Prayer from Revised Common Lectionary Prayers,
Consultation on English Texts, 2002.

Synod Prayer Cycle: Metro South Conference
During the month September, we give thanks for the ministry of our congregations and rostered leaders in the Metro South Conference. You are encouraged to include these congregations and leaders in your Sunday prayers of the people. Click here for the prayer list for September . Please consider including the October prayer list in your October newsletter.

to remember in prayer at worship on 9/16
Faith Golden, CO
.....Peter Morin
Good Shepherd Denver, CO
.....Jay McDivitt
Holy Shepherd Lakewood, CO
.....Richard Thompson, Mike Tekrony
Holy Trinity Littleton, CO
.....David Palma-Ruwe, Kim Gonia

"Women in Ministry Retreat" Slated for September
All pastors and diaconal ministers rostered in the Rocky Mountain Synod are invited to the "Women in Ministry Retreat" at St. Malo Retreat Center just south of Estes Park, Colorado. The retreat will begin on September 30 at 7:00 p.m. with refreshments and facilitated personal check in and will end in the early afternoon on October 2. Please keep this date on your calendar.

Facilitating the retreat is Vicki Samland, M. Div. who is Programs Coordinator at the Conflict Center in Denver. If you have questions, please e-mail Pastor Connie Winter- Eulberg at LCMCSU@lamar.colostate.edu. Also, follow this link to browse the brochure and get more details about the retreat.

"Invitation to Prayer and Living in the Presence of God" Series Retreat
You are especially invited to a retreat and optional follow-on series hosted by Lord of the Hills Lutheran Church and presented by Madelyn Busse, a diaconal minister and assistant to the bishop in the Rocky Mountain Synod. Madelyn is a trained spiritual director and a continuing student with the Shalem Institute for Spiritual Formation.

The series, which is offered to adults, begins with an introductory retreat open to anyone who is curious and has a sense of yearning for a more intimate relationship with God. The five session series that follows will introduce a variety of prayer forms and offer the opportunity to practice seeking the presence of God in the company of others.

The retreat is scheduled for Saturday, September 29 from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at Lord of the Hills Lutheran Church, 21755 East Smokey Hill Road in Centennial Colorado (1 mile east of E-470). The optional follow-on series continues on five Tuesday evenings: October 2, 16, 23, 30, and November 6 from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. Group size is from 10 to 20 participants. Please note: The September 29 retreat is a pre-requisite for participating in the 5 session series, but participation in the introductory retreat need not commit a person to the whole series. There is no deadline for registration for the retreat and walk-ins are welcome.

The cost for the retreat: $10 (Early-bird discount: $7 if registered by Sept 22)
Follow-on Series: $10 (Early-bird discount: $7 if registered by Sept 29)
Retreat & Follow-on series: If pre-registered for both by Sept 22: $11

There is no childcare available for the retreat but we will possibly offer it for the follow-on series. Please contact the church at 303- 617-9884 to register and/or to get more information about the retreat and follow-on series.

Coaching 101
A Coaching 101 workshop will be offered noon to noon, Thursday and Friday, October 4 & 5 at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, 2400 South Colorado Blvd., in Denver.

Coaching is defined as walking alongside another for the purpose of assisting them to identify and realize the accomplishment of professional or personal goals. In the congregation, coaching is helpful in assisting staff and lay leadership to be more effective in their work with the setting of clear and realistic goals and expectations. In the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), coaches are paired with each mission developer, and each congregation taking part in the Natural Church Development program.

The cost for the workshop is $200.00 (not including travel or hotel accommodations if needed). The fee covers the cost of the training, two books on coaching from Dr. Robert Logan, a one year subscription to the coachnet.org web site, a look at one's leadership style with a DiSC inventory, and meals during the workshop. The deadline for registration is September 15th. A $100 deposit is due at that time with the balance due on the first day of the workshop.

For more information, please contact Pr. Jim Hytjan at 303-777-6700/800-525-0462 or james_hytjan@rmselca.org .

Bishop Bjornberg's List of Suggested Reading
Giving to God: The Bible's Good News About Living a Generous Life
by Mark Allan Powell
(Eerdmans, 2006)

Becoming a Conflict Competent Leader: How You and Your Organization Can Manage Conflict Effectively
by Craig E. Runde and Tim A. Flanagan
(Jossey-Bass, 2007)

Christianity for the Rest of Us: How the Neighborhood Church Is Transforming the Faith
by Diana Butler Bass
(Harper, 2006)

Senior High Youth Gathering Seeks Faith Encounter Stories
The music and worship committee for the high school youth gathering needs your help! We would like to collect student stories about a time in their life where they felt the presence of God, or somehow had an encounter with God that made them feel connected to God. The stories will be shared at the evening worship on Friday night as a catalyst for others to share their stories. The stories will be shared at the evening worship on Friday night as a catalyst for others to share their stories. Have your youth send their one-paragraph stories (no more than 200 words) to Brandon Newton at brandongslc@qwest.net.

Senior High Gathering Seeks High School Musicians
The worship planning team for the 2008 gathering at Estes Park in November would like to put together a worship band for morning and evening devotions during the event, such as a hand drummer, guitarists, vocalist, and more. Email Brandon Newton at brandongslc@qwest.net if you have talent to offer!

The Rocky Mountain Women's Organization is an expression of the Women of the ELCA and is constituted of a board, cluster groupings and congregational/ inter-congregational units of Women's Ministry teams in individual churches throughout the synod.

RMS Next Step Team Plans "Passing on the Faith" Conference
Before you submit your budget for next year, please include the "Passing on the Faith" Conference in your numbers. The conference will take place at Bethany Lutheran Church, Denver, Colorado in April 2008 (tentative dates are April 18 & 19). This will be a unique opportunity to participate in an amazing conference closer to home.

Just for the sake of planning, please include $300 per individual. If you are unable to set aside this amount, please budget as much as possible. We are going to do our best to get this number under three hundred dollars and scholarships will be available. If your congregation has the ability to sponsor this event, please budget $2000. Sponsoring congregations will be allowed to send an unlimited number of participants and you will be helping other workers attend who might otherwise be unable. If you have questions, please contact Sarah Bjornebo at 303-797- 0369 or Julie Miller at 303-841-3739. The Next Step Team thanks you!

2008 Mexico City Trip is June 10-18
Note the dates and think about participating in next summer's trip to the Lutheran Center in Mexico City June 10 - 18. Cost is $560 plus airfare. This trip is open to rostered and lay participants. Consider forming a group from your congregation so that action steps can follow the learning opportunity. This trip is one of the best ways we know to gain depth of understanding into the historical and socio-economic realities that are part of the immigration story, as well as a wonderful opportunity for theological reflection and prayer on this important issue facing our communities and country." Sponsored by the Rocky Mountain Synod Global Mission Committee.

Vision, Passion, Action Blog
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.

Many congregations have also picked up the theme using the materials in the congregation kit (available online with a password -- request if from Kent Mueller). Here are some examples:
· placed the web ad on congregation website
· purchased advertising in the local newspaper using the provided ads
· used the theme as a sermon focus
· sent postcards to the church neighborhood

The purpose of the campaign is to both build awareness of the ELCA in the general public and to inspire congregation members to realize that they are a part of something much larger than their congregation alone. All of the ads may be viewed online.

One parent shared that when the billboards were installed, her son spotted one that afternoon. "I have not seen him this excited since the youth gathering!" she said. "He and his friends are going to 'hunt' down all of them this weekend. It is like a giant Easter egg hunt!"

Should you want to hunt some ads, maps of the advertising locations may be downloaded and viewed:

10 large billboard locations
44 small billboard locations
48 bus shelter locations

Even if you live in metro Denver, that is not a guarantee that you will see advertising examples, since even this much exposure cannot blanket every part of the city. We wish we had an unlimited advertising budget!

One Path, Many Views- Come Walk the Labyrinth
You are invited to walk the ancient paths of the labyrinth, walking together on common ground appreciating being different and being one. Considered to be both a timeless work of art and an ancient meditative practice, the labyrinth provides sacred space for mediation, centering and healing. This program is open to everyone and is scheduled for September 16 from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. The suggested donation is $20. Jo Ann Mast is the facilitator but please RSVP to jennifer@heartlightcenter.org . To get information on the many and various programs that the HeartLight Center offers, go to their website: www.HeartLightCenter.org .

You Are Invited to Walk Wisdom's Path!
The Lutheran Social Service of Utah 7th annual education trip to Rocky Boy Indian Reservation happens this September 21-29.(Please note the date change from the last issue.)

Held during Native American Week with Our Saviour's Lutheran Church and the Chippewa and Cree tribes, a few of this week's festivities include: worship with Our Saviour's Lutheran Church, Aboriginal Art on the Reservation workshop, traditional prayer sweat, a teen's pow-wow preceding an all reservation pow- wow, Ultimate Warrior competition, Water is Sacred workshop, art and sports events.

The cost is approximately $170.00 for transportation and $250.00 for room, board and registration. Only a few spaces remain, so call today to confirm your reservation! The phone number is 801-588-0138 or send an email message to lssutah@yahoo.com . We love you and honor your prayers!

Second Wind Walk-Run-Ride is Sept. 23
The Second Wind Fund is a teen suicide prevention program in the Denver metro area. Six Rocky Mountain Synod churches are currently supporting the program to provide counseling for young people who are at risk of suicide but are uninsured or underinsured. In its sixth year, the walk/run/ride scheduled for September 23rd, is the fund's primary fundraising event and is the largest youth suicide prevention event in the nation. Colorado First Lady, Jeannie Ritter, is scheduled to speak.

The event is at Green Mountain Presbyterian Church (West Alameda at Mississippi in Lakewood). Additional information, including registration materials, is posted at http://www.thesecondwindfund.org . You may also contact Kenneth Wiig at kwiig@tiaa-cref.org or Jeff Lamontagne at 303-988-2645. Congregations are invited to participate, take up a special collection, set up a registration table at worship, distribute brochures, or donate cookies for the event.

Faith Dialogues: Call to Conversation About Iraq
Bethany Lutheran Church, Cherry Hills Village, will hold a Faith Dialogue event on Friday, September 28 from 6:00 - 9:00 PM and Saturday, September 29 from 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. This is an opportunity to engage in dialogue and consider a wide range of viewpoints in an atmosphere of discernment and mutual respect. We welcome each person to come with an open mind, ready to listen for God's word to them, with no need to reach consensus. Paul Alexander, Ph.D., Director of the Institute on the Common Good, Regis University, will facilitate the event.

Speakers include: Dr. Robert House, recently returned from deployment in Germany, treating injured military; Ibrahim Kazerooni, Iraqi ex-patriot, who fled during the Hussein regime and is the Director of the Abrahamic Initiative at St. John Episcopal Church; Pastor Renee Kiel, military chaplain who served in Afghanistan; Joe Rice, ex-mayor of Glendale; served in Iraq, establishing the first post-Saddam Baghdad City Council. Cost for the event is $10 and includes the Friday evening meal. For more information or to register, call 303-639-4349 or email rit@bethany-denver.org .

Religion and Spirituality: The Impact on Health and Well-being in Clinical Practice
This sixth annual conference will take place Friday, October 5 at the University of New Mexico Continuing Education Center, 1634 University Blvd., Albuquerque, New Mexico. The keynote speaker is Harold G. Koenig, internationally recognized scholar in the fields of mental health, geriatrics and religion, and co-director of The Center for Spirituality, Theology and Health at Duke University Medical Center. The program is designed for physicians, healthcare practitioners, social workers, clergy, and lay people. It will focus on exploring the mind-body-spirit connection and the application to clinical practice and faith group partnerships.

There are two ways to register:
Contact Don Thurn by September 18. His email is dthurn@phs.org . Don's phone number is 505-841-1191.
You may also download, print and mail the registration form. Click here.

Called Back to the Well Retreat for Pastoral Leaders
All pastoral leaders, clergy and lay, are invited to participate in a retreat at the beautiful Norbertine Center in Albuquerque October 22- 25. We begin at three pm on Monday and end with lunch on Thursday. NOTE: The original November retreat for lay leaders has been cancelled and replaced by this retreat. For more information, contact Sue Joiner at sjoiner@samaritancc.com or by phone at 505.332.8020 or even check out the website: http://www.samaritancc.com/affiliated/cbtw/retreats. html . Deadline to register is September 24th.

Education Opportunity for First Call Leaders
Spirit in the Desert Lutheran Retreat Center in Carefree, Arizona, is offering a program for church professionals seeking opportunities beyond the core program in the First Call Theological Education process. Dialogue for Peaceful Change (DPC) is a methodology for learning the creative and practical skills of peaceful change and is applicable to conflicts, large and small - in congregations, families, organizations, and extended communities. DPC is dedicated to creating safe spaces to overcome division, through a structured process of mutual empowerment.

The event is scheduled for October 28-November 2. The cost is $450 for the entire program. Generous scholarship monies are available to supplement the funds that leaders have already set aside for FCTE. You can register or see more about the process and schedule at www.spiritinthedesert.org

Lutheran Chorale Auditions Have Begun
The Lutheran Chorale will host its second audition for the coming season at 6:30 p.m. on Monday, September 17 at Bethlehem Lutheran Church, 2100 Wadsworth Blvd., Lakewood, prior to regular rehearsal. A prepared piece is not necessary. All voices are welcome. For more information, call 303-526-2607, or email lthomprn@msn.com. Also, check out the web site: www.thelutheranchorale.org

Beyond Informed Consent:
Ethical Strategies for Shared Decision Making
A public panel program, sponsored by the Denver Community Bioethics Committee, is planned for September 18th from 8:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at the Developmental Disabilities Resource Center located at 11177 West 8th Ave., Lakewood (exit U.S. 6 at Simms; north to 8th Ave., East on 8th Ave. about 2/10ths of a mile). The meeting will be held in the Twin Lakes Conference Room. Seating is limited, so please register by September 12. To get more information and reserve your seat, call Sara Golden, Total Longterm Care, 303-869-4750, or email her at sgolden@totallongtermcare.org

Coyote Howl Confirmation Retreat: September 21- 23 or October 5-7
TWO OPPORTUNITIES FOR CONFIRMATION CLASSES! ( LdoubleR.org )

Join the U2charist Worship on September 22
A U2charist Worship entitled "Can't You See What Love Has Done?" will be hosted by Atonement Lutheran Church (6281 W Yale Ave, Lakewood, CO 80227) on Saturday, September 22 at 6:00 PM. This special communion celebration of God's work in the world uses the music of the rock band U2 and lifts up themes of the One Campaign. For more information see the website: www.atonement-denver.org . For a downloadable poster of the event, click here.

Wheat Ridge Ministries and Exempla Lutheran Medical Center Celebrate Their Partnership
You're invited to join Wheat Ridge Ministries on Sunday, September 23 from 3 - 5 p.m. for a wine and hors d'oeuvres reception at the Exempla Lutheran Hospice at Collier Hospice Center, 3210 Lutheran parkway, Wheat Ridge, Colorado.

Please RSVP for this reception no later than September 18th to Karen Schlechte at 303-233-7870 or Ann Brandt at 800-762-6748 or by email at ann@wheatridge.org

Log Furniture Building: September 28 - 30
Ladies don't be left out of this opportunity. Men and women are welcome to participate in this retreat at Lutheran Ranches of the Rockies. Call the office (970-493-5258) or go to the website ( LdoubleR.org ) to get more information.

Montview's Center for Spiritual Life Presents
"An Evening with Anne Lamott""
Anne Lamott, noted author, will appear at Montview Boulevard Presbyterian Church, 1980 Dahlia St. at the corner of Montview Boulevard, on Friday evening, September 28 at 7:30 p.m. for a single lecture. Tickets should be ordered in advance since the church expects to sell out before September 28. For registration information or to order tickets in advance, you may go to the church website; www.montview.org or call the church at 303-355-2095 ext. 117.

Stirring Up the Spirit of the City
Metro Denver Lutherans are invited to join together for an informational and visionary gathering on Saturday, September 29, from 9:30a-11am, at Cristo Rey Lutheran Church (501 Raleigh St; Denver) to talk about forming a coalition of congregations committed to multicultural and anti-racist ministries in the Denver area. The dream is to create a network of congregations and leaders (lay and rostered) who share a commitment and vision for growing into a more diverse body of Lutheran Christians in and of the city. Refreshments will be served. Please call Pastor Jay McDivitt (303.936.4859) with any questions.

RTLC Wearever Contest
Do you have a great photo of yourself wearing Rainbow Trail gear somewhere unique and cool? Then you might want to enter it into the RTLC Wearever Contest. Send pictures of you from around the world wearing your RTLC clothing to dave@rainbowtrail.org by September 30, 2007. Only pictures in digital format will be accepted. No photoshopping of photos please. Prizes include a free week at camp! For more contest details, click here.

Continuing Education For Clergy and Spiritual Directors
Learning to Transform Unwanted Thoughts, Feelings, and Behaviors
Sedalia, Colorado October 2-4, Facilitator: Tamara Andreas. In this training program participants will be taught, through a series of graduated exercises, to help clients transform unwanted thoughts feelings and behaviors. Early registration (prior to September 7) is $400. More info, including trainijg topics, can be found on the web.

Marathon of Giving!
As a part of the year long celebration of Rainbow Trail's 50 years of ministry, you are invited to participate in RTLC's marathon of giving. This is a great chance for you to support the great ministries of Rainbow Trail while you support Dave Jarvis (camp director) during his latest marathon this October 7th in the Chicago Marathon. Click on the link below to download the support form. Support Dave and give camp a boost at the same time!! It's almost as good as running it yourself! (Click here to download the form.)

The Grace Race
As part of Rainbow Trail's 50th Anniversary Celebration, RTLC is hosting the Grace Race to benefit World Hunger. All proceeds and additional donations will be given to ELCA World Hunger. The race begins at 3:00 p.m. on Sunday, October 14th at Sloan's Lake Park in Denver (the southwest edge of the lake). Click here for more information and to download the Grace Race brochure. Click here to download the release waiver.

Welcoming and Affirming Ecumenical Leadership Training Set for October 18
Christ Lutheran Church, Santa Fe is hosting the Reconciling in Christ (RIC) Ecumenical Leadership Training sponsored by Lutherans Concerned /North America (LC/NA) from October 18 - 21. This training focuses on Faith Based Community Organization--acquiring skills to organize people and resources. The outcomes result in building RIC Core Teams and promoting RIC ministry to congregations/organizations. More information can be found on the LC/NA website: www.lcna.org .

Holy Cross, Wheat Ridge Announces Art and Craft Fair
Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Wheat Ridge, Colorado will be hosting a Youth Benefit Art and Craft Fair on October 19th and 20th. We are looking for vendors. If you would like to rent a booth at the fair, please contact Scott Moore at Scott_E_Moore@msn.com for more information. The registration deadline is September 23rd.

Rainbow Trail Confirmation Retreat
November 2-4, 2007 , Rainbow Trail Lutheran Camp will be hosting a Confirmation Retreat. The theme for this year's retreat is "Expanding Grace: Broader than Sin, Deeper than Forgiveness," and the large group sessions will be led by Pastor Jeff Carlson of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Glenwood Springs, Colorado. For more information, visit the Rainbow Trail website at www.rainbowtrail.org.

Rainbow Trail Confirmation Retreat
January 4-6, 2008 , Rainbow Trail Lutheran Camp will be hosting a Confirmation Retreat. The theme for this year's retreat is "Expanding Grace: Broader than Sin, Deeper than Forgiveness," and the large group sessions will be led by Pastor Jeff Carlson of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Glenwood Springs, Colorado. For more information, visit the Rainbow Trail website at www.rainbowtrail.org.

This fall will be a critical time for ONE Lutherans to communicate to their members of Congress and urge them to take action on behalf of people living in poverty and suffering from hunger and deadly disease throughout the world. Below are a number of resource links that will help you and your congregation get involved with the current ELCA campaigns.

Sept. 6 through Oct. 15: FAST for DEBT CANCELLATION
While organizing your congregation and community to STAND UP and SPEAK OUT, challenge them to take part in a ROLLING FAST for debt cancellation. The ELCA is joining Jubilee USA in promoting this international 40-day rolling fast, calling on world leaders and international financial institutions to cancel the debts of poor countries so that they can achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Sign up today as an individual, group or congregation for as many days as you are able and while fasting, urge your members of Congress to support the 2007 Jubilee Act.

Oct. 17: STAND UP and SPEAK OUT
On Oct. 17, the ELCA will join the Millennium Campaign to STAND UP and SPEAK OUT against global poverty. More than 23 million people in 87 countries, including 9,000 Lutherans in the U.S., took part in a similar action last year, earning a spot in the Guinness Book of World Records for the largest single coordinated mobilization in history. Organize your congregation and community to join millions around the world to STAND UP and SPEAK OUT against global poverty by advocating for meaningful reform of the U.S. Farm Bill.

Immigration is a complex issue that is changing the face of cultures worldwide. In the United States, it is often a controversial issue with many social, economic, political and even religious implications. In the midst of the debate, what often gets lost are the human issues at stake.

"Dying to Live" is a profound look at the human face of the immigrant. It explores who these people are, why they leave their homes and what they face in their journey. Drawing on the insights of Pulitzer Prize winning photographers, theologians, Church and congregational leaders, activists, musicians, and the immigrants themselves, this film exposes the places of conflicts, pain and hope along the US-Mexico border. It is a reflection on the human struggle for a more dignified life and the search to find God in the midst of that struggle.

The Rocky Mountain Synod Immigration and Border Issues Task Force is making several copies of the DVD: "Dying to Live: A Migrant's Journey" available through the synod resource library. To borrow a copy, call Janice Ladd-Horkey or Willie Hobbs at 303-777 6700 (800-525-0462). This film, which puts a human face on the migrant and the face of Christ in the migrant, has been nominated as best documentary by World Hunger Year. For more information about the film, go to http://dyingtolive.nd.edu .