NewsNuggets – Page 71 – Rocky Mountain Conference of Seventh-day Adventists

07 Oct

LITERATURE MINISTRY THRIVES AT CAMPION ACADEMY

By Jacqueline Kobagaya – Loveland, Colorado … Literature ministry continues to engage Campion Academy students in its program in the current school year. Fourteen students are canvassing the local area with the help of Matt Hasty, RMC literature ministry (LM) program director and four young adult volunteer leaders, who are selling religious books and sharing the gospel through conversations and GLOW tracts.

Reflecting on the program, Eva, a sophomore at Campion, recalls that at first “[she] was hesitant to do the summer LM program, but my parents and friends encouraged me to do it, and I don’t regret it at all. Sometimes, I feel like God can’t or doesn’t want to use me, but He always finds a way.”

She adds that she enjoys the work because her relationship with God has been strengthened through witnessing. “There are so many stories where I saw God working,” she reflected.

“There was one particular day when we were traveling in New Mexico where I didn’t feel like going out, but of course, I went anyway. I felt like God was going to do good things, but just not through me,” she explained.

“Eventually, I came up to this mobile home, still feeling extremely discouraged. There were dogs barking at me at the gate, which scared me, so I said a quick prayer as I went up to a man sitting on the porch,” she recalled. “I gave him the usual canvassing speech, but the conversation turned to how a few years back he had converted to Adventism and how his life had changed since. He went on to buy the entire collection of books I was carrying, and I even prayed with him. I knew God had led me there.”

During the school year, students go out five days a week in morning and afternoon shifts to share the gospel of Jesus with the community.

–Jacqueline Kobagaya is a Campion senior; photo supplied

05 Oct

Reflection: Going Rogue

By Heather Colburn — Our family is going rogue for this school year: leaving our regular way of life and embarking on an adventure. At the end of last school year, I resigned from my job teaching kindergarten, and we pulled our three kids out of that same school. Our kids are ready to do something different next year, and we are right beside them. This may be the point where you are most likely thinking: “Big mistake! Go back now while you still can!” And yet, with each passing day, with God’s leading, our plan continues to move forward.

By definition, to “go rogue” means to start behaving in a way that is not normal or expected, especially by leaving your group and often doing something dangerous. While some people may think our family’s new reality is dangerous, I like to think it is simply not normal or expected, and that is the part that makes it sound scary. We have left our school group of beloved friends and colleagues and reduced our family to one income. Because Rande, my husband, can currently work from home, our plan is to travel around the country while he continues to works and the kids and I do our school work.

I know there are two sides to what seems like an adventure story for our family. I know that homeschooling is not the right fit for everyone, and many people do not have an opportunity to work remotely. But we saw this year as our family’s chance of a lifetime, and we simply had to seize it. We know it won’t be all roses and sunshine, but despite the daily challenges, I am so grateful to have this time with my family. We are taking on this venture in the spirit of 2 Timothy 1:7: “For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.”

Doing something that is not normal or expected can look different for each person. It will start out feeling scary, and you may question yourself each step along the way. But taking that leap may be just the thing that you need to jump-start your life and to start living more fully alive. Are there any whispers in your heart today that through which God may be calling you to…

Make a life change.
Give something a chance that you’ve been on the fence about.
Embark on an adventure that others might think is “too out there.”
Do something that feels uncomfortable, but that will result in a payout far greater than what money can buy.
Behave in a way that goes against society’s norms yet feels right to you.
Walk away from a relationship that you know is not adding joy and wholeness to your life.

I don’t know how our year of going rogue will end up. What thoughts will we have once the school year is over? What will we laugh about, regret, learn from? I think these wonderings are all an integral part of our journey. And I am certain that no matter how difficult some parts may be, we will not regret these days that we choose to step away from the “normal” routines of life live in extraordinary ways. As we go rogue this year, we are praying for God’s blessing and leading each step along the way!

–Heather Colburn is a member of The Adventure Church in Greeley, Colorado; photo supplied

This article was originally published in The Adventure Newsletter

04 Oct

STUDENTS UNLOCK THE READING CODE AT HMS RICHARDS SCHOOL

By Gwyn Reeves – Loveland, Colorado … A hands-on approach is key to a new language arts program implemented at HMS Richards Adventist School in Loveland, Colorado.

“Unlocking the Reading Code” incorporates an interactive approach to teaching students reading and writing from kindergarten through fourth grade. Teachers comment that students are enjoying the new program.

“Students are excited about it,” Alisha Anderson, third and fourth-grade teacher, commented; “It’s forcing them to think in ways they haven’t before. I think it will improve their reading abilities for the long term as it gives the kids a better understanding of words and their meanings.”

The program focuses on teaching kids the fundamental building blocks that will better their reading and speech skills. Teachers have been doing special training to lead this program. In Kari Lange’s first and second-grade classroom, students have an individual binder filled with items like colorful blocks, comic strips, and other manipulatives to be used during language arts time.

“I like it because it has my favorite colors in it. It’s kinda hard to pay attention sometimes, but I like using my hands and doing the super-fast pictures,” Caspian, a first-grader, said.

Typically, students will take out their binder, and Lange, depending on the lesson, may ask them to listen and be able to use blocks to identify specific letters sounds. She may also ask students to break apart word sounds (phoneme segmentation) by counting them on their hands. Lange works one-on-one with students doing timed tests asking them to name as many pictures, using correct pronunciation, as they can in a minute.

Teachers will continue extensive training in this new program through the Rocky Mountain Conference and are looking forward to seeing the positive effects on the students’ reading and writing abilities, explained Lange.

–Gwyn Reeves, Campion Academy senior; photos supplied

30 Sep

MOUNTAIN VIEWS: IMAGINING TOMORROW TODAY

RMCNews – Denver, Colorado … “When I look at the Adventism of the future, I see Jesus. I see a church that has fully embraced Him and fully embraced His Gospel,” Shawn Brace writes in his latest article for Mountain Views.

The fall issue, which is scheduled to start arriving in your mailbox next week, focuses on the topic of Adventism and Imagination. What will Adventism look like in 5, 10, or 40 years? What is our hope for the future?

The editors are hoping to stir conversation and a reevaluation of one’s self-identity in the Adventist faith. “We are a people of hope, walking always into the future. Imagination helps. When I close my eyes and look toward the Second Coming of Jesus, I turn my thoughts into a world of wonder–what it will be like in the future Jesus promised?” comments Rajmund Dabrowski, editor.

Mountain Views features, among others, include, “The Seventh-day Adventist Church in 2040”; “Jesus: The Future of Adventism”; “Imagine Transforming”; and a conversation with Doug Inglish, RMC vice president of administration, and his daughter Chelsea Inglish titled “We Know Our Ultimate Future.”

This is also the last issue of Mountain Views under the editorial leadership of Ed Barnett, RMC president who retired at the end of August. The editors of Mountain Views look forward to working with new RMC president Mic Thurber on the next issue.

If you are not receiving the magazine, please update your mailing address or subscribe for free here.

On the Back Page we are challenged: “God gave you brains. Use them.” Read Mountain Views.

–RMCNews; photo supplied

30 Sep

BRINGING THE CLASSROOM OUTDOORS IN GRAND JUNCTION

RMCNews with IAANews – Grand Junction, Colorado … The classroom moved to the great outdoors during the final week of September when students from Intermountain Adventist Academy (IAA) and Delta Adventist School joined together to explore nature, rediscover pioneer tasks, bond with new friends, and have fun.

The week began early for IAA’s elementary students (K-4) on Sunday when they joined the Adventurer club and spent the afternoon on the Grand Mesa hiking around the lake and completing a scavenger hunt by finding algae, mushrooms, rose hips, currants, arthropods, and more. The day concluded with a trip around Beaver Lake in rowboats.

“It was an amazing time because I love God’s nature,” Mason, fourth-grader, expressed enthusiastically.

The fun learning experience continued the next day at the arboretum located at the Mesa County Fairgrounds. Two horticulturists from the Colorado State University Extension school program guided the group around the gardens. The students tried their hand at grinding corn and were only able to grind enough to make 1.5 corn muffins.

Reflecting on the skills they learned, Daniel, a second-grader, commented, “It was hard for people a long time ago because they used rocks to grind corn.”

Outdoor learning concluded for the elementary school on Tuesday, when they explored Cross Orchards Farm Historic Site in Grand Junction. Students toured the farm, learned some Colorado history, saw an old-fashioned, hand-cranked apple cider press, tasted some freshly-squeezed cider, and explored an old restored train.

“You get to go sightseeing to learn the things people might have used to work, live, and stay alive. I learned that you could ride in a train caboose that has seats that you climb a ladder to get to! I hope you can go there,” Gemma, fourth-grader said.

While the elementary students explored The Western Slope with day field trips, the middle school (5-8) joined Delta Adventist School for a retreat at New Beginnings Ranch in Norwood, Colorado.

They spent time learning about water ecology, examining life in a pond through the lenses of microscopes, picking up survival skills such as building a fire, going on hikes, and facedfacing the rock-climbing wall.

The boys were very gentlemanly as they slept outdoors in tents so the girls could enjoy the comforts of the cabins.

Joining the students on their adventure was Nathan Cranson, pastor of the Montrose church, who led the group in morning and evening worship, guiding them through Bible study on the topic of “In God We Trust.”

Reflecting on the event, a teacher commented that “this experience encouraged the kids to appreciate the outdoors, learn teamwork, and build a closer friendship with Jesus.”

— RMCNews with IAANews; photos supplied

30 Sep

COMMENTARY – A PIECE OF BARBED WIRE

By Rajmund Dabrowski … It was in Auschwitz, a Nazi concentration camp in southern Poland, where I met astonishment and anger, all at once. There, I learned the meaning of being available–to God–and he would help me to be available to others.

Auschwitz is a place where one’s own spiritual wonder would meet Maksymilian Kolbe, a priest who gave his life in place of a fellow prisoner. At the end of July 1941, three prisoners disappeared from the camp. Ten men mere picked to be starved to death in an underground bunker to deter further escape attempts. When one of the selected men, Franciszek Gajowniczek, cried out, “My wife! My children!”, Kolbe volunteered to take his place.

For nearly two decades I refused to go to Auschwitz. But a time came in the mid-70s that I was asked to assist the Adventist world church leader and translate for him as he laid a wreath at the wall of death. It was a solitary walk just within the perimeter of the camp where I spotted a piece of barbed wire, a leftover piece lying on the path. I kept it as a reminder of those tragic days when hatred for those who were different had a winning run.

It was at this sacred place, consecrated by the blood of the innocents where my uncle Anszel’s first wife and two small children perished. My personal wonder was fortified out of that context through a conversation I had with him, sitting in his hospitable home, having the best of home-cooked Jewish cuisine, and trying to unlock his thoughts. He said: I have forgiven the Nazis. One cannot forget the past completely, but it’s not me who should judge them. I don’t want to talk about it.

In that moment, for me, the concept of forgiveness became a child of what it means to love. It was God forgiving me that put me on the road of following Him, no questions asked. And my Christian attitude is to be wherever my fellow sojourners in this world are. Many of them are strangers to you and me. They look different, yet are still seeking and wondering, “Who is this Jesus?”

Will they see you and me as a people who are always ready to give all we have to save them?

–Rajmund Dabrowski is RMC communication director; photo by Rajmund Dabrowski

30 Sep

KARAOKE, FLANNEL, AND EVERYTHING FALL ON DISPLAY AT CAMPION

By Airi Nomura — Loveland, Colorado … Fall arrived in typical Campion style on September 25. Students decked out in flannel, enjoyed hayrides, face painting, pumpkin pie, games, and karaoke at the annual student association fall party.

Karaoke was a favorite activity of the evening among the students. “It was definitely fun and very homey. I enjoyed karaoke the most, just singing with everybody all gathered around. It was nice because I didn’t feel self-conscious singing in the crowd,” Kloe, freshman, said.

The night included the highly anticipated announcement of the November banquet, which included a surprise plea from the stage when Camas, a student, thought it was good to ask for his date. “I asked Kylie, and I was very happy when she replied, ‘Heck yea.’ Overall, the fall party was a success, and I can’t wait to help with the next event.”

Even though they put a lot of work into the event, the student association officers took the time to enjoy the evening. “As an SA officer, I expected to be working all night, and I did, but what I didn’t expect was to have so much fun! SA had a blast setting up and had even more fun serving and helping,” Edward, student activities director commented.

Concluding the party, seniors gathered together on stage for the yearly tradition of singing “See You Again.”

“I really liked the fall party because of the time that I could chill with my friends and the pictures we took,” reflected Gabriel, senior. “These will be good memories that I will always remember because it’s my last year at Campion.”

–Airi Nomura, campion senior; photos by Josh Jackson

To view a student-produced video by Noah Sturges, please click here

30 Sep

MHA 2021 GOLF TOURNAMENT SUPPORTS ADVENTIST EDUCATION

By MHA News — Mile High Academy (MHA) hosted its annual Alumni Golf Tournament on Friday, September 24 at Plum Creek Golf Club. Located in Castle Rock, the golf course came alive with banter about the next hole-in-one, who’s been practicing and hellos of reconnecting friends.

“Playing in the MHA Alumni Golf Tournament is a fun way to support our school while enjoying a round of golf,” said Dr. Kris Fritz, golfer and MHA parent. “It’s great seeing the students, staff, parents, grandparents, and community members come together for a great cause every year.” Dr. Fritz’s wife, Dr. Tiffany Fritz, owns Piney Creek Family Dentistry and was a sponsor of this year’s golf tournament.

The golf tournament went ahead as scheduled even though MHA’s administration and board voted to move the school’s Alumni weekend to the Spring of 2022. And while the tournament was a little lighter on attendance this year, more than 30 players who came out to enjoy the beautiful weather. Congratulations to Andy Rockwood who won the $100 Putting Green competition and to the Castle Rock Adventist Hospital team for winning the tournament with 15 under par.

Littleton Adventist Hospital also sponsored this year’s event. Dany Hernandez, lead chaplain, reflected on the day by saying, “Littleton Adventist Hospital loves partnering with Mile High Academy for their annual golf tournament. Over the years, we continue to see the positive impact Mile High Academy makes, not only for the students that attend the school, but also to the community that we all care for.”

He continued, “The leadership at Mile High Academy puts on a fantastic event that brings together individuals who would otherwise not have the opportunity to be together. Most importantly, it helps raise funds for a great cause.”

MHA is currently planning for its in-person Alumni weekend celebration in April 2022. The weekend will kick-off with Grandparents Day on Friday, April 8 followed by Alumni Sabbath on Saturday, April 9 and the school’s Annual Auction at Topgolf on Sunday, April 10.

“Thank you to each golfer and sponsor who joined us this past Friday in support of Adventist education,” said Andrew Carpenter, MHA principal. “MHA is a close-knit community; one I am thankful to have joined. I appreciated the opportunity to make several new friends all while raising money for our school. God is here at MHA as we continue our mission of a Christ-centered education for not only this generation but for future generations to come.”

[This article was submitted by MHA News]

29 Sep

ARE NUTS REALLY WHAT THEY’RE CRACKED UP TO BE?

By Dustin Stegen — You want a snack but don’t want to go for those potato chips, ice cream, or granola bar. You see a large container of mixed nuts in your pantry. You have heard nuts have a lot of fat and calories in them. You’ve also heard you should avoid them because they will make you fat. Instead, you grab those potato chips as your afternoon snack.

There are numerous reasons why you should have gone for the mixed nuts over the potato chips. Sadly, nuts get a bad reputation. So, let’s set the record straight on nuts.

The term “nuts” encompasses a wide variety of foods. Dried seeds like hazelnuts, chestnuts, and acorns are considered nuts. More commonly, almonds, pecans, pistachios, walnuts, and Brazil nuts are what come to mind when considering nuts. Cashews are the product of a fruit called cashew apples. Peanuts are considered a legume due to the type of plant they come from. For this blog, we will be referring to the typical nuts you would find in a mixed nuts container, such as peanuts, cashews, pecans, almonds, Brazil nuts, and pistachios.

It is true nuts contain fat, calories, protein, and fiber, which doesn’t make them bad for you. They also contain essential unsaturated and monounsaturated fat like omega-3 and omega-6 fats. Nuts are a good source of vitamin E, vitamin B2, folate, and essential minerals such as phosphorus, potassium, copper, selenium, and magnesium. Obviously, nuts can be eaten separately and you are welcome to enjoy the benefits of that single type of nuts, but to get a wide variety of nutrients, a handful of mixed nuts will be beneficial.

Do your best to find raw and unsalted mixed nuts to avoid added calories and unnecessary sodium in your diet. If you do buy salted nuts, place the nuts in a colander and shake them to let the extra salt drop off the nuts to lower the amount of sodium in your mixed nuts.

VERSATILE AND BENEFICIAL

Nuts are a versatile food also. When peanuts are made into peanut butter, it becomes a delicious spread perfect for adding nutrients and flavor to almost any dish. Almond butter and cashew butter are delicious as well.

Peanut butter has been shown to lower the risk of ischemic heart disease, overall cardiovascular disease, stroke in women, and all-cause mortality in a 2014 study published by the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. The famous Adventist Health Study validated the relationship between eating nuts and whole wheat bread and the reduction of coronary heart disease.

The research also found that eating nuts one to four times a week lowered the risk of nonfatal heart attacks by 74 percent and lowered the risk of fatal coronary heart disease by 73 percent. Those are incredible percentages from just eating these delicious God-given foods. Please go read more about the Adventist Health Study if you want more information on how eating plant-based meals can improve your health.

I have no issue with people eating potato chips when they want to. Even your friendly dietitian eats potato chips when it’s the right time. But if you are looking for a healthy, protein and nutrient-packed food that will keep you full and that may improve your cardiovascular health, next time, reach for those raw and unsalted mixed nuts or nut butters.

— Dustin Stegen is a Registered Dietitian and lover of all things outdoors, cooking, and teaching others about living a healthy lifestyle and eating. He is the founder of Ten Times Better, LLC a nutrition consulting business that focuses on connecting faith and food. Photo by pixabay.

This article was originally published on Outlook Magazine website.

23 Sep

VIETNAM VETERANS HONORED IN FARMINGTON, NEW MEXICO AT THE WALL THAT HEALS

RMCNews with Dick Stenbakken – Farmington, New Mexico … The 150-member Piñon Hills Seventh-day Adventist Church in Farmington, New Mexico was front and center in the local community and surrounding area, September 7 – 11. They were initiators and sponsors of The Wall that Heals, a three-quarter-sized traveling replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C.

Lillian Clopine, church member, got the idea several years ago that sponsoring The Wall That Heals would be a positive way for Adventists to be involved in their community. She, and her husband, Bill, along with members of the Piñon Hills Seventh-day Adventist Church, applied to host The Wall That Heals as it traveled across the country. They were elated when the application was approved. The Wall did not travel in 2020, and few new applications were approved for 2021. In November 2020, they received word that they would be one of 37 communities across the United States where The Wall would be displayed in 2021.

The Clopines and the Piñon Hills church enlisted support from a wide range of local individuals and organizations. Jennifer Halphen, a church member and vice-chair of the Host Committee, was deeply involved from the very beginning and led site logistics. Soon, Gary Smouse, owner of the local Chick-fil-A, joined as the second Host Committee vice-chair. His meticulous planning helped bring in an additional Host Sponsor, the Blue Star Mothers of America New Mexico Chapter One. Many community members and local businesses came forward to provide financial and other support.

“This event was both rewarding and humbling at the same time,” said Lillian Clopine. For her, as the chief organizer,“this event has clearly brought attention and increased visibility to the Piñon Hills Seventh-day Adventist Church.”

As community members, the church, and citizens, they wished to honor the veterans. They also desired “to sponsor an event that would serve the Four Corners in a meaningful way. I believe the Holy Spirit has guided us through this process, and these goals have been achieved,” Clopine added.

The Wall arrived in Durango, Colorado on the afternoon of September 7. An honor guard escort of more than 70 motorcycles assembled to accompany the Wall from Durango to Farmington. Vietnam veterans led the procession, followed by the 53-foot semi, which transportsThe Wall. The rest of the honor guard of motorcycles and vintage vehicles with flying flags, followed. Colorado State Patrol escorted the procession to the border where the New Mexico State Patrol took over the rest of the way to the San Juan College athletic fields in Farmington, where volunteers would assemble the Wall on the following day.

Dr. Dick Stenbakken, Chaplain (Colonel) U. S. Army, Retired, former Director of Adventist Chaplaincy Ministries at the General Conference, and a Vietnam veteran, spoke at the volunteer breakfast held at the Piñon Hills Adventist church on the day of The Wall’s arrival and was also the keynote speaker at the honors ceremony the evening of Thursday, September 9. The breakfast honored the many volunteers who were on site to assist those visiting The Wall for the duration of the event. The San Juan County sheriff’s office provided a 21-gun salute that echoed back from the large Wall following a bagpipe playing taps.

The Thursday evening Honors Ceremony hosted more than 850 people, including presentations by Rear Admiral Bruce Black, State Senator William Sharer, and Chaplain Stenbakken. The opening event closed with a spectacular, low-level helicopter fly-over from Kirtland Airforce Base in Albuquerque, New Mexico. They had received final approval from the FAA only 24 hours before their scheduled fly-over.

Saturday morning, a special Blessing Ceremony was provided by Navajo Nation representatives with more than 500 attending. The Navajo ceremony included the National Anthem and the Pledge of Allegiance in Navajo, Native American drummers, and a keynote speech by Myron Lizer, Vice President of the Navajo Nation.

Volunteers were at The Wall, even overnight, to help people locate specific names from the more than 58,200 names engraved on the Wall.

For Chaplain Stenbakken, the invitation to participate in the event brought memories from the past. “Being at The Wall was very personal for me,” said Stenbakken. “The name of a young man I met two days into my first pastoral assignment is there – panel 5-E, line 5. We corresponded regularly until he was killed in action. His face, his name, and his memory have never left me. I saw him off at the local airport, and I saw his flag-draped coffin return home to the same airport. When asked about representing the Seventh-day Adventist Church as an Army chaplain, his memory played a large part in my saying yes to that call and career.”

The semi-truck that transports The Wall opens to become a Mobile Education Center, which displays the history of the Vietnam war and the story of The Wall itself. This Mobile Education Center is a traveling museum with artifacts from the war, items left at The Wall in Washington D.C., and digital displays honoring local Hometown Heroes.

This event was a unique way for the local Seventh-day Adventist church to lead a major community event for the entire Four-Corners region and is a testimony to what can be done with prayer, planning, and hard work. “Several Host Committee members expressed the conviction that they could see God’s hand throughout the process of preparing for this event and its success,” Clopine remarked.

It is estimated that more than 3,000 individuals visited the Wall while it was in Farmington. Local schools were also involved, and nearly 800 students visited and learned about this important part of American history.

Many Vietnam veterans who attended the programs expressed appreciation for being recognized for their service and this remembrance of people they knew whose names are engraved on the black stone of The Wall That Heals. The Wall also serves as a powerful reminder of Christ, who brings ultimate healing.

–RMCNews with Dick Stenbakken Chaplain (Colonel) U. S. Army, Retired, former Director of Adventist Chaplaincy Ministries at the General Conference, and a Vietnam veteran, photos supplied

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