CHECK FRAUD - PLEASE HELP!

ENROLL IN RMS ACH DIRECT DEPOSIT

As you may be aware, the Office of the Bishop has been the victim of mail fraud. In the last six months over $180,000 in checks have been stolen and many of these checks have been fraudulently deposited. As soon as this crime was discovered, Office of Bishop Staff filed a report with the United States Post Office which lead to an open investigation with the Postal Services Division of the FBI. This week we learned from the FBI investigator assigned to our case that we are one of many non-profits in multiple states that are victims of this mail fraud ring. Due to the scope and magnitude of this case, resolution will take months and possibly years.

In response to this serious situation, the synod has launched an ACH Direct Deposit system. Modeled after the process by which money is transferred to Portico, Clergy Financial, and ELCA Churchwide, congregations may enroll in our ACH Direct Deposit system. Once banking information is received and verified, the congregation will be set-up in our bank's secure ACH system and can start initiating electronic payments. 

Mission Support Remittance forms will be received via email. You will receive a Mission Support Remittance template to be completed according to your billing timeline in order to make a monthly mission support payment. Each congregation will continue to receive monthly contribution statements by email to verify that the correct funds have been withdrawn and distributed as instructed. It is extremely important to reconcile your monthly contribution statement with your bank account to ensure that all transactions are recorded correctly. Any questions or discrepancies should be reported immediately.

ENROLL in the ACH Direct Deposit system by clicking the link below. To report missing contributions or if you have any questions, please contact Jon Johnson, Finance Director at finance@rmselca.org or Yvonne Wilken, Administrator at office@rmselca.org.

It is our hope that this system will provide a secure and efficient process for congregations to remit mission support payments. These contributions are vital to the ministry and work of the Rocky Mountain Synod as well as our many partners and programs. We are so very grateful for you, our partners in ministry, as we endeavor in this work that God has called us all to do.

Click here to download more information and instructions.

Bishop Gonia's call to action!

from Bishop Jim Gonia --

"Our Synod Assembly in El Paso – Cruzando Fronteras, Crossing Borders – was an embodied reminder of the critical need for new ways of thinking and acting in our country with respect to immigration. Those of us who participated in the Assembly immersion experiences heard firsthand the depth of human suffering as well as the resiliency of the human spirit that accompanies those who leave their homeland due to fear, violence and persecution, in hopes of finding peace and a new life. 

As a church called to public witness for the sake of the neighbor, we respond to Christ’s call to serve and to seek justice when we engage our elected legislators on matters of the common good. We advocate for the building of not walls but a fair and humane immigration system. My stated commitment in El Paso was to invite you to join me in reaching out to our elected officials for that precise purpose. In the material below, you will find specific information and an invitation to engage in this advocacy effort as Church, Better Together. Thank you in advance for your commitment to caring for God’s beloved people as we live out our baptismal promises."

Follow this link and learn how to contact your U.S. Senators and Representative by July 15. Follow the easy steps to share your story and ask your congregation members to join you in committing to bipartisan reform!

Telling the stories of the Rocky Mountain Synod

Bishop and Vice President’s Presentation

"Every time we cross a border, we take a risk, leaving behind that which is familiar, stepping into a new landscape where we don't yet know the ways, where we don't yet know how to :ind our way.

Crossing a border is an exercise in vulnerability, an exercise in letting go of assumptions and control, an opportunity to learn and grow, an opportunity to gain new perspective and understanding. For people of faith, crossing borders is an opportunity to trust the God who goes before us, behind us, and by our side every step of the way."

Telling the stories of

Cruzando Fronteras

Pastor Nate Preisinger interviews voting member Matthew Kirsten-Grey regarding his excitement and reflections as part of the Bethany "Together 4Good" podcast

Listen to the podcast HERE



Don't forget the merch!

Cruzando Fronteras t-shirts are an excellent conversation starters.

Order Assembly t-shirts HERE

Assembly Lost & Found

A yellow jump-drive labeled "ELCA Hunger" was found while unpacking from El Paso

Please contact Deacon Sarah Bjornebo HERE

Join Excellence in Leadership!

Registration is now open for 18-month cohorts beginning in September 2023 and a 13-month cohort beginning January 2024!

Excellence in Leadership is an experiential journey for any who wish to become more resilient, healthy, and creative in their lives and in their leadership. It is meant for people of all ages and in all stages of life: lay or rostered, council member or back pew sitter. As we navigate what the future may hold as people of faith, Excellence in Leadership provides opportunities and community to think adaptively and meet that future boldly.

Become the more resilient, courageous, and faithful leader God has made you to be!

Need a GWOH Project?

Growing Home, a Denver Metro Area nonprofit, has a long history with the Rocky Mountain Synod. These projects are intended to meet the basic needs of people anywhere. They start at ~$40 and scale upward. They are designed to work with the Growing Home food pantry which serves individuals and families throughout the Denver Metro Area. Providing food basics is healthy and economical and enables people to cook their own cultural dishes. And these projects can easily be adapted by non-Denver Metro locations. 

Contact Joy Concepcion (joy@growinghome.org) or Lynn Smith (lrsmith9646@gmail.com) for more information and detailed instructions.

VETERANS SERVANT CORPS PROJECT

Build Day - with Daniel Kuhlman & Friends

Longmont, CO - Saturday, August 5

NO skills necessary. But, some skills are helpful. Details are on the sign up page below. You might be asked to frame, put on sheathing insulation and siding, put on roof decking and roof material, or work on the interior. But, if the weather is nice be prepared to paint. At the end of the day, you'll have helped build a home for someone's future. Please JOIN ME from 8-3. Chick-fil-A has graciously donated lunch.

- Daniel Kuhlman

Prior construction experience is NOT necessary. Bringing your own tool belt or tools is optional (VCP will have tools on-site and cannot reimburse you for damaged or broken tools you bring to the site.) Construction tasks will vary each day.

More info and sign up here>

What can Faith Communities Do to Welcome Asylum Seekers?

Many faith organizations are celebrating the lifting of Title 42 after years of it being misused to rapidly expel asylum seekers at the southern border. However, there are concerns that the policies being implementing in its place will have severe, life-threatening consequences for asylum seekers and migrants.

Continued advocacy from people of faith is needed to restore protections for all people seeking safety. We are sharing one action a week for the next several weeks that you and your faith community can take today. Here is the second action - Post Support for Asylum Seekers on Social Media & Share Positive Stories:

• Welcome with Dignity Messaging Guidance
• America’s Voice Digital Toolkit
• Welcome with Dignity Positive Stories of Welcome Toolkit
• Interfaith Talking Points on H.R. 2, the Secure the Border Act

Information provided by: Interfaith Immigration Coalition - @interfaithimm • Facebook • interfaithimmigration.org

Help us connect students to the Bread+Belonging Campus Ministry. Whether your student is graduating, a graduate student, or just starting, we want to be in touch with them. Please use this form at tinyurl.com/BuffBNB to help us get in touch with those you know on campus. Bread+Belonging is a free, weekly Tuesday night meal for students from 6pm to 7:30pm at St. Aidan’s Episcopal Church (across from the Engineering Center). Always a veggie option. LGBTQ+ affirming. No religious demands. Just food and people.

Bread+Belonging is a partnership of St. Aidan's Episcopal Church and Lutheran Campus Ministry (ELCA)

Young Adult and Campus Ministry Town Hall Meeting

sponsored by Luther House UNM & CNM

Sunday, July 23, 1:00pm-2:30pm

Friends, Colleagues, and Partners in Ministry,

Luther House wants to hear from YOU!

We want to connect with you and hear from you about your wants and desires around "Young Adult and Campus Ministry".

You are invited to our ecumenical Town Hall Meeting on Young Adult and Campus Ministry. There are several ways to ensure that your voice is heard:

• Albuquerque Metro Churches- July 23, 2023: Please join us at Rob's Place inside O'Niell's in Albuquerque, NM from 1:00pm-2:30pm. (4310 Central Ave. SE, Albuquerque, NM 87108)

Click here to read more.

We look forward to listening to your wisdom, wants, and desires for young adult and campus ministry in New Mexico. Please take this opportunity to join one of our Town Hall Meetings so that we may better serve you and the youth and young adults in our beloved community.

Please feel free to forward this invitation to others who might be interested.

Questions, contact Rhonda Newby-Torres, Pastor, Luther House UNM&CNM

505-615-2688 (cell) | lcmunmcnm@gmail.com | www.LutherHouseNM.org

Interim Ministry Training Using a Group Coaching Model

First and Third Fridays of the Month beginning August 18, 9:00-10:00am

The Interim Ministry Training is based in the real-time real life work of an Intentional Interim Pastor, and will focus on interpersonal conversations, conducted online, as well as digital and print media. 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.

Cost is $585. Visit purposefulpastor.com/interim-ministry for more information.

ZOOM EVENT

The Great Displacement Book Discussion

Saturday, August 12, 10:00am

The Great Displacement, by Jake Bittle, 2023

Climate change is reshaping the U.S. in another way, "Each passing year brings disasters that disfigure new parts of the United States, and these disasters alter the course of human lives, pushing people from one place to another, destroying old communities and forcing new ones to emerge." His book takes a look at several communities that have been affected by climate change, and how the lives of their residents — the ones who have survived — have been altered by extreme weather. Twenty million Americans have been displaced by extreme events, to date. The Great Displacement is a fascinating look at how America has changed, and will continue to change, as climate change wreaks havoc on the nation and the people who live there.

For information: rmscreationcareteam@gmail.com

Try a Zero Waste Potluck in August!

Holy Cross Lutheran in Wheat Ridge, CO, hosted a Zero Waste Sunday morning. There were no bulletins printed for worship and following the service the Environmental Stewardship Team hosted zero waste potluck. What is a zero-waste potluck? Well, in this case it meant that everyone brought what they needed in order to partake of the tasty, potluck dishes everyone brought so that there was zero waste. Participants brought a dish to share that was cold or at room temperature. They brought their own plates and utensils. The stove was not turned on nor the microwave not used. No paper napkins, plates, or cups. No dishes or silverware from the church kitchen. No trash, so no trash cans. The coffee and lemonade were provided. Participants brought drinking cups, plates, bowls, silverware, cloth napkins, and some a kitchen towel to wipe the table and wrap up the dirty dishes. Everything was taken home and used again.

The creation care team encourages you to always carry a reusable water bottle with you. Try reducing your trash to one bag a week. Keeping materials out of landfills is one critical way to battle climate change. True zero waste encompasses a whole different approach that requires massive change. It focuses on restructuring production and distribution systems to reduce waste. Just think - RE-USE! It's a start.

Visit the Creation Care Team on Facebook!

"The synod consists of about 25,000 baptized members within 72 congregations located in:

• District of Columbia
• Upper Montgomery County and south to the Quantico Marine barracks
• The western shore of the Chesapeake Bay out to the foothills of the Blue Ridge mountains
• Bermuda

We worship every week in English, Spanish, Norwegian, Slovak, Amharic, German, and Swahili.

In 2019, Rev. Leila M. Ortiz was elected to serve as Bishop of the Metro D.C. Synod. Through discernment of the how and where the Holy Spirit is calling this synod, the Synod staff and Council worked together to develop a new mission statement and priorities for the work we are called to do together:

By the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, we are called to cultivate a bold and boundless love for Jesus and God’s beloved creation.

Just like a trunk of the tree which provides strength and steadiness for the branches, the mission statement of the Synod provides the focus and vision needed to align our work together.

We are rooted in: our bold and boundless love for Jesus, our call to the discipleship of others, and our acts of justice in this world."

Visit metrodcelca.org and on Facebook.

Click here to view a Bishops and Synods map of our 65 ELCA synods and 9 regions.