DISCERNMENT RETREATS 2008 -
"Discerning God's Call"

The Rocky Mountain Synod Candidacy Committee Announces Two Discernment Retreats for 2008.

February 4, 2008 ~ Albuquerque - St. Luke Lutheran Church, 9100 Menaul Blvd. NE, Albuquerque, New Mexico - Register by January 10.

April 16, 2008 ~ Denver - Augustana Lutheran Church, 5000 E. Alameda, Denver, Colorado - 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

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, 37 were present at the Greeley gathering, 26 at the Colorado Springs gathering, 37 at the gathering at Faith Community Lutheran Church in Longmont, and 34 were present at the gathering in Highlands Ranch.

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:

DECEMBER
4 Aurora - All Saints (303-752-4083)
5 Wheat Ridge - Glory of God (303-421-2721)
9 El Paso - St. Timothy (915-598-2621)
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

Bethany Lutheran Church, Cherry Hills Village, Colorado, kicks off its Centennial Year by celebrating "REMEMBER THE FUTURE" on two wonderful Sundays in January 2008. On January 13, Baptism of our Lord, the congregation will celebrate the priesthood of all believers and give thanks for all who have been baptized at Bethany Lutheran over the past 100 years. Special recognition will be given to those who have been baptized years ago as well as those children of God who have been recently baptized. All three services at 8, 9 and 10:30 a.m. will emphasize our vocation as baptized Christians in the world who are "marked with the cross of Christ, claimed, gathered and sent for the sake of the world."

On Sunday, January 27, a FOUNDERS DAY liturgy will recall the past and call us to "REMEMBER THE FUTURE". Pastor Carl Hansen and Pastor Ken Stenman will lead worship on that date. All three services will emphasize God's blessings which have been graciously given over the past 10 decades. For more information, call the church, 303-758-2820 or consult the website, www.bethany- denver.org

Adviento: Preparing Our Hearts and Ears for the Christ
All are welcome to open their hearts and ears to the hope dawning among us by joining the people of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church and Iglesia Luterana Cristo Rey in bilingual services (Advent vespers on Wednesdays during December). We will worship at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, December 5 and 12, at Good Shepherd (770 South Federal Blvd, Denver) and Wednesday, December 19, at Cristo Rey (501 Raleigh Street, Denver). The service on December 19 will be followed by a posada, a festive reenactment of Mary and Joseph searching for lodging in Bethlehem. If you have any questions, please feel free to call Pastor Jay McDivitt at 303-936- 4859.

"Wisdom Teachings for Bereavement Caregivers"
Please join noted author, educator and grief counselor, Dr. Alan Wolfelt, on Thursday, December 13 for this inspiring workshop which will help participants enhance their sensitivity and skills related to "companioning" bereaved persons.

If you have not yet registered, please let us know that you are planning to come so we can have everything ready for what will be a wonderful day of learning and connection! You can register by mailing in a registration form (attached to the flyer), by calling 720.748.9908 or by going to the website, www.heartlightcenter.org, and clicking on the "PayPal" button. The workshop is filling up quickly so register soon.

Please remember that this program will be held at Horan & McConaty - 5303 East County Line Rd (one block west of Holly Street) in Centennial. Also, visit www.heartlightcenter.org for information about the "Time of Remembrance" candle lighting services in the next few weeks at each Horan & McConaty location.

Augustana Lutheran Church is Seeking a Section Leader and Professional Quartet Member
Augustana Lutheran Church, 5000 East Alameda Avenue, Denver, Colorado, is seeking a mezzo- soprano to fill a vacant position on January 10, 2008 in the Augustana Vocal Ensemble (AVE). The candidate must possess excellent sight-reading skills, be amenable to a wide variety of repertoire, exhibit collegiality, be flexible, and willing to perform outside the church for various performances. Time commitment required: Wednesday evening Chancel Choir rehearsals, two Sunday morning worship services, special services, and quartet rehearsal. The position is compensated. If you are interested, please e-mail a cover letter and resume to: Cindy Lindeen-Martin, Minister of Music and Organist at
lindeen-martin@augustanadenver.org

LSS of Utah "Off Main Gallery Stroll" Continues in December
Worlds of Art Shoppe @ Lutheran Social Service of Utah "Off Main Gallery Stroll" is scheduled for Friday, December 14 from 6-9 p.m. and Saturday, December 15 from 2-8 p.m. at Mill Square, 1800 South West Temple, Suite 305 in Salt Lake City. The event offers a chance for you to buy and "give gifts with justice, beauty and relational meaning!" Click here for a poster with all the details.

Lutheran Social Service of Utah Still Seeks Your Support
Please consider adopting a family or two! LSS of Utah is still seeking participants to partner with them to adopt a family in Utah. Should you feel inspired, please forward the # of the family you choose! Please note: the families that are highlighted (#1, #2, #5, #7, #8, #9, and #24) have been adopted.

And if you want to call the numbers of the families you pick first, please call Leslie Whited Vance or email her the number of the family on the list so she can keep things from duplicating too much! See the list of families here. Messages are great! This way we'll stay coordinated!

It would be great if you want to bring the items to Gallery Stroll night (see poster link) as people could meet the families they've donated to, if that would work well!

Opportunities abound for ministering to the segment of the population with whom our Lord Jesus Christ spent so much time with as part of his ministry. Please pass on the joy and excitement of this season to a family whose hope for the season may be in jeopardy.

Augustana Presents! "My Soul Doth Magnify the Lord"
This concert will feature Augustana Lutheran Church's Chancel Choir, Youth Choir, AVE (Augustana Vocal Ensemble), and Musica Sacra Chamber Orchestra. This one-time only concert is Sunday, December 16 at 3:00 pm. Come enjoy some traditional anthems as well as the rousing "Sir Christemas" by William Mathias and the centerpiece of the afternoon, "Magnificat" by the popular English composer, John Rutter. There will be a free-will offering benefiting Lutheran Family Services. For more information, contact Cindy Lindeen-Martin, Minister of Music, 303-388-4678. Augustana Lutheran Church is located at 5000 East Alameda Avenue, Denver, Colorado 80246.

2008 Spiritual Direction Colorado Spirituality Conference
Consider embarking on a spiritual path "From Healing to Holiness". The 2008 Spiritual Direction Colorado Spirituality Conference will use various contemplative practices to explore how healing and transcendence work together to reinforce and fulfill one another in the emergence of the fully human being.

Rev. Dr. Cynthia Bourgeaul is the featured speaker and conference leader. She is an adjunct faculty member at the Vancouver School of Theology. Ken Phillip will serve as the creative director for conference prayer life. He is currently the Assistant to the Vice President for Mission and Art. (He is the artist for the 2005 and 2006 RMS Synod Assembly art.)

The conference is Friday evening, January 18 through Saturday afternoon, January 19 at Regis University Student Center, West 50th at Lowell, Denver, Colorado. For information, visit the web site at www.spiritualdirectioncolorado.org.

The Golden Compass - To View or Not to View?
The Golden Compass, a fantasy film starring Nicole Kidman that is scheduled to be released into theaters December 7, has been drawing fire from concerned Christians. Although marketed for children, the movie is based on a series of books with anti-religious themes. Check out this website to get information to begin the dialogue with your family about whether the movie will be appropriate for you or your family to view.

Job Postings
A new job listing on our website is for a Secretary at Valley Lutheran Church, Denver. Visit the webpage for more job listings.

As we mark the end of yet another hurricane season, we give thanks that our country was spared again this year from the devastation that a major hurricane can bring. But the needs of people along the Gulf Coast persist.

In the communities affected by the 2005 hurricanes, many still yearn for the vibrant life that existed there before the storms. The incredible work of thousands of volunteers has brought light and hope to thousands, but the task of recovery remains deep and wide.

In this busy time of Advent preparation, I ask that you would remember the people of the Gulf Coast as they continue the work of rebuilding their homes, their communities, and their ways of life. I also ask your prayers for the pastors and lay leaders of Gulf Coast congregations who continue to serve as a beacon of light in the midst of difficulty. Together, their ministries are living proclamations of God's life giving hope.

As we give thanks in this season for our many blessings, I ask that you consider giving to support the ongoing efforts of Lutheran Disaster Response in the affected coastal communities. To learn how you or your congregation can become involved, please visit www.ldr.org .

In Christ,

The Rev. Kevin A. Massey
Acting Director, Lutheran Disaster Response

Rainforest Adventure is the title of the 2008 Vacation Bible School series. A treasure trove of fun activities that move with the lively music of your Rainforest Adventure, along with a variety of additional music activities, the kit has activities for kids from kindergarten and preschool to grade 6. Kids will experience Bible stories through an interactive combination of music, art, science, games, worship, and drama in an imaginary Rainforest Canopy!

Everything you need to get your Rainforest Adventure started is conveniently assembled in this easy-to-carry plastic tote. You'll catch the rhythm of the rainforest with the how-to's and checklist of supplies you'll need. Kids will experience a sky high time in the tree-tops learning to care for God's awesome creation and each other too!

Check out the Rainforest Adventure website to find other ideas in the series. To order, please go to the Augsburg Fortress website.

Airs on CBS December 23
9:00 p.m. (ET/PT) & 8:00 p.m. (CT)

ELCA Presiding Bishop Mark Hanson is one of 12 "of the world's most influential religious leaders" featured in a prime time two-hour television special event on CBS, December 23 - "In God's Name". Produced by Jules and Gedeon Naudet, the diverse and powerful voices offer provocative, compelling and enlightening perspectives on myriad issues in our post-9/11 world, including the rise of terrorism, fanaticism, intolerance, and war. For more information, visit www.elca.org/ingodsname .

Bishop Mark Hanson, Presiding Bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and President of Lutheran World Federation outside his home.
Photo: Stephan Crasneanscki, ©2007

Dear brothers and sisters,
It is time again to share [with] you the seasons greetings of Advent in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ as we enter into the spirit of preparation for the celebration of the birth of our Saviour.

We in your companion Synod in Madagascar are thankful for our partnership in Christ. It will be good for us to share with one another again our hopes and dreams for the future of our companion synod project when we will meet together sometime and somewhere in the year to come.

Most important for us is that we can experience the reality of Christ in each other and we will be strengthened individually and together to be more faithful to Christ's mission in the places where we are in the world.

Our best wishes to you in Christ.

Pastor Daniel
Mahajanga Synod, Madagascar

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). Join Our Savior's choir on December 9 at 10:00 a.m. at their annual Advent Lessons and Carols Service. Be uplifted by the two combined choirs 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.

Ökumenischer Weihnachtsgottesdienst in Deutscher Sprache
Pastor Wolfgang Stahlberg and the congregation of Messiah Community Church (1750 Colorado Boulevard) invite you to join them on Sunday, December 16 at 5:00 p.m. for a Christmas service in German. If you would like more information about this Christmas service, please call the church office at 303-355-4471.

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

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).

A Winter Workshop for Resource Development Professionals!
ALDE (Association of Lutheran Development Executives) members and their friends are invited to attend a Winter Workshop on 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

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!

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.

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. Put May 3, 2008, (8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.) on your congregation calendar. If you have any questions, require further Information or wish someone to talk to your council or other group about Lutheran Servant Event 2008, please contact Pamela McClune at (303) 623-7558.

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.

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, traveling to far away places like the Lutheran Christmas Church in Bethlehem, to Galilee, the Golan Heights, Caesarea Maritima on the Mediterranean, Masada, the Dead Sea, and Jerusalem, as well as visit the ancient ruins of Petra in Jordan. Contact Jan Miller at jan@stpauldenver.org for a brochure and more information.