When I was called to St. Mark's Lutheran in Aurora, CO, one of the most interesting and honestly, confounding things I found in the Ministry Site Profile was St. Mark's youth program, OHANA (Object Hate And Nurture Acceptance). It was strange because St. Mark's traditional membership looked similar to many ELCA churches that I had encountered. People were mostly white, mostly aging, and numbers were hanging around 75 people on a Sunday, but here is where it got interesting: the youth involvement was mostly non white, and had numbers between 20 and 30 students sometimes. It didn't match up. Something special was happening at St Mark's.

In my first few months at St. Mark's, the movement of the Holy Spirit, in and around the OHANA program at St Mark's was electric. The care from the congregation, and the program's intentionality around creating a nurturing, grace filled youth group for students in the community that celebrates diversity was beautiful to witness. With the Synod's last theological conference around whiteness, advocacy, and education around race, and knowing what OHANA had to offer, it felt like a tug on my spirit. It felt like this program needed to grow. It felt like the synod, the ELCA, and our OHANA students needed this program to grow, even despite (or even because of) the pandemic.

We knew we needed to move Kinna Nordstrom-Kemp from ¾ time to full time, but like many churches, St. Mark's did not have the funds to do this on our own.. So... We asked around...

Through the generous financial gifts to the OHANA program from Holy Cross in Wheat Ridge, Our Saviours in Fort Collins, the Youth Program at Our Saviours in Fort Collins, the Augustana Foundation, the Bethany Foundation, and the St. Mark's Foundation, we were able to find enough money to bring Kinna up to full time, and OHANA is growing.

These group's financial investment and partnerships in the name of creating more inclusive, and diverse Lutheran spaces for our young people that speak to the creativity and abundance of Christ is exactly what it means to be, "Church Better Together." Praise be to God.

If you want to learn more about OHANA, please don't hesitate to visit us at https://www.stmarksaurora.org/ohana-youth-ministry.html, or call, or email to Miss Kinna at misskinna.cyf@gmail.com and 303-889-9844 (call/ text). We are already planning what's next!

Brooke DeJonge, ELCA World Hunger Education, will explore the worksheet and guide that congregations can use to gather data about gaps in services BEFORE committing to a new ministry or supporting an existing one. This is how ELCA World Hunger works to most efficiently use hunger offerings; and the methodology is useful for every organization wanting to serve its neighbors.

ZOOM: https://zoom.us/j/91045154307?pwd=SWRtdzhaalk3SFpXUWw0M1RFblV4Zz09

Join us online with advocates and community leaders in learning, listening and taking action. Discover how you as a person of faith can be mobilized for prophetic public policy advocacy, get the latest updates on our work together at the Colorado State Capitol, and be at the forefront of building relationships with your elected officials.

When: Thursday, May 13, 2021, 6:30 - 8 p.m. MDT

Where: Zoom & Facebook Live

Cost: It's free!

Gardeners who would like to volunteer to tend the garden throughout the summer may also share in the harvest as a community garden partner. Extra produce will be shared with the Growing Home food pantry.

Bring your gloves (there are lots of thistles), your spades, your trowels, your nippers, and your clippers to clean up the vegetable garden and other landscaping areas. A Thrivent Action Grant will provide for some snacks and supplies.

Tina Kvitek, Director of Development and Lutheran Center Manager, and Kent Mueller, Assistant to the Bishop, invite you to this opportunity to care for God's creation! Gardening experience is not required to join in the fun.

When: Saturday, May 22, 2021, 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.

Where: The Lutheran Center, 7375 Samuel Drive, Denver, CO 80221

Your congregation is invited to apply for an Open Doors Grant. Any ELCA congregation can apply for funding with a specific and actionable idea for how its ministry might meet new people while we consider this time of transition and regather in community as COVID-19 considerations allow.

Want to share your idea and inspire others? Add it to our virtual idea-sharing space! You don’t have to apply for a grant to share your ministry idea for (safely!) meeting new people. And, you just might be inspired by someone else’s idea!

Join Pastor Michael TeKrony on a journey of photography and spiritual reflection at Messiah Mountain Retreat Center, located in Indian Hills, a short drive into the foothills on Highway 285 (map). Michael says, “The camera invites us to pay attention to what is right in front of us. When we focus, either near or far, God comes into view. Using the camera lens, my hope is that we can practice and grow in our awareness of God, right in front of us.”

You will provide your own cell phone camera or other photography equipment.

Messiah Mountain is a gift to the Rocky Mountain Synod recently given by Messiah Community Church, which acquired the 27 acre mountain retreat in1969. This day-long experience is limited to 10 participants. Cost is $10. Lunch will be provided.

History is filled with those that used their creativity and imagination to find their way forward after pain and loss and to address the existential questions that suffering awakens. Join local therapist and artist Joy Redstone as she explores this topic. General concepts about the therapeutic value of art will be explored and Joy's personal journey from suicide survivor to artist will be explored. Discussion from participants about their connection to this topic will be encouraged.

Joy Redstone is a licensed clinical social worker and addiction counselor (CACIII), and adjunct faculty at Naropa and U. of Denver Graduate School of Social Work. She is a writer and artist. Her work has focused on the intersection of mental health struggles, addiction, and oppression. She served as ED of Bridge House for 7 years, is Director of Naropa Community Counseling and is Board President for the Grief Support Network.

Join Zoom Meeting at https://us02web.zoom.us/j/4264420220

Ambiguous loss - incomplete or uncertain loss - can create frozen grief, depression, anxiety, and family conflict. This talk will explore the construct of ambiguous loss in general and as it relates to the pandemic. The physiology of ambiguous loss and the pandemic will be explored as well as embodied skills for healing.

Dr. George is a clinical psychologist in private practice in Boulder and was a research associate at CU Boulder until 2012 conducting treatment outcome research for individuals with bipolar disorder. She is a certified Brainspotting therapist, a Somatic Experiencing Practitioner, and a Somatic Resilience and Regulation for early trauma touch therapist. Dr. Geroge is committed to social justice. She inhabits a white body and is currently leading a Somatic Experiencing informed healing racialized trauma for white bodies group. She has an active ecodharma Zen practice combining spiritual practice grief and trauma healing, and activism.

Join Zoom Meeting at https://us02web.zoom.us/j/4264420220

Celebrate growth and hope with Lutheran Family Services Rocky Mountains for our 27th annual gala, held virtually. Join us for a silent auction, paddle raise, and stories directly from those we serve throughout Colorado and in New Mexico and Utah. Never had the chance to attend? This is the perfect year for you to tune in and learn more about the work we do! For the first time ever, we are offering a First Time Attendee Complementary Ticket. Pour a glass of lemonade and join us from the comfort of home!

For more information, to purchase a ticket, or to sponsor, go to:

Johannes Brahms, German composer and pianist of the Romantic Era, was born on May 7, 1833. Join us for an evening of music for “Happy Birthday, Herr Brahms!” - a premier selection of Brahms’ best works performed on what would be his 188th birthday. This concert will be performed by elite musicians Philip Fiscor, Constantine Finehouse, and William Hinkie, on May 7, 2021 at 7 p.m.

This is our first in-person concert of the spring at Bethany Lutheran Church (4500 E. Hampden Ave.). Concert time is 7pm and will run for approximately 90 minutes. Reservations are required for the first 50 people and tickets are “Flex Pay” meaning you pay what you choose to enjoy the concert – we want all to enjoy this concert! It will also be live streamed on YouTube with a link available on our website starting at 7pm on May 7th! Virtual admission is unlimited capacity and is a "flex pay" ticket price as well. To reserve your spot for the in-person or virtual concert, visit https://ci.ovationtix.com/35350/production/1047017?performanceId=10679825, or email info@augustanaarts.org with any questions.

The Creation Care Team of the Rocky Mountain Synod will be meeting on Saturday at 10am. This meeting is open to everyone interested in caring for creation. This month we will plan our June event and support one another in our congregational creation care ministries.

The faster pastors are running again in the Flaming Foliage Relay September 10-11, and we need a few more runners. Runners get to help pick the cause we're running for, and join a supportive and fun team running through the mountains during the beautiful early fall. Runners need not be "faster" or "pastor"!

Interested? Contact Joel Pancoast at pastorjoel@zionloveland.com or Daniel Smith at d.smith@ascensioncos.org.

The Ambassador-Gram is a newsletter that features Lutheran Men in Mission activities and reminders of upcoming events.

Download the April 2021 issue here.

And read past issues or find your local LMM Synod Ambassador, here.

This beautiful Allen organ is perfect for a small church and it is free! It will need to be picked up from Bailey, Colorado by the end of May, 2021. Please contact me at Pvonvett@hotmail.com.

Christ Lutheran Church is currently seeking a technically savvy person to help create the best audio/visual presentations possible for both in person and online worship services. We are looking for someone that is experienced in this area. This position requires regular weekend availability, a minimum of one weekday during office business hours per week to coordinate with staff, attending rehearsals as needed, and a potential one mid-week evening worship service for a total of about 15 hours per week. This position will pay $20.00 per hour. The Worship & Media Technician will report to the Director of Worship & Music, Peyton Strouth.

Resumes should be sent to, and job descriptions can be obtained from, Peyton Strouth, Director of Worship & Music, Christ Lutheran Church, 8997 S. Broadway, Highlands Ranch, CO 80126, pstrouth@clchr.org.

Do you love working with little ones and helping them learn and grow? Do you have experience working with or teaching 2.5 - 6 year olds?

STMP (South Table Mountain Preschool) is looking for qualified Lead Teachers, Assistant Teachers and Substitutes starting June 2021 and able to commit to a regular schedule for the 2021-22 school year.

Job description here. Not all positions require qualifications or teaching experience. Please call or email Christen Johnston at 720-308-3172 or stmp@faithgolden.org for more information. Thank you!

Do you love working with little ones and helping them learn and grow? Do you have experience working with or teaching 2.5 - 6 year olds?

STMP (South Table Mountain Preschool) is looking for qualified Lead Teachers, Assistant Teachers and Substitutes starting June 2021 and able to commit to a regular schedule for the 2021-22 school year.

Job description here. Not all positions require qualifications or teaching experience. Please call or email Christen Johnston at 720-308-3172 or stmp@faithgolden.org for more information. Thank you!

Christ Lutheran Church - Highlands Ranch, CO

Faith Lutheran Church - Golden, CO, South Table Mountain Preschool

Faith Lutheran Church - Golden, CO, South Table Mountain Preschool

Ascension Lutheran Church - Colorado Springs, CO

Augustana Lutheran Church - Denver, CO

Bethany Lutheran Church - Cherry Hills Village, CO

Bethany Lutheran Church - Cherry Hills Village, CO

California Lutheran University and Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary - Thousand Oaks, CA

Evergreen Lutheran Church - Evergreen, CO

King of Glory Lutheran Church - Loveland, CO

St. Philip Lutheran Church - Littleton, CO

First Lutheran Church - Longmont, CO

Joy Lutheran Church - Parker, CO

Joy Lutheran Church - Parker, CO

St. Paul Lutheran Church - Albuquerque, NM