R O C K Y M O U N T A I N

S U M M E R + J U L Y + 2 0 1 0

Adventist Education: Relevant? Or Irrelevant? By Lonnie Hetterle, Vice President for Education . + PG1

I Have a Dream – A Message from RMC President, Gary Thurber. . . . . . . . . . + PG7

Reflections on a General Conference Session – It’s all about People! . . . . . + PG9

New Employees – Ruben Rivera, Michelle Caviness, Debbie Curran, Michael Hopkins, Kate Kamarad, Rene Lopez, Cesar Pompa, Clint Sutton. . + PG11

Every human being, created in the image of God, is endowed with a power akin to that of the Creator – individuality, power to think and to do. The men in whom this power is developed are the men who bear responsibilities, who are leaders in enterprise, and who influence character. It is the work of true education to develop this power, to train the youth to be think-ers, and not mere reflectors of other men’s thought. Education, PG17

Adventist Education:Relevant? or Irrelevant?By Lonnie Hetterle, Vice President for Education

Adventist education has lost its relevancy and

is really just a waste of good money that could be

better spent on evangelism – or on that new car or

boat!

Do you agree? Or disagree? While some par-

ents choose alternate priorities, others believe

passionately in Adventist education – specifical-

ly, Adventist elementary schools, academies and

colleges. Each of us must resolve for ourselves

the truth or the fallacy of the above statement.

The results will influence individual, family, and

church decisions.

Personally, I have wrestled with the role of

Adventist education in my own family’s life. As

the father of three adult children entirely edu-

cated in Adventist schools, I was shocked by the

total amount of tuition my wife and I have paid.

Including Kindergarten, we paid tuition for thir-

teen years for each child – or a total of 39 years

of tuition – and that’s not talking about college!

That’s 39 years of careful and frugal living in

order to pay monthly school bills. Had we other-

wise invested over the years, perhaps today we

would have had a very nice nest egg for retire-

ment. However, we chose to invest in Adventist

education for our children!

Why? Because we felt Adventist education

came closest to our personal values and core

beliefs and because of three questions we asked

ourselves. These three questions1 are the crux

of why we, as a church, invest so much in our

education system. It is why 40-50%, or more,

of many local church budgets are spent on

Adventist school subsidies. It is why many fami-

lies choose to drive an older car and forgo long-

distance vacations.

These three questions are short and simple,

but the answers are profound and have a ripple-

effect in all areas of life, both personally and

corporately.

Jim Turner Retires – After Forty-Four Years of Faithful Service to This Organization. + PG14

Departmental News – Rick Roy, Vice President for Finance Addresses Issues. . . . . . + PG15

Conference

2

Lonnie Hetterle, Vice President for Education

1. Where did I come from?

2. Why am I here?

3. Where am I going?

The only educational system that can fully

answer these questions without compromise is

the Adventist system.

In our post-modern, Western civilization we

have adopted a world view in which “facts” and

“values” are often separate arenas. “Facts” are

presented as absolute, provable, scientific, and

without argument. “Values,” on the other hand,

are private and vary from person to person.

They are relative and not provable and may

change over time. The assertion is that one

person cannot question the values of another

because values are not based on truth, but on

private, personal beliefs.

A school is an institution where individuals

learn about the world and their role in it. In a

Seventh-day Adventist school, teachers guide

their students in the discovery of the facts of

this world, and they lead students to under-

stand the God who carefully created it, sustains

day-to-day affairs, and who is coming to take us

home to live with Him!

Question 1: Where did I come from? If a

teacher is only allowed to teach facts according

to science, students may only learn they came

from a big bang, an amoeba, a monkey or some

other evolutionary theory. However, teaching

from our values with the Bible as our guide

(Psalm 111:10 and 119:104-5), students will under-

stand that they were created by a loving God

who designed each person from the beginning

(Psalm 139:13) and who loves and cares for all of

us – always (Hebrews 13:5).

In Adventist schools, teachers explain that,

while we live in a world full of ugliness, God is

bigger and more powerful than any evil. They

also explain the Great Controversy and our role

in the war between Christ and Satan.

Question 2: Why am I here? From a “facts”

perspective, teachers may instruct their stu-

dents that “fun” and “happiness” are life goals –

that the here and now are all that matter.

However, from a biblical values perspective,

Adventist teachers help their students under-

stand they have been made in God’s image and

uniquely equipped and chosen for a special

work for God. He walks beside me (Hebrews 13:5);

He leads me (Isaiah 48:17); He answers my prayers

(Philippians 4:6); He directs my paths (Psalm 119:105).

Students have the opportunity to understand

that all Christians work for God and are partners

engaged in saving others for Christ and, thus,

are brothers and sisters. As a family, we help

each other and are given clear guidelines as to

how we should treat one another.

I was facing what I dreaded – my son, Josh, confessed to smoking and drinking with friends off-campus at Campion Academy. Josh made me

promise not to tell Don; however, I told him eventually he would have to tell his dad, Don. Thankfully, he didn’t say that I couldn’t tell his teachers, so

in the morning, when he returned to school, I called Dean Reeder and told him all that was going on. He prayed with me on the phone. I told him if

he needed to suspend Josh, then so be it. I just hoped they wouldn’t kick him out. Don Reeder,

along with the school chaplain and Stephanie Johnson, the school counselor, spent many

hours with Josh encouraging, praying and directing him.

It was these teachers, especially Stephanie Johnson, who brought Josh up out of the pit and

set him on a new path. They encouraged him and even gave him a position that would show-

case his talents for making people laugh – as one of the leaders in Friday night JAM improv

sessions. He also became the class historian and ended up with a great senior year. The skills

and friendships he developed with these teachers helped him when he went to Union College.

Today, Josh says that Stephanie Johnson was the most important, life-changing influence on

him in school.

Adventist Christian education couldn’t protect my child from tasting the world. But what it

did was offer a forgiving and restorative solution only found in Christ through faithful teachers and mentors. For this reason and many others, I have

supported and been involved with Adventist Christian education.

Today, my daughters are Adventist teachers and my son a top leader at camp where he shares his life-changing story. With four grandchildren

nearing school age, I plan on continuing to support Adventist Christian education by being involved and encouraging them every step of the way.

Yes, it may be expensive, but it’s worth every penny!

Abby, Cate, Davey, and Sebby with Grammy Sue Kanen, MeMbers at alaMosa adventist ChurCh

3

a focus on the Creator-God. Teachers show that

the same God who made the galaxies knows

and cares about the little things in life -- even

the hairs on our head (Luke 12:7). P.E. is much more

than throwing a ball and swinging a bat. It is

understanding that God gave us our bodies to

be the temple of God (I Corinthians 6:19) and it is

learning how to take care of it throughout life.

Believe me! I do understand that Adventist

schools are not perfect and teachers are human

beings. School boards sometimes don’t get

everything right. Occasionally, even students

and parents act in ways that are less than ideal.

Perhaps it’s time to revisit our purpose and

spend some time articulating our vision and

objective. Perhaps our schools need to make

sure that their biblical foundations are clearly

enunciated and embraced. I challenge our

excellent teachers to remember that although

there are many difficulties and hurdles to

overcome, they have the awesome privilege

of impacting young lives for eternity! In a

Seventh-day Adventist school, our children can

be brought face-to-face with Jesus Christ and

invited to accept Him as their personal Savior.

No, we don’t regret the monthly struggle

What Christian Education Means To Usby Denny and Jody WrightMembers at Boulder Adventist Church

When our daughter, Arie, was ready for kindergarten, Jody started looking for a school. Jody and I wanted a protected environment where Arie

would have a chance to be a kid and be able to take her time growing up. After taking a tour of our local public school, Jody decided that Arie would

be better off at a different school. Jody open enrolled Arie at other schools in the district and was on three different waiting lists. As the school year

approached, the open enrollment coordinator suggested she look at private schools.

Through a God inspired sequence of events, we were introduced to Vista Ridge Academy, a Seventh-day Adventist sponsored Christian school. I

had been raised Methodist and had fallen away from the church so I considered myself a tolerant atheist. Jody was raised RLDS and considered her-

self a non-practicing Christian. So the thought of Christian education was daunting. I knew I wanted Arie exposed to the Bible and that I wasn’t going

to be able to do it, so I figured this would be a good chance. Jody liked the principal and the fact that the new school was being built ten minutes

from our house. We both liked that it was less expensive than the other private schools around town.

So we enrolled Arie and soon realized that this was a God thing. We found a welcoming environment of parents, teachers and students. Arie came

home after school reciting memory verses. One of Arie’s babysitters, an older student at the school, was proudly displaying a t-shirt and backpack

with Jesus on it. It made me wonder what it was that she “knew” that I didn’t. We decided to attend the Boulder Adventist Church and were again

welcomed with open arms by both people from the school and people we had never met before.

The following summer, I was baptized and Jody joined the Adventist church on profession of faith. Once we joined the church, it has been even

more important to keep Arie in Christian education. We wanted to continue her Bible education and keep her in the positive environment. We real-

ized that we liked Arie’s behavior better than most of her peers that were not in Christian school. We have been very impressed with the academics.

Students who would probably be struggling in public schools are excelling due to the care and diligence of the teachers. Students who have been

problem students in other schools have come to Vista Ridge Academy and felt much more comfortable and haven’t acted out. We knew this was

where Arie needed to be. In a nutshell, Christian education has brought our family closer to Christ.

Question 3: Where am I going? From a “facts”

world view, I just don’t know. I can see that

the body decays at death and, eventually, just

disappears. I can’t prove that there is anything

more. So, when it’s over, it’s over. That’s all

there is. Using biblical “values,” especially with a

Seventh-day Adventist understanding, students

are taught that this is really just the beginning.

Yes, we will sleep for a little while, but then

when that “trumpet blows” (I Thessalonians 4:16),

we will wake up. We will join with our brothers,

sisters, and family, and we will be done with sad-

ness and heartache, with sickness and death and

forever we will live in peace and happiness (Isaiah

65:17). Everything falls into place when I under-

stand that the end is really just the beginning!

It is when we understand Adventist edu-

cation in light of these three questions that

we can understand its value. Seventh-day

Adventist teachers teach history. They help

students understand the big picture of good

versus evil and how the biblical perspective

has been confirmed in the history of nations

and peoples from the beginning. Math classes

are taught with an emphasis on equations and

logic, but also articulate that God created the

laws of nature and order. Science is taught with

to pay the tuition to Adventist schools for our

most important gifts from God – our three

children.

I want to encourage young families to com-

mit to providing an Adventist education for

their children. As a church, school, and family,

may we work together to provide every oppor-

tunity for our children to make good choices

in this life and for eternity. When those clouds

grow brighter and brighter and we see our

Savior coming to take us home, may we, with

our children, say “Lo, this is our God. We have

waited for Him…and He will save us.” (Isaiah 25:9).

1As given in a graduation speech by Gary Forceu

4

For the third year in a row, Kyle Cate, who

was a freshman at Campion Academy this past

year, participated in a symbolic prayer fly-over

in conjunction with hundreds of other pilots

across the nation. Cate, a student pilot, flew

over the Loveland area and then reported dur-

ing the prayer program for the Loveland area,

held at Group Publishing, a nationally known

Christian publishing house in Loveland.

Others from Campion Academy were also

involved in the program. The music was pro-

vided by a student praise team, led by Benjie

Maxson, campus chaplain; the student musi-

cians were Rena Sackett, Allie Chacko, Moses

Arevalo, Jonathan Manasco, Emily Franklin,

Deanna Morgan, and MacKenzie O’Halloran.

The prayer for the military was offered by Dick

Stenbakken, who teaches the freshman Bible

class.

The entire program was spearheaded by

Ruth Pearson, from the Campion Church, in

connection with other Loveland Protestant

churches and pastors. During the prayer time,

several attendees mentioned to Pastor Taylor,

from the Campion Church, how impressed they

were by the Campion students and the quality

of their music.

News in Brief

HANKINS HALL REMODEL NEARLY COMPLETE

The Hankins Hall remodel program should

be completed about the time school begins

in the fall. Hankins Hall is the oldest existing

building on the academy campus; Mimi Gregg

Danihel, ’63, thought it was time to bring it up

to date to offer more usefulness. She contrib-

uted the major portion of the funding for this

development. The installation of an elevator as

part of this project, which gives access to the

boys’ dorm and the third floor of Hankins Hall,

will make the campus handicapped accessible.

Education Department

National Day of PrayerCampion Students Participate by Ardis Stennbakken

Calendar of EventsAugust

22 Registration for 2010-2011

24 First Day of Classes

September

24-26 Alumni Homecoming

BELIZE MISSION TRIP

Fifty-one young people and adults from

Campion Academy and across the Rocky

Mountain Conference accomplished a great

deal toward completing the Adventist Junior

College building during their mission trip which

took place over spring break. The project was

begun seven years ago by Pastor Orlando

Magaña, who recently passed away. After his

death, his widow gave a nice donation to help

with the mission trip. As God would lead, it was

the exact amount needed to paint the academy

building, which the RMC students finished.

They also conducted school worships and a

Vacation Bible School, distributed 3000 Steps

to Christ and 500 pounds of shoes, and even

enjoyed two days of recreation.

ALUMNI WEEKEND

Jose Rojas, North American Division

Volunteer Coordinator and Youth leader, will be

our guest speaker Campion’s alumni weekend,

September 24-26.

Sabbath School will be led by Ted Wick, a

1955 Campion graduate, who has served as the

North American Director of Teen and Young

Adult Ministries and worked for ADRA as direc-

tor of the Office of Volunteers and Human

Relations. There will also be a report on the

Rocky Mountain Conference Belize mission trip

that you won’t want to miss!

CAMPION STUDENTS BEGIN COLLEGE

WHILE STILL IN ACADEMY

Campion students have the opportunity to

get a start on college requirements while still

in academy—giving them a financial and scho-

lastic advantage when they enroll in college.

Lindsay Woods, a senior, says that these classes

are helpful in two ways. “For some of the classes

you have to take the CLEP test to get the col-

lege credit; but even if you don’t take the CLEP,

the class will be easy when you get to college,

having learned the material in a smaller, friend-

ly atmosphere.”

The classes which were offered this past year

in the college-prep program were Music Theory,

a computer class, Anatomy and Physiology,

English (Advanced Placement), and one semes-

ter of Calculus. All of these classes will again be

offered during the 2010-2011 school year.

For more information, please visit to the

Campion website: www.campion.net.

5

Keiko Nagasawa Breese is an example of the “Teachers of Excellence” that minister to the young people in class-

rooms all across Rocky Mountain Conference. Keiko has spent 26 years teaching in Japan and the United States.

She has been a curriculum coordinator, coordinated teacher training, published English and phonics books for

Japanese students, held teacher seminars and workshops, and been a head teacher and school administrator. She

and her husband, Dennis, worked as a teaching team in our school in Farmington and are now in Fort Collins.

Keiko has expertise in math that she desires to share with others. She uses Japanese/Asian methods which

research has proven effective. This is borne out in the consistently-high math scores her students receive on the

Iowa Test of Basic Skills. They are above the highest scores of public school students and even well above scores

of most Adventist schools. Keiko uses many fun hands-on manipulatives such as origami to teach fractions,

geometry, addition, multiplication, division and measurement and an abacus as an aid in teaching multiplication

and division. She is working with the Education Department to help train our teachers so that they are better

equipped to raise the math scores of all students in RMC.

While Keiko’s dream is to publish resource books for math teachers, publish articles about math in professional journals and share her methods at

in-services and teacher workshops, she remains passionate about teaching grades 1-4 at Beebe Christian School. Keiko says, “Teaching is my life. I love

children and I truly believe that teaching can impact and make a difference in their lives.”

Rocky Mountain Conference is blessed to have many teachers like Keiko who are passionate about teaching children about this life and the life to

come. The impact they have on the lives of these students may only be seen in eternity. We are privileged in this conference to have quality Adventist

educators who are touching the lives of our children on a daily basis.

One of our Teachers of Excellence ...by Pat ChapmanAdministrative Assistant for Education

Rick Roy, Ordainedby Gary ThurberPresident, RMC

March 20, 2010, was a

very special day for the

Rocky Mountain Confer-

ence because our treasur-

er, Rick Roy, was ordained

at the Farmington Church.

What a blessing it is for a

conference to have some-

one who loves and serves

the Lord the way Rick does

as treasurer.

In our church, there are

many wonderful treasurers

who carry out their ministry

with great skill and thought-

fulness. Many of them,

however, would never be considered for ordination;

though they have the skills the conference needs

for financial leadership, they do not feel called to

a preaching and teaching ministry. Rick has been

given a special gift for communicating the Gospel

and has had the opportunity to see many people

come to the Lord as a result of his preaching and

work with our schools.

This special day was highlighted by an ordination

address by Elder Darrell Rott, who was Rick’s pastor

while serving at Hawaiian Adventist Academy. Blake

Jones, Gordon Herra, Eric Nelson, Karen Cress, Al Wil-

liams and Gary Thurber all had a part in this dedica-

tion service.

Many family members and friends were present

as we, as a church, recognized God’s calling in Rick’s

life. There can be no doubt but

that the Lord has used Rick in

a mighty way in the past and

will continue in the days to

come.

6

The Adventist hospitals in Colorado (Avista,

Littleton, Parker and Porter) will each sponsor

a medical mission trip to the Amazon basin of

Peru in 2010. A group from Porter Adventist

Hospital traveled to Iquitos, Peru in April. They

performed 60 cataract surgeries and treated

over 1,600 patients in primary health clinics

along the Amazon and Napo Rivers. These

efforts are done in partnership with Clinica

Adventista Ana Stahl, a mission hospital

established in 1926 by Adventist missionaries,

Fernando and Ana Stahl.

Damage to eyes from the hot equatorial sun

and river blindness have created a great need

for eye care in the Amazon region. Following

the example of Jesus healing the blind dur-

ing His ministry on earth, the Porter team was

able to restore sight to 60 patients during the

April trip. Needless to say,

these people, who

had no access

to eye care,

were

incred-

ibly

thankful

for their

renewed

vision.

Future hospital groups going to Peru in 2010

will include teams that specialize in general sur-

gery as well as GYN and

orthopedic surgery.

Two

Adventist

congrega-

tions have

also trav-

eled to Peru

in coop-

eration with

the Adventist

hospitals to provide

additional care. About

60 members of the Franktown and Parker

Adventist churches worked in the same area in

2009, and a group from LifeSource Adventist

Fellowship joined a medical team from Parker

Adventist Hospital in June. These partnerships

between Adventist churches and hospitals

are welcomed and create a more sustain-

able and multi-disciplinary approach

to missions.

In addition to the medical mis-

sion project in Peru, the Adventist

hospitals in Colorado are also helping

Adventist mission hospitals in Belize,

Nepal and Rwanda.

This past year has been one where our local

pastors in RMC have been unusually enthu-

siastic for evangelism. As we worked in the

Evangelism committee, there were far more

churches making plans and requesting funds

for evangelism in their communities. The com-

mittee was faced with the daunting task of

distributing funds to each request. However,

the churches were requesting four times more

funds than were available. Needless to say, not

all of them were given what they requested.

In the past few years we have heard reports

from pastors that mailing out handbills

was not very effective in drawing an

audience. The usual results were

somewhere near one person

attending for each 2000 handbills

sent out. It just did not seem to

be very effective. But this year

has shattered many preconceived

ideas about evangelism and hand-

bills. In Casper, WY, Pastor Weldon

Treat informed us that, “eighty percent

of the people who came, attended because

of the handbill.” Very similar results were experi-

enced in Cheyenne, Delta and Cedaredge.

Elder Gordon Henderson wrote the follow-

ing reflection regarding the Amazing Facts

Camping Ministries

Adventist Hospitals and Mission Peru by Stephen KingSenior Vice President for Mission and MinistryCentura Health

Evangelism is Alive and Well in RMC!by Eric NelsonVice President for Administration, RMC

7

Series held in Casper. “It has been thrilling to

see how God has been working through His

church here in Casper during these past few

months. The church has been praying for the

outpouring of the Holy Spirit for the past year

and has seen the Lord moving in a marvel-

ous way. The church members realize that we

must be doing our part as well, so we have

held various events in preparation, such as the

Financial Peace Seminar, The Radical Prayer

Initiative, The Depression Recovery Seminar,

The Family Promise community outreach and

the Discover Bible School. The final culmination

was the Amazing Facts Prophecy Seminar with

Evangelist, Jason Sliger and his wife, along with

Bible Worker, Brandon Schorder. At the conclu-

sion of these dynamic presentations, God has

blessed with 18 baptisms and more to come.

Also this was a very wonderful revival for the

entire church, with others renewing their walk

with God, and former members coming back

into fellowship who had not been attending

for some time. We praise our God for all He has

done with His people here in our community.”

Since the conclusion of the meetings three

more baptisms have taken place.

Pastor Seth Coridan involved his elders in

evangelistic meetings in both in Delta and

Cedaredge. Pastor Coridan preached one night

a week in each church with the elders cover-

ing the other night. What a blessing it was to

involve the members in presenting the mes-

sages. As a result of the meetings, Delta has

had four decisions for baptism and Cedaredge

has had five decisions.

This is just a sampling of the results of evan-

gelism within Rocky Mountain Conference. God

has certainly blessed the efforts and work of

the pastors and churches. And we are thrilled

that there has been such a wonderful interest

and response.

Recently, I had the privilege to attend the

funeral for Lois Haas. I did not know her person-

ally, but what a beautiful life she lived; and the

testimony from her children and grandchil-

dren told the story of a life well lived. After the

service, I spoke briefly with her husband, Harry

Haas. What a beautiful faith he possessed in the

promise of Jesus’ soon return. Even through his

loss, his hope and assurance were a witness to

us all.

As I talked with him, I learned he had been

the treasurer of the Rocky Mountain Conference

for a number of years. He shared something

with me that caused me to do some thinking.

He said, “I was the treasurer here during the

‘glory’ years.“ He talked about the growth of the

conference, both numerically and financially.

Later, I learned of some of the capital projects

that were accomplished during his tenure here.

God truly blessed his ministry.

Then later I thought to myself, what would

it take for us to experience another period like

the one Elder Haas described? What would our

conference look like? In my mind’s eye, I see

churches that, as Paul put it in Ephesians 4:31,

32, have gotten “rid of all bitterness, rage, anger,

harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of

evil behavior. “ Instead, we will be “kind to each

other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another,

just as God through Christ has forgiven, “ all of

us. I see churches that are experiencing a true

revival as a result of the study of God’s Word

and earnest praying for the outpouring of the

Holy Spirit. I see churches that are serving their

communities and constantly thinking of new

and creative ways to share the Three Angels

Messages. I see us as a people focusing on the

treasures of heaven and taking our eyes off of

the things of this world.

The list could continue of what it would

mean to be united together in our work for the

Savior. What is stopping us? What is standing

in our way? It is truly a matter of the heart, isn’t

it? Each of us personally must go to Jesus and

ask Him to create in us a new heart like His. And

once that has taken place, our love for one an-

other, our heaven-oriented priorities, our desire

to serve God and others will be what makes our

hearts beat.

At the Western Slope Camp Meeting, I had

the privilege of listening to Elder Jim Nix from

the White Estate talk about our early pioneers.

What a thrill it was for me to hear anew what

the Lord accomplished through Ellen White and

her other teenage friends. Those young people

were earnest prayer warriors and Bible students.

I am writing this note from Atlanta, Georgia,

where I am attending the 59th General Confer-

ence Session. Did you know when our church

organized in the 1860’s, there was one Adven-

tist for every 330,000 people. Today, there is

one Adventist for every 449 people world wide.

The last weekend of this Session, there will be

70,000 Adventists from all around the world

in the Georgia Dome. Every Sabbath, there are

some 25 to 30 million people attending our

churches globally. I invite you to dream “big”

with me. Let’s pray for God to do things in the

Rocky Mountain Conference that we can only

begin to wrap our minds around. It is all up to

you and me to put our hands in His and trust

fully in Him.

By the way, since this Ses-

sion is just winding down

as this newsletter goes

to print, we’ll give

more informa-

tion on the GC

Session in

Atlanta in

our Fall

issue.

I Have a Dream ...by Gary ThurberPresident, RMC

continued from page 6: Evangelism

8

As a young boy, everyone who knew me

thought of me as a good kid. In fact all my

friends used to call me “Bible Boy,” “Church Boy”

and “Mr. Obeyful.” However, as I grew older, I

started using drugs and drinking hard liquor.

One day, at a party, I met Angelica. We began

dating and partying together all the time –

ultimately getting pregnant with our first son,

Felipe Nathan Cordova. We were happy, had

our own place, and were on top of our bills –

things seemed to be just perfect.

That’s when I began using drugs more often.

I guess I felt that I deserved to be able to spend

a little extra cash on my habit, so I snuck behind

my girlfriend’s back. She was suspicious at

times, but I always had a good lie for whatever

she suspected, until one day when my neigh-

bor asked if I could get him some “smothered

fries from my family’s restaurant.” I said, “Yes, of

course,” just so I could use it as an excuse to get

some crack cocaine for myself.

When we arrived home, my drug dealer was

there ready to play his role as “just a friend visit-

ing,” except Angelica saw us exchanging money

for drugs. We began to argue and one thing

led to another. In all the commotion, I fell into

a knife Angelica was holding because she was

afraid I was going to hit her.

After three days in a coma in ICU and major

surgery, I was moved to the recovery floor

where a tall man came to visit me saying he

was the D.A. for Denver County and wanted to

know what happened the day I was stabbed.

Amazingly enough, I told the same lie Angelica

told – that she was in the kitchen cutting

oranges when I tripped into the knife. Problem

was she said “potatoes.”

When I was released from the hospital and

Angelica from jail, we made up

and returned home. I smoked

marijuana while recovering, but I

didn’t touch the other stuff – for

awhile. One day I was looking

through our drawers and found

the crack I bought the day I was

stabbed, and soon found myself

back to my old habits.

Following the birth of our

second son, Ivan Cruz Cordova,

Angelica joined me in my habits

and we partied harder and drank

more. My mom would watch

Nathan, but not Ivan, so he had

to tag along with his messed up

parents.

One fateful day, as Angelica

left a party, she totaled her car

with Ivan’s car seat flipping

over. Though he was unharmed,

Angelica felt so guilty that she

asked her drug and alcohol coun-

selor to put her on antibuse. She explained

what had happened resulting in social services

taking our two boys from us.

We both started using crack everyday and

lost everything – our house, cars, even our

clothes. We stole from every store possible and

got away with it until one day we went with my

cousin to Safeway, and walked out of the store

with around $500.00 worth of merchandize.

Cops were looking all over for us.

About this time, Angelica would hear a voice

when she was high that would say things in my

voice. It would tell her things like “She’s wearing

a red dress” and out of nowhere a girl with a red

dress would walk by.

One day she kept telling the voice to leave

her alone, so I yelled out, “Leave her alone

already!” To my surprise a very deep growling

voice swore at me as my heart dropped to the

bottom of my stomach. A couple of days later

she heard the voice again saying, “TONIGHT!”

That night we were arrested for the theft from a

previous night. Though Angelica

was released, I remained in jail.

After one last “high” and arrest,

Angelica stayed off drugs and

found a job in an assisted living

home. I was on my own mission

to find Christ and I thank the Lord

that’s exactly what happened. I

fought with demons and angels

until the angels finally won. When

I was finally released, we looked

for a church. All the churches

we went to would either ignore

us or judge us, until the day we

found The Edge Adventist Worship

Center and felt right at home. All

the people were so nice and treat-

ed us like equals. Pastor Roberto

Coronado started giving us Bible

studies and before long, he was

dedicating our children to the

Lord, married us and baptized us.

The next blessing was the best

blessing ever. The State of Colorado gave us full

custody of our boys with the addition of a third

little one named Raymond Alejandro Cordova.

Recently, Angelica completed her Medical

Assistance Certificate with straight A’s. Both

of us are actively serving our church as a new

chapter has begun and we look forward to the

end of our story – eternal salvation.

This is my Storyby Felipe Cordova (and Angelica)Members of The Edge Worship Center

A Story of Change

9

Personally speaking, General Conference

Sessions are all about people. Yes, it is interest-

ing to see all the Adventist world represented,

to hear their perspectives reflected in the

dialogue over Church Manual issues, to hear

the reports of growth and challenges from the

divisions, and to hear the murmurs of many lan-

guages as we all meet together. But it is a great

privilege for me to be able to meet longtime

friends that

I may not

have seen

for many

years. One

such event

stands out

in my mind

from this Session.

While attending

Andrews University

Seminary in 1979,

my wife, Jerene, and

I had the unique

experience to vol-

unteer for a short time in a refugee camp in

Thailand. Jerene, a nurse, and I served in a

hospital ward aiding those who

had fled from the Cambodian

“killing fields” into neighboring

Thailand. During Cambodia’s

political unrest, anyone that was

considered to be influenced by

Western culture and education

was executed by the regime

in power. Thousands who had

learned to read and write, or

even wore glasses, who were

educated, who were intellectual leaders were

killed by this communist regime.

The hospital ward was attached to the refu-

gee camp of 120,000 people. As we served in

the hospital ward, there always seemed to be

family members visiting and especially many

children around. To distract and entertain the

children, I often took time to play with the chil-

dren on the swings built beside our ward, or to

make kites with them.

One day a woman came to our hospital

ward. She said, “My name is Rayonne. I am an

Adventist from Phnom Penh” (the capital of

Cambodia). Up to that time, she was the only

surviving Adventist to have lived through the

war and escaped to Thailand. She had attended

the English language school and thus would be

considered a “danger” to the regime in power.

I asked her if she was alone. She said, “Just me

and the Lord.” And then she asked me if I could

obtain a Bible for her. She had not been

allowed to keep one. I immediately

gave her my English Bible and later

exchanged it for one in her native lan-

guage.

During the next few days, my wife

and I did all we could to assist her.

Within a

short time,

she settled

into the

refugee

camp and

we returned

to the

Seminary.

Upon

returning to

school, we

met a fellow seminarian, Gary

Wagner, who had known

her at the English Language

Reflections on a General Conference Session It’s all about people!by Eric NelsonVice President for Administration, RMC

1974 as student at English Language School in Cambodia

1979 at Refugee Camp Hospital

2010 GC Session in Atlanta

school in Cambodia. He was overjoyed to know

that she had lived through the war.

At this General Conference Session, I met

Pastor Gary on the first night I arrived. He

immediately told me that Rayonne had immi-

grated to America and was living in Atlanta. He

informed me that he was trying to arrange an

opportunity for us to meet again.

On Wednesday, June 30, we waited impa-

tiently at the Hope Channel booth in the exhib-

it hall for the chance to meet someone we had

known only for a few days and had not seen

for over 30 years. Would we recognize each

other? Indeed, we all recognized each other!

And what a happy reunion it was! Rayonne was

just as spunky as she had been when we met

her the first time. As we visited and recalled

our meeting, she told of the fear that she had

of approaching me. She remembered that I

had been making kites with the children. She

told how she was so frightened to ask me for a

Bible. In her culture one never asks a stranger

for something. She also recalled in detail some

of the harrowing experiences of her escape

through the jungles. She expected to die at any

moment. But God had spared her life.

Many important things happen at a General

Conference Session – leaders are elected, poli-

cies are established. But the most moving expe-

riences are those of meeting people that you

have not seen for many years. I think it gives

us just a small hint of what heaven will be like.

What a wonderful reunion that will be!

NOTE: Our next news-

letter will have more

information about

this summer’s

General Confer-

ence Session

in Atlanta,

Georgia.

10

God’s Blessing?by Jim MoonPastor of Alamosa and Monte Vistaand RMC Prayer Coordinator

I woke early one Sunday morning to pre-

pare for my departure for the North American

Division Prayer Conference. That morning I

offered up a simple prayer to God: “Lord, put

me beside the people on the plane you would

have me to sit next to.”

On the first leg of my trip, after sleeping for

a bit, I visited with Jim Smith, an associate pas-

tor at First Presbyterian Church in Colorado

Springs. One of Jim’s passions is spiritual forma-

tion and I was impressed with my need to get

away and pray; to spend time in silence and

solitude. But there was yet another lesson God

wanted to teach me. A lesson that would take a

month to learn. A lesson which I think will prob-

ably take a lifetime to learn. This past month

has just been the introduction.

It is a lesson I learned from David. I sat next

to David on one leg of my trip. David is a physi-

cian and businessman. His company services

urgent care clinics with software support and

other solutions. As he shared with me a bit

of his story, growing up a missionary kid, the

growth of his business, and his own mission-

ary efforts to help physicians in third-world

countries, I was blessed. The thought came

to me that I should tell him about our strug-

gling church school. However, I hate asking for

money! And I didn’t know if the thought was

Departmental News

me or the Holy Spirit, so I just pushed it out of

my mind. And yet, I found myself saying, “I’d

just like to be friends with this guy.” So, when I

got an invitation from him on Facebook, I felt

like it was an answer to an unspoken prayer.

Fast forward three weeks or so. It was a

Tuesday evening and we were meeting with

our operating committee for Sunshine Christian

School. Our board chairman, Tim Pellandini

started the meeting with a thought from

the book Influencer: The Power to Change

Anything. The basic point was that we don’t

effect change by giving people more facts or

data, but by sharing a compelling story because

story disarms. It inspires. It infuses hope. And I

thought to myself: “Our school and our church

need a story from God.” We even prayed for it at

the end of our meeting. “God, give us a story!”

He was about to do it.

A few days later, the words of 2 Corinthians

8 spoke to my heart. Basically, what Paul is

saying is: “Listen you Corinthian believers, the

Macedonians have given out of their poverty

like the widow who gave her two copper coins.

So it’s time to test your sincerity and faith. Time

for you to give.”

As I reflected on this thought, I was reminded

of a commitment I had made to our school

operating committee. Our treasurer, Don

Kanen, had told us that we were facing a finan-

cial crunch – our reserves were almost depleted

and our worthy student fund was almost used

up. The only reason we were making it was

because of the fund raising efforts that his wife,

Sue, had spearheaded. He even

asked: “Has anyone from this

school board sent out letters

to help raise funds?” I hadn’t.

Right then I committed to

sending out letters. After

reading 2 Corinthians 8, I was

like: “Okay God! I get it.”

About the time I had finished my morning

time with God, my wife came into the study

and said: “Tiffany just called and asked if I could

go walking with her. Is that okay?”

Though I had other plans, I agreed. “But

hurry. I have to get that dry wall sanded.”

Honestly, I had just wanted to leave my

prayer as a prayer. But now the thought

came, “Guess I’ll write one of those letters for

the church school.” And, of course, the person I

just couldn’t get off my mind was David.

Because writing just wasn’t working, I decid-

ed to call. When his receptionist answered, I

explained that I had been on a flight with David

and asked if I could speak to him. “Let me see

if he’s available. Oh, he’s already in a training.

May I take a message or put you through to his

voice mail?”

As I was stumbling around, she interrupted.

“Hey, David just stepped out of his meeting. Let

me see if he can visit with you.”

“Jim!!!” David’s voice rang out. Like I was a

long lost friend. “How are you doing?”

“Well, I’m a little nervous.”

“Nervous?” he asked. “What’s going on.”

“Well, ever since we talked on the plane, I

haven’t been able to shake this. And I don’t

know if it was God speaking or just me. But I

felt like I should ask you if you wanted to sup-

port our little church school, yet, I don’t even

like asking my church members to give.”

“Why?” he asked. “Do you want to rob them

of a blessing?” Those words hit hard. Why would

I want to rob my church of the blessing of giv-

ing?

“Uhmm, I don’t know.” I said. “Listen,

I know you’re in a meeting. Is there

a time when you would have 15

minutes and I could tell you about

our school and about my friend,

Jeff, who died of cancer?” I didn’t

just want to ask for money. I was

stumbling over myself.

After reading 2 Corinthians 8, I was like, “Okay God! I get it!!”

11

“You know. I just got back from vacation.

I’m swamped and don’t have a lot of time. Just

shoot! What’s going on?”

“Well, we’ve got this little

church school, Sunshine

Christian. We’ve burned

through our reserves and

we’re not sure if we’ll be able

to open our doors next year.”

I was struggling.

“How about if I send you

$1,000. You’re a good guy and you’re serving

in an impoverished area. Just tell me where to

send it.”

I was dumbfounded! I hung up the phone

and wept. God is so incredibly good! But that’s

not the end of the story.

At the prayer conference, Derek Morris led

us in a House of Prayer experience on opening

night. He didn’t preach, he didn’t talk about

prayer, he didn’t tell us how important prayer

was, he just led us in prayer. He shared testimo-

nies from his own church about how God was

changing lives as his people

prayed.

Alamosa had already begun

a House of Prayer. Our second

House of Prayer occurred the

night before I talked with

David. During the House of

Prayer, we lifted up our church

school. I told those gathered

that we were going to pray our requests, not

talk about them. Then I asked that one person

affirm each prayer before anyone else prayed.

The next morning was when I spoke with

David. As soon as the phone would allow, I

called Don, and his wife, Sue, to share the story.

Don was ecstatic! Together, we prayed a prayer

of thanksgiving.

Moments later I found myself on the phone

with Don once again. With tears in his voice he

said, “Jim, we prayed over this last night, and

God answered this morning! Isn’t He amazing?” 

Because I don’t want to rob you of His bless-

ing, I’d like to invite you to give. Give to a local

church school, or other ministry you are sup-

porting. Give to your local ministry. Give to

mission. But whatever you do, GIVE! As Jesus

said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”

Don’t be robbed of the blessing of giving!

More than that, PRAY! Get a group of friends

together. Start attending a local prayer meet-

ing, a prayer meeting where God’s people pray.

If there isn’t one, start one. Let your prayer

meeting be a place where you don’t just talk

about prayer, or tell of prayers answered in the

distant past. But let it be a place where you cry

out to God in the present moment. A House of

Prayer!

Why would you want to rob your church of the blessing of giving?

Each summer, Rocky Mountain Conference

provides Sabbath worship services at Yellow-

stone Park. The past few years, both the Mid-

America Union and our hospitals have shared in

the coverage. The first worship service of 2010

at Yellowstone was a significant connection for

one particular man. He showed up just because

he saw the sign posted at Old Faithful Lodge.

He had no intention of staying for the service;

in fact, he left after some “who do you know

that I know?” Adventist small talk. Fortunately,

he returned and stayed, and ultimately took the

opportunity to seek pastoral care on personal

issues.

He would probably be considered a back-

slider by some. His wife, who never had any

use for Adventists, died of alcohol poisoning a

few months ago shortly after being treated at

the Betty Ford clinic. Their daughter is now in

alcohol rehab, and he’s greatly concerned that

Yellowstone by Glenn SackettChaplain, Porter Adventist Hospital

she won’t fare much better. Because I’ve had the

opportunity to work in addiction recovery for

many years, we had a significant conversation

about what he can and cannot do to help her.

Now here’s the best part of the story: Even

though he grew up Adventist and has a

brother who’s an Adventist pastor, he’s really a

“hadventist,” one who “had” Adventism in an

earlier era when it was all about behavior. His

greatest hope was that he was “good enough”

to escape being lost, honest enough in his

business dealings and cautious enough to avoid

personal relational flaws to be on God’s good

side. Clearly he had not encountered “grace” in

a way that let him trust in Christ’s saving work.

So I had the privilege of sharing the gospel with

him, helping him see that it’s God’s love, mercy

and grace, and Christ’s goodness that open the

door to salvation. Whatever good we can do is

our thanks and the evidence of God’s work in

our lives. Before we finished, we prayed for his

daughter’s recovery and for their relationship.

He was clearly moved by the whole experience;

one he didn’t wake up that morning in Yellow-

stone expecting at all.

I’d say the trip was worth it just for that one

encounter.

12

Michelle Caviness, teacher, Montrose, CO

I have been working with young people all of my life. I am the oldest of seven children and have

four children of my own. In addition, I have taught at schools, summer camps, Sabbath Schools,

Bible studies, clinics all over America, plus owned a gymnastic business with over 600 clients. I have

a passion for sharing Jesus with young people and educating them for eternity.

Because so many great teachers and mentors have impacted my life, I want to “pay it forward.”

Not only do I want to be a teacher who will encourage my pupils in their life journeys, but I also

want to give them tools to make that journey with confidence, love and with the guidance of their

heavenly Father. My family and I enjoy camping, hiking, biking and spending time with

family and friends, and we’re thrilled to be moving to Colorado.

Michael Hopkins, Mills Springs Ranch, Casper WY

My wife, Alicia, and I (not to mention our dog, Bravo) are so excited about Camp Ministries! We

both have camp experiences that we treasure in our lives. I was raised in the camp environment

through my parent’s ministry. Alicia was blessed to be a camper at a number of Adventist camps.

We want to partner with God in the work He is doing and we believe that Mills Spring Ranch offers

the facility and environment where people can meet God in a real and tangible way! 

Debbie Curran, teacher, Worland, WY

(with husband, Ed) I was born and raised in

Michigan, and have always had a love for teaching and chil-

dren. My husband, Ed, and I have always wanted to live out west,

and felt God calling us to Worland Adventist Christian school. We have

two children in college – Jessica and Benjamin. We are excited to serve the Lord in

Wyoming and look forward to working there.

New Employees

Ruben Rivera, Pastor, Denver South Hispanic and Hispanic Coordinator

Pastor Ruben Rivera was born in Mexico City.  Ruben met his wife, Patti, at the University of

Montemorelos where he recieved his BA in Theology.  He has served as a Pastor in the Mexican

Central, Minnesota, Michigan, Georgia-Cumberland, and Rocky Mountain Conferences.  He also

became the Hispanic Ministries Coordinator of the Minnesota and Michigan Conferences.  He

earned his MA in Theology, MA in Pastoral Ministry, and Doctor of Ministry from Andrews Uni-

versity.  The main goal of pastor Rivera is to provide quality service and develop excellence in his

ministry to better serve Jesus Christ and God's Church.  The couple has three daughters: Evelyn,

Vanessa and Joanna. 

13

Rene Lopez, Pastor, Sterling, Ft. Morgan, Akron and Yuma

(with wife, Jessika, and daughters, Jessika, Celina, and Daniella). I came to America to pastor in the

Potomac Conference, then went to Andrews for my Master’s degree. While at Andrews, I was called

to the Rocky Mountain Conference.

God has blessed me in ways I cannot describe.  One major blessing is my wife, Jessika, because

she is my right hand, she keeps on the right path. Jessika and I are humbled by the opportunity

to serve the Eastern Colorado district.  It is our prayer that when our Master returns, He will find a

growing, vibrant church awaiting His return. 

We pray that God will continue to guide His church and our beautiful conference.

Kate Kamarad, Teacher, Cheyenne, WY

(with daughters, Madison and Delanie) Finding a passion makes life fun to live. For as long as I can

remember working with children just made sense. Whether it was teaching Sabbath School classes,

Vacation Bible School, or hanging out with our teens, my enthusiasm has been geared to the young

people! They are easy to love and have such innocence; I can’t help but enjoy my time with them.

After graduating from the University of Wyoming this last year with my teaching degree, God

opened doors for me to live this passion every day. Not only do I get to spend time with little ones I

have been given this opportunity to do so in the same conference where I grew up.

Cesar Pompa, Pastor, Glenwood Springs, Olathe and Rifle Hispanic Churches

(with wife, Indira, and sons, Cesar Jr. and Oscar) I was born in the city of Leon, and the state of Gua-

najuato, Mexico. I accepted the Adventist oath at the age of 13 years. I was motivated and influenced

to serve our Lord Jesus Christ through the example of my father as he gave Bible Studies. It was also

exciting to see the extreme change in people when they gave their lives to Jesus. 

Before I was married, I served as an Associate Pastor in the District of Mexico. After completing my

Master’s Degree in Family Relations, I married Indira Banessa Cardenas, originally from Colorado. We

have served in Mexico and the United States and we are excited to be a part of the pastor team here

because it gives us the opportunity to minister, preach and work with people.

Clint Sutton, Principal/Teacher, Colorado Springs, CO

I am about to begin my 17th consecutive year as a teacher in Adventist education, I have been a

head teacher or principal for all but three of those years. I hav nine pets, including five

horses, a dog, and three cats. One of the cats is 21 years old. My wife, Heidi,

and I have lived in California, Indiana, Washington, Oregon, Virginia, Michi-

gan and North Carolina. We love to travel and once slept overnight in

the Garden of Gethsemane after windsurfing on the Sea of Galilee. I

also love cooking, gardening, hiking, Shakespeare and is am an avid

player and viewer of most sports.

My desire is to create a modern School of the Prophets at

Springs Adventist Academy where students learn about Jesus,

learn how to share Him, and then return to their families and

neighborhoods to model Christ’s character.

14

When my daughter was a senior at Campion

Academy, she was stricken with the sudden

urge to take up camping. We had not done a

lot of camping, but she became fascinated with

the idea. Realizing that her time living at home

was very short, I began shopping for a suitable

RV trailer so that we could spend some time

together.

Somewhere in that time frame, I heard an

appeal for a mission project that really struck

home to me. I realized that a gift of $1,000

would make a real difference to the effort. Soon

it grew to more than a realization; it became a

conviction. I tried to reason my way out of this

sacrificial donation, but the conviction would

not go away. On Friday I wrote the check for

$1,000.

The next Friday I attended an auction, and

found just the perfect RV trailer for our camp-

ing needs. As I looked it over, I calculated that a

very good deal would be to pay $3,000 for the

unit. “Wow,” I thought, “wouldn’t it be great if I

could get this for only $3,000! But it will prob-

ably go for much higher than that.”

Soon the bidding began, and it started much

lower than I expected. As I looked around,

only a few others were bidding. Imagine my

surprise when I was the highest bidder at only

$1,800! There were fees to pay, so my final cost

was right at $1,000 less than what I thought

was a “good deal.” As I turned to go pay for my

new RV, the thought hit me that God had just

refunded to me the exact amount that I had

given just a week before!

It is always true that we can

never out-give God. Praise

God from whom all

blessings flow!

God’s Blessing?RMC Stewardship

Jim Turner, Associate Treasurer for RMC, offi-

cially retired in June. For forty-four years Jim

has served the denomination faithfully. His first

position was in 1966 at Cedar Lake Academy

as a teacher. He felt at that time he was right

where God wanted him. However, he received

a letter from the United States inviting him

to serve in the military in 1968. As Jim says, “I

questioned what God had in mind.” He was sta-

tioned in Japan during his military service and

was honorably discharged in 1970.

Jim began looking for a position in one of

the denominational academies. At one point

in his early childhood, his family had lived in

Cedaredge, Colorado. So, when he became

aware of an opening at Campion Academy, he

applied and was hired as an accountant and

bookkeeper. Jim said that he always wanted

to return to Colorado to live. His wife, Shirley,

was given a position as assistant girls dean. The

Turners served at Campion until 1990 when

Jim accepted a position at the Rocky Mountain

Conference office as assistant treasurer.

Friends and fellow workers describe Jim as

hard-working, dependable, rock solid, very

meticulous, a dedicated employee and always

doing his job to the best of his ability. Other

qualities also mentioned include, “a real Chris-

tian gentleman,” “one who never spoke nega-

tively about anyone.”

Jim’s daughter, Lorinda, recalled that her

Dad’s nick-name was “Mr. Tight Wad Turner.” A

faculty member complained that they needed

paint and carpet for their home. But they were

upset with Mr. Turner because he would not

give them the funds. However, by the end of

the year, that same faculty member said that

they respected Jim because he treated every-

one the same. His daughter added, “and, yes,

we had the same carpet all 20 years we were at

Campion.”

At his retirement dinner, Jim said, “I’ve read

that when a person looks back over their life

and sees God’s leading every step of the way,

that they will say that they would not have

changed anything. The Lord has led. That is

certainly the case for me. I would not change

anything.”

The Turners intend to remain in Colorado

where their family and friends live.

44-years of ServiceJim Turner Retires, Part A

By Eric NelsonVice President for Administration, RMC

15

Though Jim Turner has “retired,” we are very

happy that he has agreed to continue to audit

the accounting ledgers for our schools and

churches. This will, of course, require a different

process in how those audits are done com-

pared to the past.

AuditingJim Turner Retires, Part B

Conference Advance

As the economy continues to struggle in the

United States, it also continues to impact fund-

ing in the church. One of the offerings that has

been decliningas a result is Rocky Mountain

Advance. This is an offering that benefits a vari-

ety of ministries throughout our conference.

The funds you give go directly to the following

ministries. Here is the breakdown:

Evangelism 40%

Academy Operating 25%

Building & Expansion Fund 10%

Summer Camp 10%

Glacier View Ranch 8%

La Vida Mission 5%

Mills Spring Ranch 2%

Each area is probably self-explanatory, except

the Building & Expansion Fund. These mon-

ies are set aside for churches and schools that

want to expand, add to, or build new facilities.

A formula is used to determine the amount

given to approved projects, with no more than

$45,000 given per project. These funds are

only built up with this specific offering and are

only dispersed when the conference has all the

funds for a particular project. Considering the

offerings that have come in to date, at this time

some of the organizations that have already

completed their project and are using the facili-

ties will not receive the funds from the confer-

ence until 2018. This somewhat ruins the whole

point of the gift, which is to help local areas

fund projects.

As you give, please consider supporting Con-

ference Advance as a “sisterhood of churches,”

banded together for the purpose of fulfilling

the mission Jesus gave us – to go and make

disciples!

Giving: Online vs. Credit Card

One of the new processes that some church-

es across the nation are taking advantage of is

Online Adventist Giving. This allows members

to return their tithe and offerings electronically

by credit card or electronic check. This process

has grown substantially over the past couple of

years. Almost 10% of all tithe in North America

is now received electronically.

With this ability, however, there is also a cost.

If a credit card is used, the cost is approximately

1.1% of the total amount given. That means

that if $200.00 is given there are fees of $2.20

for the transaction. This cost is covered by the

conference, union and division. However, if

tithe is returned by electronic check, the cost is

.18 cents per transaction.

Last quarter, RMC had 416 transactions elec-

tronically. The average transaction was $523.00.

That would be $5.75 per transaction times 416.

However, only about half of the transactions

are credit card so the associated cost is approxi-

mately $5.75 times $208 which is $1,196.00. If

we could get everyone to use electronic checks,

that cost would reduce to $37.44 for a savings

of $1,158.56.

This may not be convenient for everyone

who may be using a credit card now, but the

conference would like to begin to ask those

who enjoy the convenience of online giving to

consider using the electronic check and move

in that direction over the next several months.

It would help considerably with the cost side of

this process.

Rick Roy, Vice President for Finance

Jim will contact the church or school that he

will be auditing and ask them to send through

the mail, UPS or Federal Express their account-

ing records to an address he will provide.

The cost of shipping the documents will be

billed to the Conference, not the local church or

school. The audit will cover a two-year period

ending December 30th of the previous year.

This way, should information be lost in transit,

it will not affect the current year’s accounting

or any information that is needed for donor

receipts for tax purposes. Once the audit is

complete, Jim will ship the material back to

whatever location the church would like to

have the information sent.

If you have any questions please feel free to

contact Rick Roy at the RMC Office.

R O C K Y M O U N T A I NC O N F E R E N C E

2 5 2 0 S D o w n i n g S t r e e tD e n v e r , C O 8 0 2 1 0

Upcoming Events in RMCAugust, 20102-3 Teachers’ Convention at LifeSource Fellowship4-7 ASI International Convention in Orlando, FL5-8 Pathfinder Camporee (GVR)8-11 Family Pastors’ Meetings (GVR)17 GVR Board (9:30am RMC Office)18 Property & Trust Board (9:30am RMC Office)22 Campion Academy Registration25-27 ACS Disaster Response Training (RMC Office)

September, 20103-6 Hispanic Camp Meeting (GVR)6 Labor Day – RMC Office Closed10-12 Women’s Retreat (Glen Eyrie Conference Ctr)11-12 Vista Ridge Academy Alumni Weekend17-19 Men’s Advance (Camp Redcloud)17-19 Pathfinder/Adventurer Leadership (GVR)

1 . 8 0 0 . 2 5 4 . 9 6 8 7 + W W W. R M C S D A . O R G

20 Campion Board (9am Campion)21 K-12 Board (9:00am RMC Office)23-25 Campion Alumni Weekend28 RMC Finance Committee (8:00am RMC Office)28 RMC Executive Committee (9:30am RMC Office)

October, 20101-3 Bible Worker Training (GVR)3-7 Nonprofit Leadership, Level 2 (Denver South Church)17 Wyoming Taskforce (Casper Church)19 GVR Board (9:30am RMC Office)20 Property & Trust Board (9:30am RMC Office)22-24 Adventurer/Pathfinder Council (GVR)

For more information on any of these events, please check the calendar on our website at www.rmcsda.org/calendar.