June 10, 2020

Click here to view as webpage

A Reconciling in Christ synod

Commemoration of the Emmanuel 9 As part of the 2019 ELCA Churchwide Assembly, voting members   adopted a resolution designating June 17 as a commemoration of the martyrdom of the Emanuel 9 —the nine people shot and killed on June 17, 2015 during a Bible study at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, S.C. Our relationship to the shooter as well as two of the slain reminds us of both our complicity and our calling. Together we confess that we are in bondage to the sins of racism and white supremacy and, at the same time, we rejoice in the freedom that is ours in Christ Jesus who “has broken down the dividing wall, that is, the hostility between us” (Ephesians 2:14). May God continue to guide us as we seek repentance and renewal, and racial justice and reconciliation among God’s precious children. An online ELCA Prayer Service for the Commemoration of the Emanuel 9, with Bishop Eaton and leaders from around the church, is scheduled for 12 Noon EDT on June 17, the 5th anniversary of their martyrdom . More details will be available on the ELCA website soon. Congregations, ministries and leaders are encou raged to include this commemoration in your worship and conversations. A number of resources are available on the ELCA Website. A video from the Rocky Mountain Synod will also be available June 17.

eConnection Spotlight: RMS in the Neighborhood

from ELCA Global Links- NCCS letter to the Church: A time of adversity, a time of opportunity "I believe that we can overcome this storm together, especially when we have Christ with us in the vessel." - Bishop Terry Kee, Lutheran Church in Singapore The Rev. Terry Kee, bishop of the Lutheran Church in Singapore and president of the National Council of Churches of Singapore, has released a message on the COVID-19 pandemic to the Singapore church. Many of his teachings are applicable to the body of Christ around the world as we face this crisis together. Bishop Kee encourages the church to give thanks, be socially responsible, stay close to God, be united in prayer, respond in love and find hope in Christ. Watch the video above or read his message here .

California Lutheran University announces Lori Varlotta, President The Board of Regents at California Lutheran University has announced that Lori Varlotta will be the eighth President of Cal Lutheran. The first woman president in Cal Lutheran's 61-year history, Dr. Varlotta will begin her official duties on Sept. 30. Coming to us from Hiram College where she has served as president since 2014, Dr. Varlotta will bring proven inclusive leadership skills, a deep commitment to the liberal arts and sciences, and a talent for engaging unified support for Cal Lutheran's mission.

RMS & ELCA News and Events

Excellence in Leadership Fall Registration OPEN! In light of the uncertain progression of the coronavirus, the Excellence in Leadership (EiL) training team has made the decision to offer the EiL program for the next cohort in a completely digital format. These adjustments have pushed back the start date of our registration, however, registration for the 2020-2022 cohort is now open. As with the first cohort, there will be 7 sessions/presentations which all participants will be expected to attend. However, these will all be offered online via Zoom and recorded, in case you are unable to attend the sessions live. Additionally, each participant will be expected to engage with a small group with fellow participants throughout the program. The dates and times for the sessions during the first year are as follows: Session #1 – Friday, Sept 4, 2020, 9:00 am – 12 noon, plus a small group session Session #2 – Saturday, Oct 17, 1:00 – 3:30 pm Session #3 – Friday, Nov 6, 9:00 am – 12 noon, plus a small group session Session #4 – Saturday, Jan 9, 1:00 – 3:30 pm Session #5 – Friday, Feb 19, 9:00 am – 12 noon, plus a small group session Session #6 – Saturday, Mar 20, 1:00 – 3:30 pm Session #7 – Friday, May 7, 9:00 am – 12 noon, plus a small group session Times for small group meetings will be determined at a later date. Please register at https://www.rmselca.org/excellence-leadership-registration by August 1. More information about the program can be found at https://www.rmselca.org/leaders/excellence-in-leadership Any additional questions about registration or the Excellence in Leadership program may be directed to Dana Anderson ( danderson@rmselca.org)

Living Faith: Church in Society Summer Discussion Series via ZOOM Wednesdays at 5:30 p.m. beginning June 14 Gathering opportunity for pastors, deacons, faith formation leaders, and small group or adult education leaders: God calls us into community,  and through God’s active guidance we can build that community into one that extends God’s hands and feet into the world. We are activated - through Scripture, personal experience, church tradition and the gift of reason - to exercise the art of compassionate conversation about real issues that matter to our lives today.  Living Faith  seeks to foster that art. Join us this summer for an 8-week discussion on seven of our ELCA Social Statements. These gatherings are specifically for folks who are interested in leading a conversation in their own ministry settings. The full discussion guide will be available mid-August. More information and registration can be found on the website Click here to register for the Living Faith Summer Discussion Group

ELCA: Revision of Definitions and Guidelines for Discipline As a member of this church, you are invited to participate in a series of digital town halls to offer feedback that the Committee on Appeals can use in revising Definitions and Guidelines. Please click here and register to attend. You will be asked to indicate your first and second choices of dates. Registration will be limited to 200 persons per event and will be on a first-come-first-served basis. You will receive an email to confirm registration and to give you instructions for logging in to a session. Register today for these Town Hall Dates/Times: Thursday, June 18: 1:00 p.m. MDT Thursday, June 25: 6:00 p.m. MDT We encourage you also to participate in a brief survey that will allow you to give written feedback on Definitions and Guidelines for Discipline. The survey will be available for feedback through June 15. Please note: Survey Monkey will be down for 8 hours on May 23, beginning at 10 a.m. MDT

Learning More About Background Checks Time to update volunteer background checks and safety training! As we enter into summer programming, please remember to check up on your volunteer background checks and safety training. With much of our programming moving to digital platforms, it is especially important that volunteers be aware of safe practices when interacting with children online. The Safe Gatherings training is a great way to update your staff and volunteers on best practices. Remember that anyone over 18, including high school seniors, should be trained and checked before working with children. The Rocky Mountain Synod offers Safe Gatherings as a resource to help congregations and ministries provide safe places of worship, education, fellowship and missions for everyone they serve. As part of the program, Safe Gatherings processes multiple levels of background checks. But you may be asking, what should I really know about background checks, and why run them on volunteers? The bottom line is that when everyone commits to the same process, there is a greater amount of trust and reliability in the outcome. When people think, “It can’t happen here,” they are wrong. Also, having county-level background checks in addition to national checks provides a more comprehensive level of risk management. To learn more about some of the common myths of background checks, click here for an article from Safe Gatherings.

Introducing the Veteran Servant Corps Did you know... That there are more than 780,000 veterans in the Rocky Mountain Synod? That only about ½ of these veterans ever access any type of Veterans Affairs (VA) service? That 20 veterans complete suicide daily in our country? That those veterans 65 and older at most at risk of completing suicide?   On May 1, 2020, the Rocky Mountain Synod Council approved a ministry I have named Veteran Servant Corps. The organization’s mission statement will be that Veteran Servant Corps partners with ELCA faith communities to recognize and support veterans. One of the tenets of Veteran Servant Corps is to provide training for ELCA clergy and pastoral care support staff to understand veteran issues.   The VA has free online courses for this training that are available now. A VA partner is the Mental Health First Aid organization. This organization provides 8-hour courses addressing Veteran Mental Health issues, such as depression and suicide.   The Synod Council charged me with forming a Board of Directors for this non-profit organization. I envision that this Ministry of the Rocky Mountain Synod will have six Directors (one from Utah, Wyoming, North Colorado [including Boulder/Broomfield, Metro East, Metro South, Metro West and North Colorado], Southeast Colorado, North New Mexico, and the Border Congregations), with me serving as the Executive Director.   I need your help in identifying these Directors. If you have a Board of Director recommendation, or any comments/questions about Veteran Servant Corps, please contact Vicky Daub at lvdaub2@gmail.com . Our veterans thank you, and so do I.

For Your Bulletin

Ordinations Nic Leither First Avenue Presbyterian, Denver, CO 6:00pm, Saturday, June 27 Color of the day:   Red Installations Rev. Nic Leither St. Marks, Aurora, CO Time TBD, Sunday, June 28 Color of the day:   Green RMS Prayer Cycle JUNE 2020 SOUTHEAST COLORADO CONFERENCE - Week of June 14 - First St. Paul - Burlington, CO Jeffrey Hanson Grace - Colorado Springs, CO Gene Zeller (Interim) Holy Cross - La Junta, CO Jennifer Shadle (ECUSA) Immanuel - Bethune, CO Our Savior - Wild Horse, CO

Monthly Prayer Cycle

Sunday, June 14 Second Sunday After Pentecost Prayer of the Day God of compassion, you have opened the way for us and brought us to yourself. Pour your love into our hearts, that, overflowing with joy, we may freely share the blessings of your realm and faithfully proclaim the good news of your Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. In God's Hands: Ecumenical Prayer Cycle from the World Council of Churches 14 - 20 June : Malawi, Zambia - Intercessions and Prayers 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.

Around the Synod

BBQ and Bluegrass Fundraiser Benefiting Sky Ranch Sunday, June 14, 2020 at 2:00 p.m. 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! www.skyranchcolorado.org

"Gratitude as Soul Care" Thursday, June 11, 7:00 - 8:00 p.m. The Medieval theologian and philosopher, Meister Eckhart, has written, “If the only prayer you said was ‘thank you’ that would be enough.” In this conversation we will share ideas for practicing gratitude that can help feed the soul, reduce anxiety, offer comfort, and open our hearts to action that can bring hope to our world. Facilitated by Rev. Martie McMane who is a UCC minister who in her retirement works with individuals and small groups in soul care through her training in spiritual direction, SoulCollage® , pastoral counseling and the Enneagram. In this time of self sheltering, her ministry is carried out through Zoom and FaceTime meetings. She may be reached at revmartie@comcast.net . Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/9740548170 Meeting ID: 974 054 8170 One tap mobile +12532158782,,9740548170# US (Tacoma) +13462487799,,9740548170# US (Houston)

Our Life Together

An Invitation to Stand in Solidarity "When the Cups Clang" Monday June 15, from 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. You are invited to respond to the sound of the cups clanging. You are invited to show up, in solidarity with the Black Community, on Monday, June 15 from 6pm-8pm in the parking lot at Nativity Lutheran Church, 12500 E 104th Ave. Commerce City, CO . Show up for a rally to stand in solidarity with the Black Community. Everyone is welcome to show up and hear The Rev. Dr. Stephanie Rose-Spaulding, Ph.D., Chair of the Women's and Ethnic Studies Program and the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs, and Lorena Garcia, MBA recipient of the Cesar Chavez Award in 2011, and former US Senate candidate. We stand in solidarity with the Black Community. Read more here!

Congregations in Transition

Resource Corner check back each week for a new or featured resource for your congregation

Subscribe to Interchange/Intercambio, brought to you by WELCA Interchange is published four times a year: spring, summer, fall, and winter. Interchange is sent without charge to ELCA churches and select Women of the ELCA leaders. Download your copy of the summer 2020 issue of Interchange. Intercambio se publica cuatro veces al año: primavera, verano, otoño e invierno. Descarge su copia gratuita. Find back issues here.

Employment Opportunities

New Listings

Preschool Director (full-time) Holy Trinity Lutheran Church - Littleton, CO Holy Trinity Lutheran Church (6322 South Lakeview Street, Littleton, CO 80120) has an immediate opening for a full-time preschool director of a Faith-based NAEYC accredited program. Applicants must have current director certification or be within six months of obtaining. Level IV large center qualified required. 2-3 years experience with staffing, coaching, licensing, and budgeting a must. Bachelors degree in ECE, CD, or equivalent desired. Familiarity with NAEYC rules and regulations a plus. A love for children and families essential. Responsibilities include daily supervision of our year round, large center preschool and enrichment care operations, from 7 AM to 6 PM Monday through Friday. Job description available here. Salary competitive with area preschools. Resumes are currently being accepted via email to Pastor Sonja Sandquist at holytrinitylutheranlittleton@gmail.com or call 303-798–1356. Equal Opportunity Employer.

Non-Rostered Listings

Preschool Director (full-time) Holy Trinity Lutheran Church - Littleton, CO 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 Minister of Music (full-time) Augustana Lutheran Church - Denver, CO Missional Youth MInistry Leader (part-time) Faith Lutheran Church - Golden, CO

Employment Opportunities

Office of the Bishop This Week

Bishop Jim Gonia 1-1 Appointments Region 2 Consultation & Mobility Conference Available by email: jgonia@rmselca.org ELCA DIRECTOR FOR EVANGELICAL MISSION Pastor Dana Peterson Excellence in Leadership Retreat Bethlehem, Longmont, CO Region 2 Consultation Available by email: dpeterson@rmselca.org LUTHERAN ADVOCACY MINISTRY NEW MEXICO Kurt Rager Legislative Finance Committee Available by email: krager@rmselca.org LUTHERAN ADVOCACY MINISTRY COLORADO Peter Severson Available by email: pseverson@rmselca.org ELCA REGIONAL GIFT PLANNER Tina Kvitek Vacation June 11-14 Available by email: tina.kvitek@elca.org

ASSISTANT TO THE BISHOP FOR CONGREGATIONAL LIFE Pastor Sarah Moening Excellence in Leadership Retreat Region 2 Consultation and Mobility Conference Available by email: smoening@rmselca.org ASSISTANT TO THE BISHOP FOR LEADERSHIP SUPPORT Pastor Kent Mueller (1/2 time) Available by email: kmueller@rmselca.org ASSISTANT TO THE BISHOP FOR SYNODICAL LIFE Deacon Erin Power Region 2 Consultation ELCA Committee on Appeals Available by email: epower@rmselca.org ASSISTANT TO THE BISHOP FOR FAITH FORMATION & CANDIDACY Pastor Leslie O'Callaghan Candidacy Appointments Region 2 Consultation and Mobility Conference Available by email: locallaghan@rmselca.org

Quick Links

Submit your eConnection article or job ad here!

Subscribe to eConnection

Find a Congregation

Visit RMS Website

Share the News

‌ ‌ ‌

Erin Power ,   Assistant to the Bishop 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.