Invite special friends – Take this opportunity to invite a woman to join you in enjoying the Colorado Springs landscape and to experience what Women of the ELCA is really all about. If by chance you are not able to come, help someone else to come! We will welcome guests and participants from any part of the world! There will be many opportunities to enjoy time with all your distant friends plus make new ones.

Workshops for you - With ten workshop choices and access to information about the many ministries of this great church to choose from, you are sure to find topics of interest to you no matter what your stage of life and service may be.  Read about our workshops>

How do you involve younger women?  Since this seems to be a universal question and one to which young women with analytical minds spend time developing answers and response, we have invited Cam Martin to share her insights. Cam Martin our church-wide representative is the author of the new youth diversity learning lab “Bridging the Gap” and will share in a workshop format. Her ideas are quite insightful and you won’t want to miss them!

Pre-Convention Gathering - Friday morning, September 15th will jump start your Spirit Driven weekend. Rise early in order to do some serving and heart-healthy work all at once. Take a van ride to the “Garden of the God’s” for the “stroll-walk-run benefit event”. There you will have a chance to take in the beauty of the landscape, get some fresh air and exercise, and share our gifts for love for women in need. Grow and learn by attending the “Today’s Dream–Tomorrows Reality” seminar led by Lillian Edwards and Cam Martin, and enjoy a Fruits of the Spirit tea luncheon at noon. Take care of your body temple thru health screenings, learning fun and easy ways to exercise—and oh yeah, there will be a Glamour Room too!

Who’s who: Kay Bengston of Lutheran Office of Governmental Affairs, our keynote speaker, will challenge us in identifying how Spirit Driven people can work for justice at our Friday evening service and in a workshop format. –Our chaplain Pastor Cindy Josephson will be available throughout the entire convention. Pastor Barb Lembke will share her wonderful gift of leadership, music and fun. Gail Young of Cheyenne, WY, has written a Bible Study on the Holy Spirit for presentation at the convention. Our Gathering wouldn’t be complete without Bishop Allan Bjornberg to lead who will lead worship on Sunday.

This web site contains all the information you will need to make preparations for your upcoming convention 2006. Make somebody's day by reading through everything and then, send it to your friends and other women in your church. 

There are several items with cut-off dates. Make note of these deadlines and complete the forms so you won’t miss out on any opportunity. 

The 2006 Fall Convention will be held September 15th - 17th at First Lutheran Church in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

First Lutheran Church
http://www.firstlutheranchurchcolospgs.org/ 
1515 N Cascade Ave
Colorado Springs, CO 80907
(719) 632-8836

Map and Driving Directions >

Executive Board member Cam Martin will share with us the new youth diversity learning lab, "Bridging the Gap".   This is a much anticipated topic and near and dear to those of you wishing to involve younger women in our ministries!

Pastor Cindy Josephson will be our Chaplin. 

Our keynote speaker is Kay Bengstrom, founder of the Lutheran Office of Governmental affairs. 

Read the biographies for our speakers and presenters >

1. Review the deadlines
2. Nominate two delegates from your congregation
3. Check out the pre-convention workshops and tea and other activities
4. Consider participating in our run/walk fundraiser
5. Start collecting in-kind gifts in your church/community
6. ****Register for the Convention****
7. Reserve your accommodations
8. Consider volunteering to help with the convention
9. Submit nominations for scholarships
10. Submit nominations for board members
11. Submit nominations for Women of Witness awards
12. Submit resolutions to make a difference in our Synod!  Resolutions may be submitted to: an  SWO Board officer, the Web Steward, or the  newsletter editor.

• 1 Deadline for 2006 Fall Convention Women of Witness awards

July 2006

• 1 Deadline for 2006 Fall Convention delegate registration (accepting late registrations - ASAP!)
• 15 Deadline for 2006 Fall Convention deadline early registration
• 15 Deadline for 2006 Fall Convention deadline scholarships (accepting late applications - ASAP!)

August 2006

•  18 Block of rooms for 2006 Fall Convention released

September 2006

• 1 Deadline for 2006 Fall Convention deadline refund requests
• 15 - 17 RMSWO 2006 Fall Convention, First Lutheran Church, Colorado Springs, CO. Schedule>-+ +9+2
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Use the registration form >  

Make as many copies as you need for your delegate and visitors that may also wish to attend. 

Deadline for Delegate Registrations

Delegate registration should have been mailed to the registrar, Karleen Cotton by July 1, 2006. However, we are accepting late registrations.  Make sure to get them in ASAP so that we can guarantee to have all the Convention Programs and Reports printed for you.  Karleen's address can be found on the registration form. Committee assignments for the convention are also made from the delegate roll, so it is extremely important that you register early.

Required Reading for Delegates

As a delegate, you will be voting on new board members and delegates for the next church-wide Triennial.  You may also be called to approve reports from board members and MOST IMPORTANTLY, vote upon resolutions.  Prepare yourself now! >

Several pre-convention events will be held on Friday, Sept. 15th, including:

• Today's Dream Tomorrow's Reality Workshop featuring Lillian Edwards More >
• Bridging the Gap Workshop - How to join with young women in ministry featuring Cam Martin More >
• "Fruit of the Spirit Tea" ($15) More >
• Garden of the Gods Run/Walk fundraiser  More >

Convention

• Chuck Wagon Dinner and entertainment, Friday evening
• Women of Witness Awards  More >
• Health Screening
• Massage and Pamper
• Aroma Therapy
• Friends, Fun and Fellowship
• "Spirit Filled 'Hattitudes'" - Paper hat making with Linda Slothower
• "Edibles of the Spirit. " - Creative carving of fruits and vegetables with Ginger Flynn
• "Fire and Water " - Pottery with Jenni Jenni Erickson
• "Spirited Team Building" - Developing Team Spirit with Karen Rau
• "Global Mission" with  Susan Pattison
• "THE FIRES INSIDE THE WALLS' - Christian women on fire in prison! with Pastor Emily Cardin
• "Bridging the GAP" - How to join with young women in ministry with Cam Martin
• "Letting the Spirit Loose: The Wonder of Retreats" with Pastor Barb Lemke
• "The Joy of Grace: Basics of Lutheranism" with Pastor Barb Lemke

Read the speakers bios and more info about the workshops >

• Children's Ark, Green Mountain Falls, CO
• New Beginnings Prison Ministry, Denver, CO

More info >

Rooms are available at the modest price of $69.00 a night (double to multiple occupancy) until August 18th. This includes a bountiful breakfast, free shuttle to and from the church, shopping, tours, and the airport. 

When making reservations please indicate that you are with the Rocky Mt. Synod Women of the ELCA. 

If you would like to volunteer to assist us in putting together or running this glorious event, please contact a chairman of the committee you might be interested in assisting with.  Convention committee contact info > 

"Now God gives us many kinds of special abilities, but it is the same Holy Spirit who is the source of them all. There are different kinds of service to God, but it is the same Lord we are serving. There are many ways in which God works in our lives, but it is the same God who does the work in and through all of us who are His. The Holy Spirit displays God's power through each of us as a means of helping the entire church." 1 Corinthians 12: 4-7 Living Bible

For Women of Witness and Wisdom

Not to exclude the "young-at-heart"... there are also scholarships for women to honor their faith, evangelism, and hospitality called Lydia - Woman of Witness awards.  The deadline  was July 15, 2006, but due to lack of applications, this deadline has been extended. Download an application > 

The nominating committee is seeking nominees for the positions of President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer plus 10 board members. Each position is for a two year terms. There are some of the board members that are up for re-election. The president and vice president terms are over. We will be posting the candidates in the near future. 

Nominations are being accepted for the following:

• Delegate to the 2008 Triennial Gathering Download PDF form >
• Executive Board and BOD member Download PDF form >

Read the information carefully and note the deadline. 

If you would like to spend more time in Colorado Springs, here is a list put together by our Hospitality committee >

And here are some websites with suggestions on what you might like to see and visit:

• Colorado Springs Convention and Visitors Bureau
•  Commercial Guide to Colorado Springs

The theme song will be "Spirit Driven" by Handt Hansen.

Copyright permission given to Women of the ELCA, Rocky Mountain Synod by the composer. To print, copy, and/or listen to the music, download at:

• http://www.changingchurch.org/portal-toolkit.cfm 
• http://www.princeofpeaceonline.org/about%20us-freedownloads.cfm 

Words: Available in the Sept 2004 issue of Views from the Rockies or can be found here >

Share the good news and this song of joy with the women in your congregation and cluster!