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Kylee Bestenlehner will be ordained at Christ the Servant Lutheran Church (2 S Pecos Rd, Henderson, NV 89074) on Saturday, 9/13/2025, at 2pm. Bishop Hutterer will preside. Rev. Dr. Brooke Petersen of the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago will preach.
Clergy and seminarians are invited to vest and process. The color of the day is red. Click here to RSVP. The service will be streamed over Zoom, link will be shared after you RSVP.
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.
Enjoy Jazz Vespers on Sept. 14 at 5:30 PM at Mount of Olives Lutheran Church in Phoenix, featuring Beth Lederman and Alice Tatum. A freewill offering will benefit the Olive Branch Community of Hope Food Pantry, feeding more than 150 families weekly.
Native American Urban Ministry in Phoenix is creating sacred space through weekly Talking Circles that honor Indigenous traditions within a Christian setting. Supported by Grand Canyon Synod grants, these gatherings offer healing, community, worship, and hospitality to about 50 people each week. Read how this ministry embodies the love of Christ and why your congregation might consider applying for a synod grant to support innovative ministry in your community.
Life Together
Lament, Love and Christian Hope
in a Time Such as This
BISHOP’S FALL GATHERING
9/29 – 10/1/2025
Franciscan Renewal Center
Latest News
Today we celebrate the ordination anniversaries of:
Rev. Jill Doherty, New Promise, St. George, who celebrates 27 years on September 13.
Rev. David Brandfass, Christ, Sedona, who celebrates 30 years on September 13.
Rev. Daniel Volkmann, All Saints, Phoenix, who celebrates 1 years on September 13.
Rev. Kylee Bestenlehner, Peace, Peoria, who celebrates 0 years on September 13.
Rev. Richard Mauthe, who celebrates 39 years on September 14.
Rev. Carl Mangold, who celebrates 50 years on September 14.
Rev. Craig Geiger, who celebrates 53 years on September 17.
At the 2025 Churchwide Assembly in Phoenix, worship included a confession and repentance for the sins of patriarchy and sexism, fulfilling commitments from the ELCA’s 2019 social statement Faith, Sexism, and Justice: A Call to Action. The liturgy emphasized confession as honesty before God and repentance as Spirit-led transformation toward justice and equity. Congregations are encouraged to use the confession and to share the resource Forgive Us and Transform Us for the Life of the World, available in English and Spanish. Click here to read more at ELCA.org.
John Christensen, lifelong ELCA Lutheran and staff member at the World Council of Churches, reflects on the deep connection between disability and mental health advocacy. With more than 16% of the global population living with disabilities and nearly 1 billion experiencing mental health challenges, the church has a vital role in offering safe spaces of love and truth. Christensen challenges the church to reject perfectionism, embrace vulnerability, and see God in every neighbor. Click here to read more at ELCA.org.
At the 2025 ELCA Churchwide Assembly in Phoenix, Lutherans gathered for worship, elections, and the business of the church. Worship services highlighted accessibility and leadership by people with disabilities, while elections brought historic results with Bishop Yehiel Curry elected Presiding Bishop and Pastor CeeCee Mills elected Secretary—the first time all top ELCA offices are held by diverse leaders. Resolutions also addressed equity for youth gatherings and protection for children and vulnerable adults. Still, accessibility challenges remain. Rev. Mack Patrick calls us to move from mere inclusion to true belonging. Read more click here.
Jesus’ parables of the lost sheep and lost coin reveal God’s relentless pursuit and extravagant welcome of those left out. From a mile-long table in Denver to the meals Jesus shared in Luke’s Gospel, we are reminded that God’s table is wide, open, and joyful. Who might be missing from your table—and how can you extend an invitation?
Grants Webinar—Sept. 17, 4:30 pm. Learn how to apply for up to $15,000 in Grand Canyon Synod grants; about $175,000 is available this fall. Priority goes to collaborative projects aligned with our Strategic Plan. Application window: Sept. 8–Oct. 31, 2025. Register for the webinar: Zoom registration. Full details and application at the Grants page.
Kylee Bestenlehner will be ordained at Christ the Servant Lutheran Church (2 S Pecos Rd, Henderson, NV 89074) on Saturday, 9/13/2025, at 2pm. Bishop Hutterer will preside. Rev. Dr. Brooke Petersen of the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago will preach.
Clergy and seminarians are invited to vest and process. The color of the day is red. Click here to RSVP. The service will be streamed over Zoom, link will be shared after you RSVP.
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 2025 cycle for ELCA World Hunger Education and Networking Grants is now open, with applications accepted from August 4 through September 15. These grants—typically between $500 and $1,000—support educational and networking projects that help ELCA congregations, synods, and partners deepen understanding and engagement around the root causes of hunger and poverty. Projects can include workshops, climate justice education, youth service learning, or synod-wide awareness events.
Eligible applicants must be 501(c)3 organizations or work with a fiscal agent like a synod office. To apply, pre-register at ELCA GrantMaker (approval may take up to 10 business days). Click here for full grant details and application links.
Dr. Philip Farah, Palestinian-American economist and founding member of the Palestinian Christian Alliance for Peace, will speak at St. Francis Xavier Church in Phoenix on Sunday, Sept. 14 from 6:00–7:30 p.m. Farah will share his personal story and insights on how Americans can support a just peace in Palestine and Israel. RSVP required. Refreshments served.
Join us for Leadership Day 2025 on Saturday, September 20, 9 a.m.–2 p.m. at King of Glory Lutheran Church, Tempe. Featuring ELCA guest speaker Rev. Anna-Kari Johnson, the day will include teaching sessions on disciple making, small group conversations, and practical tools for ministry leaders. Come for renewal, encouragement, and fellowship. Register here.
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 is open and act fast, as space is limited to 25 participants.
Enjoy Jazz Vespers on Sept. 14 at 5:30 PM at Mount of Olives Lutheran Church in Phoenix, featuring Beth Lederman and Alice Tatum. A freewill offering will benefit the Olive Branch Community of Hope Food Pantry, feeding more than 150 families weekly.
Experience the American premiere of Michael Torke’s Psalms and Canticles in the interfaith concert Foxes, Wine & Wheat. Join us September 12 at Paradise Valley UMC or September 13 at Holy Trinity Lutheran, Chandler. Admission is free (donations welcome). Featuring soprano Lariche Lamar and conductor Charles Zoll, with livestream available on YouTube.
Santa Cruz Lutheran Church in Tucson is hiring a part-time Administrative Assistant (22 hrs/week, $15/hr) with flexible hours and partial remote work. Duties include worship bulletins, newsletters, communications, and office support. Training available in September. Contact Carol Radler at 520-294-8721 and send resumes to clrchoirlady@aol.com and tucson.az.sclc@outlook.com.
All Saints Lutheran Church in Phoenix is hiring a part-time Facility Manager to support evening and weekend operations. This 10–16 hour/week contract position offers flexible hours and the chance to serve in a welcoming Christian community. Learn more and apply at AllSaintsPhoenix.org/job-openings.
Featured Events
Featured
Kylee Bestenlehner will be ordained at Christ the Servant Lutheran Church (2 S Pecos Rd, Henderson, NV 89074) on Saturday, 9/13/2025, at 2pm. Bishop Hutterer will preside. Rev. Dr. Brooke Petersen of the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago will preach.
Clergy and seminarians are invited to vest and process. The color of the day is red. Click here to RSVP. The service will be streamed over Zoom, link will be shared after you RSVP.
Enjoy Jazz Vespers on Sept. 14 at 5:30 PM at Mount of Olives Lutheran Church in Phoenix, featuring Beth Lederman and Alice Tatum. A freewill offering will benefit the Olive Branch Community of Hope Food Pantry, feeding more than 150 families weekly.
Join us Wednesday, September 17, 2025 at 4:30 p.m. (AZ) for an online webinar and Q&A on how to apply for up to $15,000 in grant funding. About $175,000 is available this fall for innovative ministry projects that align with the Grand Canyon Synod Strategic Plan.
👉 Register for the webinar
ℹ️ More info and application details
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.
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.
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.
Featured
Experience the American premiere of Michael Torke’s Psalms and Canticles in the interfaith concert Foxes, Wine & Wheat. Join us September 12 at Paradise Valley UMC or September 13 at Holy Trinity Lutheran, Chandler. Admission is free (donations welcome). Featuring soprano Lariche Lamar and conductor Charles Zoll, with livestream available on YouTube.
Experience the American premiere of Michael Torke’s Psalms and Canticles in the interfaith concert Foxes, Wine & Wheat. Join us September 12 at Paradise Valley UMC or September 13 at Holy Trinity Lutheran, Chandler. Admission is free (donations welcome). Featuring soprano Lariche Lamar and conductor Charles Zoll, with livestream available on YouTube.
Kylee Bestenlehner will be ordained at Christ the Servant Lutheran Church (2 S Pecos Rd, Henderson, NV 89074) on Saturday, 9/13/2025, at 2pm. Bishop Hutterer will preside. Rev. Dr. Brooke Petersen of the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago will preach.
Clergy and seminarians are invited to vest and process. The color of the day is red. Click here to RSVP. The service will be streamed over Zoom, link will be shared after you RSVP.
Enjoy Jazz Vespers on Sept. 14 at 5:30 PM at Mount of Olives Lutheran Church in Phoenix, featuring Beth Lederman and Alice Tatum. A freewill offering will benefit the Olive Branch Community of Hope Food Pantry, feeding more than 150 families weekly.
Dr. Philip Farah, Palestinian-American economist and founding member of the Palestinian Christian Alliance for Peace, will speak at St. Francis Xavier Church in Phoenix on Sunday, Sept. 14 from 6:00–7:30 p.m. Farah will share his personal story and insights on how Americans can support a just peace in Palestine and Israel. RSVP required. Refreshments served.
Join us Wednesday, September 17, 2025 at 4:30 p.m. (AZ) for an online webinar and Q&A on how to apply for up to $15,000 in grant funding. About $175,000 is available this fall for innovative ministry projects that align with the Grand Canyon Synod Strategic Plan.
👉 Register for the webinar
ℹ️ More info and application details
Come meet Dioany Yosuino on Thursday, September 18 at Mountain View Lutheran Church and hear how a simple Operation Christmas Child shoebox reminded her that God sees the desires of her heart. The Project Leader Workshop runs from 5:30–7:30pm. RSVP by 9/11/25. Visit the Facebook page.
Join us Friday, Sept. 19 at 7 p.m. at Mountain View Lutheran in Phoenix for “Service to Sanctuary,” featuring U.S. Army combat veteran Dr. Jason Phillips. Through original music and personal testimony, Dr. Phillips shares how music became a healing sanctuary after war. All are welcome for this free and powerful evening of story and song.
Join us for Leadership Day 2025 on Saturday, September 20, 9 a.m.–2 p.m. at King of Glory Lutheran Church, Tempe. Featuring ELCA guest speaker Rev. Anna-Kari Johnson, the day will include teaching sessions on disciple making, small group conversations, and practical tools for ministry leaders. Come for renewal, encouragement, and fellowship. Register here.
Join a free one-hour webinar on Wednesday, Sept. 24 at 12 p.m. CT titled “Addiction & Youth: Trends & Challenges” featuring Michael Durchslag, Director of P.E.A.S.E. Academy. Learn how early intervention can change lives and explore current trends in youth substance use and recovery. Hosted by the Center of Addiction & Faith in honor of National Recovery Month. Register here.
Church & Society
Featured
Dr. Philip Farah, Palestinian-American economist and founding member of the Palestinian Christian Alliance for Peace, will speak at St. Francis Xavier Church in Phoenix on Sunday, Sept. 14 from 6:00–7:30 p.m. Farah will share his personal story and insights on how Americans can support a just peace in Palestine and Israel. RSVP required. Refreshments served.
Dr. Philip Farah, Palestinian-American economist and founding member of the Palestinian Christian Alliance for Peace, will speak at St. Francis Xavier Church in Phoenix on Sunday, Sept. 14 from 6:00–7:30 p.m. Farah will share his personal story and insights on how Americans can support a just peace in Palestine and Israel. RSVP required. Refreshments served.
BJC shares a major court victory blocking a Texas law requiring Ten Commandments displays in public classrooms, warns against new IRS guidance weakening the Johnson Amendment, and opens applications for a new Director of Development. Save the date for the Shurden Lectures this October and explore more updates in BJC’s Faith Freedom Dispatch. Read the full newsletter.
Medicaid is more than a program—it is a lifeline for families. Paige Ballinger, a Mosaic at Home Coordinator and niece of someone supported by Mosaic in Northern Colorado, shares how Medicaid services have transformed her aunt’s life and lifted the burden on her family. With recent federal budget cuts threatening these supports, Mosaic leaders emphasize the urgent need for continued advocacy to preserve and protect Medicaid for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families. Read Paige’s story and learn how you can join Mosaic Allied Voices to advocate for Medicaid—click here.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has issued new federal grant terms for FY2025 affecting programs such as FEMA, HHS, and the Nonprofit Security Grant Program. These terms include restrictions related to ICE cooperation, DEI/DEIA activities, and certain boycotts. ELCA congregations and ministries are advised to carefully review the new requirements and consult legal counsel before applying. Read the full ELCA guidance →
Rev. Christine Stoxen of Holy Trinity, Chandler, writes that welcoming the stranger is not optional—it is a biblical mandate. Drawing on Isaiah and Micah, she reminds us that Jesus himself was a refugee, and that hospitality strengthens whole communities. Through ministries like AMMPARO and Global Refuge, the ELCA continues to advocate for migrants and asylum seekers. Faith calls us to justice, kindness, and humble service alongside the displaced and vulnerable in our midst. Click here to read her full op-ed.
Four Lutheran clergy in Tucson have sparked an ecumenical movement, responding to harmful policies and the rise of Christian nationalism. Their statement, For God So Loved the World: A Christian Witness Against Harm, has now been signed by over 100 clergy and shared widely across congregations. The group is also hosting “Pray Without Ceasing” services every other Monday, modeled after Leipzig’s 1989 Prayers for Peace. Their witness reminds us of the church’s prophetic call to resist harm and lift up justice. Click here to read the full story and statement.
September is Hunger Action Month, a time to rally together to fight food insecurity. One in eight Arizonans struggles with hunger—even though our state produces 12% of the nation’s fruits and vegetables. In 2024, food bank visits rose to 650,000 each month. This September, you can act by supporting food banks, joining peer fundraisers, downloading the “Hungry Friend” app, or simply wearing orange on September 5 to raise awareness. Every action matters in working toward a hunger-free Arizona. Click here to learn more and find the full Hunger Action Month calendar.
The ELCA’s 1991 social statement The Church in Society: A Lutheran Perspective continues to guide how we live our baptismal promises in today’s complex world. Grounded in the gospel and Lutheran theology, the statement calls us to serve neighbors, advocate for justice, and respond with courage and compassion to society’s needs. Read Craig L. Nessan’s reflection in Living Lutheran—click here.
Ten D.C.-area faith leaders, including ELCA Bishop Leila Ortiz, have issued a statement rejecting fear-based approaches to public safety. The letter calls on civic leaders to embrace dignity, collaboration, and compassion instead of militarization and scapegoating. True safety, the leaders stress, is achieved through justice, community care, and investment in people. Click here to read the full letter.
The ELCA Homeless and Justice Network strongly opposes a recent executive order conflating homelessness with crime and disorder. Rooted in stigma and lacking evidence, the order misrepresents the realities of unhoused people. Guided by Isaiah’s call to “loose the bonds of injustice,” the ELCA instead urges policies rooted in compassion, dignity, and affordable housing. Click here to read the full statement and explore ways to take action.
The number of people in immigration detention has grown to more than 58,000, including many with no criminal charges. With four ICE detention centers in Arizona, Lutherans are called to act. The ELCA urges members to contact Congress to demand humane conditions, legal counsel, and respect for human dignity in these facilities. Click here to read the full Action Alert and find contact information for Arizona’s congressional delegation.
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.
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 our spotlight posts here.
Grants Webinar—Sept. 17, 4:30 pm. Learn how to apply for up to $15,000 in Grand Canyon Synod grants; about $175,000 is available this fall. Priority goes to collaborative projects aligned with our Strategic Plan. Application window: Sept. 8–Oct. 31, 2025. Register for the webinar: Zoom registration. Full details and application at the Grants page.