NN May 2020 Page 4

By Nimsi Quiñonez  — Greeley, Colorado … Mother’s Day last weekend found us on unfamiliar territory as we practiced social distancing. When have we ever distanced ourselves from our mothers on her special day? But, creativity helped, reports Nimsi Quiñonez from the Greeley Hispanic Seventh-day Adventist Church youth group. Thirteen young people, some assisted by their parents, drove by 25 homes of mothers from the church.

First, they called to make sure the mothers would be home on that Sabbath afternoon, May 9. Then the youth drove by the 25 homes, where the mothers were greeted by messages on car windows and hand-held posters.

“Our church mothers range from several grandmothers, to one who just became a mother and two who are currently expecting,” said Nimsi.

The afternoon trip was organized by Nataly Lerma, church youth director, and began in Fort Collins with six cars that headed out to Johnstown, Nunn, Kersey, Evans and all of Greeley. “It took a long seven hours, but it was an amazing experience for us all. One of us, wearing a mask and protective gloves, got out of the car at each house to either hand deliver or leave a single rose and a bag of chocolates.”

Being part of this activity was a blessing to all participants, who have missed being with the women visited. Seeing them, even through a window, “was a wonderful feeling. In return, we received messages from many mothers who were grateful, full of love, overjoyed and who even cried tears of happiness,” Nimisi added.

Random neighbors who heard the excitement, went outside to see what was going on. One woman was so excited she took pictures of the drive-by group. “We gave her a rose, too,” Nimsi said.

“We feel privileged to be a part of a church that is united even in these difficult times. Being able to participate in this is something to remember,” she concluded.

— Nimsi Quiñonez with Nanacy Quiñonez; photos by Gonzalo Quiñonez

By Gabriela Vincent — Casper, Wyoming … With one week to plan the Mother’s Day, May 9, drive-in service to honor mothers, Casper Church volunteers had many hurdles to overcome. Pastor Shayne Vincent notified the Rocky Mountain Conference and contacted the Casper Police Department about the plan. Given the go-ahead to pursue their first priority was to maintain social distancing guidelines and to abide by the regulations of Casper County.

In preparation for the service, the Praise Team led by Erin Zavodny, met at the church Wednesday evening to practice outdoors and to test the sound system.

The Casper Church family prayed all week for good weather, but Sabbath morning brought some snow in the air, and temperature was 35 degrees.  It looked like the drive-in service might not take place, but leaders decided to go ahead with the plan.

“My favorite part of our drive-in service was that even [we had] poor weather, everyone had great attitudes and were truly excited to worship together, even in the falling snow. I loved when everyone honked their horns to say ‘Amen’ too! said Liz Cornett, a Praise Team member.

Tom McDonald, Mark Cornett and John Forsell, in charge of parking, made sure everyone was in their designated spots, so all could see and hear the service.

The hospitality team, Gabriela Vincent and Sydney Cornett, welcomed the women of Casper as they arrived, each given a red rose for Mother’s Day.

Mountain Road Christian Academy teacher, Traci Pike, welcomed everyone to the drive-in service and the Praise Team sang favorite hymns and praise songs.

Pastor Shayne Vincent encouraged everyone to express gratitude to their mother “for all the ways she demonstrates her love for you”. In his sermon entitled “The Love of a Mother,” he encouraged those with mothers still living to take time to appreciate them by giving them a call, visiting them, or sneaking them some chocolate and a kiss.

“Church service was amazing!” said member Starla Hughes. “I loved it! You, guys did a great, great job!”

“Today reminded me how much joy my church family brings to my life. I have missed them all so much and while I couldn’t hear them, I could see people singing along and that made me happy. I’m looking forward to worshipping together again soon in our beautiful church,” said the Mountain Road Christian Academy teacher, Traci Pike.

Jenette Thomas, a Casper Adventist Church member, said: “I really liked being together again today,” said member Jenette Thomas. I loved the message in the sermon on the importance of a mother and how they shape their child to know how to interact in the world.”

— Gabriela Vincent is church correspondent from Casper Adventist Church; photos by Sam Pankonin, Jenette Thomas,  Shayne Vincent, Gabriela Vincent

By Doug Inglish — I grew up in a notoriously flat state (although, my house being nestled in an old growth oak forest only a mile from the sandy shores of a Great Lake, it was anything but ugly). One of the things I constantly fought during my years in the Midwest was moles in my lawn. I won’t go into too many details, but at various times my arsenal included smoke bombs, traps, chewing gum (fresh and chewed), alum, castor oil, and crystalized bobcat urine (yes, you read that last one correctly). Victory was finally achieved by forming a partnership with black rat snakes, which shows that sometimes you have to make a deal with some shady characters to get things done.

Now, the mountains are a constant feature on the landscape. I see them from my house, I make trips into them, and from New Mexico through Wyoming, they are almost constantly visible from my car windows. I have, over the years, become acquainted with the scale involved in the old saying, ‘Don’t make a mountain out of a mole hill.”

But I serve a God who specializes in doing that very thing. He knows about small stuff, because He says that not even a sparrow falls without His notice (Matthew 10:29). He is intimately acquainted with the big things as well, such as stars and sun (Psalm 147:4). And if He decides to make a mountain out of a molehill by taking something small and turning it into something big, He does it. All the time.

Take the widow in 1 Kings 17. Her figurative mole hill was the tiny amount of food in her cupboard, enough only for one last meal, after which she and her son figured they were going to starve. The mountain came when God fed her, the son, and a prophet every day until the drought ended.

Or another widow found in 2 Kings 4. She had nothing but a mole hill of olive oil and a mountain of bills. But go read about how the oil in that little bottle poured out enough to fill all the jars, bowls, and pitchers in the neighborhood. Enough to pay off the debts and live off the rest.

It goes on like that through the Bible. Peter and his partners couldn’t catch a fish all night, but one cast of the net brought in enough to nearly sink two boats (Luke 5). A little boy’s lunch fed thousands (John 6). Clothes didn’t wear out through forty years of desert hiking (Deuteronomy 8:4). A shepherd with a sling won a battle that a fully-equipped army was afraid to fight (1 Samuel 17). A handful of men with torches ran off the entire army of Midian (Judges 7).

We often have difficulties with perspective. A splinter in our own eye can look like a log in someone else’s eye (Matthew 7:3-5). Sometimes we think our problems are bigger than we can imagine, when God knows they are barely detectable.  Even death itself is merely a mole hill of a problem, given that our hope in the resurrection is a mountain of a solution. That is why Job could declare, “Even if He slays me, I will hope in Him …” (Job 13:15).

So of course, take your troubles to Him, no matter what size they seem to be. But as you do, take a deep breath and say to yourself, “This is only a mole hill. The mountain has not yet come into view. But it will.”

—Doug Inglish is RMC director for planned giving and trust services; photo by Rajmund Dabrowski

By Matthew Hasty — Loveland, Colorado … Thirteen students from Campion Academy have made it their mission to spread a message of hope to Loveland area homes in order to reach them with the gospel.

“There’s a solution!” Kean Jagitsch, a junior at Campion Academy, exclaimed “We are planning a mass mailing to these little towns, giving them a chance to hear that good Gospel that has done so much in our lives! The mailing will contain GLOW* tracts.”

Some donors were so excited about what the students were doing that they decided to encourage their efforts by donating to their school bills in proportion to the amount they raise. “For every $1.50 you donate, I receive 75 cents towards my school bill,” Kean explained. The project has become a double blessing.

So far, students have raised enough money to mail GLOW tracts to more than 1,600 homes, but they aren’t finished yet. They will continue to collect donations through May 20, and you can donate too! Here’s how:

1. Go to: midwestglow.com
2. Click on the button near the top of the page that says, “Donate to GLOW Mailings”
3. Fill out your information and choose how much to donate. In part 4 of the form, you can add a Campion Academy Student’s name if you’d like to support them.
4. Pray for those who will receive the GLOW tracts.

Some of the students collecting donations, have in the past given out literature door-to-door. While the door-to-door work is currently on a pause, leaders of the Rocky Mountain Conference have been discussing when and how to start it back up again.

“We’re wrestling with how the literature ministry program can still be a light for Christ while following safety guidelines,” said Matt Hasty, RMC literature ministry coordinator. “Smaller groups, masks, and 6ft distances are a few of the modifications being discussed. We know we need to reach people where they are. Right now, they are in their homes.”

Many programs and events have been cancelled, but Matt believes there is still a work to do with literature this summer. Please keep the program in prayer, as they make decisions about how to proceed.

“So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; it shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.” (Isaiah 55:11)

*GLOW – Giving Light to Our World

—Matthew Hasty is RMC coordinator of Literature Ministry; photo supplied

By Samantha Nelson — Clark, Wyoming … Now that things are opening up and we can cross state lines again without fear of being quarantined, Karen Fettig, president of Beneath Our Wings, a nonprofit organization dedicated to eradicating human trafficking in Wyoming and educating the public to spot and report such crimes, will be conducting her 2nd annual trail ride in the fight against human trafficking. A member of the Worland Seventh-day Adventist Church, Karen has a passion for helping people, especially victims of abuse and trafficking.

Last year, Karen rode from the Wyoming-Montana border to the Wyoming-Colorado border. This year, she plans to ride from the Wyoming-South Dakota border through North Dakota, all the way to the Canadian border. The trip, which will begin in a few weeks, as weather permits, is being mapped out and the mules are being readied for the journey. A recent fundraiser, held on Facebook to help cover the costs of this journey, has so far raised $1,020.

Karen says, “Thank you everyone for your generosity and support of Beneath Our Wings. The plan is to traverse the country toward Canada as time, weather and circumstances allow, starting in a couple of weeks. Human trafficking is growing by leaps and bounds and Beneath Our Wings Ministry helps educate people by raising awareness of this crime against humanity, teaching the public what to look for, and evaluate how we need to protect our children.

If you’d like to help in some way, please contact Karen at [email protected], visit the Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/BOWMWY, or support the cause by making a donation online ( http://beneathourwings.com/donate).

—Samantha Nelson is a pastor’s wife and co-founder/CEO of The Hope of Survivors, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting victims of clergy sexual abuse and educating clergy and congregations. Photos supplied.

By Jon Roberts – Denver, Colorado . . . Sitting in my usual spot for worship on Sabbath, March 7, the pastor gave the closing prayer, and while the worship team played, the pastor said, “Have a great week, everyone–see you here next Sabbath!”

However, the week that followed was anything but normal. We went to bed in a semi-normal world on Wednesday night, March 11, and woke up Thursday morning to a society and way of life that came to a screeching halt. Overnight, our schools and colleges were sending everyone home for an undetermined amount of time. Then the following Friday, many churches hastily cancelled their services hoping to return in a few weeks.

Now, a couple months later, since our country hit the pause button on life, we as a group of faithful believers, have transitioned our worship services to virtual gatherings on Facebook, YouTube, and Zoom. Yet, through these virtual spaces, ministry is still happening; even though we can’t physically meet together in our church building, our sphere of influence has grown tremendously.

Shayne Vincent, pastor of the Casper church, says, “The amount of views sermons are getting online is intense…at least around 600–700 … when you are normally only getting 60 – 70 people showing up for a service.”

In fact, this new virtual meeting place gives the opportunity for witnessing to happen more easily. Instead of having to invite a neighbor to get in their car, drive across town, and sit in an unfamiliar place, all we have to do is look to the right-hand corner of the screen and press “share now” and then let God use the video in our Facebook feeds.

We can’t give up this new way of reaching individuals for Christ, many pastors are now concluding. Throughout His life, Christ used the tools and techniques of first-century Israel to reach followers. So, in the 21st century many churches must also use modern-day methods, including technology, to reach others for Christ.  When society resumes, we can’t let our online presence decrease, but it must increase. “The ease with which we reach people online is incredible and it is so effective,” Vincent continued. “The traditional ways of doing evangelism need to be rethought.”

Eric Nelson, vice-president of administration for the Rocky Mountain Conference, says, “We are learning that some people are glad to connect through media who would never set foot in the door of our church. Sharpening our methods to reach them will be a new challenge.”

Creativity has become increasingly important in reaching the community. From Campion with their sidewalk art, to LifeSource holding youth drive-by parades of hope, to Pinon Hills providing food for their community through their drive-in pantry, churches have gotten creative with their outreach efforts as well as their worship services.  One new type of service takes you back to the time of drive-in theaters. However, this time it isn’t the latest Hollywood blockbuster at the drive-in, but a church event. Nathan Cranson, pastor of Montrose church where drive-in church is being held, said, “We are seeing some church members who haven’t been back for a while, attend … people who [members] have invited to church for months and years who have never come, are coming to the drive-in church.”

“People as never before have shown a real hunger for the Word,” Nelson says. “Bible study will continue to be the base of our message. How we carry that out may be very different.”

During this lockdown, one of the highlights of my day has been my local church, Littleton, where we provide nightly online worships at 7 p.m. This is something that the church didn’t do prior to the pandemic; however, in the post COVID-19 world, it has to continue. Every night, people are turning off their TVs and video games to listen to an interactive family worship from the church.

As the world slowly starts to resume, we as Christians are faced with questions about how to reopen our churches.  Will we be tempted to go back to business as usual or will we reopen with vigor and an energy never witnessed before in our faith?  “There will be a greater sense of community … more community building, appreciation,” Cranson says. “I suspect we are going to see a big influx of people coming back to church looking for that community element.”

“Certainly, this has taught us that these tools are not going away,” Nelson says. “They will be used more and more. They have been a tremendous help and can be used even more in the future. But that will require us to adapt in many other ways to still create community.”

The methods we use to reach individuals with the love of Jesus may change; however, the need for a group of loving Christians to reach the community in their time of need remains the same.  “History merely repeats itself. It has all been done before. Nothing under the sun is truly new.”  (Ecclesiastes 1:9 NLT)

—Jon Roberts is RMC communication/media assistant; photo by unsplash

By Miloš Tomić — Now, that our favorite travel destinations include a brisk walk to the shed or a romantic stroll to the fridge, it’s nice to recall some pleasant memories of real travel experiences. So, here is one.

Italy! As we were trekking Florence, a man on the street reaches to us offering something. I just wave my hand brushing him off. So many of them. Everywhere! 

“Let’s buy something from him,” my wife said.

Oh, c’mon! – my thoughts were nagging at me, while my feet unwillingly turned toward a black, homeless-looking guy selling some thrifts on a cardboard box.

Then, inadvertently, our eyes met. And I saw it. Not just an urge to survive, not at all a desire to take few euros from me… but a desperate cry to be acknowledged.

At that moment I saw my own, long forgotten, eyes.

Long ago, while being stuck in a vertigo of endless immigration limbo, I faced those looks. Frowning looks that just saw me as something that’s in their way. And now, this man faced the same frowning look – in my eyes.

Tables turn… and we forget.

“When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.” (Matthew 9:36)

Jesus presents something, almost extinct in our society – compassion. I say “almost extinct” because compassion requires caring for others first. And we have been so smothered with these odd circumstances that everything starts being a nuisance.

That guy coughing behind me, that lady without a mask, that hideous mother shamelessly bringing her child to the store, loneliness at home, no privacy at home, howling at 8pm…

But… if only… if we would only stop and ask ourselves if compassion of our savior lives in us, …really lives.

So, we got some bracelets from him, and gave him few euros extra. The bracelets will wear out, but I’ll keep a memory of a smile as he waved at us yelling “Ciao amici”.

But I walked away ashamed.

“Why didn’t we just give him some money?” I asked.

“Because that’s not what he needed, my dear,” my wife said.

But I didn’t see that being blinded by my own wants and needs.

As Mahatma Gandhi said: “Compassion is a muscle that gets stronger with use.” May God find us working out hard!

— Miloš Tomić is associate pastor for the Arvada church, Colorado

By Nate Skaife — Grand Junction, Colorado … “The training is very helpful to me. It makes me think on a much deeper level than ever before. I read the Word with added enthusiasm,” said Jean Coren from Grand Junction. She was one of 24 participants in the third Rocky Mountain Conference Lay Pastor Program training event for Western Slope, May 1-3.

Social distancing did not stop the program which began in the Fall of 2019. Meeting by Zoom “allowed these trainings to continue in spite of not being able to meet in person,” said Pastor Nate Skaife, senior pastor of Grand Junction Church, and principal trainer.

There are two training cohorts being offered, one on the Front Range, and one on the Western Slope. The Lay Pastor Program, scheduled for April 24-26 and May 1-3, continued as planned, but with a location change, and with 19 participants in the Front Range event, and 24 in Grand Junction.

Participants gain knowledge and resources to minister to their community more effectively, assist in growing a healthy and active local church, and minister alongside their local pastor.

These training weekends always have practical and theological components. The practical focus this time was on how we relate to other people – focusing on personality types and how that applies to ministry.

The program began by reviewing the personality assessments that participants had previously completed. Personality types were explained followed by breakout sessions where participants discussed how their personality type influences the way they interact and minister to others.

The presentations on Sabbath afternoons had several components, the first was being understanding the difference between Intelligence Quotient (IQ) and Emotional Quotient (EQ). The importance of understanding the impact EQ has in everyday life in how we relate to others was emphasized. It affects those we are ministering with and those we are ministering to.

Presentations about “the personality types were good. I enjoyed it, but the deeper study was what really intrigued and challenged me,” Corren commented.

Sandy Carosella from Grand Junction commented that the training made her more aware about her personality and how she “can work better with others and be more understanding of them.”

The second focus of the afternoon included talking about the differences between devotional Bible reading and in-depth Bible study. Both are important, but the latter often has much less time devoted to it. To practice some in-depth Bible study, the participants studied 1 Timothy 2:8-12.

The third emphasis of the day was Giving Engaging Bible Studies. This included discussions about us as individuals, not just the content of the studies. How can we use the understanding of who we are, our personalities, and EQ to better engage with individuals?

Sunday morning was spent on the theological focus of the weekend–the Godhead. Some of the discussions included questions on the “Sonship of Jesus,” and “When was Jesus begotten and what does that actually mean?”

“What I liked about this weekend is what I’ve always appreciated about the Lay Pastor Training meetings: the interaction with others, the solid biblical teaching and training, and the exchange of ideas and insights with others,” said Patrick Williams from Cedaredge.

Although participants were not able to meet in person for these weekends, we are grateful that we could continue with the Lay Pastor Program, said Pastor Skaife.

“The Zoom meeting saved me two hours of driving and allowed me to participate in a more relaxed setting. I missed the more personal interaction, but [being online] had its benefits. I used private chat with some of the participants, which captured some of that interaction,” said Wilton Helm from Aspen Park Church.

“Ministry is a vital part of each of our lives, and continuing to learn only enhances our ability to share Jesus in tangible ways to those around us,” Skaife added.

“This training has really been helpful to me personally. It has helped me tailor my Bible studies and sermons,” Augustine Sheriff from Colorado Indonesian American Church shared at the end of his cohort’s event.

The Lay Pastors Program is to continue with Denver Cohort scheduled for September 11-13, 2020, and Grand Junction Cohort to meet on September 18-20, 2020.

—Nate Skaife is Senior pastor of Grand Junction Church; photos supplied.

by Rajmund Dabrowski — Living in Colorado continues to be engaging and full of wonder for me, offering the awe of nature and the discovery that neighbors here are not as aloof as those we’ve encountered in other parts of the world.

We live in a blue-collar neighborhood among nice neighbors. We’ve discovered that a barter economy is well accepted—my wife grows lavender and other fragrant flowers; in exchange, we get jars of honey from two neighbors living next to us.

The neighbor across the street is a down-to-earth woman who often wears a gray T-shirt with “Proud Atheist” written across the front.

One day, I saw Beckie tending her front yard as I was about to mow our lawn. Already knowing her well, I greeted her with, “Hello, atheist!” She looked up and responded with a wide smile and the greeting, “Hello, Christian!”

Since then, we’ve bonded over our philosophical differences, respecting each other’s diversity of worldviews. We’ve talked about her reasons for not believing in God and my belief in the Absolute, who actually loves her too.

Over the years, we’ve talked about politics, saving the bees, and our common disdain for Nazism and hate speech. She and her husband warned us that we should expect snow in April and should not plant vegetables before Mother’s Day. We have exchanged books and discussed ways of making our neighborhood a better place to live. We’ve also argued, exchanging comments that reveal opinions not easily resolved. One day, she commented that she would love to see more Christians who are kind. “You are kind,” she said.

Something in her past took away the Christian light and put her on the road of disbelief. We have a wide terrain to traverse, I believe. If anything, practicing kindness and living love will move us all closer to the center to which we can always return as children of God.

Life in America, along with many other countries around the world, has changed with the sudden arrival of the coronavirus scourge. What has changed in my neighborhood is that now we talk while keeping a safe distance between us.

A couple of days ago, my wife received a text message from Beckie: “I am going shopping. Is there something I can get you?” Her unsolicited offer gave me pause.

Nothing seems to divide us, I thought to myself. In the era of a common enemy, diverse opinions, opposite worldwiews, cultural differences simply do not matter. What is left is our humanity. We are in this together—believers and unbelievers. We are all in darkness about where this pandemic situation will lead us and when we can start rebuilding what is being lost day after day after day.

If you wonder about my beliefs, I am an irreverent purveyor of hope, and I believe that my convictions are well lit. Being a child of Light, I know the road and where it leads me.

Reflecting on our current predicament, an experience etched in the recesses of my memory came to mind—a situation from my Warsaw childhood. It was evening, and I watched two people looking for a lost object. Our family lived on the second floor of a building that before WWII was a mansion owned by an aristocrat in the city center. I was lucky to have a room with a balcony, and I could watch city life on full display.

These two people were under a lamppost, walking slowly in circles, their heads bent downward, encouraging each other to search more slowly and to be more focused and thorough. “This is where it slipped from my wallet. It’s black and we won’t see it easily,” I heard the woman remark. They were lucky that their loss happened on a well-lit paved street. But it seemed that they were in the dark, nonetheless.

A common, comical allegory came to mind, making perfect sense. It’s usually darker under a lamppost.

“Did you lose your keys here?” a policeman is said to have asked an inebriated man. “No, but the light is much better here,” the man answered.

There can be plenty of darkness under the light. In the era of COVID-19, our thoughts can easily push us into a realm of doubt. Is anxiety, along with fear and despair, the fruit of darkness?

Anne Frank offers a thought: “Look at how a single candle can both defy and define the darkness.”

When my faith is lived out, I will be blessed unknowingly. One person at a time.

—Rajmund Dabrowski is RMC director of communication. Photo by Shutterstock. First published in Pacific Union Conference’s “Living God’s Love” blog, April 27, 2020. https://adventistfaith.com/blog/living-gods-love/2020/04/streetlamp/

By Seth Day —Denver, Colorado … The LifeSource Adventist Fellowship youth group decided they were all Zoomed out and needed a break from a virtual setting. So, what did they do?

They decided to bring a little hope to the church through a drive by ministry effort. Practicing social distancing, each youth stayed with their parents and no one was allowed to carpool. They decorated posters, bought fresh desserts from a local bakery to be shared with the people they were to visit, and formed a line of cars, holding out their signs and honking at the houses of church members. It was priceless to see the look on member’s faces as youth stuck their heads out the window and waved.

This experience taught me a valuable lesson: It’s easy to say, “I can’t do much” because of Covid-19, or some other limiting circumstance, “but that’s not entirely true,” said Seth Day, youth pastor.

There is still a way to be creative even during this time of social distancing. We may not be able to give hugs and rub shoulders with our church members, but there is room to make a phone call, or drop off a poster on someone’s porch. It’s important to think outside the box during this unusual time in order to keep up the morale of our members. If we could only understand how much that small gesture could mean to someone, maybe we would be reaching out more than we do.

“This small outreach effort helped me realize that even during this time of isolation and hardship, I can’t always trust my feelings. The LifeSource youth have proven this concept true. They chose to serve, despite the circumstances around them. They chose faith over feelings,” said Seth Day.

On their red T-shirts are the words, “WE ARE TODAY” from the book Growing With, by Kara Powell, Ph.D., Jake Mulder, Brad Griffin. It’s the vision statement they chose from their youth retreat earlier in the year. It means that they don’t have to wait until they have a college career or are even old enough to drive. They can serve now, today even. Because they believe they are the church of today and not tomorrow. “I have learned so much from my youth group and I couldn’t be prouder to be their pastor.”

—Seth Day is youth pastor at LifeSource Adventist Fellowship; photos supplied.