Rocky Mountain Synod Elca

What Rocky Mountain Synod Elca does

The Rocky Mountain Synod ELCA is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit regional body of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, founded in 1988 and headquartered in Denver, Colorado. It provides ecclesiastical oversight, pastoral care, and administrative support to 151 ELCA congregations across five states (Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming, and Western Texas), organized into ten conferences. The synod also coordinates four campus ministries, two outdoor ministries (Rainbow Trail Lutheran Camp and Sky Ranch Lutheran Camp), one public policy/advocacy office, and seven social ministry organizations, collectively serving an estimated 40,000+ people. Staffed by seven employees under the leadership of Bishop Meghan Johnston Aelabouni (the fourth bishop and first woman to hold the role, installed August 2024), the synod operates through a Bishop's office, four Synod Ministers assigned to conferences, and a Synod Minister for Strategic Communications and Events.

The synod's product surface is a single integrated digital ministry platform built on its website (rmselca.org), comprising the eConnection weekly newsletter (delivered via Constant Contact), a Call Opportunities board for clergy placement, an Employment Opportunities board, a Pulpit Supply list with standardized compensation ($200 per service plus IRS mileage), the RMS Prayer Cycle, Compensation Guidelines, and the Bishop's Blog. Programmatic offerings include the 2026-launched Every Congregation Visit (ECV) Project for systematic in-person engagement, the Second Fruits Fund (approximately $1.97M over five years from property sales, legacy gifts, and remaining grants), and the RMS Disaster Response initiative. In 2026 the synod relocated its office into Iliff School of Theology under a five-year lease, reducing facility costs to roughly one-third of the former Lutheran Center.

Revenue is sourced from three streams: recurring mission-support contributions from the 151 member congregations, designated donations and offerings (including for Disaster Response and Second Fruits), and one-time property/legacy gifts from concluded congregations and capital campaigns. There is no commercial pricing model; the organization does not sell products or services to external customers and does not publicly disclose financial results. The synod maintains global companion relationships with Lutheran bodies in Madagascar and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land.

Name

Rocky Mountain Synod Elca

Legal name

Rocky Mountain Synod, ELCA

Website

https://rmselca.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1988

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Rocky Mountain Synod ELCA is a nonprofit regional body of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America that provides ecclesiastical oversight, pastoral support, clergy placement, grant programs, and ministry coordination to 151 ELCA congregations and affiliated ministries across Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming, and Western Texas.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Religious Denomination Administration

NAICS

Religious Organizations (8131)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Religious Orders & Monastic Communities (Monasteries, Convents) (BPAGAJAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Faith-Based & Mission Service Programs (EDAIAGAI)

Keywords

• Religious denomination administration
• Congregation pastoral support
• Clergy call processes
• Disaster response ministry
• Church grant programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Denver

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Mission Support from Congregations: The synod receives mission support funding from its 150+ member congregations across Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming, and Western Texas to fund synod operations and ministry programs.
2. Donations and Offerings: Individual and congregational donations designated for specific purposes including RMS Disaster Response, Second Fruits Fund, and general synod ministry support.
3. Property and Legacy Gifts: Funds received from property sales, capital campaigns, holy closure gifts, legacy gifts from concluded congregations, and remaining grant resources that are stewarded through the Second Fruits initiative.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Rocky Mountain Synod ELCA is the regional ecclesiastical body of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America for a five-state territory, providing pastoral care, governance, and administrative support to 151 congregations, 4 campus ministries, 2 outdoor ministries, and 7 social ministry organizations. Its core services include facilitating clergy call processes, administering disaster response, distributing grants through the Second Fruits initiative (approximately $1.97 million), publishing the weekly eConnection newsletter, and conducting the two-year Every Congregation Visit (ECV) Project across the region.

Product overview

The Rocky Mountain Synod ELCA operates a single integrated digital ministry platform providing church governance, pastoral resources, and congregational support services across a five-state territory. The core offering consists of the synod website with multiple interconnected modules: the eConnection newsletter system for weekly communications, the Call Opportunities board for minister placements, Employment Opportunities for church staff positions, the Second Fruits Grants program for distributing nearly $2 million in legacy funds, the Every Congregation Visit (ECV) Project for synod-wide relationship building, and the Bishop's Blog for pastoral leadership communications. Supporting resources include the RMS Prayer Cycle, Pulpit Supply directory, Compensation Guidelines, and Synod Assembly governance events. The organization also maintains companion synod partnerships with Lutheran churches in Madagascar. This is a ministry service platform rather than a commercial technology product.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Second Fruits: A new initiative that reimagines gifted resources for ministry context and the future church, distributing grants to congregations and ministries across the synod.
• Every Congregation Visit (ECV) Project

Products and services

• eConnection Newsletter Weekly electronic newsletter featuring synod news, events, employment opportunities, and articles from congregations across the five-state territory.
• RMS Prayer Cycle Monthly prayer program listing rostered ministers, congregations, and ministries throughout the synod for weekly congregational prayers, organized by conference.
• Call Opportunities Listing of current openings for rostered leaders (pastors and deacons) across congregations and ministry partners, with position details and conference assignments.
• Employment Opportunities Job board listing church staff positions including Office Administrator, Director of Communications, Associate Music Director, Director of Faith Formation, Youth Director, and Associate Director of Youth and Family Ministries across member congregations.
• Second Fruits Grants Grant initiative disbursing approximately $1.97 million over five years from legacy funds, property sales, and remaining grant resources. Grants support Ministry Development and Revitalization, Leadership Development and Support, Faith Formation, and Justice and Advocacy.
• Every Congregation Visit (ECV) Project Two-year initiative in which Synod Ministers visit every congregation across the five-state territory for worship, relationship-building, and ministry discernment, coordinated by conference points of contact.
• Pulpit Supply List of approved pulpit supply leaders compensated at $200 for one service and $50 for each additional service, plus mileage at 72.5 cents per mile, for congregations needing temporary preaching coverage.
• Compensation Guidelines Synod Council-approved guidelines including salary ranges, clergy salary calculation worksheets, and definitions of compensation and benefits for rostered ministers.
• Bishop's Blog Bishop Meghan Johnston Aelabouni's pastoral letters, reflections on life and faith, and communications to the synod covering topics from current events to theological reflections.
• Synod Assembly Annual governing assembly for synod business including elections, budget approval, resolutions, worship, and fellowship. The 2026 assembly focused on 'Vida en Cristo' (Life in Christ) theme at Bethany Lutheran Church in Denver.
• RMS Disaster Response Coordinated disaster response initiative connecting with congregations and community partners to identify needs and coordinate support following wildfires and other emergencies affecting synod communities.
• Find a Congregation Congregation locator service enabling visitors to find the nearest of 151 congregations across Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming, and Western Texas.

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Iliff School of TheologycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026The synod signed a five-year lease agreement in 2026 to share space with Iliff School of Theology in Denver. This partnership provides cost savings (approximately one-third of annual operating costs for the former Lutheran Center), ecumenical collaboration opportunities, and access to theological learning and leadership formation resources. Iliff is a seminary of the United Methodist Church located on the University of Denver campus.
• Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Rocky Mountain Synod is the regional expression of the ELCA across five states. As part of ELCA Region 2 (one of nine regions), the synod collaborates with four other synods on First Call Theological Education, Mobility, Campus Ministry, and Word & Service (Deacon) Network.
• Mahajanga SynodminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCompanion synod partner; weekly prayer support relationship as part of global companion synod partnerships
• Antsiranana SynodminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCompanion synod partner; weekly prayer support relationship as part of global companion synod partnerships
• Sambava SynodminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCompanion synod partner; weekly prayer support relationship as part of global companion synod partnerships
• Sofia SynodminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCompanion synod partner; weekly prayer support relationship as part of global companion synod partnerships
• Bethela SeminaryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTraining seminary for pastors and women theologians serving in companion synods; supported through prayer and partnership
• Rainbow Trail Lutheran CampcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLutheran outdoor ministry providing faith formation through camp experiences; new director Dave Gunnlagson blessed at 2026 Synod Assembly
• Sky Ranch Lutheran CampcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLutheran outdoor ministry providing faith formation through camp experiences; new interim director Deacon Missie Bonser blessed at 2026 Synod Assembly
• Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land (ELCJHL)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal partner church; Bishop Meghan previously served there with her family; synod participates in accompaniment visits and supports Palestinian Christian community through Sumud initiative for justice in Palestine and Israel
• Bethany Lutheran ChurchminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHost congregation for the 2026 Synod Assembly held in south Denver, Colorado

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Mountain Sky Conference (United Methodist Church): Regional United Methodist conference covering Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, Montana, and parts of Idaho. Operates the same denominational regional model (clergy appointments, congregation support) across an overlapping western geography.
• Northern Texas-Northern Louisiana Synod (ELCA): ELCA regional synod covering northern Texas and Louisiana. Comparable peer with similar number of congregations and analogous governance structure, though operating in a different regional context.
• Montana Synod (ELCA): ELCA regional synod covering Montana. Direct same-denomination peer with overlapping rural western territory and similar scale of congregations.
• Southwestern Washington Synod (ELCA): ELCA regional synod covering southwestern Washington. Comparable as another same-denomination synod with a similar number of congregations and analogous mission-support funding model.
• Presbytery of Denver (PCUSA): Regional governing body of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) covering the greater Denver area. Comparable in function as a mainline regional ecclesiastical governance body overseeing congregations, clergy, and shared ministry in the same geography.
• Episcopal Diocese of Colorado: Regional Anglican/Episcopal governance body covering Colorado and neighboring areas. Directly comparable as another mainline denominational governing region serving a similar five-state footprint with congregations, clergy placement, and stewardship programs.
• Sierra Pacific Synod (ELCA): Another ELCA regional synod covering California, Nevada, Hawaii, and the Pacific. Most direct peer as it operates the same ELCA governance, call process, and congregation-support model at similar scale in an adjacent western region.
• Wyoming-Montana Synod (ELCA): Neighboring ELCA synod covering Wyoming and Montana. Closest geographic peer within the same ELCA structure, operating the same governance model for congregations across a low-density rural region.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubevimeo.com/rmselca
• Facebookfacebook.com/rmselca
• Instagraminstagram.com/rmselca
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/rocky-mountain-synod-elca

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Rocky Mountain Synod Elca