Beloved in Christ in the Rocky Mountain Synod,

I am writing to share with you three key recommendations for our life as church becoming in the Rocky Mountain Synod during this time of pandemic, including guidance on the question of in-person gatherings for congregations and communities of faith. Let me begin with some overarching thoughts and a description of the process by which these recommendations were developed.

 

First, the question at hand is not about “reopening the church.” Although most of our buildings have been closed during this pandemic, the church itself is not a building. The church is the called people of God, marked by the cross of Christ, and empowered by the Holy Spirit for our life and witness in the world. The church of Jesus has never been closed; it has taken new shape and form during this pandemic. More than ever, in ways we could never have anticipated, we have been experiencing what it means to be church becoming. The pandemic is not an interruption in our life as the Body of Christ, after which we will return to “normal.” Rather, in the hands of our God who brings life from death, this pandemic—with all of its pain, suffering, disorientation, and frustration—is a serving as a means by which we are being reshaped for our ministry and witness. We will never be the same; we will not return to what we once knew. We are Christ’s Church Becoming , becoming what the Spirit needs us to be for the life of the world.

 

In that light, these recommendations will not guide you back to something that once was. These recommendations do not offer a step-by-step guide for “getting back to normal.” Instead, these recommendations—taken together—invite us to embrace our becoming and invest in the Spirit’s continuing work in and through us.

View the full letter and recommendations

ELCA Global Mission invites you to join a contemplative prayer service, For the Healing of the Nations, on Pentecost Sunday, May 31, 2020 at 1 pm Central in the United States.

For the Healing of the Nations will speak specifically to this time of the COVID-19 pandemic, our anxieties and stress, calling for God’s hope, comfort and healing. 

Participating in the leadership of this contemplative prayer service will be some of our synod and companion church colleagues, who will offer prayers of intercession. 

This will be a virtual event, run on the Zoom platform. The information to connect is below.  For the Healing of the Nations will be 45 minutes in length. The event will be recorded. 

Following the May 31, 2020 Global Companion Prayer Service, Global Mission will make a pdf file of the service available on our web page. You will be able to download the service at https://elca.org/Resources/Global-Mission to use in your own settings – congregation or synod gatherings. 

 

Please circulate this flyer! And light a candle and join us in this global effort to pray together for the healing of the world.

Prayer Service: Africa

Zoom:  https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81205106222?pwd=emZCUG1uWGtpVGpGM2tFaWFmUVFjZz09

Password: 982124

The ELCA Faith Formation team is excited to launch a special small-group ministry for recently graduated high school students.

Based on Isaiah 43, PASSAGE will be centered on mutual support and wrestling with faith and life in times of transition.

Please encourage seniors in your congregation to sign up for this new and exciting ministry. Registration opens Wednesday, May 27. More info here.

These will be our final 2 webinars.

This will be a weekly conversation, with a new topic each week.

https://zoom.us/j/917853401 Meeting ID : 917 853 401

Phone : +1 669 900 6833 US

Wednesday, May 27, 3:30 p.m.

Finding Jobs Where None Seem to Exist: A Field Guide for Part-Time Ministers Seeking Additional Employment

Many of our pastors, deacons, and lay ministers are serving in part time positions and are seeking additional employment. This program describes the tools and the tactics for uncovering job opportunities that are not public knowledge.  Presented by Packard Brown, who provides career guidance to ministers and church members through his Theology Careers Initiative.

Wednesday, June 3, 3:30 p.m.

Supporting and Coaching Congregants Through Job Loss: Pointers on How to Help Church Members Regain Mental and Spiritual Equilibrium While Suffering from Unemployment

Once the pandemic has subsided and the employment market opens up, there is going to be tremendous competition for jobs. Successful job seekers use four tactics that are proven to foster interviews and lead to job offers. More than cleverly designed resumes, more than crafty interviewing antics, these four actions have shown to be the critical factors necessary to securing employment. Those who are equipped with the right tools and most effective strategies will be the first to be hired. Join Packard Brown, a long-standing career consultant, nationally recognized author, and speaker as he conducts a webinar on these four job-search skills.

LuMin-CSU (Lutheran Campus Ministry in Fort Collins, CO) continues all summer long.  Every summer, but especially this summer LuMin will be meeting up weekly with young adults electronically. From your parent’s basement, your apartment, or wherever you reside, connect with others from Pennsylvania to Arizona to Madagascar. Just out of high school and going to college in the future… get connected. Going to college somewhere else in the world… more than welcome. Not going to college but want to hang out with some other young adults… all are welcome! Not a young adult but know someone who is (whether in your basement or not)… give them this invitation. Camp worship, celebrating your half-birthday, faith conversations, electronic service events, compare “Avenue 5” with real pandemic life, a game of global ultimate spoons… we are dedicated to expanding the possibilities of staring at a screen all summer. 

Text “summer” and your name to 970-482-2160 and Campus Pastor Paul Judson will get right back to you! Text or call that number if you have questions.

Join us for our first online fundraiser, where BBQ & Bluegrass can reach everyone!

Enjoy a live auction, meet the 2020 summer staff and enjoy music from Jerusalem Road.

Follow our website, Facebook and/or Twitter accounts to find out more details about the event!

www.skyranchcolorado.org

This program will be about the power of play and regulation in healing trauma in children and ourselves. There will be an emphasis on the current COVID-19 crisis and how we can come back to our own centers in an effort to encourage healing and regulation in ourselves and the children in our lives.

Georgia Angelo, a licensed clinician social worker and a trained Play Therapist, works primarily with children ages 3-12 and their families. She is passionate about working within the refugee and immigrant community and has over 10 years experience working with children who have survived trauma. She is also passionate about the power of play in facilitating children's healing.

ZOOM:

https://zoom.us/j/7597395846?pwd=Vk83R1hyL2M5QUlCeHFYVFkxbjlLUT09

Call-in: 346-248-7799, ID7597395846#; Password: 930794

A celebratory hymn for Pentecost, O Day Full of Grace, is available on May 27 for use in online Sunday worship. ALCM thanks all those who participated in the virtual hymn. Over 1,300 recordings were submitted for this amazing hymn project!

Permission is granted to use this virtual hymn in all worship services. The hymn is at this link: https://alcm.org/virtual-hymn/

Join the the monthly Lutherans Restoring Creation in the Rocky Mountain Synod meeting to discuss Robin Wall Kimmerer's book "Braiding Sweetrgrass."

Join the FaceBook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/153008509368206/

Lutherans Restoring Creation Rocky Mountain Synod

Monthly Support Group Meeting

Second Saturday of each month 10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.

Anyone in the Rocky Mountain Synod who is concerned about Creation is invited to a monthly support group meeting where we share ideas, prayers, and news concerning the care of our natural environment. Join the meeting on Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83008940316

Questions? Contact Pastor Alena Lamirato at [email protected]

Colleagues form our Global Mission Area Desk for the Middle East are in the midst of hosting a webinar that exposes attendees to voices from the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Jordan and the Holy Land. Karin Brown, who leads our Peace Not Walls effort, is host of this “PNW 2020 Virtual Series.”  The series is being held every Saturday at noon (Eastern Time) , each session is 1 to 1½ hours long. 

PNW 2020 Virtual Series Session 6 - Webinar with ELCJHL Pastor Mitri

May 30 (Saturday): 7pm Jerusalem time (9am PT/10amMT/11amCT/12pm ET) (1 hour) Join here

Session 6 will be a conversation with Dr. Mitri Raheb, Founder and President of Dar al-Kalima University College of Arts and Culture in Bethlehem, about the impact of the pandemic on the church, educational institutions, and the wider community in the context of occupation and their response.

Links for all past and future PNW 2020 Virtual Series can be found here.

Announcing the Fall 2020 release of All Creation Sings, a liturgy and song supplement in the Evangelical Lutheran Worship resource family.

Even in this time of change and challenge, we seek words and music that support and enrich the church’s worship. We invite you to learn more about “All Creation Sings,” a new collection of liturgy and song that supplements our hymnal, “Evangelical Lutheran Worship.” To explore a preview of this collection, visit augsburgfortress.org/allcreationsings.

Views from the Rockies is produced by the Rocky Mountain Synodical Women's Organization (RMSWO). It provides information about current programs, projects, and more. Here women share their ideas, their thoughts, their concerns, and their joys. The Views from the Rockies seeks to provide the news that all women in the Rocky Mountain Synod need! Get your copy here .

"Fifty and Better" is designed for members of our community who are 50 years of age and older and want to continue learning - just for the enjoyment and stimulation of pursuing knowledge and social engagement through interactive courses and extracurricular activities. The summer session will be held virtually via Zoom. Registration opens on Thursday (May 14) at 10am PST. Registration closes on May 27. Flier here, to register and learn more, click here.

Your COVID-19 source for benefit information

Portico’s online COVID-19 resource pages provide members and sponsoring employers with up-to-date information on health benefits, investment performance, and market behavior, as well as government action affecting ministry organizations and those they employ. Health benefit members can find updated information on testing, treatment, home delivery for long-term maintenance prescription drugs, and emotional support.

For ELCA sponsoring employers

For ELCA plan members

Portico’s public website

Information Security for congregations and synods

Chris Hueneke, information security advisor for the ELCA churchwide organization, hosted a webinar on April 21, covering these topics: how to avoid phishing email attacks, protect sensitive data and prevent malware infections, and what to do if your data has been breached. > More