A Reconciling in Christ synod
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Bishop Gonia's Recommendations Regarding In-person Gatherings
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Beloved in Christ in the Rocky Mountain Synod,
I am writing to share with you three key recommendations for our life as church becoming in the Rocky Mountain Synod during this time of pandemic, including guidance on the question of in-person gatherings for congregations and communities of faith.
Let me begin with some overarching thoughts and a description of the process by which these recommendations were developed.
First, the question at hand is not about “reopening the church.” Although most of our buildings have been closed during this pandemic, the church itself is not a building. The church is the called people of God, marked by the cross of Christ, and empowered by the Holy Spirit for our life and witness in the world. The church of Jesus has never been closed; it has taken new shape and form during this pandemic. More than ever, in ways we could never have anticipated, we have been experiencing what it means to be church becoming. The pandemic is not an interruption in our life as the Body of Christ, after which we will return to “normal.” Rather, in the hands of our God who brings life from death, this pandemic—with all of its pain, suffering, disorientation, and frustration—is a serving as a means by which we are being reshaped for our ministry and witness. We will never be the same; we will not return to what we once knew. We are
Christ’s Church Becoming
, becoming what the Spirit needs us to be for the life of the world.
In that light, these recommendations will not guide you back to something that once was. These recommendations do not offer a step-by-step guide for “getting back to normal.” Instead, these recommendations—taken together—invite us to embrace our becoming and invest in the Spirit’s continuing work in and through us.
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Congregational Webinar with Bishop Gonia
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Thursday, May 28 at 6:00 p.m. MDT
Congregational Council leaders are invited to join Bishop Jim to hear updated recommendations regarding in-person gatherings and encouragement for continuing the work of the church throughout the summer months. This webinar will be recorded for those who cannot attend.
Meeting ID: 933 036 592
Phone: 1-669-900-6833
Meeting ID: 933 036 592
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eConnection Spotlight:
RMS in the Neighborhood
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A Door Sign from
Good Shepherd, Glenwood Springs...
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RMS & ELCA News and Events
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SAVE THE DATE!
The Holy Trinity Sunday, June 7
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Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton will record a sermon that congregations and synods can include in their worship services on Sunday, June 7, The Holy Trinity.
The texts for that
Sunday are:
Genesis 1:1-2:4a, Psalm 8, II Corinthians 13:11-13, and Matthew 28:16-20.
The video will be available to view and download on May 31 at
YouTube.com/ELCA
and
Vimeo.com/ELCA
. Bishop Eaton will read the gospel appointed for this day prior to the sermon. Local decisions can be made to use the reading on the video or invite another person to read the gospel instead.
ELCA Worship will provide a resource that includes texts for a Service of the Word, appointed readings, corporate Prayers of Intercession, and hymn and song suggestions. Synods or congregations may adapt and use this resource to produce online worship offerings to surround Bishop Eaton’s sermon.
This
Service of the Word may be used by synods and congregations who wish to assemble a recorded worship service to surround the recorded sermon from ELCA Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton. Adaptations for local use are encouraged.
For congregations who may not regularly produce an online worship opportunity,
Worship in the Home resources are available each Sunday at
blogs.ELCA.org/Worship for families and individuals to read, pray, and reflect in home. Worship in the Home for June 7 will be available on June 2 and will include a direct link to Bishop Eaton's sermon to view at home.
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Your invitation to a Global Companion Prayer Service,
For the Healing of the Nations
Pentecost Sunday, May 31, at 1:00 p.m. Central Time (12 noon MT)
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ELCA Global Mission invites you to join a contemplative prayer service,
For the Healing of the Nations,
on Pentecost Sunday, May 31, 2020 at 1 pm Central in the United States.
For the Healing of the Nations
will speak specifically to this time of the COVID-19 pandemic, our anxieties and stress, calling for God’s hope, comfort and healing.
Participating in the leadership of this contemplative prayer service will be some of our synod and companion church colleagues, who will offer prayers of intercession.
This will be a virtual event, run on the Zoom platform. The information to connect is below.
For the Healing of the Nations
will be 45 minutes in length. The event will be recorded.
Following the May 31, 2020 Global Companion Prayer Service, Global Mission will make a pdf file of the service available on our web page. You will be able to download the service at
https://elca.org/Resources/Global-Mission
to use in your own settings – congregation or synod gatherings.
Prayer Service: Africa
Password: 982124
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The ELCA Faith Formation team is excited to launch a special small-group ministry for recently graduated high school students.
Based on Isaiah 43, PASSAGE will be centered on mutual support and wrestling with faith and life in times of transition.
Please encourage seniors in your congregation to sign up for this new and exciting ministry. Registration opens Wednesday, May 27. More info
here.
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Weekly Conversation for Ministry Leaders
Wednesdays at 3:30 p.m
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These will be our final 2 webinars.
This will be a weekly conversation, with a new topic each week.
Phone
: +1 669 900 6833 US
Wednesday, May 27, 3:30 p.m.
Finding Jobs Where None Seem to Exist: A Field Guide for Part-Time
Ministers
Seeking Additional Employment
Many of our pastors, deacons, and lay ministers are serving in part time positions and are seeking additional employment.
This program describes the tools and the tactics for uncovering job opportunities that are not public knowledge.
Presented by Packard Brown, who provides career guidance to ministers and church members through his Theology Careers Initiative.
Wednesday, June 3, 3:30 p.m.
Supporting and Coaching Congregants Through Job Loss: Pointers on How to Help Church Members Regain Mental and Spiritual Equilibrium While Suffering from Unemployment
Once the pandemic has subsided and the employment market opens up, there is going to be tremendous competition for jobs. Successful job seekers use four tactics that are proven to foster interviews and lead to job offers. More than cleverly designed resumes, more than crafty interviewing antics, these four actions have shown to be the critical factors necessary to securing employment. Those who are equipped with the right tools and most effective strategies will be the first to be hired. Join Packard Brown, a long-standing career consultant, nationally recognized author, and speaker as he conducts a webinar on these four job-search skills.
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RMS Prayer Cycle
MAY 2020
METRO EAST CONFERENCE
- Week of May 31 -
Saron - Strasburg, CO
Julie Brooks
St. Mark - Aurora, CO
St. Paul - Denver, CO
Barbara Berry-Bailey
Mark Alan Filbert
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Sunday, May 31
Day of Pentecost
Prayer of the Day
O God, on this day you open the hearts of your faithful people by sending into us you, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for Holy Spirit. Direct us by the light of that Spirit, that we may have a right judgment in all things and rejoice at all times in your peace, through Jesus Christ, your Son and our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
In God's Hands: Ecumenical Prayer Cycle from the World Council of Churches
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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CAMPUS MINISTRY ALL SUMMER LONG!
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LuMin-CSU (Lutheran Campus Ministry in Fort Collins, CO) continues all summer long.
Every summer, but especially this summer LuMin will be meeting up weekly with young adults electronically. From your parent’s basement, your apartment, or wherever you reside, connect with others from Pennsylvania to Arizona to Madagascar. Just out of high school and going to college in the future… get connected. Going to college somewhere else in the world… more than welcome. Not going to college but want to hang out with some other young adults… all are welcome! Not a young adult but know someone who is (whether in your basement or not)… give them this invitation. Camp worship, celebrating your half-birthday, faith conversations, electronic service events, compare “Avenue 5” with real pandemic life, a game of global ultimate spoons… we are dedicated to expanding the possibilities of staring at a screen all summer.
Text “summer” and your name to 970-482-2160 and Campus Pastor Paul Judson will get right back to you! Text or call that number if you have questions.
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BBQ and Bluegrass Fundraiser Benefiting Sky Ranch
Sunday, June 14, 2020 at 2:00 p.m.
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Join us for our first
online
fundraiser, where BBQ & Bluegrass can reach everyone!
Enjoy a live auction, meet the 2020 summer staff and enjoy music from Jerusalem Road.
Follow our website, Facebook and/or Twitter accounts to find out more details about the event!
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"Understanding Trauma and Providing Support"
Thursday, May 28, 7:00 - 8:00 p.m.
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This program will be about the power of play and regulation in healing trauma in children and ourselves. There will be an emphasis on the current COVID-19 crisis and how we can come back to our own centers in an effort to encourage healing and regulation in ourselves and the children in our lives.
Georgia Angelo, a licensed clinician social worker and a trained Play Therapist, works primarily with children ages 3-12 and their families. She is passionate about working within the refugee and immigrant community and has over 10 years experience working with children who have survived trauma. She is also passionate about the power of play in facilitating children's healing.
ZOOM:
Call-in: 346-248-7799, ID7597395846#;
Password: 930794
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Pentecost Hymn Available from Association for Lutheran Church Musicians (ALCM)
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A celebratory hymn for Pentecost, O Day Full of Grace, is available on May 27 for use in online Sunday worship. ALCM thanks all those who participated in the virtual hymn. Over 1,300 recordings were submitted for this amazing hymn project!
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Braiding Sweetgrass Discussion
Saturday July 11, 10:00 a.m. - noon
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Join the the monthly Lutherans Restoring Creation in the Rocky Mountain Synod meeting to discuss Robin Wall Kimmerer's book "Braiding Sweetrgrass."
Lutherans Restoring Creation Rocky Mountain Synod
Monthly Support Group Meeting
Second Saturday of each month 10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
Anyone in the Rocky Mountain Synod who is concerned about Creation is invited to a monthly support group meeting where we share ideas, prayers, and news concerning the care of our natural environment. Join the meeting on Zoom:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83008940316
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Peace Not Walls (PNW) 2020 Virtual Series
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Colleagues form our Global Mission Area Desk for the Middle East are in the midst of hosting a webinar that exposes attendees to voices from the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Jordan and the Holy Land. Karin Brown, who leads our Peace Not Walls effort, is host of this “PNW 2020 Virtual Series.”
The series is being held every Saturday at noon (Eastern Time) , each session is 1 to 1½ hours long.
PNW 2020 Virtual Series Session 6 - Webinar with ELCJHL Pastor Mitri
May 30 (Saturday): 7pm Jerusalem time (9am PT/10amMT/11amCT/12pm ET) (1 hour)
Join here
Session 6 will be a conversation with Dr. Mitri Raheb, Founder and President of Dar al-Kalima University College of Arts and Culture in Bethlehem, about the impact of the pandemic on the church, educational institutions, and the wider community in the context of occupation and their response.
Links for all past and future PNW 2020 Virtual Series can be found
here.
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Resource Corner
check back each week for a new or featured resource for your congregation
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All Creation Sings
a supplement to Evangelical Lutheran Worship
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Announcing the Fall 2020 release of All Creation Sings, a liturgy and song supplement in the Evangelical Lutheran Worship resource family.
Even in this time of change and challenge, we seek words and music that support and enrich the church’s worship. We invite you to learn more about
“All Creation Sings,” a new collection of liturgy and song that supplements our hymnal, “Evangelical Lutheran Worship.” To explore a preview of this collection, visit
augsburgfortress.org/allcreationsings.
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Views from the Rockies
for May 2020
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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
.
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Cal Lutheran Fifty and Better Program: Summer Session 1!
"Fifty and Better"
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"Fifty and Better" is designed for members of our community who are 50 years of age and older and want to continue learning - just for the enjoyment and stimulation of pursuing knowledge and social engagement through interactive courses and extracurricular activities. The summer session will be held virtually via Zoom. Registration opens on Thursday (May 14) at 10am PST. Registration closes on May 27. Flier
here, to register and learn more, click
here.
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from the May 2020 Issue of Administration Matters
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Your COVID-19 source for benefit information
Portico’s online COVID-19 resource pages provide members and sponsoring employers with up-to-date information on health benefits, investment performance, and market behavior, as well as government action affecting ministry organizations and those they employ. Health benefit members can find updated information on testing, treatment, home delivery for long-term maintenance prescription drugs, and emotional support.
Information Security for congregations and synods
Chris Hueneke, information security advisor for the ELCA churchwide organization, hosted a webinar on April 21, covering these topics: how to avoid phishing email attacks, protect sensitive data and prevent malware infections, and what to do if your data has been breached. >
More
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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
Director of Youth & Family Ministry
Christ Lutheran Church - Highlands Ranch, 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
- Weekly Webinar
- Christ, Highlands Ranch, CO
- Webinar for Congregational leaders
- Camino de Vida, Albuquerque, NM
- Available by email: jgonia@rmselca.org
ELCA DIRECTOR FOR EVANGELICAL MISSION
Pastor Dana Peterson
- Bethlehem, Longmont, CO
- St. Matthew's and Our Saviour's Salt Lake City, UT
- Available by email: dpeterson@rmselca.org
LUTHERAN ADVOCACY MINISTRY NEW MEXICO
Kurt Rager
LUTHERAN ADVOCACY MINISTRY COLORADO
Peter Severson
ELCA REGIONAL GIFT PLANNER
Tina Kvite
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ASSISTANT TO THE BISHOP FOR CONGREGATIONAL LIFE
Pastor Sarah Moening
ASSISTANT TO THE BISHOP FOR LEADERSHIP SUPPORT
Pastor Kent Mueller
(1/2 time)
ASSISTANT TO THE BISHOP FOR SYNODICAL LIFE
Deacon Erin Power
- RMS Weekly Webinar
- Theological Conference Planning
- ELCA Committee on Appeals
- 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
Submissions
are due noon Monday each week's issue.
Past issues of eConnection may be found
here.
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