Each year, the Rocky Mountain Conference, in partnership with the RMC Endowment, uses a portion of its budget to provide financial support to RMC seminarians. Through its Seminary Scholarship program, the RMC offered funds to two truly amazing seminarians this past spring: Bry Brannan, who is currently studying at Iliff and serving at Juniper Formation UCC, and Paul Heintzleman, who is also studying at Iliff and serving as the RMC’s Moderator as of June 2025. I hope you’ll take moment to read their letters of gratitude included below. The RMC is proud to support the ministries of these two motivated and creative leaders, and we hope you enjoy learning more about how Conference funds are being used to support inspired leadership across the RMC.
Words of Gratitude from Paul Heintzleman
To my church-family of the Rocky Mountain Conference,
I want to write and say ‘thank you’ for assisting my Member-in- Discernment process, specifically with the gift of a scholarship for seminary. That scholarship paid for all the textbooks and the travel to Iliff to attend Gathering Days. It means so much to have those costs covered, and these funds allowed my worry and attention to shift to more scholarly matters. I live on the Western Slope (shout-out to the Western Association!) and traveling to Denver to come see my cohort and other, newer, classmates is an important part of our educational journey. Travelling to Iliff for Gathering Days also allowed me the opportunity to meet and talk with other UCC Members-in-Discernment, which is invaluable. Thank you’s are also due to the Committee on Ministry, who have been invaluable in assisting our traveling this path. Finally, I want to say ‘thanks’ to the people who have offered their time and answered my questions about chaplaincy and pastoring churches, as their time has been instrumental in helping me clarify my call.
Paul Heintzleman (he/him), October 2025
Words of Gratitude from Bry Brannan
Dear Rocky Mountain Conference Board and Colleagues,
I offer my heartfelt gratitude for the Seminary Scholarship as I finish my final year in the Master of Divinity program at Iliff School of Theology. For those who have been in seminary or accompanied someone who has been, you know this experience is not for the faint of heart and truly requires a community of support. There have been several instances during this time when
my spouse and I have not been sure how it will all work out financially…and then God reminds us that through community there is and will be enough. While the financial support makes a practical difference, it is the relational support that is most meaningful. The seminary scholarship represents to me relational conversations, invitations to share my gifts in the life of local churches, and is a reminder that I am held in community on this journey.
As for an update, I am doing my MDiv. residency (aka internship) with Juniper Formation UCC as the Land Discernment Minister. I look forward to finding ways to accompany local congregations in discernment around how their Land and buildings can be sites of community flourishing. It was a joy to learn with many of you at the Prophetically Reimagining Church Conference in September (see the photo below of my fellow Iliffians who volunteered and offered their time gifts in many ways). I close with an invitation to each of us and our churches to continue the vision of Rev. Robb Lapp, who helped make this scholarship possible, especially in these harrowing times: “If the Christian Church is going to mean anything, it’s going to have to recover its heritage of being counter-cultural.” Let us find courage together.
Bry Brannan (they/them), October 2025
