Bishop Hutterer: Stepping into Sabbath

Dear Church,

I am filled with gratitude for the gift of serving as your bishop and for the privilege of walking alongside you in ministry. It is a deep honor to share in this call with you, and I give thanks every day for the faith, generosity, and resilience of this synod.

This fall I will begin a sabbatical, a time of prayer, renewal, and reflection. Sabbaticals are a best practice in the church, allowing leaders to pause, reground in God’s Word, and return refreshed for the work ahead. My sabbatical will begin in November and continue through January 2026. During this time, I plan to focus on prayer and Scripture and to capture stories of God’s presence and activity within and around us.

 Although I will be away for most of this period, I will return briefly in December to join you in important milestones: the synod grants meeting, the Region 2 Bishop and Vice President Retreat at Spirit in the Desert, and—pending candidacy approval—the ordination of Vicar Wanda Frenchman on Thursday, December 11 at 6:00 p.m. at Grace Lutheran Church in Phoenix. These are joyful opportunities to gather with you and to celebrate God’s work among us.

I am grateful to know that the life and ministry of our synod will continue in capable and faithful hands. Rev. Mike Girlinghouse, former bishop of the Arkansas-Oklahoma Synod and now chaplain at LCM Canterbury in Flagstaff, will serve as Acting Bishop. He will meet weekly with our Office of the Bishop staff, who will continue their good work with the same dedication and care you have come to know. Together, they will provide stability and leadership during this season.

This sabbatical comes at a natural time in our shared life—after the joy of the Bishop’s Fall Gathering and before the full planning cycle of our Spring Gatherings and Synod Assembly begins. It is a season that allows all of us, as church, to pace ourselves and be renewed for the many plans God is preparing for us in 2026.

I ask for your prayers during this sabbatical season: prayers for me, that I may be renewed in spirit and strengthened for the work ahead; prayers for Pastor Mike and our staff, as they guide the synod’s work in this time; and prayers for our whole synod, that we may remain rooted in God’s story and open to the Spirit’s leading.

Thank you for the trust you place in me as your bishop. Thank you for your faithfulness in ministry and witness. And thank you for your prayers as together we step into a season of renewal, hope, and preparation for all that lies ahead.

With you in Christ,

The Rev. Deborah K. Hutterer
Bishop
Grand Canyon Synod of the ELCA