Global Engagement Team Annual Report: 2025

Global Engagement Team-

The congregations of the Grand Canyon Synod actively engage with and support many programs globally.  Whether it be a direct congregational relationship or project outside the US, or programs and partnerships attached to the synod, the ELCA or the Lutheran World Federation! 

The Global Engagement team works to support these efforts and our ongoing companion synod relationships; we also support the ELCA Young Adults in Global Mission (YAGM) program and other ELCA Global Mission programs.

Companion Synods-

The Grand Canyon Synod has companion relationships with the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Senegal (ILS) and the Mexican Lutheran Church (ILM).

ILM-

Our shared companion relationship is with ILM and the NW Ohio synod.  Bishop Hutterer visited ILM in early November, she was able to visit many of the 11 congregations spread over Mexico.  She and President Rev. Roberto Trejo Haager, of the (Iglesia Luterana Mexicana, ILM)signed and renewed the companion synod covenant for another three years. The ILM headquarters is in Guadalajara.  This year we continued to send funding to support seminary student Ricardo Flores, who has been a lay pastor at Grace Church, leading worship after their pastor died.  He is attending the Augsburg Seminary in Mexico City and will soon graduate.  This assistance has been shared with NW Ohio.

ILS-

Our continued relationship with Senegal is strong!  The postponed delegation visit took place in late November.  One of the purposes for this trip was the Covenant agreement between the ILS and Grand Canyon Synod to be renewed and signed, this took place during Sunday worship at Bokotou, a small village congregation.  

The delegation also visited many of the SLDS (Senegal Lutheran Development Services) projects including a women’s cooperative farm, the health clinic and the dairy in Linguere.  Alsothe SLDS Center in Yeumbeul, we were honored to be part of a celebration of the many years the center has been in the community and how the SLDS programs impacted not only children and youth through the school and after school clubs and activities but also offers services for adults.  The center has a library, computer lab and a women’s micro loan program.  A new school for primary ages is being built and should open this fall, this will free up much needed space for the older grades.

Our thanks to Pres. Diouf for his leadership and hospitality.

YAGM’s-

Many congregations support the ELCA YAGM program either by directly supporting an individual YAGM or the program in a specific country.  The YAGM’s we support and the in country coordinators really appreciate the funding and prayers!  This is a great opportunity to support these young adults who give a year of service in their assigned countries.  Many go on to seminary after their YAGM year, we have some in the Grand Canyon Synod!

Sembrando  en los marggenes-

The GCS has received a Holy Innovation grant for the multi-synod Sembrando en losmárgenes project. This is a two-year project in which we want to learn how to:

• Partner with ministries in communities that are ethnically, linguistically, and economically diverse

• Expand the network of ELCA ministries that provide direct service to migrants

• Establish ongoing collaboration between synods around migration

• Develop learning experiences about the borderlands that center community voices

As you can see, the Global Engagement Team is hard at work promoting God’s love throughout the world. We are an energetic group and welcome anyone who wants to get involved in the global church!