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eConnection
weekly email of the
Rocky Mountain Synod
May 8, 2012 |
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Greetings!
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Assembly summary and resources
A "Landscape" newsletter summary of assembly highlights, hundreds of photos, and videos of key portions of the assembly are posted for viewing online. The videos may be downloaded onto your computer (click on the "vimeo" logo then scroll down to "download") to use in places where you might not have an Internet connection. View all assembly resources.
Gratitude for assembly offerings
Over $19,000 were received in assembly offerings for three purposes:
RMS Outdoor Ministries: $4785 ELCA World Hunger: $9039 Seeds of Hope - Companion Synods: $5286 Thank you! |
| OUR LIFE TOGETHER | Sixth Sunday of Easter
O God, you have prepared for those who love you joys beyond understanding. Pour into our hearts such love for you that, loving you above all things, we may obtain your promises, which exceed all we can desire: through Jesus Christ, your Son and our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
Prayer from Sundays and Seasons Year B 2012
Installation of Pastor Knutson at Our Savior's, Greeley
The community of Our Savior's Lutheran Church cordially invites you to join them for the Service of Installation for Pastor John Knutson. The installation will take place at the 10:40 a.m. worship service with Bishop Allan Bjornberg of the Rocky Mountain Synod presiding. A cake reception will follow the service and all are welcome to attend.
Synod Prayer Cycle: Boulder/Broomfield Conference
You are encouraged to include the listed leaders in your Sunday prayers of the people. The prayer lists for May and June are available. to remember in prayers on 5/6: Cross of Christ Broomfield, CO Ann Hultquist, Kathleen Armstrong, First Longmont, CO Steven Berke, Paul Judson
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ELCA MALARIA CAMPAIGN IN THE RMS
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Making Malaria History through the ELCA Malaria Campaign
Saturday, May 12 at 5:00 p.m.
Did you know that a child dies every 45 seconds from malaria? Have you heard about the ELCA Malaria Campaign but don't know much about malaria or the work of the campaign?
Trinity Lutheran Church, Fort Collins, CO, invites you for worship and conversation with Jessica Nipp, Coordinator of the ELCA Malaria Campaign on Saturday, May 12 at 5 p.m. Worship begins at 5:00pm with Jessica Nipp preaching. Following worship there will be food and conversation with Jessica about the work of the ELCA Malaria Campaign. Bring your questions and your friends!
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HELP IMPROVE LITERACY in the COMMUNITY
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 Cristo Rey - El PasoLa Mansi�n After School Enhanced by Parent and Volunteer Participation
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.
 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.
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MISSION TRIP TO GERMANY
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June 2013 Education Event connects U.S. and German Churches Pastor Stephanie Kopsch of St. Andrew Lutheran Church in Arvada, CO, (and a native of Germany) invites participants to travel to Germany next June in a relationship-building trip. Up to eight clergy from the Rocky Mountain Synod will join six from the Oklahoma-Kansas Conference of the UCC and fourteen from the Evangelische Landeskirche Baden for a joint Continuing Education Event focusing on the Heidelberg Confession. It will include a weekend in a German congregation with one of the German participants. The event will be in English overall, but some familiarity with German may be helpful. The German church is heavily subsidizing the cost. Ten days in Germany, beginning on June 14, 2013, will cost 250 Euros, which translates into $325-350 for all overnight stays, most meals, and travel within Germany. (It doesn't include the airfare to Germany, of course.) Please contact Stephanie by email StephanieTKopsch@q.com or phone 303-421-5197 for more information. 
photo above is of the Seat of the "Evangelische Landeskirche in Baden" (Protestant church in Baden) in Karlsruhe |
RAINBOW TRAIL RETREATS
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 "Into the Wild" Camping Experience at RTLC 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. |
CREATION CARE
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GreenFaith - Lutherans Restoring Creation Announce Environmental Collaboration
with ELCA Congregations
GreenFaith, a national program promoting religious leadership in environmental stewardship, and Lutherans Restoring Creation (LRC) have announced a collaboration to enroll Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) congregations nationwide in the GreenFaith Certification Program. This unique program helps houses of worship become environmental leaders, reduce their operating expenses, and attract new members.
To launch the collaboration, GreenFaith is underwriting 50% of the tuition of 20 churches. Upon completing the Program, the churches will be certified as GreenFaith Sanctuaries and will contribute to strengthening the ELCA's environmental ministry.
Visit the website to participate in an upcoming webinar or to learn more.
 Lutherans Restoring Creation (LRC) is a grassroots movement promoting care for creation in the life and mission of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). GreenFaith is a leading interfaith environmental coalition, serving diverse religious institutions nationwide.GreenFaith will offer free webinars so that interested church leaders can learn more about this opportunity. The hour-long webinars will be on: Thursday, May 17th, 8:00 pm. ET and Wednesday, June 20th, 8:00 p.m. ET Recordings of the webinars will also be available after each date. Register now for a live webinar or the recording.
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NEW JOB POSTINGS
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Equipping Minister Needed at Abiding Hope
Abiding Hope Lutheran Church in Littleton, CO, is in search of an Equipping Minister (full time) is to work with the Lead Team to generate a culture of equipping all to be the heart, hands and feet of Jesus in the world toward the vision of a wholly unleashed faith community.
The Equipping Minister will be responsible for investing in the leaders of Abiding Hope, both paid and unpaid, to ensure that they have a clear understanding of the vision and mission of the congregation and a clear plan and strategy for how their particular areas of responsibility align and support the vision and mission. The Equipping Minister (link to job description) will be responsible for establishing ongoing assessment processes by which to monitor the progress and direction of individual ministries and the congregation as a whole.
Applications will be accepted from May 3 until May 25, 2012. You may contact Pastor Doug by email or phone (303-972-1283) or visit the website.
 Seeking Choir Director for 2012-13 Season and Beyond Atonement Lutheran Church in Lakewood, CO is in search of a choir director for the 2012-13 Choir season...and beyond. The objective of the Choir Director position is to assist in developing creative and engaging worship experiences to enrich the connection with God through the inspired combination of music, spoken word and worship ritual through the Traditional and Contemporary Worship Settings in collaboration with the worship and music ministry team, the choir members and the pastor. A complete job description and church profile can be requested from the church office or from our website: http://www.atonement-denver.org/. Please heed you call and submit your cover letter and resume' to the church office by June 1, 2012.
Atonement Lutheran Church - ELCA is located at 6281 W. Yale Avenue in Lakewood, CO (80227). Phone: 303-985-1122.
 Abiding Hope Seeks a Children's Minister (Part-time)
This position reports to Pastor Chad Johnson and you may contact him by email or phone (303-972-1283). Applications will be accepted from May 3 to May 25, 2012.
 Preschool Director Needed
Bethel Christian School/Bethel Lutheran Church seeks a person to be their preschool director. The director of Bethel Christian School manages and oversees the school and staff to ensure quality, Christian early childhood education. Specific requirements would include but are not limited to a director's certification and a degree in Early Childhood Education is preferred but not required. The applicant must be highly motivated with a strong Christian faith and some knowledge of the Lutheran church. If you are interested, please submit resume to Bethelchristianschool77@gmail.com. Resumes will be accepted through May 12, 2012. No phone calls please.
 Position Available: Director of Faith Formation
Note: Deadline to apply is this Friday, May 11. Trinity Lutheran Church in Fort Collins, CO is excited to announce that they are seeking 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." 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.
These and other open positions can be found on the Rocky Mountain Synod's website. |
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Every Person, Every Congregation, Every Ministry, Boldly Serving God's Mission in Christ
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THIS WEEK
Bishop Allan Bjornberg
Visiting with the Utah Conference at Zion Lutheran Church, Salt Lake City. UT; Installation of Pastor John Knutson at Our Savior's Lutheran Church, Greeley, CO.
Visiting with the Call Committee of Trinity Lutheran Church, Las Cruces, NM; Visiting with the Call Committee of Lutheran Church of Our Redeemer, Fort Morgan, CO; Stewardship Dinner with the congregation of Ascension Lutheran Church, Cheyenne, WY.
Visiting with the Southeastern Colorado Conference, First Lutheran Church, Colorado Springs, CO.
Conclude the Canadian Forum, hosted by ELCA Global Missions, Chicago, IL Available by email
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CALENDAR |
JULY 16-18
ELCA MYLA & DAYLE
New Orleans, LA
JULY 18-22
ELCA Youth Gathering
New Orleans, LA SEPTEMBER 23 Installation of Rocky Mountain Synod Bishop
BETHANY LUTHERAN CHURCH Cherry Hills Village, CO. SEPTEMBER 23-25 Fall Theological Conference/ Bishop's Convocation
EMBASSY SUITES Denver, CO. 2013 MAY 2-4 2013 RMS Assembly Loveland, Colorado SEPTEMBER 23-26 Theological Conference Estes Park, Colorado
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UTAH
| submit Utah news or photos
Diaconal Minister Leslie Whited Celebrates 30 Years of Dedication to Justice-based Church and Society Projects
  Thirty years ago, Leslie began the staff-professor-student egalitarian collaboration on Loyola University of Chicago ca
mpus. The project highlighted a month of faculty lectures on "Nucl
ear Winter and the Qu
est for Peace. She remembers receiving a surprising telephone call out of the blue from the Vice President of Loyola University with the question, 'How can I financially support your endeavor?'"
Often introduced at Seminary as the "Activist Seminarian," Leslie Whited co-organized the Women's Center, the annual Martin Luther King celebration, and student negotiations with faculty for inclusive hiring. All of these projects were on a volunteer basis, with student living funded through her work as an indexer at the American Theological Library Association in Chicago.
 Over the years, Leslie has experienced tremendous joy in service as a private Lutheran school teacher in math, science and reading (Pennsylvania); an advocate and staff supervisor for families & children and dual-diagnosis clients experiencing homelessness (Massachusetts/Utah) battered women's advocate and court visitation supervisor (Minnesota). The last 16 years, Leslie has passionately served at Lutheran Social Service of Utah, an ELCA affiliated, inter-faith and community-wide social ministry organization as its chief executive officer (www.LSSU.org). Lutheran Social Service of Utah has received a number awards to highlight the great work of the organization.
You too can help LSS Utah celebrate. In lieu of anniversary gifts though, please send monetary contributions by check made out to: Lutheran Social Service of Utah (4392 South 900 East SLC, Utah 84124).
All anniversary monetary gifts will support LSS of Utah programs benefiting home-bound seniors, refugee and first generation families, disaster response victims, and unemployed or extremely low-income individuals and families. The entire article is available.
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NEW MEXICO and EL PASO, TEXAS
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Cross of Hope, Albuquerque Celebrates 30 Years
On May 20, at 1:00 p.m., Cross of Hope Lutheran Church and Schools will celebrate it's 30th Anniversary with a luncheon and program. They welcome others to join them for this special occasion. Please RSVP to the church office at office@crossofhope.org by May 15 if you would like to attend. The church is located at 6104 Taylor Ranch Road NW, Albuquerque, NM 87120.
Cross of Hope Albuquerque Retirement-Farewell Service On June 2 at 5:30 p.m. and June 3 at 8:30 a.m. and 10:45 a.m., Cross of Hope Church and Schools will conduct a retirement/farewell service for Pastor Dale G. Bauer who retires on that day. Bishop Bjornberg will preside for the service. A reception will take place after each service. Guests are welcome to attend any of the three services and receptions. Cards and letters are being collected for Pastor Bauer and may be sent via email to the church office at office@crossofhope.org or by mail to 6104 Taylor Ranch Road NW, Albuquerque, NM 87120. Pastor Bauer has served at Cross of Hope Church and Schools since May 21, 1989 and his visionary leadership will be truly missed.
Events |
| COLORADO | submit Colorado news or photos
 Welcome to: "An Evening with Herb"
Tonight!
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).
Clergy Witness Network 1st Anniversary Celebration
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.
Dialogue & Goal Setting with Immigrant Partners:
How have you been transformed by working together?
What can we do together in the coming year?
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.
Lunchbox Express Program ...because hunger doesn't take a vacation. Last summer Lunchbox Express started a program to deliver summer lunches to kids, in their neighborhoods, during the traditional summer vacation. Lunchbox Express operates with the Food Bank of the Rockies as their fiscal agent; uses a re-purposed mini-school bus and have support of the Englewood school district. 6000 meals were distributed during the 11 weeks of vacation by making 4 stops at 4 Englewood school playgrounds between 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. At the moment, though, only 10 out of 100 kids in Colorado that qualify for free and reduced fee lunches are receiving any food support when school is not in session.  Two parks are being added in Englewood and Sheridan this summer and through a generous donor, Lunchbox Express will be operating a second bus this summer in and around the neighborhood of Westwood (Federal Blvd between Alameda and Louisiana), stopping at Munroe, CMS and Goldrick Elementary schools. The success of this program is dependent on the support of the communities where the program operates, both in recruiting volunteers, and spreading the word that free food is available all summer at the specific sites. Pastors, ministers and other members of the community could help bring public awareness to the serious issue of kids being without access to food during the summer months; and programs like Lunchbox Express that can help get the food out into the community. The summer schedule is still being finalized but to get general information about the program and how it works in the community, check out the website, visit their facebook page or view a short video.
Saint Peter Lutheran Church Presents: Swingtime in the Rockies -
a Benefit Performance  You and the community are invited to join with Saint Peter Lutheran Church on Wednesday, May 16 at 7:30 p.m. to celebrate "SWAZZ" - Swingin' JAZZ music!! The program will feature Dez Rubano and Friends and the event will take place at the Lone Tree Arts Center, 10075 Commons Street, Lone Tree, CO.
Tickets are $25 and can be purchased through the website or by calling 720-509-1000.
 Our Savior's , Greeley Presents: the Thiel Choir of Greenville, PA
The forty-voice Thiel Choir from Thiel College in Greenville, Pennsylvania, will present a concert at 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday evening, May 16, 2012 at Our Savior's Lutheran Church, located at 1800 21st Avenue in Greeley, CO (80631). The performance is part of the Thiel Choir's 2012  western states tour. The choir will perform a variety of sacred works by Palestrina, Helvey, Lauridsen, Ijames, Madiera, Tate, Raminsh, Ramsey, Lutheran composers F.Melius Christiansen, Kenneth Jennings and Robert Wetzler, as well as arrangements of spirituals by Moses Hogan and Paul Weber. The program will include works which celebrate the life of Christ, the earth and Native American culture. There will be no charge for admission; however, a freewill offering will be taken. For more information about the concert, please contact the church office at 970-352-4816. |
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Communications Staff
Rocky Mountain Synod
800-525-0462 / 303-777-6700
Announcements for
eConnection are due before noon on Monday for the issue the following
day. Event announcements are included for two weeks. Please submit your
announcement at the time it should appear.
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