A Reconciling in Christ synod
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Ministry Spotlight: ELCA Foundation
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The ELCA Foundation includes a
nationwide network of regional gift planners to help you make a plan that achieves your unique financial and estate-planning goals
. The Rocky Mountain Synod is blessed by the ministry of Tina Kvitek, our Regional Gift Planner!
Watch the video to learn more, and subscribe to their new quarterly newsletter for tips, tools and information to achieve your charitable-giving goals while supporting the people, ministries and causes you love.
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ELCA Foundation Resource - Charitable Giving
Support Ministry Through your Retirement Account
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Do you have an IRA, are over 70 1/2, and know what an RMD and QCD are?
If you are 70 ½ and have an Individual Retirement Account (IRA), you are required by law to withdraw a certain amount of money from the account each year — this is known as your Required Minimum Distribution (RMD). Some people find that they don’t need the extra income, but are required by law to take it.
With the recent tax code changes, not everyone can itemize deductions, which means the RMD will be taxed as income. Making a gift to charities directly from your retirement account in the form of a
Qualified Charitable Distribution
(QCD) may allow you to meet your RMD requirement without increasing your taxable income.
An information sheet is available.
If you’re unsure how to use your QCD, our regional gift planner,
Tina Kvitek
, can help you create a plan to support your favorite ELCA program or begin your own endowment fund with the ELCA Foundation. Contact
her
for more information!
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eConnection Spotlight:
RMS in the Neighborhood
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Celebrating as Community
From Pastor Paul Judson, Lutheran Campus Ministry CSU: "w
e give thanks to God for Brianna, newly baptized child of God!"
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Bringing Christmas Cheer
Augustana carolers bringing Christmas cheer to our home-centered and assisted living folks. Thanks for raising a joyful noise and bringing the love!
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Office of the Bishop Eucharist, Wednesday, December 11
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Our monthly Eucharist will be held at the Lutheran Center on Wednesday, December 11 at 11:30 a.m.
All are invited to join in this 30 minute worship.
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ELCA Young Adults - What's your next most faithful step?
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Urban Servant Corps -- Apply Now!
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Service! Simplicity! Intentional Community! Spirituality!
At Urban Servant Corps, we believe that doing a year of service will not only impact those you serve, but it will change who you are and how you show up in the world. This experience will offer concrete direct service skills, the opportunity to explore and live out your faith, and leave you with an understanding of what life might look like for marginalized and vulnerable populations in our country. This all happens as you build community with a group of like-minded people! Are you dedicated to social justice and a simpler way of life? Do you hope to explore your faith? Do you want to gain experience in the non-profit/service field? Join us!
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Christmas ornaments
are available from the ELCA that include the beloved expression “You Belong” in four different languages, in braille, in sign language, and accompanied by the LGBTQ symbol. Your purchase supports grants being paid to congregations and synods as they work toward greater engagement of members living with disabilities.
Visit our online store to order the
star
or
round ornament
.
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We're excited to share that the ELCA has established a new vendor relationship with AudioEye for purposes of making more accessible ELCA resources available online as well as for navigating our websites, Living Lutheran and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America now have tools to assist visitors with low or partial vision. Readers needing large print will soon have simple ways to improve their access to ELCA information online!
Whether you can benefit from larger print, better color contrast, audio access or even the ability to connect to a device for braille conversion, AudioEye guides you through an accessible, easy-to-use icon and menu.
Look for the man in the blue bubble on the lower-right section of a webpage to activate the features of AudioEye. As we phase in this new service, we anticipate full accessibility being available by early February 2020.
Read about the new accessibility certification here -
https://www.livinglutheran.org/accessibility-statement/
. We will track user activity to assess whether such improvements can be made on a longer-term basis in late 2020.
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The ELCA is committed to learning how to better engage our members and their families living with visual impairments so that you can speak to the needs and interests of the church from your own unique perspectives. We thank the ELCA donors and development staff for their wonderful work in raising funds that make this service possible while we work toward developing our own methods of enhancing accessibility to our websites over the coming year. Meanwhile,
we have also added a new resource on our webpage (
https://elca.org/disability
) on the resource tab for Visual Impairment.
ELCA members can find selected ELCA worship prayers and cultural rites important to ministry across the ELCA. Email Carol at
Disability.Ministry@elca.org
for the protected password code for free access by members with low, no or partial vision.
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Global Mission Update - Michelle Roby
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Every year the ELCA's Young Adults in Global Missions (YAGM) program sends out dozens of young adults, ages 21-29, into a year-long journey of international service. This experience of global service invites young adults to serve as Jesus’ hands and feet in the world, as they form global friendships, provide critical support to communities in need, and reflect on how their identity connects with God’s work in the world.
For the next few months the Rocky Mountain Synod Global Mission Committee will be highlighting one of the eight current YAGM's hailing from the Rocky Mountain Synod with the hope that you as individuals and congregations will consider supporting them through prayer, communication and financial support.
This week's featured YAGM is Michelle Roby, who is currently serving in Mexico. Michelle’s home congregations are Grace Lutheran, Boulder, Lutheran Campus Ministry at CU Boulder and Our Saviour's Lutheran in Ft. Collins, CO. If you would like to support Michelle this year, please
go here
.
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Young Adults in Global Mission - Apply Now!
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Applications for the ELCA’s Young Adults in Global Mission (YAGM) program are now open, and you can invite young adults on this yearlong journey abroad.
If you know young adults age 21 to 29, this is the time to reach out. Encourage them to apply for YAGM by the priority deadline of Jan. 15, 2020. Talk to them personally about what this opportunity will mean for their faith, identity, career and understanding of God’s work in the world. You can also print out
this poster
to display in your congregation or ministry space.
Through YAGM, young adults will learn what it means to serve in a spirit of accompaniment as they walk alongside global church companions. They’ll become immersed in a new community and form deep relationships. And they’ll confront issues of wealth and poverty, racial privilege, gender privilege, economic disparity and globalization, all through the lens of faith.
Learn more at ELCA.org/YAGM
.
Don’t wait — spread the word now! The priority deadline is Jan. 15, 2020. Applications will be open until Feb. 15, 2020.
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DECEMBER 2019
UTAH CONFERENCE
- Week of December 15 -
Our Saviour’s - Salt Lake City, UT
Brigette Weier
Prince of Peace - Logan, UT
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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 15
Third Sunday of Advent
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Prayer of the Day
Stir up the wills of all who look to you, Lord God, and strengthen our faith in your coming, that, transformed by grace, we may walk in your way; through Jesus Christ, our Savior and 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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Auraria Campus Ministry Community Awareness Jazz Event
Saturday, December 14 at 3:00 - 4:00 p.m.
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"Razzle Dazzle Christmas"
is a community awareness event for
Auraria Campus Ministries
. Check out this inspiring ecumenical campus ministry and their great work in supporting and developing faithful followers of Christ.
Hosted at the legendary Dazzle Jazz Club at 1512 Curtis St. (
map), and featuring the return of the Barry Sames Jazz Ensemble, we will celebrate with the students the end of semester with Christmas music, sing alongs and jazz standards. Tickets are $20 and are available on
Dazzle's Website. Questions, send email to
pastorbarbara@stpauldenver.org.
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Christ Lutheran Annual Fair Trade Artisan Market
Saturday, December 14 from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
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Christ Lutheran
8997 So. Broadway
Highlands Ranch, CO (
map
)
Christ Lutheran invites you to come shop with us at our annual Fair Trade Artisan Market! There will be a variety of handmade crafts, books, jewelry, carved olive wood, and other fine goods. Proceeds from the sale benefit various charities locally & globally. This is a great opportunity to shop for Christmas gifts and benefit many great causes. Questions? Email
volunteer@clchr.org. See you there!
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21st Annual Living Nativity
Saturday, December 14, 2019 from 5:00-7:30 p.m.
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Shepherd of the Hills
801 North Sheridan
Visiting the Living Nativity has become a tradition for many viewers from Fremont County and other areas of the State. New visitors are invited to join in the tradition to help celebrate the Christmas season. The cast, consisting of church members and other volunteers from the community, includes the Holy Family, angels, shepherds, wise men and animals participating outdoors. Many others are involved as support staff behind the scenes. Donations of non-perishable food items and cash will be accepted on behalf of Loaves & Fishes Ministries of Canon City. For more information visit
www.sothlutheran.com
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Carols & Cheer
with Luther House at Broken Trail Brewery!
Sunday, December 15 from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m.
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Join
Luther House
for our second annual
Carols & Cheer
event this Sunday, December 15!
We will follow Martin Luther's tradition of gathering in pubs to enjoy local beverages
at the
Broken Trail Brewery Uptown Tasting Room, 6902 Menaul Blvd NE, Albuquerque, NM (
map
) to share the songs of the season. A percentage of the beverage sales made will benefit the ministry and programming of Lutheran Campus Ministry!
Our musicians will again be Pauleta Hendrickson, director of music at St. Luke Lutheran Church, Albuquerque, and Clara Byom, director of music at St Tim's Lutheran Church. Come and celebrate Luther House with us!
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Theoprobe Continuing Education Event in Winter Park, CO
Sunday-Friday, February 9-14, 2020
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Join a wonderful group of people for a continuing education event in Winter Park, CO. This event pairs re-creation and intentional learning. The gathering in the mornings and evenings for worship and learning. During the day the group skis at Winter Park or engages in other forms of winter re-creation. Come experience the perfect balance of life-giving things while preparing your teaching and preaching for 2020.
Here are this years presenters and topics:
Faith Formation and the Gospel of John - Dr. Craig Koester
Faith formation is both opportunity and challenge for ministry. This series explores how the Gospel of John deals with patterns of faith and life in the experiences of those who meet Jesus. Texts will be taken from the passages from John 3, 4, 9, and 11, which will be the focus for preaching in many congregations during Lent.
Encountering God: Stories from the Old Testament - Dr. Kathryn Schifferdecker
The Old Testament is full of stories about deeply flawed individuals who encounter God and whose lives are transformed by that encounter. This series will explore some of those stories and ask the question, 'How can we invite our congregation members into the biblical narrative so that they see their own lives as part of the larger story of God's dealings with God's people?' Texts to be explored will be drawn in part from those assigned by the Revised Common Lectionary for the coming year.
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Academy of Artful Leadership
Thursdays, January through December 2020, 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
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Coaching gifted pastors and laity to lead transformational change.
18 hours of coaching that includes:
- eight monthly 90-minute group sessions designed to spark dynamic conversation around key themes in ministry
- six individual one-on-one coaching sessions with a trained coach focusing on challenges and opportunities in ministry
- Certificate of Leadership Development upon completion of the training
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Resource Corner
check back each week for a new or featured resource for your congregation
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Stewardship Toolkit for January 2020
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Here's your
January 2020 "Stewardship Toolkit!" It consists of an original newsletter article and RCL-based "stewardship snippets" that they can cut and paste into your publications. It also has web resources to explore January 2020's theme,
"Steward your best year ever!"
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Statewide Census Faith Hub Coordinator
Colorado Council of Churches - Denver, CO
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The Colorado Council of Churches (CCC) and Together Colorado seek a dynamic leader to help build
Colorado Faith Census Hubs
– places where faith communities can receive information, education, and training about the 2020 census, underpinned by messaging and approaches rooted in specific faith traditions. The CCC and Together Colorado’s goals are to ensure that hard-to-count residents are counted in the 2020 Census and that hundreds of thousands are reached through our messaging and education approaches.
Key populations to reach include: young children, older adults, rural residents, people of color, low-income households, renters, immigrants, and linguistically isolated households. This will be an interfaith endeavor that will outreach beyond Christian denominations to additional faiths.
Please submit resume and a cover letter to Adrian Miller, Executive Director of the Colorado Council of Churches at
staff@cochurches.org, and include “Faith Hub Coordinator” in the subject line. No phone calls please.
Deadline to apply is December 16, 2019.
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Development
Volunteers
!
Lutheran Family Services Rocky Mountains - Denver, CO
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Do you have a passion for our mission and have familiarity with Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook and Data Entry? Can you commit to 3-4 Hours/week with flexibility to choose Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday between 9AM – 3 PM? Are you detail oriented?
We need database entry volunteers who are friendly and reliable who can keep confidential information just that, confidential. Work at our Harlan St. office location and enter data into Raiser’s Edge, help with special event prep, development research, occasional donor phone calls, copying, proof-reading, prepare mailings and help with various other administrative tasks.
We offer free parking, free admission to any events worked on and we will always provide you with a safe and enjoyable working environment, including your own desk and laptop to use while here, along with a folder containing weekly assigned tasks.
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Statewide Census Faith Hub Coordinator
Colorado Council of Churches - Denver, CO
Development Volunteers
LFS Rocky Mountains - Denver, co
Director of Youth Ministries
Glory of God Lutheran Church - Wheat Ridge, CO
Director of Music (part-time)
Messiah Community Church - Denver, CO
Administrative Assistant-Communications
Faith Lutheran Church - Golden, CO
High School Program Director
Sky Ranch Lutheran Camp - Fort Collins, CO
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Office of the Bishop This Week
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Bishop Jim Gonia
- Staff Meeting
- DEM in-person interviews
- In-office appointments
- Global Mission Consultation, Chicago, IL
ELCA DIRECTOR FOR EVANGELICAL MISSION
Pastor Dana Peterson (Interim, 1/2 time)
- Staff Meeting
- New & Renewing Ministries
LUTHERAN ADVOCACY MINISTRY NEW MEXICO
Kurt Rager
LUTHERAN ADVOCACY MINISTRY COLORADO
Peter Severson
- Staff meeting
- In-office appointments
ELCA REGIONAL GIFT PLANNER
Tina Kvitek
- Regional Gift Planner Gathering, Phoenix, AZ
- 1-1 Meetings
- Vacation Dec. 16- Jan. 2
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ASSISTANT TO THE BISHOP FOR CONGREGATIONAL LIFE
Pastor Sarah Moening
- Staff Meeting
- DEM in-person interviews
- Grace, Colorado Springs, CO
- In-office appointments
ASSISTANT TO THE BISHOP FOR LEADERSHIP SUPPORT
Pastor Kent Mueller (1/2 time)
ASSISTANT TO THE BISHOP FOR SYNODICAL LIFE
Deacon Erin Power
- Staff meeting
- RMS Communications Planning
- Assembly Planning
ASSISTANT TO THE BISHOP FOR FAITH FORMATION & CANDIDACY
Pastor Leslie Welton
- Staff Meeting
- Faith Formation Network Zoom
- Candidacy Committee Follow-up
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Feel free to contact
Andrew Nakatan
i
, Communications Assistant, with your questions and comments about eConnection and our website!
Rocky Mountain Synod
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
800-525-0462 / 303-777-6700 / fax
303-733-0750
Submissions
are due noon Monday each week's issue.
Past issues of eConnection may be found
here.
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