We have so many activities to keep us busy during this time of year that we sometimes do not have any extra space in our brains to add another thought much less another activity. But we are quickly approaching the time of anticipation - the Advent season.

Consumerism and the commercialization of the season have led many to live and celebrate in ways that are neither fulfilling nor joyful. We see and hear all of the advertising which is full of alluring and seductive yet empty promises.

Well, by beginning now, we can start the process of clearing away the mental clutter so that we can slow down, be quiet and be able to expect the unexpected as we prepare for Christ's advent in our hearts. Here are three resources to help you and/or your congregation lead a meaningful Advent season.

Upper Room Books gives us: Simply Wait, which calls readers to renewal, refreshment and an open heart during the often stressed and busy time of Advent; Expecting the Unexpected, which celebrates the many ways God continues to appear through the unusual and the unexpected during Advent through poetry, scripture and prayer; and Child of the Light which provides brief readings to lift, nurture and inspire during the flurry of the season in just 10 minutes a day. Check out their website, www.upperRoom.org/bookstore , for more information.

Church Publishing Inc., offers a Slow Down. Quiet. It's Advent! Poster with 23 days and ways to keep faith with the season. The calendar during Advent is much more than the place to count down Christmas shopping days. This exciting Advent poster includes suggestions for each day: do a good deed; pray; be thoughtful in the holiday rush; write a nice note; think about the real meaning of Christmas. You can order directly by calling 800-242-1918 or by visiting the website, www.churchpublishing.org .

Alternatives for Simple Living publishes a booklet titled: "Whose Birthday Is It, Anyway?" which offers individuals, families and other small groups a way to remember the reason we celebrate this holy season. The booklet includes fun activities, inspiring reflections, simple ideas for reducing Christmas chaos, samples from the ELCA's World Hunger top 40 resources catalog 2007, and much more. Other versions (Ecumenical, Catholic, Baptist, Episcopal, Presbyterian, and Methodist) are also available and may be ordered as mixed versions. Please see the website for the details. www.simpleliving.org .

Become a Volunteer English Teacher in China!
Have you ever thought about becoming a volunteer English teacher in China? Well now is a perfect time to get more information about China Service Ventures' (CSV) Summer 2008 project. CSV is an ELCA affiliate. Please contact Jennifer Krueger at chinaserviceventures@hotmail.com or call Jennifer either 651-659-1396 or 877-408-7056. Rocky Mountain Synod members who have participated include Rev. Bonita Bock, Duane and Jean Gall, David Weir, and Judith Lamb. Details about CSV and more specifically about the teaching opportunities, can be found on their website.

"Give gifts with justice, beauty and relational meaning!"
You are personally invited to the Worlds of Art Shoppe at Lutheran Social Service of Utah free celebration of their grand opening Friday, October 19 and Saturday, October 20. On Friday from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Come and enjoy good music, wine and cheese. Saturday offers the opportunity to party from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. with music, wine, cheese, Malaysian food, and Latin American drinks (4-8 p.m.).

The Worlds of Art Shoppe at LSS of Utah features Fair Trade items from local international artists including unusual gift items, art and music. 10% of purchases are given as a love donation to LSS of Utah ministries. 90% returns to refugee, asylee, low-income, and at-large artists. Love offerings are suggestions on the price of an item--you can always give more if you'd like! All offering purchases are tax deductible and sponsor fair trade. Come and bring family and friends! (Worlds of Art Center is also open Monday -Thursday, Noon to 8 pm.)

The address is Mill Square Building, 1800 South West Temple, Suite 305, in Salt Lake City (inset to the west; parking out front). Please download the event poster and include it in you Sunday bulletin or other publication.

Choir Robes Available
Abiding Hope Lutheran Church has 60 (like new) choir robes of varying sizes to be given to a church in need. The brand is Shenandoah and the style is Abingdon/Wonder Crepe. The robes are burgundy in color; the stoles are reversible with burgundy and cream on one side, and just cream on the other. Please contact Janet Cronin, Ministry Events Coach at Abiding, by email ( janetc@abidinghopelutheran.org ) or by phone at 303.972.1283, if you are interested.

Always Reforming / Siempre Reformando
Join in a multicultural celebration of the Reformation on Sunday, October 28, at 6 p.m. at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church (770 South Federal Blvd., Denver). The celebration will include a bilingual and kid-friendly celebration of Holy Communion followed by a festive party to anticipate both Halloween and the Day of the Dead. Cristo Rey is providing desserts; guests are invited to bring an hors d'oeuvre to share. Bring your confirmation students, Bible Study groups, musicians, social action teams. In fact, you may bring everyone who is interested. Call Pastor Jay McDivitt (303.936.4859) or e-mail him, jaymcdivitt@gmail.com , with questions. Those interested in joining a conversation about multicultural and anti-racist ministry in the Denver area will gather briefly during the party to develop a "next step" plan.

Global Health Ministries Event at Holy Cross, Wheat Ridge
Rev. Tim Iverson, Executive Director of GHM in Minneapolis, is coming to Holy Cross on Sunday, November 4. He spent part of September in Madagascar visiting health facilities in our sister synods and will share up-to-date information on happenings there. The GHM warehouse facility has recently doubled in size and a "Growing in Mission" capital funds drive is underway to fund that building effort. A "Growing in Mission" campaign program and complimentary, catered dinner will be presented in the Holy Cross fellowship hall from 3:30 - 6:00 p.m., Sunday, November 4. Anyone desiring to learn more about Global Health Ministries and who would be interested in making a three-year pledge or even a one-time gift is asked to sign up for the dinner by calling Mary Kvamme at 303- 421-8392 by October 28. Thrivent policy holders' gifts to GHM may be matched by Thrivent Financial for Lutherans.

Lutheran World Relief Fair Trade Fair is Nov 17 & 18 at
Cross of Christ Lutheran Church
Enrich your life and change the world at the same time! You're invited to a Lutheran World Relief Fair Trade Fair and Craft and Bake Sale on Saturday, November 17 from 9:00 am to noon and Sunday, November 18 from 7:30 am to 12:30 pm at Cross of Christ Lutheran Church, 12099 Lowell Blvd in Broomfield, one block north of 120th Avenue.

The event will feature fairly traded handicrafts and food items from around the world. Purchase a gift from the sale and you will provide income, dignity and hope to people in developing regions of the world. They will also feature crafts and baked goods donated by members of the congregation. The Fair is sponsored by the Cross of Christ Social Concerns Committee. Phone 303-469-4004 for more information.

Formation Program for Spiritual Directors
Formation Program for Spiritual Directors offered by the Center for Spirituality at Work in Denver is accepting applications through February 28, 2008. Core values include commitment to mutual transformation that results from being in relationship with those who are materially poor and marginalized. In its twenty-third year, program strengths include adult learning model, supervised internship, multicultural perspective, and an experiential component with the marginalized. This is a thirteen- month program with two required summer intensives in Denver, Colorado. Visit www.cfsaw.org , call 303.383.1610 or email SDProgram@cfsaw.org for more information.

Join Lutheran women from around the country as they gather in Salt Lake City, July 10-13, 2008. The weekend will feature worship, workshops, Bible study and speakers who will teach, encourage and challenge you.

Speakers include the Rev. Heidi Neumark, author of Breathing Space: A Spiritual Journey in the South Bronx, which explores her own spiritual life and her work with an ecumenical community organizing group. Another featured speaker will be Joan Chittister, O.S.B., who has been a visionary voice and spiritual leader for more than 30 years. She is an award-winning author of 35 books, the most recent being The Ten Commandments: Laws of the Heart (Orbis).

Workshops will address topics like how Lutherans read the Bible, money and spirituality, the ways we pray, and examples set by the women who followed Jesus.

Salt Lake City combines the best of being a major city with Western small-town friendliness. The surrounding area offers an abundance of natural beauty and places of historical interest.

Make plans now to "Come to the Waters" next July and be part of the Triennial Gathering of Women of the ELCA. For more information, visit www.womenoftheelca.org or call 800-638-5322, ext 2497.

In 2008, the Triennial Convention and the Triennial Gathering will be held in the same city but the Convention is being held before and separate from the Gathering, "Come to the Waters". The Convention begins on Tuesday, July 8 and goes until late morning on Thursday, July 10. The Gathering begins the evening of Thursday, July 10 and goes until late morning on Sunday, July 13.

In the newly released "Christian Education as Evangelism", Norma Cook Everist and an illustrious group of contributors share insight about education and evangelism and how they have too often been pitted against one another in budgets, time and energy.

"Christian Education as Evangelism" reasons that if congregations, however, are to be active in their evangelical outreach, solid teaching is necessary. Likewise learning ministries that are well grounded and alive will spring forth into vital sharing of the good news of Jesus Christ. Christian education leads to evangelism and evangelism leads to Christian education.

"Christian Education as Evangelism" describes the broad range of educational ministry and provides skills and tools for evangelical outreach to people with the gospel in a pluralistic world. Each chapter also includes stories, questions for reflection and practical congregational strategies. Congregations will find the book ideal for individual or group use, while colleges and seminaries will see it as a primary textbook for the classroom.

To order "Christian Education as Evangelism", call Augsburg Fortress at 1-800-328-4648 or visit the website at www.augsburgfortress.org. To request review copies (for media) or to inquire about speaking opportunities and interviews with the authors, please call 1-800-426-0115 ext. 234 or e- mail toddb@augsburgfortress.org . To request exam copies for classroom use (professors) go to: www.fortresspress.com/examcopy .

The Grace Race
RTLC is hosting the Grace Race to benefit 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. More information can be found on the LC/NA website: www.lcna.org .

Holy Cross, Wheat Ridge Announces Art and Craft Fair
October 19th and 20th. Please contact Scott Moore at Scott_E_Moore@msn.com for more information.

Common Mission Amidst Diversity: Utah Conference Event
The Utah Conference is hosting a day of reflection featuring Dr. Phyllis Anderson, President of Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary, Berkeley, California. The event will be held on Saturday, October 20 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church, 1070 Foothill Boulevard, Salt Lake City. Utah Conference congregations are invited and should make reservations through their congregation.

2007 NM Advocacy Conference is October 27
Plan now to attend the 2007 Lutheran Office of Governmental Ministry-NM Advocacy Conference on October 27 at St. Timothy Lutheran Church (211 Jefferson NE) in Albuquerque. The day will begin with registration at 8:30 am and conclude after lunch at 1:30 pm. To register, email Ruth at rh@logmnm.org with your name, address and phone number or call 505.984.8005.

Seminary Sampler: A Taste of LSTC
The Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago is offering two opportunities to visit the campus. The Fall Sampler is from October 27 to October 29, 2007. The Spring Sampler is from March 1 to March 3, 2008. For more information, please go to the LTSC website: www.lstc.edu

Lutheran Coalition for Reform (CoRe) meets Oct. 30
You are invited to become a part of a Rocky Mountain Synod chapter of Lutheran CoRe (Lutheran Coalition for Reform) October 30, 2:00 to 3:30 p.m., at Lord of the Hills Lutheran Church, 21755 E. Smoky Hill Road, Centennial, CO.

Holy Trinity Presents a Concert by "Lost and Found"
The musical group "Lost and Found" will perform in concert November 2 at 7:00 p.m. at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, 6322 South For more information, please contact the church at 303-798-1356.

Rainbow Trail Confirmation Retreat
November 2-4, 2007 , For more information, visit the Rainbow Trail website at www.rainbowtrail.org.

Youth Director Retreat at Sky Ranch
The retreat is Monday, Nov. 5 through Wednesday, Nov. 7. It's a free retreat for professional youth workers and adult volunteers. Get details at www.LdoubleR.org

Rainbow Trail Confirmation Retreat
January 4-6, 2008 , For more information, visit the Rainbow Trail website at www.rainbowtrail.org.