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This new
eConnection format will hopefully provide a fresh and
enjoyable format for our Rocky Mountain Synod
communications! We invite your feedback and
suggestions. |
Prayers and Celebrations
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|
 The Fourth Sunday in
Advent
Shepherd of Israel, may Jesus, Emmanuel and son of Mary, be
more than just a dream in our hearts. With the apostles,
prophets, and saints, save us, restore us, and lead us
in the way of grace and peace, that we may bear your
promise into the world. Amen
Prayer from Revised Common Lectionary
Prayers,
Consultation
on English Texts, 2002
Ann Maki consecrated as a
deaconness
Ann Maki
was consecrated as a deaconess by the Lutheran
Deaconneess Assocation (LDA) on Sunday at Atonement
Lutheran Church in Boulder, CO. The Lutheran Deaconess
Association is a free-standing organization which
recruits and educates women for the diaconate, supports
deaconesses in their varied ministries, encourages the
laity in their Christian service and serves the church
in its diaconal mission.
Synod Prayer
Cycle: Utah
Conference
You are encouraged to include these
leaders
in your Sunday prayers of the people.
Click here
for the prayer list for December and January.
Please consider including these prayer list s in your
newsletters and bulletins as a means of connecting your
congregations with others in
the Rocky Mountain
Synod.
to remember in prayer at worship on
12/23
Prince of Peace North
Logan, UT
.....Corrine Thul
Shepherd of the
Mountains Park City, UT
St. Matthew's
Salt Lake City, UT
.....Gordon Young
Tree of
Life Provo, UT
Zion Salt Lake City,
UT
.....Steve Klemz
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| Youth Gathering Update |
New
Requirement:
Background Checks Required for
Gathering Volunteers
The safety of our youth
is of supreme importance. Our Synod Insurance
company has informed us that they require documentation
that all adults accompanying youth to the gathering as a
Chaperone have undergone a background check.
Therefore, each participating congregation will be asked
to provide documentation that this has been
accomplished. A form for that purpose will be
included in the post-registration materials. Many
congregations already have current background check
procedures in place. We are currently researching
the easiest and most cost effective means for
congregations to complete the background check
procedure. That information will be shared as
soon as possible. A
background check is now required for 100% of our youth
gathering adult staff and volunteers.
The Middle School Youth Gathering
Registration is Underway!
Over 1000
youth and adults are registered for the gathering!! 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.
Middle School Youth
Gathering
Seeks "Guardian Angels"
The
Middle School Gathering planning team is looking for
Guardian Angels to help with the gathering. Guardian
Angels provide hospitality and mentorship to the youth
and adults that participate in the gathering. Some of
the things that the Guardians Angels are responsible for
include guidance and direction when groups arrive on
Friday evening, crowd control and welcoming at the large
group times, helping give direction during the workshop
times, help with lunch on Saturday, crowd control at
Saturday evening late night activities, and most
importantly keeping the gathering and participants in
their prayers. Guardian Angel applications will soon be
available on the website. For more information now,
please contact Jeremy Marburger,
teamtrinity@cross-of-christ.org .
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| Synod News and Events |
Register by December
20!
RMS 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. Rostered
leaders, as well as youth directors, education
directors, and other lay leaders are encouraged to
attend. Those who select a double, triple, or quad room
must submit mutual roommates on the online registration
form.
The Rocky Mountain Synod
Candidacy Committee Announces Two Discernment Retreats
for 2008
February 4, 2008 ~ Albuquerque -
St. Luke Lutheran Church, 9100 Menaul Blvd. NE -
Register by January
10.
April 16, 2008 ~ Denver -
Augustana Lutheran Church, 5000 E. Alameda - 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.
2008
Mexico City Trip is
June 10-18
Consider participating in next
summer's trip to the Lutheran Center in Mexico City.
Download an information and registration
form:
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!
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| VPA Gatherings |
VISION PASSION ACTION FALL/WINTER
GATHERINGS ANNOUNCED
A series of gatherings are taking place
for you to gather with others to bring the Vision
Passion Action conversations to your context. Three
gatherings will take place in January. 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:
JANUARY
22 Grand
Junction - Shepherd of the Valley - call
970-434-3119 to RSVP by January
15
26 Casper - Prince of Peace
- call 307-234-6475 to
RSVP by January
19
TBD Durango - Christ the
King
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Lutheran Course at
Iliff
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| An invitation to Youth Ministers, Lay Workers
and Candidates
 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. 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.
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| ELCA Churchwide |
Disability Ministries
Mentorship
The
Disability Program of the ELCA is introducing a new
program, which may benefit some rostered leaders and
candidates for ministry in the ELCA. The initiative will
support candidates or newly rostered leaders living with
a disability by providing a structured mentorship
program. They will be matched with a
mentor who will be rostered in the ELCA, experienced in
public service and leadership in our church, who is also
living with a disability.
The
first training event in April 2008 will
take place at the Marriott O¹Hare hotel in Chicago,
Illinois. This program will be completely
voluntary. It is important to stress
that this program will have no connection to the
candidacy or call process in the ELCA.
While we hope that participants will be open
about their disability with the candidacy committees,
seminaries and congregations, all information known
about the participants or their disability will be
considered privileged.
If you or
anyone you know could benefit from this program, if you
know someone who could serve as a mentor, or if you have
any questions, please contact Lisa Cleaver at
800/638-3522 ex. 2692, or lisa.cleaver@elca.org
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The Singing
Revolution
|
The Singing Revolution
Music and
singing are important and powerful elements in Lutheran
services. In fact, Martin Luther himself composed many
hymns.
Most
people don't think about singing when they think about
revolution. But song was the weapon of choice when
Estonians sought to free themselves from decades of
Soviet occupation. The Singing Revolution is an
inspiring documentary film account that tells of one
nation's dramatic rebirth. It is the story of
humankind's irrepressible drive for freedom and
self-determination. Please watch the trailer and learn
how you can request to bring the
movie to a theater near you.
| |
The Rev. Kent
Mueller
Director for Administration and
Communication
Rocky Mountain
Synod
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| Outreach |
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|
New Denver
Oromo Ministry
A new
ministry with
Oromo immigrants from Ethopia is taking root in East
Denver. Initially gathering for prayer in homes just
four years ago, the group now meets on Sunday afternoon.
Lay leadership has met with Bishop Bjornberg, Pastor Jim
Hytjan, and Pastor Gemeches Bubba who leads African
National Ministries for the ELCA. They are requesting
the presence of a mission developer to grow this
community.
Read
more... |
| Mission
Partners |
Gifts That
Continue Giving |
|
Consider giving a special Mission Partners
Holiday Gift. Please check out
the list of
needs.
|
Lenten
Opportunity
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| Becoming a Praying
Congregation--with Rev. Jane
Vennard |
A special program will take
place at Atonement Lutheran Church, Boulder, CO,
on Saturday, February 9, 2008 from 8:30 a.m.
to 1:00 p.m. Sponsored by Atonement, Mt.
Calvary and 1st Lutheran in Longmont, the program is for
the benefit of all Rocky Mountain Synod and Boulder
Conference Lutheran church members as we begin the
Lenten season.
This event is FREE to all who
attend. Check future bulletins and posters for
additional information. This event is of even greater
benefit if at least five people are representing a
congregation. Of course, individuals are welcome. Please
phone your reservation (for adequate food and supplies
purposes) to Atonement's church office (303-499-4567)
and leave the following on EXT #8 voice mail: your
name, home congregation (and # coming, if calling
as a group) and contact phone number.
Jane E.
Vennard is ordained to a special ministry of teaching
and spiritual direction in the United Church of Christ.
She is senior adjunct faculty of prayer and spirituality
at the Iliff School of
Theology. |
| Events |
|
Rainbow Trail Confirmation
Retreat is Jan 4-6. Info at www.rainbowtrail.org. Bethany Lutheran Church,
Cherry Hills Village, Colorado, kicks off its Centennial
Year on Sunday, January 13, Baptism of our Lord
and on Sunday, January 27, with a FOUNDERS DAY liturgy.
For more information, call the church, 303-758-2820 or
consult the website, www.bethany-denver.org
. Academy for
Adaptive Leadership and Spiritual Formation is January
14-17 at Abiding Hope Lutheran Church, Littleton,
CO. This year's theme is: RE-FORMATION. Visit www.abidinghopelutheran.org.
A Winter
Workshop for Resource Development Professionals
is 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'Free
Retreat is 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 register, visit www.rainbowtrail.org
. RMS Next Step
Team Plans "Passing on the Faith" Conference 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. Denver Servant
Eventis an opportunity to come together with
other Lutherans and demonstrate your faith in action.
Put May 3, 2008, (8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.) on your
congregation calendar. Contact Pamela McClune at (303)
623-7558. 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. Please contact
Pastor Ed and Cheryl Smith for more information:
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. Contact Jan
Miller at jan@stpauldenver.org for a brochure and more
information. More
events...
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Television
|
View In God's Name on Dec.
23
|
The long awaited
documentary, In God's
Name, featuring Bishop Mark S. Hanson, is set to
broadcast on the CBS television network in
prime-time on Sunday Dec. 23 at
9 p.m.
(eastern/pacific time)
8 p.m. (central and mountain
time).
It was filmed at the
Lutheran Center office in the fall of 2006 during the
Conference of
Bishops.
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