A Reconciling in Christ synod
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I'm a Lutheran:
Bunga Manurung
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Recently, Bunga Manurung, leader at HKBP, an Indonesian RMS congregation in Denver, shared with Living Lutheran Magazine about her faith and the church.
I’m a Lutheran
by choice. I was saved not because of what I did but because of God’s grace. Love is a gift that God has given me, so it’s a gift I also share with others.
To me, church
is a place where I feel safe.
I wanted to be part o
f helping
Auraria Campus
, a new Lutheran campus ministry in Denver, because it addresses the lack of diversity within the Rocky Mountain Synod. Drawn from three different schools (Metropolitan State University, Community College of Denver, and University of Colorado Denver), the ministry gives college students a safe space to be themselves.
It’s important to me to be involved in youth and young adult ministry
because these people are the next generation of Lutherans. Churches and synods need to invest in all youth and faith formation directors. Be kind, be mindful and be open to new ideas coming from the young.
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What We Get to do Together!
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Not long ago I was asked:
So, what does the “synod” do for us anyway?
I was reminded of how Presiding Bishop Eaton addressed that inquiry some years ago when she said:
That’s the wrong question. The question is what do we get to do together as the church?
What do we get to do together as Christ’s Church here in the Rocky Mountain Synod? Your Synod Council engaged that question at our meeting in early February and affirmed some exciting directions for our shared life as fellow members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America in this part of God’s world.
- Together, we get to celebrate the generosity of congregations and individuals that help fuel our ministry. The Council heard updates about Stewardship for All Seasons and the fruits it is yielding in many of the congregations that have engaged in this collaborative opportunity to grow in gratitude. We also celebrated that our Synod Mission Support for 2018 exceeded our expectations, growing by 2.1% over last year and allowing us to be generous with our Churchwide ministries. The Council approved increasing our Mission Support share with our Churchwide ministries from 47% to 47.5% in 2019.
- Together, we get to grow as leaders in Christ’s Church. In the fall of this year we plan to launch Excellence in Leadership, a comprehensive leadership development initiative that has been “under construction” for the last few years, and whose desire is to form courageous, resilient and faithful leaders who are better equipped to build courageous, resilient, and faithful communities of faith, for the sake of the world. It is the vision of this initiative that pastors, deacons, leaders of congregations and other ministries will all be equipped to exercise wise, mature, emotionally intelligent leadership in the many settings of their lives. Stay tuned for details!
Together, we get to expand our vision for outdoor ministry through Messiah Mountain Retreat Center.
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eConnection Spotlight:
RMS in the Neighborhood
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Winter Institute Book Drive Collects Thousands of Titles for Refugees
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Check out this article from the American Booksellers Association's that recognizes the work of Peace Lutheran and the Border Servant Corps!
Beginning at the American Booksellers Association’s Winter Institute 14 in Albuquerque, New Mexico, booksellers, publishers, and authors have donated thousands of books for the “Libros Para el Viaje” (“Books for the Journey”) book drive, which are now being distributed to families, individuals, parents, and children who are arriving at the southern U.S. border from Mexico, Central America, and South America.
Winter Institute attendees were asked to donate new or gently used Spanish-language books of all genres and for all ages; ABA also contributed 50 Spanish-language books to the effort. The idea for the drive originated with Denise Chávez, owner of Casa Camino Real Book Store and Art Gallery in Las Cruces, New Mexico. Since summer 2018, Chávez has been distributing books to refugees in her hometown of Las Cruces via
Peace Lutheran Church
, under the direction of the
Border Servant Corps (BSC)
refugee hospitality center.
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“Perspectives on the Border” Webinar Series
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There are three different sessions, usually at a minimum cost of $25 each per participant.
We are offering all three for only $60 per person!
Your synods are helping subsidize the cost of this invaluable training (valued at a significantly higher rate)!
Session I:
Living in Third Spaces (March 7, 3:00 p.m. CST)
Session II:
Borderland Perspectives on Diverse Worldviews (March 21, 3:00 p.m. CDT)
Session III:
Theological Perspectives from the U.S. – Mexico Borderlands (March 28, 3:00 p.m. CDT)
The sessions will likely run over an hour, based on our prior experience, where much dialogue ensued, especially when talking about culture as a paradigm.
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Assembly Registration is OPEN!
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Dates & Deadlines -
March 15:
Priority Deadline for Scholarship Requests
March 22:
Resolutions, and Nominations for Synod Secretary Due
March 22:
Ministry Booklet Pages Deadline
April 12:
Registration Deadline & Hotel Reservation deadline
Pay the registration fee online or submit a check by April 12.
Registration: $300
Hotel: $119-129
Note about hotel accomodations:
We have added additional rooms to the RMS block for Thursday, May 2. If you were unable to make a reservation for Thursday, try again, the problem should be corrected. You can
go here
to make your reservation at the Embassy Suites.
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Don't forget to not forget to do your Annual Congregational Report Forms A/C !
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Here's a little reminder to make sure your congregation submits its Annual Congregational Report Forms A & C online. The due date for these forms was February 15. Have your
Congregation ID on-hand and go
here.
It will only take a few minutes of your time and you'll be glad you didn't forget!
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RMS Youth Council is ready to launch!
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The RMS Youth Council task force has finished its visioning work and is ready to add a few more members, with
at least one youth representing each conference of the Synod.
If you know a youth interested in being part of this new group of valued youth voices, please have them go to our
new website
, or request an application or more information from the current council members at
rmsyouthcouncil@gmail.com
.
Applications will be accepted until the end of March.
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Consecration & Installation
Kristen Saathoff
Tabor, Pueblo, CO
Saturday, March 9, 1:00 p.m.
Color of the Day: Purple
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RMS Prayer Cycle
MARCH 2019: BOULDER/BROOMFIELD CONFERENCE
Week of March 3
First - Lutheran Church Longmont, CO
Garrett Struessel
Katie Emery
Bethlehem - Lutheran Church Longmont, CO
Keith Prekker
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Transfiguration of Christ
Panel from the Maesta altarpiece of Siena
1308-1311
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, March 3
Transfiguration of Our Lord
Last Sunday after Epiphany
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Prayer of the Day
Holy God, mighty and immortal, you are beyond our knowing, yet we see your glory in the face of Jesus Christ. Transform us into the likeness of your Son, who renewed our humanity so that we may share in his divinity, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
In God's Hands: Ecumenical Prayer Cycle from the World Council of Churches
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Augustana Arts presents
2nd Annual Heart for the Arts Gala
Saturday April 6, 2019 6:00 p.m.
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Join us for
A Night to Remember at the 2nd Annual "Heart for the Arts" Benefit Gala! The evening includes appetizers, dinner, wine and desserts with live performances of Stratus Chamber Orchestra, Colorado Women's and Men's Chorale, and City Strings students. Our guest Emcee, Michael Shasberger, returns to Augustana Arts to celebrate our 21 years. And a live/silent auction will benefit all the valuable programs we offer to the community. Join us for a golden evening with friends and family who have a heart for the arts!
Order your tickets here
!
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Augustana Arts presents
Through the Lens of Music: Focus on Soul with the Colorado Women’s Chorale and Colorado Men’s Chorale
Friday April 26, 2019 at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday April 27, 2019 at 7:30 p.m.
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The Hazel Miller Band joins with Stratus in the first half featuring some of Hazel’s favorites, but the 2nd half is a dream come true as Hazel performs Beethoven’s Symphony #9 joined with the Colorado Women’s and Men’s Chorales. It is a concert guaranteed to lift your soul, engage your mind, fill your spirit, and invigorate your body. Not to mention, bring down the house.
Adult- $25.00,
Senior 62+- $20.00,
Student w/ ID- $10.00,
Child >5- $5.00
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New Mexico Conference of Churches presents
CIRCO for Community and Justice
Friday, April 5, 5:30 - 9:00 p.m.
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CIRCO for Community and Justice
a benefit dinner of the New Mexico Conference of Churches to be held on April 5 at Our Lady of the Holy Rosary in Albuquerque.
As a friend of the New Mexico Conference of Churches we ask you to include an announcement of CIRCO in your late-February /early-March communications; become a Facebook event co-sponsor; consider purchasing an ad or becoming a fiscal sponsor of the event; and attend with your friends.
Here are files you may use in your publications.
Go here
to promote the event on Facebook, and become a FB co-sponsor.
Advertisers and Sponsors to be included in our program booklet are welcome by March 5.
Deadline for reservations is March 25.
Thank your for your help to promote CIRCO and your support of the ecumenical community in New Mexico!
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Synod Assembly Opportunities!
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Synod Assembly is coming to
Albuquerque which brings some unique opportunities for local folks this year!
- Local Visitor Option: Area folks are invited to join the assembly on Saturday afternoon/evening which includes: Afternoon excursion/immersion, dinner, and evening worship. Cost: $50.
- Saturday evening worship: Area congregations are invited to join our evening worship on Saturday, May 4.
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LFS Denver - Informal Q & A session for Foster Care
March 13 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 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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LFS' 25th Annual Gala on April 26 - Mark your calendars!
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The LFS Gala is our premier fundraising event which features a night of dinner, entertainment, an auction, and companionship.
More information here! Silent auction item donations are still needed - can you or a group of friends put together a gift basket, or donate a gift certificate or item to help raise funds for our human service programs? For more information or to schedule a pick-up, contact Katie Scherr at
katie.scherr@lfsrm.org.
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Border Servants Corps - February 2019 Update!
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Read about three former Border Servant Corps volunteers (
here) who have continued to work in the border region and been recipients of 21 donations in the past 6 months totaling $8,058.51, from individuals and congregations (primarily RMS). Many thanks to these and the many other former volunteers!
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Summer Offerings from CLU Office of Congregational Relations!
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Executive Skills for Church Leaders
July 15 - 19, 2019
This continuing education event for pastors and church leaders will explore how concepts from a MBA program can be applied to the arena of congregational life.
Click on the postcard below for more information.
Essential Skills for Youth Workers
August 1 - 3, 2019
Volunteer? Full time? Part Time? Paid? We've got a personal and professional development program for you or your youth workers!
Click on the postcard below for more information.
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Faithful Tuesdays at the Colorado State Capitol
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Faithful Tuesdays is a diverse coalition of leaders, organizations and community members who are committed to adding a deeper, moral dimension to the public policymaking process in Colorado.
We will hold multi-faith events, every Tuesday, at the Colorado State Capitol throughout the 2019 legislative session of the Colorado General Assembly. Some of these events may feature specific legislation, while other events may focus on forwarding a shared narrative of justice, love, healing, reconciliation, and care for the other.
Please join us on any Tuesday through April 30th from 12:00 - 1:00 p.m. at the Colorado State Capitol, 200 E Colfax Ave, Denver, CO.
Visit our website for dates, topics, and locations:
https://faithfultuesdays.org/ and on
Facebook Events.
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Resource Corner
check back each week for a new or featured resource for your congregation
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Church Together Ambassador's Toolkits
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In coordination with your pastor and congregational leadership, our
Church Together Ambassadors
use our Church Together Toolkits to
share
stories and insights with your congregation
, ideally in worship, but also through other communication channels, through faith formation opportunities, etc.
Join them in seeking ways to
share stories of your congregation’s ministry and witness
as they network with other Church Together Ambassadors in exploring additional avenues for passing along the energy and enthusiasm generated when we gather in Assembly.
Download
Word
/
PDF
version of the Church Together Toolkit
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Vanco offers new online giving option for ELCA congregations
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The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) has formed a preferred vendor agreement with Vanco, an eGiving software developer and payment processor serving more than 20,000 churches across the country. The agreement offers Vanco's GivePlus suite of eGiving solutions to ELCA congregations. (
press release here).
Learn more here about GivePlus and the benefits of this preferred vendor agreement.
Tithe.ly continues to be a preferred option as well. We encourage our congregations and ministries to consider both online giving options. Here is the ELCA site where you can read about both options:
https://elca.org/preferredvendors.
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Office Administrator (part-time)
Holy Love Lutheran Church - Aurora, CO
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Holy Love Lutheran Church, Aurora, CO, is seeking an experienced Office Administrator to support staff, volunteers and congregation members. This is a part-time hourly position averaging 20-25 hours per week. The successful candidate will have a positive attitude, be self-motivated and have a professional work ethic with excellent organizational skills. Knowledge of office computers and software (Microsoft Office Suite) and previous work experience using Microsoft Publisher is a plus. A detailed position description of specific duties and required skills is available
here.
Interested candidates should submit a cover letter outlining their interest in the position and the skills they possess along with a resume. Send to: Holy Love Lutheran Church, 4210 S. Chambers Road, Aurora, CO 80014 or
admin@holylovelutheran.org.
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Administrative Assistant (part-time)
First Lutheran Church - Longmont, CO
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First Evangelical Lutheran Church, Longmont, CO is seeking an experienced Administrative Assistant to support its ministerial staff and Church Office operations. This is a part-time hourly position averaging 24 hours per week. The successful candidate will be self-motivated with a professional demeanor and presence, positive attitude, strong work ethic with excellent verbal communication and inter-personal skills. He/she must possess strong organizational skills, proficiency in office procedures and methods to ensure work flow, knowledge of office computers and software (Microsoft Office Suite) and previous work experience using Microsoft Publisher or Adobe-In Design. This person must be able to multi-task, be flexible in their job routine, work as a team member in a collaborative environment, and relate well to other church staff, congregants and visitors. Pay will be $15 per hour. Detailed position description for specific duties and required skills is available
here.
Interested candidates should submit a cover letter outlining their interest in the position and the skills they possess along with a resume. Resumes will be accepted by walk-in, mail or email at the addresses below until the position is filled.
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All
Non-Rostered Positions
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Office Administrator (part-time)
Holy Love Lutheran Church - Aurora, CO
Administrative Assistant (part-time)
First Lutheran Church - Longmont, CO
Preschool Director, South Table Mountain Preschool
Faith Lutheran Church - Golden, CO
Communications Specialist
King of Glory Lutheran Church - Arvada, CO
Parish Administrator
Lutheran Church of the Holy Spirit - Centennial, CO
Director
St. Philip Lutheran Church, St. Philip Early Learning Center - Littleton, CO
Faith Formation Director of Youth
Bethany Lutheran Church - Cherry Hills Village, CO
Preschool Director
Holy Trinity Lutheran Church - Littleton, CO
Music Leader (part-time)
Ascension Lutheran Church - Cheyenne, WY
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Office of the Bishop This Week
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Bishop Jim Gonia
- Candidacy Assignment Process
- Conference of Bishops, Chicago, IL
ELCA DIRECTOR FOR EVANGELICAL MISSION
Pastor Matt Barnhouse
- Denver Office: Feb. 27- March 10
- Mission Outreach Board
- Prince of Peace, Logan, UT
- 1-1 Meetings
LUTHERAN ADVOCACY MINISTRY NEW MEXICO
Ruth Hoffman
LUTHERAN ADVOCACY MINISTRY COLORADO
Peter Severson
- Legislative Session
- Advocacy Coalition Meetings
- Faithful Tuesdays
ELCA REGIONAL GIFT PLANNER
Tina Kvitek
- Atonement, Boulder, CO
- Systemic Issues Team
- Lord of the Mountains, Dillon, CO
- Shepherd of the Valley, La Salle, CO
- Zion, Loveland, CO
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ASSISTANT TO THE BISHOP FOR CONGREGATIONAL LIFE
Pastor Sarah Moening
- In-office appointments
- St. Luke, Albuquerque, NM
- New Mexico CDI Meeting 3
- Our Saviour's Alamogordo, NM
ASSISTANT TO THE BISHOP FOR LEADERSHIP SUPPORT
Pastor Kent Mueller (1/2 time)
- Lutheran Center Administration
- Systemic Issues Team
- Part-time Ministry Team
ASSISTANT TO THE BISHOP FOR SYNODICAL LIFE
Deacon Erin Power
- RMS Communications
- Synod Assembly Planning
ASSISTANT TO THE BISHOP FOR FAITH FORMATION & CANDIDACY
Pastor Leslie Welton
- Lutheran Campus Ministry Retreat, Albuquerque, NM
- Campus Ministry UNC, Greeley, CO
- In-office appointments
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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
Submissions
are due noon Monday each week and will run for about two weeks.
Past issues of eConnection may be found
here
.
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