Dear Friends,
The second line in Joyce Rupp’s prayer called “Prayer of Disruption” says this: When did I lose my edge for adventure and surprise?
It’s become a meaningful question for me as I travel around the mission center. How do we, as congregations, live God’s adventure and stay open to surprise in our missional journey?
What exactly is God’s adventure and surprise? I think that one way to look at it is to imagine God at work in the world in places we may not expect. You see, I don’t believe we are called to take God to the world – God is already there. Instead, we are called to connect with the great wave of God’s love that already flows through our neighborhoods and communities (as well as our congregations and homes).
We connect by being prayerful in our daily walk. We connect by learning about the people who live around us. We connect by getting outside our congregational buildings and entering into relationship with the folks we find there. We connect through worship and song and pot luck. We connect by listening and being there for one another.
How is your congregations jumping in to an adventure with God this week? This month?
Perhaps the place to begin is right where you are. Perhaps the time to begin is right now.
God’s grand adventure awaits. It is a journey filled with surprises. My prayer is that you stay connected to one another, the earth and the God who created you and that in your connection you find the radical and surprising peace of Jesus Christ.
Love,
Shandra Newcom
Mission Center President
Rocky Mountain Mission Center
ROCKY MOUNTAIN MISSION CENTER ANNOUNCEMENTS:
2016 Business Meeting Season has come to a close. We would like to share a special thanks to our Mission Center Facilitator, pastors and staff who have worked together to hold annual congregational meetings. We are grateful to congregations for their continued financial generosity for 2017, and look forward to seeing delegates at the upcoming RMMC conference.
Ft. Collins Congregation 100th Anniversary Celebration, October 15-16, 2016: All are invited to share in the activities celebrating the 100th Anniversary of the Ft. Collins, CO congregation! This will take place at the church in Ft. Collins. Activities start at 2:00 PM on Saturday in the Activity Center with a slide show, sharing of experiences, honoring past leaders, and refreshments. A banquet will be held in the evening at 6 PM (call in reservations to Marilyn Garner 970-493-4137 or garner.marilyn@gmail.com). Sunday activities will begin at 9:45 AM with an information Q&A session with President Steve Veazey, followed by a worship service at 11:00. During the weekend celebration, additional parking will be available across Oak, in the horse/carriage lot, directly south of the church, as well as in the Mennonite parking lot on the north side of their church. This does not include the bank parking lot on Saturday. Signs will be posted to guide entrance to these lots. Hope you can make it!
Rocky Mountain Mission Center Conference, November 4-6, 2016, Estes Park, CO. Join alongside 200 members and friends for the biggest event of the year at the 15th Annual RMMC Conference in the heart of the Rocky Mountains! We will gather again at the YMCA of the Rockies for what is sure to be a Spirit filled weekend. The theme for the weekend is “Transformed Through Christ”. We will be talking about transformation through Christ as we become a community that lives, loves and shares together. Our guest ministers will be: Bill McFarlin (teaching and preaching), Dave & Dustee Heinz (Dave will be lead music and Dustee will be our spiritual companion) and Kinsey Horringa (youth ministry). **Youth K-12 attending conference please be sure to bring your swimsuits this year! There will be a swim activity on Saturday afternoon that you don’t want to miss. REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN! Please visit www.cofchristrm.org to register online or print off a registration form and mail in. Registration forms have been sent out to congregations and will be sent to delegates soon. We can’t wait to see you there!
We will welcome display tables at the RMMC Conference again this year! If your congregation, retreat, camp/campground, or organization would like to share a display table at the upcoming fall conference, please reserve your spot now. There are limited spaces available and they always fill quickly. Contact Rebecca Russell at the Mission Center office to reserve your space: brussellcofchrist@gmail.com or 303-426-5900 x1.
Developing Disciples to Serve is an important ministry of the Mission Center. Grocery cards are available for sale to support this initiative. When you use these cards at King Soopers, City Market or Safeway, you help earn FREE MONEY for ministry. The Mission Center is selling grocery cards for $10 (they are preloaded with that amount). Every time you buy groceries, you can add funds to the card for your purchase. The stores then donate 5 percent of your purchase back to the Mission Center. It is fast, free to you, easy, and a very effective way to raise money for our ministries in the Rocky Mountain region! ***MID-SEPTEMBER UPDATE*** In the first six months we have raised over $4375 and we expect to continue earning more the coming months! If you would like to purchase a grocery card, please contact Phyllis Modica at 303-426-5900 x-1.
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