NN Feb 2022

28 Feb

Can Gaming Benefit Your Brain?

In

By AdventHealth — Gaming is a popular pastime for people of all ages. They’re widely available on our phones, tablets and computers, making them only a quick click or swipe away to those who love to play. While many health experts worry that video or virtual games can cause problems, some recent studies actually point to potential benefits — and that comes as good news for all the gamers out there.

We’re here to explain how to game to your advantage so you can get the best of both worlds — health benefits along with fun.

Flex That Brain

Research shows that those experiencing memory loss may benefit from playing video games by delaying the brain’s aging process. Engaging in new activities, such as gaming, can keep the parts of the brain that are susceptible to memory problems sharp.

One study revealed that memory improved in people from 60 to 80 years old who played video games each day over the course of four weeks. At the end of the month, they scored higher on memory tests than those who played other games, like solitaire.

Gaming is also now used to treat people with ADHD. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration even approved the video game, EndeavorRx, in June of 2020 to help kids with ADHD.

When combined with other treatment methods, video games kept those with ADHD motivated and focused during therapy with hardly any side effects.

Boost Your Mood

Video games also let you experience adventure without leaving your home. Especially for those restricted in movement or mobility, immersive video games can provide an exciting escape.

As you discover and explore the world of virtual reality, you’ll raise your dopamine levels, which are connected to feelings of happiness and reward. Gamers often experience heightened pleasure and confidence when playing because of this natural rush.

Proceed With Caution

Like all things, you’ll need to strike a healthy balance. There are potential drawbacks to gaming, especially if they include violence or other unsuitable content for kids and adults alike. Negative side effects of too much screen time range from strained eyes to reduced physical activity and trouble sleeping.

Video game addiction is a risk, especially for kids and teens with ADHD. Look for signs such as losing interest in non-gaming activities and an obsession with devices. Make an appointment with your child’s health care provider if you notice these tendencies.

The Name of the Game

At AdventHealth, we want to see you happy and healthy no matter your stage of life. That means attending to your body, mind and spirit with whatever helps you achieve wholeness.

Whether our skilled team recommends traditional methods or the most leading-edge techniques, you can rest assured that we’re caring for you as the unique individual you are.

Visit us here for the compassionate care you deserve — and learn more about how AdventHealth has entered the arena of esports here.

–AdventHealth; photo supplied

This article was originally published on AdventHealth’s website.

24 Feb

Campion Academy earns number one ranking third year in a row.

In

Campion Academy News – Loveland, Colorado … Campion Academy, for the third year in a row, has been rated the number one private school in Larimer County by Niche.com on its annual 2022 Best Schools ranking list. There are currently 21 private schools in Larimer County.

Niche.com also ranked Campion Academy as having the best teachers in Larimer County. This ranking is based on the measurement of all schools in Larimer County.

Niche.com, a nationally recognized education ranking site, bases its rankings on a rigorous analysis of key statistics and millions of reviews from students and parents. Ranking factors include SAT/ACT scores, student-teacher ratio, and data sourced from the U.S. Department of Education, Niche users, and the schools directly.

“In my previous schools, there were too many students, which made the teachers not engage as much as teachers do at Campion,” said Blessing, Campion senior, when asked what makes Campion teachers distinctive. She added, “but once I got to Campion, I realized that the teachers actually care about my personal and academic life.”

The Best Teachers rankings are more specifically based on student and parent ratings of teachers, teacher salaries, teacher absenteeism, teacher tenure, student-teacher ratio, and the Niche academics grade for the school.

“What makes the teachers at Campion stand out is that they’re always available,” said Brisa, Campion senior. “They take time out of their day to help us no matter how small the problem; not only with school problems, but with issues that we have in our own lives. They are always there to give a helping hand.”

Additional 2022 rankings for Campion Academy include 4 Best Boarding High Schools in Colorado, 5 Most Diverse Private High Schools in Colorado, and 7 Best Christian High Schools in Colorado.

–Campion Academy News; photo supplied

24 Feb

CAMPION GIRLS WIN DIVISION AT UNION COLLEGE BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT

In

By Love Pickle – Loveland, Colorado … After a two-year absence, Campion Academy varsity basketball teams returned to Lincoln, Nebraska on February 17 to participate in the annual Union College basketball tournament.

Students said the days were long with games, but the exhaustion didn’t stop them from bonding on a deeper level.

Reflecting on the event, Nicole, Campion junior, said, “I thought it was a good experience. I was able to hang out with people I don’t normally interact with at school.” She added, “I liked seeing how different schools with the same beliefs came together to compete while experiencing God. There was a lot of good sportsmanship from other teams, which made it fun.”

Kendra, Campion senior and manager of the girls’ basketball team, shared her experience. “Union’s tournament was a highlight of my senior year. I am so proud of how the girls worked together to win first place.”

While the girls celebrated their championship win, the boys’ team was eliminated after a series of losses. The loss, though, didn’t hinder the boys’ experience. “The Union basketball tournament was definitely one of the highlights of the year for me. Even though the team didn’t end the season how we wanted to, I know I will remember the moments and my team for a long time,” said Colton, Campion junior.

One of the boys’ team captains, Jadon, reflected on what the tournament meant to the team. “Some people will be optimistic and focus on the girls’ team win. Others will be pessimistic and talk about the guys’ team losing. Ultimately, though, the tournament was a blast. Although it’s about basketball, what I’ll remember most is the time spent with my teammates, chilling and talking, playing with a hacky sack, and running around roughhousing.”

Colton reiterated Jadon’s sentiments saying, “My favorite part about the tournament was hanging out with the team on late nights and being on the court playing basketball. It was a fun way to end a season.”

–Love Pickle is a senior at Campion Academy; photos supplied

24 Feb

SOUTHWEST HISPANIC DISTRICT LAUNCHES RADIO OUTREACH PROGRAM

In

RMCNews – Broomfield, New Mexico … The Southwest Colorado Hispanic district is reaching the masses with the good news a relationship with Jesus offers by producing a weekly, online radio series.

The series airs Sunday mornings at 7:30 a.m. on alfaomega7radio.com and features Wilmer Martínez, district lead pastor.

Martínez explains that his passion for reaching the community with a message of hope in Jesus comes from John 21:6 where, “He said, ‘Throw your net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.’ When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish.”

“Jesus encouraged his disciples to throw the net, [and it is] precisely the term ‘net’ that motivates me to continue broadcasting the weekly program on social networks,” said Martínez.

The series, titled “In time and out of time,” was developed with the desire to share the good news of salvation at all times. The audience, according to Martínez, continues to grow and, with the series online, the program is being heard beyond the local area.

He recalls how a listener was physically healed after a special prayer was offered on the program.

“A recent testimony occurred when a lady from the community was facing serious health problems when she first heard the program. On that occasion, she tuned in to the program, where the guest speaker was Dr. Astrid de Armas, and when she concluded her presentation with an emphasis on physical health, she offered to pray for sick people. And miraculously, the person was healed that same day. Praise the Lord!”

“In Time and Out of Time” airs Sunday mornings at 7:30 a.m. Mountain Time and can be heard at alfaomega7radio.com.

–RMCNews; photo supplied

22 Feb

BRIDGING THE GAPS – FIVE WAYS TO CELEBRATE CULTURE IN THE CHURCH

In

By Rachel Ashworth … The church is made up of people from all cultures. The global church is made up of whites, blacks, Hispanic, Asian, and more. This mix of cultures is not the global church alone, but our local churches and districts.

If you are blessed enough to have many beautiful cultures in your home church, it may be difficult to connect them. It may be difficult to celebrate a culture you don’t understand. There are ways that you can, though. There are things you can do as an individual and a church family that can build bridges between the varying cultures in your congregation and in your community.

What is valuable to the culture of your church and community? How do these values compare with the values of the diverse cultures that make it up?

The truth is we’re all different. We were raised in different ways, in many different areas. Our ancestors valued things based on their upbringing and their struggles. Some of us move across states and into a different political climate completely. Some grew up in the Pacific Northwest and moved into the Bible Belt.

Culture shock is not a thing of the past. Culture shock is alive and well in our cities, states, and our churches.

So, what can we do about it?

5 ways to celebrate diversity in the church:

Get to know each other.

When someone new comes into our church or community we aim to find our common ground right away. The values, education, background, and experiences we share will immediately connect us on some level. This is our goal, but what do we do if there is little to no common ground? Get to know each other anyway! Ask questions and tell stories. Look at them in the eyes when you speak.

Break bread together.

It’s safe to say that every culture in the world makes and enjoys some kind of bread as a regular staple in their diet. So, break bread together. Invite a new family to your home for a meal, or plan a meal at your church or community center. You can take it one step further by planning a Global Food Showcase where people prepare and bring foods from their home country or childhood. Involve the whole community for a Foods from around the world event.

Plan a special Sabbath.

If you have a large number of church members who speak a different language or come from a different country, consider planning a special Sabbath service to accommodate the language, music, art, food, and more from individual cultures that make up your congregation. Let someone translate if there is a willing volunteer. This type of showcase will make your members feel special, seen, heard, and valued. It can also help them make themselves at home.

Use and promote resources and news.

Because we are part of a global church, there are resources available online for every division, in many languages, and in most cases free. Subscribe to magazines that speak to your congregation, empower them as a culture, and speak to their hopes for their home country. Pay attention to global news that might affect your congregation. Even if they are safe in your city, their heart may break for political and social unrest in their home country.

Make space for them.

I started to type “give them a job”, then I changed it to “give them a place”. What I mean, and what I think everyone needs in their home church is a space for them. This means, when you speak to your congregation from the pulpit, in your mission and goals, in evangelism, programming, and all facets of ministry, you make space for the individuals in your church to represent their cultures. Give them space and support to help with and begin ministries that appeal to their cultural needs. Make space for them in social circles, at events, and even pews to sit in. Too many people don’t feel they have a space in church simply because there is no welcome place to sit!

More than anything pray. Pray for your congregations and every culture represented therein.

Pray for unity in God’s church.

–Rachel Ashworth is a blogger for Outlook Magazine; photo by iStock

This article was originally published on the Outlook Magazine website

22 Feb

PUEBLO FIRST SHARES ITS BLESSINGS WITH COMMUNITY

In

RMCNews with Anton Kapusi – Pueblo, Colorado … The Pueblo First Adventist Church is providing blessings to their neighborhood 24 hours a day through a new self-serve cabinet, called the Blessing Box, in front of the church.

The white and red cabinet can be seen from the community surrounding the church. Inside the Blessing Box are supplies for individuals who may need extra help.

Anton Kapusi, Pueblo First Church lead pastor, explained the idea, which comes from Philippians 2:4 – “Instead of each person watching out for their own good, watch out for what is better for others.” 

 The box contains grab-and-go snacks, canned soups, noodles, sauces, warm socks, blankets, and personal hygiene items, including toothbrushes, toothpaste, washcloths, and body care items.

Kapusi reflected on the project stating, “The best blessing has come from the surrounding community beginning to take part in keeping the Blessing Box filled and watched over when we are not around. We are grateful and blessed to have our community participating in this project!”

What is the expected outcome of the newly funded project?  “We have great hopes for this project going forward that we may not only relieve the immediate needs of our community but in time may be allowed to tend to their spiritual needs as well,” said Kapusi.

— RMCNews with Anton Kapusi, lead pastor at Pueblo First Adventist Church; photos supplied.

22 Feb

PATHFINDERS UNITE FOR SNOWSHOEING AND SLEDDING

In

RMCNews with Jami Dove – Grand Junction, Colorado …Pathfinder clubs from the Western Slope gathered February 20 for a day of learning, fellowship, and winter fun.

The group of 40 Pathfinders, along with their leaders and parents, enjoyed the unusually-warm day at Ward Trailhead on the Grand Mesa under the picturesque blue sky while they worked on honors, reserving enough energy for sledding fun later in the day.

Pathfinders worked on their snowshoeing honor by hiking two miles in the snow, stopping along the way to work on the honor requirements, which included learning about different kinds of snowshoes, understanding how to stay safe from hypothermia, and discussing the phrase “whiter than snow” found in Psalm 51:7.

After the hike, the Rifle Pathfinder Club enjoyed their classic meal of hoagies and hot chocolate.

In the afternoon, while the children enjoyed several sledding runs on a nearby hill, club leaders could be overheard discussing how great it was to be together.

Already, leaders are planning an area-wide campout for later this year.

RMCNews with Jami Dove, member of Grand Junction Adventist Church; photos supplied

17 Feb

CASTLE ROCK ADVENTIST CHURCH WELCOMES NEW PASTOR

In

RMCNews with Renae Hamstra – Castle Rock, Colorado … Castle Rock Adventist Church has been searching for a pastor for several months and suddenly realized they already had a pastor amongst them.

The church gathered on February 4 to welcome and pray over their new pastor, Edrey Santos.  Darin Gottfried, RMC vice-president of finance, led the dedication prayer.

Santos, who has been a member of Castle Rock since 2017, explains that the call to return to pastoral ministry has been one the Holy Spirit has impressed on him for several months.

He said, “I felt called to Castle Rock because of the church congregation, the community of Castle Rock itself, and of course, the tug from the Holy Spirit. The tugging has been around for several months. After much prayer, reflection, and getting the feedback of mentors, I felt it was the right time to return. And I’m so glad that I did!”

In an email to RMC staff, Lori Goebel, human resources assistant, said that “Edrey works at Porter Adventist Hospital where he serves as a staff chaplain. Previously, he served at Littleton and Parker Adventist hospitals in similar roles.”

Santos explains that his initial goal is to connect to the community. “I’m excited for the church and the community because I can tell the people of Castle Rock long for fellowship and God’s presence. Thus, the immediate goal for our church is to work internally in aligning every church leader’s personal mission to the overall mission of our church. Then, we have the hope of working externally in reaching out to the community.”

He adds that he wants the church to be known in the community by showing God’s love through outreach. “I want us to be a church that engages the community through various ministries. I believe that’s how we will grow. Lastly, I want everyone to know that Castle Rock Adventist Church will be a church that embodies Christ-like love to all that come through the doors. We welcome you to worship with us and to even consider making our church your church,” said Santos.

Santos has a Bachelor’s degree in Theology from Southwestern Adventist University and a Master of Divinity from Denver Seminary. He is married to partner-in-ministry Bobbi Whitlock-Santos.

The new Castle Rock pastor wants everyone to know that “Jesus loves you. We, at Castle Rock, love you, too.”

RMCNews with Renae Hamstra, a member of Castle Rock Adventist Church; photo supplied

17 Feb

CAMPION ACADEMY COMES ALIVE WITH THE SOUND OF MUSIC

In

By Love Pickle – Loveland, Colorado … Campion Academy’s drama class performed for parents, guests, and fellow classmates, giving a striking performance of The Sound of Music which, according to one student, captured the hearts of the audience.

The event, rescheduled from last month, was held on February 12.  As the doors opened for the performance, the CA gymnasium was quickly filled with anticipation and excitement as attendees waited to see the drama class show off their hard work.

Blessing, Campion senior who played Liesel, reflected on the event, “The Sound of Music helped me learn how to manage a stressful situation, and it also gave me a chance to do something new, since I’ve never been in a musical.” As graduation is nearing, she said, “It’s something I will never forget, and I’m glad I had the chance to perform.”

The Sound of Music helped students bond on a deeper level. Ariel, a sophomore who played Maria, explained, “It was a great experience. I was lucky to have been chosen as the lead with a great team behind me. It helped us grow together as a big family.”

It wasn’t only the performers on stage who made the evening a success. Students working behind the scenes also contributed to the success of the performance. Daniel, a senior working on set design, remarked, “Being backstage was a completely different experience than being upfront. We spent weeks preparing backgrounds and props to make the stage look as lively as possible. Although we weren’t seen, our roles were significant, and it was an overall pleasure getting to work with Ms. Johnson and my colleagues.”

Erin Johnson, drama teacher, directed the play along with the invaluable help of the assistant student director Brianna Bell. “I absolutely loved seeing the students’ hard work come to life,” exclaimed Bell. “Even though we encountered minor hiccups along the way, how the actors recovered is what made it such a great play.”

The senior class was able to use this premiere as a fundraiser by providing an unforgettable dine-in experience for attendees. The show concluded with a standing ovation from parents and students, evidence of a well-produced show, and a successful evening.

–Love Pickle is a senior at Campion Academy; photos supplied

17 Feb

CAMPION ACADEMY REMEMBERS AND HONORS TIMOTHY DIEN

In

RMCNews with Campion Academy News – Loveland, Colorado … Campion students and staff joined Timothy Dien’s family and friends on February 11 to honor him, reflect on his life, and mourn the loss of their classmate and friend.

“While we are still mourning the loss of Timothy, the service provided an important opportunity for us to come together as a community,” reflected Don Reeder, Campion principal. “As we spoke of our fond memories of Timothy, we began the process of healing and moving forward. We were able to share the blessed hope that we have in the soon coming of Jesus and the reuniting of the Dien family.”

Tiffany Dien, sister of Timothy and Campion alumna, reflected on Timothy’s life during her eulogy, and Campion Academy’s select choir, Koinonia, performed for the service.

Timothy’s life will continue to impact and inspire the students at Campion Academy. At the Campion Academy Scholar’s lunch, February 13, the event was held in honor of Timothy. His family received the scholarship and awards that had already been selected for him. Darcy Force, director of alumni and development, announced that Campion Academy would have a new annual award, the Timothy Dien Award, given at graduation and honoring a student who shows academic excellence and the willingness to help others as Timothy did.

–RMCNews with Campion Academy News; photos supplied

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