Mission Trip Planned for Somoto, Nicaragua July 20-29       

Trinity Lutheran Church in Loveland, CO and Loveland Habitat for Humanity invite you to participate in their annual trip to  Somoto, Nicaragua, July 20-29, 2012.  The cost of the trip is $600 plus airfare. You are welcome to join the group in building 6 homes (including homes for physically challenged folks.)  Many other projects have been initiated there through the passions of people who have gone in the past and return each year, including a wheelchair ministry, a mission church, kids' ministry; and micro-industries of sewing, baking, and English and Spanish instruction; a store, support of university students, expectant mothers, senior citizens, and more. 

Of course, your passions will add to the list! There's something for every age (we have folks coming from teens to 76.)  Trinity and Habitat for Humanity will partner with several Colorado ELCA churches. Individuals, youth groups and church groups are welcome to join them.  For more information, please contact Pastor Ed Smith at pastor.trinity@lpbroadband.net.

Essential Titles for
Congregational Libraries

Recently, Beth Lewis, President and CEO of Augsburg Fortress, had the pleasure of speaking at three worship services on "Generational Differences in the Church" and leading a Sunday morning adult forum on "Gutenberg to Google:  Effective Use of Technology for Congregations" at Cross of Life Lutheran Church near Milwaukee, Wisconsin.  

In an email received from one of their members, that member asked for advice on how to revitalize their congregational library and encourage people to use it. After a scheduled conference call and brainstorming session together a number of ideas were brought forth. During her conversations, though, Beth realized that the list of "essential titles for congregational libraries" published by Augsburg Fortress, Fortress Press and sparkhouse needed to be updated. The list is ready. 

If you are looking for a specific title or topic for your church library, it may not be represented on this updated list! You are encouraged to check out the websites, also.  And, of course, if you still can't find it, you can always contact Augsburg's Customer Care team at 800-428-3638. 

La Mansi�n After School Program currently serves 25 students, from grades 1 through 6. These students, who mostly come from the neighborhood surrounding Iglesia Luterana Cristo Rey in El Paso, come to the After School Program three days a week from 3:30 to 6:00 p.m. The Program is specifically focused on promoting academic success and high school graduation. To this end, after a healthy and sizable snack, the children spend time doing homework or working on supplemental educational activities before participating in a fun activity.

The work of La Mansi�n is greatly helped by parent involvement. Since the program is offered at no cost to parents, the program ask that parents provide a snack once a month if possible, and to help clean up the After School room once a month as well. Also, the help of volunteers is invaluable in making sure the children get fed and finish their homework! This is a good way to develop relationships between the director, church staff, volunteers, and parents.

You can help this program of literacy by first reading more information about the program and then learning how to sponsor a child. It's easy. A brochure contains the details and a sponsorship form.

USC Celebrating Silver, Service and Simplicity  

The Urban Servant Corps invites you and the community to participate in celebrating Silver, Service and Simplicity. Everyone is welcome to the 25th Anniversary Celebration and Silent Auction event which will take place on Thursday, April 19 from 6:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. at St. John's Cathedral's Dagwood Hall (14th and Washington). Tickets are $10 at the door (suggested donation).

Co-workers, family, church folk, and all friends of the Urban Servant Corps are asked to help spread the word about the event. A postcard is available to print and post for others to see. Got Facebook?! ? There are SO MANY ways to engage people around this very momentous and celebratory occasion.

Funds from the Denver Chapter of Thrivent will be matched 1:2 up to $3200.

 July 8-14, 2012

Let Rainbow Trail help prepare your graduating Seniors prepare for an awesome college experience!  RTLC's experienced college guides will lead a week long Compass Points backpacking trip that takes you literally into the wild and back again as you explore the joys and challenges that are ahead of you in college.   

Explore with faithful, experienced young adults what life with roommates is like; how to balance the pressures of work, studying, and social life; taking your faith down the mountain and into school; and other questions you have; as you trek through the amazing mountains surrounding RTLC.  Check out  

the Rainbow Trail website for more information on this  

amazing opportunity. 

Pilgrimage to the Holy Land, Greece and Turkey  

October 1-17, 2012  

A journey of faith and relationships!  

The cost of this 17-day Holy Land/Turkey/Greece tour is $4450 from Denver. Find details on the website or contact tour leader, Pastor Paul Rowold by email.

Food Crisis in West Africa Escalates - LWR Responds

A serious food crisis is brewing in the Sahel region of West Africa, a region where more than 10 million people already face the threat of hunger every day. Recent failed rains, drought and rising food costs, among other factors, now threaten an additional 3.4 million people.

 

Thanks to a generous $1.5 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Lutheran World Relief and partners are initiating Resilience Plus, a project in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger that will help vulnerable families earn immediate income while preserving their long-term agricultural livelihoods. 

 

Cash-for-work activities will provide immediate access to income for 134,000 people and help families to weather the crisis. This community work will simultaneously conserve soil and improve irrigation systems that will help grow food in the future.

Read the entire article 

.

Position Available: Director of Faith Formation

Trinity Lutheran Church in Fort Collins, CO is excited to announce that we are looking for a Director of Faith Formation. This full-time staff position will provide leadership for Trinity's vision for faith formation: "an inter-generational Christian community equipped to journey with children, youth and families in their faith formation." The Director of Faith Formation will work with our pastors, ministry team, and congregation members to offer ministry that is relational, inter-generational, and programmatic.

To learn more, please download and read our ministry description. Interested candidates are asked to email a resume and cover letter to searchteam@trinitylutheranfc.org by Friday, May 11, 2012.

If you have questions, please email searchteam@trinitylutheranfc.org or contact our church office at 970-482-1226 to be directed to our pastors or a member of the search team.

SEPTEMBER 23

Installation of Rocky Mountain Synod Bishop
BETHANY LUTHERAN CHURCH 

SEPTEMBER 23-25

Fall Theological Conference/ Bishop's Convocation
EMBASSY SUITES 

 Denver, CO. 

2013

MAY 2-4 

2013 RMS Assembly

SEPTEMBER 23-26

Theological Conference 

Want to learn to be an active listener and reach out to others in a distinctively Christian way?

On Saturday, April 21, Our Saviour's Lutheran Church in Fort Collins (80525) will host a Stephen Ministry Workshop from 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. Registration begins at 8:00 a.m. and refreshments will be served. The half-day workshop consists of three sessions designed both to enhance participants' care giving skills and to help congregations explore ways to expand their caring ministry.

The Stephen Ministry is a program that congregations use to train lay people to share the load of providing pastoral care for hurting people inside and outside of the congregation-from divorce, loss of a loved one, just about any struggle in life. Stephen Ministers provide a listening ear for months or even years, time that pastors just don't have to give. Get more information.

 "God has made a home in the heavens for the sun."  Psalm 19:4b

Lutheran Church of the Master, located at 14099 W. Jewell Avenue in Lakewood (80228) invites the community to share in an Earth Day experience, Sunday, April 22 beginning at 1:00 p.m. This time together will include:   

• Sunny music by Act of Grace
• Blessing of our solar array
• Refreshments (including sun tea!)
• Information on our solar project and other solar opportunities

For more information, please visit Lutheran Church of the Master online: www.LCMonline.org   or give them a call on 303-988-6400. 

 On Sunday, April 22, 2012 Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in Colorado Springs (80915), will welcome Linda Hartke, the president and CEO of Lutheran Immigration & Refugee Service (LIRS). Linda will lead the adult forum at 10:45 a.m. in the social hall with information about the work of LIRS.  Everyone in the community is invited to attend! 

Prince of Peace is located at 4720 Galley Road (Galley & Wooten, three blocks east of Academy and three blocks west of Powers, and one block north of Platte). For more information, please email Pastor Cruson or give him a call 719-596-5293.

(Linda will also share a temple talk at the beginning of the worship service at 9:30 a.m., but will not be preaching. In addition, Prince of Peace will be celebrating its 46^th birthday.)

Augustana Lutheran Church, located at 5000 East Alameda Avenue in Denver (80246), invites you to its 33rd Annual 9Health Fair which will take place on, Monday, April 23 and Tuesday, April 24, from 7:00 a.m. - noon.

Free screenings:

Lung Function/Sleep Apnea

Skin

Bone Health

Breast exams

Prostate/Testicular exam

Oral Health

Foot

Blood Pressure

Stress Management

Body in Balance

Blood draw screenings:

Blood chemistries          $30

PSA                              $25

Blood count                   $15

Vitamin D                      $40

Hemoglobin                   $25

Love is in the air as the Colorado Women's Chorale joins with the Denver University Men's Choir in an exciting celebration of love! In addition to selections about our favorite emotion, the choirs will give a joint performance of Wedding Cantata, by 20th Century American composer, Daniel Pinkham.

The event will take place on Saturday, April 28, 2012 at 7:30 p.m. at Bethany Lutheran Church, located at 4500 East Hampden Avenue, Cherry Hills Village (80113).

Tickets are: $8, $15 and $20.  To learn more and purchase tickets go to: www.thecoloradowomenschorale.org  

 This event is sponsored by: 

  

On Sunday April 29 at 11:30 Atonement Lutheran Church, located at 6281 West Yale Avenue in Lakewood, will host an Oxfam Hunger Banquet. This is a great family opportunity to find out more about people in the world living in extreme poverty. 

At an Oxfam America Hunger Banquet, guests randomly draw tickets that assign them to different income levels, based on the latest statistics about the number of people living in poverty. Depending on where they sit, some receive a filling dinner, while others eat a simple meal or share sparse portions of rice and water.

We hope to lift up the work of Oxfam and ELCA World Hunger, spark conversations, and raise some money for the world's hungry people. Please join us for a fun afternoon and an opportunity to do the work Christ encouraged us to do. RSVP to Cathy Bajcsi at cbajcsi@comcast.net or info@atonement-denver.org  

 Immanuel WELCA Presents: "Blessings and Blossoms" 

 Immanuel Lutheran Women (WELCA) cordially invite women of all ages to their "Blessings & Blossoms" event on Thursday, May 3, 2012 beginning at 6:00 p.m. The event will take place at Immanuel Lutheran Church, located at 1865 14^th Avenue in Greeley (80631).

The Women of Immanuel will present special guest speaker Terry Bowes...sharing "Blessings!"

Terry was the first president of the ELCA's Rocky Mountain Synodical Women's Organization and has served as interim executive director for the Women of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (WELCA).

All women are welcome to come and partake of food, fellowship, music, and door prizes! Please R.S.V.P. by Monday, April 30. For reservations/tickets, please call the church office at 970-352-3003.

Dinner prices are $5.00 per person. Children 3 and under are Free

Event Catered by: Immanuel Women of the ELCA

Women of the ELCA Southeast Colorado  

Cluster Retreat May 4-5

 

This retreat will challenge all women called to discipleship. Our theme, "Lessons for Today's Disciples," invites women to grow more deeply in their understanding of whose they are and where they are going. It will be a time of exploration and personal growth.  

• What does discipleship mean to women?
• How does it affect their response to God?
• How does walking in fellowship with God become a part of us?
• How do we walk confidently?

Registration opens at 2:00 p.m. on Friday afternoon at the historic landmark, the Abbey, near Canon City. There will be a pre-retreat reflection experience at 2:30 p.m. followed by dinner and Bible Study at 6:00 p.m. Saturday 7:00 a.m. Matins will expand our experience as we see where discipleship places us in the community of faith. The worship at 5:00 p.m. will be a moment for final reflection as we end our time together. For more information, like a list of featured speakers, lodging and registration options, please check out the brochure or visit the website of the Rocky Mountain Synodical Women's Organization (WELCA).

Would you like to see real interfaith relations in action while enjoying a great meal?  

Have dinner at Saint Paul Lutheran Church, located at 1600 Grant Street in Denver,on Friday, May 4, 2012, at 6:00 p.m. Chef Imam Ibrahim Kazerooni will be presenting Middle Eastern cuisine at a fundraiser for Ansar Pantry, featuring its Executive Director, Ms. Meraj Abdul-Qadir.

Suggested donation is $30 per person. The Pantry is a food bank serving the needy in Adams, Arapahoe, and Denver counties and was started seven years ago by MILA (Muslims Intent on Learning and Activism) with the help of Metro CareRing.    

For more information or to register, please email church secretary, Marlene Brelsford, or call her on 303-839-1432 ext. 2. An R.S.V.P. by April 27 is appreciated. 

Welcome to:
"An Evening with Herb"

Bethany Lutheran Church, located at 4500 East Hampden Avenue in Cherry Hills Village (80113), invites the community to share this opportunity to meet Herb Chilstrom, the first presiding bishop of the ELCA. The event will take place on Tuesday, May 8, 2012 with dessert and coffee with Dr. Chilstrom from 6:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. A book discussion, conversation and singing will follow from 7:00 p.m. until 8:15 p.m. in the Great Hall at Bethany.  

Dr. Chilstrom's autobiography, "A Journey of Grace," was released a few months ago and has had an enthusiastic reception across the church. Tracing his life story from birth until retirement as it intertwines with the church, the book focuses primarily on the formation and early years of the ELCA. Chilstrom will share stories from the book, including humorous incidents. Interspersed with the stories will be singing of familiar hymns and songs.

Chilstrom's book will be for sale following his presentation. He will sign books. All proceeds go to the program of New Testament studies at the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago (LSTC).

Welcome! Bring your friends, too.

You are invited to celebrate The Clergy Witness Network's first anniversary and the incredible transformative impact their partnership between clergy and immigrants has had on the broader community this last year. You helped make visible a faith commitment to immigrants and human rights, both to immigrants themselves and to the larger community. This FREE event will take place at Grant Avenue Community Center (see map) on Wednesday, May 9, 2012 from 7:45 a.m. until 9:00 a.m.

Please join a values/spiritual based dialogue between immigrant partners and clergy members. These small group dialogues will be facilitated at your tables. We'll review our past year together and look to the year ahead!

Dialogue & Goal Setting with Immigrant Partners:  

Free breakfast burritos will be provided by Centro Humanitario's Women's' Project. Please RSVP to Jennifer by email or phone (303-623-3464 ext. 5 ) by May 2 to ensure that we have enough for breakfast. You are asked to bring your reflections, spiritual grounding, and willingness to listen to the table.