A Reconciling in Christ synod
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"Awake, Awake, and Greet the New Morn"
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With all the church, we stay awake and keep watch to greet the new morn. In the words of ELW Hymn 242, we are reminded that in darkest night Christ's coming shall be, when all the world is despairing. As we rise each day, we take heart that we are marked by the Cross of Christ in baptism. So each day is an opportunity for love to be our song and prayer and endless story.
We give thanks for our congregations, leaders, and ministries. We give thanks that together we live out the vision that Jesus has set forth. He shows us what is possible.
Advent Peace,
+ Bishop Jim Gonia +
Matt Barnhouse, Deniese Estrada, Ruth Hoffman,Tina Kvitek, Janice Ladd-Horkey,
Sarah Moening, Kent Mueller, Erin Power, Peter Severson, Michael Tassler,
Leslie Welton, and Andrew Nakatani
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Happy Holidays!
eConnection will take a holiday break, December 26.
Our next issue will be published on January 2, 2019.
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Office of the Bishop: Closed Christmas Week
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The Office of the Bishop will close at the end of the day on Friday, December 21. The office will open in the New Year on Wednesday, January 2. Should there be a congregational emergency while the office is closed, pleased
text or
call (leave a message) on the RMS Emergency LIne. That number is
(303) 218-2468. That number is also on the office answering message.
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eConnection Spotlight:
RMS in the GLOBAL Neighborhood
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Connecting with Colleagues
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The Rocky Mountain Synod's Southeast Colorado Conference meeting this month was at the USAFA where they got an in-depth tour that included: the Protestant Chapel, The Roman Catholic Chapel, the Buddhist temple, the Jewish Synagogue, the Muslim Mosque, and the Orthodox Christian chapel.
The Protestant Chapel will be under construction soon with the entire roof structure being removed and rebuilt. It will take around 4 years of work. Colonel William Wiecher, an ELCA Chaplain, is currently the head of Chaplains there.
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LIRS & AMMPARO Update on the Border and Caravan
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Recently, representatives from Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service (LIRS), ELCA AMMPARO, Bishop Gonia, and other leaders participated in a webinar to share an update on the critical situation on the Border and the Caravan. View the
webinar (you'll need to register to view) and download the
presentation to learn how we as a church are continuing to accompany refugees, migrants, and asylum-seekers, and how you and your ministry can get involved.
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Conference Youth Gatherings January 19-21, 2019
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With the cancellation of the synod-organized youth gathering there are still opportunities for youth retreats that weekend. Here are two, in Estes Park and southern New Mexico.
If you are aware of other gatherings, let us know so that the information can be shared with others.
Please directly contact those listed below with your questions and to register.
Youth Gathering
North
Who Me? Yes you! Come join us for a weekend of exploring vocation, spirituality, and community time together.
January 19-21, 2019
YMCA at Estes Park
Cost: $180 per person
Registration deadline extended to December 31, 2018 (update)
Youth Gathering
South
January 19-21, 2019
Sacramento Camp and Conference Center
Cloudcroft, New Mexico
Cost: $135 per person
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Advent Greetings from our ELCA Campaign Committee
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Each of you continue to be a vital link in sharing the good news as it pertains to the eco-system of philanthropy for our church. Think of the people who continue to be impacted by the outreach of this campaign – the presence, revelation, the connections.
Thank you for all you continue to do; thank you for all the ways in which you show up. Love and joy, may it be yours as you celebrate this season!
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RMS Prayer Cycle
December 2018
UTAH CONFERENCE
Week of December 23
Shepherd of the Mountains - Park City, UT
Steve Leiser
St. Matthew’s - Salt Lake City, UT
Christine Higuerra-Street
Week of December 30
Zion - Salt Lake City, UT
Steve Klemz
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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, December 23
Fourth Sunday of Advent
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Prayer of the Day
Stir up your power, Lord Christ, and come. With your abundant grace and might, free us from the sin that binds us, that we may receive you in joy and serve you always, for you live and reign with the Father 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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Holden Evening Prayer with Our Savior's & HFASS
Wednesdays during Advent, 7:00 p.m.
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Our Savior's Lutheran Church
915 East 9th Ave, Denver (
map
)
(On the corner of Emerson Street and East 9th Avenue in the Capitol Hill neighborhood.)
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Saint Martin’s Chamber Choir Concert-
A Marian Christmas: Maiden and Mother
Friday, December 21 at 7:30 p.m.
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Saint Paul Community of Faith
1600 Grant St
Denver’s own Saint Martin’s Chamber Choir, led by Artistic Director Timothy Krueger, will perform a program entitled,
A Marian Christmas: Maiden and Mother,
featuring music by female composers, in honor of Mary,
thus providing a uniquely feminine insight into the Nativity.
Visit
www.stmartinschamberchoir.org
for more information, get
tickets here
.
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Saint Paul Lutheran and Roman Catholic Community of Faith
Singing a Christmas Cantata-
Lauft ihr Hirten allzugleich
Monday, December 24 at 10:30 p.m.
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Saint Paul Community of Faith
1600 Grant St
Saint Paul will sing a cantata composed by Michael Haydn and entitled,
Lauft ihr Hirten allzugleich (“Run, You Shepherds, All at Once”)
, during an extended Prelude to the 11:00 p.m. liturgy celebrating the Nativity of Our Lord.
This year the Prelude, and the liturgy that follows, will feature music by Austrian-Hungarian composers spanning the 18th century from end of Baroque period through the Classical period and into the early Romantic period, including moterts by Gregor Werner, Franz Xaver Brixi, and liturgical music by Franz Schubert, all accompanied by a string quartet. Visit
www.stpauldenver.org
for more information.
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Centering Prayer Introductory Workshop
Saturday January 5, 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
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Come deepen your relationship with God in the New Year. In our introductory workshop to Centering Prayer, you will discover a centuries-old prayer method. Centering Prayer consists of simply sitting in silence with God-beyond thoughts, words, and emotions - and opening your mind, heart and whole being to the Ultimate Mystery. In this workshop, you'll learn the basics of Centering Prayer, experience it in a guided setting, and be able to ask questions and share experiences with the presenter and your fellow initiates.
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12 Step Introduction to Centering Prayer
Saturday, January 12, 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
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When applied as an 11th Step prayer practice, Centering Prayer draws us closer to the healing we desire from the Higher Power. In this workshop, you’ll learn the basics of Centering Prayer practice, experience it in a guided setting, and be able to ask questions and share experiences with the instructor and your fellow initiates.
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Stratus Chamber Orchestra
Through the Lens of Music - Focus on Mind
Friday and Saturday, February 15 and 16, 2019
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Friday, February 15, 2019 at 7:30 p.m.
First Plymouth Congregational Church
3501 S Colorado Blvd, Cherry Hills Village (
map
)
Saturday, February 16, 2019 at 7:30 p.m.
Augustana Lutheran Church (
map
)
Experience the connection between music and the way we think. Ponder the classic works of Dvorak’s Legend, Ellington’s Don’t Get Around Much Anymore,and more in a mindful collaboration with guest conductor Maestro Debashish Chaudhuri and magician Trenton Gunsolley. This program is sure to blow your mind!
Get your tickets here!
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Cindy and Friends in Concert!
Saturday March 23, 2019 at 7:30 p.m.
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Augustana Lutheran Church (
map
)
Greatly-admired organist Cindy Lindeen-Martin and several of her friends come together for an evening of music extolling the assorted sonorities of the pipe organ in combination with various instruments for a captivating collage of sound.
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LFS Informal Q & A session for Foster Care
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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
January 9, 2019 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 (
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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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 January 2019!
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Here is the January 2019 "Stewardship Toolkit." This month's theme is "Stewardship of Time."
Included are RCL-based bulletin blurbs for Sundays in January, plus an original newsletter article and links to resources.
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ELCA Administration Matters - December 2018
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Help pastors tap the clergy housing allowance
The clergy housing allowance allows pastors to exclude a portion of their compensation from federal gross income if it can be justified to the IRS as spent on housing expenses. If congregations don't proactively designate a portion of their pastor's compensation as a housing allowance, your pastor loses an important tax benefit. Sign-in at Portico EmployerLink required. >
More
Don't be left in the cold - inspect your heating boiler
One of the biggest risks with boiler heating systems is that a problem will cause the internal pressure in the system to escalate to a point where it causes an explosion. This not only results in major physical damage to the facility but can also be life-threatening if your members or employees are in the building. The risk of this occurring can be greatly diminished with proper maintenance. >
More
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Director of Children’s Ministries
Cross of Christ Lutheran Church - Broomfield, CO
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This person will be responsible for developing a comprehensive Children’s (pre-K – 5th grade) Faith Formation Ministry designed to meet the needs of the congregation while following the vision and ministry of Cross of Christ. They will coordinate and oversee volunteers involved with this ministry. See full position description, qualifications, and salary information
here.
Please send resume and letter of interest to:
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Vacation Bible School Coordinator
Cross of Christ Lutheran Church - Broomfield, CO
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The vision for VBS is to share the gospel of Jesus Christ with young children in our local community with the hope of establishing long term relationships with them and their families. VBS is a high energy week that requires numerous volunteers to make it successful. As such the VBS Coordinator plays a crucial role in implementing all of the details and has the goal of developing an exciting program that will introduce Jesus to the children and help them understand his love for them. See full position description, qualifications, and salary information
here.
Please send resume and letter of interest to:
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All
Non-Rostered Positions
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Director of Children’s Ministries
Cross of Christ Lutheran Church - Broomfield, CO
Vacation Bible School Coordinator
Cross of Christ Lutheran Church - Broomfield, 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
- In-office appointments
- ACT4RMS Task Force
- Lutheran Church of the Master
- Vacation through January 1
ELCA DIRECTOR FOR EVANGELICAL MISSION
Pastor Matt Barnhouse
LUTHERAN ADVOCACY MINISTRY NEW MEXICO
Ruth Hoffman
ELCA REGIONAL GIFT PLANNER
Tina Kvitek
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ASSISTANT TO THE BISHOP FOR CONGREGATIONAL LIFE
Pastor Sarah Moening
- ACT4RMS Task Force
- Leadership Planning
- Vacation through January 3
ASSISTANT TO THE BISHOP FOR LEADERSHIP SUPPORT
Pastor Kent Mueller (1/2 time)
- Vacation through January 1
ASSISTANT TO THE BISHOP FOR SYNODICAL LIFE
Deacon Erin Power
- RMS Communications
- Synod Assembly Planning
- Vacation through January 2
LUTHERAN ADVOCACY MINISTRY COLORADO
Peter Severson
- Amendment A Campaign Debrief
- Vacation through January 1
ASSISTANT TO THE BISHOP FOR FAITH FORMATION & CANDIDACY
Pastor Leslie Welton
- In-office appointments
- Vacation through January 1
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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 can be found
here
.
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