RMMC Weekly Update
April 18, 2014
From Tim Ashburn
Greetings Rocky Mountain Mission Center!
Today we remember and honor the result of Jesus willingness and vulnerability to return to Jerusalem, the seat of religious and political power. It is the day of the crucifixion, Good Friday, the day that Jesus died because of his divine walk and ministry with us; the example of God on earth that was rejected by the religious and political powers of the time, Jesus who ate with sinners, who touched the untouchable, who proclaimed release of the captives, who gave sight to the blind, who set people free by the way he accepted them and touched them with divine love was deemed an enemy of the state, guilty of breaking religious law and being a threat to the Roman rule. It is a day when followers’ hopes were crushed, when the unbelievable happened, when the powers of the day seemingly overcame the divine attempt to share the possibility of a way to live with each other that was characterized by a gracious overwhelming love. This is not a day where the hope of the coming kingdom expressed in Jesus life welled up into reality, nor is it the day when God’s out pouring of love as portrayed in the gospels is once again breaking forth into a darkened world. It is a day of rejection and fear and the exercise of a world overcome with the inability to accept the divine presence due to a culture of isolation and bondage.
Perhaps the people were confused and confounded as they reflected back when Jesus first began his invitation to the disciples to become fishers of people. As they recalled the catch of fish which almost sunk the boat, as they were witness to the feeding of the multitudes with a few fish and pieces of bread, perhaps they wondered “what was happening” after all the acts of love and healing. The mission of Jesus is what matters most; a truth for our time as well as for that time. Jesus mission in the world was being rejected by those who had power and authority, but that was not the last word. The mission, the divine mission and influence in the world could not be stopped, it could not be slowed, it could not be kept from breaking forth. The mission was beyond the power of the fearful. The mission was couched in the ongoing recognition of the worth of persons and relationships draped in love and honor of the other; it moved people to question the cultural norms of the day and brought a promise of new life; a new way of being.
Maybe Good Friday was the beginning of Jesus mission being breathed into the followers at that terrible moment. Maybe the darkness of that moment provided a space for the light of the resurrection to take root. Thank goodness for the darkness that allows us to appreciate the light!
The mission, which was before we were, beckons us to respond. It calls to align ourselves with the energy of the divine in the world, to be attuned to it in such a way that the cultural individualistic norms drop away and that our clarity of sight is fixed by the mission of Jesus Christ. As we gather in love over this Easter weekend, I pray that we recall the darkness and recognize it and then open our eyes to the bursting forth of new light. May we soak up the light of the resurrection, the promise of new life, the promise of the continuation of Christ’s mission that we are called to move forward in our time.
Blessings,
Tim
The following is the mission prayer being used by participating congregations in the Leading Congregations in Mission Pilot. However all congregations are being encouraged to incorporate this prayer into the life of the congregation as well as in the lives of individual members. The prayer has been shared in various settings.
“God, where will your Spirit lead today? Help me be fully awake and ready to respond. Grant me courage to risk something new and become a blessing of your love and peace.” Amen
ROCKY MOUNTAIN MISSION CENTER EVENTS: PLEASE SHARE THESE ANNOUNCEMENTS IN YOUR CONGREGATION!!!)
Sr. High Street Retreat, ABOLISH POVERTY, April 25-27, Downtown Denver, CO.
Join your friends and awesome leaders in an experience of a lifetime. At past retreats we have made music videos, had crazy photo shoots, 16th street mall scavenger hunts, a grand tea party in hotel lounge area… We have worshipped on the 16th street mall and shared communion; we have learned about hunger, poverty and homelessness; and we have made breakfast burritos for the hungry and worked at SAME Cafe.
Grades: 9 – 12; Cost: $100 – must register by April 18 to reserve your space
To register: call the mission center office at 303-426-5900 or email Rebecca at brussell@cofchristrm.org Youth Registration forms are online at www.cofchristrm.org
Young Adult Retreat: May 23-26, 2014 at Peaceful Valley Ranch. The theme is: Experiencing the Divine Everyday. Our guest Minister will be President of Seventy Larry McGuire. Please put this exciting event on your calendar. We will begin Friday evening and end Monday around noon. This has been a meaningful event in the past and we anticipate another great experience this year! Please contact Shandra at: snewcom@cofchrist.org for more info or to register!
Rocky Mountain Mission Center Summer Youth Camps: The RMMC Camp Brochure will be coming out to congregations and campers within the next few weeks. It is posted on the mission center website at www.cofchristrm.org. Youth camp dates can also be found on the RMMC website. You may register using the Youth Registration Form online or through your congregation on May 4, 2014. Instructions on the May 4th Super Sunday Camp Registration Day are included in the camping brochure. Thank you for supporting our youth in these important life changing experiences.
Rocky Mountain Mission Center Family Camps and Reunions are scheduled and preparations are in their final stages. Our first family camp is coming up June 18-22, it will be held at Camp Paradise. Previously, our guest minister was Ron Harmon, but due to some scheduling concerns Central Mission Center President Barbara and LCM Coordinator Rob Borkowski will be the guest ministry. Big Spruce Reunion is set for July 5-12 at Big Spruce Campground on the western slope. The guest ministers will be President of Seventy Larry McGuire and Mission Assessment Coordinator for the Western Field, John VanDerWalker. On July 30 – August 3 the Rockies Family Camp will convene at Peaceful Valley Ranch between Lyons and Estes Park Colorado, guest ministry will be provided by President of the Council of Twelve Linda Booth. Please plan on making one of these experiences part of your spiritual journey this summer for the whole family. For more information go to www.cofchristrm.org
Silent Retreat, September 12-14, 2014, Sacred Heart Retreat Center, Sedalia, Colorado, guest ministry Dave and Carolyn Brock, retreat director Marlene Krueger, cost is $140 per person. Mark this date on your calendars. See attached registration form. This form will also be available online at www.cofchristrm.org
Resolutions for World Conference 2016 are being accepted for consideration at the 2014 Rocky Mountain Mission Center Conference. Any resolutions will need to be submitted to the mission center office no later than 30 days prior to the mission center conference. If you have any questions about this information please contact Tim Ashburn at tashburn@cofchrist.org or by phone 303-426-5900 ext. #2.
WORLD CHURCH ANNOUNCEMENTS
OTHER ITEMS:
10 Minute News: For more information from the World Church please go to
www.cofchrist.org/news/10min. The 10 Minutes News Report can be subscribed to electronically (see the side bar at the website titled E-Subscriptions.)