NN July 2024

RMCNews – Cañon City, Colorado … The second Rocky Mountain Conference (RMC) camp meeting of 2024, the Southeast Colorado Camp Meeting, was hosted by the Cañon City Seventh-day Adventist Church in Cañon City, Colorado, June 28-30. This year’s camp was intended to be a revival of faith with the theme “Lifting Him Up Again.”

Josh Sholock, pastor of the Cañon City and Leadville Seventh-day Adventist Churches in Cañon City and Leadville, Colorado, respectively, headed the camp meeting programming. When asked what his hope for the camp meeting was, he commented, “Reading in Evangelism, Ellen G. White talks about how we need to have our camp meetings designed as times of revival, times of calling people to a commitment charge. Reading that propelled me to ask the area pastors if we could do a theme of lifting Jesus up, as if Jesus saying, ‘if I be lifted up, all will draw to me.’”

The camp meeting kicked-off June 28 with the featured speaker, Lucas Luhan, pastor of Colorado Springs South and Woodland Park Seventh-day Adventist Churches in Colorado Springs and Woodland Park, Colorado, respectively, with over 75 in attendance. He spoke on the lessons referring to pride from the story of the brass serpent from the Book of Numbers 21:7-9 in his presentation titled “Lifting Up the Serpent: Looking for the Cure.”

“This is a story of discouragement,” remarked Luhan. “Discouragement can lead to doubt when we don’t trust God’s Providence and sovereignty, and trust is a salvation issue,” he continued. “We are not yet at the promised land and still in the wilderness. The whole purpose of this weekend is to view our walk with Christ.”

There were over 125 in attendance for the main church service session led by Dave Kettleson, pastor of Colorado Springs Central Seventh-day Adventist Church in Colorado Springs, Colorado. In a witty and lively presentation entitled “Lifting Up Jesus,” Kettleson commented, “I am going to heaven and there is nothing you can do about it! I am a mess, but He is the Messiah … Christianity and salvation isn’t based on what you do, but who you know. We [Christians] have to move away from a behavior-centered religion and to a Jesus-centered relationship. Our victory is only in Jesus Christ.”

International musician, composer, and entertainer, Gale Murphy, provided the energetic and humorous musical programing and piano accompaniment for the camp meeting. Along with a wealth of story-guided musical offerings, she involved the audience by taking song requests from four attendees with the occasional assistance of talented local violinist, Kenny Orr, member of the Denver South Seventh-day Adventist Church in Denver, Colorado. Murphy left the audience with the thought, “That gift of music, that art, is a gift we get to take to heaven with us.”

“I feel so blessed to be able to come to [the Southeast Colorado] camp meeting to come together friends and hear such joyful music,” commented one attendee. “It is a highlight in our year.”

The Southeast Colorado Camp Meeting closed with a session covering Adventist World Radio’s (AWR) recent outreach efforts in the island nation of Papua New Guinea (PNG) led by Dr. Duane McKey, AWR president, Dr. Bob Peck, AWR field representative coordinator, and Amy Webb, AWR scriptwriter. Peck commented on AWR works abroad: “After these people had been helped physically, imagine how receptive they were to spiritual help.”

The Southeast Colorado Camp Meeting was supported by Mic Thurber, RMC president, Doug Inglish, RMC vice president for administration, Darin Gottfried, RMC vice president for finance, and Mickey Mallory, RMC Ministerial director. Special totes with the camp meeting’s graphic theme were passed out during the ministry booth expo and were produced and provided by the RMC Planned Giving & Trust Services team also in attendance at the camp meeting.

—RMCNews. Photos by Liz Kirkland.

Muriel Indermuehle – Loveland, Colorado … The Campion Seventh-day Adventist Church in Loveland, Colorado, celebrated four multi-generational baptisms recently.

Father and son, Darrel and Ryan George, respectively, were baptized together. Much of their family lives in the Philippines and stayed up until 3:00 a.m. to witness these baptisms with the time zone difference.

Ryan, age 11, will be in the sixth grade at HMS Richards Adventist School in Loveland, Colorado, this Fall. Ryan’s testimony is as follows: “I told my parents that I have a tug in my heart that I felt like God was telling me that now is the right time to be baptized. My dad and I have been studying the Bible together with Pastor Bizama, and today I feel like it is the most special time of my life. My dad and I are being baptized together.”

“Although I was baptized at a very young age,” commented Darrel, “I don’t feel it was for the right reason. I feel my baptism today is what God is wanting for me, to follow him and become closer to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.”

Eileen Blood, a member of the Campion Church, was rebaptized by Eric Nelson, Campion Church elder. “I have been a member of the Seventh-day Adventist Church for many years. I have always valued my membership. However, I would like to take that a step further,” remarked Blood.

She continued, “In my mind, there is a difference to being a member of the Church and a disciple of Jesus. Discipleship is imitating the Teacher’s life, imitating His values and reproducing His teachings. The disciple of Christ desires, above all else, to be like Him in word, thought, and actions. My wish is to give my complete heart and soul to Jesus as His disciple.”

Evan Bizama was given Bible studies and baptized on June 8 by his father, Leandro Bizama, associate pastor of Worship and Evangelism at Campion Church. Evan is 10 years old and will be in the fifth grade at HMS Richards this Fall.

“The reason I want to be baptized,” remarked Evan, “is to officially be part of God’s church and family. Matias, my older brother, got baptized, and I want to follow in his footsteps. Now I feel warm all over, not just on my outside because of this water, but inside also, for I know that I am about to be baptized into God’s church.”

The congregation of Campion Church warmly welcomes each of these individuals into their church family.

—Muriel Indermuehle is an assistant head deaconess at Campion Seventh-day Adventist Church. Photos by Erik Stenbakken.

Ardis Stenbakken with RMCNews – Loveland, Colorado … Leandro Bizama, associate pastor of Worship and Evangelism at the Campion Seventh-day Adventist Church in Loveland, Colorado, was ordained June 29.

A pastor in the Seventh-day Adventist Church, regardless of gender, serves in ministry for several years before they are considered for ordination. They then go through a series of interviews and questions administered by the local conference office. That conference then sends the request for ordination to the union office leadership who makes the decision and issues the ordination credentials.

Prior to joining the staff of Campion, Bizama served as chaplain/music director/Bible teacher at Mile High Academy in Highlands Ranch, Colorado, Ozark Adventist Academy in Gentry, Arkansas, and Delap Seventh-day Adventist School in the Marshall Islands.

Bizama was joined in the ordination ceremony by fellow church staff, conference officials, and family friends. They recognized his history in ministry and his gifts. Bizama made the point that one of these gifts was important to him and his ministry: music! Bizama has a passion for youth ministry, especially through music.

Much of the music in the service was original compositions by Bizama. He is a music/theology graduate of Southwestern Adventist University and holds a master’s degree in Choral Conducting from the University of Arkansas. Bizama is constantly working on ministry projects like books or songs, in the hopes that they will inspire others to come to know Christ and His love.

The Candidate for Ordination was introduced by Diane Harris, Rocky Mountain Conference (RMC) Education director, followed by the Ministry Affirmation provided by Doug Inglish, RMC vice president for administration. The Ministry Charge was presented by Craig Carr, Mid-America Union Conference (MAUC) Ministerial director, and the Ordination Prayer was offered by Mic Thurber, RMC president. Mickey Mallory, RMC Ministerial director, presented a Ministry Welcome.

Jennifer Bizama, Leandro’s wife, is an important part of his ministry, so she was also recognized and welcomed by Jana Thurber, RMC Women’s Ministry, Prayer Ministry, and Ministerial Spouse Support coordinator.

“We, as a church body, were privileged to witness and participate in the ordination our own associate pastor, Leandro Bizama,” commented Ardis Stenbakken, Campion Church communication director.

“Ordination does not confer any special powers or abilities, but it is the Church’s way to validate a call to ministry,” she continued. “We can all acknowledge that Pastor Leandro does have a heart and soul for ministry, and we celebrate that this was recognized. We wish Pastor Leandro God’s richest blessings in his ministry.”

— Ardis Stenbakken, a former Women’s Ministry director of the General Conference, is the Campion Seventh-day Adventist Church communication director and is involved with Women’s and Family Ministries. Photos by Erik Stenbakken and Susan Inglish.