December 18, 2020

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO MEMBERS OF THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN CONFERENCE

It goes without saying that we’ve entered a special time of year when we celebrate the birth of Jesus!  His First Coming gives us hope as we look not only at His birth, but His life and resurrection.  Without that hope burning in our hearts, 2020 would have been an even tougher year than it has been. And with such hope, we await His Second Coming. I pray God will richly bless each one of you and your family as we complete this unique and horrible year.

I want to encourage you to take some time to reflect on the blessings God has bestowed upon you. Count them one by one. Whenever I do that, I am encouraged. I am especially encouraged by the generosity and faithfulness of you, our members, in supporting the church and being engaged in reaching out–in word and deed–to the world with the Good News of Jesus, the Emmanuel.

NEW UNION COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIP COVERS TUITION COSTS FOR FAMILIES MAKING $60,000 OR LESS

By Ryan Teller – Lincoln, Nebraska … Union College has launched the new Bridge to Union Scholarship—a plan that will cover the tuition costs for students from most families with an income of $60,000 or less.

“In these challenging economic times, every dollar matters,” said Dr. Vinita Sauder, president of Union College. “We want to bridge the tuition gap for any student and family who dreams of taking advantage of the life coach for every freshman, career preparation and spiritual community at Union College so they have that opportunity. The Bridge to Union Scholarship helps make our unparalleled personalized support available to many more students—regardless of financial circumstances.”

CELEBRATING CHRISTMAS IN A SAFE ZONE

By Lynn Nicolay – Palisade, Colorado…Palisade Adventist church takes the cancellation of the town Christmas celebration in stride and creates a safe zone for community members to celebrate the season.

The Palisade Chamber of Commerce chose not to host the town’s annual Olde Fashioned Christmas festivities this year. In previous years, the church has had a representative on the planning committee for the annual event which draws visitors from the surrounding area. The Palisade church’s contribution, over the years, was to open the church so the public could view Nativity creche from around the world.  New sets were acquired each year to attract visitors.

WELCOME CHRISTMAS COME THIS WAY…TO LITTLETON

By Jon Roberts– Littleton, Colorado … On a cold Sabbath morning with snow in the air, the Littleton Church gathered safely together to welcome Christmas by sharing their gifts of talents.

Chris Morris, associate pastor of youth and worship, worked tirelessly preparing a special program, accurately titled Littleton Family Christmas that all could enjoy.

“Christmas is more than giving and receiving gifts from one another. It’s about truly receiving Jesus as our gift, and then bringing Him our gifts and talents. That’s what was on display at Littleton Sabbath, and it was inspiring,” Morris said.

KITCHEN UTENSILS REPLACE TRADITIONAL INSTRUMENTS AT MHA VIRTUAL CHRISTMAS PROGRAM

By Karrie Meyers — Highlands Ranch, Colorado … Mile High Academy’s gymnasium was void of musical instruments and singing voices; however, that didn’t stop the students from spreading holiday cheer online.

The virtual event airing on December 14 began with a greeting from Brenda Rodie, MHA’s vice-principal of operations, reminding them that while things look a little different, there is one thing that hasn’t changed–“the love of a Savior who came to this earth to save us, and the promise of His soon return.”

GOODBYE 2020

As the year 2020 comes to end, it would be an understatement to say that we will not miss it. As a church family–-young and old–-we have had a mosaic of experiences, including bewilderment and frustration, laced with sadness and doubts.

But all of us were also adjusting to a carousel of worship options, creating Zoom communities, engaging in technological creativity, and discovering, for some, that we live in a community that invites us to practice our Christianity by helping the vulnerable, the poor, and the needy–-all beyond being “one day Christians.”

And we learned in 2020 about a need to rely on Jesus much, much more, wishing He would return now! At RMC, we especially noted that Christian stewardship lives on, even in these trying times.

JOY AT THE CENTER OF MHA COVID CHRISTMAS SEASON

By Amelia Eno – Highlands Ranch, Colorado … Christmas at Mile High Academy is fun and, although this season is unique for everyone, the students and staff have found a way to celebrate with cheer.

All around MHA campus, students have been preparing for their online Christmas concert by practicing instruments, singing songs, decorating their spaces and wearing festive Christmas hats, shirts, and smiles. The joy of Christmas is shining despite being in and out of online learning.

“I think it makes you start to realize what you value most, what Christmas is really about,” said Lisa Venteicher, upper school drama and science teacher. “I really value my time with my students. It’s the best gift I could have this year.”

DENVER CHANNEL 7 NEWS ASSISTS ACS DISASTER RESPONSE

By Cathy Kissner – Loveland, Colorado … The Cameron Peak Fire Recovery Center was bolstered on December 7 by Denver Channel 7 News who collected donations for those affected by the Cameron Peak Fire that burned areas around Red Feather, Glen Haven, and Estes Park west of Fort Collins. The largest fire in Colorado, it took more than four months for fire crews to get the fire contained. After burning more than 200,000 acres, it left 40 homes completely destroyed and more than 200 homes with heavy smoke damage.

“This is one of the largest donations we have ever received from a news channel,” explained Cathy Kissner, director of Adventist Community Services and Disaster Relief for the Rocky Mountain Conference. “The people affected by this fire will receive these much-needed items which will help in their recovery as they find new footing and a new normal for their lives.”

CAMPION STAFF AND TEACHERS HARD AT WORK DURING SEMESTER BREAK

Campion Academy News –Loveland, Colorado … The semester may be over, but teachers and staff aren’t just sitting around with their feet up; they are taking advantage of the extended break to complete training and improve the campus.

One piece of training the staff had a chance to complete was a Tactical Communication and De-Escalation session led by Campion’s School Resource Officer, Craig Cable. Under Cable’s direction, the staff role-played multiple scenarios in order to learn to think critically and respond appropriately in high-stress situations. In each situation, Cable helped the staff focus on prioritizing the safety of our students.

BRIGHTON SMALL GROUP FOCUS ON CONFLICT OF AGES SERIES

By Eric Aakko – Brighton, Colorado … In the month of September, a group of lay leaders created an online small group with the intention of studying the Conflict of the Ages series over the course of a year.

Designing a yearly reading outline, the small gathering began on a Friday evening studying The Desire of Ages, one of the books in the series written by Ellen G. White.

Click here to read more..