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!

The Middle School Youth Gathering Registration is Underway!
The Junior High/Middle School Youth Gathering will take place January 11-13, 2008 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Registration is now open! Be reminded that one adult must register for every four youth of the same gender. Regular registration deadline is December 10.

The Planning Team is looking for someone to help with taking video and editing it during the weekend. Ideally, this person would help during large group to do some "live" video of the gathering participants and speakers to put up on the big screen for large group times.

Also, the planning team is looking for EMT's (emergency medical technicians) who can be present to help in case of emergency. In the past, the Gathering has been fortunate to have folks who were participating in the weekend activities, but this year the Team is looking for a couple of dedicated medical technicians or emergency nurses who could be available throughout the weekend. Please contact Kim Sandfort at kimclym@qwest.net if you or someone you know would be interested.

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.

A series of gatherings are taking place for you to gather with others to bring the Vision Passion Action conversations to your context. In Utah, 32 were present, and over 50 are registered for the Colorado Springs event tomorrow evening.

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:

NOVEMBER
27 Highlands Ranch - Christ

DECEMBER
4 Aurora - All Saints (Call 303-752-4083 by November 27 to register)
5 Wheat Ridge - Glory of God (Call 303-421-2721 by November 28 to register)
9 El Paso - St. Timothy (Call 915-598-2621 by December 3 to register)
10 Carlsbad - St. Peter (Call 505-887-3033 by December 4 to register)
11 Albuquerque - St. Luke (Call 505-299-2621 by December 5 to register)

JANUARY
22 Grand Junction - Shepherd of the Valley
26 Casper - Prince of Peace
TBD Durango - Christ the King

Every year Iliff School of Theology in Denver offers one Lutheran course. Two courses have been developed as a part of the Rocky Mountain Synod's relationship to Iliff and to Lutheran students at Iliff. The two courses are offered on a yearly rotation.

Lutheran Mission Identity will be taught in the coming Winter Quarter. The course description says in part, "This course introduces (our) mission heritage. It explores contemporary ELCA commitments as a Church in mission and considers implications for 'leaders in mission'". Dr. Roger Fjeld, President Emeritus of Wartburg Seminary, will lead this two- credit course. It will also include several resource specialists. It will meet Monday mornings from January 7 to March 10, from 10 to 11:50 a.m. Iliff is located at 2201 South University Blvd in Denver.

This course invites those who are working professionally in the church, whether on a lay roster or not. The course is particularly recommended for all those in the "Candidacy" process. Iliff will welcome applications from qualified folks (college degree required) for Non-Degree Student participation in the course. Tuition as a non-degree student is $575/credit for a total of $1,150 and the deadline for registering is December 3. Qualified auditors (college degree expected) may also register. Cost for auditors is $100/credit for a total of $200. Auditors must register by the end of December. For more information and access to application materials, contact Vincent Tango at the Iliff Admissions Office, VTango@iliff.edu .

Handel's Messiah to be Performed by Local Choirs
Mark your calendars in December for two performances of the Advent/Christmas portion of Handel's Messiah to be presented by the choirs and soloists of Our Savior's Lutheran Church (Denver) and Park Hill Congregational Church( Denver). Our Savior's choir will present selections from the Messiah on Sunday morning, December 9 at 10:00 a.m. at their annual Advent Lessons and Carols Service. The entire Advent/Christmas portion of the Messiah will be presented by the combined Our Savior's and Park Hill choir with chamber orchestra and soloists on Sunday afternoon, December 16, at 2:00 p.m. at Park Hill Congregational Church, 26th and Leyden Streets in Denver.

Help Make the Holidays Bright for a Deserving Family
Each year, Lutheran Social Service of Utah hosts a project by which families and organizations/congregations are matched in what's called an adopt-a-family program. This year is no exception with sponsored families coming from Burma, Croatia, El Salvador, Mexico, Somalia, Sudan, and Utah, USA.

If you would like to adopt a family to help make their Christmas a bit brighter, please check out the list of names and holiday suggestions that LSS of Utah has put together. View the list here. If you have other questions about the project or how you and/or your congregation can help, please contact the office of Leslie Whited Vance at 801-588-0139 or by email lssutah@yahoo.com.

Together, We Can Affect A Change!
Twenty-three ELCA congregations in the Rocky Mountain Synod participated in the "Change a Light, Change the World" program sponsored by Colorado Interfaith Power and Light (COIP&L) and the Colorado Governor's Energy Office this fall. Using materials developed and supplied by COIP&L, participating congregations held an adult education session on energy stewardship and climate change. Each member attending the session received an informational booklet and a compact fluorescent light bulb (CFL). A total of 97 congregations from Protestant, Catholic, Unitarian, Jewish, and New Thought churches and over 10,000 individuals in Colorado participated. Reverend Nelson Bock, Co- director of the Wartburg College West program in Denver, helped develop the Change a Light program and did some of the writing for the informational booklet. COIP&L has other programs to help congregations move toward energy sustainability. For more information, visit www.coipl.org .

Hosted by ALDE Colorado Chapter
(Association of Lutheran Development Executives)
Sponsored by Thrivent Financial

God's Work. Our Hands.
Are you looking for an opportunity to come together with other Lutherans and demonstrate your faith in action? Lutheran Servant Event 2008 will provide that opportunity.

Hundreds of Lutheran servants of all ages and levels of skill and ability will come together to volunteer their time and talents at service projects in the Denver area, making a visible, tangible difference in many lives in our community. You might see these servants painting, landscaping, building a playground, cleaning, re-stocking a food bank, or assembling hygiene kits.

Here are a few things that you can do today:

The ELCA Mexico Program ha s 20 year history of facilitating immersion experiences. Immersion program participants are challenged to experience the world from the perspective of the marginalized.

Cost for the trip is $1680 (USD) and includes full room and board, three weeks of intensive Spanish instruction, educational materials, cultural activities, and local excursions. Students are responsible for their airfares and transportation to Cuernavaca.

To get preliminary information about the upcoming ELCA sponsored trip to Mexico, please go to the website: www.elca.org/mexico

artwork by: Rini Templeton
www.riniart.org

Grace Matters, the radio program of the ELCA, has created an online, interactive Advent calendar which will be posted by November 30. It's a beautiful calendar that begins on Sunday, December 2 going through Christmas Day. And no peeking ahead... it only will allow you to open the current and previous dates. When you find the numbered "shape" for the day and click on it, you're treated to flash animation and a scripture verse or thought for the day. Check out the calendar beginning on December 2!

Three congregations would be pleased to receive a special partnership gift during these coming Holy Days of Advent and Christmas. Gifts may be sent to the Rocky Mountain Synod Office to the attention of Pastor Jim Hytjan.

New Horizons Lutheran Church, Falcon, Colorado
Pastor Tim Singleton
12472 Riggin Court, Peyton, Colorado 80831 (719- 495-0706)

• One month's rent for worship at elementary school facility $980
• One special service at school facility (i.e. Christmas Eve, Ash Wednesday, etc.) $300
• Send seven (7) kids to the Middle/Junior High School Youth Gathering in Colorado Springs $665
• One month's lease for Mission Investment Fund property $1,625

Iglesia Luterana Cristo Rey, Denver, Colorado
Pastor Armando Rangel
501 Raleigh Street, Denver, Colorado 80204 (720-297- 1550)

• One (1) new sign (after school program) $800
• Repair church sign $280
• One hundredn(100) Bibles $1,199
• One (1) projector$1,000
• *Twenty (20) Windows XP licenses $300
• *Twenty (20)Windows XP Prof. Upgrades $160
• *Ten (10) QuickBooks 2006 $20
• *Twenty (20) Encarta 2008 (student edition) $320
• *Twenty (20) Office 2003 (standard) $320

Iglesia Luterana Cristo Rey, El Paso, Texas
Pastor Rose Mary Sanchez-Guzman
1010 East Yandell Drive, El Paso, Texas 79902 (915- 544-6545)

• Christmas Posadas meal for 250 people (need by December 8) $400
• Mariachis, candles and worship supplies for the celebration (need by December 8) $350
• Christmas baskets (we hope to deliver 90 baskets) $40 each (You may help sponsor one, two or more families as you wish)
• One month of support for the building monthly payment $2,175

A new ministry is growing in Denver and desires to become affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and the Rocky Mountain Synod. This ministry is with a new group of Oromo immigrants to the United States and Denver, people whose native country is Ethiopia. Initially gathering for prayer in homes just four years ago, the group now meets on Sunday afternoon for worship on Denver's east side. Lay leadership has met with Bishop Bjornberg, Pastor Jim Hytjan, and Pastor Gemeches Bubba who leads African National Ministries for the ELCA and is requesting the presence of a mission developer to grow this community.

A mission developer, who is Oromo, has been identified by Pastor Bubba and is ready to move to Denver to begin this work. With all new ministry development, local support from area congregations and the synod is needed. The synod's Mission Outreach Board New Ministry Team fully supports the start of this new ministry and has committed financial support. The Metro East Conference leadership is considering ways to support this new ministry.

Are there other mission partner congregations in the Denver area and throughout the synod who could financially support this new start? If there is interest, please contact Pastor Jim Hytjan at the synod office at 303.777.6700 (800-525-0462) for more information in partnering with the Oromo community in starting the first ELCA African National ministry in the Rocky Mountain Synod.

If you are curious about the Oromo people and their culture, please go to the website to get additional information.

Handel's "Messiah" Presented by The Lutheran Chorale
The Lutheran Chorale in collaboration with the Lakewood Symphony Orchestra and the Green Mountain High School Choir will present the inspiring music of Handel's Messiah. Come to the Lakewood Cultural Center (470 Allison Parkway, Lakewood, Colorado) on Tuesday, December 4 at 7:30 p.m. and enjoy this classic musical tradition. Please call 303-987-7845 to order tickets or visit The Lutheran Chorale website for more information.

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

RTLC Youth Workers' Retreat
From 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 returned to your ministry. For more information and to register, go to the Rainbow Trail website: www.rainbowtrail.org .

Rocky Mountain Synod 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, including a link for online registration. Registration deadline is December 20!

Academy for Adaptive Leadership and Spiritual Formation is
January 14-17
Every January, pastors, congregational leaders and seminary students from around the country converge on Abiding Hope Lutheran Church (6337 South Robb Way, Littleton, Colorado 80127) to participate in RE-FORMATION, an event of the Abiding Hope Academy for Adaptive Leadership and Spiritual Formation. The schedule of activities can be found at www.abidinghopelutheran.org. Registrations can be either through the website or by contacting Michelle Benko at the church office (303- 972-1283).

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). If you have questions, please contact Sarah Bjornebo at 303-797-0369 or Julie Miller at 303-841-3739.

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.

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. Spaces are filling up fast, so register soon! Please contact Pastor Ed and Cheryl Smith for more information or if you would like a presentation. 970- 663-0458 or csmit@frii.com.