Dear Friends,
It is the end of January and maybe you set some New Year’s Resolutions for 2015 and maybe you’re keeping up with them or maybe they’ve gone by the wayside. Resolutions, meant to be change-affirming and transformation-supporting, can often become a weight we bear. We want so badly to stop or start doing whatever it is that when we don’t follow through we feel let-down, disappointed, frustrated with ourselves.
I find if I’m not careful, I can see my relationship with God the same way. First, I set a goal. Maybe it is pray more or judge less; maybe it is spend more time in sermon preparation or make more phone calls to members of my congregation who might need support. I have the best of intentions, as I’m sure you do when you set a goal. But, too often, life happens and I miss my daily meditation time or I forget to call my friend, or I don’t take time to become involved in mission in a meaningful way. I let life push me along and I forget to connect to the heart of God. I feel let down in myself and I feel I let God down.
That’s not what a relationship with God is about, I don’t think.
God desires for us joy and peace. Grace abounds.
So when I go before God with my failings on my heart and ask forgiveness, God grants it generously and with love.
And then, when I look to the future and set my hopes, I don’t set them on what I can accomplish. I set them on Christ.
From Ephesians 1:12: “ It’s in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for. Long before we first heard of Christ and got our hopes up, he had his eye on us, had designs on us for glorious living, part of the overall purpose he is working out in everything and everyone.”
Christ calls me to be generous in my relationships; He calls me to love the “unlovable”, and reach the forgotten. When I set my hope on Christ it becomes clear that compassion and healing are paramount and the way into that life is plainly laid out for me:
From Matthew 25 (The Message) 34-36 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Enter, you who are blessed by my Father! Take what’s coming to you in this kingdom. It’s been ready for you since the world’s foundation. And here’s why:
I was hungry and you fed me,
I was thirsty and you gave me a drink,
I was homeless and you gave me a room,
I was shivering and you gave me clothes,
I was sick and you stopped to visit,
I was in prison and you came to me.’”
I can imagine no better resolution than to resolve to feed, serve, clothe, visit and love all with whom we come in contact. I can imagine no better calling than the one Christ lays before us. And I can imagine no better community of faith in which to live these hopes than our mission center. Thank you for being an important part of my New Year. Here’s to 2015!
Shandra
MISSION PRAYER:
“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!!!)
Emergency Preparedness Training in 2015. What would YOU do if an Emergency/Disaster hit Church – Home – Work – Community? Know how to plan for an emergency; Learn basic response skills focusing on emergency/disaster training and safety. This is an opportunity to provide training, information and service for the communities in which our congregations reside. The Denver Office of Emergency Management has been working with David Cook, a priesthood member and Seventy living in Castle Rock. The Denver OEM wants to run a pilot program in emergency/disaster training preparation in which communities where we have congregations. (Workshops can be 1-2 hours, depending on the interest of the congregation). The congregation would serve as a location and host for the community to receive such training. Please contact Rebecca, at the mission center office if your congregation is interested in being a part of this community project. brussell@cofchristrm.org Dave Cook is available to provide ministry upon request.
Denver CERT and ARES Denver District – February’s 2015 “Face 2 Face” program
Presenter: Debrah Schnackenberg, Director – Disaster Services, PetAid Colorado www.PetAidColorado.org
Topic of discussion: Community Emergency Response for Animal. Animal Response 1 is the first of two modules that make up the Animal Response training. This program will teach emergency preparedness for animal owners and how to recognize specific animal behaviors. (Community Emergency Animal Response Module II will be held in May). Our pets are the forgotten victims in a disaster.
When: February 10, 2015, 7:00pm to 9:00pm
Where: Denver Police District #3, 1625 S University Blvd, Denver, CO
RSVP: www.Denvergov.org\DenverCERT and click on “Registration Form” (please fill in every box even if it is N/A).
Questions: Carolyn H. Bluhm, Community Preparedness Specialist,
E-mail: DenverCERT@denvergov.org / http://www.denvergov.org/oem
The next SITE (Seminars in Theological Education) class will be “Preaching” with Dale Luffman and is scheduled for February 6-8, 2015. If you are interested in more information about SITE, please contact Shandra Newcom at: snewcom@cofchrist.org. SITE will also be offering 3 more classes in 2016! Even if you have attended SITE classes in the past (or graduated from the SITE program) you can return and take the three new classes. The classes are Peace and Justice, Spirituality and Community of Christ History.
March 13-14th: Leadership Weekend, Fort Collins Congregation. Calling all Leaders! Apostle Ron Harmon will be attending the gathering this year. We expect this to be largely a time of spiritual renewal and inspiration for leadership. Online registration is now available!! $20.00 per person. Please contact Rebecca at the mission center office with questions, brussell@cofchristrm.org.
North Platte Congregation Closing Celebration, March 15, 2015, North Platte, Nebraska. Apostle Ron Harmon and the RMMC staff will be participating in the Celebration of the North Platte congregation’s almost 100 year ministry. Everyone from the Rocky Mountain Mission Center is invited to attend this celebration of ministry. A meal will be served. More details will be forthcoming. Please RSVP Rebecca, brussell@cofchristrm.org in the mission center office so we know how many to plan for.
April 10-12: Junior Retreat & Junior High Retreat, Fort Collins Congregation.***Please note this is a date change for the Junior High Retreat.*** The director for the Junior Retreat is DeziRae Astle. The directors for the Junior High Retreat are Cherry and Shandra Newcom. Programming, staff and sleeping spaces will be totally separate for each retreat but meals and some recreation time may be shared. The cost is $50, details coming soon, questions? Juniors (3rd-5th grade) contact DeziRae at dastle@cofchrist.org and Junior Highs (6th-8th grade) contact Shandra at: snewcom@cofchrist.org
Save the Date! Family Camp at Peaceful Valley Ranch in Lyons, CO (near Estes Park, CO). Dates: Wednesday, July 29, 2015 – Sunday, August 2, 2015—-
Guest MInisters: Mark Sherer – Church Historian and Barb Walden, Executive Director of Community of Christ Historic Sites Foundation!
We look forward to your participation!!
When registering for an event using the RMMC website please note!: In order to receive an email confirmation of registration for an event, please make sure your SPAM manager setting allows you to receive emails from cofchristrm.org. If you are still not able to receive a confirmation of registration please contact Rebecca in the mission center office, brussell@cofchristrm.org
WORLD CHURCH ANNOUNCEMENTS
Letter of Counsel Regarding the Presiding Quorums go to http://www.cofchrist.org/letter-of-counsel to read the recent Letter of Counsel.
The Disciple Formation News will be e-mailed automatically each month to all who have subscribed for Community of Christ News. There is no need to sign up for an additional subscription! News will include highlighted resources, ideas for small group ministries, and teaching tips. We would love to feature the exciting ministries taking place in your congregation, so please share your ideas (don’t forget to include photos!).
Questions? Contact Janné Grover
OTHER ITEMS:
Announcements: For more information from the World Church please go to www.cofchrist.org/announcements You may also subscribe to the following blogs and resources to receive them in your email: Daily Bread Blog, Evangelist Blog, CofChrist News, CofChrist Announcements, Commentary Series, Music Matters, and the High Priest Newsletter. You may select which information sources you receive, just go to www.cofchrist.org then from the “Connect” drop down menu click on “Subscribe” and select which items you would like to receive.
Shandra Newcom
Rocky Mountain Mission Center Community of Christ 303-426-5900