Posts in Region 2
Remembering Hiroshima and Nagasaki: 80 Years of Witness and Peace
Remembering Hiroshima and Nagasaki: 80 Years of Witness and Peace

On August 6, faith leaders, survivors, and advocates gathered at San Francisco’s Japanese Tea Garden to mark the 80th anniversary of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki atomic bombings. The Blessing Service for Peace, co-hosted with interfaith partners and the Consulate General of Japan, included music, reflections from Hibakusha (survivors), and a call to live peace daily as “a behavior.” Attendees honored the resilience of survivors, the legacy of Japanese internment, and the hope embodied by ginkgo saplings descended from trees that withstood the bombings. To read Pastor Courtney Geibert’s full reflection on this service and its call to action for peace, click here.

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Region 2, NewsBrian FlatgardSierra Pacific SynodComment
Grow in Faith and Leadership This Fall with Thriving Leadership Formation
Grow in Faith and Leadership This Fall with Thriving Leadership Formation

New fall programming from Thriving Leadership Formation invites you into deeper connection and growth—with free and low-cost online offerings for church leaders, ministry teams, and spiritual seekers. From weekly Lectio Divina and monthly spiritual practice gatherings to a new Enneagram panel series and team-building workshops, there’s something for everyone this season. Read the full newsletter →

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Region 2, Leader ResourcesBrian FlatgardThriving Leadership Formation ProgramComment
Lutheran Synods Join Lawsuit Defending Sacred Spaces from Immigration Raids
Lutheran Synods Join Lawsuit Defending Sacred Spaces from Immigration Raids

Several ELCA synods, including our siblings in the New England, Greater Milwaukee, Southwest California, Southwestern Texas, and Sierra Pacific Synods, have joined other faith organizations in a lawsuit against the Department of Homeland Security. The case challenges a Trump-Vance administration policy that permits ICE raids at or near houses of worship—practices that plaintiffs argue violate religious freedom and harm congregational life.

The lawsuit, filed by Democracy Forward and partner organizations, highlights disturbing incidents of ICE activity during worship, preschool pickup, and pastoral preaching. The plaintiffs seek immediate relief to halt these actions nationwide. Click here to read the full story and view the complaint.

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Region 2Brian FlatgardChurch and Society, Immigration and RefugeesComment
Rev. Dr. Colleen Windham-Hughes Named Rector of PLTS
Rev. Dr. Colleen Windham-Hughes Named Rector of PLTS

The Rev. Dr. Colleen Windham-Hughes, a featured guest at our 2024 Synod Assembly, has been named Rector of Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary. A respected leader in Lutheran higher education and longtime faculty member at California Lutheran University, Dr. Windham-Hughes brings deep theological insight and visionary leadership to this new role. Join us in celebrating and supporting her as she helps shape the next generation of leaders in the ELCA.

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Region 2Brian FlatgardPacific Lutheran Theological Seminary, California Lutheran UniversityComment
Book Study Amplifies Voices of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women
Book Study Amplifies Voices of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women

Join Region 2 Lutherans on June 5 at 6:30 p.m. MST for a powerful book study on Where They Last Saw Her by Marcie R. Rendon. Hosted by Women of the ELCA, this conversation will focus on how we as church can accompany Indigenous communities and respond to the ongoing crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Relatives (MMIW). Register now and be part of this faith-rooted call to action.

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Grand Canyon Synod, Region 2Brian FlatgardMMIW, American Indian and Alaska Native, Women of the ELCA (WELCA), Racial JusticeComment
Childcare Offered at Synod Assembly, Thanks to PLTS and CLU
Childcare Offered at Synod Assembly, Thanks to PLTS and CLU

Childcare will be provided at the 2025 Grand Canyon Synod Assembly, thanks to generous sponsorship from Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary and California Lutheran University. This initiative helps make the assembly more accessible for families and reflects our shared Lutheran commitment to hospitality and inclusion.

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Grand Canyon Synod, News, Region 2Brian Flatgard2024 Grand Canyon Synod Assembly, California Lutheran University, Pacific Lutheran Theological SeminaryComment
Assembly 2025 video: Outreach Food Pantry Program at Christ Evangelical in Goodyear
Assembly 2025 video: Outreach Food Pantry Program at Christ Evangelical in Goodyear

Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church, Goodyear, AZ shares a video for their Outreach Food Pantry program. The CELC Outreach food pantry has been in existence since 2003 and continues to grow and serve the Goodyear (and surrounding) communities. We are a formal partner agency of St. Mary's Food Bank that provides food to over 65 households weekly. 

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Grand Canyon Synod, News, Region 2Brian Flatgard2025 Assembly Stories, Hunger, Christ Evangelical GoodyearComment
Resurrection Rest: A Holy Week Exhale for Church Leaders
Resurrection Rest: A Holy Week Exhale for Church Leaders

After the fullness of Holy Week and Easter, church leaders are invited into a time of renewal. Resurrection Rest is a free 16-minute guided meditation for pastors, deacons, and ministry leaders, offering space to breathe, reflect, and receive. Listen and let resurrection rest settle in: thrivingleadershipformation.org.

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Grand Canyon Synod, News, Region 2, Leader ResourcesBrian FlatgardThriving Leadership Formation ProgramComment
Free Webinar: Build a Crisis Communication Plan for Your Congregation
Free Webinar: Build a Crisis Communication Plan for Your Congregation

Is your church prepared to communicate faithfully in a crisis? Join a free live webinar on Thursday, May 1, 2025, from 1:00–2:30pm, as part of the Thriving Leadership Formation series. Learn how to build a crisis communications team, develop a ministry-specific strategy, and gain sample statements to guide your response. Pre-registration is required: bit.ly/EventsTLF.

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Region 2, Grand Canyon Synod, News, Leader ResourcesBrian FlatgardThriving Leadership Formation ProgramComment
Free Webinar: Build a Crisis Communication Plan for Your Congregation
Free Webinar: Build a Crisis Communication Plan for Your Congregation

Is your church prepared to communicate faithfully in a crisis? Join a free live webinar on Thursday, May 1, 2025, from 1:00–2:30pm, as part of the Thriving Leadership Formation series. Learn how to build a crisis communications team, develop a ministry-specific strategy, and gain sample statements to guide your response. Pre-registration is required: bit.ly/EventsTLF.

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Region 2, Grand Canyon Synod, News, Leader ResourcesBrian FlatgardThriving Leadership Formation ProgramComment
A Holy Week Pause: A Guided Meditation for Church Leaders
A Holy Week Pause: A Guided Meditation for Church Leaders

A 10-minute guided meditation from Thriving Leadership Formation offers church leaders a moment to pause, breathe, and reconnect with God during Holy Week. Designed to support those carrying much in this sacred season, this reflection is an invitation to rest and lead from a place of grace. Listen now.

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Grand Canyon Synod, Region 2, News, Leader ResourcesBrian FlatgardThriving Leadership Formation Program, 2025 LentComment
Now Hiring: ELCA Rostered Leader Called to Serve as Rector of PLTS
Now Hiring: ELCA Rostered Leader Called to Serve as Rector of PLTS

Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary (PLTS) is hiring a new Rector to lead its Berkeley-based seminary community. ELCA rostered ministers with at least seven years of leadership experience are encouraged to apply by April 24, 2025, for this full-time role beginning June 1. The Rector will guide theological education and public witness in the ELCA, steward seminary partnerships, and serve as a key representative of PLTS and California Lutheran University. Apply now.

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Grand Canyon Synod, Region 2, NewsBrian FlatgardPacific Lutheran Theological Seminary, Help WantedComment
When the Well Runs Dry: Thriving in the Midst of Ministry Exhaustion
When the Well Runs Dry: Thriving in the Midst of Ministry Exhaustion

Many ministry leaders today are experiencing profound exhaustion—and you’re not imagining it. In this March update from Thriving Leadership Formation, Director Desta Goehner invites us to reimagine ministry as an ecosystem that requires care, connection, and rest. Explore upcoming Enneagram workshops, join a crisis communications webinar, and discover how to build stronger ministry teams with real tools and real support. Read the full newsletter here.

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Region 2, News, Leader ResourcesBrian FlatgardThriving Leadership Formation ProgramComment
“Teaching Certainty”: Dr. Marcela K. Perett Offers Fresh Insight on Luther’s Catechesis
“Teaching Certainty”: Dr. Marcela K. Perett Offers Fresh Insight on Luther’s Catechesis

Join PLTS on Wednesday, April 9 at 10 AM (Pacific) for the 2025 Luther Lecture featuring Dr. Marcela K. Perett. Her lecture, “Teaching Certainty,” offers a fresh perspective on Martin Luther’s early catechisms and how they helped believers move from despair to confidence in God’s forgiveness. Available via Zoom or in person. Register here.

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Region 2, NewsBrian FlatgardPacific Lutheran Theological SeminaryComment
Lenten Challenge: Explore Water, Hunger, and Faith with Region 2
Lenten Challenge: Explore Water, Hunger, and Faith with Region 2

This Lent, the five synods of Region 2 invite you to join the 40-40-40 Lenten Challenge, inspired by Isaiah 58:11, to reflect on the intersection of hunger and water. Through prayer, action, and learning, we explore Lutheran Disaster Response efforts, the ELCA’s Truth and Healing Movement, and the 70-year ministry of Navajo Evangelical Lutheran Mission (NELM) in Rock Point, AZ. Click here to explore water-themed activity ideas and learn how you can participate.

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Grand Canyon Synod, News, Region 2Brian Flatgard2025 Lent, 2025 Lenten ChallengeComment