A Reconciling in Christ synod
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Bishop Eaton issues pastoral message on racism and white supremacy
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Dear Church,
Centered in Christ, the 2019 Churchwide Assembly was significant in many ways: worship, thoughtful deliberation and prayer led to the adoption of memorials and resolutions that will shape this church for years to come.
Among these decisions, this church was called to address the deadly power of racism and white supremacy.
Martin Luther's clear exposition of the gospel — that God justifies, that we are redeemed by the death and resurrection of Jesus, and that grace is a gift — not only makes it possible to engage in this work but gives us a framework in which to do it. The doctrine of justification is a great leveler. It acknowledges that no one group of people can claim supremacy over others. We are all deeply in need of grace, and God gives this gift to all. Standing equally under the judgement and promise of the gospel, we, as a church, can recognize the overt and covert ways that a culture of white supremacy denies full humanity to all people, and we can work to dismantle it.
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New 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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Congregation Raises Faith Voice Against Gun Violence -...
by Abbigail Hull, ELCA Hunger Advocacy Fellow Addressing the growing number of deaths and injuries caused by firearms while at the same time protecting the rights of those who use firearms responsibly called a member of Lord of the Mountain...
Read more
blogs.elca.org
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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 week 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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Saturday, January 18, 5:00 p.m. to Monday, January 20, 11:00 a.m.
YMCA of the Rockies, Estes Park, CO
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.
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Important information about 2020 benefits from Portico
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Portico’s Board of Trustees has approved health plan and benefit changes for 2020, featuring new ways for ELCA-Primary members to save on out-of-pocket costs and strengthen their emotional well-being.
You can read more
here
.
Later in August, Custom Comparison Reports will be available to congregations, which will make their selections in October. Members will complete benefits enrollment in November.
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Ordination
Linda Bobbit
Minister of Word & Service (Deacon)
Cross of Christ, Broomfield, CO
3:00 p.m. Sunday, September 22
Color of the day: Red
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RMS Prayer Cycle
SEPTEMBER 2019
METRO SOUTH CONFERENCE
- Week of September 22 -
Lutheran Church of the Holy Spirit -
Centennial, CO
Gordon Sandquist
Lutheran Church of the Master - Lakewood, CO
Robert Moss
Prince of Peace - Denver, CO
Todd Hawkins
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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 22
Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost
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Prayer of the Day
O God, overflowing with mercy and compassion, you lead back to yourself all those who go astray. Preserve your people in your loving care, that we may reject whatever is contrary to you and may follow all things that sustain our life in your Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.
In God's Hands: Ecumenical Prayer Cycle from the World Council of Churches
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5th Annual Octobeerfest!
Friday, September 27 and Saturday, September 28
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Lutheran Church of Hope
1305 West 10th Avenue, Broomfield, CO (
map
)
You are invited to Lutheran Church of Hope's 5th annual Oktobeerfest!
Come enjoy craft beer, brats and burgers, bingo, kid's games, polka, local vendors and more. Fun for the whole family. Entrance is free, drink tickets available at the door.
Friday, Sept. 27, 5:00 to 9:00 p.m. and Saturday, Sept. 28, 11:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
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Ken Caryl Concerts presents
"A Latin Serenade"
Saturday, September 28 at 7:30 p.m.
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St. Philip Lutheran Church
7531 S. Kendall Blvd.
Join us for an evening that will sizzle with sounds from Spain and Latin America. Guest performers include classical guitarist, Lorian Bartle and piano/cello duo, Carl Algermissen & Ethan Lazarus. Freewill offering will be collected to benefit
Stepping Stone Communities.
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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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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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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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Sunday September 29
3:00 p.m - 4:00 p.m.
Broomfield Library
3 Community Park Rd.
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
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Tuesday October 15
6:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
Koelbel Library
5955 S. Holly St.
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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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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The inherent risk of guest Wi-Fi access at your congregation
With the myriad of wireless devices in constant use, many churches provide Wi-Fi for the convenience of employees and guests. However, this complimentary benefit can come with a heavy price if security is taken for granted. You may want to forward this information to your IT support specialist before deciding to provide Wi-Fi access to your congregation.
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Making social media work for the church
from Lutheran Alliance for Faith, Science and Technology
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The futuristic church: Are you really that social? -...
Editor's note: This is part one of a two-part series on technology and the church. In this article we look at how social media is rewriting the rules of communication and community online. Next month we will dive into the implications of...
Read more
luthscitech.org
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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
Director of Lutheran Advocacy - New Mexico
Rocky Mountain Synod ELCA - Santa Fe, NM
Director of Youth Ministries
Cross of Christ Lutheran Church - Broomfield, CO
Choir Director (part-time)
Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church - Cañon City, CO
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Office of the Bishop This Week
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Bishop Jim Gonia
- Grace, Casper, WY
- In office appointments
- Ordination of Linda Bobbit, Cross of Christ, Broomfield, CO
- Conference Dean's Zoom
LUTHERAN ADVOCACY MINISTRY NEW MEXICO
Ruth Hoffman
- NM Conference of Churches Board
- Albuquerque Legislative Gathering
LUTHERAN ADVOCACY MINISTRY COLORADO
Peter Severson
- FAMLI Coaltion
- Colorado Social Legislation Committee
- Renter's Round Table
ELCA REGIONAL GIFT PLANNER
Tina Kvitek
- Rocky Mountain Synod Women's Organization Gathering, Albuquerque, NM
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ASSISTANT TO THE BISHOP FOR CONGREGATIONAL LIFE
Pastor Sarah Moening
- King of Kings, Pueblo, CO
- Congregation Transition
- First Call Theological Education Planning
- Conference Dean's Zoom
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
- Companion Synod Meeting
- Conference Dean's Zoom
ASSISTANT TO THE BISHOP FOR FAITH FORMATION & CANDIDACY
Pastor Leslie Welton
- Rainbow Trail Board Retreat
- Faith Formation Fall Gathering
- Ordination of Linda Bobbit, Cross of Christ, Broomfield, CO
- Auraria 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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