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A Reconciling in Christ synod
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ELCA and United States Catholic Bishops Gather for Prayer, and Sign Joint Statement
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On March 2, ELCA Conference of Bishops and the United States Conference of Bishops gathered for a Lutheran-Catholic service of common prayer,
“For 500 years Lutherans and Catholics have been divided into two camps, each believing that the other was not only wrong but alien,” said the Rev. Elizabeth A. Eaton, presiding bishop of the ELCA. “Yet we know that people are yearning for reconciliation. The Lutheran-Roman Catholic joint prayer service, one of the fruits of 50 years of dialogue between our two churches, was a beautiful celebration of what we hold in common. We could see each other again as brothers and sisters in Christ. I pray that our increasing unity is a witness to our culture.”
During the service – in a significant moment that underscored 50 years of Lutheran-Catholic dialogue – a joint statement was presented and signed by the committee chairs, the Rev. Donald P. Kreiss, bishop of the ELCA Southeast Michigan Synod; and the Most Rev. Mitchell T. Rozanski, bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Springfield, Mass.
The statement mirrored the joint statement signed by Pope Francis and the Rt. Rev. Dr. Munib Younan, bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land and Lutheran World Federation president, during the service in Lund.
“In joyful gratitude to God, we are gathered today to encourage one another in the ministry of reconciliation to which Christ has called us,” the statement reads. “Recalling the wisdom of the international Lutheran-Catholic dialogue report, ‘From Conflict to Communion,’ we affirm that ‘while the past itself is unalterable, the presence of the past in the present is alterable. In view of 2017, the point is not to tell a different history, but to tell that history differently.’ So, while the past cannot be changed, we rejoice in the healing of memories we have already seen, and we ask God’s guidance toward a transformed future, renewed in our relations to one another and in our witness to the world.”
Read the full statement
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Roman Catholic & Lutheran Prayer Services to Mark Reformation 500 Years
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Roman Catholics and Lutherans are joining together in prayer 500 years after Martin Luther’s 95 theses triggered the Reformation in 1517.
A Service of Common Prayer is taking place in conjunction with seven Roman Catholic Diocese. Bishop Jim Gonia will be present at all seven locations. The liturgy will highlight the agreements that have been reached through fifty years of dialogue between Catholics and Lutherans on topics such as the Church, Ministry, and the Eucharist.
The Common Prayer is structured around the themes of thanksgiving, repentance, and commitment to common witness. The aim is to express the gifts of the Reformation and ask forgiveness for the division perpetuated by Christians from the two traditions.
Sunday, January 29, 2017, 3 p.m. - already took place
St. Luke Lutheran Church
Albuquerque, NM
Sunday, March 12, 2017, 3 p.m.
Prince of Peace Lutheran Church
Colorado Springs, CO
Sunday, March 19, 2017, 3 p.m.
Bethany Lutheran Church
Denver, CO
Sunday, April 2, 2017, 3 p.m.
Cathedral of the Immaculate Heart of Mary
Las Cruces, NM
Saturday, April 22, 2017, 1 p.m.
Our Saviour's Lutheran Church
Casper, WY
Sunday, May 21, 2017, 3 p.m.
Pueblo, CO
Sunday, October 8, 2017, 3 p.m.
Salt Lake City, UT
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Cheryl Almquist to Retire June 1 as RMS Financial Administrator
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After 21 years of service, Cheryl Almquist will be retiring as our RMS Financial Administrator. We are so thankful for her dedication to our "behind the scenes" activity, keeping our finances in good order. We are, therefore, seeking a "full charge bookkeeper" to begin in early/mid May, providing the opportunity for an overlap time of training. We are seeking a bookkeeper with:
- Understanding and appreciation for the work of the church
- strong bookkeeping and computer skills
- Outstanding people skills
- Great attention to detail
- Strong organization skills
- Ability to prioritize and multi-task
- Proximity to RMS Office near Highway 36 at Pecos exit
- download the job description
Please email a letter of interest and resumé to Kent Mueller by March 15.
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Synod Assembly Project: The Stories of our Stuff
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Assembly Art and Story Project
In thinking about our theme “Reformation• Then.Now.Always.” we invite you to work with your ministry to engage the artistic activity of reflecting upon and utilizing ministry objects to tell our story and examine our connection in community and shared history. Using the resources below, we invite you to share the story of your stuff- the stuff that once was central to your mission but is no longer needed, the stuff you forgot was in the back of the closet, the stuff that used to be important or maybe still is. You are encouraged to bring your art, your story, your stuff to Synod Assembly to create our Assembly Art Installation.
Congregation Art/Story Project Guide
"What's in our stuff?" Environmental Stewardship Resource
Object Decommissioning Litany
**Register your project for assembly**
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Prayers for Madagascar facing Tropical Storm
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We pray for our sisters and brothers in the North Eastern part of Madagascar as they brace for extreme rains and wind from a category 2 (developing into a category 3) Tropical Cyclone: Enawo. The storm hit on Tuesday morning (Monday evening MST). The eye of the storm is heading straight for Sambava, the major city of our companion synod, the Avaratra Antsinanana Synod. Another one of our synods, Antsiranana Synod, will also be hit hard by this storm even though they are not in the path of the eye of the storm. They are expecting at least 16 inches of rain in a very short period of time.
We received word from President Robelison of the Antsiranana Synod letting us know that it is raining heavily in Diego, the main city in their synod, but that the storm is reaching them slowly and life continues as normal in Diego.
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Equip, Educate, Enact - Fiscal Wellness Coach
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The Lilly Endowment initiative for addressing economic challenges of our rostered ministers will utilize the skills of ten
Fiscal Wellness Coaches
positioned around the Rocky Mountain Synod. Coaches may be either lay or rostered, and will receive training and ongoing support to help facilitate conversations, help leaders choose appropriate educational opportunities, and encourage the financial health of the rostered minister and congregation. The coach has an opportunity to change lives. See the position description
here
and consider if this is a way you might serve.
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There will
NOT be worship today,
Wednesday, March 8 at the Office of the Bishop.
The next worship will be
Wednesday, April 5 at 11:30 a.m. (please note it is a week earlier due to Holy Week). All are invited to join in this 30 minute service.
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Installations
Pastor Bryce Fellbaum
S
unday, March 12, 2017, 10 a.m.
Zion Lutheran Church
Limon, CO
Color of the Day: Purple
Pastor Kristin Schulz
Saturday, March 25, 2017, 4 p.m.
All Saints Lutheran Church
Albuquerque, NM
Color of the Day: Purple
Pastor Paula Stecker
Saturday, March 18, 2017, 2 p.m.
Christ the King Lutheran Church
Colorado Springs, CO
Color of the Day: Purple
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RMS Prayer Cycle
March 2017
Boulder/Broomfield
Conference
Week of March 12
Atonement, Boulder, CO
Chad Kohlmeyer
Stacy Payne
Cross of Christ,
Broomfield, CO
Deb Enquist (Interim)
Kathleen Armstrong
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Prayer of the Day: Sunday, March 12
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Second Sunday in Lent
As Nicodemus approached Jesus under cover of night with his questions, we, too, often come to God when we feel safe and concealed from others with our questions, confessions and thoughts. Thank God for listening to our every prayer and plea, and for friends, people of faith and communities that engender trust and offer refuge when needed.
Join us in daily prayer:
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A Special Evening with Parker Palmer in Highlands Ranch
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Thursday, March 16 at 7:00 - 8:30 p.m.
The Rocky Mountain Conference of the United Methodist Church is pleased to announce that renowned author and Quaker spiritual teacher Parker Palmer will be presenting
"
The Beloved Community: Can the Church Be the Love that Casts Out Fear.
"
He will be speaking about Bishop Karen Oliveto’s call to our conference to live as the Beloved Community, and offer a clear call to the church to stand over and against the fear and scapegoating that is occurring so much in our world today.
The event is free and open to the public. A free will offering will be taken. It will be live streamed and recorded. To register, click here.
This event is sponsored by The Rocky Mountain Conference, St. Andrew UMC, and Iliff School of Theology. More information is here, or contact the Communications Office of the Rocky Mountain Conference of The United Methodist Church via email, or at 303-733-3736.
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Luther College Jazz Orchestra - Coming to Colorado!
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The Luther College Jazz Orchestra under the direction of Tony Guzmán will perform in four Colorado concerts as part of their 2017 Colorado and Midwest Tour. The concerts are open to the public with a freewill donation taken at the door. There is no charge for students.
The program features a variety of exciting jazz repertoire including works by Duke Ellington, Oliver Nelson, Thelonious Monk, Bill Holman, Astor Piazzolla, Fred Sturm, and many others. Luther jazz faculty member Jon Ailabouni will also be featured on trumpet and flugelhorn.
Jazz Orchestra, Luther’s premier jazz ensemble, travels annually and tours abroad every four years—most recently in May/June 2016 to Brazil for a three-week, 13 performance immersion in the musical cultures of the country.
More information is also available on Facebook.
Fort Collins -
Saturday, March 18 at 6:00 p.m.
Trinity Lutheran Church, 301 East Stuart Street
Cherry Hills Village -
Sunday, March 19, 10:00 am Worship Service
Bethany Lutheran Church, 4500 E Hampden Avenue
Denver -
Sunday, March 19 at 4:00 p.m.
Augustana Lutheran Church, 5000 East Alameda Avenue
Colorado Springs -
Monday, March 20 at 7:00 p.m.
Cheyenne Mountain High School, 1200 Cresta Road
Greeley -
Tuesday March 21 at 7:00 p.m.
Our Savior’s Lutheran Church, 1800 21st Avenue
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Colorado Repertory Singers Concert
Friday, March 17 at 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, March 18 at 2:00 p.m.
The Colorado Repertory Singers, along with singers from Broomfield High School, will present
Cathedral Classics, a program of sacred choral music featuring the
Vesperae Solennes de Confessore of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, accompanied by orchestra under the baton of Music Director Kyle Fleming. Visit
www.coloradorepertorysingers.org for more information.
Hope College Chamber Orchestra and Jazz Art Collective Concert
Sunday, March 19 at 4:00 p.m.
The Hope College Chamber Orchestra and Jazz Art Collective from Holland, Michigan, will perform a spring tour concert entitled,
Hope on the Road, under the direction of Christopher Fashun and Brian Coyle. Freewill Offering.
Seicento Baroque Ensemble Concert
Friday, March 24 at 7:30 p.m.
The Seicento Baroque Ensemble will perform music of George Frideric Handel, including two major choral works with based on Psalms:
Laudate pueri Dominum,
HWV 237, a setting of
Psalm 113, and
Dixit Dominus,
HWV 232, a setting of
Psalm 110, accompanied by a period instrument orchestra and conducted by Artistic Director Evanne Browne and Music Director Mark Alan Filbert. Visit
www.seicentobaroque.org for more information.
Columbine Chorale Concert
Sunday, March 26, at 4:00 p.m.
The Columbine Chorale, led by Music Director Brian Eichenberger, will present
Sacred Sounds, a program of sacred choral music from the 16th to the 21st centuries. Visit
www.columbinechorale.org for more information.
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Gallery of Living Art at First Lutheran Church
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- Friday, March 17, 7:30 p.m.
- Saturday, March 18, 2:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m.
- Sunday, March 19, 3:00 p.m.
First Lutheran Church celebrates the twenty-third year of the
Gallery of Living Art. As the audience sits in the sanctuary, the story of Christ’s Passion and Resurrection unfolds through live reproductions of fourteen sacred works of art staged by a 75 member cast, narrative scripture and music sung by First Lutheran choir. The art includes the well-known “Christ in Gethsemane” by Heinrich Hofmann, The Last Supper by Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo’s “Pieta.” The opening scene of Mary, the baby Jesus and angels will include still life performers portraying the Three Wise Men from the famous Simpich character doll collection.
The 2017 Gallery of Living Art will be presented in the sanctuary of First Lutheran Church at
1515 N. Cascade Avenue, Colorado Springs, CO. The public is cordially invited to attend this inspirational presentation of Christ’s Passion and Resurrection. Admission is free and childcare is provided.
For more information or questions, contact Joan Kuehn or Judy Wach at 719-632-8836.
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Iliff School of Theology to host World Water Day and Water Justice Forum
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Iliff School of Theology
2323 E. Iliff Avenue, Denver
- Wednesday, March 22
11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m
- Thursday, March 23 and Friday, March 24
8:15 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. each day
Water is life. Protecting water resources in Colorado and worldwide is a must. So is access to clean water and facing the challenges of drought, flooding, pollution, and rising sea levels. Join with others who care March 22-24 to hear outstanding state, national, and international speakers and engage in facilitated group discussion from environmental, food, civic, and religious perspectives. Daily fee: $25, including light lunch and reception; three-day fee, $60. Students: $8 per day.
To register, click
here. For background information and a Forum agenda, see
flyer, go
here or contact Water Forum Coordinator David Carlson at
dcarlson@iliff.edu.
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30th Anniversary Palm Sunday Prayer Walk
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Sunday, April 9, 2017
1:00 - 3:00 p.m.
The
Urban Servant Corps community will celebrate the beginning of Holy Week as we walk the neighborhood where Urban Servant Corps volunteers have been present for 30 years! Invite your youth group, co-workers, families and
neighbors to offer prayers for those who are most in need in our community. May this gathering be an act of faithful support for the justice that we seek in our neighborhoods. Thanks to Bishop Gonia for joining us for this event!
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2017 Nicaragua Mission Trip
June 13 through 22, 2017
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For the 17th consecutive year, Bethlehem Lutheran and First Lutheran of Longmont, CO will be leading a mission trip to the village of Somoto, Nicaragua. Activities will include house building and water filter delivery; visitation and support to the group- sponsored pre-school, Mother's House, sewing cooperative, scholarship program, microloans, and roofing program.
It is truly a life changing experience. A limited number of participant spaces are still available and are allocated on a first come basis. The group size is limited to 10-15 persons. For a more detailed description of the project, go to
thenicaraguaproject.org, or contact Ralph Ponfick via
email, or at 303-604-1422.
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Wednesday, April 26, 2017
8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Abiding Hope is hosting an all day workshop called
Soul Shop for Leaders. This is a one-day training to equip faith and community leaders to minister to those impacted by suicidal desperation. This includes the creation of worship resources, training congregation members in suicide awareness and basic conversation skills, and the invitation to those who have been suicidal in the past to share their stories. This is the core training which expresses the fundamental tools and key perspectives that Soul Shop is all about. This event is also open to any and everyone, but will have a registration fee of $25. This small cost includes seminar materials, continental breakfast and lunch. Continuing Education Units (CEUs) will also be available upon request!
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TODAY is International Women's Day - March 8, 2017
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International Women's Day is an opportunity for ministries of the Rocky Mountain Synod to join millions around the world to celebrate the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. We celebrate this day knowing the work toward gender equality still remains. For worship and education resources visit the
ELCA website, where you'll find the
International Women’s Day booklet, which provides fundraising ideas, including a step-by-step virtual book drive, ideas for planning an International Women’s Day worship service, and much more to help you get started, and a new
bulletin insert is also available.
More information is also available at the IWD2017 website.
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"Reforming Congregations Through Engaging in Our Community" Workshops
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Friday, March 10
1:00-4:30 p.m. and 6:00-9:00 p.m.
Saturday March 11
9:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.
Led by: Rocky Mountain Synod (Bishop Jim Gonia), ELCA Domestic Mission Unit (Rev. Susan Engh), Together Colorado, and FRESC (Front Range Economic Strategy Center)
Workshop for Congregations to learn the value of Community Organizing and how it can contribute to the renewal of your congregation. This workshop will be focused on teams from Congregations and empowering them to begin to do this work of community engagement.
Topics for the Workshop include:
- Charity vs. Justice
- Relational Organizing
- Structural Change
Download the flyer for more information and to register!
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Faith Formation Coordinator (full-time)
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Zion Lutheran Church in Loveland, Colorado is seeking candidates for a full-time Faith Formation Coordinator to provide leadership for empowering and training all ages in the congregation and engaging in faith formation practices. Please note, this is not simply a youth ministry position, but is a Coordinator for ministry. Administration, training and empowering lay persons, and organization are key skills. The job is posted
here, and the full job description is
here. Questions or resumes may be sent to
jobs@zionloveland.com.
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Building Resources Coordinator (part-time)
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Faith Lutheran Church in Golden, CO, is looking for a Building Resources Coordinator to be the primary building and facilities resource steward of the congregation. Specifically, this person will serve and lead others to serve in the effective use and upkeep of Faith’s facilities and building resources, understanding the efficient stewardship of their resources serves their mission of changing lives through the power of Jesus by providing space and place for people to connect, develop and grow, as well as serve. This is a salaried part-time position, 10-15 flexible hours. Read the full job description, requirements and how to apply
here
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Resource Corner
check back each week for a new or featured resource for your congregation
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Stories from around the globe
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ELCA Global Links is a monthly newsletter featuring news and stories from ELCA Global Mission and the ways we are engaged as a global church.
A great resource for Global Mission Committees or church administrators looking for stories to share in your newsletter!
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Non-Rostered Positions Available
Faith Formation Coordinator (full-time)
Zion Lutheran Church - Loveland, CO
Building Resources Coordinator (part-time)
Faith Lutheran Church - Golden, CO
Preschool Director (part-time)
St. Mark Lutheran Church - Aurora, CO
Director of Service and Outreach
Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church - Fort Collins, CO
Financial Administrator
Rocky Mountain Synod - Denver, CO
Office Administrator
Atonement Lutheran Church - Boulder, CO
Organist/Pianist (part-time)
St. Philip Lutheran Church - Littleton, CO
Director of Communications
Trinity Lutheran Church - Fort Collins, CO
ELCA Regional Gift Planner
Rocky Mountain Synod
Parish Nurse
Faith Lutheran Church - Golden, CO
Accompanist/Organist
Trinity Lutheran Church - Boulder, CO
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Office of the Bishop This Week
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Bishop Gonia
- Candidacy Committee
- Reforming Congregations Workshop, Aurora, CO
- Lutheran-Catholic Prayer Service, Colorado Springs
- Dean's Retreat
Pastor Kent Mueller
- Candidacy Committee
- Pastor Bryce Fellbaum Installation, Limon, CO
- Dean's Retreat
Ruth Hoffman, Lutheran Advocacy Ministry-NM
- Legislative session
- State Public Policy Directors' Call
Peter Severson, Lutheran Advocacy Ministry-CO
- Women and Family Wednesdays
- Urban Servant Corps Day at the Legislature
- ELCA All-Staff Gathering, Chicago, IL
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Pastor Judith VanOsdol
- Latino Worshiping Community West Denver (former Cristo Rey)
- Candidacy Committee, Lutheran Center
- Faith Based Community Organizing Workshops, St. Mark’s, Aurora, CO
- Ascension, Colorado Springs, CO
- Christ the King, Colorado Springs, CO
- Roman Catholic and Lutheran Prayer Service, Prince of Peace, Colorado Springs, CO
- Dean’s Retreat, Lutheran Center
- ELCA Domestic Mission All Staff meeting, Chicago, IL
Deacon Erin Power
- Synod Assembly Planning
- RMS communication/video editing
- Dean's Retreat
- Church Development Institute
- Trinity, Evanston, WY
- Dean's Retreat
Andy Sprain
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Erin Power
,
Assistant to the Bishop
Rocky Mountain Synod
800-525-0462 / 303-777-6700 / fax 303-339-4744
Announcements for eConnection are due before noon on Monday for the issue the following Wednesday. Event announcements are included for about two weeks and should be submitted via the eConnection Submission link above.
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