On this page you’ll find the latest featured news from our blog.
The Grand Canyon Synod continues to cooperate fully with law enforcement and the ELCA regarding the ongoing federal investigation involving former synod leader Casey Goslin. There are still no known victims within our synod, and all allegations involve online activity. With no new developments this week, the Office of the Bishop remains committed to transparency, pastoral care, and steady communication as the investigation continues.
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.
Advent? Do people outside the church even know what that is anymore apart from advent calendars that serve as a “countdown to Christmas?”
But, in today’s world where everything is fast, immediate and instantly available 24-7, I think we need the themes of Advent: waiting, watching and getting ready.
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.
LEAN is planning for 2026 and invites your congregation to complete two short surveys that will guide next year’s hunger and advocacy priorities. Share how your congregation engages ELCA World Hunger and which justice issues matter most in your community—including housing, food insecurity, and voter engagement. Your input strengthens our shared Lutheran witness in Nevada.
The Grand Canyon Synod continues to cooperate fully with law enforcement and the ELCA regarding the ongoing federal investigation involving former synod leader Casey Goslin. There are still no known victims within our synod, and all allegations involve online activity. This week’s update includes gratitude for those who attended our recent Holding Space gathering for prayer and conversation. The Office of the Bishop remains committed to transparency, pastoral care, and clear communication as the investigation continues.
Retired pastor Rev. Richard (Dick) Glover, a member of St. Andrew Lutheran Church in Phoenix, died earlier this week on Monday, November 17, 2025. Details about services are not yet available. Please keep his wife Alice, his loved ones, and the St. Andrew community in your prayers. We will share service information as soon as it becomes available.
The Office of the Bishop will be closed Thursday and Friday, November 27–28, 2025, for the Thanksgiving holiday, reopening Monday, December 1. As we enter this season of gratitude, we give thanks for the faithful ministry of our congregations and partners across the Grand Canyon Synod.
Calling all hunger champions: join this network of the Grand Canyon Synod! Meet to hear updates on national and local Hunger and Food Insecurity efforts and initiatives, to learn from one another, and to share with the group what's happening in our congregations. Anyone interested in alleviating hunger is welcome. Prepare to be encouraged and supported! Tuesday, 11/25/2025, 6-7pm MST.
The Grand Canyon Synod is celebrating a record year of leadership formation with six ordinations in 2025 and a seventh scheduled for December, including our first-ever two deacons in Word and Service Ministry. Thanks to your congregation’s mission support, leaders across the synod are being raised up, equipped, and called into ministry.
Bishop Hutterer’s 2025 Impact Story highlights the journey of Rev. Solomon Kuch, a South Sudanese refugee who served Emmanuel Sudanese Lutheran Fellowship for years while working night shifts, raising a family, and completing seminary. His ordination shows what becomes possible when a community’s generosity meets God’s call. Download and share the full story to celebrate how your mission support is transforming lives and empowering ministry across our synod. View the letter in English and Spanish here.
El Sínodo del Gran Cañón celebra un año histórico con seis ordenaciones en 2025 y una séptima prevista para diciembre, incluyendo por primera vez dos diáconos en el Ministerio de Palabra y Servicio. Gracias al apoyo misionero de sus congregaciones, nuevos líderes están siendo acompañados, formados y enviados a servir en comunidades de todo nuestro sínodo.
La historia destacada de este año es la del Rev. Solomon Kuch, un refugiado sudsudanés que sirvió fielmente durante años mientras trabajaba turnos nocturnos, criaba a su familia y completaba el seminario. Su ordenación muestra lo que sucede cuando la generosidad de una congregación se une al llamado de Dios. Descargue y comparta la carta completa para celebrar cómo su apoyo transforma vidas y fortalece el liderazgo en nuestro sínodo. Descarga la historia completa aquí:: Inglés y Español.
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.
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”.
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.
The Fall 2025 ION Newsletter explores how moments of waiting can lead to unexpected growth. From a new reentry video podcast to a faith-driven smartphone donation project, ION continues to connect returning citizens with hope and community. Read stories of transformation, fresh data insights, and updates from Arizona and Oregon in this inspiring edition. Read the full newsletter online or in this PDF.
The Grand Canyon Synod sent $6,000—raised by congregations and our Global Engagement Team—to the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Senegal for the Martin Luther School in Fatick. The gift funded books for all 180 students, with remaining funds supporting teacher guides, classroom supplies, and repairs. This week, ELS President Pastor Latyr Diouf sent a heartfelt note of thanks and blessing, celebrating the companionship we share in Christ.
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.
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 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.
The Grand Canyon Synod continues to cooperate fully with law enforcement and coordinate with ELCA churchwide leadership in the ongoing federal investigation involving a former synod leader. As of this post, there are no known victims within our synod, and all allegations involve online activity.
Lutheran Social Services of Nevada (LSSN) is temporarily closed during the federal government shutdown due to suspended grant funding that supports food and senior meal programs. LSSN is an independent organization, separate from Grand Canyon Synod leadership.
In a letter in this post, Rev. Dr. Marta Poling Schmitt outlines the shutdown’s impact, long-term plans for a federally qualified health clinic on the Boulder Pines campus, and a year-end fundraising effort leading into LSSN’s 40th anniversary. Congregations are invited to learn more, host an update this fall, and pray for this important ministry.
Apply now for Grand Canyon Synod grants—up to $15,000 per project; ≈ $175,000 total available this fall. Applications open Sept. 8 and are due Friday, Oct. 31, 2025 (midnight). Projects aligned with the GCS Strategic Plan and collaborating with another ELCA ministry receive priority. Funding begins Feb. 2026.
Rev. Ryan Marsh will be installed at Crossroads Lutheran (2769 E Combs Rd, Building D, San Tan Valley, AZ 85140) on Sunday, 10/26/2025 at 2pm. Rev. Tina Mills will preach and preside. View live-stream on the Crossroads YouTube channel.
Following the installation service, there will be an angel food cake dessert celebration.
The Grand Canyon Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America has released the following statement from Bishop Deborah Hutterer regarding recent news reports involving a former youth ministry leader. View as a PDF here or in this blog post.
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 the synodwide choir for our 2026 MLK Celebration at King of Glory, Tempe. Rehearsals: Jan 3, 10, 15, 17; Service: Sun, Jan 18 at 3:00pm (call 2:00pm). Concert black attire; practice recordings and full service details coming soon.
A rostered minister in our synod was recently targeted by a sophisticated phone scam using AI-generated voices to mimic a loved one in distress. Thankfully, no one was harmed, but the experience serves as a sobering reminder that scams are becoming more realistic and personal. Learn how to recognize and avoid these emerging threats, and find helpful resources.
Join Mount of Olives Lutheran Church on December 7 as Jazz Vespers celebrates its one-year anniversary of the Music for Food ministry, which has supported over 7,000 family units since last December. This month’s concert features Beth Lederman and Sandra Bassett at 5:30 p.m., with a reception at 6:30 p.m. Free admission; offerings support the Olive Branch Community of Hope Food Pantry.
Come for the music and help continue a ministry that feeds both body and spirit.