The Church Council of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) has affirmed the proposed Future Church design that is focused on a renewed purpose to activate the entire church so that more people may know the way of Jesus and discover community, justice and love. The council, which serves as the ELCA’s board of directors and legislative authority for the church between churchwide assemblies, held its electronic meeting Nov. 12-14.

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Wondering how to make a positive impact in the world right now? With ELCA Good Gifts, you can choose from 50 charitable gifts to give in honor of friends and loved ones. Each one of these gifts makes a real impact in the world, sharing the love of Christ — one goat, water well or school uniform at a time.

Start your holiday shopping now and order free, customized cards for each gift you give. Please give by Dec. 10, 2020, to ensure that your cards arrive in time for Christmas.

Your 2020 Annual Report covers are now available for download in two versions. One is individual pages. The other is a two-page spread across 11x17 paper. Both can be downloaded at Stewardship resources: https://www.elca.org/Resources/Stewardship#Leadership, or below.

The RMS insert for your annual reports is now available along with other resources to share about our life together as church:

This devotion uses traditional Christmas melodies, the ones we yearn to sing and experience. But since this is Advent, not Christmas, each Christmas melody will usually have a new Advent text. These new texts are written by pastors Pamela Gonzalez, Carolyn Winfrey-Gillett, or other lyricists. Each video will include a musical tidbit on the history of each melody or song as well. We close each devotional with a prayer to guide us in our journey this Advent season.

Our devotional series will be accessible and free to anyone via our social media platforms as well as at https://skyranchcolorado.virtual-camp.org/advent-resources/. Want more information or access for your congregation, please contact the Sky Ranch office (970-493-5258) or Brad@skyranchcolorado.org. A printed version of the material in the videos will also be available.

If you know young adults ages 21 to 29, this is the time to reach out. Encourage them to apply for YAGM by the deadline of Jan. 15, 2021. Talk to them personally about what this opportunity will mean for their faith, identity, career and understanding of God’s work in the world.

Through YAGM, young adults will learn what it means to serve in a spirit of accompaniment as they walk alongside global church companions. They’ll become immersed in a new community and form deep relationships. And they’ll confront issues of wealth and poverty, racial privilege, gender privilege, economic disparity and globalization, all through the lens of faith. Learn more at ELCA.org/YAGM.

We know pastors, deacons, and church staff are working especially hard during this pandemic. We wanted to give them a week off, and perhaps a longer Thanksgiving weekend, so the PLTS worship team is working on an Advent 1 worship service to record and make available to your congregations for use on Sunday, November 29!

It will be a Service of the Word with a sermon, following the Revised Common Lectionary. Several of our seminary students will be participating so it's also a good opportunity for people to meet them via video.

We plan to have the service ready to share (probably with a YouTube link) on Monday, November 23. Remember this date too so you can pick up our video and schedule it into your November 29 worship!

Every night we dream, and each dream is potentially packed with information about our life and well-being. Much of the time we find these night images hard to remember and/or impossible to understand. However, knowing a few key aspects of sleep and dreaming helps us access untapped riches in our inner world. Participants can bring a dream image to share or simply listen as we explore the fascinating world of dreams.

Roland Evans is a psychotherapist, writer, and teacher in Boulder, was Adjunct Professor at Naropa, teaching courses on psychology, psychotherapy and systems thinking. In addition to his psychotherapy practice, he provides coaching and consultation to local non-profits through Social Venture Partners.

Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/4264420220

Come join us for conversation on the evening of Thanksgiving Day! This is going to be a very unusual holiday. Not like one we have ever had before. So, we invite you to come and connect with us. We’ll have an hour together that will include music, video, readings, and a chance to share together. This will be a time when we can reach out to be connected, be spiritually nourished, and filled with gratitude in this new way, the Zoom way.

With Martie McMane and Alan Johnson, hosted by Atonement Lutheran Church, Boulder, and the Interfaith Network on Mental Illness (www.inmi.us.)

Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/4264420220

Colorado Gives Day is an annual day of giving to non-profit organizations all across Colorado. Whether you live in Colorado or not, you can donate to Rainbow Trail on Tuesday, December 8th. Each donation helps RTLC receive additional funds from Community First Foundation through a sum that's divided among all participating organizations and prizes at the end of the day. You can even pre-schedule your CO Gives Day gift NOW so you won't forget to donate!

Give at https://www.coloradogives.org/rainbowtrail/overview and for more information, visit https://www.rainbowtrail.org/donate/colorado-gives-day/.

 What is beauty if not stillness?

Please join us for Advent Awakening, a virtual Advent retreat offered by Rachel Bass Guennewig and DanaLee Simon, that runs from November 29 to December 25, 2020. We will gather by ZOOM on four Sunday nights at 5:30 p.m. MST/6:30 CST, to explore the theme of the week (Delighting, Sistering, Hoping, and Magnifying). You will also receive an e-mail, Monday thru Saturday, with a 5-10 minute practice to help deepen your awareness and experience of this Season.  

To register for Advent Awakening, please follow this link.

If you have questions or concerns please be in touch with us! DanaLee (sagehillwisdom@gmail.com) or Rachel (dailybreadyoga@gmail.com).

The COVID-19 pandemic has created an unprecedented challenge for our lives and the lives throughout the world. In particular, the church is impacted in its ability to provide the very ministry it is called to embody - presence. How do we embody presence when we aren't present or severely limited? How do we lead for the future? How do we re-imagine ministry? How do we stay adaptive?

We will draw on the insights from the world of management exploring these questions from the perspective of entrepreneurship, marketing, leadership, finance and fundraising.

California Lutheran University, January 11-15, 2021

The ELCA continues to partner with Dell computers and its Corporate Affiliate Purchase Program, which extends to ELCA synods and congregations. Here is information regarding current specials being offered to us: Dell’s Member Purchase Program is announcing a new discount percentage on Dell and Alienware electronics and accessories. Members can now save 10% on top tech accessories, including monitors. Doorbuster weekly events start Nov. 5, and the main sale starts on Nov. 16. Complete sale and purchasing information is available in this flyer.

Tithe.ly is an ELCA preferred vendor offering a family of online tools to help increase giving, manage congregational membership data and engage members throughout the week. Featuring online, mobile and text giving options, Tithe.ly has expanded its product line to offer low-cost websites, church management software and apps to ELCA congregations. Is your congregation paying for several technology solutions every month? Tithe.ly’s new “All-access” plan includes a giving platform, a church website template, church management software and an app, all for one flat rate. Take advantage of special prices available exclusively for ELCA congregations at get.tithe.ly/elca.

If you are already a God Pause subscriber, you will receive “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” in your email inbox each day of Advent. If you’re not a God Pause subscriber, sign up here and select “God Pause Daily Devotions” to receive the daily devotion. Once Advent ends, you’ll continue to receive daily God Pause devotions written by Luther Seminary alumni.

If you have questions, please email devotion@luthersem.edu.

The ELCA seeks its next Executive for Administration (EA), who will serve as the chief operating officer for the ELCA’s churchwide headquarters located in Chicago. The EA will work closely with the presiding bishop and all ELCA staff leaders. Importantly, the EA position presents the unique opportunity to be deeply involved in the redesign of the churchwide leadership structure and to serve as a primary driver of the strategic planning process, including addressing challenges facing congregations such as an aging membership and diversity in membership.

Download available: ELCA-Exec Admin-Position Guide-Final.pdf.

To apply, send a current resume and letter of introduction to Kittleman & Associates, LLC at https://bit.ly/3jHyQuu. For best consideration, interested parties should submit their resume and cover letter by November 20, 2020.

St. John's Lutheran Church in Thornton, Colorado is seeking a bi-lingual candidate for our Community Connection ministry to develop relationships in our local community through our Early Learning Center and technology ministries. We're a welcoming and inclusive community that fosters connection to God, each other and the community.

This part-time (20-25 hrs/wk) position reports to the Pastor and works with the Office Manager, ELC Director and Technology Team to support the congregation’s ministry.

Job description here. For more info, write to: gracepastor2@gmail.com.

Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Chicago, IL

St. John's Lutheran Church - Thornton, CO

Joy Mission Preschool - Parker, CO

Atonement Lutheran Church - Boulder, CO