Rocky Mountain Conference president Mic Thurber announced at the RMC Executive Committee meeting on February 18 that he would be retiring from his role on March 1 of this year. Coinciding with Mic’s retirement, Jana Thurber, RMC women’s, prayer, and ministerial spouse support coordinator and Mic’s life and ministry partner, will be retiring as well.
“It is never easy leaving a place you have grown to love, so it is hard for us to say goodbye to the many wonderful people we’ve met in the Rocky Mountain Conference over our years here,” remarked Thurber on his impending retirement. “We have enjoyed our travels to all the beautiful parts of our conference, and loved every minute of our times when we could worship and join in fellowship with you.”
Doug Inglish, RMC vice president for administration said, “I have appreciated working with Mic for the last several years—in particular, his support of women in ministry and restructuring the Ministerial Department to give greater support to churches from cultures other than Anglo communities. That last initiative is just starting to take root, and I look forward to seeing it blossom.”
Darin Gottfried, RMC vice president for finance, remarked, “I am very excited for Mic and Jana as they are able to move into a new stage of life. I wish them the best as they continue to pursue ministry in retirement.”
Mic Thurber joined RMC in September of 2021 when the former RMC president, Ed Barnett, retired from the position. He was officially voted in for the role at the 2022 RMC Constituency Session.
Mic Thurber holds a long family legacy in the Adventist community as son of John and Patsy Thurber. John sang in the King’s Heralds Quartet during the 1960s and served two decades leading innovative youth programs. Patsy was an integral part in assisting with implementation in their shared ministry.
Mic graduated from Keene Adventist Elementary School in Keene, Texas, Mount Pisgah Academy in Candler, North Carolina, and Southern Adventist University in Collegedale, Tennessee. He began his time as an Adventist professional as the music and Bible teacher at Sunnydale Academy in Centralia, Missouri, then later served at his alma matter, Mt. Pisgah Academy.
In 1981, Mic was called to be a youth pastor in San Diego, later taking over responsibility for that church when the lead pastor left. After two years pastoring the Calimesa Seventh-day Adventist Church near Loma Linda, California, he served as ministerial director for the Southeastern California Conference, and then later moved to pastor the Pacific Union College Seventh-day Adventist Church in Angwin, California. Mic was then lead pastor at the Keene Seventh-day Adventist Church, following as the ministerial director for Mid-America Union Conference before becoming RMC’s president.
Jana Thurber, also with an Adventist family legacy, is the daughter of Howard and Wilma Boling, where Howard was a pastor and singing evangelist and Wilma was a professional musician. “Jana was raised in a spiritual home where love for Jesus took deep root,” reflected Mic. “Even from her earliest years, her desire to follow and live for Jesus was evident to all who knew her.”
Graduating from Georgia-Cumberland Academy in Calhoun, Georgia, and Southern Adventist University, and currently enrolled in the Andrews University Masters in Pastoral Ministry program, Jana’s professional history ranged from ministry assistance, paralegal at the Loma Linda University Office of Legal Counsel, trust officer for Pacific Union College, associate pastor at the Keene Church, to her recent role with Rocky Mountain Conference.
“Jana and I leave here enriched by knowing you, and we will forever be grateful for the opportunity to have served you in the Rocky Mountain Conference,” said Mic. He left the Executive Committee with a final statement and Bible verse: “May God grant us all peace and grace until He appears in glory where we will forever be together! Here is our prayer for all of you …”
… That He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height—to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God (Eph. 3:16-19, NKJV).
The RMC Executive Committee is responsible for filling the open position, and they are happy to receive the names of suggested candidates from all sources. The officers of the Mid-America Union facilitate the search, providing the committee with resources, guidelines, and an understanding of protocol. Extensive vetting of candidates is done so informed decisions can be made. While the hope is to find a new president soon, a good outcome is more desirable than a swift outcome. The committee solicits the prayers of everyone that the Holy Spirit will guide in the selection of a new president.
