O God, we thank you for your Son, who chose the path of suffering for the sake of the world. Humble us by his example, point us to the path of obedience, and give us strength to follow your commands, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.

Erich Hartenberger to be Ordained Aug. 28  

The community of Messiah Lutheran Church in Albuquerque, NM, invites you to join them for the Service of Ordination for Erich Hartenberger on Sunday, August 28 at 10:30 a.m. Bishop Bruce Burnside of the South-Central Synod of Wisconsin will be presiding and Pastor Tim Orlowski will assist. Everyone is welcome.

Erich has been called to serve a two-point parish in the South-Central Synod of Wisconsin.  The parishes are St. John's in Leland and Zion in Rock Springs.

God's Positioning System  

November 18-20, 2011

at Estes Park 

This year, one adult will register for every five youth (all of matching genders!). In the registration process, the adult and youth will register in room groups. Please read the registration materials carefully, and use the "Registration Worksheet for Assigning Rooms" to assist in preparing for online registration.

The RMS is one of the stops on the Citizens with the Saints  pre-tour concerts featuring AGAPE and Rachel Kurtz. They will be featured at this year's Senior High Youth Gathering, November 18-20. Download a schedule/poster and get more details at the SHYG website .  

 
Equal Exchange is excited to introduce its fairly traded, extra virgin organic olive oil from the Palestinian Agricultural Relief Committees (PARC).  PARC is a non-partisan, nonprofit organization that works to increase the economic viability of small-scale farming, helps olive growers compete in the export market, supports women's economic empowerment, and promotes sustainable growing practices.
 
Equal Exchange believes this is a positive step in a region of the world facing a multitude of complex challenges. Learn more about PARC and this wonderful olive oil, here.    

The olive oil is packaged in 500 ml bottles. Order a case of twelve bottles for $138 ($11.50 per bottle). Or, order fewer than twelve for $15.99 each. A case of olive oil, like any order over $135, qualifies for free shipping! Place your order today at lwrcoffee.com or call 774-776-7340 M - F, 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. EST.

2012 ELCA Youth Gathering Training Scheduled for  

Grand Junction

American Lutheran Church in Grand Junction, CO, will host a "Get Ready" training from 2:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. on Sunday, August 28. All congregations on the Western Slope are invited to send staff and volunteers to learn more about how mission trips and participation in the ELCA Youth Gathering can be faith forming. The session will include all the essential Gathering details plus much more!

These gatherings are for anyone who has already decided to attend, is undecided, or definitely not going, as the training includes the essentials for leading faith forming, youth ministry. The trainings will be led by Kristen Baltrum, RMS Gathering Coordinator. To RSVP, please call, text (303-817-5482) or email Kristen.

The RMS is one of the stops on the Citizens with the Saints  pre-tour concerts featuring AGAPE and Rachel Kurtz. They will be featured at this year's Senior High Youth Gathering, November 18-20. Download a poster and view the details at the SHYG website.

Please send college student names to:

Remember the two excellent videos of RMS ministries shown at our assembly last spring? Each congregation received a DVD with three videos total, to be used at adult forums, bible studies, church groups, and in worship. Each video also includes Bible Study materials and a one-page devotional to use as you desire. The printed materials are also located on the DVD as data files. Be creative with ways to tell and share these excellent stories!

 View the videos online and download the materials.

From July 22 - 24, 2011, hundreds of men from across the nation met in Denver, CO at the Denver Marriott DTC for the tri-annual Lutheran Men in Mission Gathering.  Lutheran Men in Mission is the men's ministry of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. The 2011 Gathering  gave men the opportunity to build their faith, relationships and ministry, and provide for ongoing leadership development.     

Dale Horkey, official photographer for the event, has put together a nice collection of images for those who attended the event to view. Check out the photos at:

http://photoprose.printroom.com/lmm .  

photo courtesy of Dale Horkey 

A series of interfaith events are being planned in Denver for the weekend of 9-11 including workshops, concerts, dialogues, cultural exchanges and a community-wide interfaith worship service on Sunday evening. A Sunday bulletin insert and information sheet with several choices has been prepared to assist participants with their decisions. 

"A Multifaith Service of Remembrance, Healing and Hope" St. John's Cathedral (main sanctuary)

1350 Washington Street, Denver, CO 80203, on Sunday, September 11 - 6:00-7:15 p.m.  This service of music, word and symbolism will be lead by leaders of the three Abrahamic faiths. For more information and additional events go to www.multifaithdenver.org

The Worship Committee of the Metro D.C. Synod has developed a resource to commemorate the anniversary of September 11 to help us remember the ways our senses and our souls were affected that day. Congregations are invited to use the Entrance Rite including prayers, litany and hymn suggestions. 

A four-part presentation

Dr. Carol Bertrand of the Rocky Mountain Synod (ELCA) Global Mission Committee has developed a four session curriculum to show how our church is accompanying churches around the world--how we are walking together in solidarity that practices interdependence and mutuality.     

Global Mission's work in the ELCA is divided into four main categories: Africa, Asia, Europe and the Middle East, and Latin America. Each region studied includes information on its history, government, the people, the language(s), animals, food (with one or more recipes given), and religion, focusing on the presence of the Lutheran Church in general and the ELCA in particular.

Download .pdf copy of the document 

THIS SATURDAY IN GLENDALE
Metro Denver Community Fitness Fair to Highlight Areas of Well-being August 27

You're invited to a FREE Community Fitness Fair entitled, "Passport to Well-being" taking place on Saturday, August 27 at the Infinity Park Event Center from 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.  

The Community Fitness Fair is a joint effort of the Denver area ELCA Parish Nurses and the Rocky Mountain Region of Thrivent Financial for Lutherans. The workshops, displays and activities all represent one or more areas of wellness: social/interpersonal, emotional, physical, financial, vocational, intellectual and spiritual, as depicted on The Wholeness Wheel. There is also an opportunity to share our blessings by reaching out to help others by making donations to Lutheran Family Services Refugee and Asylee Programs and Metro CareRing .

Please use the bulletin insert   to invite your members to come and participate as well as bring their friends and neighbors. We are encouraging all participants to "Do One Thing Differently" because of their experiences at the fair. For more details including a map and schedule of events go to  www.rmselca.org/wellbeing.  

Taiz� at Saint Paul-Denver is Cancelled for August

We will NOT have a Taiz� service during the month of August, but will return full-force in September!  If you have any interest in helping to lead or plan upcoming services, please contact Jeff Steen by email or phone (303-547-8760).

Immanuel-Greeley Hosts a Lazarus HIV/AIDS Fundraiser

An estimated 22.5 million people living with HIV resided in sub-Saharan Africa in 2009, representing 68% of the global HIV burden.

As a calling from God to walk hand-in-hand with our brothers and sisters in Africa, Immanuel Lutheran Church is hosting a Silent Auction and Dinner to be held Saturday, August 27 from 5:00 - 7:30 p.m. at Immanuel in Greeley, CO. The church is located at 1865 14th Street. All proceed from the Lazarus HIV/AIDS Fundraiser silent auction and dinner will go to the Lutheran Communion in Southern Africa (LUCSA) for education and awareness of HIV/AIDS prevention in Southern African countries. Additional funding to supplement the fundraiser proceeds will be provided through the Weld County Chapter of Thrivent Financial for Lutherans.

If you cannot attend the dinner but would like to support the work of LUCSA through this fundraiser, please send a check payable to WCCTFL to Immanuel Lutheran Church by August 29. This is a great opportunity to make a difference for thousands of our brothers and sisters in southern Africa.

We give so that others may live.

Your Invitation to the  

Operation One Nation Gala

As a member of Operation One Nation, a military family support group, developed by Bethany Lutheran Church, Project Sanctuary would like to invite all members of the Rocky Mountain Synod to our Annual "1940's USO Style Swinging Goodtime GALA" Saturday, August 27, 2011 at Wildlife Experience located at 10035 South Peoria in Parker (80134). Download the poster for details.

Honoring our military families, this evening will include dinner, dancing and a silent auction. Keynote Speaker will be Colonel David W. Sutherland, Special Assistant to the Joint Chiefs of Staff. For more information and tickets about this fun filled evening, please go to  www.projectsanctuary.us.

 

"Out in the Silence"  

Finding Ways and Making Efforts to
Eliminate School Bullying 

Join One Colorado and the Creative Center for Spiritual Living for a screening and discussion of Out in the Silence, "a stunning documentary" (Philadelphia Inquirer) about the harrowing, ultimately successful battle of a gay teen and his mother against recalcitrant school authorities when the teen is brutally attacked for coming out in his rural Pennsylvania high school. Screenings of Out in the Silence are a way to start a conversation about how we can work together to ensure that LGBT students are safe and respected in local schools. Screenings are:

  August 25 Loveland
  August 27 Greeley
  September 9 Buena Vista 

 See sites and details of the scheduled screenings.  

A Lutheran mother of a gay son echoes the feelings of others with gay children of how disappointed she in the failure of most churches to step up and engage congregations in dialog about ensuring all children and young adults can be themselves and be assured of a safe, bully free environment not only at school but at our churches as well. "I hope our churches can become places where ALL means ALL when proclaiming that God loves All of us and died for All of us." 

  

You Are Invited to a "Grand Opening" and Dedication Celebration   

The Evangelical Lutheran Church of America, the Rocky Mountain Synod and Rejoice Lutheran Church cordially invite you to attend two exciting celebrations! The"Grand Opening" celebration of Rejoice Lutheran Church's new "Church House" at 3413 Lowell Lane, Erie, CO (80516), is Sunday, August 28 from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m., with a concert featuring the vocal band "Face" at 6:00 p.m.  Come to enjoy food, fellowship, and fun, including "bouncies" and other games for the kids. The "Church House" is the renovated home that was located on the five-acre church site.  

The Dedication of this "first phase" facility will be on Sunday, September 11 at 2:00 p.m. Bishop Allan Bjornberg is dedicating and preaching. Please join Pastor Ruby Narucki and the community of Rejoice Lutheran Church for all the festivities!.   

A Call To Action - Providing Hunger Relief  for Metro Denver 

The congregation of Bethany Lutheran Church in Cherry Hills Village is asking the community to join it in providing hunger relief. Metro CareRing is challenging people in the Denver area to join Avenues of Hope:  9.10.11. Please take just a few minutes to watch the video from Metro CareRing. Avenues of Hope: Hunger Stops Here (9.10.11) is a community movement to eradicate hunger by educating, motivating and encouraging everyone to give! Please check out the website to see how you might be able to Help. Thank you for being a hunger relief advocate for the hungry here in Denver!

The goal for faith communities in the metro-Denver area is to collectively raise $120,000 on or before September 10, 2011 (9.10.11) and to collect 120,000 lbs. of food. There are a number of ways to participate:  

• Pledge to do "a dollar per day" or a "pound per day" or BOTH
• Promise to gather "a pound of food each day" for 100 days
• Share ideas that you have; and
• Pray, so collectively we end hunger in our community.

Stay tuned for news and events about where and how to give your "dollar per day" and where to bring your offerings of food., so that enough food for all hungry people in Denver can be collected. Money to sustain the hungry of Colorado will also be gathered. Be a part of it!

10th Anniversary "Give a Second Wind" 5K Run/Walk and Music Festival is September 18 

Come out for a festival of life as more than 3,000 walkers, runners and music lovers gather at the Jeffco Fairgrounds, located at 15200 West 6th Avenue in Golden (80401), for the largest suicide prevention event in the nation. We'll be celebrating our Tenth Anniversary with a FREE BBQ lunch, cookies, massages, t-shirts, concert by "Opie Gone Bad" and other local bands, kids' activities, and memorial dove release.

You have the opportunity to run 5k or walk 3 miles through the neighborhoods surrounding the Jeffco Fairgrounds or stroll one mile within the Fairgrounds. Prizes will be offered for pledge raisers and largest teams.  

You may register online by going to  www.swfmd.org  

• June - August:
  $15 for students and seniors, $30 for adults.
•  September 1 -14:
  $18 for students and seniors, $33 for adults.
•  After September 14:
  $21 for students and seniors, $41 for adults.
• Fee Waived for Fundraisers:
  $50 in pledges waives fee for students and seniors, $100 in pledges waives fee for adults.
• Offline registration fees are higher.  
• No mail-in registrations after September 14.

For more information, you may visit the website.  For questions, please  send an email or call 720-962-0706.

New Beginnings 13^th Annual Celebration Dinner and  Fundraiser 

On September 24, New Beginnings 13^th Annual Celebration Dinner and Fundraiser will take place at Holy Cross Lutheran Church in Wheat Ridge, CO featuring a silent auction, dinner, entertainment, and awards. Mark IV will be on hand offering their musical gifts throughout the evening. Also, many hand knitted and crocheted items from the women on the inside will be available at the silent auction.   

For silent auction inquiries or donation, please contact Heiko Meyer by email. (Monetary donations are also welcome.) Come and make this a night to remember and let the women know that they are cared about.

New Beginnings Church is an ecumenical ministry inside the Denver Women's Correctional Facility.   

An Evening of Worship, Fellowship and Musical Meditation Hosted by Bethany-Cherry Hills Village

Spirit in the Desert Retreat Center invites you to be their guest for an evening of fellowship and worship at 6:00 p.m. on Sunday, October 2, 2011, at Bethany Lutheran Church, located at 4500 E. Hampden Avenue in Cherry Hills Village. Come and enjoy a delicious dessert, make new friends and perhaps bump into someone you already know, and experience a jazz vespers service by "Music Serving the Word Ministries."

You are encouraged to invite members of your congregation to attend this event which brings the arts into sacred spaces. Jazz Vespers offers a musical meditation that leads the listener toward reflection and personal application of Scripture through a "Sound Scape" of contemplative worship.

The service features piano, acoustic bass, and drums as well as inspired spoken word, and multimedia experiences, all designed to nourish the soul with prayerful reflection. Paul Campbell, Executive Director, will be sharing about the ministry at Spirit in the Desert and our passion to help individuals and congregations renew and revitalize in body, mind and soul.

If you have any questions or need more information please contact Lance or Carol Jacobson at 480-201-9126 or 480-466-6053. 

 Resource for All Married Couples

A Lutheran Marriage Encounter Weekend is October 21-23, 2011 in the Denver area. To register, simply go to the website: www.GodLovesMarriage.org and sign up using your credit card.  For questions, please contact Bud & Cindy Amack by email or phone at 303-796-9119.