PRAYERS
Installations


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 Lord God, we bring before you the cries of a sorrowing world. In your mercy set us free from the chains that bind us, and defend us from everything that is evil, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.
CONGREGATIONS
THIS WEEK
  
Bishop Jim Gonia
  • First, Colorado Springs
  • King of Glory, Arvada
  • HKBP Montclair
  • Dean's WebEx
Pastor Sarah Moening 
  • Congregations in Transition 
  • St John, Thornton
  • St Paul, Albuquerque
Pastor Judith VanOsdol
  • New Beginning Board
  • Aurora area Ministry Strategy Retreat
  • Together Colorado Metro Denver
Pastor Kent Mueller  
  • RMS Administration
Erin Power, Diaconal Minister
  • Theological Conference Arrangements
Ruth Hoffman - 
Lutheran Advocacy Ministry, NM  
  • Vacation
Peter Severson- Lutheran Advocacy Ministry, CO
  • Faith, Lander, WY 50th anniversary.
  • Together Colorado Metro Denver

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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
 


 

  

 
2017 marks the 500th anniversary of the Reformation. Our theme is intended to highlight the 500th commemoration of the Reformation while also reminding us that the church is a place where we are formed (and re-formed) in faith, both as individuals, and as a community of disciples.  We will not only highlight the heritage by which our Lutheran perspective on the gospel has been shaped, but also focus on our commitment to church unity, especially with the Roman Catholic branch of the Christian family. Finally, we will explore what our Lutheran contribution to the life of the whole Body of Christ might be in this new century.   Read a full overview of commemoration plans.

THEN:  ENGAGING OUR STORY

Fall 2016 will focus on the honest telling of our heritage: the story of the Reformation, the story of the ELCA, and the story of each congregation through conference Heritage Events.  Resources for engaging your story can be found HEREThis resource page will grow during the months leading up to Fall 2016 heritage events.  We invite you to help us grow the list!  If you have great ideas for others to know about, email them to Pastor Michael Tassler.(link sends e-mail)



ELCA presiding bishop issues letter in response to Orlando shootings


The Rev. Elizabeth A. Eaton, presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), has issued a letter in response to the June 12 shooting that claimed the lives of 49 people at a nightclub in Orlando, Fla. This is the deadliest mass shooting in U. S. history. In the letter Eaton states, "We must speak peace and reconciliation into the cacophony of hatred and division. We must live the truth that all people are created in God's image." 
 

Survey gathers information for possible Lilly Grant

Rostered and congregation leaders are being asked to take part in an online survey to identify economic challenges being faced by rostered leaders. The Rocky Mountain Synod has been invited to do research as part of a possible three-year Lilly Endowment grant for a half million dollars to address these challenges. On June 8, two separate invitations were sent out. One invitation was sent to all rostered leaders and candidates, asking them to participate in a rostered leader survey. A second invitation was sent to congregation presidents and treasurers asking them to provide information from their perspective. All surveys will be anonymous. Both surveys are being used to gather hard data so that the Lilly Grant Application Team will be able to determine what are the most pressing economic challenges rostered leaders face, and then design a grant proposal which will address these issues. Based on research already done by Lilly Endowment, the Team expects that some of the issues identified will be student debt from theological and undergraduate education, debt from illness or disability, salaries which cannot adequately support living expenses and debt, and concerns over retirement and increasing costs of health care. A wide sample of responses is needed to allow the Grant Application Team to accurately assess the challenges for our particular context. The Lilly program is based upon the premise that a partnership among rostered leaders, congregations/agencies, and judicatories like the synod creates a stronger church. Economically healthy leaders made strong congregations, and healthy congregations made strong leaders. If awarded the grant, the ensuing programs will seek to both address specific challenges and raise the economic capacity of the entire synod.
 
The invitations were sent to all rostered leaders, candidates, and congregation president and treasurers based upon the latest email addresses in our database. If you failed to get an invitation with the link to your survey, please contact Project Director Ron Roschke by clicking here. All surveys must be completed by July 8 so that the Grant Application Team will have sufficient time to analyze the data and submit the grant application by the deadline of August 19. Your cooperation on this important project is deeply appreciated and shows, once again, that we are Church Better Together!



THEOLOGICAL CONFERENCE
 


September 19-22
Little America, 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!
 

Optional Events this year:
Pre-Conference Golf Scramble
Take advantage of the on-site golf course and join us Monday afternoon for a round of golf.  Club and cart rental available.   For more information, contact Pastor Scott McAnnally
 
Post-Conference Interim Pastors Gathering
Interim pastors are invited to stay for conversation and training on September 22, concluding after an early dinner. Contact Pastor Sarah Moening for more information


Partial event and commuter registration available
 REGISTRATION INFORMATION


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 [email protected] 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 .
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

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

Director of Youth and Family Ministry (full time)
Joy Lutheran Church is a congregation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) located in Parker, Colorado. Joy is seeking a full time Director of Youth and Family Ministry (DYFM) to lead this ministry.  Joy's Mission is to share the Love of God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit with all people through worship and discipleship to extend Christ's kingdom in the world. The congregation has 600 baptized members with 300 worshipping weekly. They have an active and growing youth program and a congregation that is also growing, predominantly coming from an increasing number of young families joining the church. Youth and family ministry is seen as an important area of focus for the church as a whole. To request the full job description, send an email to [email protected].

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  [email protected] 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


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.