Synod Prayer Cycle: Wyoming Conference
During the month of April we give thanks for the ministry of our congregations and rostered leaders in the Wyoming Conference. You are encouraged to include these congregations and leaders in your Sunday prayers of the people. The prayer list for April is available as a Word document.

to remember in prayer at worship on 4/1
Ascension Cheyenne, WY
.....Paul Everett
Christ Cheyenne, WY

Covenant Wheatland, WY
.....David Wood

"For the living of these days..."
prayers for ministries & meetings this week:

1. New Horizons in Falcon, CO (which started worship in April in 2006) would love to receive copies of the new Evangelical Lutheran Worshipbook.
2. New Beginnings - Denver Women's Correctional Facility - Pastor Emily Cardin. Friday evening worship attendance by 60+ women in this correctional facility is often the highlight of their week. This ministry relies on Mission Partner gifts from congregations and individuals.
3. Iglesia Luterana Cristo Rey - El Paso, Texas, is in the process of purchasing a storefront to be used for worship, fellowship, education, an after school program, and health ministry. Any Lenten Mission Partners gifts to help with the purchase and building renovation are greatly appreciated. For more information, contact Pastor Rose Mary Sanchez- Guzman.

We would like to extend a very special thank you to King of Glory, Arvada, for donating a complete set of paraments to Christ the King in South Jordan, Utah as Christ the King prepares for their first worship service in April.

Are you a Mission Partner?
If so, we would like your help in raising awareness of Mission Partners at Synod Assembly. Please submit a 15-second video recording or a digital photograph with accompanying printed text, thanking your Mission Partner congregation for the opportunity of mission partnership. If you are a congregation that has received Mission Partner support, submit a video or photo expressing appreciation for the support or gift. Use a script like this: "This is (name of person) from (name) Lutheran Church in (name of community) and we would like to thank (name) Lutheran Church of (name of community) for the opportunity to be a Mission Partner with them. Thanks Mission Partners!" Send your video clip on DV video, on a DVD, or as a video file in Quicktime or Windows Media to kmueller@rmselca.org by May 15. Send your digital photo and accompanying printed text to the same address by May 15. Thank you!

2007 Partnerships Intents Needed in Synod Office
Each congregation is asked to submit an intent of how much it will share in partnership support with the wider church during 2007. If your congregation has not yet submitted your intent, please call Cheryl at 303-777-6700 or complete an easy online form.

Remember to Return Immigration DVDs
All of our copies are currently loaned out, so please remember to return your copy when you have finished using it.

Discerning Vocation and Call to Ministry 2007 Retreat
Seventeen have registered for this event, and there is room for more! You are invited and encouraged to attend this retreat if you are currently applying for or expecting to apply for Candidacy in the ELCA anytime in the coming year. We also want to invite all those who may be considering or are actively in discernment about whether God is calling you to serve thechurch as an ordained pastor, consecrated diaconal minister, or commissioned associate in ministry.

Held at Augustana Lutheran Church, 5000 East Alameda, Denver, the retreat will be April 11 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Please RSVP by Aprll 6 to Janice at jladd-horkey@rmselca.org Questions? Call Madelyn Busse at 303-777-6700 or email to mbusse@rmselca.org

Get Ready for RMS Trip to Mexico: June 20- 28
This 2007 trip to the Lutheran Center in Mexico City will increase our understanding of our neighbors to the south,opening our eyes to the cultural, economic and political realities of Mexico. If you areinterested click to view (Word document) information and an application or contact Madelyn Busse at 303-777-6700. Applications are due in the Synod office no later than April 15. Please keep in mind that passports are now required for travel to Mexico.

Vision, Passion, Action Blog
Linda Bobbitt has posted the latest VPA summary
A "blog" is short for "web log" and it is a way to invite conversation about topics and issues. The new RMS weblog is designed to facilitate conversation about the Vision, Passion, Action process. The address of the RMS blog is www.rmselca.blogspot.com. If you post a comment please include your name and congregation. If you would like to post an entry, send your entry to kmueller@rmselca.org.

What Women Want: A Retreat
A women’s retreat themed What Women Want will be held April 12-15 at Rainbow Trail Lutheran Camp. Based on three of the most popular chapters in Lisa T. Bergren's upcoming book, What Women Want, this retreat will help you tackle your deepest cravings -- a deeper relationship with God, a stronger faith, a sense of contentment, and a true understanding of love in our lives. More information and registration forms can be downloaded from the Rainbow Trail website.

Rainbow Trail Men's Fly Fishing Retreat April 26 - 29
Men, come to Rainbow Trail to experience a time of faith renewal, fellowship and adventure! This weekend’s adventure will be fly-fishing in the famed Arkansas River and novice to expert fishermen are encouraged to attend. Bible study, worship and prayer will be woven into the weekend so all can come away renewed spiritually, mentally and physically. Pastor Dave Risendal will be our spiritual leader for the weekend. The cost for this retreat is $175. Click here for more information.

Confirmation Retreat Space Still Available for Summer
Rainbow Trail Lutheran Camp has room for one or two more congregations for their confirmation weeks of June 24-30, 2007 and July 15-21, 2007. Contact Jody at the Canon City office at 719-276-5233 for more details.

St. Philip, Littleton, Offers Free Items
Items they have to offer to any congregation willing to come and get them include a wooden altar table and lectern, white and green paraments and banners, some small chairs, some purple cinctures. two kneeling pillows (for weddings), and two platforms to raise the altar and lectern. To get more information or to talk with someone at the church, please call 303-979-4491. Photos and descriptions are posted as a .pdf document.

Rainbow Trail Men's Golf Retreat September 13 - 16
A lush green fairway before you, a club in your hand and your ball on the tee...sound interesting so far? Faith on the Fairways will offer you the opportunity to play 45 holes of golf while finding the relationships held between your life of faith and time spent in the game. Rocky Mountain Synod Bishop Allan Bjornberg will be our spiritual leader for this weekend of faith, fellowship and deepening our relationships with Christ. Bible study, worship and prayer will be woven into the weekend so all can come away renewed spiritually, mentally and physically. The cost for this event is $245 and includes greens fees. For more information, click here.

Easter Vigil in Southwest Denver
All are welcome to join Resurrection, Good Shepherd and Cristo Rey Lutheran Churches for an intentionally kid-friendly and partially bilingual Easter Vigil service on Saturday, April 7, at 6pm at Resurrection Lutheran Church (7100 W Mississippi Ave, Lakewood). For questions, call Pastor Jay McDivitt (303.936.4859).

Ecumenical Easter Service in German
Messiah Community Church, ELCA, 1750 Colorado Blvd., Denver, will host a 5 p.m. Easter Worship Service (April 8) in the German Language. Pastor Wolfgang Stahlberg encourages you to invite members of your community who speak German and would appreciate the opportunity to worship in German.

Clergy Day Apart at Norbertine
Come to a Called Back to the Well Clergy Day Apart April 16, 2007. All ministers are invited to a monthly day apart at the Norbertine Center in Albuquerque, continuing the 3rd Monday of each month. An RSVP would be appreciated. Contact Sue Joiner for more information: mailto:sjoiner@samaritancc.com or call 505.332.8020.

Habitat's Clergy Build Day is April 19
Clergy are encouraged to join in for a day of fellowship and building on Thursday, April 19th. Habitat for Humanity will host forty clergy from the Denver metropolitan community at their Tollgate Crossing site in southeast Aurora. For more information or to register for the upcoming Clergy Build Day, please call Amanda at 303.534.2929 x 125. Info at www.habitatmetrodenver.org .

"Faces and Voices" Photo Exhibit at Salt Lake City
On Friday, April 20 from 6:30-8:30 p.m., Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church, Salt Lake City, UT, is hosting an open house and special viewing of the award winning photographic exhibit of refugee youth, "Faces and Voices ". Joyce and Leslie Kelen, authors of a companion book, will offer a brief presentation at 7:30 PM, followed by a question and answer session. Zion is at located at 1070 Foothill Drive, Salt Lake City, UT 84108, phone (801) 582-2321 .

Leadership in Ministry Workshop
Two More Healthy Congregations Workshops Scheduled
Here are two more opportunities to attend workshops to get information about congregational leadership. The first will be held on April 21 at Our Saviour's in Fort Collins, Colorado. Please contact Pastor Tim Sadem (tim@our-saviours.org) for more information. The second workshop will be held on April 28 at Grace Lutheran Church, Bountiful, Utah. Please contact Pastor Corinne Thul (pastorcorinne@hotmail.com) for more information about this event.

“Light Into the World” Wednesday, April 25, 11:00 a.m.
The annual Lutheran Worship service at Iliff School of Theology is presented by the students of the campus Lutheran Student Organization. "Light into the World", written by Kent Gustavson, is a lively bluegrass setting of the Lutheran Eucharist liturgy with banjo, mandolin and string bass. Bishop Alan Bjornberg will be preaching. All are welcome.

“A View From the Underside: The Legacy of Dietrich Bonhoeffer”
Wednesday, April 25, 7:30 p.m.
Dr. Al Staggs brings the stage to life in his nationally acclaimed portrayal of Dietrich Bonhoeffer. The event, brought to Denver by the Iliff Lutheran Student Organization (LSO), will be performed in the Great Hall at Iliff School of Theology at 2201 S. University Blvd. Contact David Carlson, LSO co-chair at dcarlson@iliff.edu for more information.

Wartburg College Choir in Concert
Cross of Christ Lutheran Church, Broomfield will be hosting the Wartburg College Choir on Wednesday, April 25th. They will be performing a concert at 7:00 pm that evening. Wartburg College is an ELCA Lutheran college located in Waverly, Iowa.

Spring Retreat for Lutheran Clergy
Spring 24 hr. traditional retreat for Lutheran clergy, Thursday April 26-Friday, April 27, Franciscan Retreat Center, Colorado Springs. All ordained Lutheran clergy are welcome to attend society retreats. Seminarians and first time retreatants are welcome to attend this retreat free of charge! For more information or to register, contact Pr. David M. Wendel, STS, 719-650- 8171 (cell), or via e-mail at pr-wendel@saintlukes- cs.org.

Leadership in Ministry Workshop
Leadership in Ministry: Ministering to Congregations as Family Systems, Franciscan Retreat Center, Colorado Springs, April 30 - May 2 and October 1 - 3. For more information, go to: www.leadershipinministry.com

WomenCook! - Dining for a Difference,
Benefiting Work Options for Women
Join us for our third annual WomenCook! event to raise much-needed funds for Work Options for Women. The event is Monday, May 14, 2007, 6:00 to 8:30 pm, Temple Emanuel, 51 Grape Street, Denver . For more information, contact Jennifer Koeller at 720-944-1917 or www.workoptions.org .

LutherTrek Build: In New Orleans
We need you! Come to New Orleans and assist Bethlehem Lutheran Church (African American Lutheran Congregation) in rebuilding their homes May 29th to June 6th, 2007. Registration forms must be filled out by March 31, 2007 and are available by email: lssutah@yahoo.com.

An Invitation to a Spiritual Renewal Retreat for Lay Leaders of Congregations
Called Back to the Well is offering a special retreat for lay members of congregations. Anyone who holds leadership positions in the church or desires to “go deeper” spiritually, is encouraged to participate in a retreat June 22-25, 2007. You may register online at: www.samaritancc.com/affiliated/cbtw. If you have questions or would like more information, please contact Sue Joiner at sjoiner@samaritancc.com or call 505.332.8020.

North American Association for the Catechumenate
Gathering This Summer
Connecting Worship, Experience, and Sacrament is the theme of the 2007 annual gathering of the North American Association for the Catechumenate, July 19 through July 22, at the Mount Carmel Spiritual Centre in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada. For full details, including the ten workshops being offered, visit the website.

ELCA Announces Positive Churchwide Financial Results for 2006
A record year for contributions to the World Hunger Appeal and increases in total receipts, including mission support funds, have resulted in "good news" about the ELCA's financial position. Mission support funds showed the first increase since 2001, up $180,000 to $65.7 million. World Hunger receipts surpassed $20.1 million for the first time, showing the largest increase since 1999. The Churchwide assembly established a goal of $25 million for World Hunger each year, and that goal is well within reach. The Rocky Mountain Synod giving to World Hunger and Disaster Response was $578,340 which ranked 5th out of our 65 synods. Our per-baptized member giving ranked 7th.

“We Come To You!”
The national LPM (Leadership Program for Musicians Serving Smaller Congregations) Board now offers “LPM style” workshops on church music in an intensive, one-day workshop setting at your church. Workshops cover a lot of material in a short time and are led by board members who have taught LPM courses and have dealt with smaller church situations. The length of the workshops varies depending upon the situation and local needs.

Contact us and we can offer help putting together your workshop, talk about available topics and instructors, suggest a fee structure that covers expenses, and offer ways to publicize your event. Anyone interested in music and liturgy in the church - musicians, pastors, worship leaders, choir members - should come no matter what church they attend. For complete information, go to www.lpm-online.org.

'Let the River Flow''
The first national gathering for pastors, ministry and program staff, and key leaders of large ELCA congregationsis titled 'Let the Rivers Flow'. This gathering will be held June 18-21, 2007 at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in Burnsville, Minnesota. If you would like to be a part of this, and feel that this event could be a benefit to your ministry, please register online at elca.org/largecongregations. All are welcome. 'Let the River Flow' features nationally known speakers, musicians, and over 80 workshops on topics related to the ministry of larger congregations. Workshops can viewed online. Registration deadline is June 1, 2007. Save money by registering before the Early Bird Registration date of April 13, 2007. If you have any questions, please contact Rev. Mark A. Grorud, ELCA Director for Large Membership Congregations (mark.grorud@elca.org) or 773-380-2589. Also, visit the website to learn more about the event and workshops.

New Blog Invites Progressive Theology Conversation

Pastors John Petty, Rich Mayfield and Todd von Gunten have designed a new blog at http://progressiveinvolvement.typepad.com for reflection and comment on matters of theology. You are invited to take a look and participate.