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May 12, 2026
generally published Tuesday of each week
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This year’s Synod Assembly, Vida en Cristo. Life in Christ., was held April 23–25, 2026, at Bethany Lutheran Church in Denver, Colorado. With more than 350 people in attendance—including voting members, exhibitors, workshop leaders, and guests—the gathering was filled with worship, fellowship, learning, and the business of the church.
A full Assembly report, including election results, assembly and workshop slides and more, will be shared in the coming weeks. Thank you to all who helped make this year’s gathering meaningful, joyful, and life-giving. May God guide us all as we continue to live Vida en Cristo.
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2026 RMS Pride Guide
Seeking happenings from all over the synod
| | Is your congregation or organization hosting a Pride event, worship service, gathering, or other opportunity to support and celebrate our LGBTQ+ siblings in Christ? Share what’s happening in your area of the Synod so we can lift it up together. Click the button below. Once submissions are compiled, a webpage will be created to share upcoming Pride-related happenings across the Synod. | | |
2026 Vizzy Denver Pride Parade
Sunday, June 28, 9:30am – 12:30pm
17th Ave. from Franklin St. to Lincoln St.
This is a ONE DAY EVENT and is FREE to participate
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Denver Pride Parade
When: Sunday June 28, 9:30am–12:30pm
RMS Pride Table
When: following the parade to 6pm (two shifts available)
The Rocky Mountain Synod invites you and your congregations to sign up to march in the 2026 Vizzy Denver Pride Parade, Sunday, June 28, 9:30am–12:30pm. Then, consider helping out at the RMS Pride Table along the parade route. Shifts will be worked out earlier to the event date. The parade route is 17th Ave. from Franklin St. to Lincoln St.
Note: This is a one-day event this year. It is FREE to participate!
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Synodically Authorized Ministry
Information Sessions
| | Questions? Contact Pastor Diana Linden (dlinden@rmselca.org) | | | | |
Campus Ministry Committee | | |
Lorenzo Candelaria was recently voted at this year's Synod Assembly to serve as a member of the Campus Ministry Committee. Lorenzo is a student at the Lutheran Episcopal Campus Ministry in Greeley, Colorado. Hear Lorenzo's thoughts on vocation and hopes to help multi-lingual learners in Title I Schools.
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Urban Servant Corps Update | | |
In this episode of Together 4 Good, Pastor Nate Preisinger talks with Krista Kilgus, Executive Director of Urban Servant Corps in Denver, about service, community, and what it means to follow where the Holy Spirit is leading next. Urban Servant Corps has spent decades forming young adults through intentional community and service, and now the organization is entering a new chapter: creating a pilot program supporting re-entry work and hosting a community of formerly incarcerated women; offering belonging, community, vocational discernment, faith formation, and purposeful living. This conversation is about faithful change, honest discernment, and the kind of belonging that helps people heal, grow, and begin again.
What You’ll Learn:
- Learn the story and mission of Urban Servant Corps in Denver
- Understand how intentional community shapes faith, service, and belonging
- Hear why traditional service-year programs have become harder to sustain
- Explore Urban Servant Corps’ new pilot program with formerly incarcerated women
- Discover how churches and individuals can support this next chapter
If this conversation gives you hope, we invite you to like, subscribe, and share it with someone who cares about faith, justice, community, and the work of rebuilding lives with love.
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The Rocky Mountain Synod Sumud Working Group invites you to join us for conversations around the work of the ELCA to support Sumud. Sumud is an Arabic word meaning "steadfastness," reflecting the hope, resilience, and commitment of Palestinian Christians and their partners to remain rooted in faith and justice amid ongoing challenges. We will use the following two resources to guide our conversation:
Join us for as many of the three different conversations as you are available. Each session will focus on a different section of the study guide.
Sessions will be 7-8 p.m. MDT on the first 3 Tuesdays in May:
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"Our time together with Bishop Curry was invigorating and gave us renewed hope for our Lutheran Faith Community Nurse Association (LFCNA) moving forward."
~Sue Ann Glusenkamp
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Reflections on meeting with Bishop Curry February 12, 2026
By Sue Ann Glusenkamp
Lutheran Faith Community Nurse Association (LFCNA) is a national professional membership organization with a mission to provide leadership, resources, advocacy, and networks that promote the specialty nursing practice of Faith Community Nursing in Lutheran congregations.
LFCNA is an ILO (Independent Lutheran Organization) under the auspices of the ELCA.
LFCNA vision it to promote a culture of health, healing, and wholeness in Lutheran affiliates, faith communities, and society.
I have been a member of LFCNA since its 2010 beginning in Minneapolis, Minnesota when it began as the ELPNA (Evangelical Lutheran Parish Nurse Association). I have served as a Parish Nurse (FCN) for 15 years at three Lutheran congregations. Initially at Gethsemane Lutheran in St. Louis, MO followed by time at Transfiguration Lutheran Church in Bloomington MN, and most recently, prior to my retirement, at Augustana Lutheran in Denver, CO. Being a member of LFCNA provided tremendous support and connections during my years of ministry and continues to keep me connected to this amazing ministry!
Meeting with Bishop Curry was a goal of LFCNA’s Outreach Committee, of which I am a member. We wanted to connect with our newly elected Bishop to ensure he had knowledge of our organization as well as the significant ministries FCNs provide in Lutheran congregations.
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Bishop Curry was very receptive to our visit and had adequately prepared by reading all the materials we sent to him prior to our time together. He had a list of questions prepared for our team! Our time together was invigorating and gave us renewed hope for our LFCNA moving forward. Bishop Curry gave us several churchwide contacts to pursue as well as encouraging us to focus on the synodical level by connecting with synod bishops. We have members in all nine regions of the ELCA with 170 members to date.
LFCNA offers regular educational webinars which are posted on many synod newsletters. Our website is a wealth of information for congregations interested in Health Ministry. Our dream is to increase our membership as well as provide ongoing support for clergy and rostered leaders serving in our Lutheran congregations. We hope to gain access to Lutheran seminaries and Lutheran Schools of Nursing to continue education about our specialty nursing FCN. We exist to work together to support the health of individuals and families in Lutheran congregations.
Check out our website: https://lutheranfcna.org/
Additional Materials:
2025 LFCNA Annual Report
LFCNA brochure
LFCNA brochure “How to call a FCN to served your congregation”
LFCNA Regional Board of Directors and ED
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ELCA's Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women Toolkit | | |
Osiyo Tsunalii (Hello Friends),
The ELCA's Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women's Sub-Task Force (of the Repudiation of the Doctrine of Discovery Task Force) has been hard at work to prepare for May 5th, which is designated as National Day of Awareness for MMIW.
A toolkit for action leading up to May 5, throughout May, and for the rest of the year has been developed, and they are hoping for your support by participating in awareness-building, communicating the toolkit to your congregations, and including it in your synod communication outlets.
At the 2025 ELCA Churchwide Assembly a memorial was adopted en bloc, titled "Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women" and the first bullet point in the memorial reads "Encourage congregations, synods and the churchwide organization to observe annually MMIW Awareness Day on May 5 and to promote the wearing of red to raise awareness of MMIW;" for which we are grateful.
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It's now time to wear red and raise awareness as advocates and allies to our Indigenous siblings who are missing and who are still searching for their family members and friends
Be sure to check out the suggested social media graphics provided in the toolkit. They are powerful and beautiful.
If you have any questions, please reach out to me or our MMIW Sub-Task Force Chair, Brenda Blackhawk (Winnebago/Ho-Chunk) at bblackhawk@centralmpls.org.
Wado,
Vance Blackfox
Member
MMIW Sub-Task Force
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Lutheran Summer Music Camp
Register by June 1, 2026
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Spring Updates
Lutheran Men in Mission ministers to men of all ages. Lutheran Men in Mission objectives are:
- To expand the ministry of Lutheran Men in Mission with new programs for its ongoing mission of ministry to the Lord and to men
- To inform and motivate members of the ELCA about the needs and opportunities of men's ministry and to provide the necessary resources to assist individual congregations and synods in starting men's programs
- To raise necessary funds through individual gifts to meet the needs of men's ministry in local congregations and to insure that we will continue to reach more men for Christ. Support Lutheran Men in Mission with your donation.
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The Center of Addiction and Faith
How to Love Someone in Recovery
Wednesday, May 27th
Noon Central, 1:00 p.m. Eastern
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Ordinations & Installations | | | | | |
Deacon Linda Sue Akers will be both Ordained and Installed at Our Saviour's Lutheran Church in Greeley, Colorado on May 31, 2:30pm. The color of the day is red. All are welcome!
Loving God, we thank you for the ministry you are working in and through Deacon Linda. Bless her and the leadership and members of Our Saviour's in this time of celebration. Amen.
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Synod Prayers
We prayer for the rostered ministers, congregations, and ministries throughout the Metro East Conference.
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Our Deepest Sympathies
Glenn Allen Isernhagen, 84, died at Morningstar Assisted Living in Littleton, Colorado on April 12, 2026 with his wife, Louanne, and other family members taking turns keeping vigil at his bedside. He died of complications from Parkinson's Disease.
A memorial service for Glenn was held on Monday, April 20, 2026 at St. Philip Lutheran Church, in Littleton, Colorado.
Loving God, thank you for the faithful witness of your love and grace in this world through your servant, Glenn. We especially pray for loved ones who mourn and live into this new understanding of life after loss. Amen.
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OFFICE OF THE BISHOP STAFF | |
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Rev. Barbara Berry-Bailey (she/her), Synod Minister for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, bberry-bailey@rmselca.org
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Rev. Quirino Cornejo (he/him), Director for Evangelical Mission-South & Synod Minister for Multicultural Witness, qcornejo@rmselca.org
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Rev. Chris Davis (he/him), Director for Evangelical Mission-North and Synod Minister for Generosity, cdavis@rmselca.org
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Jon Johnson (he/him), Synod Minister for Finance and Human Resources, finance@rmselca.org
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Rev. Diana Johnson, Synod Minister for Rostered Ministry, dlinden-johnson@rmselca.org
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Kurt Rager, Synod Minister for Advocacy, New Mexico, krager@rmselca.org
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Deacon Mary Stoneback (she/her), Synod Minister for Strategic Communications and Events, mstoneback@rmselca.org
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Yvonne Wilken (she/her), Synod Minister for Adminstration, office@rmselca.org
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Pastor Sara Wirth (she/her), Synod Minister for Transitions and Healthy Ministries, swirth@rmselca.org
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| | Rocky Mountain Synod | 2323 E. Iliff Ave., | Denver, CO 80210 US |
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