RMCNews – Denver, Colorado … The finance report was presented to the June 30 Rocky Mountain Conference (RMC) Executive Committee by Darin Gottfried, RMC vice president for finance, who stated that through the end of the month of April, the Conference has experienced a gross tithe decrease of 5.82% or $345,743. He added that after windfalls are removed from the equation, base tithe is down by 7.22% or $428,820 year over year.

RMC has experienced a slight financial gain through April, but it was noted that the annual bill for Liability and Property Insurance had not yet been received or expensed at the time it normally would have.

“Had the billing been received on time, the Conference would have had a slight financial decrease through April,” Gottfried explained.

He also presented that giving to our local churches has decreased from the prior year as well. “Each church, school, and ministry are in our prayers,” Gottfried noted, “as ministry moves forward in spite of any funding shortfalls.”

Reports from the Audit Review Committee and Compensation Review Committee were received and voted on by the committee. Funding assistance from RMC Hispanic Building Fund was also approved for one of RMC’s Hispanic churches as they renovate their building.

In his presidential report, Mic Thurber, RMC president, shared that the survey given to the pastors at Ministerial Meetings aimed on finding out about young adult involvement in church leadership is still being evaluated. Similarly, the search to fill the position of RMC Hispanic Ministries Coordinator continues. Referring to activities for the next few months, Thurber noted the upcoming 2024 Camporee in Gillette, August 5-10, and the busy RMC Camp Meeting schedule.

The RMC president thanked Cindy Santana for her time as interim principal at Campion Academy and informed the committee members that Joe Allison will be the principal for the 2024-2025 school year, giving the Conference time to find a long-term principal.

Referring to future plans for evangelism, Thurber and Mickey Mallory, RMC ministerial director, shared information about the upcoming plans by North American Division’s (NAD) “Pentecost 2025.” The NAD leaders are hoping that 3,000 or more evangelistic outreach events will take place during the same general time frame across North America.

“I am hoping that the Rocky Mountain Conference will be among the conferences taking this challenge seriously and that churches, laity, youth, and local ministers, all over our conference, will commit to aiming high this coming year,” remarked Thurber. “Mickey [Mallory] will coordinate our involvement in the initiative and communication will be provided, including the registration link.”

Among other agenda items, the committee:

  • voted to accept Todd Folkenberg as the representative of the PorterCare/AdventHealth system,
  • approved J.J. Martinez, associate pastor at Grand Junction Seventh-day Church, to be recommended to the Union for ordination,
  • heard a report that pastoral positions had been filled at Campion (associate pastor), and Colorado Springs Central (associate pastor). Doug Inglish, RMC vice president for administration, reported that the Conference is working on solutions for one Hispanic district (Nueva Esperanza, Colorado Springs Hispanic Church, Greeley Hispanic Church, and Fairplay English), as well as Pueblo, Newday, and Cheyenne Churches.

Next meeting of the Executive Committee is planned for August 20.

—RMCNews