A Reconciling in Christ synod
|
|
ELCA, Church of Sweden and The Episcopal Church issue climate commitment
|
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) joins the Church of Sweden and The Episcopal Church in a commitment to work together to advocate for national and international policies that address the urgency of the climate crisis and help create resilient communities while leaving no one behind.
This statement is a renewal and update of the commitment made by the three church bodies in 2013. The
statement
follows:
For several years, The Episcopal Church, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, and the Church of Sweden (Lutheran) have responded with increasing urgency to the damages being inflicted on Earth, our common home. The intensity of the challenges becomes ever more apparent, and the link of unprecedented climate change to human action rests now on insurmountable scientific evidence. In human societies, these climate changes compound social injustices, disproportionately affecting the most vulnerable among us with insecurities of food, livelihood and living space. Yet the burdens are not borne by humans alone: acceleration in the disappearance of species of plants and animals underlines the intertwined struggles of all life on Earth, and the destructive exploitation of resources leaves a diminished planet for all time to come.
As we observe the Season of Creation, we renew the call for our churches to work together for the sake of Earth and to build collaborations wherever possible, both with other communities of faith and with diverse agents in our civil society. Now is the time for science, politics, business, culture and religion — everything that is an expression of human dignity — to address together this critical issue for our time.
We claim the deep resources of our Christian faith for this work. We worship a God who created all that exists, who rejoices in its flourishing and blesses its diversity. We follow Jesus Christ, himself one of us “earth creatures,” who in dying entered deeply into mortal suffering and who in rising gives hope for the renewal and restoration of all God has made. We are inspired by the divine Spirit, intimately present to all creation, who gives us strength, wisdom and perseverance to join in the “here and now” work of God in healing the brokenness of our hurting home.
We acknowledge that these central affirmations of our faith have not guided our churches as they should. We have been slow to recognize the urgency of this crisis, lulled by traditions of honoring human life at the expense of other life and slow fully to integrate creation care into the way of love for God and neighbor. We have turned away from our own roles in environmental degradation, clinging as we could to lifestyles of unsustainable waste and overuse even as others suffer from lack of necessities. Moreover, majority cultures have ignored the insights of Indigenous siblings among us who are too often deeply affected by climate change, even as they bear spiritual practices and wisdom that can help the people of God to walk a more sustainable — and more loving — course.
We affirm that, with God’s guidance, we can do better in meeting this critical issue of our time. We acknowledge the dire urgency of this moment not through the lenses of despair, but through lenses of hope and determination. It is central to our holy calling to treasure the Earth and to care for it as our common home. This commitment does not compete with but surrounds our work for social justice within human communities.
Specifically, we commit ourselves to work together to allow the common commitments and different contexts of our churches to challenge, inspire, complement and strengthen one another’s witness.
- We will advocate for national and international policies and regulations that enable transitions to carbon neutral resilient societies in ways attentive to the many dimensions of climate justice.
- We will pursue education and advocacy efforts that attend to the most vulnerable, whose needs must be put ahead of the more privileged.
- We will raise awareness in our churches by promoting the use of education, worship and action resources available locally, regionally, nationally and globally.
- We will seek deeper understanding, through praying and listening to experiences in our own communities and with others, about ways overconsumption can be addressed and about the diverse impacts of climate change.
- We will build multiple collaborations: through support and cooperation
with our international communions, through inter-religious dialogue and shared advocacy, through national and international organizations and with all others seeking to address climate change.
|
|
eConnection Spotlight:
RMS in the Neighborhood
|
|
Celebrating our LGBTQIA+ leaders
|
Our 2019 Fall Theological Conference took place last week in Estes Park, CO. In addition to making space for brave, vulnerable conversations, we also celebrated the 10th anniversary of the policy change that removed barriers for LGBTQIA+ leaders in our church. We embodied our commitment to a more inclusive church be designating our offering to Extraordinary Lutheran Ministries.
Christ's Church, Better Together!
|
|
Your 2020 Budget Planning
|
The Excellence in Leadership program is underway across the Rocky Mountain Synod and now it’s time to start thinking about the next cohort beginning in September 2020!
There was a lot of interest in this program as we began our first cohort this fall. However, some congregations were unable to send participants this year due to financial limitations in their current budgets. So, we are hoping to get into the conversation of budget planning before new budgets are set.
The tuition for the EiL program is $220 per semester and $440 per year, per participant which is due at the beginning of each semester (September and February). Please consider setting aside funds for your congregation members in 2020 so that they may experience the culture shifting leadership initiative that is Excellence in Leadership. It is worth it!
|
|
An Urgent Appeal from New Beginnings Worshiping Community
|
On November 1st, New Beginnings will be twenty years old. As such, it is the oldest mission congregation in the Rocky Mountain Synod. And it is the only congregation planted
inside the Denver Women's Correctional Facility (DWCF), and the
only congregation of the RMS
inside a prison.
We need your help NOW.
Due to unforeseen circumstances we had to cancel our annual fundraiser, the Chow Hall Gala that usually raises over $20,000 every year. That is how much we are now short.
Please walk with us. Your support is not for the type of big dream you will see as you drive by our place; we realize we are hard to see. This is to help a "big dream come true" that positively impacts and transforms the lives of thousands of women who walk through the gates of the prison. It impacts their children who then have the opportunity to break the generational pattern of incarceration. It impacts the countless visitors who make the trek to Havana Street on a Friday night thinking they're there to help, and leave realizing
their own eyes have been opened.
Please help us in our time of need! You can get more information and make a donation at
newbeginningswc.org,
or by sending donations to us at, c/o The Lutheran Center, 7375 Samuel Drive, Denver, CO 80221. You are welcome to share this
letter of appeal
with anyone who may be able to help.
With our gratitude and thanks,
Pastor Terry Schjang and the Inside and Outside Councils of New Beginnings
|
|
Madagascar 2020
RMS Companion Synod Trip, May 26 - June 10, 2020
|
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 updated and corrected
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 below if you have 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:
|
|
 |
RMS Prayer Cycle
- Week of October 20 -
HOSPITAL and MILITARY CHAPLAINS
U.S. Air Force - Columbia, SC
Kristoffer Cox
U.S. Air Force - Fort Belvoir, VA
U.S. Army - Lawton, KS
Christian Nisonger
Presbyterian Health Care - Albuquerque, NM
Janet Morse
Sky Ridge Medical Center - Centennial, CO
Laurie Jeddeloh
Exempla Good Samaritan Medical Center - Lafayette, CO
Jennifer LaVie
Mercy Regional Medical Center - Durango, CO
Josh Magyar
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
Sunday, October 20
Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost
|
Prayer of the Day
O Lord God, tireless guardian of your people, you are always ready to hear our cries. Teach us to rely day and night on your care. Inspire us to seek your enduring justice for all this suffering world, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.
In God's Hands: Ecumenical Prayer Cycle from the World Council of Churches
20 - 26 October :
The Caribbean: Antigua and Barbuda, Aruba, Bahamas, Barbados, Cuba, Curaçao, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, Sint Maarten, St Kitts-Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago -
Intercessions and Prayers
|
|
You are invited to this Panel Discussion about homelessness in Denver
Thursday, October 17 from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m.
|
In Denver and the surrounding metro area, people experiencing homelessness are a highly visible reminder that everyone is not included equally in our community. In the wake of the
300 Initiative, otherwise known as the
Right to Survive Initiative, residents of Denver and the surrounding area are faced with this reality: we may be able to do better, but how?
Colorado Street Chaplaincy Collaborative invites faith leaders, pastors and staff to a panel discussion on homelessness in
Denver at First Baptist Church of Denver at 1375 N Grant St Denver, CO 80203 (
map
)
on Thursday October 17 from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m.
As people of faith we are called to respond compassionately to suffering and to remember that all people are of sacred worth. This charge means that faith communities in our city are viewed as a safe place to rest by people experiencing homelessness. Likewise, we also bear a responsibility to our particular communities and to the resources those communities hold in common.
As leaders, pastors, teachers, and staff, how do we faithfully respond to the suffering of our unhoused neighbors while also holding up the good of our congregations, the safety of our buildings, and the needs of our neighbors with homes?
As you join us, please consider the following topics and be prepared with your comments and questions as we wrestle for answers.
- What services does your congregation/location currently provide (food, food banks, clothes, other services) and when (days & times)?
- What issues does this service/interaction cause for your facility/property?
- What solutions/rules/guidelines have worked to resolve those issues?
- What has not worked and creates conflict?
- How does this affect your congregation and the will to serve/interact with our neighbors experiencing homelessness?
Colorado Street Chaplaincy Collaborative calls together anyone offering faithful presence and accompaniment to people experiencing homelessness, as well as those publicly advocating on their behalf. As a community of practice, the collaborative offers community, education, and care to those who materially and spiritually serve the homeless.
|
|
Dr. Mark Allan Powell, presents
Something to Savor: The Bible as our Book of Faith
Saturday, October 19 at 9:00 a.m.
|
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. 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.
|
|
Augustana Arts presents...
Tell Me A Story
- Eric Whitacre & More
Saturday, October 26 at 7:30 p.m.
|
Augustana Lutheran Church
5000 E. Alameda Ave., Denver, CO
Music is one of the most unique tools we have for storytelling and communication. Join the Chorales for this beautiful exploration of plot, texture, humor, and literary devices in some of the most exciting choral music ever composed. The choirs will take on the breathtaking masterpiece,
Leonardo Dreams of His Flying Machine and Daniel Pinkham’s beloved
Wedding Cantata, along with familiar folk songs and spirituals that will make this a stunning opening concert for the Chorales’ 2019-2020 season. For more info and tickets, go to
augustanaarts.org.
|
|
Global Gift Fair!
November 2 and 3 from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
|
Atonement Lutheran Church
6281 W. Yale Ave, Lakewood, CO (
map)
Shop for unique items for yourself, your friends and your family and support artisans around the world and around the corner.
|
|
6th Annual Veterans Appreciation Dinner, Concert, and Silent Auction
Saturday, November 2, 2019 from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
|
Come join us for the 6th Annual Veterans Dinner, Concert and Silent Auction at Bethany Lutheran Church, 4500 E Hampden Ave., Cherry Hills, CO on November 2.
A catered pasta dinner by Romano's Italian Restaurant will be served from 5:00 p.m. - 6:20 p.m. with a suggested donation of $10/person; Veterans/Military personnel will be free of charge.
A silent auction will be held throughout the evening to raise funds to support Veterans, Military personnel and their families through Operation One Nation, Bethany's Veterans ministry. The concert will take place from 6:30 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.; we will enjoy music by Dakota Blonde.
|
|
An Election Is Coming! Become an Informed Voter - Join Us
Wednesday, October 2 at 6:30 p.m.and Sunday, October 6 at 9:30 a.m.
|
You are invited to a
Count Me In
presentation about the upcoming election in November.
Count Me In is a non-partisan group that is interested in making sure the public knows about the measures on which we are voting.
We will have two statewide ballot measures on our November ballot, Prop CC and Prop DD. Prop CC is the measure that would allow the state to collect and keep all revenue collected, instead of the current TABOR rebate mechanism, and Prop DD would allow sports betting in the state.
Count Me In doesn't advocate one way or another on issues, but objectively leads the discussion on these important decisions of which we are a part.
This group also wants to make sure to talk about all the ways our communities are decision makers and with the 2020 just around the corner, they have added a few slides talking about how the Census is more than just a count of our population but also provides data that affects funding, the number of federal legislators we have and other things that contribute to our democracy in Colorado.
These presentations will be held at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, 6322 S. Lakeview St., Littleton (
map
) on Wednesday, October 2 at 6:30 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall and Sunday, October 6 at 9:30 am in the Fireside Room. They are open to all so invite family, neighbors and friends.
|
|
Selling Pumpkins - Annually with a Purpose for 15 Years!
Open daily: October 5 - October 31
|
St. Peter (Carlsbad, NM) is celebrating its 15th year of being in the "pumpkin business." The St. Peter Pumpkin Patch is an annual charitable fundraiser and this year ALL proceeds will be distributed to
Packs for Hunger (a local, non-profit organization that is feeding over 200 children each week) and
Iglesia Luterana Cristo Rey, ELCA, (mission partner congregation in El Paso TX).
The St. Peter Pumpkin Patch (
map) is open daily, October 5-31. Hours: Monday-Friday, 3:00-6:30 p.m., Saturday, 10:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. and Sunday, 1:00-5:00 p.m. Admission is FREE. Pumpkin prices are based on size.
|
|
Gifts of the World Bazaar Fair-trade Fair
Saturday, November 2, 2019 - 9:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m.
|
St. Paul's Lutheran, 19th and House Ave, Cheyenne, WY
...in the Fellowship Hall.
Come shop fairly-traded products. Free samples.
|
|
Foster Care Informational Meetings
Lutheran Family Services - Rocky Mountains
|
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.
These 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.
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
Also, November is
National Adoption Month
, we are seeking to partner with churches who are hosting an
“Orphan Sunday”
event or other events to raise awareness of how the body of Christ can give hope and healing to children in need. Please contact Nicole at
nicole.brown@lfsrm.org
or 303-217-5852 if you are hosting an event that we could participate in.
|
|
Resource Corner
check back each week for a new or featured resource for your congregation
|
|
Views from the Rockies
for October 2019
|
Views from the Rockies
is produced by the Rocky Mountain Synodical Women's Organization (RMSWO). It provides information about current programs, projects, and more. Here women share their ideas, their thoughts, their concerns, and their joys. The Views from the Rockies seeks to provide the news that
all
women in the Rocky Mountain Synod need! Get your copy
here
.
In this issue you can see that the women who attended our Fall Gathering had a wonderful time. We were blessed with passionate and knowledgeable speakers. If you were not able to join us in Albuquerque, plan on attending the Fall Convention in Greeley in 2020.
|
|
Your Stewardship Toolkit for Congregations - November 2019
|
Here's the
November 2019 "Stewardship Toolkit" brought to you by Rev. Rob Blezard, Assistant to the Bishop Lower Susquehanna Synod. It has an original newsletter article, RCL-based "stewardship snippets" for Sunday bulletins, and links to resources to explore the monthly theme. This month's theme is
"A month of Thanksgiving." Get your Stewardship Toolkit
here!
|
|
EPA releases booklet,
"Supporting Healthy Houses of Worship"
|
In accordance with Children’s Health Month, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the release of a new booklet, Supporting Healthy Houses of Worship: Effective, Affordable Measures to Protect the Health of Congregations and Staff. This booklet is designed to provide places of worship with information on actions they can take to reduce environmental health risks, with a special emphasis on children’s health, as children are particularly vulnerable to many environmental risks.
The booklet identifies some of the most common types of environmental health concerns (e.g., lead, mercury, mold/moisture, radon exposures, etc.) found in older facilities and contains voluntary recommendations that maintenance staff may use to limit risks to congregations. It also provides one-stop access to learn some facts about these issues and existing low-cost or no-cost measures to prevent, reduce and resolve each of the highlighted environmental issues.
|
|
Director of Economic Justice
Interfaith Alliance of Colorado, Denver, CO
|
The Interfaith Alliance of Colorado is seeking passionate, qualified candidates for Director of Economic Justice. The right candidate will bring an entrepreneurial, asset-based, grassroots spirit to building economic, housing, and racial justice; a strong appreciation for faith communities and the gifts they bring to community transformation; a spirit of collaborative creativity and openness to emergence in a dynamic work environment; and a particular set of skills and passion for developing affordable housing. Primary responsibilities will include the Congregation Land Campaign and managing our Catalyzing Social Change initiatives. Job description, compensation, qualifications, and application process are
available here.
|
|
All
Non-Rostered Listings
|
|
Director of Economic Justice
Interfaith Alliance of Colorado, Denver, CO
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
|
|
Office of the Bishop This Week
|
|
Bishop Jim Gonia
- In-office appointments
- Community of Joy, Rio Rancho, NM
- UNM Campus Ministry
- Conference Deans Zoom
ELCA DIRECTOR FOR EVANGELICAL MISSION
Pastor Dana Peterson (Interim, 1/2 time)
- New and Renewing Ministries
- Excellence in Leadership
LUTHERAN ADVOCACY MINISTRY NEW MEXICO
Ruth Hoffman
- Invest in Kids Now
- UU Santa Fe, NM
LUTHERAN ADVOCACY MINISTRY COLORADO
Peter Severson
- Lutheran Disaster Response Consultation
- LAM-NM Visit
ELCA REGIONAL GIFT PLANNER
Tina Kvitek
- Our Savior's Greeley, CO
- St. Paul, Denver, CO
- Our Saviour's Salt Lake City, UT
- Grand Canyon Bishop's Convocation
|
|
ASSISTANT TO THE BISHOP FOR CONGREGATIONAL LIFE
Pastor Sarah Moening
- Excellence in Leadership
- Peace, El Paso, TX
- Mount Hope, El Paso, TX
- St. Timothy, El Paso, TX
- 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
- Event Planning
- Rostered Ministers Gathering Site Visit, Phoenix, AZ
ASSISTANT TO THE BISHOP FOR FAITH FORMATION & CANDIDACY
Pastor Leslie Welton
- In-office appointments
- Vacation: Oct 18-24
|
|
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.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
