A Reconciling in Christ synod
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An Urgent Appeal for California Wildfire Relief
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“For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
– Romans 8:38-39
Dear friends,
As I write you this, several wildfires are raging across California. Already more than 30 people have died and more than 200 are missing, while hundreds of thousands of people have fled their homes under evacuation orders.
Through our partners in California, Lutheran Disaster Response has already begun addressing immediate needs, including providing food and other necessities to survivors. We are also preparing to address long-term needs which might include rebuilding of structures and emotional and spiritual care. The need will be great.
Stay connected to the latest events and our response to this and other disasters through our
Facebook
page. Join us in prayer and use this
bulletin insert
in your congregation to help spread the word.
With gratitude for your partnership in ministry,
The Rev. Daniel Rift
Director, ELCA World Hunger and Disaster Appeal
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
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eConnection Spotlight:
ELCA in the Neighborhood
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Anchor House, Habitat receive Broomfield Block Grants
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The Broomfield City Council and Broomfield Housing Authority unanimously approved a resolution on Tuesday, October 23, that awards $227,230 in funding for the Anchor House project.
Anchor House is a nonprofit located in Broomfield, CO, that will provide permanently affordable transitional housing for foster youth aging out of the system once they turn 18. The project is still in fundraising stages, and the 8-apartment affordable housing structure will begin construction in early 2019. The project is made possible by a partnership between Lutheran Church of Hope, Lutheran Family Services Rocky Mountains, Thrivent Financial, and Flatirons Habitat for Humanity. With its resolution approval on Tuesday, October 23, the City and County of Broomfield and the Broomfield Housing Authority have also joined as official partners of the Anchor House Project.
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Rocky Mountain Synod 2019 Youth Gathering - register now!
January 19-21, 2019
YMCA of the Rockies, Estes Park, CO
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This year's gathering will focus on each participant as a uniquely created child of God called to live out baptismal promises in unique and various ways. We will look at themes of spiritual gifts, vocation, community, and service as we gather and are then sent to boldly share the love of God in this world.
The YMCA of the Rockies in Estes Park will also let us explore creation and relaxation in the mountains as we enjoy fellowship with middle and high school students from all parts of the Rocky Mountain Synod. While all students will gather for some large group worship time, separate tracks for Middle and High School students will allow each group to participate in age-appropriate conversation and activity based learning.
Registration closes Dec 1, 2019!
Middle School Adult Leader – $180.00
Middle School Youth – $180.00
Sr High Adult Leader – $180.00
Staff and Speakers
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2018 Annual Report Insert!
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The 2018 Annual Report Insert for the Rocky Mountain Synod is now available
HERE for congregations with November meetings.
An updated report, along with reports from our Churchwide Organization, will be available in early January 2019.
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Glocal Church Sunday: Sunday, January 6!
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Join us January 6 (or any Sunday!) as we celebrate our connections and common mission in Christ’s global church.
The texts and prayers included below help bring to expression our understanding that we are united by the Spirit of God through the means of grace with our siblings in Christ throughout the world.
NEW!
Thomas Mass Liturgy from Peace Not Walls
You might also consider other ways to highlight our global connections in:
- Preaching: Invite a speaker from our Global Church Speaker's Bureau
- Art
- Paraments, Vestments, Flowers
- Offering: consider designating an offering to Global Mission, World Hunger, Peace Not Walls, RMS Border Emergency Fund or Seeds of Hope (Companion Synod Fund for Madagascar)
- Bulletin insert: Be sure to include a Global Church Sunday bulletin insert highlighting facts about our church's global engagement in your bulletin. You can download it for free at www.elca.org/resources/globalchurch Find them on the Global Church Sunday Tab!
- Global Church Placemats for Coffee Hour or used as coloring pages for children
- Videos during offering or adult forum from an ELCA Missionary
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Rev. Michael Degner
Our Savior, Alamogordo, NM
Sunday, November 18, 9:00 a.m.
Color of the Day: Green
Rev. Jason McSpadden
Lutheran Church of the Servant,
Santa Fe, NM
Sunday, November 18, 3:00 p.m.
Color of the Day: Green
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RMS Prayer Cycle
November 2018
ELCA MINISTRIES AND ECUMENICAL ORGANIZATIONS
Week of November 18
ELCA Global Mission - Chicago, IL
Missionaries
Themba Mkhebela, Madagascar
Regional Candidacy Manager
Mark Nelson
California Lutheran University - Thousand Oaks, CA
Christopher Kimball
Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary - Berkeley, CA
Raymond Pickett
Shauna Hannan
Wartburg College West - Denver, CO
Greg Lorenz
Colorado Council of Churches - Denver, CO
Adrian Miller
New Mexico Conference of Churches - Bernalillo, NM
Rev. Susan Quass
Wyoming Association of Churches - Sheridan, WY
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Join us in daily prayer:
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, November 18
Twenty-Sixth Sunday after Pentecost
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Prayer of the Day
Almighty God, your sovereign purpose brings salvation to birth. Give us faith to be steadfast amid the tumults of this world, trusting that your kingdom comes and your will is done through your Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.
In God's Hands: Ecumenical Prayer Cycle from the World Council of Churches
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Through the Lens of Music: Focus on Spirit with the Stratus Chamber Orchestra and Great String Classics
Friday November 16, 2018 - 7:30 p.m.
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Let
Stratus stir your spirit through a provocative exploration of the incredible Spirit of Music. String orchestra masterpieces, such as Barber’s
Adagio for Strings, Bach’s
Brandenburg Concerto #3, and more, will be divinely performed. Includes cameo appearances of the English Horn and Trumpet, too! This concert offers a unique immersive seating option at
First Plymouth Church, Colorado Blvd. and Hampden, in Denver (
map
).
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Messiah Community Church Presents a Benefit Recital for Eco-Justice Ministries
Saturday, November 17, 2018 at 2:00 p.m.
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Messiah Community Lutheran Church
1750 Colorado Blvd.
The modern crises of ecological devastation and social injustice are all symptoms of humanity's deeply flawed relationship with the Earth community. Transformational churches provide prophetic witness and genuine hope when they proclaim a vision of the good life grounded in sufficiency, community, justice and joy.
Songs for the Earth
Erin Bell -mezzo soprano, Stephanie Hood -soprano, and Matt Kingham -piano. Join the trio that brought you
Songs for Families,
Songs for Humanity, and
Songs for the Heart,
Love is Love!
Admission is $5 minimum donation per person. All proceeds will be donated to
Eco-Justice Ministries, an organization that works with church congregations to care for all of God's creation, and work towards environmental sustainability. Please join us as we bring you an afternoon of music that celebrates the beauty of nature.
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Christ, Cross, and Crisis in the Holy Land - an evening with Rev. Dr. Mitri Raheb
Saturday, November 17, 2018 at 6:00 p.m.
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How does one live under consistently harsh, and difficult situations? Christians in Bethlehem face this situation daily.
In the midst of blockades and military occupation, Christians in the West Bank are choosing to live hopeful, productive lives.
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Music of the Vine: A Perfectly Paired Evening with Claude Robbins, International Wine and Spirits Guild, and Stratus Chamber Orchestra
Saturday, November 17, 2018 at 6:30 p.m.
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Grant Avenue Historic Theater
216 S Grant St, Denver, CO (
map
)
Sip, listen, savor, and enjoy with
Claude Robbins, President of the International Wine & Spirits Guild and
Stratus Chamber Orchestra in this paired experience of fine wine and music. Enjoy cleansing appetizers, wine sampling, music notes by Conductor David Rutherford, and wine insights by Claude Robbins, all paired with great string classics including
"Adagio for Strings" by Samuel Barber,
"Brandenburg Concerto No. 3" by Bach,
"Quiet City" by Aaron Copeland,
“String Symphony #2” by Mendelssohn, and “Estampas Nocturnas” by Manual Ponce’.
All proceeds benefit Outreach and Education programs of Augustana Arts.
Order your
tickets here
!
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Lutheran Advocacy Ministry-NM
2018 Advocacy Conference -
Registration is now OPEN!
Saturday, November 17, 2018 at 8:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
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Keynote speaker:
The Rev. Amy Reumann, Director of ELCA Advocacy
St. Paul Lutheran Church
Albuquerque, NM
8:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
$15 per person
(materials & lunch included)
Registration is open, go
HERE
!
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Yoga as Prayer Women's Retreat
January 25-26, 2019
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Holy Cross Retreat Center
Jan 25, 5:00 p.m. to Jan 26, 3:00 p.m.
Daily Bread Yoga retreats are a sweet time away of conversation, quiet, and reflection. The physical practice of yoga is actually called “asana”, which means seat for prayer. It was created as a preparation for prayer and meditation. I describe what happens in a yoga class as focusing on the body, to quiet the mind, and rest the spirit. That’s it. It’s about being present in mind-body-spirit, and for most of us it takes doing something with our body to quiet the busy mind. During the retreat we will practice a gentle yoga (asana) that is beginner friendly and adaptable for those who need it more/less challenging. We will also learn about the bigger practice of yoga; the concepts & philosophies that make it a deep spiritual practice to enrich your faith, no matter where you are on the way.
Sponsored by Peace Lutheran Church, El Paso. More info
here, to register go
here.
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Funeral Mass and Memorial Service for Father Thomas Keating
November 16, Friday, 11:00 a.m.
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Father Thomas Keating
March 7, 1923 – October 25, 2018
In response to the call of Vatican II in the 1970’s, Father Keating helped to revive ancient Christian contemplative traditions and prayers such as
Lectio Divina
in a practice known as
Centering Prayer
, which is now taught by an organization he co-founded in 1984,
Contemplative Outreach
.
His work and teachings are highly valued by many in our synod. Bishop Gonia will attend this Funeral Mass and Memorial at Spirit of Christ Catholic Community, 7400 W 80th Ave, Arvada CO. The
service is open to all, however an RSVP is required and can be completed on the Contemplative Outreach website at
http://www.contemplativeoutreach-co.org/
.
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LFS Denver - Informal Q & A session for Foster Care
November 14 from 12:30-1:30 p.m. and from 5:30-6:30 p.m.
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Each year in Colorado, thousands of kids are unable to live with their biological parents because of abuse or neglect. We need families who can provide temporary care until children reunify with their parent as well as families willing to adopt children and teens in foster care if they can't return to their families.
An informal
Q & A session for foster care will be held on
November 14 from 12:30-1:30 p.m. and from 5:30-6:30 p.m. at the
LFS Denver Metro office, 363 S. Harlan Street, Suite 105, Denver, 80226 (
map). Please register with Anne at
anne.hamilton@lfsrm.org or 303-217-5869. One-on-one meetings can also be arranged to work around your busy schedule.
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Rainbow Trail reminds us that Colorado Gives Day is December 4th!
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Colorado Gives Day is an annual day of giving to non-profit organizations all across Colorado.
Whether you live in Colorado or not, you can donate to Rainbow Trail on December 4th. Each donation helps RTLC receive additional funds from Community First Foundation through a sum that's divided among all participating organizations and prizes at the end of the day. You can even schedule your CO Gives Day gift NOW so you won't forget to donate! Support non-profits like Rainbow Trail Lutheran Camp on Colorado Gives Day!
Give at
https://www.coloradogives.org/rainbowtrail/overview
!
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Resource Corner
check back each week for a new or featured resource for your congregation
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Here's Your Stewardship Toolkit for December!
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This month's toolkit contains an original newsletter article on stewardship, RCL-based weekly bulletin blurbs, and links to resources around the web. December's theme is
"Stewardship for Advent & Christmas."
These "Stewardship Toolkits" are created monthly by Pr Robert C. Blezard, Assistant to the Bishop, Lower Susquehanna Synod.
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For our friends at Highlands Lutheran, Denver!
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Used Hand Bell Music Wanted:
If you have sheet music you are no longer using and willing to donate, we would love to make use of it! We're looking for music on the easy end of the difficulty spectrum. Contact Music Director Emily Stover at
emilykstover@gmail.com
.
Used Grand Piano Wanted:
If you have a used full or baby size grand piano that you're no longer using, we would love to make use of it! We would be willing to take care coming to check and make sure it's still in playing condition, any necessary tuning, and transporting it. If you're open to donating or selling your grand piano at a reduced rate, please contact Pastor Asher O'Callaghan of
Highlands Lutheran Church
at
pastorasherocallaghan@gmail.com
.
Non-profit Renters Wanted:
Highlands Lutheran Church at 3995 Irving Street, Denver, CO (
map
) is seeking non-profit or small congregation renters. Available spaces include two private offices (188 sq ft and 168 sq ft) and one large room (this was previously used as chapel space and is 400 sq ft plus 53 sq ft closet space). Renters may choose to rent one, two, or all three of these spaces.
To view pictures and more information see our flyer
. Inquire with our volunteer property management volunteer Ellen Lorts at
lortse@comcast.net
or our church office at
office@highlandslutheran.comcastbiz.net
.
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All
Non-Rostered Positions
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Music Leader (part-time)
Ascension Lutheran Church - Cheyenne, WY
Director of Faith Formation
King of Glory Lutheran Church - Arvada, CO
Communications Specialist
King of Glory Lutheran Church - Arvada, CO
Director of Volunteers (part-time)
King of Glory Lutheran Church - Arvada, CO
Administrative Assistant
All Saints Lutheran Church - Albuquerque, NM
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Office of the Bishop This Week
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Bishop Jim Gonia
- El Paso Ministry Visits
- First Call Theological Education, El Paso, TX
- Service for Father Keating
- New Mexico Advocacy Conference
- NNM Conference Summit
- Valley, Las Lunes, NM
- Installation, Church of the Servant, Santa Fe, NM
ELCA DIRECTOR FOR EVANGELICAL MISSION
Pastor Matt Barnhouse
- Mission Outreach Board
- Our Savior, Alamagordo, NM
- Rejoicing Spirits, Denver
- El Paso Office Nov. 12-30. Email: mbarnhouse@rmselca.org
LUTHERAN ADVOCACY MINISTRY NEW MEXICO
Ruth Hoffman
- LAM-NM Advocacy Conference
- North NM Conference gathering
- Central United Methodist Church
ELCA REGIONAL GIFT PLANNER
Tina Kvitek
- Interim Pastors
- NNM Conference Summit, St. Paul, Albuquerque, NM
- Christ, Santa Fe, NM
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ASSISTANT TO THE BISHOP FOR CONGREGATIONAL LIFE
Pastor Sarah Moening
- First Call Theological Education, El Paso, TX
ASSISTANT TO THE BISHOP FOR LEADERSHIP SUPPORT
Pastor Kent Mueller (1/2 time)
- Lutheran Center Administration
- Interim Pastors
- Part Time Ministry Team
ASSISTANT TO THE BISHOP FOR SYNODICAL LIFE
Deacon Erin Power
- Global Missions Team
- Rainbow Trail Senior High Retreat
- RMS Communications
- Synod Assembly Planning
LUTHERAN ADVOCACY MINISTRY COLORADO
Peter Severson
ASSISTANT TO THE BISHOP FOR FAITH FORMATION & CANDIDACY
Pastor Leslie Welton
- Discernment Visioning
- Messiah Mountain Task Force
- St. Matthew, Taylorsville, UT
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You are welcome to directly contact
Andrew Nakatan
i
, Communications Assistant, with questions, comments, or concerns you may have about eConnection or our website!
Rocky Mountain Synod
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
800-525-0462 / 303-777-6700 / fax 303-339-4744
Articles for eConnection are due noon Monday for the issue the following Wednesday.
Event announcements are included for about two weeks then copied to the
Events & News Web Page
,
and may be submitted via the eConnection Submission link above.
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