Past Events

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.

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.

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.

Join women from across the Grand Canyon Synod for the 2025 Women of the ELCA Biennial Convention and Gathering on Saturday, November 8, at Faith/La Fe Lutheran Church in Phoenix. The day includes worship, speakers, and lunch for just $30. Special guests include Myrna Wells-Ulland, Pastor Jacqui Pagel, and Connie Phillips.

Register today at grandcanyonwomen.org/events.

Find handmade gifts that give back! Join Desert Hills Lutheran Church in Green Valley on Saturday, November 8, from 8 AM to 1 PM for the Sewing Bee’s annual Fall Boutique, featuring quilts, jewelry, décor, purses, baked goods, and more. All proceeds support local charitable organizations.

Are you wondering if seminary might be right for you? Consider joining Signs Along the Way at PLTS in Berkeley, California to connect with others in discernment, get to know PLTS faculty, and explore what it’s like to be an online student in the MDiv, MA in Spirituality and Social Change, or Lutheran Year programs.

PLTS is transitioning to only offer online study with in-person intensives, so this weekend is designed for those interested in online learning. PLTS covers lodging and meals during the event and can offer travel assistance for those who need it. Visit plts.edu/signs to learn more and sign up.

The Youth Night of Connection planned for October 26, 2025, at Love of Christ Lutheran Church, Mesa, has been canceled. Organizers thank all who showed interest and hope to reschedule at a later date.

Celebrate 80 years of ministry with Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church in Tucson during a History Walk on Saturday, October 25, at 10:00 a.m. Walk through key spaces on campus as congregation members reenact moments from the church’s story, followed by a celebratory luncheon. Free and open to the public. For details or luncheon RSVPs, contact 520-327-6521 or oslc@lutherantucson.org.

Join Faith–La Fe Evangelical Lutheran Church in Phoenix for a joyful 80th Anniversary Celebration, October 24–26, 2025. The weekend includes worship, music, fellowship, and food. RSVP by Sept. 14 by phone, email, or online. Contributions are welcome toward the restoration of the pipe organ and church beautification.

Faith–La Fe en Phoenix celebrará su 80.º aniversario del 24 al 26 de octubre con un fin de semana de adoración, música y compañerismo. Confirme su asistencia antes del 14 de septiembre por teléfono, correo electrónico o en línea. Se agradecen donaciones para apoyar proyectos de restauración y embellecimiento del templo. (PDF)

Join Mountain View Lutheran Church for Fall Fest and Trunk or Treat on Friday, October 24, 5–8 p.m. at 11002 S 48th Street, Phoenix. Enjoy a laser light show, food trucks, games, crafts, prizes, and more—plus a costume-friendly Trunk or Treat contest with a grand prize for best trunk. Volunteer or register your trunk at bit.ly/mvlctrunkortreat2025.

Join the Oct. 23 one-day Virtual Addiction & Faith Conference, “Awakening the Church to Address Addiction,” hosted by the Center of Addiction & Faith. Open to clergy, laypeople, and all impacted by addiction, this $50 event equips congregations to become safe, recovery-friendly communities. Register now and share the flyer to spread the word across our synod.

Join the Stephen Ministers at Desert Hills Lutheran Church on Wednesday, October 22, at 1:30 PM for a dementia and Alzheimer’s presentation by Rev. Jerry Haas of United Methodist Church of Green Valley. Learn, share, and support one another in faith. Dessert and coffee will be provided.

Rostered and synodically authorized ministers are invited to “Bearing Worthy Fruit,” a fall retreat led by Rev. Karoline Lewis, October 13–15 at the Franciscan Renewal Center in Scottsdale. Together, participants will explore gender justice, embodied leadership, and preaching rooted in God’s transformation. Registration opens May 1 and space is limited to 25 participants.

Join Mount of Olives Lutheran Church for Jazz Vespers on Sunday, October 12 at 5:30 p.m., featuring Beth Lederman and Donna Wilde. Last month’s concert raised $850, helping the Olive Branch Community of Hope Food Pantry serve 238 families. Enjoy an evening of jazz and generosity that feeds both body and spirit. 

Santa Cruz Lutheran Church in Tucson will celebrate its 40th Anniversary October 11–12, 2025. Saturday includes greetings, lunch, video presentations, history displays, cake, and mariachi music. Sunday’s worship, with Bishop Hutterer preaching, will bless a new youth-created banner and pray for future generations. Join in giving thanks for 40 years of ministry!

Craft Fair & Bake Sale — Mountain View Lutheran Church in Phoenix will host its first-ever craft fair on Saturday, October 11, from 9:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m. The event is free to the public, featuring local vendors and baked goods. Vendor sign-up available online.

Resurrection Lutheran Church hosts its Fall Craft Fair on Saturday, October 11, from 9am–2pm in Oro Valley. With 50+ vendors, food supporting the youth group, Art by Heart, and a diaper drive for local food banks, it’s a joyful day to shop local, support ministry, and share in community. Free admission and parking.

All rostered leaders in the Grand Canyon Synod are required to complete boundary awareness training in 2025. The synod has partnered with Faith+Lead to offer an online course at a reduced cost of $29, plus a mandatory Zoom review session with Pr. Jacqui Pagel. The course must be completed by October 8, 2025, and certificates submitted to the synod office by October 13, 2025.

The Rev. Yehiel Curry will be installed as presiding bishop of the ELCA on Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025, at 2 p.m. Central (12 p.m. MST) at Central Lutheran Church, Minneapolis. Curry, the first Black presiding bishop of the ELCA, was elected during the 2025 Churchwide Assembly in Phoenix. The service is open to the public, with livestream access available here: ELCA Installation of the Presiding Bishop.

Blessing of the Animals — Join Mountain View Lutheran Church in Phoenix on Saturday, October 4 at 9:00 a.m. for a service in the spirit of St. Francis of Assisi. Bring your pet—or a photo—for a special blessing as we give thanks for all God’s creatures. View the Facebook event page.

Join this three-session workshop led by Rev. Dr. Rubén Durán and a team of practitioners, equipping leaders for ministry with and among the Latine community. Cost: $250 individual / $600 congregation. Register here. More info and flier (PDF)

Participe en este taller de tres sesiones dirigido por el Rev. Dr. Rubén Durán y un equipo de líderes, que ofrece herramientas para el ministerio con y entre la comunidad latine. Costo: $250 individual / $600 congregación. Regístrese aquí | Más información y folleto (PDF)

Join Bishop Hutterer and special guests from Wartburg College for the 2025 Bishop’s Fall Gathering, September 29–October 1, at the Franciscan Renewal Center in Scottsdale. Under the theme Life Together: Lament, Love, and Christian Hope in a Time Such as This, rostered ministers will explore faithful community amid division with Rev. Dr. Kristin Johnston Largen and Rev. Dr. S. Helen Chukka. Registration is open through September 5. Scholarships available.