The Office of the Bishop settles into the new year with regular news postings, office management, and financial oversight.
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Congregations across the Grand Canyon Synod will gather this January to honor the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. through worship, Gospel music, prayer, and service. Events will take place in the Phoenix area, Tucson, and the Colorado River/Las Vegas region, including a synod-wide choir celebration in Tempe and a special event with Rev. Dr. James Thomas in Henderson. Offerings from all gatherings support the synod’s growing work in diversity, equity, and justice. Full details at gcsynod.org/mlk.
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Join Spirit in the Desert’s Spirited Book Club on Thursday, January 15, 2026, from 3:00–4:00 pm AZ (2:00 pm PST) for a conversation with author Peter Faur about his new novel, The Heretic Hunters: A Parable for Our Time. The book traces a denomination in crisis as authoritarianism, doctrinal purity campaigns, and personal courage collide—raising timely questions about faith, integrity, and the endurance of love.
The discussion will be facilitated by Sheri Brown, and registration is open. Learn more about the book, read early reviews, and sign up to join the conversation here: Read more & register →
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Many congregations are facing rising costs, leadership shortages, and increasing pressures—but the gospel continues to call us forward together. Join the Grand Canyon Synod for “Possibilities in Partnership,” a synod-wide Zoom conversation on January 15, 2026, at 6:00 pm MST, 5:00 PM PST, exploring new ways congregations can collaborate and share ministry.
Led by Rev. David Pavesic, this gathering invites rostered ministers and lay leaders into reflection, conversation, and discernment around what it means to be church together in this season. Advance registration is required.
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As members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, we are called to share the good news of Jesus Christ through word and deed. On Saturday, January 24, 2026, leaders are invited to a hybrid Evangelism and Congregational Vitality Workshop, with a local gathering option in the Grand Canyon Synod. This morning workshop connects congregations to regional teaching and local conversation and complements the January 22–24 in-person PLTS gathering. For details, contact Pastor David Pavesic at David.Pavesic@elca.org.
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The ELCA invites lay leaders and rostered ministers to a 3-day Evangelism and Congregational Vitality Workshop, January 22–24, 2026, at Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary in Berkeley, CA. Sponsored by PLTS and the ELCA New Ministry Development and Evangelism Team, this gathering equips leaders for evangelizing and congregational renewal. Registration is required by January 6. A related Saturday hybrid workshop is also available locally through participating synods.
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Spirit in the Desert (SITD) Retreat Center in Carefree, Arizona, is seeking a new Executive Director to lead its Lutheran-rooted mission of grace-filled hospitality, renewal, and spiritual growth. The role includes strategic and hands-on leadership across operations, staff supervision, financial sustainability, donor relations, and community partnerships.
Applications received by January 15, 2026 will be assured of full consideration. Submit a letter of interest, resume, and five professional references (PDF format) to Melissa Maxwell-Doherty at melissa.maxwelldoherty@gmail.com. Nominations are also welcome.
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The Grand Canyon Synod gives thanks for the life and ministry of Rev. Richard “Dick” Glover, retired pastor and member of St. Andrew Lutheran Church in Phoenix, who died on November 17, 2025. A Service of Life and Resurrection will be held Saturday, January 17, at St. Andrew Lutheran Church, with visitation at 10:30 a.m. and service at 11:00 a.m., followed by fellowship.
We invite the synod to hold Alice, the Glover family, and the St. Andrew community in prayer, trusting in God’s promises of baptismal grace, resurrection, and eternal peace in Christ.
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ELCA Coaching is offering a full month of free January opportunities for ministry leaders, including gatherings, workshops, formation offerings, and racial justice and wellness training opportunities—most requiring advance registration. Additional subsidized leadership trainings begin in April. These resources support leaders across the ELCA, helping strengthen ministry, deepen resilience, and remind us that nobody journeys alone. Learn more at elcacoaching.org/events.
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Join Luther Seminary and Faith+Lead for the 2026 Rutlen Lecture on Tuesday, January 13, 2026, featuring Old Testament scholar Dr. William P. Brown. This year’s theme, Be-Wilded by Wonder: Just Creation in the Book of Job, explores how reading Job “from the end” reshapes our understanding of God, justice, and creation—especially in a time of climate crisis. Attend online or in person (with dinner included) and engage with a powerful exploration of Scripture, awe, and creation care. Register at faithlead.org/live-learning/rutlen26.
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Join Spirit in the Desert Retreat Center in Carefree, AZ, January 16–19, 2026, for Living Into a New Story. Led by Pastor Ron Rude and hymnist Sharon Reinbott, this retreat explores how science, Scripture, and earth wisdom can renew our faith and reshape our relationship with creation. Scholarships are available.
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January is Financial Wellness Month. Explore Fidelity’s practical financial tips and schedule a free appointment with a credentialed Portico Financial Planner who understands ELCA benefits. Appointments are available online or by phone at no cost to you.
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Starting January 1, 2026, ELCA-Primary members will have access to expanded EAP services through Spring Health. Therapy and coaching are available for members and dependents, with flexible options including in-person, phone, video, and text-based care. Learn more through myPortico or the 98point6 app.
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ELCA-Primary Health members should have received a new 2026 Portico health ID card, now including a Group ID number. If you received two sets, use the second and destroy the first. Questions? Quantum Health Care Coordinators are available by phone or online, and the Quantum Health app allows digital access to your card.
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In response to the ongoing and complex challenges facing Venezuela, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America has shared a prayer calling on God’s mercy, justice, and peace. The prayer lifts up the people of Venezuela, especially the most vulnerable, and asks for wisdom and restraint among leaders, courage and perseverance for the Lutheran church in Venezuela, and hope rooted in God’s steadfast love revealed in Jesus Christ.
We invite you to pause, pray, and reflect with the wider church. Read the full prayer and join in this moment of global accompaniment.
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As Arizona’s 2026 legislative session approaches, Lutheran Advocacy Ministry Arizona is equipping congregations and leaders with tools, training, and opportunities for faithful public witness. From RTS training and hunger advocacy calls to Lutheran Day at the Legislature on February 23, this month’s LAMA newsletter outlines how Arizona Lutherans can engage policy with faith, clarity, and purpose. Read the full LAMA Newsletter and upcoming advocacy opportunities.
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This week we celebrate the ordination anniversaries of:
Rev. Stephen Springer, Dove of Peace, Tucson, who celebrates 29 years on January 12.
Rev. Annemarie Burke, Noble Hospice, Mesa, who celebrates 20 years on January 15.
Rev. Lourdes Olson, New Song, Henderson, who celebrates 4 years on January 15.
January is Human Trafficking Awareness Month, and congregations are invited to join a focused season of prayer, worship, and advocacy to help #EndHumanTrafficking. Women of the ELCA offers daily prayers, trauma-informed worship resources, and a church leader toolkit—available in English and Spanish—to support this work, especially during the four weeks leading up to the Super Bowl.
These resources equip congregations to respond faithfully through education, prayer, and action. Learn more, download materials, and find support resources at womenoftheelca.org, or contact the National Human Trafficking Resource Center at 1-888-373-7888.
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Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary (PLTS) is offering a new Racial Justice and Faith Certificate Program in 2026, featuring 6-week, online, asynchronous courses open to clergy and lay leaders alike. The first course, Womanism and Social Justice, begins February 9, with enrollment requested by January 25.
Courses cost $250, with discounts for PLTS alumni and congregational groups, and four completed courses lead to a certificate. Designed to connect faith with action, this program supports participants in confronting racial injustice and dismantling white supremacy through liberative theological reflection and practice.
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Caring for creation is not a solo endeavor—it is communal, faithful, and deeply Lutheran in its grounding. In this reflection from Blessed Tomorrow, Rev. Carol Devine lifts up Green Teams as a vital way congregations live out their relationship with God, one another, and the earth. When creation care is woven into congregational life through a team or committee, communities often find renewed purpose, deeper faith, and shared energy for meaningful action.
As the new year begins, this is an ideal moment to start—or refresh—a Green Team in your congregation. The article offers practical guidance on building inclusive teams, grounding the work theologically, starting with achievable goals, celebrating progress, and leading visibly in the wider community. It also highlights how Green Teams can partner beyond congregational walls for greater impact and points readers to free trainings, resources, and upcoming opportunities. Read the full reflection and explore the resources.
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