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A Reconciling in Christ synod
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Since 1985, the Marian House Soup Kitchen, under the direction of Catholic Charities of Central Colorado, has been serving people who are in need in downtown Colorado Springs. First Lutheran Church, Colorado Springs is responsible for providing volunteer support every Friday. A weekly team of six members defrost and bake whole turkeys (over 300 each year) that are transported to the soup kitchen and transformed into turkey dinners of bread stuffing and sliced turkey breasts and gravy. Also every week, FLC donates 50 pounds of either ground beef or ground turkey to be used in meat entrees.
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Bishop Eaton: Living in the Freedom of Christ
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Recently I discovered Google Earth. I know, I’m a little late to the dance. But this is fascinating. You type in an address and up pops a photo. You can zoom in on places all over the world. And you can zoom out for, literally, a 35,000-foot view. I invite you to give it a try. In fact, this will be a great group activity for all of us in the ELCA.
First, find your congregation. Now expand the field and find other ELCA congregations near you. In some places this will be easy to do. In the “Fertile Crescent” of Lutheranism—the Dakotas, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois, Ohio and Pennsylvania—there are more ELCA congregations per square mile than there are gas stations. In other places, ELCA congregations are few and far between. But we’re there.
Next, find your synod office. You can see them spread out across the U.S. and the Caribbean.
And the ELCA is not alone in North America. Find the congregations, synods and national office of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada. We are all over North America.
And now, find all of the member churches of the Lutheran World Federation (LWF). We are all over the world, on every continent except Antarctica. We are 145 member churches in 98 countries. There are 74 million of us. And your congregation is part of this worldwide Lutheran movement...
...Now, go to Google Earth and find St. Petersburg, Russia. At the LWF Assembly a delegate from Russia told this story of freedom in Christ. There used to be a Lutheran church in St. Petersburg. It was a beautiful structure witnessing to the glory of God where the Lutheran immigrants who arrived in the 18th century could worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness. It was skillfully crafted out of wood. St. Mary’s Lutheran Church still stood in St. Petersburg, renamed Leningrad.
The church was a place of worship and hope during the siege of Leningrad during WWII. But people were freezing and starving to death in Leningrad. There was no wood for heating or cooking. So the Lutherans looked at their beloved church and then looked at the suffering around them. Piece by piece they dismantled their building and gave it away for the life of their community.
This is what being free in Christ looks like. This is part of our Lutheran story. This is part of your congregation’s story.
Read full article
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Pastor Zach Parris - 2017 Hess-Pierson Award Recipient!
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Zach Parris is recognized as a creative and dynamic Campus Pastor for the University of Colorado at Boulder who encourages students to develop their leadership skills, and to use their gifts and talents for the sake of others. Join us in congratulating Pastor Zach Parris as the recipient of Lutheran Campus Ministry’s 2017 Hess-Pierson Award.
The Hess-Pierson Award was established to honor Rhonda Hess and Roy Pierson, two students who served as Volunteers in Campus Ministry in California and who died in an automobile accident while driving to a Lutheran Student Movement retreat in 1985. It is given annually to a Lutheran Campus Ministry professional who shows exemplary dedication and service to Lutheran Student Movement-USA (LSM-USA).
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Join Bishop Eaton for Conversation and Lunch on July 28
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Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton is visiting the Rocky Mountain Synod in late July.
Rostered ministers are all invited, and are encouraged to bring up to two lay persons, to join her on Friday, July 28, at
Lutheran Church of Hope in
Broomfield for a conversation with her at 11 a.m., followed by a light lunch provided by the ELCA Campaign at 12:15 p.m.
Congregations with multiple rostered ministers may submit multiple registrations, if needed, since each form allows for three registrants. Registration is requested so that lunch is ordered for the right number of persons. Please
contact the Office of the Bishop if your number attending changes.
Register at
here by Friday, July 21.
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Welcome our new Communications Assistant
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Join us in welcoming
Andrew Nakatani to our synod administrative staff as part-time/contractor Communications Assistant to Erin Power.
Andy has been a member of St. Peter in Greenwood Village for almost 20 years. He's served in numerous ministries, including Habitat for Humanity, Council, ChristCare, catechism, altar guild, band (guitar) and choir, property maintenance, admin support, and more. He helped Kent Mueller over a year ago with the transition of our synod website to its current format, and he's been working with us ever since. You may have seen him at the Assembly as a member of Kent's audio/visual team.
He will continue his work with Erin Power on our website, iOS/Android app, and eConnection. He has become an important part of our ability to effectively deliver these communications tools so we are formalizing his role. He can be reached at
anakatani@rmselca.org and 303-588-5147.
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September 18-21, 2017
Marriott Hotel, Colorado Springs, CO
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Keynote Speaker
Rev. Sarah Ciavarri is a Certified Daring Way™ Facilitator-Consultant and a Lutheran (ELCA) pastor. Sarah has a huge passion to support healing and transformation within churches by making the connections between faith in Christ and
The Daring Way™/Rising Strong. Sarah has led workshops and events nationally in synods, campus ministries, Luther Seminary, and congregations. She conducted a research project comparing ancient monastic spiritual disciplines with Brown’s encouraged practices. Sarah received a Pastoral Study Project grant through the Louisville Institute to reflect on shame, vulnerability, and authenticity within church settings.
Registration Deadline is August 17---
Register now!
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Installations
Pastor Richard Brenton
Ascension, Ogden, UT
Sunday, July 16, 3:00 p.m.
Color of the day: Green
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RMS Prayer Cycle
July 2017
NORTH NEW MEXICO CONFERENCE
Week of July 16
Lutheran Church of the Servant - Santa Fe, NM
Sonnie Ericksen Fish (ECUSA)
Messiah - Albuquerque, NM
St. Luke - Albuquerque, NM
Breonna Roberts
Ryan Roberts
St. Paul - Albuquerque, NM
Phil Kettering (Interim)
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Download
ELCA Prayer Ventures
for daily guides to prayer for the global, social and outreach ministries of the ELCA, as well as for the needs and circumstances of our neighbors, communities and world.
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Sunday, July 16
Sixth Sunday after Pentecost
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Prayer of the Day
Almighty God, we thank you for planting in us the seed of your word. By your Holy Spirit help us to receive it with joy, live according to it, and grow in faith and hope and love, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.
Global Church Prayer
God, whose gift of faith allows us to witness to your love, let our hearts be good soil for the seed of your word. Praise to you for the work of International Women Leaders that empowers women leaders throughout the world. Thanks be to you for the efforts of women in our congregations whom you guide to support this important work. Through our work to raise up leaders, may the good soil of our hearts witness to the love you have shown us in your Son, Jesus the Christ. Amen.
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Imagine everything you know about migrants and refugees forced to flee from war, gang violence, persecution, abuse. The loss of home and loved ones. Fear and uncertainty. Survival often means a dangerous journey.
Now imagine that person fleeing for freedom is just a child. He or she might be 14 and on the run from turmoil in El Salvador. Or he or she might be 8 years old, alone after losing parents to military conflict in Africa, Southeast Asia, or the Middle East.
Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service (LIRS) partners with a network of heroic agencies across the country to provide foster homes which allow unaccompanied children to find refuge, safety and support with a loving family. LIRS is one of two organizations in the world that provides foster care services for resettled unaccompanied refugee children. Each year, thousands of children embark on dangerous journeys seeking shelter, after being torn from their families due to war, abuse, natural disasters or conflict in their home countries. A significant fragment of our client profile includes children from around the world, with a higher need to place males between ages 14-17, from Central America’s Northern Triangle.
We believe that the best way to make sure these children are both safe and equipped for a brighter tomorrow is to place them with a foster family, though consequently more foster families are urgently needed.
There are Central American children and youth in the Rocky Mountain Synod, specifically in Denver and Colorado Springs, CO that are in great need of either short or long term family foster care. These children and youth may have had family members in the US but for a variety of reasons, can’t be united with them.
It’s no small thing to ‘give the gift of family.’ It takes an open heart to accept a child or young person into your home from another culture. It takes time to provide an environment in which that young person can thrive. It takes passion for nurturing a young person into independent adulthood.
You might welcome a child into your family for a few weeks or several years. There will be challenges and there will be joys. Most importantly, the child will be better equipped for the future and your life will be forever enriched. Please get in touch with LaMar Rice, Program Manager for Foster Care.
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Youth Discipleship Reformation Road Trip - CANCELED!
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Lilly Grant Initiative: Embracing Stewardship
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Embracing Stewardship, by Charles Lane and Grace Duddy Pomroy, is an engaging read that helps us place stewardship at the heart of our response to God's grace. Coming from different generations and different backgrounds, the two authors give plenty of practical help and encouragement for congregations in 2017. Another reason for reading the book is that Grace Pomroy will be at our Theological Conference this year in her capacity as a resource developer for Portico, where she focuses on financial education for rostered ministers. Check out the book, and plan on meeting her in September.
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Soul Shop for Youth Leaders
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Tuesday, August 22, 2017
8:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Abiding Hope Church
Soul Shop is a one-day training to equip teachers, educators, youth pastors, youth leaders, servants who walk alongside youth (like confirmation guides) and quite frankly any adult who cares deeply about young people, to minister to youth impacted by suicidal desperation. Special attention will focus on youth specific issues of impulsivity and contagion. The training includes the creation of resources, training congregation and community members in suicide awareness and basic conversation skills, and the invitation to those who have been suicidal in the past to share their stories. Flyer available here, register here.
- $25 Registration Fee includes seminar materials, continental breakfast and lunch.
- Continuing Education Units (CEUs) are available upon request.
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Resource Corner
check back each week for a new or featured resource for your congregation
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ELCA World Hunger Backpack Buddies Program
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The Backpack Buddies program provides elementary school children who qualify for free or reduced-price meals a sack of healthy and easy-to-prepare foods. The sack is for the weekend when students are not at school and don’t have access to the free-meal program. For many of these children, school meals may be the only reliable meals they eat during the week.
Download Tips for starting a backpack hunger relief program in your community from congregations who run them.
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ELCA Reformation Resources
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A number of congregations and conferences are busy planning special events and worship services for October 2017. The
ELCA500 website has great resources for worship, catechism, service events, videos, and more to help your commemoration planning!
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All Non-Rostered Positions
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Director of Youth and Household Ministry
Trinity Lutheran Church - Boulder, CO
Director of Worship and Music
Mount Calvary Lutheran Church - Boulder, CO
Contextual Education Coordinator
Iliff School of Theology - Denver, CO
Office Administrator (part-time)
Holy Love Lutheran Church - Aurora, CO
Director of Youth Ministry
Cross of Christ Lutheran Church - Broomfield, CO
Choir Director and Coordinator of Special Music (part-time)
St. Andrew Lutheran Church - Arvada, CO
Faith Formation Director of Youth
Bethany Lutheran Church - Cherry Hills Village, CO
Faith Formation Intern (part-time)
Bethany Lutheran Church - Cherry Hills Village, CO
Director of Children, Youth and Family Ministry
All Saints Lutheran Church - Albuquerque, NM
ELCA Regional Gift Planner
Rocky Mountain Synod - (home office)
Accompanist/Organist
Trinity Lutheran Church - Boulder, CO
Kindergarten Director
Cross of Christ Lutheran Church - Broomfield, CO
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Office of the Bishop This Week
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Bishop Gonia
- In-office Appointments
- St. Matthew's, Taylorsville, UT
- Installation of Pastor Richard Brenton, Ogden, UT
- Staff Retreat
- Synod Council Webex
Pastor Kent Mueller
- Lutheran Center Administration
- Candidacy meetings
- Staff Retreat
Ruth Hoffman, Lutheran Advocacy Ministry-NM
- Medicaid Coalition
- Staff retreat
Peter Severson, Lutheran Advocacy Ministry-CO
- In-office appointments
- Staff Retreat
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Pastor Judith VanOsdol
- Aurora Area Ministry Strategy, Bethel, Aurora, CO
- New Beginnings Prison Ministry, Denver, CO
- Latino Worshiping Community, Denver, CO
- Behavioral Interview
- Developer/ Redeveloper meetings
- Staff Development Retreat
- RMS Communications
- Theological Conference planning
- RMS event site visits
- Staff Retreat
- In-office appointments
- Congregation Transition meetings
- Community of Joy, Rio Rancho, NM
- Staff Retreat
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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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