A Reconciling in Christ synod
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RMS 2019 YOUTH GATHERING HAS BEEN CANCELLED
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Due to low registration, the RMS youth event scheduled for Jan 19-21, 2019 in Estes Park has been cancelled. We will be making materials available for congregational use and encourage groups to join together in exploring the spiritual gifts each of us has been given and God's call to boldly share those gifts in the world.
Keep watch for information about our Jan 18-20, 2020 event. We apologize for any inconvenience this change in plans causes. If you have questions, please call Rev. Leslie Welton at the Office of the Bishop, 303-777-6700,
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Updates from recent ELCA Church Council meeting
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T
he Church Council of the ELCA met at The Lutheran Center in Chicago Nov. 8-11. The council, which serves as the ELCA's board of directors, centered its meeting around worship, Bible study and personal reflections on faith.
As it continues to focus its work around Future Directions 2025, the council engaged in discussions around a "well-governed, connected and sustainable church," as outlined in the plan's fifth goal. Addressing efforts toward governance and building consensus around a shared understanding of its roles and responsibilities, the council approved the Preface and Part 1 of the ELCA Church Council Governance policy manual. The policy manual development committee also led discussions on Part 2 of the manual, which will address how the council can best be equipped to fulfill the roles and responsibilities outlined in Part 1.
In other action, the council elected the Rev. Philip Hirsch to a four-year renewable term as executive director of ELCA Domestic Mission, beginning Feb. 1, 2019. The council also re-elected the Rev. Rafael Malpica Padilla to a four-year renewable term as executive director of ELCA Global Mission, beginning Feb. 1, 2019.
In other business, the council:
- recommended to the 2019 Churchwide Assembly the adoption of the policy statement, "A Declaration of Inter-Religious Commitment;"
- defined the symbols for the roster of Ministers of Word and Service as a deacon's stole and a cross. In addition, the council requested the ELCA worship team develop an appropriate rite and rubrics for the ordination of deacons, subject to the 2019 Churchwide Assembly approval of ordination as the entrance rite for the roster of Ministers of Word and Service;
- formed a working group to draft a declaration to people of African descent to be presented to the 2019 Churchwide Assembly. The working group will develop in this document a confession of this church's bondage to the sins of slavery, racism, discrimination, white supremacy and quietism, and a commitment to begin the work of repentance, which this church confesses to be "the chief topic of Christian teaching;"
- received reports on the implementation of the strategy toward authentic diversity within the ELCA and the repudiation of the Doctrine of Discovery. The reports are in response to actions taken by the 2016 Churchwide Assembly;
- adopted revision to Policies and Procedures of the ELCA for Addressing Social Concerns;
- participated in a conversation on racial justice;
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eConnection Spotlight:
ELCA in the Neighborhood
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An Urgent Appeal for California Wildfire Relief
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Lutheran Disaster Response
DOUBLE THE IMPACT: In response to the California wildfires, Thrivent is matching gifts given to Lutheran Disaster Response through InFaith Community Foundation. Give today to support communities...
Read more
www.facebook.com
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Stay connected to the latest events and our response to this and other disasters through our
Facebook
page. Join us in prayer and use this
bulletin insert
in your congregation to help spread the word.
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Join the Synod Assembly Election Team!
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We are looking for 3 to 4 volunteers to serve on the Synod Assembly Election Team for a 2-year term, serving the 2019 and 2020 elections. Volunteers will attend and assist with the 2019 assembly and coordinate the election process in 2020, which will consist of five gatherings happening throughout the synod concurrently.
We are looking for a volunteer from each of the following areas:
- Salt Lake City
- Cheyenne, WY or North CO
- Denver Metro/Boulder
- SE Colorado
- Albuquerque, NM
Election team members should be detail-oriented, organized, comfortable with public speaking, and web/computer literate.
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Rev. Deb Cote
Prince of Peace, Gillette, WY
Sunday, December 2, 9:00 a.m.
Color of the Day: Blue
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RMS Prayer Cycle
November 2018
RMS BISHOP AND STAFF
Week of November 25
Bishop James Gonia
Rev. Sarah Moening
Rev. Matt Barnhouse
Rev. Kent Mueller
Ruth Hoffman
Deniese Estrada
Janice Ladd-Horkey
Andrew Nakatani
Deacon Erin Power
Peter Severson
Rev. Leslie Welton
Rev. Michael Tassler (3E Lilly Grant Director)
Julie Nelson (3E Asst. Director)
Tina Tvitek (Regional Gift Planner)
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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 25
Christ the King Sunday
Last Sunday after Pentecost
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Prayer of the Day
Almighty and ever-living God, you anointed your beloved Son to be priest and sovereign forever. Grant that all the people of the earth, now divided by the power of sin, may be united by the glorious and gentle rule of 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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Mental Health First Aid Certification Training
Thursday, November 29, 2018 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
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This is an 8-hour certification course, focused on adult mental health, provided by Centus Counseling, Consulting and Education and Bethany Lutheran Church/Operation One Nation, and is free of charge, including the course materials. All registrants must commit to attending the full day. Participants will learn about the signs and symptoms of emerging mental health conditions and what to do in a mental health emergency.
Any individual or team interested in mental health as a friend, good citizen or engaged congregant is encouraged to attend. To register, please email the trainer, Susan Geissler, at
sgeissler@centus.org and include your name, phone number and email address.
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Christmas with the Colorado Choir
Friday November 30, 2018 at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday December 1, 2018 at 7:30 p.m.
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Start your holidays with
"Christmas With The Colorado Choir" with songs from Alfred Burt Carols songs by Z. Randall Stroope, F. Melius Christiansen, Paul J. Christiansen and Handel's Messiah, all favorites of this time or year. Please join the Choir for an evening of great Christmas Music. Order your
tickets here.
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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. More info
here, to register go
here.
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LFS Denver - Informal Q & A session for Foster Care
December 12 from 12:30-1:30 p.m. and from 5:30-6:30 p.m.
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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
December 12 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, CO (
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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Rainbow Trail reminds us that Colorado Gives Day is December 4th!
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Colorado Gives Day is an annual day of giving to non-profit organizations all across Colorado.
Whether you live in Colorado or not, you can donate to Rainbow Trail on December 4th. Each donation helps RTLC receive additional funds from Community First Foundation through a sum that's divided among all participating organizations and prizes at the end of the day. You can even schedule your CO Gives Day gift NOW so you won't forget to donate! Support non-profits like Rainbow Trail Lutheran Camp on Colorado Gives Day!
Give at
https://www.coloradogives.org/rainbowtrail/overview
!
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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 December!
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This month's toolkit contains an original newsletter article on stewardship, RCL-based weekly bulletin blurbs, and links to resources around the web. December's theme is
"Stewardship for Advent & Christmas."
These "Stewardship Toolkits" are created monthly by Pr Robert C. Blezard, Assistant to the Bishop, Lower Susquehanna Synod.
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All
Non-Rostered Positions
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Music Leader (part-time)
Ascension Lutheran Church - Cheyenne, WY
Praise Singers Director (part-time)
Faith Lutheran Church - Golden, CO
Director of Faith Formation
Christ the Servant Lutheran Church - Louisville, CO
Administrative Assistant
All Saints Lutheran Church - Albuquerque, NM
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Office of the Bishop This Week
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Bishop Jim Gonia
- Thanksgiving Holiday, Office closed
- St. Paul, Calhan, CO
- Conference Dean's meeting
- Staff Meeting
ELCA DIRECTOR FOR EVANGELICAL MISSION
Pastor Matt Barnhouse
LUTHERAN ADVOCACY MINISTRY NEW MEXICO
Ruth Hoffman
ELCA REGIONAL GIFT PLANNER
Tina Kvitek
- Thanksgiving Holiday, office closed
- Centennial, Englewood, CO
- Congregational visits
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ASSISTANT TO THE BISHOP FOR CONGREGATIONAL LIFE
Pastor Sarah Moening
- Thanksgiving Holiday, office closed
- Dean's meeting
- Staff Meeting
- Our Savior's, Greeley, CO
ASSISTANT TO THE BISHOP FOR LEADERSHIP SUPPORT
Pastor Kent Mueller (1/2 time)
- Thanksgiving Holiday, office closed
- Dean's meeting
- Staff Meeting
ASSISTANT TO THE BISHOP FOR SYNODICAL LIFE
Deacon Erin Power
- Thanksgiving Holiday, office closed
- Word & Service Summit Meeting
- RMS Hunger Network
- Dean's meeting
- Staff meeting
LUTHERAN ADVOCACY MINISTRY COLORADO
Peter Severson
- Thanksgiving Holiday, office closed
- Staff meeting
ASSISTANT TO THE BISHOP FOR FAITH FORMATION & CANDIDACY
Pastor Leslie Welton
- Thanksgiving Holiday, office closed
- In-office appointments
- Staff meeting
- Messiah Mountain Task Force
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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
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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