The World Council of Churches invites its member churches around the world, and all people of faith, to pray for the people of Afghanistan.

Excellence in Leadership is an opportunity meant for you, whoever you are. So many opportunities we hear about are reserved for those with certain skills, certain degrees, certain positions. Excellence in Leadership is not one of those things. The tools, resources, and practices which are taught and engaged with during this two-year journey are helpful for many people in many walks of life.

You can go through it as a rostered person. You can go through it as an unrostered person. You can go through it at age 18. You can go through it at age 88. You can go through it as an individual, or you can join with others in your congregation or context and go through as a group. You can attend online. You can attend in person. Truly, this program is built for all.

Anchor House, a non-profit affordable housing unit for former foster youth in Colorado, is near completion and will be dedicated on Thursday, August 19, one year exactly since construction began on the site. The dedication ceremony will take place at 10:00am with a brief liturgy by Pastor Scott McAnally, Lutheran Church of Hope, as well as recognition from ELCA Bishop Jim Gonia and representatives from the State of Colorado and the City and County of Broomfield. An open house with tours of the building will take place after the dedication ceremony. The public is invited to attend.

Anchor House is a 501c(3) nonprofit corporation that comprises a partnership between faith-based and other organizations to provide transitional housing for former foster youth. Anchor House will provide affordable housing and on-site support services, including job coaching, goal planning, and access to food banks, to youth ages 18-24 who have aged out of the foster system. Residents will begin the move-in process in August.

The project was developed with Lutheran Church of Hope and Lutheran Family Services Rocky Mountains in 2017 and now includes Thrivent Financial, Flatirons Habitat for Humanity, Colorado Health Foundation, the City and County of Broomfield, and the State of Colorado, Department of Local Affairs as partners. Construction began last August 2020 and is being completed with the help of hundreds of volunteers and Flatirons Habitat for Humanity.

The building is located at 1355 West 10th Avenue in Broomfield and will provide studio apartment space for 8 young people. Lutheran Family Services Rocky Mountains will provide on-site support for the foster youth who will find temporary homes there. Anchor House would like to thank all donors for their generosity and support.

To learn more about Anchor House, please visit www.anchorhouseco.org.

Prayers, hymn suggestions and considerations for preaching for use on Sunday, Sept. 12, the ELCA’s annual day of service, are available in PDF and Word formats.

The Lutheran Center, home of the office of the bishop, has some projects to accomplish that could be excellent for a "God's Work. Our Hands" group. Contact Tina Kvitek if you would like to volunteer.

This week, the ELCA Youth Gathering Team hosted its official kick-off event. That video can be viewed here: https://fb.watch/6_EhEVTtPK/

And we are excited to start thinking about traveling to Minneapolis next summer! Bryan Jaster is serving as our synod coordinator for this gathering cycle, and we are hosting some monthly events to help adult leaders and youth ministry professionals be as prepared as possible.

Join us on ZOOM for important information sessions on Aug 12 and Sep 9! The webinars will be recorded. For more information contact: bryan@bethany-denver.org or locallaghan@rmselca.org

Through advocacy, the ELCA community can create lasting, systemic change. If you want to get involved in faith-based advocacy but aren’t sure where to begin, sign up for Advocacy Summer School. This five-part, online series is being offered by ELCA Advocacy in collaboration with ELCA Peace Not Walls. The first session, on Aug. 11, will paint a picture of advocacy and explore how it is shaped by a faith foundation, especially in members and affiliates of the ELCA. Future sessions will cover ways to carry out advocacy work and specific policy issues where the Lutheran community can make an impact. Join one session or all five, and learn how we can lift our voices together to advance the common good.

Read more here.

FAB's 6-week Fall Session begins on September 8 and will include both an in-person course and virtual courses! Registration is now open. Courses will explore subjects such as the history of the U.S. through the lens of baseball, an exploration of how the holidays we celebrate today were driven by historical forces, a look at the work of Vincent van Gogh and his influences, rock art in the ancient world, and more! Join us for these stimulating courses. 50+ are welcome, please share with your friends and family! Virtual courses are $35 each, and the In-Person course is $50.

For more information about Fifty and Better, see flyer here, and visit: www.callutheran.edu/fab, and join our contact list to receive updates as they are announced.

Veteran Servant Corps Project is actively seeking Board Members from Wyoming and New Mexico, as well as El Paso, Texas. Interested, or know someone who might be? Contact Vicky Daub at lvdaub2@gmail.com.

Want more information about Veteran Servant Corps Project? Go to https://www.rmselca.org/veteran_servant_corps.

September 12, 2021, 9:30 a. m. - Adult Education Forum at First Lutheran in Colorado Springs, Colorado in the Fireside Room. Vicky Daub (VSCP Executive Director) will be teaching.

September 26, 2021, 9:00 a. m. - Vicky Daub (VSCP Executive Director) will be preaching at Shepherd of the Hills, Canon City, Colorado. The service starts at 9:00 a.m.

November 12, 2021 7:00 p.m. - Bethany Lutheran in Cherry Hills Village, Colorado will be hosting a Veterans Appreciation Concert in their sanctuary. This concert will be free, and will be offered both live at Bethany, or via livestream at bethanylive.org.

April 22-24, 2022 - VSCP first Veterans Couples retreat at Rainbow Trail Lutheran camp. This retreat is free for any/all Veteran couples. Interested in participating? Contact Vicky Daub at lvdaub2@gmail.com.

Have Veterans events at your church/community that you would like to publicize? Send all pertinent information to Vicky Daub at lvdaub2@gmail.com.

Want Vicky or another VSCP Board Member to visit your church/community? You guessed it! Contact Vicky Daub at lvdaub2@gmail.com.

Pastor Glusenkamp (Christ Seminary-Seminex, 1980, MDiv), who recently celebrated 40 years of ordained ministry, is the recipient of the Called to Lead Award. He has faithfully served successful, healthy congregations in Wichita, Kan., Kansas City, Mo., St. Louis, Mo., and Denver, Colo. He has also served the greater church with positions at the Board of Pensions in Minneapolis and at the ELCA Churchwide Office in Chicago. Under his leadership as director, The Campaign for the ELCA: Always Being Made New, focused on congregations, hunger and poverty, global church, and leadership, exceeded its campaign goal of $198 million by more than $50 million. Glusenkamp is an outstanding communicator of the gospel and is a frequent guest preacher and speaker at synod assemblies and other gatherings. He excels at connecting the national church to individual congregations. He is currently serving as an interim pastor in Tuscon, Ariz.

In recognition of the 150th Anniversary of the founding of Colorado Springs, 127-year-old First Lutheran Church is orchestrating a mini-street parade and a ribbon cutting and rededication event to mark the completion of its $3.6 million privately funded renovation of the historic Jewett/Peel mansion.

Retired First Lutheran Church Senior Pastor Dr. Paul R. Peel, who for 48 years stewarded ministry in what was once the Jewett mansion, and his wife Lois, will be transported to Peel House by horse and carriage Sunday, August 22 for a 1 p.m. ribbon cutting and rededication event. Current pastor of First Lutheran Church, Reverend Travis Norton, will arrive in a 1910 Speedwell vintage American automobile. A mini-North End Neighborhood street parade will precede the event.

This Interim Ministry Training is based in the real-time real life work of an Intentional Interim Pastor. It will use a “coach-approach,” which believes that the participants are “creative, resourceful, and whole,” and is directed by a trained coach.

Three-quarters of participants’ time together will center around the process and issues facing the participants, with the remainder assigned to the mastery of knowledge essential to providing successful interim pastoral leadership. Participants will meet for one hour twice monthly over six months.

This training was initially designed by Fresh Thinking Coaching and Consulting and has been developed in cooperation with the Rocky Mountain Synod Office of the Bishop. The cost for the program is $585. To learn more and to register, please go to: https://www.purposefulpastor.com/interim-ministry

Speakers will include:

ZOOM: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81108324250

For more information or questions: rmsammparo@gmail.com

Review the Rocky Mountain Synod's recommendations on worship as the pandemic takes hold again.

Cross of Christ Office Administrator will have responsibility for providing day-to-day administrative support to the pastors, staff, and the congregation. This position involves communicating, organizing, and managing the church office with a variety of responsibilities. If you are interested please contact Pastor Kathy Armstrong at karmstrong@cross-of-christ.org for a job description.

The Office Manager is a full-time, 40-hour-a-week, salaried position that supports all the ministries of the church. The person in this position will often be the first point of contact for visitors and partners in ministry (church members). As such, an attitude of welcoming hospitality and good communication skills are essential. This person will be responsible for the coordination of Holy Trinity Lutheran Church’s communication platforms (Facebook Page, website and email), the maintenance of the church calendar, the management of church office functions, and maintenance of all essential records as well as the paper and digital database systems.

Full job description, including requirements, salary, and benefits available here. Questions, contact church office at holytrinitylutheranlittleton@gmail.com, 6322 S. Lakeview St., Littleton CO 80120 or call (303) 798-1356.

The Director of Music Ministry plans and coordinates the music ministry of Cross of Hope Lutheran Church. They are a member of the worship team and bring music, interpersonal and administrative skills necessary for leading worship, choirs, Praise + Team, and new opportunities in striving to fulfill the mission of Cross of Hope. This position is part-time – under 20 hours per week.

QUALIFICATIONS:

For a complete job description, email office@crossofhope.org. Please send your resume and references to office@crossofhope.org or mail to Cross of Hope Lutheran Church, 6104 Taylor Ranch Rd NW, Albuquerque, NM 87120.

Trinity Lutheran Church, in collaboration with St Paul's Episcopal Church, are seeking to hire a Sunday School teacher/coordinator who will foster Christian Formation on Sunday mornings for children of St. Paul’s and Trinity Lutheran age pre-school – 5th grade. The successful candidate for this position will be someone who connects well with children, enjoys teaching and is committed to creatively building the faith of children. The Sunday School Teacher/Coordinator will work closely with the clergy of Trinity and St. Paul’s to identify and teach a curriculum that fosters age-appropriate faith formation. 15 hours a month, including Sunday mornings. See the job description for more information.

Advent Lutheran Church in Westminster Colorado is looking for an Office Administrator. 30 hours per week. Job includes entering financial data, updating social media accounts, and secretarial duties. Hours are flexible, $15 - $20 per hour commensurate with experience. For detailed job description or for questions contact Advent Lutheran Church - adventwestminster@gmail.org, or leave a message at (303) 428-7501.