Denver, Colorado … Rocky Mountain Conference Executive Committee was informed on February 18 that the “year-end (2019) report of the North American Division has RMC as the top conference in the Division with a 5.59 percent tithe gain for the past year,” said Ed Barnett in his President’s Report.
“The Lord blessed us during the month of December. We praise Him for what He did, and we express our gratitude to our members for their faithfulness,” he stated.
Barnett also informed the Executive Committee that the Lifestyle Center will have its opening night event on February 20. He invited committee members to tour the center which, apart from the main lecture hall, includes workout equipment and a library. Rick Mautz, RMC health ministry director, shared plans to also open a kitchen and explained that presentations will be livestreamed on the center’s Facebook page.
The start of the evangelism outreach in the Northeastern part of Colorado is on course and involves 18 congregations, with the first meetings scheduled for March 6. Wayne Morrison, pastor of Brighton Church and coordinator for the Catch 2020 team said “There is church member engagement we have not seen before. We are changing the culture of the church. Seven-hundred Bible study requests have already been made,” he informed the committee.
Principal Don Reeder, reported that Campion enrollment in the current semester increased to 153, after welcoming seven new students. He also shared that the academy just received a grant to continue their agricultural program which was temporarily paused.
At the conclusion of his report, Barnett commented on scheduling changes for the upcoming Town Hall meetings, beginning in March. Wyoming churches will host their own Town Hall meetings in each district in the state. The remainder of the Conference will hold regional meetings.
The committee welcomed Centura Health’s pledge of $90,000 for a new ropes course at Glacier View Ranch. It was voted to provide the remaining cost from non-tithe dollars, and a portion of GVR-allocated funds.
“We ended 2019 with total tithe of $18,174,772, an increase of 5.59 percent over 2018 tithe,” reported George Crumley, RMC VP for finance. “Our 2019 base tithe, which excludes what we call ‘windfalls’ amounted to $16,998,459. This meant a 1.42 percent increase over 2018 base tithe,” he explained. He also shared that Rocky Mountain Conference Advance offerings ended the year at $208,272, which was down by 9.94 percent compared to 2018. The conference ended the year with a strong, unaudited profit in our operating fund of $972,250, thanks to the strong tithe windfall.
The Executive Committee voted to allocate much of the profit into the following areas of the church’s program:
– Campion Development Program: $200,000
– NE Colorado Evangelism: $200,000
– NAD Pastoral Ministerial Meetings/GC: $95,000
– Pastoral Reserves: $300,000
– GVR High Ropes Course: $90,000 (from non-tithe dollars).
Crumley also reported that the Revised Budget for 2020 was in balance. “Because of the 2019 base tithe being up by 1.42 percent and controlled costs in medical and other areas, it relieved some of the pressure that was being felt on the Preliminary Budget for which we are grateful,” he said.
The final agenda item of the committee involved the issue of how the conference pastoral staff can be most effectively involved with pastoral services within the vast RMC territory. Discussions are ongoing involving Regional Pastoral leaders and RMC Administration, said Ed Barnett. It was important that church administrators received input from the members of the Executive Committee, Barnett said.
The discussion continued with “how to be most effective and efficient as pastors minister in their areas, some of whom have up to five churches to serve” Barnett said. “Part of the discussion revolved around how to most efficiently serve the small churches in our conference,” he added.
The Conference presented plans to make live streaming of sermons available to small and remote churches so that they retain a connectedness with the larger churches in their districts. This will facilitate them hearing their pastor via live streaming on a weekly basis and will be funded by the Conference.
Other elements of the discussion revolved around pastors dedicating their time to those churches that are most able to grow, while still maintaining some contact with the churches that are smaller and remote.
Some committee members said that “whatever the outcome of the ongoing discussion, the arrangement would need to include helping those smaller churches to take a personal responsibility toward growth, as well.”
Several comments pointed to utilizing new technologies in providing solutions to assist in problem solving. “At this point, it is a proposal that needs further review and input,” commented Eric Nelson, RMC VP for administration.
—RMCNews; photo by Rajmund Dabrowski
