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By Nathaniel Gamble
Two basic questions confront church members in the United States this election season: should I vote and, if the answer to the first question is yes, how should I vote? Given the current acrimonious relationship between our two major political parties and the fallout from it that tends to show up at the dinner table, the office break room, and even the church pew, it can feel overwhelming to figure out who and what to vote for–and even why, or if, you should vote at all! It would be foolish to pretend that we are not living through a difficult social and political time, which is why answering these questions is so important.
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Ana Segawa — Loveland, Colorado … For the first time in three years, Campion’s volleyball and soccer teams went to Union College to compete at the Fall Tournament.
Both teams returned on Sunday from three days of friendly competition, where Campion and 16 other Adventist schools from all over the United States were brought together.
Colton Herber, senior and captain of the soccer team, commented: “I looked forward to this tournament a lot, and being able to finally go is something I’ll remember. Being a senior and a captain put me into a different mindset than previous years, especially after not going the last two years due to COVID. I really wanted to play my hardest and help put my team in the best situation possible.”
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Shayne Mason Vincent – Casper, Wyoming … Every year, when autumn brings us its changing leaves and crisp morning air, the Casper church social committee, in coordination with Mills Spring Ranch (MSR), puts together a community hayride in the mountains at MSR.
Through advertising on social media and the budding reputation of MSR in the Casper area this year, the September 24 event brought in more than 600 community visitors. MSR provided burgers and hotdogs and church members provided side dishes, as well as trucks, and volunteers.
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Vanessa Alarcón – Eire, Colorado … Under the theme, “Renewed in Christ,” more than 120 women met for the annual Hispanic Women’s Ministries gathering at Vista Ridge Academy on October 1. Several presenters participated in the gathering, including the keynote speaker, Pastor Ruth Rivera, Lieutenant Junior Grade and Chaplain for the US Navy.
Pastor Rivera gave two presentations focused on the freedom we have in Christ. Her mother, Social Worker Miriam Rivera, presented a workshop on building resilience through connection with others. The gathering included personal testimonies by participants on how they personally were renewed in Christ through their challenges. Dr. Ryan Turnewitsch, Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine, presented seven steps for healthy aging.
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Joel Reyes – Grand Junction, Colorado … Excited and looking forward to the story they will hear and the new songs they will learn, they cross the large field between Little Lambs Learning Center and Grand Junction church every Friday morning and quietly make their way into the sanctuary of the church–all 22 of them, together with their teachers. Many of them do not come from Christian homes and the Bible stories are new and exciting.
This year, Intermountain Adventist Academy made an effort to reach out to Little Lambs Learning Center, the day care center sharing a section of the campus, inviting the pre-kindergarten class to come to school chapels on Fridays. Both the learning center and Intermountain Adventist Academy had to make a few adjustments to their programs to make it happen, but in the end, both are blessed.
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