LANDSCAPE
The Rocky Mountain Synod
n FINANCIAL SNAPSHOT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2013
We are filled with gratitude as we share the news that the 2013 year ended in the black with
a balance of $68,221. This is due in part to some staff positions that are not yet filled and
some generous special gifts. Income for the year was $2,803,436 and expenses were
$2,735,215. Thank you to all of our partners in ministry!
n ELCA ROSTER CHANGES
NOVEMBER 2013
The Rev. Stephanie Kopsch from St. Andrew, Arvada, CO to Lord of the Mountains, Dillon, CO 11/01/2013
The Rev. John Maroni from Northeastern Ohio Synod to Pastor Faith Lutheran Church, Eaton, CO 11/1/2013
DECEMBER 2014
The Rev. John J. Ziegler Jr. deceased 12/9/2013
The Rev. Andrew Boesenecker from candidacy to Associate Pastor King of Glory Lutheran Church, Loveland,
CO 12/10/2013
The Rev. Andrea Doeden from candidacy to Pastor Zion’s Lutheran Church, Trinidad, CO 12/14/2013
The Rev. Robert Schmidt from Pastor St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Cheyenne, WY to Western North Dakota
Synod
JANUARY 2014
The Rev. Jeffrey Louden from Interim Pastor St. Matthew Lutheran Church, Taylorsville, UT to On Leave From
Call 1/1/2014
The Rev. Garrett Struessel from Pastor Lutheran Church of the Resurrection to South-Central Synod of
Wisconsin 1/1/2014
The Rev. Connie Winter-Eulberg from CSU Campus Ministry to Sierra Pacific Synod 1/1/2014
The Rev. Daniel Bollman from On Leave From Call to retired 1/1/2014
Samuel Sitompul installed at HKBP 1/10/2014
The Rev. Raymond McKechnie from Candidate to Associate Pastor American Lutheran Church, Grand
Junction, CO serving St. Matthew Episcopal Church 1/11/2014
FEBRUARY 2014
The Rev. Keith Knoff from Pastor Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church, Colorado Springs, CO to retired 2/1/2014
The Rev. Edward Smith from Pastor Trinity Lutheran Church, Loveland, CO to retired 2/1/2014
The Rev. Wayne Pouppirt from On Leave From Call to retired 2/15/2014
The Rev. Kaila Hochhalter from Candidate to Pastor Lutheran Church of Our Redeemer, Fort Morgan, CO
2/23/2014
n “LIKE US” ON FACEBOOK TO STAY CONNECTED
The RMS Facebook page has become the place where great photos and interesting stories
are posted about the extended life and ministry of the Rocky Mountain Synod. You can
visit the page even if you don’t have a Facebook account. Visit facebook.com/rmselca
455 Sherman Street, Suite 160, Denver, CO 80203
303.777.6700 / 800.525.0462 / rmsynod@rmselca.org / www.rmselca.org
“Gifted to Grow” is 2014 assembly theme
May 8 is dedication of new Lutheran Center; sessions are May 9-10
T
he assembly begins at the new
Lutheran Center site on May 8
and continues at the Denver Tech
Center Marriott on May 9-10, celebrating that we are, together, “gifted to
grow.”
The guest presenter is the Rev.
Ruben Duran, the ELCA Program
Director for New Congregations.
Guest musicians are from the Camino
de Vida congregation in Albuquerque.
Those attending are invited to
bring gifts to be shared with our Mission
Partner congregations, such as gift cards,
white computer paper, pens/pencils, colored
pencils/crayons, musical instruments for kids,
coffee, and more.
The registration deadline for the assembly
and the hotel is April 4. Assembly information and registration is posted online at
www.rmselca.org/assembly
Assembly co-chairs are Erin Power & Jan
Philpy. Kent Mueller is the assembly manager.
Contact Erin Power with questions by email
at epower@iliff.edu
THURSDAY, MAY 8
At the new Lutheran Center and Office of the
Bishop, 7375 Samuel Drive, Denver, Colorado, 80221
3 p.m. Conference Gatherings for these conferences (or some may choose an evening session):
Border, North New Mexico, Metro (Mountain) West,
Southeast Colorado, Utah, Wyoming
4:30 p.m. Dedication Worship at the new Lutheran
Center
6:00 p.m. Fiesta & Open House
Rev. Ruben Duran
FRIDAY & SATURDAY, MAY 9 & 10
At the Denver Tech Center Marriott, 4900 S Syracuse
St, Denver, CO 80237
FRIDAY MAY 9
Registration, plenary (begins at 8:45 a.m.), speakers,
workshops, eucharist, evening fellowship
SATURDAY MAY 10
plenary, speakers, worship
To allow appropriate travel time, assembly concludes
at noon for those from conferences travelling far distances (who began with conference gatherings at 3
p.m. on Thursday).
Noon Conference gatherings continue for: Boulder
Broomfield, Metro East, Metro West, Metro South,
Northern Colorado
APRIL 2014
“Lutheran Center” is new home
for Office of the Bishop on Mar 28
Conference deans are essential ministry partners
The former Valley Lutheran Church has been renewed
and reborn as the new Rocky Mountain Synod Lutheran
Center, four years after the church closed. The site is the
new location for the RMS Office of the Bishop as of
March 28.
The church property was constructed uniquely with
three separate buildings. The north building was the congregation’s “first unit” and later was used as the fellowship
hall after the “second unit” was built, a large sanctuary. A
third separate building, we are calling the “office annex”
was the church offices. A covered walkway connects the
three buildings together.
The north building was extensively renovated and
expanded resulting in a beautiful and functional space. The
construction manager for the project has been Craig
Tamminga, a member of Augustana Lutheran Church,
Denver, CO, who expertly orchestrated a complex project.
Office costs will be reduced now because payments on the mortgage (plus site expenses) will be
less than the current office lease. Utility costs will also be reduced since 82 solar panels have been
installed on the north building.
Congregations and individuals contributed over $40,000 towards furnishings, landscaping,
media, liturgical furniture, and art for the new building.
A Vision Team is continuing to consider the uses for the entire site. The basement of the
church building is used periodically for a transitional housing ministry in Adam’s County called
“Growing Home.” Families who are temporarily without a home stay in churches, and the churches
provide meals and hospitality volunteers. Cross of Christ Lutheran
Church, Broomfield, CO, has hosted
Growing Home weeks at this site for
many years.
Members of Cross of Christ raised
funds and coordinated a complete renovation of the church building basement’s kitchen area, which was in desperate need of an upgrade. A host of
other congregations have been
involved in the renewal, including several painting days for volunteers.
The dedication is slated for the May
8 at 4:30 p.m., the first day of the
2014 RMS Assembly. The site is located at 7375 Samuel Drive, Denver, CO,
80221.
C
A dean elected in each conference connects congregations
onferences are regional subsets of a
synod. In the Rocky Mountain Synod
there are ten, and each is served by an
elected dean or, in several cases, two codeans. The purpose of a conference is:
n to
enable congregations to discover their
mutual interdependence.
n to provide tangible witness in local communities to the unity we share in Christ.
n to provide mutual support for congregations and leaders to share program
resources.
Those serving as Dean articulate the
ELCA’s identity and mission, have healthy
leadership and communication skills, and
serve in a spirit of collaboration with the
Office of the Bishop. The Deans partner
with the Bishop to serve and communicate in
the following ways:
n Advocacy for ELCA Identity and Mission:
n
n
n
n
n
increasing understanding of our work as a wider
church, and actively promoting work with and
participation in our shared mission.
Communication: assures effective communication between the Conference and the Office of
the Bishop.
Collaboration: promoting and supporting
avenues of collaboration between congregations
and leaders as well as Synod Council.
Conference Meetings and Retreat: assures that
regular meetings of the Conference take place,
including meetings of rostered leaders as well as
gatherings that include lay leaders and congregational members.
Facilitate Conference Gatherings and Visits:
assures collaboration with the Office of the
Bishop in planning synodical gatherings on the
territory of the Conference.
Transition, Mobility and Interim Ministry:
assists in orienting a recommended Interim
Pastor, welcomes new leaders, conducts exit interviews.
n Healthy Leadership Liaison: works with rostered leaders in the conference to promote
healthy practices for their physical, emotional, and
spiritual wellbeing.
n Norms and Expectations: communicates and
promotes the norms and expectations for rostered leaders in the synod, including attendance at
theological conference and synod assembly.
n Pastoral care: provides pastoral care for the rostered leaders in the conference during times of
crisis, either themselves or through other persons
such as synod staff, other pastors in the area, or
other resources.
CONFERENCE DEANS
Border Conference – CO-DEANS
Geri Cunningham (St. Peter - Carlsbad)
Jerry Reynolds (Trinity – Las Cruces)
Boulder/Broomfield Conference
Steve Berke (First - Longmont)
Metro East Conference
Kristi Beebe (Nativity - Commerce City)
Metro South Conference
Dave Risendal (St. Peter - Greenwood Village
Metro/Mountain West Conference – CO-DEANS
Brian Bergum [Mountain] (Lord of the Valley - Granby)
Penni Walsh [Metro] (St. John's - Thornton)
North Colorado Conference
Sonja Pancoast (Zion - Loveland)
North New Mexico Conference – CO-DEANS
Pat Holman (St. Paul - Albuquerque)
Rachael Powell (St. Timothy - Albuquerque)
Southeast Colorado Conference
Robert Kippley (Shepherd of the Hills - Cañon City)
Utah Conference
Jeff Beebe (Our Savior's - Salt Lake City)
Wyoming Conference
Brenda Frelsi (Grace – Casper)