July 25 - 27, 2024

Walking What Jesus Talked About

A Rocky Mountain Synod Education Event

for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

"This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you."

John 15:12

Jesus talked about A LOT of things but this event will focus on the Gospel imperative to love, and what love looks like in our church and society today.

Participants will be equipped with tools to facilitate courageous conversations in their congregations, and there will be opportunities for deeper diving.

You will be required to take the Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI) as a part of the training. Information will be sent once you have registered.

The event takes place at

First Lutheran Church, 1515 N Cascade Ave, Colorado Springs, CO 80907, and

begins Thursday, July 25, 2024, at 2:00 pm and concludes Saturday, July 27 at noon. The registration fee is $150 including IDI, housing, and meals.

This is an in-person event. Please plan to attend the entire length of the training.

For more information, contact Barbara Berry-Bailey HERE

Introduce Your Congregation/Ministry to the Bishop-Elect

Deadline extended - respond TODAY!

The Bishop Transition Team invites every congregation and non-congregational ministry to fill out a survey to introduce your ministry site in advance of Bishop-elect Rev. Dr. Meghan Johnston Aelabouni beginning her term on August 1. We ask that you prayerfully consider your responses on behalf of the whole congregation/ministry.

if you missed the June deadline-a little reprieve. Please, submit as soon as you can before July 1st:

https://rmselca.org/congregation-introduction. 

Bishop Transition Team: Deb Elstad (Chair), Nolan Bly, Dr. Jack Lindsey, Rev. Ruth Ann Loughry, Rev. Dr. Kate Schlechter

Web address and/or email for additional information: deb.elstad@gmail.com

Help Supply Items for Hurricane Relief Kits 

You can be part of our exciting ELCA 2024 Youth Gathering in New Orleans even if you aren't sending youth from your adults. We invite you to help be part of our Service Learning Day by donating small personal battery operated fans from the Target Gift Registry. In the aftermath of a storm, hurricane or tornado New Orleans residents can find themselves without electricity and in a crisis. Each of the 9 Regions of the ELCA is sending to New Orleans items to make disaster relief kits. Your donation of our Region 2 in-kind offering (the small fans) will be used to make up 3000 kits. It is simple to make this donation. Donations are sent right to New Orleans follow this link https://www.target.com/gift-registry/gift-giver?registryId=e7018790-eb8c-11ee-8811-17f737ff4d39&type=CHARITY to make your donation. 

Coming Soon — Online Discernment Groups

Do you ever get a sense that God might be tapping you on the shoulder? 

Are you wondering what God is calling you to do with your life? Considering learning more about church leadership and pondering whether it might be for you? Have you ever thought about enrolling in seminary or even wondered what seminary study is like today? Starting July 1, you can join an online group with others across the ELCA who share your curiosity. Sign up by visiting elcaseminaries.org and filling out the contact form, or by emailing recruitment@elca.org. Questions? contact Pastor Diana Linden-Johnson HERE

Are you a rostered minister interested in leading such a group? 

Email Rick.Summy@elca.org to learn more. 

Office Clerk Position at the Office of the Bishop

We are seeking a part-time Office Clerk to assist operations staff with basic clerical functions. The main focus will be accounts payable, cash receipts, filing, and reconciliations. The position will require 10-12 hours per week on-site at the Office of the Bishop.

Click HERE to view the job description

Latine Ministry Workshop from Wartburg Theological Seminary

You are invited to join a group of learners and practitioners wanting to enhance their cultural and ministry competence to help start or strengthen Latine, Bilingual, or Multi-Ethnic worshipping communities. This virtual 10-hour workshop will explore core principles, proven resources, and current ministry initiatives among the diversity of Latine primary audiences.

Download an informational flyer here.

Sky Ranch Family Camps!

Sky Ranch has two amazing Family Camp weeks planned for this summer with incredible leaders for both weeks! Our traditional family camp week that falls during the 4^th of July is being led by our own Pastor Joe Natwick and his wife Becca. New this year, is a “Christmas in July” Family Camp! Pastors Tim and Mary Canniff-Kuhn are known throughout LOM and the ELCA. They have many years of experience leading Outdoor Ministry/Family Camps. We still have some space available, and we would LOVE for these weeks to be very full! 

Beyond the Acronym: Embracing the Rich Tapestry of Veterans Experiences

Thursday, July 11 9:00 - 11:00 a.m. PDT

online via Zoom

Continuing Education - 2 hours through NASW Oregon

Immerse yourself in the diverse narratives of Veterans, and challenge yourself to confront your preconceptions and biases.

Free to RVP Volunteers. If you are not listed as a volunteer provider in our directory, VA staff, or Vet Center staff, then the fee to attend is $29

Saturday, September 28th

Healthy Congregations Workshop

with the Lombard Mennonite Peace Center.

Save the Date! Pass the word!

Healthy Congregations workshop, Saturday, September 28th, First Lutheran Church, Longmont. This workshop is open to anyone interested in any denomination or synagogue. More registration materials to come in August.

Healthy Congregations uses the insights of Bowen Family Systems theory to help church leaders become more effective stewards of their congregations. This workshop was developed by Dr. Peter Steinke and is based on the work of Dr. Edwin Friedman, author of Generation to Generation: Family Process in Church and Synagogue. The Healthy Congregations workshop is designed to equip leaders to respond to the presence or potential threat of anxiety in a congregational system in ways that prevent destructive conflict and help the church stay focused on its unique mission and purpose.

• Learn how you as a leader can positively influence the health your congregation
• Learn how to keep anxiety from being infectious
• Gain confidence in responding to challenges and opportunities
• Learn how to limit invasive behavior, manage reactivity, and overcome sabotage Learn to focus on strengths, resources, options, and the future.

Who Will Benefit:

• Clergy who are interested in learning a proactive approach to managing anxiety in their church
• Church lay leaders who want to gain confidence in their position and how to best manage challenges
• Anyone interested in learning how to manage oneself and become a positive representative of the church

Hosted by Rev. Jay Wittmeyer, who is the Executive Director of the Lombard Mennonite Peace Center. Jay is an educator, organizational development consultant, and mediator with

broad experience, serving conflicted churches and organizations in the U.S. and

international settings. Grounded in an Anabaptist peace-building tradition and working from a Bowen family systems perspective, LMPC works to transform conflict in a healthy manner.

July Renewal Opportunity in Albuquerque

Saturday, July 13 - 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

All Saints Lutheran Church

4800 All Saints Rd. NW 87120 

Interpreting the Bible with Grace

Join us for a half-day conversation about the Bible with Rev. Dr. Mark Allen Powell! We’ll talk about where the Bible comes from, how to interpret it in context, and how we are to understand the Bible for our own times. The session reflects on seven questions about Lutherans and the Bible. He does not prescribe “the Lutheran way" to read the Bible nor does he dismiss the way you may have come to understand the Bible. Instead, Dr. Powell presents a variety of Lutheran perspectives for interpreting the Bible.

Dr. Powell was a Professor of New Testament at Trinity Lutheran Seminary in Columbus, Ohio until his retirement in 2018. He is editor of the HarperCollins Bible Dictionary and author of more than 100 articles and 35 books on the Bible and religion. He has also worked as a professional music critic, with more than 1000 published reviews in the fields of rock and pop music. The two fields of music criticism and religious scholarship come together in the Encyclopedia of Contemporary Christian Music, his critical survey and analysis of artists in both the religious and mainstream markets who have produced faith-oriented products.

RSVP to Krysta at All Saint by phone (505-898-3932) or email (office@allsaintsabq.org) by July 1. Lunch is included. When you RSVP, please let Krysta know if you have any dietary needs.

Holy Cross Lutheran Church

Vacation Bible School

4500 Wadsworth Blvd.,

Wheat Ridge, CO 80033

(303) 423-5654   www.holycrosswheatridge.org

July 29^th – August 2^nd 2024

9:00 – 3:00 Monday – Thursday and

9:00 – Noon on Friday 

We partner with Rainbow Trail Lutheran Camp to provide this wonderful experience to your children. Trained Rainbow Trail staff join with adults from our congregation who want to see their children’s faith grow. The week will include music, creative worship, arts and crafts, games, Bible study and many more fun activities. 

The focus of our study through the week is “Created to Be” In Psalm 139, we celebrate the creator and God’s handiwork in creating each of us as unique and special beings. We were loved by God even before we came into being, and God has been with us from the very beginning. But God didn’t create us to just exist in this world. We were created to share God’s love, created to live as Christ’s disciples, and created to be agents of change in our world. In our studies, we will look at what it means to truly live our lives as precious creations of God. We are called to serve others, not only at camp but everywhere in our lives.

The program is for kids from kindergarten through 6^th grade. Your child/children will be placed in the grade that they will be going into in the fall of 2024. Youth may volunteer to help if they have completed the 6^th grade as of spring 2024.

The cost of Vacation Bible School is $50 per child.

• Space is limited so please register as soon as possible. 
• This fee covers all crafts and snacks and must be paid at the time of registration.
• Please have family and friends fill out a separate registration form so that we can get individualized health information and a parent’s signature on this permission slip.  Thank you!
• Kids will be grouped based on their upcoming school year.
• All campers will need to bring their own sack lunch and a bottle of water. A morning snack will be provided each day.

No child is turned down due to financial hardship. If you are in need of assistance, or would like to register, please contact Holy Cross (contact information listed above).

The Episcopal Church Elects Its 28^th Presiding Bishop

The Rt. Rev. Sean Rowe, bishop of Northwest Pennsylvania and bishop provisional of Western New York, was elected and confirmed June 26 at the 81st General Convention to serve as the 28th presiding bishop. His nine-year term as presiding bishop, the face and voice of The Episcopal Church and its chief pastor, begins November 1. The House of Bishops elected Rowe on their first ballot in a closed session at Christ Episcopal Church in downtown Louisville. The result later was announced publicly in the afternoon session of the House of Deputies, which greeted the news with cheers. The deputies proceeded to confirm him with a nearly unanimous majority, 95% in favor, and the standing-room-only crowd erupted in applause across the hall at the Kentucky International Convention Center.

Read the full article HERE

Safe Church Training Opportunity

(In-Person)

July 27, 9:00-1:00 pm, at Grace & St. Stephen's, Colorado Springs. We will cover the four Safe Church, Safe Communities Universal Training courses: Introduction & Theological Background, Organizational Rules & Polices, Healthy Boundaries, and Inclusion. This is a great opportunity for individuals seeking group discussion and sharing around these important topics.

The training is appropriate for individuals needing to obtain or renew Safe Church certification in these courses. Note: Depending on your ministry area, additional courses may be required, which can be taken online at any time.

Presiding Bishop Eaton's Message on the War in Gaza

Dear church, for eight horrific months war has raged in Gaza. Thousands of people have died, and thousands more are suffering. In recent days we have seen unspeakable images of violence in Rafah and escalating violence in the West Bank. Like the prophet Isaiah, we lament, “How long, O Lord?” (Isaiah 6:11). At times a just peace for Palestinians and Israelis doesn’t seem possible, yet as Christians we believe that it is. The psalmist assures us that God “makes wars cease to the end of the earth” (Psalm 46:9). At times it seems that there is nothing we can do, yet through baptism God calls us to be peacemakers.

Read the full statement HERE

Sumud: A Request for Advocacy

From the ELCA's Sumud (formerly Peace Not Walls), comes a request for advocacy regarding bills that are currently under consideration by the Senate regarding the tax-exempt status of organizations that "support terrorism." The terms of the bill have been applied subjectively and indiscriminately in attempts to revoke the tax-exempt status of organizations that have advocated for Palestinian rights.

Read more; take action now.

Graduate Theological Education for Everyday People

Iliff School of Theology has offered graduate level education for more than 125 years through a range of degree programs. Now, through TIER, Iliff is bringing its unique approach to theological education to the public with a series of summer courses that offer our world-class teaching outside of a traditional degree program.

TIER is designed for people considering a graduate degree, people in ministry and community leadership who want to dive deeper into study, or anyone who is ready to transform their understanding of religion and spirituality. TIER allows you to innovate your approach to your life’s biggest challenges and to realize the truths that matter most to you.

Learn more about Tier HERE

Transform your understanding of religion and spirituality.

Innovate your approach to life’s biggest challenges.

Explore your beliefs and the beliefs of others.

Realize the truths that matter most to you.

Caffeinated Church Conference September 9-12, 2024

Denver, CO

WHO SHOULD ATTEND?

• Church Administrators
• Communication Directors
• Pastors/Clergy & Lay Ministry Leaders
• Volunteers involved in church management

We are excited to announce an in-person conference, September 9-12, 2024! Early Bird Registration is $250 (through April 30!) and no membership to Caffeinated Church is required to attend. And if you are a church with an Average Sunday Attendance (ASA) of less than 100, you will receive 50% off your registration. We are excited to gather together

ELCA Mission Support Memo

Our June 2024 ELCA Mission Support Memo takes us back to U.P. Wild Church, in Northern Great Lake Synod: “a spiritual home for the seekers of beauty, wonder, & awe; where the ‘church goers’ supplement their journey and the ‘misfits’ finally feel connected within the congregation of paper birch trees & squawking geese via the Mystery which creates all things.” Everyone can engage by connecting to virtual walks that include a cemetery stroll, prayer by the beach, following deer tracks, even finding Christ in the compost, and so much more at www.upwild.org/media/. Additionally find free access to ELCA Stewardship recordings on “The Spirituality of Capital Campaigns,” “Creating a Year-Round Stewardship Calendar,” “Narrative Budget Construction,” “Donor Motivations” or “Four Mindset Shifts” which are perfect for stewardship teams wanting to do some continuing education or for councils curious about what’s happening in the realm of stewardship. We are grateful for all the leaders who have worked diligently and faithfully in school-year-based activities and are eager to connect at the ELCA Youth Gathering Interactive Learning Center! Find the memo here too!