RMCNews — Denver, Colorado… Summer months in the Rocky Mountain Conference did not slow down church activities. Reporting on past and current developments, Ed Barnett, RMC president, informed the members of the RMC executive committee, August 20, of his personal involvement with the largest to-date Pathfinder Camporee at Oshkosh, with more than 55,000 pathfinders participating.

“Not only that our conference young people were well represented, and we had nearly 600 of them there, but it was exciting to mingle with and meet participants from 100 countries,” he said. Over 1,300 baptisms became the most memorable feature of the camporee, next to old friendships revived and new friendships made.
Barnett also said that this year’s camp meeting season is coming to conclusion with the Hispanic Camp Meeting at Glacier View Ranch on August 30-September 2. “These meetings are important for hundreds of our church members who are being enriched spiritually and socially,” he said.

In his report, Barnett welcomed Becca Brown who has joined the Communication Department after Carol Bolden “decided to enjoy her retirement” after many years as a member of the RMC office staff. For Fritz Krieger, pastor of Montrose, the committee meeting was last as its member. He is retiring by the end of August.
George Crumley, RMC VP for finance, reported that RMC’s total tithe through the month of July was $10,162,765, a 9.10% increase over the prior year. “The major reason for such a strong tithe is that we have received unanticipated tithe, which we call windfall tithe. Even though our tithe has had a good increase so far in 2019, our RMC Advance offerings are down by 13.89%. This is an important offering to support because it provides money for many areas that we cannot use tithe for,” Crumley said. “Because of the increase in tithe so far this year we have a good bottom line increase. This allows us to provide for areas of ministry that are critical” to our mission, he added.

The committee expressed gratitude the Lord for the Mile High Academy debt reduction from cash and pledges that were reported in NewsNuggets on July 12. “A number of committed individuals worked together to make this a reality which we are deeply grateful for,” Crumley commented.

As the Adventist Book Center winds down operations, the committee voted to move ahead in the first part of 2020 with a “Total Health, Support and Resource Center” which will be housed in the space that the ABC will vacate. This will be a ministry where health coaching, seminars, training, and screenings can be presented. The proposed center will be run by volunteers and overseen by Rick Mautz, RMC health director. “We are hoping this will be a great blessing to our community and the conference as a whole,” Crumley said.

Eric Nelson, RMC VP for administration, informed the committee about an ongoing search for church and district pastoral needs for Craig/Steamboat, Montrose, Denver-South, Eden Valley congregations. The following pastoral positions were filled:
– Gillette district welcomes Lester Bentley,
– Canon City welcomes John Davidson,
– Arkansas Valley/Lamar welcomes Ted Williams,
– Boulder welcomes Jennifer Ogden, and
– Franktown is to welcome Michael Luchak as an associate pastor in the month of December.

The committee voted Don Lopes and Milos Tomic to be recommended to Mid-American Union Conference for ordination.

RMC education superintendent, Lonnie Hetterle presented a report on the developments in the area of RMC education. New teachers are being welcomed in several school locations. All teaching and school administration staff attended an annual three-day in-service Teacher’s Convention held at LifeSource Adventist Fellowship church in Denver. He affirmed that Mile High & Campion Academies are beginning the new academic year with strong enrollment. He also shared that three schools – Pueblo, Durango and Glenwood Springs – will not be operating this coming year. However, these churches have the vision to open again soon to minister to young people in their area.

The committee was also informed that 140 years ago, on August 2, 1879, a Seventh-day Adventist congregation was established in Boulder, first in the state of Colorado, just four years before the Colorado Conference was organized.

The next meeting of executive the first committee is planned for October 8.

—RMCNews; photo by Rajmund Dabrowski