RMCNews – Denver, Colorado … It was a special day for members of the Rocky Mountain Conference Executive Committee during their bi-monthly meeting October 12 as they met RMC’s new leaders, Mic Thurber, president, and Darin Gottfried, vice president of finance.

Thurber expressed his joy at meeting members of the Committee and shared the challenges that he and his wife Jana met while relocating from Lincoln, Nebraska to Denver. In the President’s report, Thurber took the opportunity to update the Committee on his immediate plans for settling into his new position.

“I don’t have a regular report because I am yet to get acquainted with the Rocky Mountain Conference family,” Thurber said.

As anticipated, the meeting’s agenda centered on the state of finances in RMC. Gottfried, the new treasurer, presented his first report “after a few weeks on the job.” The Financial report indicated a strong position, with base tithe increasing 13.16 % over last year. Gottfried also expressed that local church giving has increased in the majority of RMC churches.

“We have 80.87 days of operation in cash reserves, which is 132.02% of recommended levels under current North American Division (NAD) guidelines, but they are expected to change in 2022. The reserves would be 66.08% under the new system, and the plan is to gradually increase to meet the new guidelines,” Gottfried reported. In conclusion, he commented that despite difficult pandemic time, “the Lord has blessed his church in both the returned tithe and the offerings.”

The Administrative report was presented by Doug Inglish, vice president of administration. He shared information about pastoral openings recently filled in The Adventure (Ricky Melendez), Castle Rock (Edrey Santos), and Campion (Leandro Bizama, assistant pastor). The search is ongoing for senior pastors at Alamosa, Piñon Hills, and an associate pastor at LifeSource.

Inglish informed the Committee of the upcoming Town Hall meetings, though exact times are still to be determined pending approval from the host churches.

Nov 20 – Casper, Wyoming
Nov 21 – Grand Junction
Dec 8 – LifeSource
Dec 11 – Colorado Springs
Dec 12 – Campion

Diane Harris, RMC director of education presented a report indicating a strong increase of students in schools at all levels. There are 21 schools in RMC including three preschools, with 829 students enrolled in the current school year. Harris remarked that enrollment is up 13% over last year. She also stated that RMC is being appointed by the NAD as a regional hub for teaching new grading methodologies.

The Committee voted to set up a new application process for the churches formerly in partnership with Denver ACS in order to receive their share of the funds left when the center closed. This also includes a policy governing how the funds are to be used.

The date for the RMC Constituency Session was set for August 21, 2022, it will be held at Mile High Academy.

The next Executive Committee meeting is scheduled for December 7.

–RMCNews