Taken Out of Context

Cholla Cactus at Bandelier National Monument, New Mexico

Photograph by Jeffrey Louden

Out of Context


Area of the Rocky Mountain Synod    421,829 sq miles
(Colorado, Utah, New Mexico, Wyoming and El Paso, Texas)

Population of the Rocky Mountain Synod    11.2 Million
Oldest known human habitation site  Clovis, NM (11,500 years BP)

Number of cities over 100,000   13

Number of ELCA Lutherans   71,390
Percentage of Population that is ELCA   .6%

Number of Congregations   165

Number of Mission Congregations   3

Number of active clergy   185

Number of Associates in Ministry   8
Number of Diaconal Ministers   5
Number of congregations served by ecumenical partners   6

Largest Congregation   Bethany Lutheran, Denver

Oldest Congregation     First Lutheran, Longmont 1878

States with Legislative Advocates   Colorado and New Mexico

Most recently installed pastor      Dan Barwinski (March 4, 2012)

Types of landscapes:

Plains, canyons, foothills, mountains, valleys, riverbeds, calderas,
gypsum deserts, dunescapes, tundra
Largest living organism on the planet    Aspen Grove near Fish Lake, Utah

Highest point + Mt. Elbert, CO 14,440 ft

Lowest point + Redbluff Reservoir, NM 2842 ft
States where atomic bombs have been detonated +  
New Mexico (1945) and Colorado (1969)
Year El Paso, Texas was established   1850
Place the Margarita was invented + Tommy's Place Bar in El Paso, 1945
Length of the Colorado River  1450 Miles
People served by the river  25 million
Number of National Parks    14
Longest serving Bishop in the ELCA    Allan Bjornberg  (1994-present)


compiled by Jeffrey Louden