage at least one time.

We have 50-80 people who come to worship with us each month at LifeSource Adventist Fellowship. Eighty percent of those people don’t attend our church, with probably 40 percent of those, not being Adventist at all. And we want them all to participate anyway. Because we believe the best way to feel ownership of something is to start participating in it.

After each service, we do an event that is focused on building community. That way people who come alone can leave feeling like they were a part of something bigger than themselves. We have basketball tournaments and volleyball nets, we have done spoken word poetry slams and open mic nights. We do board games and free food. Young Adults don’t just want a church service; they want a relationship, and we want to reENVISION a change that makes them feel included.

Eighteen to thirty-five year olds kept telling us that they didn’t need church, so we try to provide a culture where the church needs them.

*https://www.shopify.com/blog/75614533-marketing-to-millennials-5-massive-trends-that-are-leading-the-way

–Seth Day with Dr. Heather Thompson Day, photos by Mickey Mallory

13 Feb

Colorado Springs Central Church celebrates ministry of volunteer pastor, Marcia Armstead

In

Colorado Springs, Colorado … “We are sad to see our volunteer pastor, Marcia Armstead retire from some of the pastoral activities in which she has been involved for the past decade,” said Mike Maldonado, Colorado Springs Central Church pastor. The church family showed their appreciation for her as assistant for pastoral care with a plaque on December 28. They also celebrated her contributions with a Ministry Appreciation Dinner on Sunday, January 19.

Marcia, an ordained elder of the church, has served as a volunteer for six years. During that time, she was hostess team leader, prayer Ministry coordinator, card ministry facilitator, and coordinator of nursing home visitations. She also visited and held Communion with homebound members in medical and rehabilitation facilities.

For the past four years, Marcia has been a member of the Rocky Mountain Staff – doing much of the same. But added to her responsibilities was the title of assistant for pastoral care assisting Pastor Maldonado. “Marcia is irreplaceable, and it is heartbreaking to see her scale down from all the activities in which she has been involved. We have been blessed by her ministry and devotion to God,” commented Pastor Maldonado.

When asked what her favorite tasks have been, Marcia said: “Everything! And, especially advocating for litigants, and the unemployed.” Her greatest challenge, she comments, “is that of having to preach in Pastor’s absence, but I’m grateful that God can use anyone who is willing.”

Marcia says she will not be away from Central Church, as she is still an elder of the church and will volunteer as she is able in any area where her services are needed.

Mike Maldonado, text and photos

13 Feb

Recent lay pastor training course emphasizes biblical preaching

In

Grand Junction & Denver, Colorado … The second round of the Lay Pastor Training course took place at the Rocky Mountain Conference office in Denver, January 31-February 2; and in Grand Junction, February 7-9. Twenty participants took part in the Denver training and in Grand Junction, it was attended by 24 interested lay activists and local church leaders.

“Both weekends were amazing,” said Nate Skaife, Grand Junction Church pastor and main presenter and instructor. “We engaged in conversation about the significance of what happens when we die and the ramifications to our beliefs if we are wrong in what we believe. In addition, we dug deeper into important Bible texts that clarify the state of the dead belief,” he shared, speaking of the main theme of the course.

Other areas of focus included tools to help attendees mine the Scriptures for gems often left uncovered, along with looking at the process of making biblical sermons which helps not only in presenting sermons, but also in leading Bible studies and small groups, Skaife explained.

“It is always fun to work through the Scriptures,” he added.

Participating lay people were given assignments to study at the first series of lectures in September and October 2019. Mickey Mallory, RMC ministerial director, a patron of the course, said that “it was great to see how much the participants have grown since they started the program five months ago.”

“The participants were appreciative of all the support they have received from Pastor Nate,” he added. “It is exciting to think that because of the lay pastor training, we have enlarged our ministry team in the Rocky Mountain Conference,” Mallory commented.

Participants offered observations about the course, several commenting that they received “information overload … but very interesting and helpful,” in the reaction of Patrick Williams from Cedaredge.

For Wilton Helm from Aspen Park, the presentations offer “a good basis for Bible study and biblical sermon preparations.” Keith Parris from Twin Peaks church in Louisville considered the training a “good opportunity to learn and grow with others from around the conference who are involved with their local churches.”

The participants, including several women, appreciated being coached in a variety of pastoral roles. Jane Coren from Grand Junction was excited about the weekend, and that there was so much to absorb. The information she received “blows my mind,” she said.

—RMCNews with Nate Skaife; photo by Mickey Mallory and Nate Skaife

06 Feb

Wyoming Winter Retreat announced for February 14-16

In

Casper, Wyoming … Wyoming Winter Retreat will convene on February 14 at Mills Spring Ranch near Casper Wyoming. The event is a joint venture organized by the Rocky Mountain Youth Department and several members from Casper Seventh-day Adventist Church.

“Join us as we explore together what it means to live ‘Fully Alive’ in Christ,” says Brent Learned, RMC youth assistant director, coordinator of the event.

Brent explains that Wyoming Winter Retreat is designed to emphasize the development of your personal identity and purpose. Over the course of the weekend, we will explore the Scriptures together, recharge together, have fun together, and pray together. “Our hope is that your experience at the retreat will inspire confidence, encourage learning, and establish or re-establish your connection with Jesus Christ. Experiencing Jesus together and exploring what it means to be ‘Fully Alive’ in Christ, you will find the freedom and courage to live life to the fullest,” he explained.

The organizers said that the weekend will include worship, recreation, and fellowship.

Worship: Pastor Henry Johnson, young adult ministries coordinator from the Carolina Conference will serve as biblical teacher for the weekend. Johnson is passionate about connecting and serving all age groups, particularly teens and young adults. Lyle Wortman, along with his band members from Gillette, Wyoming will be leading the retreat through lively worship songs, bringing to life the “Fully Alive” theme. Wyoming Winter Retreat is designed to be a time to hear the word, worship together through singing, and learn from one another through interactive biblical teachings.

Recreation: Sitting atop Casper Mountain, Mills Spring Ranch has more to offer than just pretty views. The retreat’s schedule is designed with plenty of free time to experience favorite winter activities, including sledding, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, and snowmobiling. Weekend participants should bring their own gear, borrow it from a friend, or rent it from one of the gear shops located in nearby Casper.

Fellowship: A time will be set aside to hang out, build new relationships, and strengthen old ones while engaging in outdoor recreational activities together and participating in Saturday evening activities. Saturday evening will be filled with a plethora of board games, s’mores, hot chocolate, tea, and cider, as well as active games.

Located on Casper Mountain, the Mills Spring Ranch is at 8,000 feet elevation. At this time of the year, winter conditions with several feet of snow are expected. Brent says that participants should bring a winter coat, as well as snow pants, boots, hats, and gloves. Although the buildings will be heated to a cozy warm temperature, participants should bring their own bedding or a sleeping bag.

To register, get directions, or find additional details about Wyoming Winter Retreat, contact Liz Cornett by phone at (307) 277-5084 or by email at [email protected]. Cost is $35 per person which includes food and lodging for the entire weekend.

—Brent Learned, text and photo

06 Feb

Indonesian-American young people sow seeds

In

Aurora, Colorado … The youth and young adults of the Rocky Mountain Indonesian-American Seventh-day Adventist Church decided to use their feet to share the gospel. On Sabbath, January 31, twenty young people went to the neighborhoods surrounding the church. They signed children up for Vacation Bible School, found adults interested in Bible studies, gave out GLOW tracts, and prayed with people.

“GLOW stands for Giving Light To Our Word,” explains Matt Hasty, RMC literature ministry director. “It’s our conference’s initiative to give every church member an opportunity and training to become a literature evangelist.”

He refers to literature evangelists as “foot-preachers.” He points to “Romans 10:15 “how beautiful are the feet who preach”. Apostle Paul, unable to leave various forms of imprisonments, preached by writing and others delivered on foot what he wrote. This form of preaching made its impact, and millions today are still blessed by the impact these silent foot-preachers made. I believe it’s the same today. Our modern-day Pauls write, and the silent foot-preachers deliver.”

In Aurora, where they held the second annual Sabbath of GLOW outreach, “many seeds were planted,” Matthew reported.

Here is a story of one young person’s experience.

Just down the street from the church, Eduardo met two men standing outside talking.

“Hi, my name’s Eddy. I’m from the church down the street,” Eddy pointed towards the church, “We’re collecting prayer requests from our neighbors. Do you have anything you would like us to pray for?”

“What?” The men were confused, they had never had someone ask them for prayer requests before.

“I just want to pray for you,” Eddy explained.

“Pray to Jesus?” one of the men asked. He began asking Eddy questions about what he believed and what was taught at his church. Eddy spoke to the men about how the church uses the Bible as their foundation, adding nothing and leaving nothing out.

“Does your church let anyone come?” the man wondered.

“Yes, everyone!” Eddy smiled, “Come next week. We even have a potluck after the service. It’s great food.”

“Maybe I will,” the man smiled.

Eddy took out a GLOW tract called Sunday is for Football, Saturday is for _________. He wrote the church’s name on the tract. “Next Saturday can be your day to go to church.” Eddy handed the man the tract.

“On an average week, we get three online GLOW orders from various churches on www.midwestglow.com. I’ve been working with 12 congregations, but I believe there may be more than that,” Matt adds.

Currently, there are 11 students participating in literature evangelism at Campion Academy. Summer 2020 plans are still in development, with an interest to visit all the cities in Colorado outside of Denver, Loveland and the Fort Collins area.

“Many people in our communities are ripe for the harvest. Consider sharing tracts with your church’s neighbors,” Matt encourages.

—Amanda Hasty with Matt Hasty; photo­­­­­­­­­­­ by Amanda Hasty

06 Feb

Springs Academy celebrates School Choice

In

Colorado Springs, Colorado … Have you ever truly appreciated the fact that in the United States parents have a choice on where to send their children to school? There is a nonpartisan, nonpolitical public awareness effort called the “National School Choice Week,” that hosts celebrations all over the country, during the last week of January.

Some parents don’t seem to realize that many options are available today, said Michelle Velbis, principal of Springs Adventist Academy, a K-8 Christian school that emphasizes core values. “Sometimes parents aren’t happy with their school situations, but they don’t have to be stuck,” she said. “If they do a little research, they’d find they have more choice than they know.”

Springs Adventist Academy hosted an event on Thursday, January 30th at 7:30 in the morning.  Parents, students, and staff celebrated the event with doughnuts, yellow scarves, and a drawing to show appreciation to their parents for choosing SAA.

“SAA is the best school in town and is like a hidden treasure,” said parent, Nelson Rosado. “The teachers, staff, and volunteers are highly committed to God and Christian education.”

The students had a great time inviting their parents into the classroom to show them their work.

“What a joy it was to see what our children are learning! It is truly a blessing for us as parents to be included in the celebration of School Choice Week.”

Velbis commented she truly valued parents’ decision to send them to SAA, “We know they could choose a different school, but they choose ours.”

–Michelle Velbis, text and photos

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