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Prayers and Celebrations
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|
Second
Sunday after the
Epiphany
Steadfast God,
you have enriched and enlightened us by the
revelation of your eternal Christ. Comfort us in our
mortality and strengthen us to walk the path of your
desire, so that by word and deed we may manifest the
gracious news of your faithfulness and
love. Amen
Prayer from Revised Common Lectionary
Prayers,
Consultation on English
Texts,
2002
Installation of the Rev. Lettow at
Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church
You are cordially invited to the installation of
the Rev. Martin Lettow as pastor at Shepherd of the
Hills Lutheran Church, 7077 Harvest Road (Lookout Road
at North 71 Street), Boulder, Colorado, on Sunday,
January 20 at 2 p.m. Bishop Allan
Bjornberg will preach and preside. Clergy are invited to
vest and join the procession. Liturgical color of the
day is green.
Synod Prayer
Cycle: Metro
West Conference
You are encouraged to include these
leaders
in your Sunday prayers of the people. Click
here for the prayer
list for January. The prayer lists for February and March
are also available. Please consider including these
prayer lists in your newsletters and bulletins as a
means of connecting your congregations with others in
the Rocky Mountain Synod.
to remember in prayer at worship on
01/20
Lord
of the Valley Granby,
CO
Joel Martin
Lutheran
Church of Grace Craig,
CO
James Strader
Mount
of the Holy Cross Vail,
CO
Carl Walker
Shepherd
of the Valley Grand
Junction, CO
Ron Powers
St.
Andrew Arvada,
CO
Stephanie
Kopsch
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| Synod News and Events |
 RMS Theological
Conference
This year's conference
takes place January 28-31 at the
Embassy Suites Hotel in Colorado Springs, CO. Information is posted on the web.
Rostered leaders, as well as youth directors, education
directors, and other lay leaders are encouraged to
attend. Those who select a double, triple, or quad room
must submit mutual roommates on the online registration
form.
2008 RMS Intents Due Jan.
25
The Rocky Mountain Synod's fiscal year ends on
January 31, so we are looking ahead to the new year
which begins on February 1. It is imperative that we
receive congregation statements of intent for the new
year by January 25. An online form at
www.rmselca.org/intent makes the process quick
and easy. That link also includes a link to the
ELCA's online report form for 2007 which is to be
completed by February 15.
Hunger Contributions Due Jan. 31It's time to make sure ALL the
hunger dollars your congregation collected get to the
people who need them! Please remind your treasurer that
all offerings need to be RECEIVED by the synod office
before January 31 in order to be counted in the 2007
fiscal year. As of January 4, the World Hunger Appeal
and Stand with Africa had received just under $450,000
from the Rocky Mountain Synod. While that is
slightly ahead of the same point during the 2006 fiscal
year, we have over $100,000 to go before we reach the
total amount contributed in all of 2006. We
can easily surpass last year's amazing giving...but the
checks need to pour in
NOW! Candidacy Committee
Announces Two Discernment Retreats in
2008
February 4, 2008 ~ Albuquerque -
St. Luke Lutheran Church, 9100 Menaul Blvd. NE -
(registration deadline
has passed--call if interested)
April
16, 2008 ~ Denver - Augustana Lutheran Church, 5000
E. Alameda - Register
by March 25.
For all persons who may be
discerning a call to leadership ministry in the ELCA.
Whether you are ready to commit to the Candidacy
process, or just beginning to ask the questions
regarding this vocational call, you are invited to
attend this retreat. During this retreat we will explore
how we do faithful vocational discernment, discover
gifts for ministry, learn about the variety of
opportunities for services through the three rosters of
the ELCA: Ordained pastors, Consecrated diaconal
ministers, Commissioned associates in ministry, and
answer questions about the ELCA Candidacy process.
Anyone planning to begin Entrance into Candidacy in the
next year is required to attend.
Contact Madelyn
Busse, assistant to the bishop, 303-777 6700 or
mbusse@rmselca.org with questions. To register or
to submit names for invitation, please call Janice
Ladd-Horkey at 303-777-6700 or 800-525-0462.
2008 Mexico City Trip
is June 10-18
Consider participating in next
summer's trip to the Lutheran Center in Mexico City.
Download an information and registration
form:
Church in Society
Awards:
Incentives for
Ministry
The Rocky
Mountain Synod Church in Society Board provides annual
awards up to $1000.00 to assist efforts in this Synod
that demonstrate an "inciting to action" of the church
in society. The objective of the award is to provide
incentive and support to assist the church's efforts and
engagement in meeting the needs of society through
projects that involve the members with those being
served through ministry.
These projects
should demonstrate ways of going beyond providing
financial contributions to a charity. For example,
projects might provide services for persons affected by
poverty, homelessness, hunger, domestic or substance
abuse, aging or health related issues. The project may
represent the effort of a single congregation or the
co-operative effort of several congregations, related
agencies, or other entities; e.g. Interfaith Hospitality
Network, Refugee Services, etc. The application may be
downloaded. The deadline for
application is February 15, 2008.
Video Contest:
How to Spot
a Lutheran in the
West
Two minute videos that
capture the spirit of our "Lutheran Identity" in the
Rocky Mountain Synod are to be submitted by April 1,
2008. The video may be a commercial, skit, story, song,
art piece or any other means and will be judged in the
areas of Lutheran identity, evangelism, diversity,
variety of ages involved, and creativity. Prizes will be
announced at Synod Assembly in May. First place will
receive $1,000, second $600, third $250, fourth $150
(made out to the sponsoring congregation or ministry
group.) The prize money is provided by a grant from ELCA
Synodical Relations in support of communicating Lutheran
identity within the synod. Download the
details!
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| VPA Gatherings |
VISION PASSION ACTION FALL/WINTER
GATHERINGS ANNOUNCED
A series of gatherings are taking place
for you to gather with others to bring the Vision
Passion Action conversations to your context. Three
gatherings will take place in January. Each congregation
should bring four or five lay leaders, along with
rostered leaders.
Materials have been mailed to
each congregation, but they are also available electronically. Each events
begins at 6 p.m. with a meal (with the exception of the
Casper event which will begin at noon with lunch). The
events will take place as
follows:
JANUARY
22 Grand
Junction - Shepherd of the Valley - call
970-434-3119 to RSVP by January
15
26 Casper - Prince of Peace
- call 307-234-6475 to RSVP
by January
19
|
| Announcements |
|
Does spirituality enhance
health?
Join the Center for
Spirituality at Work for a reflective and interactive
lunch that will explore how spirituality enhances
personal, relational, and social health. Friday, Jan.
25th, 12 to 1 pm, Exempla St. Joseph Hospital, 1835
Franklin St., Sterne Elder Room, $20 including lunch,
$30 after Jan. 21. For information, call 303-383-1610,
email info@cfsaw.org or visit www.cfsaw.org.
Augustana presents:
Caring for
Creation discussion
Augustana
Presents! Caring for Creation
Why should we
care and what can we do? Sunday,
January 27th, 3p.m. Pastor Peter Sawtell, founder and
executive director of Eco-Justice ministries, will lead
a discussion on steps that we can take to bring
environmental stewardship into our lives and ministry of
the church. No pre-registration is necessary for
this free workshop. For more information, please
call Sheryl Stenseth, Parish Nurse at 303-388-4678, ext.
106.
The Bible and the ELCA
Today
A
Presentation by Bishop Paul Spring will take place
Sunday, February 24, 3:00 p.m. at Lord of the Hills
Lutheran Church, 21755 E. Smoky Hill Road, Centennial,
CO. As the Evangelical Lutheran
Church in America debates possible changes in doctrine
and practice regarding marriage and sexuality, how will
we affirm the authority of the Word of God in our
church? How can we remain true to the
Gospel in today's world? Bishop Spring, retired bishop
of the Northwestern Pennsylvania Synod of the ELCA, is
the Chair of the Steering Committee for the Lutheran
Coalition for Reform (CORE). The
event is free and open to the public.
A simple soup and bread supper will be served at
5:00 p.m. |
| ELCA |
Rural Ministry
Gathering
The ELCA's Rural Ministry Gathering will
take place this summer at Midland Lutheran College in
Fremont, Nebraska, July 16-19. Information about the
event, including a downloadable .pdf is available at
http://www.elca.org/rural/ | |
The Rev. Kent
Mueller
Director for Administration and
Communication
Rocky Mountain
Synod
| | |
| "For the living of these
days..." |
|
prayers for ministries & meetings this
week: |
|
Bishop Allan
Bjornberg
Synod Council
meeting, Cross of Christ Lutheran Church, Broomfield,
CO; Meeting with Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church,
Boulder, CO; VPA Gathering, Shepherd of the Valley
Lutheran Church, Grand Junction, CO; Synod staff
meeting.
Madelyn
Busse
Companion Synod
meeting, RMS office; Church in Society conference call,
RMS office; Facilitation of a class at Iliff School of
Theology, Denver, CO; Global Mission conference call,
RMS office; Synod staff meeting.
Jim
Hytjan
Natural Church
Development meeting, Holy Trinity Lutheran Church,
Littleton, CO; Cross Cultural meeting, Prince of Peace
Lutheran, Denver, CO; Meeting with King of Glory
Lutheran Church, Arvada, CO; Synod staff meeting.
Dan
Bollman
Meeting with Valley
Lutheran Church, Los Lunas, NM; Synod staff
meeting. |
|
2008
|
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Our annual Lutheran Day at the
Legislature is growing! We are partnering with
Hunger for Justice: Interfaith Voices Against Poverty
this year to host an advocacy event for people of all
faith traditions.
Tuesday, March 4
9:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Scottish
Rite Building
1370 Grant Street, Denver
ELCA
Pre-event
Bishop’s Breakfast
8:00 – 9:00 a.m.
Plenary
Speakers:
Bishop Allan
Bjornberg,
Rocky
Mountain Synod, ELCA
Bishop Warner H. Brown, Jr.,
Rocky Mountain Conference,
United Methodist Church
Dr. Steven E. Foster,
Senior
Rabbi,
Congregation Emanuel, Denver
Imam Ibrahim
Kazerooni,
Imam for the
Denver Muslim Community
Workshops:
Access to
Health Care,
Advocacy
101,
Affordable Housing,
Colorado's Economy after Referendum C, and
Payday Lending,
Register
by phone at the synod office: 303-777-6700 or by e-mail
at whobbs@rmselca.org
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| Celebrating
the Lutheran World Federation |
 |
|
Chinese artwork used on the LWF Ninth
Assembly poster
The work of the ELCA World Hunger is never done
alone. Putting your gifts to their best possible use, we
work with trusted partners around the globe and here at
home. Lutheran World Federation (LWF) is a key and
long-standing partner in the international work of ELCA
World Hunger.
Partners such as the LWF
serve as our hands and feet on the ground as we join
together in helping communities lift themselves out of
poverty into self-sufficiency. By supporting
international development projects with the LWF, we join
66.7 million Lutherans in 78 countries in our common
mission to live out God's love and justice in the
world.
Formed in 1947, the LWF is a
communion of Lutheran churches united in World and
Sacrament and acting for the healing of the world.
Through the LWF, ELCA World Hunger works with Lutherans
across the globe to ensure access to safe drinking
water, adequate nutrition, basic health care, and
sustainable agriculture for all of God's
children.
In partnership, we accomplish
more than any of us could ever do alone. We give
thanks for 60 years of the Lutheran World Federation,
and we look ahead to rich collaboration in this global
communion of Lutheran churches. For more information,
please go to: http://www.lutheranworld.org/
ELCA Presiding Bishop Mark
S. Hanson is the current president of Lutheran World
Federation. |
| NOBS 2008
Schedule |
 |
|
Network of Biblical Storytellers (NOBS ) Denver -
Area Guild
Next Meeting:
Monday, January 14, 12:30 p.m. Anyone
interested in the oral, live, telling-by-heart of
biblical stories is invited to participate! Meetings are
every month, alternating with evenings and afternoons,
(see full schedule
here) at Cross of Christ Lutheran, 12099 Lowell
Blvd., Broomfield, Colorado (just north of 120th Avenue,
about 3 miles west of I-25, 3.5 miles east of Boulder
Turnpike). Do you have questions? Please contact Pam
Faro at pamfaro@juno.com or call her at
303-828-2267. Bring a friend! Also, check out the NOBS
website: www.nobs.org.
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| Creations in the Fabric of
Life |
 |
|
A New Sewing Center
for LSSU
Refugees from Somalia, Sudan,
Eritrea, Thailand, Burma, and Tanzania by way of the
Congo, Burundi, and Croatia want to build a sewing
collective. The pace will be
leisurely for sewing, feature refugee art transfers to
fabric and emphasize learning creative
skills. Beginning donations have been
received by Mount Tabor Lutheran Church (Pastor
AnneMarie Burke), the Episcopal Connection of Libby
Hunter, Deacon and the estate of Don Wyckoff, and
Shepherd of the Mountains Lutheran Church (Pastor Van
Hook and Carole Van Hook). The new
sewing Center (being constructed in February) will
feature volunteer tutors from area Lutheran and
Episcopal congregations.
Please send any donations of fabulous fabric,
thread, beads, edging, and money donations for the
project to:
Lutheran Social Service of
Utah
800 South West Temple, Suite
305
Salt Lake City, Utah
84115
Memo: Refugee Sewing
Collective"
Check out the Lutheran Social Service of Utah
website at www.lssu.org |
| Resource for
Worship |
 |
|
Climate Change and Poverty Earth Day
Resource 2008!
As people of faith, addressing climate change is
a justice issue. Water scarcity, drought, crop failure,
increased disease, and flooding are just a few of the
impacts those living in poverty around the world will
feel from global climate change. This Earth Day, the
National Council of Churches Eco-Justice Programs is
marking Earth Day Sunday (the Sunday closest to Earth
Day) by recognizing the interconnectedness of poverty
and climate change and offering a resource for worship,
adult study and youth activities. Copies will be
available February 1, 2008 from www.nccecojustice.org . To pre-order a copy,
contact the Eco-Justice Program office at
info@nccecojustice.org or
202-481-6943. |
|
Events |
|
|
|
A Winter Workshop for Resource
Development Professionals is Thursday, January 17,
2008 from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at Bethany Lutheran
Church, located at 4500 East Hampden Avenue in Denver.
For more information, contact Jane Pope Meehan: by
phone: 303-217- 5848; by fax: 303-922-7335 by email:
jane.pope.meehan@lfsco.org
The Healing
to Holiness Conference
The Spiritual Direction Colorado January
Conference will be held this year at Regis University on
Friday, January 18 from 6p.m. to 8:30 p.m. and
continuing on Saturday, January 19 from 9 a.m. to 3:30
p.m. For conference information, please phone Carolyn
McDowell at 720-870-1497 or go to their
website to register. The
registration deadline is January 15.
RTLC
Youth Workers'
Free Retreat is January
21-23, 2008. Rainbow Trail is offering a free retreat
for youth workers in the Rocky Mountain Synod to give
them a chance to be renewed and refreshed. To register,
visit www.rainbowtrail.org .
Bethany Lutheran Church, Cherry
Hills Village, Colorado, continues its Centennial
Year celebration on Sunday, January 27, with a
FOUNDERS DAY liturgy. For more information, call the
church, 303-758-2820 or consult the website, www.bethany-denver.org .
Lenten
Opportunity
A
special FREE program will take place at Atonement
Lutheran Church, Boulder, CO, on Saturday, February
9, 2008 from 8:30 a.m. to 1:00
p.m. Sponsored by Atonement, Mt. Calvary and
1st Lutheran in Longmont, the program is for the benefit
of all Rocky Mountain Synod and Boulder Conference
Lutheran church members as we begin the Lenten season.
Reservation can be made by calling and leaving your
contact information at Atonement's church office
((303-499-4567 ext. #8).
RMS
Next Step Team Plans "Passing on the Faith"
Conference at Bethany Lutheran Church, Denver,
Colorado in April 2008 (tentative dates are April 18
& 19). If you have questions, please contact Sarah
Bjornebo at 303-797-0369 or Julie Miller at
303-841-3739.
Denver Servant
Event
is an opportunity to come together with
other Lutherans and demonstrate your faith in action.
Put May 3, 2008, (8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.) on your
congregation calendar. Contact Pamela McClune at (303)
623-7558.
Mission Trip to Nicaragua is
July 25-August 5. Trinity Lutheran Church in
Loveland, Colorado invites you to join them on a work
trip to Somoto, Nicaragua, this summer. Please contact
Pastor Ed and Cheryl Smith for more information:
970-663-0458 or
csmit@frii.com.
Pilgrimage to the Holy
Land - September 6-19, 2008. Denver Lutheran Pastor
Arnie Voight and St. Paul Parish Associate Jan Miller
are leading a Pilgrimage to the Holy Land. Contact Jan
Miller at jan@stpauldenver.org for a brochure and more
information.
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