NewsNuggets Page 17

By Brandon Westgate

“Anointed” was the theme we chose for our Rocky Mountain Conference (RMC) Youth Summer Camp program this year. While a theme may not be the most important aspect of summer camp, that one word or phrase actually shapes the summer camp ministry experience for staff and campers alike. To recap summer camp, I thought it might be well to unpack how that one word, “anointed” impacts the entirety of the camp experience.

Anointed Presence

While our goal as the RMC youth department is “making it easy for kids to know God,” that is never going to be our theme. Our theme does need to be able to fit within our goal, however. We knew going in that anointed was a challenging theme. Anointed means, “to apply oil to as part of a religious ceremony.” It can also mean, “to choose by or as if by divine election.”

This summer, we knew that one thing we truly needed if we were to accomplish our goal and fulfill our theme was the presence of God. During our staff training week, we relied on the presence of God to bring unity and foster trust within our staff. At the end of our staff week on Friday evening, we had an anointing service for our staff. The presence of God was palpable as staff poured out needs to God for deliverance from addictions, for strength to forgive, for power to live in grace, for a desire to be used of God, and for countless other needs that we knew could not be produced by mere human effort. We acknowledged God’s presence, and God did not disappoint.

Anointed Play

Fueled by the presence of God, our schedule made space for meaningful connections with our campers. An energetic morning worship kickstarted each day. Four activity periods, each one beginning with a devotional thought and affirmation of God’s presence, gave ample opportunity for engagement in a setting that encouraged healthy play. An all-inclusive recreational period gave our staff chances to make connections with campers they may not have interacted with throughout the day. Cabin worships at the end of each day yielded many fruitful discussions and gave our staff opportunities to answer questions and provide some needed guidance for our campers.

Anointed Programming

Our programming, especially our evening program, was richly graced by the Spirit of God as we worshipped our creator through songs of praise and gratitude. The evening play reinvented the story of David, one highlight of which was the anointing of David by Samuel. Our staff pastors spoke about how the anointing of God’s calling and empowering of His Spirit, propelled David to victory time and time again. Our apathy was challenged, and our faith kindled as we witnessed David rising to the occasion to do the will of God and how God came through for him, like He said he would, each time.

Anointed Purpose

On the last evening of camp our staff led our campers through an anointing service to give them an opportunity to accept both God’s calling on their life, and to accept God’s healing over their life. This was such a Spirit-led time for our campers and our staff. Many tears were shed, many prayers were uttered, and the presence of God was undeniable. Our purpose of “making it easy for kids to know God” was being realized in undeniable ways.

Anointed Decisions

One of the final points of engagement we have with our campers is facilitated using a decision card. These cards offer each camper several selections:

• For the first time in my life, I believe that God exists.
• I want to give my heart/life to Jesus for the first time.
• I already have a relationship with Jesus, and I want to keep on walking through life with Him.
• I wish to be baptized after I leave camp.
• I wish to be baptized here at GVR tomorrow if possible.
• I want to learn more about Jesus through Bible studies.

While each decision is cause for rejoicing, for some reason, the decisions that seemed to resonate with me this summer the most were the campers who checked the box beside the statement that read, “For the first time in my life I believe that God exists.” This means a young person came to camp not knowing that there is a God who cares for them and loves them and wants to guide their life, and they left camp six days later believing for the very first time that God exists!

Anointed Village

Some people ask me if it’s worth it to do the planning and the facilitating of seven weeks of camp, working 17+ hour days and walking about 18,000 steps every day, dealing with the occasional grumpy parent, or home sick camper all while motivating a bunch of college students to work long days and nights for small wages and minimal creature comforts. The answer is and will always be, a resounding and empathic “YES.”

I have the privilege of working with some of the finest young people you will ever meet. Jade Teal and Brent Learned, RMC Youth Department assistant directors, are colleagues who understand our mission and they make work not feel as much like work. Jonathan Carlson, director of Camp Ministries at Glacier View Ranch (GVR), and some incredible volunteers there make GVR feel like home for our staff, and the long days of hard work are actually enjoyable working alongside friends like these. It takes a village to shape the minds and hearts of young people, and I have to say that our village is one of the very best.

If you would like to volunteer either at GVR in Ward, Colorado, or at Mill Springs Ranch (MSR) in Casper, Wyoming, please do not hesitate to reach out to us at [email protected] or at (303) 282-3664. We have opportunities from helping with some light remodeling projects, to helping in the kitchen, to painting and all sorts of other things. So, volunteer and become part of our village, making it easy for kids to know God. There is room in our village for you!

—Brandon Westgate is the RMC Youth Department director. Photos supplied.

Jill Harlow – Loveland, Colorado … Twenty students from Campion Academy in Loveland, Colorado, trekked over 12 miles completing a backpacking loop in the Snowy Range in Wyoming, August 23-25.

Despite carrying heavy packs while hiking, several students commented that the experience was restful for them. Toby Quillin, senior student, reflected, “I didn’t really have a break this summer as I worked in literature evangelism and at the Pathfinder Camporee, and then went straight into school as a resident assistant. This weekend helped me de-stress from the hustle and bustle of life. Although we were constantly walking with over 20 pounds of gear on our backs, the quietness of nature, as well as time away from school and with friends, really helped me rest and enjoy the nature God gave us.”

For several international students coming from the world’s largest cities of Toyko, Beijing, and Sao Paulo, this type of activity was completely new. Danilo de Alcantara, sophomore student, explained, “I had never done anything like this before in Brazil, so it was a new experience for me to hike a long way with a heavy backpack, put up my own tent, and cook my own food with the little stove, but it was really fun. I enjoyed seeing the views of God’s nature, getting good exercise, and hiking with my friends.”

The group experienced sunny and fair weather overall with cool nights and windy conditions. It rained when the bus pulled up to the trailhead, but subsided before the students began hiking. The rain held off until all students had gotten back on the bus three days later, when it began pouring again.

Clara Aakko, junior student, who has come on the backpack trip for the past three years, commented that she didn’t particularly enjoy the wind this weekend, but overall she had a great time. “I like getting outdoors and spending time with new people. On this trip, I loved the wild berries we found and the unique scenery of the lakes, mountains, and alpine tundra.”

—Jill Harlow is the Campion Academy communication director. Photos supplied.

RMCNews – Montrose, Colorado … Church members from several Western Slope congregations met on August 21-24 for their annual Camp Meeting convocation at Mountain Top Christian Retreat in Montrose, Colorado.

Nathan Cranson, pastor of the Montrose Seventh-day Adventist Church, coordinated the work of a planning committee, which consisted of local church ministers and laypeople. “We get together a few times during the year, and we vision cast. We talk about what we think should be a theme for the meeting. For the current meeting a theme of Being Prepared and Ready: Living as End-time Disciples, was chosen,” he explained.

This year’s program was led by lay speakers and presenters. Nathan shared, “One of the things that was attractive included an invitation to the Harding family from Montana. I knew them personally. I knew that their relationship with Jesus was authentic and very important to them. And there was no external incentive for them to be holy and that it was coming from a very genuine place in their own experience, their own lives, which had driven them to lots of study and lots of prayer and lots of transformation in their own lives.”

Alecia Harding was the main speaker at the Camp Meeting. In her Sabbath sermon, she challenged participants to reconsider Bible reading. “Is your Bible read?” she asked. The Scripture offers “the keys to the kingdom,” she shared.

Among the workshop presenters was J.D. Harding who spoke about values and importance of family worship. Garrett and Katrina McLarty from New Beginnings Ranch* in Norwood, Colorado, spoke about identity issues and relational discipleship, and Joy Kauffman, founder and executive director of FARM STEW International*, an organization dedicated to addressing hunger, disease, and poverty, presented as well. The camp meeting participants we also treated to presentation of original songs by Addie and Greg Cranson.

Nathan explained, “The choosing of our speaker and our teachers here [shows] that you don’t have to be somebody special to have a powerful relationship with Jesus and be able to communicate that effectively and inspire the people around you to have a closer walk with Jesus.”

“This was the ninth year for Western Slope Camp Meeting in this location,” said Ron Johnson from Grand Junction, Colorado, who serves as the event treasurer. Average attendance during the week was 66 people with 114 joining for Sabbath worship. He added that this year “there were 265 meals served by our excellent cooks, the Montrose Church members.”

Among the participants in the camp meeting were Elaine and David Phillips, members of Grand Junction Seventh-day Adventist Church who proudly shared their 61 years of marriage. David commented, “I was just impressed with the whole family from Montana. Her [Alecia] testimony and the whole family—her husband, the girls, the little boy.” Elaine appreciated the camp meeting’s venue: “You can have much quiet time with God out in nature and different places. I never thought about doing that before. Studying His word and being in a quiet place like when Jesus went to the mountain and had spent time with Him. I thought that was a very different way of spending time with God. The music was really good and really encouraging,” she commented.

Apart from the spoken word, presentations, and never-ending conversations with fellow church members, the Hardings presented their musical talents and were joined by Michelle Cranson, Alecia’s sister. On Sabbath afternoon at the camp meeting, the attendees listened to the Montrose Hispanic Seventh-day Adventist Church Youth group and their full-of-enthusiasm singing. Addie Cranson and her husband Greg, members of the Paonia Seventh-day Adventist Church in Paonia, Colorado, presented several original songs. Their presentation was considered as a special treat of the Mountain Top gathering.

Those who came to this year’s camp meeting also experienced several thunderstorms followed by rainbows. “It’s monsoon time for us here on the Western Slope at this time,” one participant remarked.

Among those representing the Rocky Mountain Conference (RMC) were Doug Inglish, RMC vice president for administration, Mickey Mallory, RMC Ministerial director, and Mary Lynn Green and Dawn Westgate from the RMC Planned Giving and Trust Services Department.

*Organizations not affiliated with the Rocky Mountain Conference (RMC). 

—RMCNews. Photos by Rajmund Dabrowski and Ron Johnson.

Michael Taylor – Casper, Wyoming … During the 2024 International Pathfinder Camporee in Gillette, Wyoming, August 5-11, the Lake Union Conference (LUC) Education Department oversaw a record-setting event with more than 250 volunteers gathered to stuff 6,200 backpacks with school supplies.

Reflecting on this enormous project, LUC associate superintendent Nicole Mattson remarked, “Not only were we able to set a record, but students in need across the U.S. are being blessed already with the gift of a beautiful backpack stuffed with school supplies and even some ‘get-to-know-Jesus’ materials.”

One community blessed by this program was in Casper, Wyoming. The Casper Seventh-day Adventist Church in Casper, Wyoming, was able to bring home more than 600 backpacks from Camporee, and church members immediately got to work sharing with their community.

The Casper Church family passed out more than 250 backpacks on August 18 to those who responded to the invitations and advertising on social media. Among the hardworking volunteers were Pathfinders visiting from the city of Townsville in northeastern Australia. One of the Australian Pathfinders was an eighth grader named Hayleigh, who said, “It was very nice to see each person come through with such gratitude and appreciation. It made me feel happy and proud that I could help others in your community.”

The abundance of backpacks shared from Camporee allowed the Casper Church to reach beyond that initial distribution. They gifted other community service organizations, such as their local Boys and Girls Club and the Casper Rescue Mission, with almost 200 bags.

One group who received backpacks was the Dean Morgan Middle School’s Clothes Closet in Casper, Wyoming. The Closet is overseen by Ms. Stephanie Knight, who was deeply moved by the donation. She commented, “These backpacks are such a blessing to our school. We have many students who don’t have the means to get a new bag when they need one, so this will go a long way this year.”

—Michael Taylor is head pastor at the Casper and Wheatland Seventh-day Adventist Churches. Photos supplied.

RMCNews – Grand Junction, Colorado … J.J. Martinez, III, associate pastor at the Grand Junction Seventh-day Adventist Church in Grand Junction, Colorado, was ordained August 17.

Martinez was a student at La Sierra Academy and Rio Lindo Adventist Academy in Riverside and Healdsburg, California, respectively. He attended a local community college for a few years and then transferred to Union Adventist University in Lincoln, Nebraska.

“Growing up, I never knew what I wanted to be until I got to high school, but even in high school, I could never imagine where God took me today … When I first started at Union College,* I was not studying to be a pastor; in fact, I had begun the pre-nursing program,” reminisced Martinez.

“Although I was really enjoying all that nursing had to offer,” he continued, “I knew that it wasn’t the path for me. After spending much time in prayer, I realized that I was being called into ministry. When I made the switch from the nursing program to the theology program, I felt like a burden was lifted from my shoulders, and I knew that God would continue to lead my path no matter where I went.”

Martinez relocated to Colorado after receiving his degree and served in a three-church district before leaving for Seminary at Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Michigan: “While at Andrews University, I took on a ministry role as student dean, which I credit a lot of my leadership to today in my current role. I am thankful not only for the education I experienced but also for the relationships that took place.”

Upon finishing Seminary, Martinez returned to Colorado to serve in the Grand Junction Church. He remarked on his ministry journey, “Grand Junction has challenged and stretched me in so many ways. I am thankful that God continues to direct each path that I have taken, even in the moments in which I am unsure. Ministry still continues to be at the forefront of my mind, just as it was at Union College.* My prayer is that God may continue to grow and lead me more and more each day.”

The Candidate for Ordination was introduced by Elizabeth McDonald, La Sierra University Church associate pastor for Children and Family Ministry in Riverside, California, followed by the Ministry Affirmation provided by Doug Inglish, RMC vice president for administration. The Ministry Charge and Ministry Welcome was presented by Mickey Mallory, RMC Ministerial director, and the Ordination Prayer was offered by Mic Thurber, RMC president.

Mallory commented, “The ordination service was an affirmation of the calling that God has put on JJ’s life to serve God’s people, and it was rewarding for him to see the impact his ministry has made on the people that were present.”

* Union Adventist University was formerly known as Union College

—RMCNews. Photos by Susan Inglish.

Jill Harlow – Loveland, Colorado … One-hundred thirty-seven students brought new life to the campus at the start of the school year at Campion Academy in Loveland, Colorado.

The Campion Academy Student Association (SA) officers kicked off the event by introducing this year’s theme “I am,” which affirms each person’s value in God’s eyes. Each month, the theme will conclude the statement with a different word, starting with “I am chosen” and followed by others such as “I am redeemed.” Student Association spiritual vice-president Evie Lange provided a devotional thought on the theme.

Students drew closer with their classmates both socially and physically during the classic icebreaker games of the hula-hoop pass and the human knot. The evening concluded with the handshake event in which the student body and staff formed a long line to introduce themselves, shake hands, and welcome each person.

In 2023, Campion started with 122 students, so the growth in enrollment is positive. The freshman class has 26 students, larger than it has been for the past three years.

A new freshman, Hannah Manase, shared, “It was a really cool experience. I liked seeing everyone at the school and learning all their names. I loved how the games introduced class bonding time.”

In addition, the number of international students has reached a new school record of 25 from six different countries.

“I got to meet a lot of new people, and the games were exciting,” reflected Azusa Shirakuma, a new sophomore from Japan. “I loved meeting the staff; they were very amazing.”

The senior class, returning with 49 students, is the largest class and shows the potential to provide positive leadership to the school.

Olivia Arizola, a returning senior, commented, “It was exciting getting to see all the new faces while seeing the familiar faces was comforting. I am very excited for my senior year and to get to know all these people that I shook hands with.”

—Jill Harlow is the Campion Academy communication director. Photos supplied.