PRAYERS

50 years of ministry 

All are invited to join in celebrating 50 years of ministry served by Pastor Paul Peel
June 19, 2016 at 4:00 p.m.
First Lutheran Church
Colorado Springs

Installations


Saturday, June 11, 2:30 p.m.
Peace, El Paso, TX
Pastor Diana Linden-Johnson
rostered leaders: color is green

Sunday, June 12, 3 p.m.
St. Peter, Carlsbad, TX
Pastor Marty Singleterry (UMC)
rostered leaders: color is green 

Sunday, June 26, 3 p.m.
Bethany, Cherry Hills Village, CO
Pastor Gary Sandberg 
rostered leaders: color is green 

Saturday, July 9, 11 a.m.
Our Redeemer, Fort Morgan, CO, and Bethlehem, Brush, CO
Pastor Wes Dunbar

Saturday, July 9, 5-6 p.m.
Ascension, Cheyenne, WY
Pastor Wes Ardahl

Sunday, July 10, 4 p.m.
St. Andrew, Arvada, CO
Pastor Claire Cassell

Saturday, July 23, 11 a.m.
Ascension St. Matthew, 
Price, UT
Pastor Jim Locke 


Prayer of the Day

O God, throughout the ages you judge your people with mercy, and you inspire us to speak your truth. By your Spirit, anoint us for lives of faith and service, and bring all people into your forgiveness, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord 


CONGREGATIONS
THIS WEEK
  
Bishop Jim Gonia
  • Lilly Grant meeting, Indianapolis, IN
  • LFS Board meeting
  • Sky Ranch Commissioning 
  • Installation- Peace El Paso, TX, Diana Linden-Johnson.
  • Mount Hope El Paso
  • St. Peter, Carlsbad Installation, Marty Singleterry
Pastor Sarah Moening 
  • Congregations in Transition 
  • Interim Pastors
  • Our Saviour's Casper, WY
  • St John's, Riverton, WY
  • Trinity, Fort Collins, CO
Pastor Judith VanOsdol
  • Vacation
Pastor Kent Mueller  
  • RMS Administration
  • Interim Pastors
  • Rainbow Trail Staff Commissioning
  • Ascension WY 50th Anniversary
  • Candidacy Meeting
Erin Power, Diaconal Minister
  • Theological Conference Arrangements
Ruth Hoffman - 
Lutheran Advocacy Ministry, NM  
  • Medicaid Coalition
  • Health Care for All Coalition
Peter Severson- Lutheran Advocacy Ministry, CO
  • Policy Committee meeting
  • Cristo Rey, Denver CO
  • No Slavery, No exceptions coalition meeting

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CONGREGATIONS
CALENDAR
 

  

 

2016   



SEPTEMBER 19-22 
2016 Theological Conference 
Little America 
Cheyenne, WY

2017  

  

MAY 5-7
2017 Synod Assembly
Antlers Hilton Hotel
Colorado Springs, CO


 

 

SEPTEMBER 18-21
2017 Theological Conference

Marriott, Colorado Springs, CO

 

  

2018  

MAY 3-5
2018 Synod Assembly
Westin Hotel
Westminster, CO
 


 

  

 
Bishop Gonia's new blog: five key processes all going on now...in harmony

"A little over a month ago we met in Assembly under the theme, Many Voices - One Song.  As we move into this summer of 2016 I want to share with you how the Song we're called to sing as God's people here in the Rocky Mountain Synod is finding expression in some particular ways. Five parallel processes are taking place this summer, all components of the Song we are singing together..."

Read Bishop Gonia's blog and click on links in the blog for information about these key processes taking place in harmony together:

Soprano - Strategic Planning
Alto - Office of the Bishop Staffing
Tenor - Generosity Table/Mission Support Inventory
Bass - Lilly Grant Project                     
Rhythm - ELCA Churchwide Assembly
Lilly Endowment grant to address economic challenges facing rostered leaders

The Rocky Mountain Synod has been invited by Lilly Endowment to apply for a grant for the National Initiative to Address Economic Challenges Facing Rostered Leaders. If awarded the grant, our synod will receive up to a half a million dollars to launch our own initiative to address these challenges. 

Lilly Endowment asks that those judicatories applying for the grant conduct independent research to identify and determine the scope of the actual economic challenges our rostered leaders face. A Grant Application Task Force is at work to prepare two different online surveys to gain hard data. Both surveys will gather data anonymously without identifying the person submitting it. 

The first survey will be targeted to candidates, rostered leaders and retired rostered leaders; it will ask for information to determine what economic stresses are most serious among rostered leaders. The second survey will be sent to congregation treasurers; it will study congregation each leader's perception of her/his congregation's abilities to pay rostered leaders and staff, and study whether economic training for congregation leaders would be beneficial.

Much of what the church knows about these economic challenges is anecdotal. This project seeks to provide reliable data to accurately assess the real dimensions of the challenges which face us. Rostered leaders are being encouraged to supply data even if they do not face serious economic challenges; only by having a wide sample will the Task Force be able to assess the actual health of our system. The willingness of rostered and congregational leaders to participate in the survey can help make the whole church stronger, especially on behalf of those among us who are most vulnerable.

The Grant Application Task Force hopes to publish the surveys on Friday, June 17. They need to have all responses completed and submitted by Friday, July 8, 2016, so they will have time to analyze the data, draft a proposal for the grant and have it approved by Synod Council before the August 19 application deadline. If you have questions or comments about the survey, please contact the Grant Application Project Director, Ron Roschke, at rroschke@rmselca.org. The other members of the Task Force are Pr. Ron Bockhaus, Deb Elstad and Pr. Kirsten Sauey Hoffman.



THEOLOGICAL CONFERENCE
Save the Date!
2016 Fall Theological Conference 
September 19-22, 2016
Little America Hotel, Cheyenne, WY
 







This year's Theological Conference inaugurates our synodical theme Re*Formation: Then. Now. Always. Our focus this fall will be on Re*Formation: Engaging Our Story. Through worship, breakout sessions, and large group conversation, we will begin to unpack our individual and shared stories. Our keynote speakers will offer their unique perspectives on two different aspects of our shared stories:  our shared story and relationship with our Roman Catholic brothers and sisters, and the connection of our story to identity and faith formation. Join us in Cheyenne, and let the Re*Formation begin!

Speakers:
Dr. Kathryn Johnson, director of Ecumenical and Inter-Religious Relations of the ELCA
 
"Working for Christian unity has been one of the deepest joys of my vocational life. This aspect of the church's calling is inextricable from the other tasks of Christian discipleship; it strengthens their witness and is undergirded in turn by common work for justice, search for interfaith understanding, (and more)," said Johnson.

"I am excited especially to be joining Ecumenical and Inter-Religious Relations as we look toward 2017. A range of ecumenical relations can be focused through this lens of thankfulness for reformation and continuation of it. Moreover, the complex interactions of interfaith and ecumenical encounters challenge us all toward growth in faithfulness," said Johnson.
 
 
Dr. Andrew Root, Associate Professor of Youth and Family Ministry, Luther Seminary

He is most recently the author of Christopraxis: A Practical Theology of the Cross (Fortress, 2014) and Bonhoeffer as Youth Worker (Baker, 2014).  Andrew's perspective will help frame our Re-Formation conversation through the lenses of faith formation & identity.



2016 CHURCHWIDE ASSEMBLY
2016 Churchwide Assembly: attend as Congregation Observer or a "Grace Gathering" participant

Each congregation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America may register with the secretary of this church one congregation observer for the Churchwide Assembly prior to May 31. The assembly takes place in New Orleans August 8-13, 2016. Transportation costs, housing, other meals, and related expenses are the responsibility of the registered observer or sending congregation.
                                                                               
The registration fee for congregation observers is $100. Please note the meal package is not included in the registration fee, but may be purchased separately when registering. Online registration will open in April at www.elca.org/churchwideassembly. Please contact the assembly hotline at 800-638-3522 ext 2911 or the registrar via email to CWARegistrar@elca.org if you have any questions.
 
Or, attend portions of the assembly as well as other companion events and workshops as a part of the ELCA Grace Gathering, overlapping some of the assembly dates. More information at https://www.elca.org/gracegathering .
GLOBAL MISSION
Join Tomas Bayou in a 2017 trip to Ethiopia

In January, 2017 you are invited to celebrate  Epiphany and the Baptism of Christ in Ethiopia. Join some of the people from Our Savior's Lutheran church Denver and Tomas Bayou on a trip to his home country of Ethiopia.   
 
Dates for the trip are January 11 through January 20, 2017. The tour will begin in the capital Addis Ababa, going on to the very green and coffee growing area of the Omo Valley in the southern part of the country, then going back to Addis, moving onto Gonder on the first day of Timket (the baptism of Christ) and Lalibela the second day of Timket. This is a very major festival -- Epiphany and the Baptism of Christ are major observances in the Church of Ethiopia, observed more than Christmas. For more information contact Tomas Bayou tel (562)290-2004 or email
OUR LIFE TOGETHER
Rostered leader transitions and openings
Rostered leaders include pastors, diaconal ministers, associates in ministry, and deaconesses. View the list of congregations in transition at this link on the new RMS website:


TO THE POINT
Books for sale, including complete Luther's Works
Penni Walsh is retiring and needs to get rid of books, there will be an on going sale at St John's 11040 Colorado Blvd, Thornton M-F anytime 9 to 2 each day until June 3.  I also have a complete set of Luther's Works with the dust jackets in pristine condition with the exception of 4 books that have been underlined.  New the set sells for $4000.  I'm open to negotiations.  Call Penni at 303 718 6401 with questions

Monthly RMS Eucharist
We invite you to join us the second Wednesday of each month for a staff/community Eucharist Service at 11:30 am at the Office of the Bishop. Email Maria Sutton if you are interested in leading worship!  
EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES
Non-rostered positions available

Intercession Episcopal Church
Director of Music Ministry
The Music Ministry at Intercession recognizes that music is an essential component to worship and may be used as a conduit for praising and glorifying God and may help lift people spiritually. The Music Ministry is dedicated to serving the community by developing musical opportunities, inspiring artistic expression, and creating a nurturing environment that will bring people closer to God through music.

Hours of this position include:
Primary commitment is Sunday mornings with other time to be negotiated
Anticipate 12-15 hrs/wk will be required for this position
Salary negotiable based on background and experience
for more info click here


UTAH
WYOMING
NEW MEXICO / TEXAS
North American Associate of the Catechumenate Workshop is in Albuquerque June 28-30

NAAC's 2016 ANNUAL GATHERING will be June 28 to 30, 2016 in Albuquerque, NM. The theme is "Sing a New Song: Unpacking the Mystery of Faith" featuring keynote speakers Dan Benedict, Lizzette Larson-Miller, and Marty Haugen. Pastor Bev Piro, interim pastor at Messiah, Denver, is the NAAC president. They are offering two full scholarships for seminarians, interns, and first call clergy or lay.  This means that all their costs will be covered except for their transportation.  
 
If interested in attending and using a scholarship, contact the registrar, Devra Betts, at  devrabetts@gmail.com or call her at 702-232-8383.  Registration closes on June 15. Additional information is at this link:  http://catechumenate.org/index.php?page=events 




COLORADO
Service of Word and Sacrament
In Thanksgiving for 50 years of Ministry 
Celebrating the Rev. Dr. Paul R. Peel
Ordained June 16th, 1966

June 19, 2016 at 4:00 p.m.
First Lutheran Church
1515 N. Cascade
Colorado Springs
 
All are invited to join us for this festive worship service celebrating 50 years of ministry served by Pastor Peel.  We will be led in worship by Bishop Jim Gonia, presiding, our preacher for the service will be Bishop Emeritus Allan Bjornberg, and Pastor Paul Peel will be celebrant.  A dessert reception will follow worship.
 
All rostered leaders are invited to vest and process and to participate in a laying of hands. The color of the day is red.  We will have a reception for rostered leaders beginning at 3:00 p.m. 


Faith and Grief™ Brunch in Coal Creek Canyon
Saturday, June 18, 2016 at 10:00 am
31528 CO-72, Golden, CO 80403

On June 18 Spirit of the Mountain LC will host a Faith and Grief Brunch at the Coal Creek Canyon Improvement Association (CCCIA) Hall on Colorado Highway 72 at 10:00 to 11:00 am.
This brunch comforts the bereaved through fellowship and breaking bread together. The speaker will  share where Faith intersected with Grief in their experience.

For more information regarding this ministry go to www.FaithandGrief.org
No charge, but reservations are required. RSVP to Jim or Cathy Monkman at (303)731-5803.
Contact  Jim Monkman, at (303)731-5803.


Outdoor BBQ and Concert at Our Savior's on June 17

Our Savior's Lutheran Church (915 E 9th Street in Denver) will host an outdoor BBQ and concert on Friday, June 17 beginning at 6:00 pm. This will be a benefit fundraiser for one of their members who is facing a kidney transplant and her medical costs are mounting. Some of the many talented musicians from OSLC will perform. Hot dogs, chips, etc will be available. Not only will this raise funds for her but also help raise awareness of organ donation. Hope to see you there.

Annual Holy Cross Pilgrimage is July 16
Mount of the Holy Cross Lutheran Church banner
Again this year Mount of the Holy Cross Lutheran Church in Vail, Colorado, will sponsor a pilgrimage hike climbing Notch Mountain (13,237), in order to view the Mount of the Holy Cross (14,005).  Because of the popularity of this hike and due to U.S. Forest Service regulations which limit the group to no more than 15 persons at a time, reservations are required.
 
The date is Saturday July 16, 2016.  The event will last from approximately 6:30 AM to 4:00 PM.  This is a fairly strenuous hike and requires proper hiking gear for a trek in the back country. While there are NO fees, pre-registration is required.  Call (970) 476-6610 for a registration form or for more details you can log on the church web page, www.mountholy.com and click on the Pilgrimage link. Pastor Scott Beebe is the hike leader.