A Reconciling in Christ synod
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Presiding Bishop Eaton: We are to be Bold
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This church had a meeting in August. We gathered in Milwaukee for the 2019 Churchwide Assembly.
We were filled with anticipation and excitement—what would unfold during the assembly? How would we be inspired by worship and Bible study? How would we be challenged? What new insight into the work of the church would we receive?
It turned out to be quite a week. The assembly
adopted a social statement, “Faith, Sexism, and Justice: A Call to Action
”; offered an apology to people of African descent; adopted a resolution setting aside June 17 as a day of repentance to commemorate the Emanuel 9; moved forward on our work toward authentic diversity; declared the ELCA a sanctuary denomination; adopted a policy statement,
“A Declaration of Inter-religious Commitment”;
celebrated the successful completion of our first-ever comprehensive campaign; began the celebration of
50 years of Lutheran women being ordained in the United States, 40 years of women of color b
eing ordained, and 10 years of LGBTQIA+ individuals being able to serve freely; elected Deacon Sue Rothmeyer as secretary; passed a budget; and much more.
The assembly was intense, and voting members were actively engaged. The actions taken generated much debate during and after the assembly. Different narratives about what did and did not happen have been spun.
Some say that a gathering of well-meaning people got a little carried away and entangled the church in impossibly naïve and dangerously political issues—calling out patriarchy, denouncing racial inequity, establishing a new commemoration for the church calendar, becoming a “sanctuary denomination,” being a little too open to inter-religious commitments. Others say that a gathering of well-meaning people took decisions that were too timid, that didn’t go nearly far enough to address and act on significant issues in society and within the church. It seems as if they are reporting on two different events.
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"Becoming a Sanctuary Church" Webinar Video Now Available
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If you were not able to join the Sanctuary Conversation via Zoom last week, a recording of the conversation is now
available on the website
.
Also on the website are numerous resources, videos, and discussion guides to help your conversation and discernment.
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eConnection Spotlight:
RMS in the Neighborhood
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Faith coalition formed to help farmers as stress mounts...
Bishop Terry Brandt of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's Eastern North Dakota Synod convened a meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 22, to discuss ways Lutheran churches and others can work together to help those caught in the farm crisis caused...
Read more
www.inforum.com
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2019 Colorado Voter Guide available now from Lutheran Advocacy
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Curious about the measures that appear on your 2019 Colorado ballot? Lutheran Advocacy has got you covered.
Check out our 2019 voter guide and see where our Lutheran witness intersects with the public policy decisions you'll be making on your statewide ballot. Our guide is free to download, print, share, and view online.
Get it here! And share it with your family, friends, neighbors and ministry today!
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How to Integrate Jazz in Worship (even if you’re not a jazz musician!)
Thursday, November 7 at 2:00 p.m. EST
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Brought to you by the Association of Lutheran Church Musicians,
Deanna will offer accessible jazz resources that you can immediately use with your congregation or choir, including fully notated piano scores of her original prayer responses, Mass settings, and jazz arrangements of standard hymns.
She will also demonstrate basic exercises in improvisation and how to harmonize a simple melody with just two unexpected chords.
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ELCA Benefits Plan Annual Enrollment for Congregations and Plan Members
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Congregations have until October 25 to make health plan option selection for 2019. Plan members have from Oct. 29 - Nov. 13 to make your selections.
Note: If you're part of a sponsored couple, a call to the Customer Care Center can help you navigate some of the trickier details. Sign into
MyPortico to learn more.
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Installation
Rev. Katie Chullino
Bethlehem,
Longmont, CO
10:30am, Saturday, November 2
Color of the day:
White
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RMS Prayer Cycle
- Week of November 3 -
SOCIAL MINISTRIES and AGENCIES
Border Servant Corps - Las Cruces, NM
Kari Lenander
Eben Ezer Lutheran Care Center - Brush, CO
Shelly Griffith
Rosalie (Ro) Fesser
Lutheran Family Services Rocky Mountains - Denver, CO
James Horan
Lutheran Social Services of the South - El Paso, TX
Jose Alamillo
Luthercare, Inc. - Casper, WY
Jill Elliott
Mosaic - Omaha, NE
Linda Timmons
Urban Servant Corps - Denver, CO
Krista Kilgas
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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, November 3
Twenty-first Sunday after Pentecost
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Prayer of the Day
Merciful God, gracious and benevolent, through your Son you invite all the world to a meal of mercy. Grant that we may eagerly follow his call, and bring us with all your saints into your life of justice and joy, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.
In God's Hands: Ecumenical Prayer Cycle from the World Council of Churches
03 - 09 November: Oceania: American Samoa, Cook Islands, Fiji, French Polynesia (Maohi Nui), Kanaky, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu -
Intercessions and Prayers
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Global Gift Fair!
November 2 and 3 from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
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Atonement Lutheran Church
6281 W. Yale Ave, Lakewood, CO (
map)
Shop for unique items for yourself, your friends and your family and support artisans around the world and around the corner.
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6th Annual Veterans Appreciation Dinner, Concert, and Silent Auction
Saturday, November 2, 2019 from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
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Come join us for the 6th Annual Veterans Dinner, Concert and Silent Auction at Bethany Lutheran Church, 4500 E Hampden Ave., Cherry Hills, CO on November 2.
A catered pasta dinner by Romano's Italian Restaurant will be served from 5:00 p.m. - 6:20 p.m. with a suggested donation of $10/person; Veterans/Military personnel will be free of charge.
A silent auction will be held throughout the evening to raise funds to support Veterans, Military personnel and their families through Operation One Nation, Bethany's Veterans ministry. The concert will take place from 6:30 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.; we will enjoy music by Dakota Blonde.
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Mount Calvary Lutheran Church, Boulder - Celebration of Legacy
Sunday, November 10 begins at 1:00 p.m.
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All are invited to attend the afternoon event, beginning with a
choral concert at 1:00 p.m., a
Service of Holy Closure at 2:00 p.m., and a reception following. Rostered Ministers are invited to vest (color is Green) and process as a sign of presence and support. (time to vest will be provided between the concert and the worship service).
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2019 LAM-NM Advocacy Conference
Saturday, November 16, 8:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
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St. Michael and All Angels Episcopal Church
601 Montaño NW
This conference is open to everyone interested in learning more about advocating on public policies impacting our many neighbors living in poverty and experiencing hunger.
Breakout session topics will include advocacy basics as well as issues related to our Advocacy Agenda which are expected to come up during the 2020 New Mexico state legislative session.
Our keynote speaker is Dr. Larry Rasmussen, a resident of Santa Fe. He is the Reinhold Niebuhr Professor of Social Ethics Emeritus at Union Theological Seminary. He is author of
Earth-honoring Faith: Religious Ethics in a New Key(2013) and
Earth Community, Earth Ethics (1996) and coauthor of
Bible and Ethics in the Christian Life (1976, 1989, 2018).
$15 per person, including materials and lunch.
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Selling Pumpkins - Annually with a Purpose for 15 Years!
Open daily through October 31
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St. Peter (Carlsbad, NM) is celebrating its 15th year of being in the "pumpkin business." The St. Peter Pumpkin Patch is an annual charitable fundraiser and this year ALL proceeds will be distributed to
Packs for Hunger (a local, non-profit organization that is feeding over 200 children each week) and
Iglesia Luterana Cristo Rey, ELCA, (mission partner congregation in El Paso TX).
The St. Peter Pumpkin Patch (
map) is open daily, October 5-31. Hours: Monday-Friday, 3:00-6:30 p.m., Saturday, 10:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. and Sunday, 1:00-5:00 p.m. Admission is FREE. Pumpkin prices are based on size.
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Save the Date:
Carols & Cheer
with Luther House
Sunday, December 15, 2019 from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m.
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Join
Luther House
, 1805 Las Lomas Road NE, Albuqurque (
map
) for our second annual
Carols & Cheer
event!
We will follow Martin Luther's tradition of gathering in pubs to enjoy local beverages from Broken Trail Brewery & Distillery 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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Gifts of the World Bazaar Fair-trade Fair
Saturday, November 2, 2019 - 9:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m.
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St. Paul's Lutheran, 19th and House Ave, Cheyenne, WY
...in the Fellowship Hall.
Come shop fairly-traded products. Free samples.
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Rainbow Trail Senior High Retreat -
2019 Theme
"Fully Known"
November 22-24, 2019
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Understanding ourselves helps us understand one another. Join in a weekend of exploring who you are in the safety of a community that trusts we are all created and beloved as God’s children- no exceptions.
We will explore the personality tools of the Enneagram and Meyer’s Brigg’s Type Indicator (MBTI). These will be used to deepen our self-awareness and how we can grow deeper in our relationships with God and one another. In small groups we will get a chance to allow ourselves to both know/and be known by one another. All of this takes place in the context of the beauty of God’s creation at Rainbow Trail Lutheran Camp. Trusting God fully knows us and loves us, we get to be courageous and vulnerable as we learn, play, sing, dance and celebrate!
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Our keynote speaker Pastor Margot Wright
serves the fantastic folks of Lord of the Hills Lutheran Church and Preschool in Centennial, Colorado. Pastor Margot is fueled for the journey of following Jesus by a variety of spiritual practices including time with her dogs, quieting her busy mind with yoga, and writing out gratitude lists in the midst of joys, sorrows and all the in-betweens.
More info and and registration is
here
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Sky Ranch Advent Retreat
Friday, December 6 through Sunday, December 8, 2019
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Are you seeking peace for your family during a whirlwind pre-Christmas season? We invite you to take advantage of this important season and grow closer to God with your family through reflection, fellowship, activities and music.
Begin this Advent Season at Sky Ranch in a time of reflection and preparation for the birth of our Savior. Activities for all ages include worship, advent-themed projects, and cozy campfires.
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Resource Corner
check back each week for a new or featured resource for your congregation
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Become a TechSoup member!
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Become a TechSoup member and your congregation can get access to donations and discounts from more than 60 donor partners, including Intuit, Microsoft and Adobe (eligibility requirements apply).
For example, QuickBooks Online is available for $50/year compared to the regular price of $600/year. You'll also get access to our community forums, blog and free learning resources.
Get more information here
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Two new webinars, from Vanco and Tithe.ly
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Check out two new webinars from ELCA preferred vendors Vanco and Tithe.ly that highlight their latest ideas and technologies.
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Your Stewardship Toolkit for Congregations - November 2019
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Here's the
November 2019 "Stewardship Toolkit" brought to you by Rev. Rob Blezard, Assistant to the Bishop Lower Susquehanna Synod. It has an original newsletter article, RCL-based "stewardship snippets" for Sunday bulletins, and links to resources to explore the monthly theme. This month's theme is
"A month of Thanksgiving." Get your Stewardship Toolkit
here!
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Administrative Assistant-Communications
Faith Lutheran Church - Golden, CO
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Faith Lutheran in Golden
is looking for a person who loves to interact with people, support them and empower them as well as having skills in communication tools, online social media, and Microsoft software including Microsoft 365. Questions or letter of application and resume can be sent to Pastor Jane Jebsen at
jane@faithgolden.org
. Full position description available
here
.
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High School Program Director
Sky Ranch Lutheran Camp - Fort Collins, CO
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Sky Ranch Lutheran Camp is hiring a full-time High School Program Director. The High School Program Director is responsible for coordinating and overseeing all of our high school programming including our High Wilderness backpacking program, our off-site Four Winds service learning programs, and our on-site Rendezvous program. A part of this coordination includes working with the different congregations and groups that will participate in these programs, as well as marketing and outreach for them. Full position description is
available here
. Resumes, References, and Letter of Application accepted until filled. Please send application materials to Rob Behrens,
backpackfly@gmail.com
.
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Administrative Assistant-Communications
Faith Lutheran Church - Golden, CO
High School Program Director
Sky Ranch Lutheran Camp - Fort Collins, CO
Director of Economic Justice
Interfaith Alliance of Colorado, Denver, CO
Director for Leadership and Candidacy - Domestic Mission Unit
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Sound Production Minister
Lutheran Church of Hope - Broomfield, CO
Musicians for Ministry!
Zion Lutheran Church - Loveland, CO
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Office of the Bishop This Week
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Bishop Jim Gonia
- Staff Retreat: Excellence in Leadership
- Ecumenical Catholic Communion/RMS Worship, St. Paul, Denver, CO
- In-office Appointments
- Installation of Rev. Katie Chullino, Bethlehem, Longmont, CO
- Mount Hope, El Paso, TX
ELCA DIRECTOR FOR EVANGELICAL MISSION
Pastor Dana Peterson (Interim, 1/2 time)
- New and Renewing Ministries
- DEM Training, Chicago, IL
- Installation of Rev. Katie Chullino, Bethlehem, Longmont, CO
LUTHERAN ADVOCACY MINISTRY NEW MEXICO
Ruth Hoffman
- LAM-NM Policy Committee meeting
- NM Conference of Churches
LUTHERAN ADVOCACY MINISTRY COLORADO
Peter Severson
- Staff Retreat: Excellence in Leadership
- LAM-CO Policy Committee
- UNC Campus Ministry
ELCA REGIONAL GIFT PLANNER
Tina Kvitek
- Staff Retreat: Excellence in Leadership
- ECC/RMS Worship, St. Paul, Denver, CO
- Shepherd of the Valley, Grand Junction, CO
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ASSISTANT TO THE BISHOP FOR CONGREGATIONAL LIFE
Pastor Sarah Moening
- Staff Retreat: Excellence in Leadership
- Congregation Transition
ASSISTANT TO THE BISHOP FOR LEADERSHIP SUPPORT
Pastor Kent Mueller (1/2 time)
ASSISTANT TO THE BISHOP FOR SYNODICAL LIFE
Deacon Erin Power
- Staff Retreat: Excellence in Leadership
- St. Phillip, Littleton, CO
- Installation of Bishop Shelly Bryan-Wee, NW Washington Synod, Seattle, WA
- RMS Communications
ASSISTANT TO THE BISHOP FOR FAITH FORMATION & CANDIDACY
Pastor Leslie Welton
- Staff Retreat: Excellence in Leadership
- Youth Leadership Summit, North Carolina
- Urban Servant Corps
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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 303-339-4744
Submissions
are due noon Monday each week's issue.
Past issues of eConnection may be found
here.
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