The trial of Derek Chauvin, the former Minnesota police officer charged with the killing of George Floyd, has riveted our national attention these past weeks, and now a verdict has been reached. Together with people around the world, we have anticipated the jury’s decision with troubled hearts. As members of the community of Jesus, we affirm that “if one member suffers, all suffer together with it” (1 Corinthians 12:26, NRSV).

The murder of George Floyd is one of the many examples of the ongoing abuse of police authority. The extrajudicial killings of Brown and Black bodies must stop.

We recommit ourselves as a church to continue to fight against the sin of racism and to hold accountable unjust systems and structures that perpetuate injustices, including our own.  In the words of Martin Luther King Jr: “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.” The work of confronting these injustices is long overdue. 

The Church and Criminal Justice: Hearing the Cries, elca.org/Faith/Faith-and-Society/Social-Statements/Criminal-Justice (pages 9 and 13).

Freed in Christ: Race, Ethnicity, and Culture, elca.org/Faith/Faith-and-Society/Social-Statements/Race-Ethnicity-and-Culture (pages 4 and 5).

Declaration of the ELCA to People of African Descent, Slavery_Apology_Explanation.pdf (elca.org) (page 2).

The Rocky Mountain Synod advocacy offices invite you to a wide-ranging conversation with Christine Mangale. We'll discuss pandemic recovery, the Biden administration's approach to international affairs, United Nations priorities and more.

Ms. Mangale is serving as the Churchwide Representative at the 2021 Rocky Mountain Synod Assembly. This conversation gives participants the opportunity to hear from her and connect more directly. Your questions and comments will be invited into the conversation.

The event is free and open to all, not just voting members at the Synod Assembly.

ZOOM:

Facebook Live:

Almost two years ago the Rocky Mountain Synod began a new program geared toward raising up “courageous, resilient, and faithful leaders” who are better equipped to lead in their communities through times of change and challenge. At the time we had no way of knowing how important this program would be. This program has recognized the importance of creating emotionally intelligent leaders who can think adaptively. This program has given tools for leaders to be authentically themselves while also understanding and respecting the systems in which they lead. This program is Excellence in Leadership.

In May, the first cohort of 47 people will be graduating from the program and we would like to invite you to celebrate with them! Look for more information next week!

Congratulations, graduates!

A new round of Daily Bread Matching Grants launches soon! ELCA congregations interested in raising funds for their feeding ministry through ELCA World Hunger’s online platform, matched with a $500 grant, can register and apply in ELCA GrantMaker starting Monday, April 26. Registration will be open through May 1, 2021 and the application will close May 7, 2021. Congregations approved to participate will raise funds for their ministry online from June 5 – June 20, 2021 and will be eligible for a special opportunity to explore goals for their ministry with an ELCA Coach.

For details on the grants and eligibility requirements, visit elca.org/dailybread. There are a limited number of grants available on a first-come, first-served basis, so interested congregations should apply as soon as they are able. Congregations that have previously received a Daily Bread Matching Grant are not eligible to re-apply at this time.

May 4, 2021 (click to register/join) will feature a conversation with VA Leaders about VA Programs and Services and an Overview of VA Programs.

May 5, 2021 (click to register/join) will feature a conversation with VA CFBNP Partners about current and ongoing efforts in their organizations and communities.

Webex Events

Trulesta.Pauling@va.gov, (202) 821-3848 or William.Morales2@va.gov, (202) 461-0753

We know from experience that hurt and hope are not separate parts of our life. They flow into and affect each other. Both are real. There is suffering and struggle and there is almost always something happening in or around us that connects us to an alternative future. When we hold hurt and hope together, we are in a powerful land. In this session we will explore what happens in that middle space where hurt and hope intersect and talk about implications for pastoral care, leadership and community engagement.

Rev. Kirsten Peachy, MSW, MDiv., DMin., is Vice President, Faith Outreach Advocate Aurora Health, Chicago, and oversees the organization’s partnerships with faith community. Kirsten is a nationally known contributor in the field of faith and health and was a founder of The Center for Faith and Community Health Transformation, a collaborative effort to work alongside faith communities to address the social conditions that impact community health.

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:

Sky Ranch is in the process of filling out our 2021 summer staff. Are you or someone you know interested in working with kids in the mountains this summer? Then come spend the summer sharing your faith and facilitating encounters with Christ with all guests. Staff and campers explore their faith in new and creative ways, all while having loads of fun-- Low and High Ropes, Whitewater rafting, day hikes and backpacking, cooking over a fire, and so much more!!!

We are still in need of a Summer Camp Registrar, a Weekend Cook, and a few more male counselors.

A flyer and with job descriptions is here.

For more information visit https://www.skyranchcolorado.org/employment.

If you are interested in either position, please contact Ally Mertz at 970-493-5258 to talk about a summer at Sky Ranch, or send email to jeff@skyranchcolorado.org.

Join the Creation Care Team for a special worship service for Earth Day. The prayer service will include readings, music, and prayers from all across the synod and it will be live on https://www.facebook.com/rmselca at noon.

Questions, contact: rmscreationcareteam@gmail.com

On April 22, 1970, in my Senior year of high school, a few friends and I organized an Assembly for the first Earth Day. My favorite part was wearing a Peter Max scarf I had gotten for Christmas. 51 years later, as part of the RMS Creation Care Team I am still working with others to change "how people treat the Earth, from being consumers to advocates, realizing that we are part of creation and what we do to the Earth we do to ourselves." (RMS CCT Mission statement). Anyone interested in caring for creation is welcome to join the Team. 

We are preparing a Service of the Word and Prayer that will premiere on our Facebook page and the Synod Vimeo channel at noon on Earth Day, using resources from the new hymnal supplement All Creation Sings (6) Rocky Mountain Synod Creation Care Team | Facebook) Pray for the Earth on Earth Day and share the video in your congregation. On Tuesday April 27th at 5:00 pm there will be a conversation about the Resolution and Memorial we have written for the Synod Assembly. 

The amazing Lutherans Restoring Creation Production Team, lay members, and rostered leaders (all volunteers) have created another joyful online worship service to thank God for this good creation! Thanks especially to Bishop Elizabeth Eaton for sharing the message of the day for this Good Shepherd service.

Download the bulletin (click below)

If you already registered, you should have received an email with instructions to download the video for use as you see fit.*  The worship service will also premiere on our LRC YouTube channel and our LRC Facebook page on April 24 at 5pm ET. You will be able to direct your congregations to those links when they premiere and anytime after they premiere if you would rather not download the large video file.

You can still register (click here) to receive a link to download the service and will get the link from us within 24 hours. * Please email Phoebe ASAP if you are not receiving the link – phoebe@lutheransrestoringcreation.org

Consider what actions you can take this year to recognize Creation Care as part of your church mission:

Ask your Council to consider making a Covenant with Creation.

The Evolving Faith Book Club will be discussing the book, The Rise: Creativity, the Gift of Failure, and the Search for Mastery by Dr. Sarah Lewis. This book club meets on Zoom on the 4th Wednesday of each month for one hour beginning at 1:00 p.m. Mountain Time. We will be discussing one chapter each month. If you would like to be added to the list to receive monthly emails with the zoom link, please sign up at www.purposefulpastor.com/evolving-faith-book-club. All are welcome!

Webinars will be not recorded. English and Spanish flyers attached.

This event has already happened and we think it was excellent and worth sharing for others to watch and share: http://bit.ly/EmbraceLanguage

English and Spanish flyer attached.

This certificate offers a cohort-based, online trans-continental curriculum which empowers participants to cultivate moral, spiritual, and practical power for leadership in the work of climate justice in communities of faith and in collaboration with others. Topics covered include theology, ethics, and spirituality related to climate justice; climate change knowledge; and social change practices that connect ecological well-being with racial, economic, and gender justice.

Lay and rostered leaders throughout the Lutheran World Federation communion and from other faith traditions are invited to complete an interest form if you are curious to know more about this inaugural, non-degree learning program scheduled for September 2021 – May 2022. Long-term collaboration and networking are expected to endure well beyond certificate completion date.

Applications are now open and will be accepted until June 15, 2021. Download flyer here. To apply or to learn more, visit https://www.plts.edu/programs/certificates/certificate-in-climate-justice-and-faith.html.

If the online GoogleForm link below does not work for you email Phoebe at pmorad@plts.edu to be sent a pdf copy.

The Choral Conductor will rehearse and conduct Augustana's Chancel Choir for the primary purpose of providing excellence in choral music to undergird Augustana’s rich liturgical worship. The priority of this ministry is to invite musicians, the congregation, and the community to experience the healing power and inspiration of music. The Choral Conductor works with all ministries and staff of Augustana Lutheran Church for the spiritual development of the congregation.

Download the full position description on the website, below. Deadline for applications is Friday, May 21.

Questions? Email Kent Mueller at muellerkent@gmail.com

Bethany Lutheran Church, Cherry Hills Village, CO is seeking an Arts and Events Coordinator. This part-time position shall serve Bethany by providing leadership and a “public face” in coordinating community performance events at Bethany, coordinating weddings and other celebratory events on the Bethany campus, and promoting the campus of Bethany as an events space for activities congruent with the mission, vision, and character of Bethany Lutheran Church. Full job description attached here.

Send resume or inquiries to Pastor Gary Sandberg, Lead Pastor, Bethany Lutheran Church, 4500 E Hampden Ave, Cherry Hills Village, CO 80113. 303-758-2820. Gary@Bethany-Denver.org.

Bethany Lutheran Church in Cherry Hills Village, CO is seeking a part-time Virtual Church Director. This person will lead the church in its production of Sunday morning worship with attention to the product that is sent via live stream as well as how it integrates with the worship experience in the sanctuary. The director will work collaboratively with the Bethany AV team and the Creative Arts Team to provide an exceptional worship experience for those engaged in the Denver metro area and around the country. See the attached for full job description.

Please send resume and any pertinent documents to Pastor Gary Sandberg, Lead Pastor, Bethany Lutheran Church, 4500 E Hampden Ave, Cherry Hills Village, CO 80113. Gary@Bethany-Denver.org. 303-758-2820.

California Lutheran University and Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary (PLTS) invite applications for the position of Director of Development – Seminary Relations. Reporting to the Vice President of Mission and Identity, the Director is responsible for the cultivation and stewardship of congregational and donor relationships for the development of the seminary and university. The Director advances the university’s mission by building relationships and effectively communicating its mission to donors and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America synods and congregations of the western United States. This position is headquartered on the Thousand Oaks campus of California Lutheran University.

Additional information about California Lutheran University may be found at: www.callutheran.edu, and additional information about Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary may be found at: www.plts.edu. Information about California Lutheran University, Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary, and the desired attributes for the Director of Development - Seminary Relations can be viewed here.

More information available here.

Evergreen Lutheran Church is seeking a team player to support the Pastor of ELC and participate with the staff in providing meaningful music for all worship experiences that enhance the congregation’s spiritual life in keeping with Lutheran tradition. This important position is a part-time, salaried position and reports directly to the Pastor of ELC. Salary and other details will be discussed when an interview occurs. Please contact Rev. Vera Guebert-Steward at PastorVera@evergreenlutheran.org or at 303-674-4654, the church office phone number. The job description is attached here.

King of Glory Lutheran in Loveland, CO is taking applications for an Audio Visual and Social Media Coordinator. This position is part-time, paid, with one weekend off a month. Responsibilities include recording/live-streaming worship and keeping social media platforms up to date. Please see job description here.

For additional information contact: ruthann@aplace2grow.org

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

Glory of God Lutheran Church - Wheat Ridge, CO

First Lutheran Church - Longmont, CO

Joy Lutheran Church - Parker, CO

Joy Lutheran Church - Parker, CO

St. Paul Lutheran Church - Albuquerque, NM