Blessing in Chaos

To all that is chaotic in you, let there come silence.

Let there be a calming of the clamoring, a stilling of the voices that have laid their claim on you,

that go with you even to the holy place but will not let you rest.

Let there be an opening into the quiet that lies beneath the chaos, where you find the peace you did not think possible and see what shimmers.

As you celebrate the Holy Days, may you find quiet and joy and shimmer!

Christmas Blessings and Hope for the New Year!

excerpts from "Blessing in Chaos" and art from Jan Richardson Painted Prayerbook

*Please note that eConnection will take a break for Christmas week and return in the new year

NEWS! FROM THE BISHOP ELECTION COMMITTEE

Rocky Mountain Synod congregations, councils, and members have the opportunity through January 15, 2024 to suggest potential nominees to the office of Bishop of the Rocky Mountain Synod. Please use the link below to make a nomination. Those suggested by the community in this way will be contacted by the Bishop Election Committee and will have the opportunity to fill out a biographical form if they are open to discerning a call as bishop.

Any Word and Sacrament Minister who is open to being nominated for bishop may complete and submit biographical information on the synod website beginning in late January. Anyone who submits biographical information must still be nominated on the first ballot at the Synod Assembly to be considered. Information received about potential nominees will be disseminated to voting members prior to the Assembly April 25-27, 2024.

Questions? contact Pr. Ann Hultquist HERE

More information - including a helpful timeline -- is available on the RMS website

• Personal accounts of border life from members of Iglesia Luterana Cristo Rey
• The fence between El Paso and Juárez and discussion with Border Patrol
• Social justice organizations & ministries in El Paso
• Conversation with an immigration attorney
• Time with youth at Cristo Rey's After School Program
• The colonies of El Paso, and if desire, Juárez, Mexicao
• Worship and fellowship with the Cristo Rey congregation

Questions? contact Pr. Diana Linden-Johnson HERE

Companion Synod Visit 2024

The Rocky Mountain Synod will be hosting the presidents from our four companion synods in Madagascar September 28-October 6, 2024!

Our hope is to introduce the presidents to different areas and ministries of the synod as they make their way from El Paso, TX to Denver, CO for the installation of our new bishop on Saturday, October 5, 2024. If you would like to be part of a planning team for the visit, please contact Terry Cole, Companion Synod rep on the Global Church Network, at tecole51@comcast.net. And if your ministry is in El Paso, TX, northern New Mexico, Durango, CO, Price, UT, the Salt Lake City area, Laramie or Cheyenne, WY and the Denver Metro area and you are interested in meeting and providing hospitability for our guests, please contact Terry, as well!

ONLINE ETHICS AND BOUNDARIES TRAINING REGISTRATION NOW OPEN

One of Bishop Gonia's goals by the end of his term is that every rostered leader will have completed an ethics and boundaries training within the past 3 years. Many leaders received this training at the fall theological conference. For those who still need to complete this training, an online option will be offered in four 90-minute sessions from 2:00-3:30pm on the following dates:

Thursday, January 18

Thursday, January 25

Thursday, February 1

Thursday, February 8

All sessions must be attended to receive a certificate of completion.

Additionally, this training is open to congregation members whose insurance or church policies require systematic boundaries trainings. We are also offering a group rate for these congregations.

The cost for this training is $50 for an individual or $200 for a congregational group.

Questions? please email eil@rmselca.org.

COMING SOON

To Your Inbox!

A new lens on Lent!

WHY CHURCH? A LENTEN SERIES

CONGREGATIONS IN CONVERSATION

STAY TUNED!

Young Adults in Global Mission UPDATE!

Meet Sara Larson

Sara Larson, a recent graduate of the University of Northern Colorado, participant in Lutheran Episcopal Campus Ministry (Greeley) and Rainbow Trail Lutheran Camp staff member, is currently serving as a Young Adult in Global Mission (YAGM) in Budapest, Hungary. In her recent newsletter she writes, I am “currently serving Budapest Fasori Evangelikus Gimazium as an English-speaking volunteer and Phiren Amenca as a volunteer…The last few months have been getting used to living in a new place, meeting new people, and creating relationships with the people I work with.” If you’d like to learn more about Sara’s experience, visit her full newsletter HERE.

Young Adults in Global Mission is a ministry of the ELCA that “invites ELCA young adults ages 21-35 into a transformative, year-long journey in international service.” Learn more about YAGM HERE!

Opportunity to assist a Venezuelan family in Denver

Migrants from Venezuela continue to arrive in Denver almost daily. The Rocky Mountain Synod AMMPARO team recently received a message from the Lutheran Church in Venezuela requesting assistance for a Venezuelan family that recently arrived in Denver and is currently staying at one of the city-sponsored hotel shelters.

The Villarroel-Brito family fled Venezuela when they feared for their safety and then spent three months making their way to the southern border. This family of five includes a mom, dad, two teenagers and a 3 year-old. They have no other family living in the US. The mom's father is a Lutheran pastor in Venezuela!

We are forming a team of congregations and individuals who would like to accompany this family as they apply for asylum and settle into their new life in Colorado. There are multiple ways to help including exploring housing options, companionship and practicing English, transportation, finding work, providing groceries and other basic necessities, and financial assistance - especially to cover housing and legal costs. If you would like to join the team or have ideas to share with the team: please contact Carolyn Swenson from St. Paul-Denver at cjswenson57@gmail.com. Thank you in advance for your compassion, prayers and support!



Musical Advent Calendar

Join Lutheran Summer Music, December 3-24 for our third-annual Musical Advent Calendar -- a daily moment of music and reflection on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube pages as well as the LSM website

Anti-Racist Book Study

Using “Ashes to Action” as the backdrop, we gather for the weaving of story and study in this four-part anti-racism workshop.

We are thrilled that this series will be facilitated by Rev. Dr. Jia Starr Brown who serves as Anti-racism Accountability Consultant for ELDARJ! (Visitwww.JiaStarrBrown.com to learn more about Jia.) You will get a chance to hear from Shari Seifert, current EDLARJ president and author of Ashes to Action: Finding Myself at the Intersection of the Minneapolis Uprising. EDLARJ board member Kinna Nordstrom Kemp will serve as host.

The cost for participating in this 4 part series is $40. 50% of proceeds will go to Rev. Dr. Jia Starr Brown and 50% will go to continuing the work of ELDARJ.

Click HERE for additional information

Give Yourself the Gift of Resources

Amidst the joy and celebration – and, yes, stress – of this season, your body can use all the help it can get. Whether it’s treatment for a pesky cough, a listening ear to help process impostor syndrome or budget worries, or ideas for a new healthy holiday tradition, check out Portico’s curated list of resources to support you and your family this season (and Advent blessings to you!) 

December FSA Countdown

Still have a balance in your Flexible Spending Account (FSA) – either for health or dependent care expenses? Be sure to spend those dollars by Dec. 31, 2023, so you won’t lose them. Check your balance on myPortico, and submit receipts via the link to Further. Need ideas on what you can use your dollars for? This list can help.

Bethany College Receives a $500,000 Matching Fund

Bethany College recently hosted a service of celebration and thanksgiving to unveil a generous gift from an anonymous donor. A $500,000 matching fund has been established for every contribution made to the annual fund before December 31st. These crucial donations will be funneled directly into scholarships, greatly benefiting Bethany students. 

As partners in ministry, your support is vital to Bethany College’s enduring mission. Together, we can ensure that our students have the opportunities to discern their vocational callings and find the path to their purpose. To give as part of this challenge you can: 

• Mail a check, noting “Annual Fund for $500,000 Challenge” on the subject line.
• Visit our donation portal at http://www.bethanylb.edu/give
• Consider making a Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD) if you are aged 70 ½ or over. 

Should you need any guidance or have questions, please reach email Jacob Spilker or call 785-227-3311 Ext. 8622. Go Swedes!

Ghosted: Ministering to Estranged Parents

Family estrangement in general and parental estrangement in particular is being recognized as an emerging public health problem in our society. Roughly 70 million persons over the age of 18 indicate they are estranged from a family member, and one in eight parent-adult child relationships is estranged. In this SPEAK Awareness Training for Faith Communities, participants will learn practical skills for making a life-changing difference for estranged parents and grandparents in their congregations and communities.

Date/Time: Thursday, January 18, 2024 5-7 pm MT

Registration Fee: $30 for LFCNA members/ $50 for non-members

Group rates for multiple registrations from the same organization will be considered upon request. Send your request to lutheranfcna@gmail.com.

OBJECTIVES

By the close of this training, participants will be able to:

1.     Define what we mean by parental estrangement.

2.     Name a Biblical passage addressing estrangement (King David and son Absalom).

3.     Articulate the characteristics of parental estrangement

4.     Identify the various aspects of parental trauma

5.     List solutions that do not work.

6.     Identify possible indicators of an estranged parent

7.     Engage an estranged parent in an affirming, healing conversation using the REACH model.

8.     Assemble an estranged parent resource kit.

This activity has been submitted to Montana Nurses Association for approval to award contact hours. Montana Nurses Association is accredited with distinction as an approver of nursing continuing professional development by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation. To receive contact hours for this event, attendees must attend the entire event and submit a completed evaluation form.

Click Here for a flyer that can be posted and/or shared with others.

Caffeinated Church Conference September 9-12, 2024

Denver, CO

The 1st Annual Caffeinated Church Conference will bring together leaders, administrators, communicators, and volunteers in our faith communities. Our mission is to equip and inspire you to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of your church's communication and administrative functions.

KEY HIGHLIGHTS

• Workshops & Collaboration Sessions: Gain access to hands-on workshops, led by known experts in church communications and administration. Hear from influential thought leaders who will challenge your thinking and provide fresh insights into the ever-changing landscape of church communication and administration. Topics include strategic planning, social media outreach, artificial intelligence, budgeting, digital evangelism, volunteer management, leadership development, and more.
• Networking Opportunities: Connect with like-minded individuals who are facing similar challenges and share best practices. Engage in thoughtful discussions and create lasting relationships that will benefit your ministry.
• Innovative Technology Exploration: Explore the latest tools and technologies that can enhance your church's communication and administration. From cutting-edge software for graphic design, to AI tools for working more efficiently and effectively, to creative solutions for engaging your congregation, discover what's new in the field.