RMMC Weekly Update
April 30, 2014
From Tim Ashburn
Greetings Rocky Mountain Mission Center!
Earlier this month I attended the 4th of 7 Leading Congregations in Mission (LCM) formational retreats at Camp Buckhorn in California, one of 2 such retreats for the Western Field. About 80 persons gathered from the participating pilot congregations. Colorado Springs and Greenwood Village are participating from the Rocky Mountain Mission Center. The weekend opened with a worship/sharing service where persons were asked to share about their experience with encountering the divine, praying the mission prayer and participating in missional practices. Slowly at first, then with greater frequency people began to share the disruption of the Spirit in their lives, leading them to moments of encountering individuals and circumstances in new ways. As people shared, it was like a barrage of testimonials involving the movement of the Spirit, causing persons to respond differently to perhaps old situations or experiencing totally new situations because of their openness to God’s Spirit.
In one story that was shared, a long walk to park a car for a couples’ night out, resulted in an encounter that led to dinner for 3 instead of 2. A homeless person needing something to eat just happened to meet up with a member of the Greenwood congregation, which resulted in an invitation to join the couple. As a result of their generosity for the homeless person, a wait staff member was so moved that he contributed to the meal. The openness of the couple, the disruption of the situation, brought moments of healing and generosity to the homeless person, the waiter and the couple.
As the evening worship continued more stories of encounter were shared. Those gathered were blessed with the overwhelming abundance of the unfolding journey of those willing to be vulnerable to the Holy Spirit.
As each congregation, each pastor, priesthood, leader, member, youth and child journey together. Please know that God is alive in the world. The mystery continues to lead, guide, love and respond to our openness and willingness to be fully awake and ready to respond. I invite you to immerse yourself in the missional practices being shared in the weekly updates and also available at www.missionalleaders.org Place the mission prayer, shared below, in a prominent place to remind you of the promise of God’s presence and your place in the unfolding movement of the Spirit in the world, your world.
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!!!)
Rocky Mountain Mission Center Super Sunday Camp Registration Day is Sunday, May 4th, 2014! Register this Sunday at your congregation with your CFO or their designee to receive the early registration price listed in the camping brochure. All registrations received after Sunday (or postmarked after May 6th) will pay the full registration costs. Congregations and youth have received the camping brochure outlining the events this summer. Thank you for supporting our youth in these important life changing experiences.
Young Adult Retreat: May 23-26, 2014 at Peaceful Valley Ranch. The early registration deadline for this event has been extended until Monday, May 5, 2014! The costs to attend are: Adult (ages 18-35) – $120, Child (ages 4-17) – $90, or Small Child (Ages 0-3) -$37.50. Registrations after May 5th will be an additional $25. 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 information. Registrations and payments can be made online at www.cofchristrm.org.
Camp Paradise Family Camp: June 18-22, 2014. The theme for this year is Do We Know How to Show Christ’s Love? Guest ministry will be Central Mission Center President, Barbara Borkowski, and LCM Coordinator Rob Borkowski. The camp schedule is available online at www.cofchristrm.org. For more information and registration, please contact Jim Smith at smiths.villa@hotmail.com.
Sr. High Street Retreat, ABOLISH POVERTY, RESCHEDULED FOR A LATER DATE, STAY TUNED!, 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 __________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
International Youth Forum (IYF): July 15-18, 2014 at the Community of Christ Temple in Independence, MO. Early registration deadline is June 10, 2014 and the theme this year is Courage. The cost to attend is $210, with transportation and delegation costs approximately $300 per person (transportation fees combine if attending both IYF and SPEC). Eligible students will have completed 9th grade through the first year of university (approximate ages 15-19). We are now accepting online donations for those wanting to support youth attending IYF at: www.cofchristrm.org.
Spectacular: July 18-26, 2014 at Graceland University. Expanded age range for this year; campers who have just completed 9th, 10th, 11th or 12th grades are invited to attend! The early registration deadline is June 10, 2014. The cost is $380 – sibling and first time friend discounts apply. Transportation will be coordinated by the mission center and will be approximately $300 (transportation fees will combine if attending both IYF and SPEC). Don’t miss this amazing opportunity to gather with nearly 1000 youth from around North America!
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.)