A Reconciling in Christ synod
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ELCA presiding bishop issues pastoral statement on humanitarian situation in Syria
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"Give God no rest" (Isaiah 62:6-7) until that day when "the wolf and the lamb shall feed together. ... They shall not hurt or destroy on all my holy mountain, says the Lord" (Isaiah 65:25) (ELCA social statement, "For Peace in God's World").
In recent days we have witnessed, with additional horror, further atrocities in Syria in a conflict that has taken almost countless lives over the past seven years and displaced millions of Syrians and others.
Following the April 13 air strikes conducted by the armed forces of the United States, the United Kingdom and France, the president and the general secretary of the Lutheran World Federation issued a
statement that I encourage ELCA members to read and prayerfully consider.
Our church is responding to the needs of Syrian refugees and displaced people through the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) and International Orthodox Christian Charities (IOCC), in coordination with ACT Alliance (formerly Action by Churches Together). The IOCC has been assisting those in need in Syria, Lebanon and Jordan to ensure food security, establish shelter, and provide better access to water and sanitation facilities, among other activities. LWF-Jordan is working with Syrian refugees and host communities in Amman, Mafraq, Irbid and in the Zaatari refugee camp, bolstering livelihoods through cash transfers and skills training in agriculture practices and improved technologies for vegetable production in home gardens to benefit malnourished children, pregnant and lactating women, and sick people. They are also providing psychosocial support, particularly among women. We plan to continue and intensify this work.
In the face of this ongoing humanitarian crisis, our nation also needs to open its arms again to receive Syrian refugees for resettlement in the United States. We will continue to work in ecumenical partnership as we pray, advocate and work to receive refugees.
Last, but not least, our government, as part of the international community, needs to redouble its efforts to work diligently for a diplomatic resolution of this conflict. As U.N. Secretary General António Guterres said earlier this weekend, "There is no military solution to the crisis. The solution must be political."
In Christ,
The Rev. Elizabeth A. Eaton
Presiding Bishop
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
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eConnection Spotlight:
RMS in the Neighborhood
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Vote for Our Lives Rally and Prayer Vigil
Thursday, April 19, 5:30 - 8:00 p.m.
Clement Park, Littleton
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Never again.
On April 20, 1999 our world forever changed when two gunman entered Columbine High School. Since that day, there have been more and more school shootings. What would have happened if something was done to prevent the shooting on April 19, 1999? We need to stop the clock.
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Join us for a concert and support Educate, Equip, Enact
Friday, May 4, 7:30 p.m.
Westin Hotel, Westminster, CO
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Friday, May 4, 7:30pm
Westin Hotel, Westminster, CO
Front Range folks are invited to join us at the assembly for a concert by
Tangled Blue, Lutheran musicians who have played for both the RMS and ELCA Youth Gatherings.
This concert is in support of
Educate, Equip, Enact, our Lilly Grant addressing financial concerns of our rostered ministers.
Suggested donation: $10/person. Youth and families welcome regardless of ability to pay!
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Film:
The Stones Cry Out, the Story of the Palestinian Christians
Directed by Yasmine Perni
On Christmas Eve, we sing "O Little Town of Bethlehem," but what do we know of the people who still live in Bethlehem today? This is their story, in their voices, from the Nakba of 1948 until today. The film won an award at the Barcelona International Film Festival.
Yasmine Perni moved from her native Italy to the Middle East when she was 13 years old, living in Sudan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Jordan and Jerusalem. A graduate of the University of London's School of Oriental and African Studies, she has worked as a journalist, photographer, television producer and mother. (55 min.) See more: about the film:
http://www.thestonescryoutmovie.com
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Better Together Sunday Resources
April 28-29 is Better Together weekend! Pray together with other ministries across the RMS, commission your synod assembly voting members, and learn about the various ministries of our Church!
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Assembly Documents now available!
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Visit the Assembly website to access all pertinent assembly documents: Handbook, Budget, Resolutions and Memorials
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Assembly volunteers needed!
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Registration volunteers (3)
Assemble packets on Monday, April 30, 9-2, Lunch provided -at Lutheran Center.
Help with registration on May 3 at Westin, 9:30-1:30, lunch provided.
– wouldn’t have to do both, but would be helpful!
Election Volunteers (7)
Help proctor 1st Bishop Election Ballot on May 3, approx. 1:00-5:00; would be invited to stay for dinner and opening worship.
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Installations
Rev. Liliana Stahlberg
Lord of the Mountains, Dillon, CO
Saturday, April 29, 3:00 p.m.
Color of the Day:
White
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RMS Prayer Cycle
APRIL 2018: WYOMING CONFERENCE
Week of April 22
Prince of Peace - Gillette, WY
Paul Bodin
Deb Cote
St. John - Riverton, WY
Bonita Knox
St. Luke’s - Buffalo, 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, April 22
Fourth Sunday of Easter
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Prayer of the Day
O Lord Christ, good shepherd of the sheep, you seek the lost and guide us into your fold. Feed us, and we shall be satisfied; heal us, and we shall be whole. Make us one with you, 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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2018 Helgen Festival
April 21 and 22 --- All are welcome!
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Mount Calvary Lutheran Church
3485 Stanford Court
Boulder, CO 80305
Come Make a Joyful Noise!
Each Spring for the past several years, Mount Calvary Lutheran Church has had the great joy and privilege of a special, high energy weekend of workshops, music, and worship with John Helgen. John currently serves as Director of Music at Roseville Lutheran Church (ELCA) in St. Paul, Minnesota, where he plays the piano and organ and conducts several vocal and instrumental ensembles.
Saturday workshops for select instruments and choir, culminate with a wonderful, joyful worship service on Sunday morning, April 22nd. John's arrangements and musical choices are soulful and upbeat, making for a special worship experience. Please join us!
Helgen Weekend Events
Saturday, April 21, 1:00-3:30 p.m.- Mount Calvary sanctuary, Choir workshop; music provided at no charge & all singers welcome!
Sunday, April 22, 9:30 a.m.
- Mount Calvary sanctuary, Festival Worship, with reception to follow. All are welcome!
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Wartburg Wind Ensemble Performances
Saturday April 21, Sunday April 22 , Monday April 23, and Tuesday April 24
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The Wartburg College Wind Ensemble, under the direction of Dr. Craig A. Hancock, will make three special concert appearances in Colorado and New Mexico as part of their 2018 National Concert Tour. The program will feature music for everyone to enjoy- from classic marches of John Phillip Sousa and Karl King, to lyrical American folk ballads, percussive music by Latin American composer Arturo Marquez,
and more. We hope you will show your support by attending one of these events.
Saturday, April 21, 5:00 p.m. Worship
Trinity Lutheran Church
Sunday, April 22 ,10:30 a.m. Worship,
2:00 p.m. Concert
Trinity Lutheran Church
Freewill offerings gladly accepted!
Monday, April 23, 7:00 p.m.
Featuring the Denver School of the Arts High School Band
Denver School of the Arts
Tuesday, April 24, 7:30 p.m.
St. Therese Church
Freewill offerings gladly accepted!
For more information about Wartburg, a college of the ELCA, visit
www.wartburg.edu.
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Augustana Arts and Stratus Chamber Orchestra presents "
Awakenings"
Friday, April 27 and Saturday, April 28 at 7:30 p.m.
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Featuring the World Premiere by composer
Jessamie Kaitler
David Rutherford, Music Director
Augustana Arts debuts the world premier composition “
Awakenings” by Jessamie Kaitler performed by the Stratus Chamber Orchestra. Jessamie Kaitler’s commissioned composition Awakenings will debut along with Bach’s
Sleeper’s Awake!, Haydn‘s
Morning Symphony (#6) and Bax’
3 Pieces for Small Orchestra.
Stratus Music Director David Rutherford said, “We are very excited to share with you the World Premiere of a new work by Australian composer Jessamie Kaitler, who saw our immersive performance at the Czech Museum of Music in Prague and couldn’t wait to take the concept back home with her. She reached out and expressed a desire to work with Stratus in creating an unforgettable new work for the orchestra.”
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Ken Caryl Concerts of St. Philip Lutheran Presents
Singin' and Swingin'
Saturday, May 12, 2018 at 7:30 pm
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We hope you will join us for our first concert of 2018 -
Singin' and Swingin' - featuring the
Denver Jazz Club Youth All Stars. Ken Caryl Concerts info, directions, and schedule
here.
Refreshments will be served following the performance and the band will keep playing for those who wish to dance. As always, the concert is FREE and FAMILY FRIENDLY. A free-will offering will be collected to benefit the MC-1 Foundation.
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NM Interfaith Dialogue
Thursday, April 19 at 5:30 p.m.
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At the next meeting of the NM Interfaith Dialogue
we'll be discussing Chapter 4 of the book,
Being Muslim,
a slim volume that provides an overview of key contemporary political and social issues, offering a cross-cultural attempt toward understanding.
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Lutheran Men in Mission
One Year to Live Men Retreat, April 27-29
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YMCA Camp Santa Maria
Grant, Colorado
April 27-29, 2018
Faith Lutheran Golden, First Lutheran Longmont, Bethany of Denver, and Abiding Hope of Littleton are hosting this retreat together. The retreat will be held at
Camp Santa Maria about 15 miles south of Bailey, Colorado on Hwy 85.
You can contact one of these men if you have questions:
Herb Hergott 303-588-2856, Peter Ewers 303-902-9009, Bill Ernstrom 303-746-6312,
Registration: Registration flyer is
here, link to LMM Retreats
here.
Retreat Schedule: Arrive promptly at 5:30-6:00 pm on Friday. Plan to stay for entire retreat, depart by 2:30 pm on Sunday!
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Resource Corner
check back each week for a new or featured resource for your congregation
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ELA World Hunger's Global Farm Challenge
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Join us in our year-long,
youth-driven fundraising challenge to support the agriculture-related programs of ELCA World Hunger. Start raising funds in advance of the
2018 ELCA Youth Gathering taking place in June. The goal is to raise
$500,000 to equip communities around the world and in the United States to turn hungry seasons into hopeful ones.
In the Interactive Learning Space in the Houston NRG Center, youth and young adults will have the chance to have an unforgettable experience designed to immerse them in what it is like to be a smallholder farmer around the world.
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Here's a Stewardship 'Toolkit' for May 2018!
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This
stewardship resource comes to us from Rev. Rob Blezard, Assistant to the Bishop, Lower Susquehanna Synod -- it's a "Toolkit" with RCL-based bulletin blurbs, a monthly newsletter, and links to resources.
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Executive Director
Nebraska Lutheran Outdoor Ministries
Ashland, Nebraska
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Nebraska Lutheran Outdoor Ministries is seeking applications for its next visionary leader. The successful candidate will succeed Dave Coker, who is retiring after 27 years of outstanding leadership.
Nebraska Lutheran Outdoor Ministries (NLOM) is the camp, conferencing and leadership development center for the Nebraska Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. NLOM’s flagship camp and conference operations are at Carol Joy Holling Center, just outside of Ashland, only 30 minutes from both Omaha and Lincoln. NLOM also offers summer camp and year round retreat opportunities at its Sullivan Hills Camp, located in western Nebraska, just north of Lodgepole. Each year, NLOM serves well over 2,500 young people through its residential camping and Day Camp programs.
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All Non-Rostered Positions
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Executive Director
Nebraska Lutheran Outdoor Ministries (NLOM), Ashland, Nebraska
Director of Faith Formation (part-time)
Broadmoor Community UCC, 315 Lake Ave. Colorado Springs, CO 80906
Director of Worship & Music Ministry (full-time)
Christ Lutheran Church - Highlands Ranch, CO
Director of Elementary School Ministries
Cross of Hope Lutheran Church - Albuquerque, NM
ACPE Chaplain Residency 2018-2019
Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO
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Office of the Bishop This Week
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Bishop Gonia
- In-office appointments
- Opening Prayer at the Colorado Legislature
- Better Together Team
- Conference Deans
Pastor Kent Mueller (1/2 time)
- Lutheran Center Administration
- Healthy Leaders Team
- Conference Deans
Ruth Hoffman
Lutheran Advocacy Ministry-NM
- Vacation
- Medicaid Advisory Committee
Peter Severson
Lutheran Advocacy Ministry-CO
- Legislative Hearings
- Financial Equity Coalition
- Lutheran Family Services 70th Anniversary Gala
- Together Colorado
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Pastor Judith VanOsdol
- Churchwide Domestic Mission All Staff gathering, Chicago, IL
- Churchwide Stewardship think tank, Chicago, IL
- Campus Ministry Tour-Nado, Ft. Collins, CO
- Missional Gathering planning team
- Better Together Relationship Team
- Dean's monthly meeting
Deacon Erin Power
- First Call Theological Education, Sierra Pacific Synod
- Synod Assembly Prep
- Conference Deans
- Immigration Accompaniment Task Force
Pastor Sarah Moening
- First Call Theological Education, Sierra Pacific Synod
- Conference Deans
- Messiah, Denver, CO
Pastor Leslie Welton
- Out of Office until April 27
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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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