Gratitude

• (Videos: 1' each) Zion Lutheran Church – Limon 100th Anniversary
• Deacon Ro Fesser installed at Prairie Parish
• Advent Lutheran in Westminster, Colorado becomes Reconciling in Christ congregation
• All are invited to a service of Holy Closure & celebration of ministry for Cross of Glory - November 9
• North New Mexico Conference ministry colleagues trek and connect

Upcoming Installations

• Pastor Ashley Allinger - Oct. 29, 6:30pm

Feature Congregation

• Saron Lutheran Church in Strasburg, Colorado

Congregational Resources

• Advent Communication Bundle for Congregations
• Congregation Constitution 101 Webinar
• Adventures in Preaching Event for rostered & lay leaders - November 15
• Colorado Council of Churches Voting Guidance

RMS Hunger Network

• (Video: 28') "Intersections" film

Global Church Network

• RMS SUMUD
• With Love from Palestine Event - November 1st
• AMMPARO Immigrant Accompaniment
• Immigration Law Webinars - November 12, 20
• Seeking help for an Afghan asylum-seeker supported by Christ the Servant Lutheran over the past year.

Veteran Servant Corps Project (VSCP)

• In Person & Virtual Training for faith communities - November 5

Synod Event Calendar

• View the calendar for more synod events..

IN OUR PRAYERS

• Congregations, ministries, and leaders of the Utah Conference.

SYNOD DEADLINES

• Formation Co–Op at Sky Ranch - Register by November 1

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES

QUICK LINKS

OFFICE OF THE BISHOP STAFF

We'd love to hear what's happening in your area of the Synod. Please submit upcoming stories & events through the website [HERE]. You can also email Deacon Mary your submissions at mstoneback@rmselca.org.

Together in ministry—with Bishop Meghan Johnston Aelabouni and the Synod staff—we’re deeply grateful for each of you.

We give thanks for 100 years of ministry by Zion Lutheran Church in Limon, Colorado

Since its founding nearly a century ago, Zion has faithfully served as a place of welcome, worship, and community in Limon, Colorado. Over the decades, this congregation has shared God’s grace, nurtured generations of faith-leaders and laity, and has been a living witness to the promise found in Lamentations 3:22-23:

“The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end.”

As they look back on all that has been, they also took time to look forward with hope to all that is yet to come.

Pastor Chris Davis had the opportunity to celebrate with Zion Lutheran Church on October 19 in their 100th year anniversary. While there, he was able to catch up with members and past connections to Zion, including the acolytes and Bishop of the Texas‑Louisiana Gulf Coast Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), Tracey Breashears Schultz.

We give thanks for Deacon Ro Fesser and the ministry she shares with all at Prairie Parish

Accepting this call to Prairie Parish is a joy, a living hope, and an opportunity for mission and ministry growth. As we work together ecumenically with our Methodist brothers and sisters or strengthen our bonds as Lutheran siblings we, in just these first few months, are finding all kinds of resources to share whether proclaiming the Word, fellowship and meals, ministry tools and media, mission ideas, or Prairie Council's advisement on creating Prairie Parish as it's own not-for-profit to love and serve in our communities. We are energized, excited and looking forward to what God surprises will open to us.

Already, our spiritual visitation teams are known as the "Lutheran ladies" with a red beer hospitality stop; a Head Start family conference night dinner has been sponsored; a collection of 600 Halloween Street candy bars accomplished, and hygiene kits/quilts are being prepared for our Rising Up homeless shelter; all outreach into our three communities appreciated and growing relationships. With 150 -225 viewers following us every Sunday electronically we yearn to learn how to touch and support our virtual congregation in their daily lives, one of our newest goals for the days, weeks, and months ahead.

~Deacon Ro Fesser

In a small country town of Strasburg, Colorado, it was learned that the food pantry had closed and then that the nearby Town of Bennett’s food pantry also closed. It was time. Time to find a way our small church, Saron Lutheran, in Strasburg, could meet some of the needs of neighbors for food. The call to action found its solution in building and maintaining a Little Free Pantry. Jackie Lanning got approval from the church Council and her family got busy. Don, Jackie’s husband, found design ideas on www.littlefreepantry.org and designed and built one. Their daughter and her two boys, then 5- and 7-years old painted it. Their son spent hours digging the post holes. (If you know the soil around Strasburg, you would understand why ‘hours’ were needed.)

Jackie shares, "her faith in Christ is rooted in reading about how Christ showed us how to love" adding, "Jesus told us in so many ways to look at everyone with love. With the hungry, we are to feed them as He did many times. I see my effort with the Pantry is but a response to God's love through Christ."

Saron’s Little Free Pantry has been open for nearly three years now, offering shelf-stable foods and hygiene items. For several months the pantry only needed refilling every three or four days. With increased costs impacting family budgets, it is now nearly empty every day – always needing more cereal, shelf-stable milk, fruit cups, tuna, peanut butter, and canned or packaged meals.

Donations from our members are amazing, but, thank God, our community also continues to step up and help. Saron Lutheran has received donations from Strasburg Presbyterian, Byers Community Church, and Our Lady of the Plains Catholic Church. Neighbors also often simply stop by and put items in the pantry, living out the request printed on the pantry to “Take what you need. Leave what you can.” One summer a truckload of donations was received when the Arapahoe County Council on Aging and Adams County Agewise Group met in Byers bringing donations. Designating “Saron Lutheran” on a King Soopers’ card as one’s community partner provides a quarterly check used to purchase items in bulk. Thrivent Financial has often donated $250 through their Community Action Program.



Jackie Lanning adds, “It is my hope that more people will join us in responding to Jesus’ call to feed the hungry. Support the food program in your community. If none is available, a good start is to build a food pantry in your neighborhood.”

During the advent season, churches throughout the country welcome new faces, longtime members, and church-curious folks. As such, heavily increasing your communication externally is vital! This advent season, Vero Communications is here to help elevate your advent invitations - you share a few pieces of information and we’ll develop the creative materials! We take your already-developed Advent theme and build-out marketing materials that elevate your message. We call this, the Advent Bundle! 

Here's what you'll receive:

• Postcard - designed to highlight Christmas Worship Services, special events, etc. ready to be printed and addressed.
• Social Media Graphics - introducing your Advent theme and highlighting your Christmas Eve/Day Worship Services.
• Digital Flyer - designed to highlight Christmas Worship Services, special events, etc. ready to be printed and distributed around town.
• Lawn Sign/Outdoor Banner - designed to promote Christmas Eve/Day Worship Services, sized for your specific needs.

With a guaranteed 2-week turnaround time, this Advent Bundle is uniquely catered to your ministry and can be in your hands ASAP.

Dear Rocky Mountain Synod,

We celebrate Harvests this month. An overflowing cornucopia is a reminder of our abundances. As we gather in, we also pass out - be it food, time, skills, or money. It is almost foolish asking you to share that abundance, because you always have and always will! Thank-you!  

ELCA World Hunger produced "Intersections" to highlight global and local stories. This 28 minute film is an excellent tool for education and discussion. The Hephatha Community segment was special; I met their Council President at the Hunger Leaders Gathering in September in Ohio. "Hephatha" comes from Mark 7.

Jesus uses this word of prayer, "Be opened," as He heals a man unable to speak or hear. I hope you can use this film in your church; and be opened to all the possibilities for sharing our abundance. 



The regional hunger website needs updating. If you can help with this, please contact me. We're open to all input! 

With appreciation,

Cathy Jacobs, for RMS Hunger      

cjacobs1027@gmail.com    

443–831–0249

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Give a Contribution to RMS TODAY

• Rev. Barbara Berry-Bailey (she/her), Synod Minister for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, bberry-bailey@rmselca.org
• Rev. Quirino Cornejo (he/him), Director for Evangelical Mission-South & Synod Minister for Multicultural Witness, qcornejo@rmselca.org
• Rev. Chris Davis (he/him), Director for Evangelical Mission-North and Synod Minister for Generosity, cdavis@rmselca.org
• Jon Johnson (he/him), Synod Minister for Finance and Human Resources, finance@rmselca.org

• Rev. Diana Linden-Johnson, Synod Minister for Rostered Ministry, dlinden-johnson@rmselca.org
• Kurt Rager, Synod Minister for Advocacy, New Mexico, krager@rmselca.org
• Deacon Mary Stoneback (she/her), Synod Minister for Strategic Communications and Events, mstoneback@rmselca.org
• Yvonne Wilken (she/her), Synod Minister for Adminstration, office@rmselca.org
• Pastor Sara Wirth (she/her), Synod Minister for Transitions and Healthy Ministries, swirth@rmselca.org