Registration is formally closed.   

For any questions regarding registration, please contact R.C. Reiman by email.

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 RMS: Youth Ministry Trainings

A series of on-site, face-to-face Youth Ministry trainings will take place throughout the RMS as part of the Practice Discipleship: The ELCA Youth Ministry Training Project.

These special trainings are being offered FREE to all youth and family ministry professionals and volunteers, whether you are or are not attending the ELCA Youth Gathering. These workshops will strengthen your ministry with young people wherever it happens: youth group meetings, mission trips, service projects, Bible study, and other events.  

Specifically, all adults accompanying youth to the ELCA Youth Gathering are encouraged to attend, as well as a representation of your high school youth registered for The Gathering - at least one youth for every five registered. The Sunday afternoon, three-hour trainings will be led by Kristen Baltrum, Gathering Coordinator and Linda Staats, Gathering Coach.  

Save the following dates for your area. Sites TBA.

Albuquerque, NM - February 26

Denver, CO - March 10

Colorado Springs, CO - March 18

Casper, WY - March - 25

Salt Lake City, UT - April 15

Ft. Collins, CO - April 29

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2012 ELCA Youth Gathering

"Citizens with the Saints"  

July 18-22, 2012 

New Orleans, LA

The Rocky Mountain Synod has 41 congregations and 590 youth and caring adults registered for the 2012 ELCA Youth Gathering. Registration ha snot closed yet, so congregations may still register.   

Keep up with all the resources and tools for your preparation by signing up for the Gathering E-News. See who else is going from our synod by checking out our own RMS Gathering web page.

Check out the many resources available to equip ALL your adults to accompany young people to New Orleans and in your every day ministry, right where you are. Info link. 

Please join us for the next meeting of the Front Range Youth Ministry Network which will take place on Thursday, January 12 at the Rocky Mountain Synod office. The meeting is expected to last from 10:00 a.m. to noon followed by conversation and a meal in a local caf�. For more information, contact Anne Maki by email.  

 Front Range Christian Education Network

Anyone who coordinates Christian Education or teaches Sunday School or leads Faith Formation in their congregation is invited to network with other paid and volunteer leaders on Thursday, January 19 at the Rocky Mountain Synod office from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.  RSVP to Linda Staats and to receive further details.    

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SAVE the DATE!  

You are invited to a "Gathering" for Rocky Mountain Synod (RMS) preschool and school directors, pastors and a school board member/staff person. The events will take place in two locations:  

• Tuesday, February 28, Cross of Hope Lutheran Church, Albuquerque
• Thursday, March 22, Denver area. Site TBA

This will be a time to network with peers, share joys and challenges, ask questions and share what works. Also, we will have an opportunity to visit someone else's school and learning center. The focus for our time together is the question, "What Does Faith Have to do With It? The Spirituality of Children."Gayle Denny, Executive Director of the Evangelical Lutheran Education Association (ELEA) will be with us. All are invited - one does not need to belong to ELEA to attend.

The cost is $10/person or $25 for three from a church and school. Each gathering is from 10:00 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. and includes lunch and free give-aways! To RSVP, email Cheryl Almquist in the synod office or call 303-777-6700/800-525-0462. If you have other questions, please contact Linda Staats by email or phone (602-740-3752).  

All congregations are to have begun or completed the process of creating Safe Haven Guidelines and procedures for their congregation and related ministries by the 2012 Assembly. The Safe Haven initiative is all about keeping children and youth safe within the congregation's ministry.

The "Safe Haven: A Resource for Congregations" is the result of diligent work by a team of people in the Rocky Mountain Synod. If you need assistance or have questions, please contact Linda Staats who will refer you to a member of the Safe Haven Task Force.

If your congregation has completed or updated your Safe Haven Guidelines, please send notification to Linda Staats, Assistant to the Bishop for Youth and Household Ministry. If your guidelines are posted on your congregation's website, please send the web link. Any comments you wish to include about the process and what these guidelines have meant for your congregation will be much appreciated.

Spanish Language and Hispanic Ministry Intensive

Open to everyone, the event will take place on the campus of the Seminary of the Southwest, located at 501 East 32nd Street in Austin, TX (78705) beginning on Sunday, May 27, 2012 and ending on Friday noon, June 1, 2012. Distinguished speakers include the Rev. Dr. Jay Alan�s, Dr. Regina Musselman and the Rev. Dr. Eliseo P�rez-Alvarez

Many important details are available on the flyer but if you require additional information, please contact Consuelo at 512-477-2666.

LSPS is an extension of Wartburg Theological Seminary and the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago.

The Lutheran Community Foundation is sponsoring a number of FREE webinars as part of their Ending Family Violence Initiative. The invitation is extended through the Office of the Secretary of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.

Some topics include:

• How to Reduce the Risk of Child Abuse in the Church
• Stop Teen Violence Before it Starts
• Domestic Violence 101 for Christian Clergy
• What to do if a Registered Sex Offender Comes to Church

  Download a complete list of topics with their summaries

All of the seminars are free and open to anyone but attendees need to register online.

Put Your Faith Into Action

 Turning the Corner from Charity to Justice 

The Border Servant Corps will host two "Servant Stomp" events in January, 2012: The first will be Saturday, January 21 and the second will be on Saturday, January 28.

Las Cruces, New Mexico

On Saturday, January 21, 2012 from 10:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m., the "Servant Stomp" event will take place at Peace Lutheran Church. Peace is located at 1701 East Missouri in Las Cruces, NM (88001). The suggested cost for the event is $10 with lunch included. Please make reservations before January 18, 2012 by emailing Kari or call her on 575-522-7119 (ext. 16).  Please download, print and post  the flyer to help get the word out. 

El Paso, Texas

On Saturday, January 28, 2012 from 10:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m., the event will take place at Iglesia Luterana Cristo Rey. Cristo Rey is located at 1010 East Yandell Drive in El Paso, TX (79902). The suggested cost for the event is $10 with lunch included. Please make reservations before January 25, 2012 by emailing Kari or call her on 575-522-7119 (ext. 16). Please download, print and post the flyer to help spread the word about the event. 

The annual Lutheran Advocacy Ministry Bishop's Legislative Luncheon will be Thursday, February 2.  Make plans to attend and be sure to make your reservation (or a reservation for a group from your congregation!) to attend this annual gathering which will be held at La Fonda in Santa Fe beginning at 12:30 p.m. Rocky Mountain Synod Bishop Allan Bjornberg will speak at the luncheon and will also share a message with us during the Issues Briefing in the morning prior to the luncheon. The day will begin at 9:00 a.m. at Christ Lutheran Church (1701 Arroyo Chamiso) with registration, fellowship and an opportunity to learn more about the issues for which Lutheran Advocacy Ministry-New Mexico will be advocating throughout 2012. 

The cost of the luncheon is $30 person ($25 per person when 4 or more people from a congregation or organization make reservations by January 26).  If you are only attending the morning issues briefing, the cost is $5.  Please contact Lutheran Advocacy Ministry-NM by phone (505-984-8005) or email lutheranadvocacy@yahoo.com to make reservations or for more details. The deadline for reservations is January 30.