We welcome Pastor Daniel!

I am pleased to announce that Pastor Daniel Rakotoarijaona has arrived from Madagascar to participate in the installation of Bishop Gonia and to enjoy an extended visit throughout the synod.

Pastor Daniel serves the Malagasy Lutheran Church as a director for Project Shalom, the Malagasy church’s ministry of accompaniment with Islamic peoples in northern Madagascar.  Pastor Daniel was the first President (Bishop) of the Mahajanga Synod - our original companion - and was serving when our relationship was established.

Since before the election, the transition team and installation planning team had hoped to include a representative from our companion synods in the installation rite. We are blessed to have Daniel not only for the installation ceremony but also as a teacher the theological conference and other activities during his two week stay in the Rocky Mountain Synod.  

Pastor Daniel’s visit to our synod will not only celebrate the decades of history we share together, but also his insights and expertise in multicultural ministry will help us see our own multicultural opportunities here in our synod in new ways. 

Project Shalom has found creative ways for Christians and Muslims to walk together. Medical clinics operated by Project Shalom bring much-needed care to Islamic villages and regions. In addition, Malagasy skill in learning how to share faith with people from a different religious tradition can help us in our own witness to others in our pluralistic culture.

Pastor Daniel’s presence will help us all experience the value and joy of accompaniment first hand. What a fitting beginning.

Linda Bobbitt

Rocky Mountain Synod Vice President

Summer Budget Update

As Vice President of the Rocky Mountain Synod,  I want to give you a brief update on the current state of the RMS Budget.

Transition Expenses:

The transition budget that passed at the synod assembly allowed for $145,000 in expenses. Creating the budget was challenging because there were so many unknowns. Some of the expenses are related to events (election, appreciation, installation), others related to staff who might be leaving (severance, vacation, contracts for training/overlap period, etc.) and still others related to staff who might be coming (moving, office equipment, furniture as needed, etc.). As of mid July we have spent approximately $8,900. Most of the anticipated expenses have not yet happened, however we now have a much clearer picture of what to expect. I am glad to inform you that we are right on track. Barring any unforeseen events, we expect to come in under the budget when the transition is complete.

Congregational Giving:

The chart below shows congregational giving to the Rocky Mountain Synod from 2004 to present.  The data is summarized into three groups: the average giving from 2004-2008 (before the economic crisis), 2009-2011 (during and after the crisis) and this year to date.

It is not surprising that the average after the economic crisis is lower than it was before. What is disconcerting is that 2012 shows no sign of recovery. In fact congregational giving last June represented the lowest income of any month since 2004. Cheryl the financial secretary says that it is the lowest one month income she has ever seen since she started in this job about 17 years ago.

It is easy and tempting to speculate about why this is. Are times really that tight in congregations? Does this have something to do with the transition? …. But such speculation rarely bares any fruit. Instead, I would like to simply ask.  

Please take a moment and post at the bottom of this blog what is happening with your congregation. What is happening with your income.  What is happening with your giving to the RMS and why? What do you expect for the rest of the year? What ideas do you have? What resources do you need? Let’s talk about this together as a synod. After all, this is the money we use to do ministry together.  It is also the money we use to support each other.  I suspect if we talk about this openly we will be able to connect needs to knowledge in new ways that will benefit everyone.  Please take a moment and join the conversation. This affects all of us. 

Linda Bobbitt

Transition Update

Linda Bobbitt is the Vice President of the Rocky Mountain Synod, an elected position held by a lay member of a synod congregation

Greetings fellow members of the Rocky Mountain Synod,

I’m writing to update everyone on the progress of the transition of the Office of the Bishop. Since before the Bishop’s election, the synod council’s transition team and its subcommittees have been working to prepare the way. Since the election some tasks have ended just as others have begun. Bishop Bjornberg, the transition team, and its committees have worked with Bishop-elect Gonia to plan the installation service, review staffing requirements, bring everyone up to speed on current matters before the synod, and many other details.

Beyond the business aspects of the synod, the transition team also spent significant time meeting with Bishop-elect Gonia both in person and virtually to imagine the next steps for our synod. We are starting from a strong position. At the synod assembly Presiding Bishop Hanson noted that the Rocky Mountain Synod serves as an example to other synods of this church. It is because of this strong foundation that we will be able to take bold new steps into the work to which God is calling us.

Bishop-elect Gonia shared many of his ideas and underlying values in the blogs that have already been published. The blog describes the new staff that will be joining the Office of the Bishop in mid August. The most recent blog, “Deeply rooted, bearing fruit,” shares the framework being used to understand the role of the Office of the Bishop in the future. Deeply Rooted, Bearing Fruit will be our theme for the year including the theological conference, fall missional gatherings in conferences, and all the way through the next synod assembly.

So what can you expect to see in the first few months of a new Bishop?

July 31 marks the last day of Bishop Bjornberg's term. There will be a brief “Release from Call” rite on Friday July 27 in the conference room at 455 Sherman St. in Denver. This is accompanied by an open house/reception from 2 to 4 p.m. for those in the area who would like to stop by and be part of this brief rite. (RSVP that you are attending.)

August 1 will be the first day for our new bishop. The first two weeks will be spent with existing staff as Bishop Gonia learns the lay of the land. The second two weeks of August will have both the incoming and outgoing staff working side by side.

September will begin a time for new staff to settle in and begin to get to know the synod from their new perspective. There will be some initial trips for particular events, however important time will be spent beginning to find the rhythm of the new office. Near the end of September the first Synod Council meeting is followed immediately by the Installation of Bishop Gonia on September 23 at 7 p.m. and the Theological Conference on September 24 and 25.  The Theological Conference will be a time where rostered leaders will spend time with Bishop Gonia, other synod ministers from the Office of the Bishop, and guest speakers to more deeply explore what it means to be deeply rooted and bearing fruit.  

October will include the kick-off of the fall/winter conference gatherings. These gatherings will be a time for lay and rostered people to come together, meet the new Bishop and share with each other what it means to be deeply rooted and bearing fruit. These gatherings are still being scheduled and planned. However, they will look something like the gatherings leading up to the Bishop election. Watch for more information about these gatherings.

As you can see, the next few months will be a time of change.  It will be a time of endings and beginnings, grief and anticipation. We are leaning into the beginning of many new things and new ways of walking together while we give thanks for the firm foundation on which we are standing and those who formed that foundation. 

During this time, please keep Bishop Bjornberg, Bishop-elect Gonia, staff from the Office of the Bishop (both current and future), the members of the Transition Team (myself, Treasurer Dennis Reynolds, Secretary Earlene Bohling, and council members Pastor Dana Peterson and Jerry Ethridge) in your prayers. Ask God to continue revealing God’s will for this synod and look for new ways for you and your congregation to participate as we grow deeper and bear fruit together.

In Peace,

Linda Bobbitt

Rocky Mountain Synod Vice President