2014 Rocky Mountain Synod Assembly Update from the ELCA Churchwide Organization Rev. Ruben Duran

1. 2014 Rocky Mountain SynodAssemblyUpdate from theELCA ChurchwideOrganizationRev. Ruben Duran

2. Thank you • Fortheinvitationto be withyou. • Foryourwarmwelcome and hospitality, especially at your new Lutheran Center. • Gladtoseelong-standing friends and toadd new ones • Let’shear a greetingfromourPresidingBishopElizabeth Eaton.

3. Greetings • Fromyourcolleagues in theChurchwideOffices of the ELCA. • I serveyou as Director for New Congregations • I workcloselywithyour Director forEvangelicalMission, the Rev. Stephanie Quick Espinoza.Sheplaysa key role here, alongwithotherleadersdirectingthe “missionaltraffic” in yourSynod.

4. A word of Appreciation • Fortheleadership of BishopJim Gonia. Servingamongyou. ServingthroughtheConference of Bishops. Serving in workinggroup “ministryamong peopleexperiencingpoverty” • FortheSynod staff, whosupportyourwork, fromtheoffices, and, in yourcongregations.

5. 2014 Rocky Mountain SynodAssembly Togetherwe are the ELCA, aninstrument of Godtoblesstheworld. • CheckyourAssemblymaterials: Synodicalministries, TheLutheran, TheMissionInvestmentFund, colleges, seminaries, outdoorministries, our global partners, LutheranAdvocacy, ecumenicalpartnersand manyothers. • Meet Peter Severson, new Director of LutheranAdvocacy in Colorado.

6. Four key ELCA strategic intent statements: • We are church • We are Lutheran • We are church together • We are church for the sake of the world

7. We Are Church Together“For as in one body we have many members, and not all the members have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually we are members one of another.” (Romans 12: 4-5)

8. Stories of Faith in Action • Stories of Faith in Action — Shows people whose liveshave been touched by ELCAministries • Congregational offerings makethese ministries possible, domestically and internationally. Thank you!

10. “God’s work. Our hands.” Sunday Sept. 7, 2014 • Began in 2013 as part of the ELCA’s 25 anniversary. • Opportunity for congregations to put their faith into action. • We all acknowledge that ELCA members work every day to share God’s love. This day is our opportunity to do this work together! • Identify service projects that make sense for your congregation’s situation.

11. “God’s work. Our hands.” Sunday Sept. 7, 2014 (continued) • Service day does not replace worship. Service may be done the day before. • Consider planning worship at the service site; welcome others to worship. • Partner with other ELCA congregations. • Visit www.ELCA.org/dayofserviceto download the toolkit, register your congregation and purchase T-shirts.

12. Always Being Made New:The Campaign for the ELCA

13. Always Being Made New:The Campaign for the ELCA • Publicly launched Feb. 1, 2014; approved by 2013 ELCA Churchwide Assembly. Five-year, $198 million campaign. • Through The Campaign for the ELCAwe can: • Invest in the future of this church • Expand our mission capacity • Achieve things on a scale and scope that we could never do alone

14. Always Being Made New:The Campaign for the ELCA(continued) Together we are gifted to: • Grow • Evangelize • Educate women • Serve globally • End hunger • Overcome malaria • Send missionaries • Form new leaders

15. Always Being Made New:The Campaign for the ELCA(continued) • Seeks to raise support of new and expandedchurchwide ministries above andbeyond those supported by weekly offerings. • Campaign goal is a 64 percentincrease in designated funding for years2014-2018. • Thanks for sharing Rev. Ron Glusenkamp to serve as Director for the ELCA Campaign.

16. Always Being Made New:The Campaign for the ELCA(continued) For more information on the campaign: • Visit www.ELCA.org/campaign, • Call 800-638-3522 (ext. 2612) or, • Email us at campaignforELCA@elca.org

17. What we all accomplished together as a church in 2013 • You planted 41 new congregations (50+% in multicultural settings,23% among those experiencing poverty). • You launched congregational renewal efforts in 155 congregations. • You supported 224 students at eight ELCA seminaries (ELCA Fund for Leaders). • You sent 60 young adults into global service (Young Adults in Global Mission) and continued support of 240 missionaries in more than 40 countries.

18. What we all accomplished together as a church in 2013 (continued) • You awarded 61 scholarships to young international leaders from our global companion churches. • You supported innovative solutions to hunger and poverty in nearly 60 countries and more than 350 programsin the U.S. (ELCA World Hunger). • Worked to help end deaths from malaria in 13 countries in Africa (ELCA Malaria Campaign). • Thank God and thank you! We are church together.

19. OBSERVATIONS

20. Projected Percent Change in Population from 2000 to 2015 Source: Claritas, Inc. Prepared by Research and Evaluation, Winter 2006.

21. Projected Percent Change in Population from 2000 to 2015 (with ELCA congregations) Source: Claritas, Inc. Prepared by Research and Evaluation, Winter 2006.

22. Challenge/Opportunity of Context 1. GEOGRAPHICAL: local/national 2. SOCIO-ECONOMIC: a church for all 3. GENERATIONAL: emergent church 4. ETHNIC- specific: 6 communities 5. MULTICULTURAL: a church from all KEY: acting/reflecting out of our missional identity, empowered for any context.

23. GRAYING OF OUR CONGREGATIONS

24. New Faces in our midst

25. OUR STRENGTHS

26. Rich & Deep Theological Heritage

27. ELCA is changing • Before: Called, gathered and nourished • Today: Claimed, gathered and sent. • OutintoGod’sworld, listening, learning, exploring, serving, beingwelcomedand witnessingtoGod’sactivity. “As yougo, be and makedisciples.”

28. ELCA NEW STARTS 489 new organized congregations since the beginning of the ELCA 490 is House for All Sinners and Saints, in Denver, with Pr. Nadia Bolz-Weber 352 new congregations under development 15 new ones last month 28 in planning stages

32. It’saboutGod’s MISSION • Everymember a missionary • Everyrostered leader a mission director • Everycongregation a missionoutpost • EverySynod a “missionarea” • Weallhavebeen GIFTED TO GROW • We are church TOGETHER!