A Reconciling in Christ synod
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Welcome Kristen Lee, Executive Administrator, Office of the Bishop!
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We are excited to welcome Kristen Lee to the Office of the Bishop as our new Executive Administrator! Kristen holds an MA in Systematic Theology from Luther Seminary, spent a year as a Young Adult in Global Mission in Mexico, and worked for two summers at Sky Ranch Lutheran Camp. She grew up in the Pacific Northwest and in her free time enjoys running, working on new knitting projects, and traveling to new places.
As Executive Administrator, her primary areas of responsibility include: roster management, support for candidacy, support for congregational transition, and support for Bishop and Synod Council. Kristen will begin in a part-time capacity the week of October 14. She will work in partnership with Janice Ladd-Horkey until Janice's retirement at the end of the year.
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New - Sanctuary Church Resource Webpage Available
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At the recent Churchwide Assembly, voting members affirmed our Church's commitment to accompany migrants, refugees, and asylum-seekers, including a decision to claim ourselves as a Sanctuary Denomination.
As we continue to discern together "what does this mean?", the
Sanctuary Church Resources
page offers a number of resources, discussion guides, and websites to provide information.
As a starting point, congregations are encouraged to to engage this social statement --
"Church in Society".
A webinar to address questions and concerns will be scheduled in October.
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eConnection Spotlight:
RMS in the Neighborhood
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Church in the Public Square
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All Saints in Albuquerque hosted a reception on Sunday to thank and meet state legislators who serve NW Albuquerque and Rio Rancho. Members of Cross of Hope and Community of Joy joined in the conversation. From Pastor Kristin Schultz: "May this further our work together as people of faith for the common good of all in New Mexico."
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Madagascar 2020
RMS Companion Synod Trip, May 26 - June 10, 2020
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Walk with our siblings in Christ in Madagascar and celebrate God's love around the globe. This trip will start late in May 2020 and travel for 16 days through much of the north of the country.
This is not a sightseeing trip or a service trip but participants will be ambassadors from the Rocky Mountain Synod walking alongside with our friends, building relationships with seminarians, and experiencing the work of the church through our companion synods.
Download the application [
here
] and return it by October 31. The cost of the trip is estimated to be $5,000 per person. Refer to those listed on the documents if you have further questions. This is one of those life-changing opportunities that you should prayerfully consider and take the leap to experience.
Questions can be directed to the 2020 Madagascar Trip Planning Team:
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2019 Model Constitution for Congregations is now available
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The 2019 Churchwide Assembly of the ELCA adopted a number of changes to the Model Constitution for Congregations of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, and it has been posted to our website
here
. The
2019 Amendments to the Model Constitution for Congregations document is
here.
The synod will provide guidance in the coming weeks about how to amend your current congregation's constitution to the new model.
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Rocky Mountain Synod Middle and High School Youth Gathering
Saturday, January 18 - Monday, January 20, 2020
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YMCA of the Rockies, Estes Park, CO
Saturday, January 18, 5:00 p.m. to Monday, January 20, 11:00 a.m.
Get ready for a fun and faith-filled weekend as we delve into the transforming love of God and what it means to take that love into our everyday lives.
Get more information and register
here. Get $10 off when your group registers by Oct 1.
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Installation
Rev. Chris Hjemstad
Shepherd of the Hills, Canyon City, CO
10:30am Saturday, October 5
Color of the day: Green
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RMS Prayer Cycle
SEPTEMBER 2019
METRO SOUTH CONFERENCE
- Week of September 29 -
Risen Lord - Conifer, CO
Kim Gonia
Mary Black
Saint Peter - Greenwood Village, CO
David Risendal
St. Philip - Littleton, CO
Brad Doty
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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, September 29
Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost
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Prayer of the Day
O God, rich in mercy, you look with compassion on this troubled world. Feed us with your grace, and grant us the treasure that comes only from you, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.
In God's Hands: Ecumenical Prayer Cycle from the World Council of Churches
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Augustana Arts presents...
Intermezzo! Lighten it Up with Puccini & Mascagni
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Music holds all things together, it’s the connective tissue. With the help of the Ars Nova Singers, the Stratus Chamber Orchestra will perform for you magnificent and famous music written specifically to connect:
Intermezzo from Mascagni’s Cavaleria Rusticana and Puccini’s
Humming Chorus from Madama Butterfly. As these pieces served to connect acts and scenes, Randall Thompson uses music to connect text, music and the human heart, setting music to the poetry of Robert Frost.
Get your tickets
here
!
Friday, Oct. 4, 2019 at 7:30 p.m. (Immersive Seating)
1st Plymouth Congregational Church
3501 S. Colorado Blvd., Denver, CO (
map)
Saturday, Oct. 5, 2019 at 7:30 p.m. (Traditional Seating)
Augustana Lutheran Church
5000 E. Alameda Ave., Denver, CO (
map)
Sunday, Oct. 6, 2019 at 4:00 p.m. (Immersive Seating)
First United Methodist Church
1421 Spruce Street, Boulder, CO (
map)
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Augustana Arts presents...
Danza!
Beguiling the Dance Immersive Concert with Harpist, Dani Bash
Friday, Nov. 15, 2019 at 7:30 p.m (Immersive Seating)
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1st Plymouth Congregational Church
3501 S. Colorado Blvd., Denver (
map
)
Join us for an evening of great music inspired by dance in Stratus’s signature immersive format where the audience sits within the orchestra, next to the musicians, enveloped in sound.
Appalachian Spring, Aaron Copland’s iconic homage to Americana, Debussy’s light and beautiful
Sacred and Profane Dances, and sultry tangos are evening highlights.
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The Urban Servant Corps invites you to...
LET'S EAT! + 10th Anniversary of Executive Director, Krista Kilgus
Thursday, October 10 from 5:30-7:30 p.m.
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Roof Top Garden at The Gathering Place
1535 High St.
At Urban Servant Corps, we believe that people need people – and it is in community that we are able to live more simple, faithful lives that are in service to others. As a way of expressing our mission and a human tendency to gather around food, we invite you to our LET’S EAT event!
You will have the opportunity to bid on specially-themed dinner parties and sample bites from the menus for you to EAT!
And a handful of restaurant gift cards will be available for bidding at the event. Our goal is to raise the budgeted amount our full-time volunteers are given for groceries for a year so they can EAT!
Also, it’s the 10th Anniversary of Krista Kilgus serving as USC’s Executive Director. Let’s celebrate (and EAT)!
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Dr. Mark Allan Powell, presents
Something to Savor: The Bible as our Book of Faith
Saturday October 19, 2019, 9:00 a.m.
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3rd Ave and Terry St, Longmont CO (
map
)
Mark Allan Powell is a professor of New Testament Studies at Trinity Lutheran Seminary, and theologian widely recognized for his work in spiritual formation, congregational ministries and author of 20 books. He will present on
"Something to Savor: The Bible as our Book of Faith"
This Saturday event is free, a light lunch will be provided from 11:30-2:00. Please let Maria Sutton know if you are able to attend (for a lunch count) at 303-776-2800 or email at
maria.sutton@firstluth.org.
Mark will follow up by preaching Saturday at 5:30 p.m. and again on Sunday, October 20 at 8:30 a.m. and 11:00 a.m.
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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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Denver Lutheran College Fair
Sunday, September 29, 2019 at 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m.
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Bethany Lutheran Church
4500 E Hampden Ave
Cherry Hills Village, CO (
map
)
This college fair is to connect Lutheran college representatives with prospective students and their families to share all of the exciting opportunities available to them on our campuses. We will also host sessions about financial aid and how to stand out in the college application process.
Participating Colleges and Universities include:
Augustana University (Sioux Falls, SD)
California Lutheran University (Thousand Oaks, CA)
Capital University (Columbus, OH)
Concordia University Chicago (River Forest, IL)
Concordia University Irvine (Irvine, CA)
Gustavus Adolphus (St. Peter, MN)
Luther College (Decorah, IA)
Pacific Lutheran University (Tacoma, WA)
Valparaiso University (Valparaiso, IN)
Wartburg College (Waverly, IA)
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Foster Care Informational Meetings
Lutheran Family Services - Rocky Mountains
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Each year in Colorado, thousands of kids are unable to live with their biological parents because of abuse or neglect.
Lutheran Family Services needs families who can provide temporary care until children reunify with their parent, as well as families willing to adopt children and teens if they can't return to their families.
No-cost, no-obligation, informational meetings are held throughout the Denver Metro area. Come find out if foster care is the right path for your family!
Please register with Nicole at
nicole.brown@lfsrm.org
or 303-217-5852. One-on-one meetings can also be arranged to work around your busy schedule.
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Wednesday October 2
5:30 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Ross-Cherry Creek Library
305 Milwaukee St.
Wednesday October 9
Two sessions!
12:30 - 1:30 p.m. and 5:30 - 6:30 p.m.
Lutheran Family Services
363 S. Harlan Street Suite 105
Tuesday October 15
6:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
Koelbel Library
5955 S. Holly St.
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Monday October 21
5:30 p.m - 7:00 p.m.
Central Recreation Center
18150 E. Vassar Pl.
Tuesday October 29
5:45 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Woodbury Library
3265 Federal Blvd
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Rainbow Trail Confirmation Retreat
2019 Theme
"Breathing Boldly"
October 18-20, 2019
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Martin Luther once said: “The fewer the words, the better the prayer.”
Some of the most powerful prayers have been like breathing in and breathing out… breathing in knowledge of God while reading Scripture and breathing out praise.
Breathing in God’s love and breathing out possibility that is in alignment with God’s will. Although breath and breathing seem very simple to all of us, do we really slow down in this fast-paced, high-tech world to listen to God’s Spirit? How do we establish ways to “be still and know that God is God”? Join us for this retreat time, and gathering to live into the breath and stillness of God.
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Our keynote speaker Pastor Nicolé Raddu Ferry
really believes in breathing! 😊 She is co-pastor at Bethlehem Evangelical Lutheran Church in Los Alamos, New Mexico. She has been blessed to work primarily with youth in the public and non-public sectors as well as with many churches in Maryland and New Mexico.
For more info and to register,
go here
.
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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.
For more info and to register,
go here
.
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Lutheran Summer Music 2020
June 28 - July 26
Valparaiso University
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Lutheran Summer Music (LSM)
is the nation’s premier faith-based music academy for high school students. In addition to advanced musical instruction and numerous performance opportunities, LSM students form an intentional community, living together for four weeks on a Lutheran college campus. Since 1981, this unique and immersive program has guided the lives of young musicians, who credit LSM as the starting place for their future careers and vocations.
Click
HERE
to download a digital brochure or
email
to request hard copies from the admissions office.
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Resource Corner
check back each week for a new or featured resource for your congregation
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Disability Ministry Grants now available
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ELCA Disability Ministries introduces a new grant opportunity for ELCA congregations in diverse and divested communities for an Accessibility Reinvestment Grant. Applications will be accepted through Oct. 15, 2019, at
https://elca.fluxx.io
for up to $25,000 for small-scale property and large-impact programmatic plans. Questions can be directed to
Disability.Ministry@elca.org
.
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...from Administration Matters - September 2019
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Valuable tips to protect your identity
Identity theft has become a common problem in the United States, with an estimated 9 million people affected annually, according to the Federal Trade Commission. Here are important tips to protect your identity. Read more
here
.
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All
Non-Rostered Listings
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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
- Conference of Bishops, Chicago, IL
- RMS Campaign Meeting
LUTHERAN ADVOCACY MINISTRY NEW MEXICO
Ruth Hoffman
- Revenue Stabilization & Tax Policy Committee
- Peace Lutheran, Las Cruces, NM
LUTHERAN ADVOCACY MINISTRY COLORADO
Peter Severson
- Common Cause Luncheon
- Lutheran Family Services Board Meeting
- Holy Trinity, Littleton, CO
ELCA REGIONAL GIFT PLANNER
Tina Kvitek
- RMS Campaign Meeting
- Christ the King, Colorado Springs, CO
- Zions, Trinidad, CO
- Lord of the Mountains, Dillon, CO
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ASSISTANT TO THE BISHOP FOR CONGREGATIONAL LIFE
Pastor Sarah Moening
- Congregation Transition
- Excellence in Leadership, Denver South
ASSISTANT TO THE BISHOP FOR LEADERSHIP SUPPORT
Pastor Kent Mueller (1/2 time)
ASSISTANT TO THE BISHOP FOR SYNODICAL LIFE
Deacon Erin Power
- Theological Conference Planning
- RMS Communications
- RMS Campaign Meeting
- Covenant, Wheatland, WY
ASSISTANT TO THE BISHOP FOR FAITH FORMATION & CANDIDACY
Pastor Leslie Welton
- Candidacy Follow-up
- NoCo Lunch Bunch, Loveland, CO
- CSU Campus Ministry
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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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