NN Jan 2026

Gerrad Chuy Vat – Loveland, Colorado … Campion Academy (CA) in Loveland, Colorado, hosted a basketball game against Mile High Academy (MHA) in Highlands Ranch, Colorado, January 17. Both academies went home with a win, with Mile High Academy winning the girls’ team game and Campion winning the boys’ team game. A huge crowd turned out for both teams, filling the gym to standing room only.

First on the court, the girls’ basketball varsity game was very close with team captain Victoria Matthews, CA sophomore student, scored sixteen points. Matthews mentioned, “It was a tough game, and it challenged us as a team, but, despite our loss it, helped us grow and prepared us for the next game.”

Liz Lopez-Morquecho, CA sophomore student, scored thirteen points in the intense game. Despite the very close game, the MHA girls’ team took home the win 30-34.

The CA Cougars boys’ team won their match by 13 points after an impressive comeback. After ending the second quarter down by several points, Campion came back out to dominate the second half, with a final score of 78-65. As Jonny Lopez-Morquecho, team point guard, put it, “We got our act together and started to cook.”

Izuchi Nwankwo, CA senior student, started the game on a high note by getting the tip-off to Lopez-Morquecho who sent him a pass for an alley-oop dunk. In the second half, he put up two more dunks as the crowd roared in excitement. With 38 points, Nwankwo will go up on Campion’s wall of fame with the second highest points in a game.

Nwankwo expressed, “It was a great experience, especially as a senior since this one of the last times I’ll play Mile High [Academy]. I had so much fun and was glad to be part of such a wonderful event.”

—Gerrad Chuy Vat, Campion Academy Student News Team. Photos supplied.

Pamela Lah – Ward, Colorado … Students from Campion Academy (CA) in Loveland, Colorado, worshiped with other high school students from within the Rocky Mountain Conference (RMC) and Mid-America Union Conference at RMC’s Greater Youth Summit, a prayer conference at Glacier View Ranch (GVR) in Ward, Colorado, January 18.

Arriving in the morning, the students and adult sponsors enjoyed a hearty breakfast at the GVR cafeteria and then united with the larger group for a morning worship service.

Jonny M., CA freshman student, expressed, “I had fun. I really enjoyed the worship and getting to spend time with friends”

In the afternoon, attendees split into breakout sessions for discussion. Afterwards, they chose from activities such as volleyball, pickleball, soccer, or a hike.

CA freshman student Enzo D. shared, “They had a good message and entertaining events.”

Hannah M., CA sophomore student, added, “Getting to go was fun. It was a great bonding experience and, overall, a great time.”

—Pamela Lah, Campion Academy Student News Team. Photo supplied.

Jose Briones – Denver, Colorado … The Rocky Mountain Conference’s (RMC) Hispanic Ministries department launched the new year with a strong emphasis on equipping local church leaders, hosting two Spanish‑language lay leadership training events that drew more than 250 attendees across consecutive Sabbaths. The seminars, held January 17 at Denver South Hispanic Seventh‑day Adventist Church and January 24 at Grand Junction Seventh-day Adventist Church, brought together deacons, elders, treasurers, clerks, ministry coordinators, and pastors for a full day of practical instruction and hands-on learning.

Designed to strengthen every level of local church leadership, the training covered a wide range of responsibilities from financial stewardship and church governance to pastoral care, worship coordination, and community engagement. Pastors from across the conference partnered with departmental leaders to teach the sessions, ensuring that participants received both theological grounding and real‑world guidance tailored to the needs of Hispanic congregations.

For many attendees, the investment in leadership development was deeply appreciated. Rafael Subervi, treasurer of the Denver South Hispanic Church, expressed gratitude for the department’s commitment to keeping leaders informed and empowered. He noted that the training offered “cutting‑edge information” that helps congregations operate more effectively and ultimately “thrive” in their mission.

The impact of the seminars was immediate for some churches. Moises Juares, a leader from the Aurora Hispanic Church, shared that after conversations with Julio Diaz, lead pastor of Denver South Hispanic Church, their church board had already begun implementing several of the ideas introduced during the sessions. “We didn’t want to wait,” he said. “These tools are practical, and we knew they would help our ministries right away.”

One of the most talked‑about segments of the training was the communion bread‑making class, led by Michael and Alicia Shannon. The workshop blended tradition, reverence, and practice, giving members the opportunity to learn how to prepare unleavened bread for their local services. The class proved so popular that the Shannons found themselves running out of supplies. Laughing afterward, they remarked, “We’ll have to bring more next time,” a sign of both the enthusiasm in the room and the growing desire among members to participate more fully in the life of their churches.

For Hispanic Ministries, that enthusiasm is exactly the goal. By offering accessible, high‑quality training across the conference, leaders hope to ensure that every member—regardless of their role—feels equipped, confident, and supported. With strong turnout, positive feedback, and immediate application in local congregations, the January seminars marked a promising start to a year focused on strengthening lay leadership throughout the Rocky Mountain Conference.

—Jose Briones is the RMC Media and Content creator. Photos supplied.

Jose Briones – Denver, Colorado … LifeSource Adventist Fellowship (LAF) in Denver, Colorado, deepened its commitment to community wellness with its most recent Nourish Cooking Class, an event that blended the Adventist tradition of health education with spatula learning and warm hospitality, January 25.

For generations, Adventists have emphasized the connection between faith, food, and well‑being, and LifeSource is carrying that legacy forward in a way that feels both practical and deeply relational for its neighbors. The evening opened with a lively round of “Name That Spice,” an icebreaker that had guests laughing, sniffing mystery jars, and discovering new flavors. The game set the tone for a night built around curiosity and connection—reminding everyone that healthy living can be joyful and communal.

Participants then moved into a series of cooking demonstrations, where presenters walked through simple, nutritious recipes for a main course, salad, and dessert. Each dish was designed to be accessible for home cooks, and attendees received printed recipe handouts to take home. The goal wasn’t just to teach techniques, but to empower families to make healthier choices in their everyday routines.

A highlight of the evening was a presentation from a registered dietitian, who explained the growing body of research linking gut health to mood, physical well‑being, and long‑term outcomes. Her talk helped participants understand how the foods they prepare—like the ones featured in the class—can support emotional balance, immune function, and overall vitality.

Heidi Carpenter, LAF associate pastor, shared that events like this reflect the heart of LifeSource’s mission. “We love doing this event,” she said. “It’s a chance to invite the community in, learn something meaningful together, and enjoy a nice dinner at the same table.”

By the end of the evening, it was clear that the Nourish Cooking Class is becoming more than a workshop. It’s a gathering place where neighbors learn, eat, and become part of the family—continuing the Adventist legacy of health as a gift meant to be shared.

—Jose Briones is the RMC Media and Content creator. Photos supplied.

By Lisa Cardinal

It happened many years ago, but I remember as though it were yesterday …

“Watch where you’re going!”

My dad was teaching me to ride my two-wheel bike, and he was frantically yelling. I was pedaling, steering, applying breaks, and trying to follow those instructions. The next thing I knew, I crashed into a row of thorn bushes.

I WAS watching where I was going. I DID see the bushes coming, and I kept watching until I was inside them.

“Look in the direction you want to go” would have been better instructions. Eventually, I learned that my bike would go in whatever direction I was looking. If I wanted to stay on the road, all I had to do was look at the road.

We are pedaling through 2026, and all kinds of things grab our attention. The instruction to “Look in the direction you want to go” is as key to living as a Jesus’ follower as it is to keeping a bike on the road. Time in prayer and God’s Word are the way we, as Jesus followers, “Look in the direction we want to go.”

CLICK HERE to check out the Bible study plan offered for the first quarter by Newday Adventist Church. It’s not too late to get started. Imagine what would happen if, together in 2026, we “Look in the direction we want to go!”

—Lisa Cardinal is lead pastor at Newday Adventist Church. Photo by Sebastian Pociecha of Unsplash.

Chelsea Nino Acevedo – Highlands Ranch, Colorado … The boys’ basketball game between Mile High Academy (MHA) in Highlands Ranch, Colorado, and Campion Academy (CA) in Loveland, Colorado, January 17, started with great intensity as the MHA team opened the game with a two-point basket that surprised the crowd and elicited cheers from the CA stands.

Shortly after, Campion responded with a three-point play and took an early lead. Campion extended their lead to seven points, but in a matter of seconds, MHA managed to tie the score at seven to seven, demonstrating their speed and teamwork.

The game remained very close throughout the first half. Campion took the lead again, but Mile High didn’t give up. Rogan, a key MHA player, had a chance to score from the free-throw line, although he missed one. The score continued to fluctuate until it reached an 11–11 tie. With great plays from both teams, the first half ended 20–19 in favor of Mile High Academy after a decisive shot in the final second.

In the final minutes of the game, Campion managed to take control of the scoreboard. With four minutes remaining, MHA was down 59–58, and Campion scored several baskets that widened the gap. Despite Mile High’s effort, energy, and excellent ball movement, the game ended with a victory for Campion Academy, 73–64. Although they didn’t win, the Mile High team members demonstrated great sportsmanship and teamwork.

In the girls’ game, the Mile High Academy girls also delivered a standout performance. The game started close, with an initial score of six to four. Throughout the game, the players supported each other, shared the ball well, and made important shots. With one minute and 38 seconds remaining, Mile High Academy led 32–25.

Although fatigue was evident in the final seconds, the MHA girls team members didn’t stop fighting. After several timeouts and strong defense, they managed to maintain their lead. A free throw by the opposing team at the end of the game left the score at 34–30, securing the victory for Mile High Academy. Thanks to their effort, speed, and teamwork, the girls team earned a well-deserved win.

—Chelsea Nino Acevedo is a junior student at Mile High Academy. Photos supplied.

By Godfrey Miranda

O Lord, You have searched me and known me
(Psalm 139:1, NKJV)

How do you feel when someone in your life really knows and understands you?

I’m a relatively private person, which might sound strange coming from someone who fills a role that involves frequent public communication. But because my personality defaults to keeping my thoughts and feelings to myself, it’s a pleasant surprise when someone truly understands me without extraordinary effort on my part to explain myself.

The people who make us feel seen and heard are the people we feel most secure with, the people we trust the most. When the disciples first entered the upper room to celebrate the Passover prior to Jesus’ crucifixion, Jesus said some revealing things (Mark 14:18) that made it clear that He understood their hearts better than they knew themselves. While the news of an in-house betrayer caused great sorrow, their immediate response shows a deep safety they felt with Jesus: “And they began to be sorrowful, and to say to Him one by one, ‘Is it I?'” (v. 19).

In the upper room, the revelation of Jesus’ infinite awareness was intended to lead the disciples toward self-awareness, not for the sake of condemnation but with the hope of restoration. And when we choose to meet with Jesus in the upper room at the beginning of a new year, I believe He invites us toward the same—personal reflection that allows us to be honest with how frail we are apart from Him, an awareness of our brokenness so we can find our wholeness in Him.

Self-awareness is a dominant theme in Psalm 139. The song begins with an adoration-filled acknowledgment that God has searched and known us. And then it concludes with a prayer that God would keep searching and keep knowing us. It’s as if David recognizes that God knows us better than we know ourselves, and instead of being rattled by that reality, he rests in it.

Maybe the idea of your heart being searched doesn’t stir up the most positive feelings or expectations, but we can feel safe because the One who knows us this intimately is the God whose thoughts toward us are precious and numberless (Psalm 139:17-18). In the end, Psalm 139‘s concluding prayer teaches us how to engage healthy reflection to understand ourselves and how God may want to keep leading us in 2026.

Search me, O God, and know my heart;
Try me, and know my anxieties;
And see if there is any wicked way in me,
And lead me in the way everlasting.
(Psalm 139:23-24, NKJV)

Some of us may have already spent time drafting goals and hopes for the new year, but there’s never a wrong time to walk through these verses to understand where we are and what God may have for us next. Here are some questions you can talk with God about based on this prayer:

HOW DO YOU WANT ME TO GROW?

Search me, O God, and know my heart;
Try me, and know my anxieties …

This new year, start with asking God, “How do You want me to grow?” That question may seem unrelated to the prayer in these lines, but really, it’s about surrendering our heart’s desires and concerns for the year and asking God about the things HE knows we need.

Additionally, this question isn’t so much about changing outward behaviors/circumstances. It’s more focused on asking God about the inward transformation He has in mind for us. Let God talk with you about your heart, attitudes, and thought patterns that He wants to reframe toward renewal. This will require searching and digging, but remember that God knows our hearts better than we do. And if we’re willing to let Him, He’s the One capable of uncovering what’s really in our hearts to reveal the vision He has for the person He’s calling us to be in 2026.

WHAT NEEDS TO GO?

And see if there is any wicked way in me …

What needs to go? Are there habits or commitments that are actually preventing me from experiencing the growth God is calling me to? Are there things I’m holding on to that are actually holding me back from the renewal God has for me?

Don’t be afraid to be real with God and let Him be real with you. Sometimes the things that need to go are things we’ve been doing consciously and even unconsciously. Sometimes, the things we need to release aren’t necessarily things done BY us but ways we’re responding to things done TO us.

HOW CAN I FOLLOW?

And lead me in the way everlasting.

How can I follow? The last line of Psalm 139:24 isn’t a prayer that God will bless the plans we’ve made for 2026 or help us reach the goals we’ve set. No, when we ask God to lead us, we’re committing ourselves to watch and listen.

God has a heavenly destination in mind for us all in view of eternity but asking “How can I follow?” gives God room to clarify “the way” He wants to lead us in the present —this year, this month, right now. “Way” is a word that refers to a road or path, which implies process toward a goal. Give God room to instruct you about next steps toward the growth He has for you this year. Take time to listen for specific instructions and daily invitations to act on, knowing that these things are part of His grand scheme to lead us in the “everlasting way” (v. 24, NIV).

PRAYER

Thank You Lord for being the God who knows me better than I know myself and thank You for knowing the good plans You have for me personally in this new year. I pray for rest in the assurance that all my days are lovingly fashioned by You (Ps. 139:16). Please give me a heart to slow down, surrender, listen closely, and let You lead.

—Godfrey Miranda is lead pastor at Littleton Seventh-day Adventist Church. Republished with permission from Littleton Adventist Church Pastor’s Blog. Photo by Abdullah Arain of Unsplash.

Leandro Bizama – Loveland, Colorado … The latest musical release from worship team at Campion Seventh-day Adventist Church in Loveland, Colorado, titled “I Will Sing” will come live for everyone to hear, January 23. This was a project we started in the summer of 2025 with a recording of the church’s congregation singing this original song written by Leandro Bizama, Campion’s associate pastor of Worship and Evangelism.

“All the glory is the Lord’s, and the shout outs go to the whole team, from musicians who participated live and in studio to the video and music team, and especially to Signal Audio Studio—our very own Martin Poole—for doing the mixing, editing, and mastering,” praised Bizama. “We just hope that this song inspires many to encounter Jesus in individual and communal worship.”

Bizama noted that the song itself is a statement of commitment to never stop singing about Jesus’ love, being inspired by and quoting the chorus of the famous hymn “I Will Sing of Jesus’ Love.”

“Indeed, ‘He has died that we might live’—how could we not sing on about His love?” Bizama continued. “At Campion Church we are committed to providing new worship songs that are Biblical and inspirational. We believe that the Adventist church has been on the side lines of songwriting for worship for far too long. There are extremely few hymns written by Adventist song writers and with the Adventist understanding in mind as our hymnal can attest.”

“May we never stop singing about Jesus’ love through the precious old hymns handed down through all traditions of faith and through inspiring new songs.”

—Leandro Bizama is the associate pastor of Worship and Evangelism at the Campion Seventh-day Adventist Church. Photo supplied.

The recordings can be found in any music or media platform as “Campion Worship,” and you can CLICK HERE to access the lyrics, chords, and sheet music.

AdventHealth – Littleton, Colorado … AdventHealth has named Mark Smith president and CEO of AdventHealth Littleton, effective January 25, 2026. He will report to David Weis, AdventHealth Rocky Mountain Region’s newly appointed president and CEO.

Smith most recently held the role of president and CEO at AdventHealth Avista, where he has led with a steady focus on people and purpose, helping position the organization for continued growth and service to the community. Prior to AdventHealth, he served in executive roles at MultiCare in Washington and previously with Kettering Health Network in Ohio.

“Mark consistently recognizes and supports caregivers and leaders who live out our mission of Extending the Healing Ministry of Christ, helping patients and families feel supported and cared for in body, mind and spirit. I am grateful for the impact Mark has made at AdventHealth Avista and look forward to his continued success at AdventHealth Littleton,” said Weis.

Together with the Avista team, Smith has supported several significant milestones, achieving strong clinical outcomes. His team was recognized with consecutive CMS 4- or 5-star ratings, Leapfrog A safety grades and top-quartile mortality rankings by Premier Inc.

“I’m excited to join the AdventHealth Littleton team and work alongside the caregivers and leaders who serve patients and families every day,” said Smith. “I look forward to listening, learning and supporting the team as we continue living out our mission together.”

Smith holds a Juris Doctor from the University of Nebraska College of Law and a Bachelor of Science in accounting from Union Adventist University.

—AdventHealth News. Republished with permission from the AdventHealth News & Stories website, January 9, 2026, article. Photo supplied.

ACSNews – Columbia, Maryland … A new year brings fresh resolutions and a familiar call from God that feels closer than ever: “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them and teaching them.” Yet an important question remains. How do we show Christ’s love while ministering to others in meaningful and practical ways?

“The display of compassion for the hurting, the poor, and the unjustly treated is testimony to the truth about God. Demonstrations of compassion for the disadvantaged and downtrodden are tangible evidence of the Holy Spirit’s presence. The church should be known as a place where those in crisis will find comfort, and those without hope will find a “Blessed Hope.” (Ministries of Compassion, 2000)

As we enter this new year, there are three simple ways you can begin or strengthen ministry in your local church.

1. Identify your strategy

Identifying the needs of your community and understanding how to support them is key to meaningful ministry. As you listen, pray, and observe, God will guide you toward the approach that best serves your church and those around you.

Take a moment to explore four service strategies and reflect on which one may be the right fit for your community.

Spanish: Estrategias de servicio

2. Know your neighbor

Take a moment to connect with three people in your community and ask what they love about living there and what they hope to see grow or change in the future.

Listen with intention, then imagine how your church can help. Maybe it’s a Compassion Weekend, backpacks for the unhoused, a community garden, or a fruit and vegetable giveaway. There’s no limit. Get creative and let love lead.

3. Keep learning!

Tutoring and Mentoring supports growth, confidence, and learning through meaningful relationships.

Join on February 1, 2026, from 1:00-3:00 PM for the STARS Webinar to explore with Beverly Sedlacek how healing happens through safe, loving connections and to gain practical tools for creating tutoring & mentoring spaces where children feel secure, supported, and ready to thrive. REGISTER FREE HERE.

—ACSNews. Adapted from the January 13, 2026, ACS Newsletter. Photos supplied.