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Featured News
News
The Grand Canyon Synod continues to cooperate fully with law enforcement and the ELCA churchwide organization regarding the ongoing federal investigation involving former synod leader Casey Goslin. A new gathering, Holding Space: A Time for Prayer and Conversation, will be offered Monday evening, 11/17/2025, for rostered and lay leaders affected by this news.
Join us for the Ordination for Wanda K. Frenchman on Thursday, December 11, 2025, at 6:00 p.m. at Grace Lutheran Church, Phoenix. Bishop Deborah Hutterer will preside, and Vance Blackfox will preach. Rostered ministers are invited to vest and process; the color of the day is red. Dinner will follow. The service will be livestreamed via Grace Lutheran Church’s Facebook page, with video later on the Native American Urban Ministry page. All are welcome.
Mountain View Lutheran Church in Phoenix invites all to support families in Globe and Miami recovering from September’s floods through a Thanksgiving Food Drive, November 1–10. Donations of traditional Thanksgiving items—or financial gifts for turkeys and other foods—will benefit the Gila Community Food Bank in Globe. A special drive-up drop-off event will be held Saturday, November 8, from 9 a.m. to noon. Together, we are blessed to be a blessing.
The Grand Canyon Synod continues to cooperate fully with law enforcement in the ongoing federal investigation involving a former synod leader. As of this posting, there are no known victims within our synod, and all criminal allegations involve online activity.
Advent & Christmas
Featured
Celebrate the season with a cherished holiday tradition! Join Lord of Life Lutheran Church in Sun City West on Sunday, November 30 at 3 PM for Handel’s Messiah Sing-Along. Sing with the choir or simply enjoy the soaring beauty of Handel’s beloved Christmas music, featuring Comfort Ye My People, For Unto Us a Child Is Born, and more. All are welcome—come lift your voice or your heart in song.
Join the Women of the ELCA for the annual Blue Christmas Service on Sunday, December 21, 2025, the Winter Solstice—the longest night of the year. This virtual Zoom service at 6 PM (Arizona/Utah) / 5 PM (Nevada) offers a peaceful space with music, readings, and prayer for all who seek comfort and hope during the holiday season. Register to attend here.
Celebrate the season of Advent and Christmastide with the Grand Canyon Synod! Visit our 2025 Advent and Christmas page to explore stories, worship opportunities, and events from across our congregations. We invite you to share your own seasonal news or event as together we prepare our hearts for Christ’s coming and rejoice in the light that has entered the world.
This Advent, ELCA World Hunger invites you to “light your own stable lamp” with free 2025 Advent resources, including a study guide, calendar, and congregational action guide. Centered on the theme A Stable Lamp Is Lighted, these materials encourage reflection, generosity, and hospitality while exploring justice and hope through the church’s work to end hunger and poverty. Download or order resources for your household or congregation at ELCA.org/our-work/relief-and-development/elca-world-hunger/wh-advent.
ELCA Sumud now offers a rich collection of resources for Advent and Christmas 2025: a four-week adult devotional series, a Biblical Botany guide, and a children’s Christmas book. Download Advent and Christmas resources here.
Prepare your congregation for Advent with Vero Communications’ Advent Bundle—a set of customized postcards, flyers, banners, and social media graphics designed to help you invite your community to worship. With a two-week turnaround, Vero creates professional, ready-to-use materials based on your church’s Advent theme. Learn more →
Latest News
For an end to war and conflict, and for places of political unrest or contention, especially Gaza, South Sudan, Myanmar, Ukraine, and Pakistan/Afghanistan…
For all in the path of Typhoon Fung-wong…
For UN climate talks and for safety amidst protests…
For national tragedies around the world including a Turkish military plane crash, a bridge collapse in south-west China, a bus crash in Peru, and a car explosion attack in India…
For feeding ministries and all hunger relief organizations…
For all federal employees…
For care and safety for immigrants…
For all loving marriages and partnerships…
For the beauty of God’s creation, especially sightings of the Northern Lights this week…
The Grand Canyon Synod continues to cooperate fully with law enforcement and the ELCA churchwide organization regarding the ongoing federal investigation involving former synod leader Casey Goslin. A new gathering, Holding Space: A Time for Prayer and Conversation, will be offered Monday evening, 11/17/2025, for rostered and lay leaders affected by this news.
Celebrate the season with a cherished holiday tradition! Join Lord of Life Lutheran Church in Sun City West on Sunday, November 30 at 3 PM for Handel’s Messiah Sing-Along. Sing with the choir or simply enjoy the soaring beauty of Handel’s beloved Christmas music, featuring Comfort Ye My People, For Unto Us a Child Is Born, and more. All are welcome—come lift your voice or your heart in song.
Despite a temporary government shutdown that has paused pantry and senior meal services, Lutheran Social Services of Nevada continues serving the Las Vegas community through its holiday assistance programs. A new partnership with E.A.T Meals will provide 2,000 Thanksgiving dinners on November 25, and volunteers are invited to help. LSSN also thanks New Song Lutheran Church and Christian Academy for their creative generosity.
The latest newsletter from Lutheran Advocacy Ministry Arizona (LAMA) calls us to faithful advocacy on behalf of our neighbors and creation. This week’s Action Alert urges Lutherans to contact legislators and advocate for U.S. participation in global climate talks (COP30).
Upcoming events include the Power of Hello workshop on community safety (Nov. 17), the LAMA Liaison Roundtable (Nov. 17), Bread for the World regional meetings (Nov. 18–19), and the Grand Canyon Synod Hunger Leaders Network (Nov. 25).
The newsletter also features the LAMA T-Shirt Design Contest, ELCA World Hunger’s Daily Bread Grants, and a Save the Date for Lutheran Day at the Legislature 2026 (Feb. 23). Read more at lamaz.org and join the movement for justice and compassion in Arizona.
Join people of faith across Arizona for AFN’s 2025 Annual Gathering—United We Rise on Dec. 2, honoring Rep. Patty Contreras for her leadership in unity and service. Explore more events including an interfaith Prayer Walk, Reconciliation Ecology Workshop, and the No Amazon for Advent pledge. Read the full newsletter at arizonafaithnetwork.org/newsletter.
This week, the Office of the Bishop gathers for the synod council meeting and travels to churches for worship and giving thanks..
Rev. Dan Potaznick, our synod’s Director of Generosity and Strategic Development and pastor at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Phoenix, recently shared joyful news about his growing family. Pastor Dan and his wife, Randi, are expecting their first child—affectionately nicknamed “Baby Hiccup”—with a due date of December 15.
He will be on parental leave from December 15 through February 15, supported by both St. John’s and the Grand Canyon Synod, as they celebrate this precious time together. We join in congratulating Pastor Dan and Randi, holding them in prayer and joy as they prepare for this new chapter of life.
Read the full update and message from Pastor Dan on the St. John’s website: “Baby Hiccup Updates”.
This week’s Faith Lens reflection, “My Greatest Fear… Realized” by Pastor Bob Chell, explores Luke 21:5–19—Jesus’ teaching that speaks directly to our fears, doubts, and insecurities. As the disciples marvel at the temple’s beauty, Jesus warns of destruction, betrayal, and suffering—but also offers an astonishing promise: “Not a hair of your head will perish.”
In the face of life’s uncertainty, Jesus calls us not to over-prepare or defend ourselves, but to trust that he will give us the words and wisdom we need. This devotion invites readers to release their fears into Christ’s care and remember that God’s promise of presence endures, even when all else seems to fall apart.
In this month’s Living Lutheran reflection, pastor and writer Kimberly Knowle-Zeller reminds us of the quiet holiness of being seen. When her son’s rough morning led to a classmate’s simple empathy—“I have mornings like that”—it became a lesson in bearing one another’s burdens (Galatians 6:2). Families are invited to notice and pray for neighbors in need, send caring notes, and practice intercessory prayer as ways to live out God’s love in daily life. Read more at Living Lutheran.
From Maine to Texas, congregations across the ELCA joined in acts of compassion during this year’s “God’s work. Our hands.” Sunday on September 7. Volunteers packed food kits, cleaned parks, visited seniors, and supported those in need—embodying service as worship. Some gathered in solidarity with immigrants and social service agencies facing budget cuts. “Being baptized into Christ’s life,” one volunteer reflected, “creates a whole new world of relationships … characterized by loving, liberated service.” Read more at Living Lutheran.
In Point Roberts, Washington—a U.S. enclave accessible only through Canada—Trinity Community Lutheran Church embodies faith without borders. Founded in 1913 by Icelandic immigrants, the congregation now includes U.S. and Canadian members who gather for music, potlucks, and interfaith worship. Through Jazz Vespers, shared holidays, and rotating clergy, Trinity continues to live out the message that “all are welcome,” even amid changing politics and border challenges. Read more at Living Lutheran.
The Center for Climate Justice and Faith at Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary (PLTS) is accepting applications for two online certificate programs—one in Faith-rooted Community Organizing for Climate Justice (due Dec. 15, 2025) and one Spanish-language Climate Justice and Faith program (due Nov. 28, 2025). These nine-month courses equip faith-based teams and Spanish-speaking leaders to develop projects addressing the climate crisis through faith and justice. Learn more and apply at centerforclimatejusticeandfaith.org.
El Centro para la Justicia Climática y la Fe del Seminario Teológico Luterano del Pacífico (PLTS) acepta solicitudes para dos programas en línea: el Certificado en Organización Comunitaria Basada en la Fe para la Justicia Climática(plazo 15 de diciembre de 2025) y el Certificado en Justicia Climática y Fe (en español) (plazo 28 de noviembre de 2025). Ambos cursos de nueve meses forman líderes y comunidades de fe comprometidas con proyectos que abordan la crisis climática desde la fe y la justicia. Más información en centerforclimatejusticeandfaith.org.
While headlines often highlight division, a recent event hosted by the Episcopal Diocese of Rhode Island’s Creation Care Ministry demonstrated how people of faith can find common ground on climate change. Creation Care Across the Divide: A Bipartisan Conversation on Climate Change brought together Democratic Senator Sheldon Whitehouse and Republican former Congressman Bob Inglis for a hopeful dialogue on shared values and moral responsibility for creation.
Organizers and attendees alike emphasized humility, fairness, and listening across differences as essential tools for progress. Read the full reflection and learn how faith communities are modeling unity and action at Blessed Tomorrow.
Join the Women of the ELCA for the annual Blue Christmas Service on Sunday, December 21, 2025, the Winter Solstice—the longest night of the year. This virtual Zoom service at 6 PM (Arizona/Utah) / 5 PM (Nevada) offers a peaceful space with music, readings, and prayer for all who seek comfort and hope during the holiday season. Register to attend here.
Explore highlights from BJC’s November Faith Freedom Dispatch, including the 2025 Shurden Lectures on sanctuary and migrant justice, new clergy organizing efforts to confront Christian nationalism, and Season 7 of the Respecting Religion podcast. Additional updates include a new BJC merch shop, national news coverage of religious liberty, and upcoming Supreme Court advocacy. Read the full newsletter here.
Featured Events
Featured
Spirit in the Desert’s Spirited Book Club welcomes transformational life coach and author Sarah Payne Naylor on Thursday, November 20 at 3 p.m. (MST) for a discussion of her inspiring new book, You’re Not Done Becoming: Reclaim Personal Power and Purpose to Transform Your Life at Any Age.
Naylor—long connected with Lutheran ministries in Arizona—offers a heartfelt reminder that growth and faith never end. Learn more or register at Spirit in the Desert.
Join us for the Ordination for Wanda K. Frenchman on Thursday, December 11, 2025, at 6:00 p.m. at Grace Lutheran Church, Phoenix. Bishop Deborah Hutterer will preside, and Vance Blackfox will preach. Rostered ministers are invited to vest and process; the color of the day is red. Dinner will follow. The service will be livestreamed via Grace Lutheran Church’s Facebook page, with video later on the Native American Urban Ministry page. All are welcome.
Join the Grand Canyon Synod for our MLK Celebration worship service led by a synodwide choir lifting songs of hope and justice. Choir members arrive by 2:00 p.m.; service begins at 3:00 p.m. Full details and latest updates at gcsynod.org/mlk.
Join us for the 2026 Grand Canyon Synod Assembly as we gather under the theme Rooted in God’s Story. We’ll come together for worship, learning, connection, and the business of the church as we celebrate how God continues to work through our synod.
More information, registration details, and a full schedule will be shared as the date approaches.
Mark your calendar for next year’s Bishop’s Fall Gathering—a time of rest, renewal, and community for rostered ministers and lay leaders across the Grand Canyon Synod. This retreat will continue our 2026 theme, Rooted in God’s Story.
Additional details, registration information, and session themes will be announced in the coming months.
Featured
Join Lutheran Social Services of the Southwest for a Refugee Services Update Webinar on Friday, November 14, at 11 a.m. Hear directly from Connie Phillips, President & CEO, and key staff about the state of refugee resettlement in Arizona and what’s ahead in 2026. Learn how congregations and individuals across our synod continue to walk alongside refugee families with compassion and hope. Register here.
Join Peace Lutheran Church in Peoria on Saturday, Nov. 15, at 5:30 p.m. for a powerful evening with the Watoto Children’s Choir from Uganda. Their new production, Better Days—There is Hope, features vibrant music, dance, and testimonies of God’s love. Come be inspired by their message of hope and restoration.
King of Glory Lutheran Church, Tempe, will host a community conversation on Christian Nationalism on Tuesday, November 18, 2025 (6:30–8:00 p.m.) with guest speakers Rev. Caleb Campbell and Rev. Ellie Hutchison. All are invited to explore what Christian Nationalism is, why it matters, and how people of faith can respond with humility, grace, and Gospel-centered love. Learn more at kogaz.org/events. View PDF flyer here.
Spirit in the Desert’s Spirited Book Club welcomes transformational life coach and author Sarah Payne Naylor on Thursday, November 20 at 3 p.m. (MST) for a discussion of her inspiring new book, You’re Not Done Becoming: Reclaim Personal Power and Purpose to Transform Your Life at Any Age.
Naylor—long connected with Lutheran ministries in Arizona—offers a heartfelt reminder that growth and faith never end. Learn more or register at Spirit in the Desert.
Join the Center of Addiction & Faith for a free webinar on Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2025, from 11 AM–12 PM MST (Arizona) / 10–11 AM PST (Nevada) titled Rethinking Addiction: A Faith Leader’s Guide. Guest presenter Rachel Bowling will help participants reflect on how we understand addiction through moral, medical, and social lenses, offering insights for compassionate, informed pastoral care. Registration required.
Celebrate the season with a cherished holiday tradition! Join Lord of Life Lutheran Church in Sun City West on Sunday, November 30 at 3 PM for Handel’s Messiah Sing-Along. Sing with the choir or simply enjoy the soaring beauty of Handel’s beloved Christmas music, featuring Comfort Ye My People, For Unto Us a Child Is Born, and more. All are welcome—come lift your voice or your heart in song.h
Join faith and community leaders at the 2025 Arizona Faith Network Annual Gathering on Tuesday, December 2, 2025, 9 AM–12 PM at the Bahá’í Center in Scottsdale. The morning features guest speaker Gen Kelsang Chenma and honors the 2025 Arizona Leadership Awardees. Register at arizonafaithnetwork.org/annualgathering. A communications toolkit and graphics are available to support congregational sharing.
Join us for the Ordination for Wanda K. Frenchman on Thursday, December 11, 2025, at 6:00 p.m. at Grace Lutheran Church, Phoenix. Bishop Deborah Hutterer will preside, and Vance Blackfox will preach. Rostered ministers are invited to vest and process; the color of the day is red. Dinner will follow. The service will be livestreamed via Grace Lutheran Church’s Facebook page, with video later on the Native American Urban Ministry page. All are welcome.
Join the Women of the ELCA for the annual Blue Christmas Service on Sunday, December 21, 2025, the Winter Solstice—the longest night of the year. This virtual Zoom service at 6 PM (Arizona/Utah) / 5 PM (Nevada) offers a peaceful space with music, readings, and prayer for all who seek comfort and hope during the holiday season. Register to attend here.
First rehearsal for the synodwide MLK Choir—pick up music, meet your section, and get our sound started. All voices welcome; no audition. Arrive 10 minutes early for check-in. For sign-up, rehearsal dates, and updates, visit gcsynod.org/mlk.
Church & Society
Featured
The latest newsletter from Lutheran Advocacy Ministry Arizona (LAMA) calls us to faithful advocacy on behalf of our neighbors and creation. This week’s Action Alert urges Lutherans to contact legislators and advocate for U.S. participation in global climate talks (COP30).
Upcoming events include the Power of Hello workshop on community safety (Nov. 17), the LAMA Liaison Roundtable (Nov. 17), Bread for the World regional meetings (Nov. 18–19), and the Grand Canyon Synod Hunger Leaders Network (Nov. 25).
The newsletter also features the LAMA T-Shirt Design Contest, ELCA World Hunger’s Daily Bread Grants, and a Save the Date for Lutheran Day at the Legislature 2026 (Feb. 23). Read more at lamaz.org and join the movement for justice and compassion in Arizona.
Explore highlights from BJC’s November Faith Freedom Dispatch, including the 2025 Shurden Lectures on sanctuary and migrant justice, new clergy organizing efforts to confront Christian nationalism, and Season 7 of the Respecting Religion podcast. Additional updates include a new BJC merch shop, national news coverage of religious liberty, and upcoming Supreme Court advocacy. Read the full newsletter here.
Join Lutheran Social Services of the Southwest for a Refugee Services Update Webinar on Friday, November 14, at 11 a.m. Hear directly from Connie Phillips, President & CEO, and key staff about the state of refugee resettlement in Arizona and what’s ahead in 2026. Learn how congregations and individuals across our synod continue to walk alongside refugee families with compassion and hope. Register here.
King of Glory Lutheran Church, Tempe, will host a community conversation on Christian Nationalism on Tuesday, November 18, 2025 (6:30–8:00 p.m.) with guest speakers Rev. Caleb Campbell and Rev. Ellie Hutchison. All are invited to explore what Christian Nationalism is, why it matters, and how people of faith can respond with humility, grace, and Gospel-centered love. Learn more at kogaz.org/events. View PDF flyer here.
Stay informed and engaged with Lutheran Advocacy Ministry Arizona (LAMA) in this week’s update, featuring an urgent SNAP Action Alert, events for faith-based advocates, and new blog stories on hunger, refugee policy, and Reformation courage.
Read the full LAMA Newsletter for November 4, 2025 to learn how you and your congregation can take part in advocacy for justice, hunger relief, and faithful civic engagement.
In a new episode of Here I Pod, Lutheran Disaster Response staff and partners share their recent conversations with legislators in Washington, D.C., urging stronger FEMA reform to support disaster-affected communities. Listeners also hear practical ways to take action and strengthen congregational preparedness. Listen and read more on Living Lutheran: Here I Pod: Lutheran disaster responders speak to FEMA legislation.
King of Glory Lutheran Church, Tempe, will host a community conversation on Christian Nationalism on Tuesday, November 18, 2025 (6:30–8:00 p.m.) with guest speakers Rev. Caleb Campbell and Rev. Ellie Hutchison. All are invited to explore what Christian Nationalism is, why it matters, and how people of faith can respond with humility, grace, and Gospel-centered love. Learn more at kogaz.org/events. View PDF flyer here.
Explore this week’s LAMA advocacy update, including an ELCA Action Alert urging Congress to protect international food aid in the upcoming Farm Bill. You’ll also find upcoming events—on hunger ministry, public lands, Christian nationalism, civic engagement—and new reflections from the LAMA blog. Read the full newsletter, event details, and action links here.
Federal shutdown delays have stalled this year’s refugee admissions, and SNAP food assistance has been halted for both refugees and all current recipients statewide. Lutheran Social Services of the Southwest continues serving resettled families and invites you to advocate with legislators for restored SNAP funding and refugee protection. The ELCA has provided an easy tool to contact Congress—learn more and take action.
Nearly every ELCA bishop—including Bishop Deborah Hutterer—has signed a letter calling Lutherans to be a public witness of love and justice in a time of fear and division. The letter affirms that Christian Nationalism distorts the gospel and urges faithful action grounded in God’s inclusive love.
Advocacy is more than policy—it’s a faithful response to God’s grace. The Southeastern Synod models a Lutheran approach grounded in Scripture and accompaniment: engaging congregations in justice work, equipping them with tools to act, and empowering leaders to advocate for the vulnerable. Their work embodies the call to love our neighbors through advocacy rooted in baptismal vocation. Read the full story at LAMA.
A new proposal could restrict voter registration by requiring costly and hard-to-access documents like passports—potentially excluding 21 million eligible Americans. The Election Assistance Commission is taking public comments until October 20. Add your voice as a person of faith who believes every vote is sacred. Read the full post and submit your comment today.
Land Acknowledgment
We acknowledge and honor the original inhabitants of the various regions of our synod. The Grand Canyon Synod is spread across lands in Arizona, Nevada, and Utah, which are currently home to over two dozen tribal nations.
We acknowledge and honor these communities, their elders both past and present, as well as future generations. We give thanks to our Indigenous siblings who have cared and continue to care for this place — this land — and call it their home.
Learn more about ELCA Indigenous Ministries, land acknowledgments, and Native American and Indigenous education resources.
Grounded in Grace, Growing in Generosity
How the ELCA Foundation and our synod are cultivating faithful giving that endures.
Generosity has the power to transform ministries and communities. Watch this short video to see how Resurrection Lutheran Church in Oro Valley, the Grand Canyon Synod, and the ELCA Foundation are partnering to build a legacy of faith for generations to come.
Read the full story to learn more about this ministry partnership and how generosity grows the church.
To explore endowment or planned giving for your congregation, contact Lisa Marie Higginbotham, ELCA Foundation Gift Planner, here »
Synod Spotlight
This section is dedicated to celebrating and lifting up the everyday work of our congregations, ministries, and partners at various levels—from local to global. Join us in gratitude and prayer for these people and organizations. View all spotlight posts here.
Rev. Dan Potaznick, our synod’s Director of Generosity and Strategic Development and pastor at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Phoenix, recently shared joyful news about his growing family. Pastor Dan and his wife, Randi, are expecting their first child—affectionately nicknamed “Baby Hiccup”—with a due date of December 15.
He will be on parental leave from December 15 through February 15, supported by both St. John’s and the Grand Canyon Synod, as they celebrate this precious time together. We join in congratulating Pastor Dan and Randi, holding them in prayer and joy as they prepare for this new chapter of life.
Read the full update and message from Pastor Dan on the St. John’s website: “Baby Hiccup Updates”.