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| December 12,
2006 |
eConnection
eNewsletter of
the Rocky Mountain Synod |
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Advent
3
As the moon reflects the sun
Until the night's
decrease,
May we your healing light release,
Living peace,
living peace,
Unto your holy dawn.
Susan Palo Cherwien, ELW 261 | |
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Prayers | |
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Synod Prayer Cycle: Utah Conference
During the month of
December we give thanks for the ministry of our congregations and rostered
leaders in the UTAH Conference. You are encouraged to include the
congregations and leaders in your Sunday prayers of the people. The prayer
list for December and January is available
as a Word document.
to remember in prayer at worship on
12/17
Our Savior’s Roy, UT
....Charles Sabin
Our
Saviour’s Salt Lake City, UT
....Elijah Mwitanti
Prince of
Peace North Logan, UT
....Corinne Thul
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Rocky Mountain Synod | |
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Do You Know Someone Thinking of Entering
Seminary in
the Fall of 2007?
Now is the time to begin the Candidacy process
without delay for anyone seeking Entrance into Candidacy at the April
10-11 meeting of the Candidacy Committee. It takes a minimum of 3 month to
complete the application, psychological assessment, interview and
background checks required for Entrance. In order to be admitted to an
ELCA seminary for rostered ministry in the ELCA, one must have received a
positive Entrance decision from the synodical Candidacy Committee. Please
refer any prospective candidates to Madelyn Busse at
mbusse@rmselca.org or 303-777-6700. Anyone who is at any phase of
discernment regarding a call to ministry is invited to attend the annual
discernment retreat on April 10. More information will be coming. Refer
names to Janice Ladd-Horkey for invitation to this
retreat.
Invitation from the Hunger Network: RMS Goal of Half
Million!
Through October, Rocky Mountain Synod contributions to the
World Hunger Appeal and Stand with Africa were running a little ahead of
the same period in 2005. However, we have a long ways to go from the
$237,924 collected through October 31 of this year to the $466,688
contributed during the 2005 fiscal year! Since Disaster Response
contributions are down (no major tsunamis or hurricanes this year!), can
we redirect some of those dollars contributed in the past to push our
hunger appeal giving beyond last year’s pace? Half a million dollars is
only a slight stretch from the 2005 giving - easily within our reach! All
contributions need to be sent to the synod office no later than the end of
January 2007 to be counted in the 2006 fiscal year giving figures.
Remember that every day the silent tsunami of grinding poverty and hunger
goes on, and your dollars do save lives and bring hope!
Middle School Youth Gathering: Jan 12-14
The 2007
Gathering will once again be held at the Sheraton in Colorado Springs! Eye
Witness will be our musical guest this year, helping us explore the theme
“GOD’S OWN/GOD’S ZONE.” The event takes place January 12-14. 2007. For
information visit www.rmsmsyg07.homestead.com/
.
Theological Conference Registration Deadline is Dec.
20
Information about the 2007 Theological Conference is posted
on the web. The online registration feature is now working.
However, if you get an error message, consider printing out the online
form (with your information typed in) and send it in with your check.
Deadline for registration is December 20.
Immigration Issues Study Guide Now Available
A resolution
calling for congregations in the Rocky Mountain Synod to study and discuss
immigration issues was adopted at assembly. A
resource has been compiled and is available for download.
Celebrate Treasures, Old and New
Exploring and
Expanding Worship Resources
Events are scheduled this winter
beginning again in January to introduce the new Evangelical Lutheran
Worship book. Cost for groups of six is $100 Cost for an individual is
$20 Cost includes lunch and a copy of the Worship book. A registration
form is available
to be downloaded. (Photo of Salt Lake City event provided by Pastor
Jeffrey Louden.)
Please register at least one week prior to the
event you will be attending so that appropriate arrangements may be made
for lunch.
January 20, 2007 Wyoming Event
Prince of
Peace, Casper, WY
Check-In 8:30-9:30 a.m. - Event 9:30 a.m. - 4
p.m.
February 10, 2007 (two events)
Texas Event: New Hope ,
El Paso,TX
Check-In 8:30-9:30 a.m. - Event 9:30 a.m. - 4
p.m.
Southern Colorado Event: First Lutheran, Colorado Springs,
CO
Check-In8-9 a.m. - Event 9 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
February 17, 2007
New Mexico Event
Cross of Hope, Albuquerque, NM
Check-In 8-9
a.m. - Event 9 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
RMS Immigration DVD/Study Guide Available In December
Hear
stories from two ELCA congregations in Denver: Iglesia Luterana Cristo Rey
and HKBP Indonesian congregation. A DVD, created by the Rocky Mountain
Synod Task Force on Immigration, will be available in December for use in
your January Bible Study or discussion forum. A study guide will accompany
the DVD. Request
a copy to use and return. If the online form is not working for you,
send an email to kmueller@rmselca.org or call 303-777-6700.
Vision, Passion, Action Blog
Read and comment on the
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
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Synod Snippets | |
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The following was gleaned from congregational
newsletters received in the Synod office.
Church Anniversaries
Tabor Lutheran
Church in Pueblo, Colorado will mark its 115th Anniversary on Sunday,
January 14th.
Valley Lutheran Church, Denver, Colorado, will be
celebrating their 50th Anniversary on October 13th and 14th, 2007.
Mount Tabor of Salt Lake City will celebrate its 100th
Anniversary in 2007.
Zion Lutheran Church of Salt Lake City,
Utah will celebrate its 125th Anniversary in 2007.
Lutheran Church
of the Resurrection Lakewood, Colorado will celebrate its 50th
Anniversary April 14-15th, 2007
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Announcements | |
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Eben Ezer Receives
$200,000 Gift
The Dahms-Talton Foundation has presented Eben Ezer
Lutheran Care Center, Brush, CO, with a $200,000 gift. This support will
help Eben Ezer realize their dream of creating "A Place Called Home" for
the individuals who live and work in the Deaconess/Nazareth neighborhoods
of the center. The transformation of space into to a refined living room
with a gas fire place will be a lasting tribute to their
generosity.
Augustana Presents “How Great Our Joy! "
This
Augustana Christmas celebration features the Augustana Chancel Choir,
Children’s and Youth Choirs, Augustana Ringers, and the Musica Sacra
Chamber Orchestra. Come enjoy selections from Britten’s “Ceremony of
Carols," Handel’s “Messiah," Robert Shaw’s “The Many Moods of Christmas,"
Vaughan Williams “Fantasia on Christmas Carols” and other music by Stephen
Paulus and John Rutter. Familiar carols abound. Through the services of
the musicians, this concert is a Matching Grant Fundraiser for the Refugee
and Asylee Programs of Lutheran Family Services. This one-time only free
concert is Sunday, December 17th at 3:00 p.m. Augustana Lutheran Church,
5000 E. Alameda Ave., Denver. For more information call
303-388-4678.
St. Luke Welcomes Oboist on Christmas Eve
The
members of St. Luke Lutheran Church and the Albuquerque community welcome
Joseph Robinson, recently retired principal oboist with the New York
Philharmonic. On Christmas Eve Mr. Robinson will perform the Christmas
Concerto by Ancangelo Corelli and "Before the Marvel of this Night," by
Carl Schalk. Both pieces will be played as part of the 7:30 p.m. worship
service at St. Luke, accompanied by his wife, violinist Mary Kay Robinson
and organist Frederick Frahm. St. Luke is at 9100 Menaul Boulevard NE in
Albuquerque.
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Upcoming Events | |
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Prayers for Peace
Each
Monday from 12 noon to 12:30 p.m. during Advent (December 11 and 18)
Trinity Lutheran Church, 2200 Broadway, Boulder, will be offering prayers
for peace. This time of scripture, song and prayers, both silent and
corporately, will be conducted by Pr. Mark Twietmeyer. It is suggested
that if you are unable to attend, you set the alarm on your clock or watch
and offer prayers for peace in your families, community and the
world.
Adviento: West
Denver Bilingual Advent Services
On Wednesdays throughout December
(13 and 20), at 7:00pm, Good Shepherd Lutheran Church and Iglesia Luterana
Cristo Rey will be preparing hearts and minds for Christmas in both
Spanish and English. The first two (December 6 and 13) will be held at
Good Shepherd (770 S. Federal Blvd); the third (12/20) will be held at
Cristo Rey (501 Raleigh St). For questions, call Pastor Jay McDivitt
(303.936.4859) or Pastor Armando Rangel (303.934.6948).
Build
and Travel in Jordan – and Visit the Holy Land
Pastor Paul
Gilbertson is planning to lead a group of persons to Jordan to participate
in a Thrivent Builds Worldwide project – February 8 – 20. The option of
adding a trip to Bethlehem, Jerusalem and Nazareth has recently been
announced on the web site: www.caringtomakeadifference.com Registration
deadline for the February trip is December 15. Feel free to print this
announcement or notify persons you feel may be interested. There is
financial assistance available for Thrivent members.
Give
Yourself a Gift this Advent Season
Come to a Called Back to the
Well Clergy Day Apart December 18th. All ministers are invited to a
monthly day apart at the Norbertine Center in Albuquerque. The next Clergy
Sabbath will be Monday, December 18, continuing the 3rd Monday of each
month. We will begin at 9:30 am and end by 4:00 pm. Cost for the day is
$20 and includes lunch. You may choose to attend one day or all of the
days. An RSVP would be appreciated. Contact Sue Joiner for more
information: mailto:sjoiner@samaritancc.com or call 505.332.8020.
Day Apart at Iliff
This
spiritual retreat entitled Listening to Your Life is scheduled for
Saturday, January 6. Speakers are Brad and Rita Berglund. For more
information, contact Dave Lavinder at dlavinder@iliff.edu or call
303-765-3115 or Cathie Kelsey at ckelsey@iliff.edu or call her on
303-765-3103. To register for the event, contact Dave. Please register by
January 2.
Abiding Hope Adaptive Leadership
Academy
January 15-18, 2007, in Littleton, CO: A Story for the
Questions: Forging Disciples in an Age of No Easy Answers. Info at www.abidinghopelutheran.org.
Spirituality
Conference With Thomas Troeger
The conference is January 19–20,
2007 in Denver, CO, Friday from 6:30–8:30 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. –
4 p.m.
2007 Ministry Incentive Awards
Apply before
February 15 for a Church
in Society Incentive Award of up to $1000.
Global Mission
Fiesta In Phoenix
Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church in
Phoenix, AZ, will host the ELCA’s Global Mission Fiesta, February 2-3,
2007. For information or registration visit
the web.
Healthy Congregations Facilitator Training
Denver Area on February 18-20, 2007. Contact Bill Behrens at
brbehrens@comcast.net or 303-424-6111.
Festival Of
Homiletics
One of the best preaching conferences in the country is
May 21-25, 2007. More information can be found at festivalofhomiletics.com/
or contact Pastor Garrett Struessel at 303-922-0596.
Mexico City
Trip is June of 2007
Information about the RMS trip to Mexico City
is now posted on the RMS
website. There is an information sheet and a registration form. If you
have any questions, please contact Madelyn Busse at the synod
office.
Rocky Boy Indian Reservation
Servant Learning Trip 3rd Week In Sept.2007
Native American Week at
Rocky Boy Indian Reservation co-sponsored by Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church
on the reservation and Lutheran Social Service of Utah. Email:
lssutah@yahoo.com for more information.
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ELCA Churchwide | |
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The Master Builders Program
Lutheran Men in
Mission (LMM) is the men's ministry of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in
America. We are building a dynamic ministry that addresses the needs of
men of all ages. Statistics reveal that families and congregations are
more likely to thrive when men are actively engaged in their faith. The
vision of Lutheran Men in Mission is: That every man would have a
growing relationship with Jesus Christ through an effective men’s ministry
in every congregation.
Statistics show that:
- 5.5 million women in the U.S.A. worship without their spouses.
- Many males begin to disengage from the church at about age nine.
- Men age 18-34 are the most un-churched group in America.
- Children are far more likely to continue to practice their faith
when both mother and father are actively engaged in their faith.
To find out more about Lutheran Men in Mission in your area, go
to elca.org/lmm,
click "contact us" and scroll down to find your synod leader and contact
him.
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Resources | |
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Great Couples of the Bible
by Katharina
Elliger
Marianne Grohmann
Herbert Haag
Helen Schungel-
Straumann
Dorothee Soelle
Thomas L. Weitzel
A Review by Jean
Larson, Longmont, CO
Printed in Italy - First Fortress Press Edition
2006
Using over 200 full-color illustrations and paintings from art
galleries around the world, this beautiful book tells the love stories of
Biblical couples such as Abraham and Sarah, Amnon and Tamar, Ruth and
Boaz, Job and his wife, along with countless others - in whose lives we
discover the close connection between erotic and divine love. In spite of
willfulness and waywardness, God used them for divine purposes, just as
God has done throughout history and continues to do. This compilation of
stories is written by several respected Biblical authors. A “tabletop
book”, Great Couples of the Bible would appeal to adult readers of
all backgrounds as well as couples at any stage of life together.
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Kent Mueller
phone: 303-777-6700
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