A Reconciling in Christ synod
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Bishop's Blog: Personal reflections on racism and becoming
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A reflection from Bishop Jim:
"You are the one! These prophetic words jar David from his denial and lead to his repentance: I have sinned against the Lord!In these days of grief, outrage, and protest following the murder of George Floyd, I hear these same prophetic words rising to meet me: You are the one!
I am the one – who does not have to live every day with the question of whether the color of my skin will determine how I am treated.
I am the one – whose denunciation of unjust words or actions on the part of others keeps my gaze conveniently turned away from my own complicity in injustice.
I am the one – whose reluctance to engage my own privilege helps keeps systemic racism in place in our nation and in our church."
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Bishop Eaton:
"Witnesses to the transcendent"
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In her June/July column for Living Lutheran, Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton notes that the "restrictions imposed by the pandemic have made it clear that people are searching for hope and meaning and love." As those restrictions are eased, she urges us to assess the ways our congregations are witnesses to the transcendent, keeping in mind all those who worshiped with us online but may not walk into our churches.
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eConnection Spotlight:
RMS in the Neighborhood
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Augustana, Denver CO...Thanks their community!
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Door hangers accompanied the pictured yard signs with the following text:
Please accept our most sincere thanks for your vital work as a teacher, first responder, mental health or health care worker. This yard sign is a small token of our appreciation for your dedication during these challenging pandemic days. Be confident we include you in our daily thoughts and prayers. Stay well and know that God's presence is with you each and every day.
Blessings and Peace be with you,
Your Augustana Faith Community
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RMS & ELCA News and Events
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What does a Theological Conference look like during a pandemic?
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Your choice: "conference at home" or book a room for retreat time away
Our fall theological conference will be
September 21-24
and is being planned and led in partnership with the ACT4RMS Team, the synod's anti-racism team. The format will be centered around large group digital gatherings, small group conversation (option of either in-person or via ZOOM), and individual reflection. Devotions and worship will take place in small groups in person or via ZOOM. A tentative agenda will be available next week.
Block the week for retreat time at home or away
Unless miraculously a vaccine is developed in the next eight weeks, there will be no in-person large group gathering. You are encouraged to block this week off to fully engage in this space and conversation, despite not being physically away. There will be an option to reserve a room at the contracted location (Marriott, Colorado Springs) for folks who wish to get away in retreat. Folks who choose this option can create informal, socially distant gatherings at the hotel, but no formal gatherings will take place.
Registration and Cost
Please be patient as we navigate these details, and for now simply save the date! As we are currently locked into a contract with the Marriott, we are waiting to see what regulations Colorado has in place in mid-July to determine if we are able to be released from our contract.
If the hotel is able to technically create space in line with the governor's recommendations, we will be locked into our contract, even if we determine it is unsafe to gather that many folks together. This will undoubtedly have financial implications, so we will need to wait until we have more information before being able to set registration costs.
The ACT4RMS team and synod council are continuing to brainstorm creative ways to either mitigate these costs or offer the committed space to a local non-profit to offer temporary shelter, and we will need your partnership to navigate these uncertain times.
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Living Faith: Church in Society
Summer Discussion Series via ZOOM
Wednesdays at 5:30 p.m. beginning June 24
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Gathering opportunity for pastors, deacons, faith formation leaders, and small group or adult education leaders:
God calls us into community,
and through God’s active guidance we can build that community into one that extends God’s hands and feet into the world. We are activated - through Scripture, personal experience, church tradition and the gift of reason - to exercise the art of compassionate conversation about real issues that matter to our lives today.
Living Faith
seeks to foster that art.
Join us this summer for an 8-week discussion on seven of our ELCA Social Statements. These gatherings are specifically for folks who are interested in leading a conversation in their own ministry settings. The full discussion guide will be available mid-August.
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Connect Your College Students with Lutheran Campus Ministry!
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Did you know... The best way for incoming students to connect with our life-giving work is through the referral of a trusted adult, like you! College students connected to Lutheran Campus Ministry are more likely to complete their degree programs and are more likely to seek out a faith community after graduation than those who are not. Whether you are a parent, pastor, or youth leader, you can help students connect using the LuMin Student Referral Form (first link below) or reaching out to any of this synod's campus pastors (second link). We look forward to welcoming your college students this fall!
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Excellence in Leadership Fall Registration OPEN!
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In light of the uncertain progression of the coronavirus, the Excellence in Leadership (EiL) training team has made the decision to offer the EiL program for the next cohort in a completely digital format. These adjustments have pushed back the start date of our registration, however, registration for the 2020-2022 cohort is now open.
As with the first cohort, there will be 7 sessions/presentations which all participants will be expected to attend. However, these will all be offered online via Zoom and recorded, in case you are unable to attend the sessions live. Additionally, each participant will be expected to engage with a small group with fellow participants throughout the program.
The dates and times for the sessions during the first year are as follows:
- Session #1 – Friday, Sept 4, 2020, 9:00 am – 12 noon, plus a small group session
- Session #2 – Saturday, Oct 17, 1:00 – 3:30 pm
- Session #3 – Friday, Nov 6, 9:00 am – 12 noon, plus a small group session
- Session #4 – Saturday, Jan 9, 1:00 – 3:30 pm
- Session #5 – Friday, Feb 19, 9:00 am – 12 noon, plus a small group session
- Session #6 – Saturday, Mar 20, 1:00 – 3:30 pm
- Session #7 – Friday, May 7, 9:00 am – 12 noon, plus a small group session
Times for small group meetings will be determined at a later date.
Any additional questions about registration or the Excellence in Leadership program may be directed to Dana Anderson (
danderson@rmselca.org)
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Ordinations
Nic Leither
6:00pm, Saturday, June 27
Color of the day:
Red
Installations
Rev. Nic Leither
Time TBD, Sunday, June 28
Color of the day:
Green
*Please note that this ordination and installation are not in-person events.
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RMS Prayer Cycle
JUNE 2020
SOUTHEAST COLORADO CONFERENCE
- Week of June 21 -
King of Kings - Pueblo, CO
Ruby Narucki
Mount Calvary - Colorado Springs, CO
Sung (Kevin) Cho
Prince of Peace - Colorado Springs, CO
Dave Cruson
Shepherd of the Hills - Cañon City, CO
Christine Hjelmstad
St. Paul - Calhan, CO
Harvey Johnson (Interim)
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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, June 21
Third Sunday After Pentecost
Prayer of the Day
Teach us, good Lord God, to serve you as you deserve, to give and not to count the cost, to fight and not to heed the wounds, to toil and not to seek for rest, to labor and not to ask for reward, except that of knowing that we do your will, through Jesus Crist, our Savior and Lord
In God's Hands: Ecumenical Prayer Cycle from the World Council of Churches
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Local Churches Invited to Ring Church Bells for 8 Minutes, 46 Seconds
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Messiah Community Church
, a Lutheran congregation in the center of Denver (1750 Colorado Blvd, across from City Park),
invites you to join them in ringing your church bells for 8 minutes, 46 seconds at NOON this
Wednesday/Thursday/Friday (June 17, 18, and 19).
These dates have been chosen to coincide with the Remembrance of the Emanuel Nine on June 17 (fifth anniversary of the shooting of nine people at Mother Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina, by a 21-year-old white supremacist) and Juneteenth on June 19 (the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States).
The length of time for ringing equals the amount of time a police officer knelt on the neck of George Floyd, which led to his death. The church rings its bells to remember and grieve Mr. Floyd, to stand in solidarity with all who are working for an end to systemic racism, and to acknowledge that we have also grievously fallen short throughout our history as a church and a nation.
Any churches that desire to join in the ringing of bells are invited to do so.
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"Emotional Distress: Helping Others and Yourself"
Thursday, June 18, 7:00 - 8:00 p.m.
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Emotional distress happens to everyone. Understanding where it can come from and what can help is important. What really works for us? What will help your resiliency? How can I boost myself and others? What would help me get through these difficult times? Jed Shapiro MD is a psychiatrist who has worked in Boulder for 45 years, primarily at Boulder Mental Health Partners for 38 years and presently at Imagine! and the Charg Clinic in Denver He is a member of the board of directors of the Interfaith Network on Mental Illness and the Colorado Foundation for Universal Health Care He is a strong believer in balancing everything work, lay, parenting, travel, skiing, volunteering, meditating, giving and receiving.
Meeting ID: 426 442 0220
+13462487799,,4264420220# US (Houston)
+16699006833,,4264420220# US (San Jose)
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from Lutherans Restoring Creation: Where do you stand?
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In 1993, the ELCA passed the social statement "
Caring for Creation: Vision, Hope, and Justice
". It calls on members of our church to "pursue justice for creation through active participation" and to pursue wholeness for creation through "individual and community action" among other things.
When the statement was passed in 1993, there was an urgency expressed about how little time we have to ensure that we are quit making matters worse. And now the issues of our climate crisis are even more urgent.
The state of Colorado's legislature just passed a budget for 20-21 which cut over $3 billion from the budget. How will this affect our commitment to justice for creation? It is worth taking a look at the state budgets in each of our states within the Rocky Mountain Synod to learn what this current recession means for our environment.
We are encourage by these words from The Apostle Paul writing in the letter to the Ephesians 6:10-15,"Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace."
This is no time to back down from goals we have had. In fact, we can lament our situation, but now we also have an opportunity to rethink our priorities as we begin the long process of rebuilding. We must stand firm, because all of our other social ills are made worse with the deteriorating condition of our environment.
We have good guidelines in the Social Statement. Let's follow them. Read the statement yourself and determine where you will STAND. In the words of Martin Luther, "we can do no other".
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Journal of Lutheran Ethics
June/July 2020 Book Review Issue
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A Note from the Editor, Jennifer Hockenbery Dragseth
Last October when the JLE Advisory Council met to plan the issues for 2020 we decided to put the summer book review issue in June.
We, or at least I, envisioned professors on summer break from classes having time to peruse new books on the beach while pastors and lay leaders had a more relaxed schedule to look at new books for adult education opportunities. The idea of a lazy summer reading issue has, of course, been thoroughly scrapped. COVID-19 and quarantine and church building closures have created new challenges for teachers, preachers, and families. Now the end of May and early June brings a new situation, founded on the centuries old American problem of systemic racism and police brutality. Even in my usually quiet suburb of Milwaukee, I lay awake all night listening to police helicopters circling as protesters march.
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12 faith practices for racial justice
from Women of the ELCA,
Bold Café, June 2020
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by Judith Roberts
Racism and other forms of oppression are violations of God's intention for all humanity. Before we can work for racial justice, we must first be aware of the manifestation of racism within our thoughts, our institutions, our interactions and our society.
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Education Director
Peace Lutheran Church - El Paso, TX
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Peace Lutheran Preschool and Daycare in El Paso is seeking a new Education Director. The mission of the school is to nurture children, to develop positive strengths, ethics, and skills necessary to fulfill God’s purpose for their lives, and to meet the challenges of our world. We are excited to find the next right person to lead the school in providing excellent care and education to children and families in our community! Job description is available
here.
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Children, Youth, Family & Social Media Minister
Evergreen Lutheran Church - Evergreen, CO
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Evergreen Lutheran (ELC), a vibrant, fun and growing congregation in the foothills west of Denver is seeking a full-time person to partner with an already strong and committed staff. Candidates should possess a heart for Jesus, a desire to bless young people and a gracious congregation with unselfish ministry. The Pastor and staff of ELC hope to partner with an individual who is a servant-leader, who wants to create their own, strong ministry, lives inclusively and relationally. The position is benefit eligible and the salary is competitive. If you are interested, please send your resume, cover letter and references to Pastor Vera Guebert-Steward at
Guebstewar@gmail.com (303-674-4654). Interviews will begin by mid-June. ELC hopes to fill the position by August 1, 2020.
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Education Director
Peace Lutheran Church - El Paso, TX
Children, Youth, Family & Social Media Minister
Evergreen Lutheran Church - Evergreen, CO
Preschool Director (full-time)
Holy Trinity Lutheran Church - Littleton, CO
Coordinator of Children/Youth Faith Formation
Broadmoor Community Church, United Church of Christ - Colorado Springs, CO
Faith Formation Interim Director
Bethlehem Lutheran Church - Longmont, CO
Director of Choirs (part-time)
Bethlehem Evangelical Lutheran Church - Los Alamos, NM
Facilities Manager
Holy Shepherd Lutheran Church - Lakewood, CO
Lead Servant for Financial Resources
Abiding Hope Lutheran Church - Littleton, CO
Office Administrator (part-time)
St. Timothy's Episcopal Church, Centennial, CO
Minister of Music (full-time)
Augustana Lutheran Church - Denver, CO
Missional Youth MInistry Leader (part-time)
Faith Lutheran Church - Golden, CO
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Office of the Bishop This Week
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Bishop Jim Gonia
- 1-1 Appointments
- Region 2 Consultation & Mobility Conference
- Conference Deans Meeting
- RMS Campaign Meeting
- Available by email: jgonia@rmselca.org
ELCA DIRECTOR FOR EVANGELICAL MISSION
Pastor Dana Peterson
LUTHERAN ADVOCACY MINISTRY NEW MEXICO
Kurt Rager
- NM Legislative Special Session
- Living Faith Discussion Group
- Available by email: krager@rmselca.org
LUTHERAN ADVOCACY MINISTRY COLORADO
Peter Severson
- FAMLI Coalition
- Fair Tax CO Committee
- Living Faith Discussion Group
- Available by email: pseverson@rmselca.org
ELCA REGIONAL GIFT PLANNER
Tina Kvitek
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ASSISTANT TO THE BISHOP FOR CONGREGATIONAL LIFE
Pastor Sarah Moening
- Region 2 Consultation and Mobility Conference
- Conference Deans Meeting
- 1-1 Appointments
- Available by email: smoening@rmselca.org
ASSISTANT TO THE BISHOP FOR LEADERSHIP SUPPORT
Pastor Kent Mueller
(1/2 time)
ASSISTANT TO THE BISHOP FOR SYNODICAL LIFE
Deacon Erin Power
- ELCA Committee on Appeals
- Theological Conference Planning Team
- RMS Communications
- Available by email: epower@rmselca.org
ASSISTANT TO THE BISHOP FOR FAITH FORMATION & CANDIDACY
Pastor Leslie O'Callaghan
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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
Past issues of eConnection may be found
here.
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