A Reconciling in Christ synod
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2019 Synod Assembly -- May 3-5 -- Embassy Suites, Albuquerque, NM
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As the ELCA Rocky Mountain Synod we’ve been focused this last year on what it means to be Christ’s Church for the Life of the World. Our attention now turns to what animates our witness and ministry as Christ’s Church by exploring the Spirit’s work within us – individually and communally. Under the theme “Be Transformed” our 2019 Synod Assembly will consider the changes that take place in our hearts, minds, and very being as God’s love in Jesus takes hold of us.
Assembly Information:
- An information packet for voting members was recently mailed to congregations. Download the packet HERE.
- Information regarding Voting Members, Resolutions, Schedules, Elections and Resolutions can also be found on the Assembly Website.
- Link for The Embassy Suites Hotel Reservations is here. The Group Name is Rocky Mountain Synod-ELCA. The Group Code is RMS.
- Registration opens February 1.
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Optional Assembly T-shirts
Proclaim our commitment to our neighbor with this optional assembly t-shirt benefiting ELCA World Hunger. T-shirts must be pre-ordered with assembly registration. Cost: $15
Off-site Excursions and On-site Immersions
In light of our assembly theme of “Be Transformed”, voting members and visitors will be invited to select one topic or conversation for deeper learning and engagement. Sessions will be 2-3 hours of experiential learning. Off-site excursions will include: Campus Ministry, Camino de Vida, a local hike, Hispanic Cultural Center, Indian Pueblo Cultural Center, and a Native American Comic Book store. On-site immersions topics include: Leadership development, Worship and Arts, Dismantling the Doctrine of Discovery, Generosity, and Anti-Racism. Participants will select their excursion/immersion when registering for the assembly.
Assembly Speakers
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eConnection Spotlight:
RMS in the Neighborhood
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Shepherd of the Hils, Cañon City, CO
Living Nativity presented Saturday, December 15, 2018
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Shepherd of the Hills in Cañon City, CO, presented its
20th Living Nativity on December 15th. This is our "gift" to the community to enhance their Holiday traditions and to remind them of the real "reason for the season". All the Christmas story characters were represented in costume while scripture readings and Christmas music played in the background.
Donations of nonperishable food and cash were accepted for the benefit of Loaves & Fishes Ministries, a local food pantry. For more information contact
sothoffices@gmail.com and check our
Facebook page.
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Trinity Lutheran - Boulder, CO dedicates Trinity Horizons
Sunday, January 13, 2019
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After several years of planning and construction, Trinity Lutheran in Boulder, CO dedicated
Trinity Horizons on their former parking lot in downtown Boulder: 16 Senior Affordable Housing Apartments, Fellowship Hall, and Underground Parking.
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Lutheran World Relief - A Season of Hope!
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Proclaim to the world that the hope of Christ makes a new season possible:
a Season of Hope. Lutheran World Relief has an abundance of resources to show your congregation the impact they can make in the lives of poor and struggling families around the world. Invigorate your congregation for global good with:
- Weekly devotionals by Lutherans in the U.S. and LWR staff
- Palm Sunday bulletin insert and children’s activity sheet
- Season of Hope Homily Series centered on Matthew 25:34-36
Visit
lwr.org/lent and journey through this Lenten season with Lutheran World Relief.
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Installations
Levi Powers
Mount of Olives, Rock Springs, WY
Sunday, January 20, 3:00 p.m.
Color of the Day: Green
Rev. Katie Emery
First Lutheran, Longmont, CO
Sunday, January 27, 4:00 p.m.
Color of the Day: Green
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RMS Prayer Cycle
January 2019
METRO WEST CONFERENCE
Week of January 20
Lord of the Valley - Granby, CO
Brian Bergum
St. Mark’s Church of Grace * Episcopal Lutheran Ministry - Craig, CO
Bain White (ECUSA)
Mount of the Holy Cross - Vail, CO
Scott Beebe
Shepherd of the Valley -
Grand Junction, CO
Kaila (Hochhalter) Armbruster
St. Andrew - Arvada, CO
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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, January 20
Second Sunday after the Epiphany
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Prayer of the Day
Lord God, source of every blessing, you showed forth your glory and led many to faith by the works of your Son, who brought gladness and salvation to his people. Transform us by the Spirit of his love, that we may find our life together in him, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.
In God's Hands: Ecumenical Prayer Cycle from the World Council of Churches
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Join the Rocky Mountain Synod - March in the MLK Day Marade
Monday, January 21, 2019, 9:00 a.m.
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Members and friends of churches in the Rocky Mountain Synod are invited to join members of
Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, Littleton to march in the
MLK Day Marade on Monday, January 21. People will
gather at the Dr. Martin Lutheran King, Jr. Memorial at City Park at 9:00 a.m. After a program
the march will begin at 10:45 a.m., going down Colfax and ending at Civic Center Park's Greek Theater. Look for the yellow RMS "God's work Our Hands" banner. For more information contact Judy Lounsberry at
JudyLouns@aol.com or 303-916-3764.
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Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration 2019 in Boulder
Monday, January 21, 2019 at 4:00 p.m.
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Lutheran Campus Ministry has played a vital role in the rebirth of an on campus observation of Dr Martin Luther King Day. This second year of the event is entitled
"Remembering His Life, Renewing His Legacy" on Monday, Jan. 21. A reception and conversations on the day of service are from 3:00 to 4:00 p.m., followed by a community celebration from 4:00 to 5:00 p.m. The event takes place in the Gl
enn Miller Ballroom of the University Memorial Center.
This
free event is designed to appeal to all ages and is sponsored by the University of Colorado’s Office of Diversity, Equity and Community Engagement (ODECE), St. Aiden's Episcopal Church, the Lutheran Campus Ministry, CU Boulder Hillel, the Center for Western Civilization, Thought & Policy, and the city of Boulder Housing and Human Services. Download flyer
here.
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Colorado's Climate Future - Campaign Launch
Wednesday, January 23, 6:30 p.m.
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Are you sick of smog? Do you want cleaner air for your family? Are you ready to fight climate change? Join Conservation Colorado for an informative session about Colorado's Climate Future in Adams County.
Air pollution and climate change are threatening the health of Colorado’s communities and environment. Adams County is especially at risk due to the oil and gas industry’s persistent drilling and countless new permits.
Our first meeting (
held at Rocky Mountain Synod Lutheran Center), we will go into detail about the issue, outline our strategy to fix the problem, and discuss how to build momentum in Adams County. RSVP today at bit.ly/adamscorsvp and bring any and all friends and family who might be interested in getting involved! Kids of all ages are welcome! For more info,
go here or email to
mireille@greencorps.org.
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James Hersch coming to Holy Love!
Saturday, January 26, 2019 at 7:15 p.m.
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Holy Love Lutheran Church
4210 South Chambers Rd, Aurora (
map
)
Enjoy an evening of Christian fellowship at Holy Love.
James Hersch will sing many of his songs as his music tells a wealth of stories that reach all of us.
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Welcoming Prayer
Contemplative Outreach of Colorado
Saturday, Jan 26, 9:00 a.m.- 1:00 p.m.
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The Welcoming Prayer is a practice designed to help us respond, instead of react, when we find our emotional programs triggered. In this simple prayer we learn to surrender to God’s presence and action in our lives so we aren’t so torn apart by anxiety, fears, anger or other afflictive emotions.
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Finding resilience in a world of anxiety and trauma with Rich Williams
Sunday, February 10, from 10:50 a.m.- noon
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Atonement Lutheran Church (chapel)
685 Inca Parkway, Boulder, CO (
map
)
Many people experience PTSD, panic disorders and the various kinds of trauma our world can inflict. Rich Williams, Licensed Clinical Social Worker and ordained chaplain, will offer skills and encouragement as people find ways to manage their symptoms and find their resilience. As a survivor himself, he will share some of the current knowledge about trauma and panic, what skills have been found effective in managing them, and what helps us develop our natural resilience. You are invited and we encourage you to invite others. Sponsored by our Mental Health Ministry Team.
For more information
send email or call 303-499-4567.
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Register NOW for Colorado Lutheran Day at the Legislature
Thursday, February 21, 7:30 a.m.-12 p.m.
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Join us for
Lutheran Day at the Legislature at the Colorado State Capitol! Learn about current issues, gather with other faithful advocates, and meet & lobby your elected officials.
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The Colorado School of Celtic Consciousness Retreat with Theologian John Philip Newell at Shambhala Mountain Center, Red Feather Lakes, CO
Tuesday, May 14, 2019 through Thursday, May 16, 2019
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In 2016, John Philip Newell founded the School of Celtic Consciousness. He did so in the belief that Celtic wisdom is needed at this moment in time, urgently. It is a spiritual tradition in the Christian household that can nurture vision of mind, strength of soul, and compassion of action.
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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
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Bishop's Legislative Luncheon & Issues Briefing
Wednesday, February 6, begins 8:45 a.m.
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You are invited and urged to save the date and attend!
The morning Issues
Briefing will be at 8:45 a.m. at the
United Church, 1804 Arroyo Chamiso in Santa Fe (
map
).
Registration and refreshments will begin at 8:45 am. The
Bishop's Legislative Luncheon will be at
12:30 p.m. La Fonda Hotel, 100 East San Francisco (
map
).
The cost for the luncheon is $35 per person. That cost is reduced to $30 when four or more people attend from your congregation or group. If you are only able to attend the morning Issues Briefing, the cost is $10.
REGISTER for these events
here!
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Sky Ranch and Lord of the Hills awarded ELCA Youth & Young Adult Ministry Grant!
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Sky Ranch Lutheran Camp and Lord of the Hills Lutheran Church & Preschool in Aurora, CO are excited to announce that they have received an ELCA Youth & Young Adult Ministry Grant for $14,300.
The grant will fully fund a new high school leadership program for youth who typically face barriers to participation in similar programs. In 2019, ten participants will be invited to participate in
two weekend retreats, as well as the
Youth Go! program at Sky Ranch. Because of this generous funding,
BOLD will cover the costs of programming, camp fees, and provide assistance with transportation and equipment needs. Youth will be able to participate at no cost.
BOLD will provide an opportunity to serve new communities, invest in youth development, and be church, better together!
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BOLD Leaders Program Accepting Applications Now!
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BOLD Leaders, a new high school leadership program for youth in the Denver Metro Area, is accepting applications and nominations for 2019!
BOLD is a fully funded program to invest in young leaders through two weekend retreats and participation in
Youth Go! at Sky Ranch. All high school aged youth are welcome to apply, but preference will be given to youth of color, LGBTQ+ youth, low-income youth and others facing similar challenges.
Interested youth may submit an application. Pastors, Deacons, and Youth Leaders can also submit a nomination. Learn more about BOLD and submit an application
here.
Applications and nominations are due February 1, 2019!
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LFS Refugee Program Donations Needed
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Our
refugee program had a busy fall with increased refugee arrivals, and we hope to welcome even more refugees in the coming year, so we need your help! We are low on
bedding (sheet sets, bed-sized blankets, comforters, and pillows) and
cookware (pots and pans). Can you help give a warm welcome to a new refugee family by donating new or gently used items? If so, contact Jaime at
jaime.blanchard@lfsrm.org or 303-217-5181.
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LFS Rocky Mountain 25th Annual Gala, April 26 - donations needed!
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Silent auction item donations are needed
by early April
for the 25th Annual Gala, LFS' largest annual fundraiser! Individuals and groups are encouraged to put together a donation. Can you donate a gift basket, gift certificate, or item to help raise funds for our human service programs? All ideas and items are welcome! All contributions are tax deductible. For more information or to schedule a pick-up, contact Katie Scherr at
katie.scherr@lfsrm.org.
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Episcopal Communicators
“The Building Blocks of Communications: The Perpetual Challenge”'
April 29-May, 2019
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The annual conference of
The Episcopal Communicators, an organization of communications professionals in the Episcopal Church, will take place in Denver at the Curtis Hotel, April 29 - May 3, and on behalf of our 330 members, I'd like to invite communicators from the Rocky Mountain Synod to join us.
Information about the event and registration is on our
website. The deadline for discounted registration is Jan. 25.
You will note there are registration prices for Episcopal Communicators members and non-members, and because of the full communion partnership between the Episcopal Church and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, ELCA communicators are eligible (and welcome!) to join for 2019 and take advantage of the reduced rate.
We are delighted that
Pastor Nadia Bolz-Weber
will be our keynote speaker - so perhaps this is the year of a TEC-ELCA communications partnership in Denver!
This comes with my gratitude for the communications ministry that we share.
-- From Melodie Woerman, President, Episcopal Communicators
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Mission Nicaragua June 2019 - Volunteer Opportunity!
Lord of the Valley, Granby, CO
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Lord of the Valley Lutheran in Granby, Colorado will send a mission team to Somoto, Nicaragua for 10 days in June, 2019.
This medical mission team will serve people in rural villages with general health, dental, optical and women' health. In addition they will provide a day camp ministry for children in each village they serve.
The mission team is seeking participants, especially persons with nursing or pharmacology skills. Additional volunteers are welcome and Medical skills are desired, but they are not required. The team will partner with Nicaraguan healthcare professionals.
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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 FEBRUARY 2019!
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The
February 2019 "Stewardship Toolkit
" has a newsletter article, and RCL-based "Stewardship Snippets" for Sunday bulletins, and links to explore. February's theme is
"Stewardship of Loving Relationships."
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Faith Formation Director of Youth
Bethany Lutheran Church - Cherry Hills Village, CO
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Bethany is searching for a full-time Faith Formation Director of Youth.
The full-time Faith Formation Director of Youth (FFDY) will plan, coordinate, implement and cultivate a comprehensive strategy for forming faith in the youth of BLC in collaboration with the Pastor of Faith Formation.
The FFDY will foster a collaborative, integrative, and engaging environment that affirms leadership, gifts and passions of youth for ministry. This person will strengthen intergenerational relationships both within the family and the congregation, connect youth to faith in daily life, empower and equip families and youth to deepen and share their faith of Jesus Christ in a diverse and complex world.
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Preschool Director
Holy Trinity Lutheran Church - Littleton, CO
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Holy Trinity Lutheran Church has an immediate opening for Preschool Director of a Faith-based NAEYC Accredited program. See Preschool website
here. The person filling this position must love and enjoy children, and be devoted to helping them grow in love with God. Applicants must be Director Qualified with a B.S. Degree in ECE, CD or equivalent. Level III or IV Early Childhood Professional Credential for Colorado preferred. Must possess effective communication, interpersonal, and organizational skills. Responsibilities include daily supervision of preschool operations, from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., M-F; staffing; licensing; budgeting; and programming. Salary competitive with area preschools.
Resumes are currently being accepted via e-mail to Pastor Dave Palma-Ruwe at
dpalmaruwe@yahoo.com (link sends e-mail) or call 303-798-1356.
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All
Non-Rostered Positions
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Faith Formation Director of Youth
Bethany Lutheran Church - Cherry Hills Village, CO
Preschool Director
Holy Trinity Lutheran Church - Littleton, 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
- Lilly Grant Gathering, Indianapolis, IN
- Village Exchange Center Dinner, Aurora, CO
- Installation of Rev. Levi Powers, Mount of Olives, Rock Springs, WY
- Part-time Ministry steering committee
- Dean's Meeting
- ACT4 RMS
ELCA DIRECTOR FOR EVANGELICAL MISSION
Pastor Matt Barnhouse
- Ministry Visits, Albuquerque, NM
- El Paso Office, January 19-31
LUTHERAN ADVOCACY MINISTRY NEW MEXICO
Ruth Hoffman
- NM Conference of Catholic Bishops Breakfast
- Witness for the People
- Legislative meetings
ELCA REGIONAL GIFT PLANNER
Tina Kvitek
- 1-1 meetings
- Holy Shepherd, Lakewood, CO
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ASSISTANT TO THE BISHOP FOR CONGREGATIONAL LIFE
Pastor Sarah Moening
- In-office appointments
- Vacation
- Dean's meeting
- Leadership planning team
ASSISTANT TO THE BISHOP FOR LEADERSHIP SUPPORT
Pastor Kent Mueller (1/2 time)
- Lutheran Center Administration
- Dean's Meeting
ASSISTANT TO THE BIsHOP FOR SYNODICAL LIFE
Deacon Erin Power
- RMS Communications
- Synod Assembly Planning- Albuquerque
- Global Mission Committee
LUTHERAN ADVOCACY MINISTRY COLORADO
Peter Severson
- Colorado Social Legislation Committee
- Nativity, Commerce City, CO
- Vision 2020 Policy Committee
ASSISTANT TO THE BISHOP FOR FAITH FORMATION & CANDIDACY
Pastor Leslie Welton
- Faith Formation Conference Coordinators
- Installation of Rev. Levi Powers, Rock Springs, WY
- Dean's Meeting
- CU Boulder Campus Ministry
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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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