Grand Canyon Synod Coaching Ministry Annual Report: 2025
Grand Canyon Synod Coaching Ministry 2025
Ephesians 4 lists 5 Spiritual gifts to “equip the saints for the work of ministry.” Though not a Spiritual Gift, a gift for the Church is coaching.
The Grand Canyon Synod, along with other Synods of the ELCA, offers an exciting and effective ministry that is often untapped or even unknown — Coaching Ministry. Coaching assists a client to focus on a specific goal and identify resources and steps to journey to that goal from the client’s own life situation and experiences. In 2024 ELCA Coaching Networked offered 7348 hours of Coaching to Leaders, groups, teams, and congregations.
Coaching is a process of assisting a client (person, group, team, or organization) to move from a present state or circumstance to a desired outcome. The present state could be a problem or a sense of being “stuck”. It could also be contentment with how things are, but a desire to improve on the situation. A desired outcome could be a goal to strive for or even a resolution of a situation.
Coaching is available to assist Rostered Leaders of our GCS in a variety of contexts: beginning a call, ending a call, considering a transition in ministry, seeking to be more effective in a present situation, facing challenge of burn out, preparing for retirement, and other life/career transitions. Coaching is also available to walk along side the lay leaders in our congregations as well as staffs, groups, teams and organizations.
Coaching can take-place in person, virtually, or via telephone. One-on-one Coaching is usually established in a 4-6 session “contract” with opportunity for review and renewal. Group or Team Coaching is usually set in a 4-session “contract.” Any fee charged for coaching services is established between the client and coach.
ELCA trained coaches have specific skills and training to assist clients in the following ministry areas: Stewardship/Generosity, End of Life, Encouragement, Care of Creation, Mission Development and Congregational Vitality, Racial Justice and Diversity, andDiscipleship/Spirituality. In addition to Life, Executive, Leadership coaching. The network of coaches includes language specific skills and other skill sets. Learn more about the ELCA Coaching Ministry https://www.elcacoaching.org.
In addition to ELCA Coach Training, many of our GCS Coaches are working towards or have received certification from the International Coaching Federation, the “Gold Standard” organization for coaching. There are 3 levels of certification: ACC (Associate Certified Coach); PCC (Professionally Certified Coach); and MCC (Master Certified Coach).
The Grand Canyon Synod Coaching Network meets quarterly. We have excellent ELCA Coaches in our Synod that would delight in journeying with you from your present ministry related or personal situation to a desired outcome. Coaches in the GCS available are:
Pr. Miguel Gomez-Acosta – ICF Certified ACC , Coaching for Rostered Leaders, Team Coaching for Councils and Ministry teams
Pr. Phil Gustafson, Coach Coordinator Grand Canyon Synod, ICF PCC certified, Discipleship Coaching, Team Coaching, Life Transition Coaching using faith resources and NLP resources, Congregations in Transition Coaching, WHY certified and Imposter Syndrome Certified. As GCS Coaching Coordinator, I would be honored to connect you with a coach. My email is: pngustafson01@gmail.com
Pr. Pr. Scott Hackler, Coaching for Rostered Leaders, Discipleship
Pr. Steven Kruse, Coaching for Rostered Leaders, Discipleship
Fred Nelson, Mission Development Coaching, Spiritual Growth Coaching, Prison Ministry
Pr. Lowell Nelson, Encouragement Coaching for Rostered Leaders and End of Life Coaching
Pr. Charles Newman, Coaching for Mission Development, Redevelopment, Entrepreneurial Faith and Discipleship, Racial Justice & Diversity
Pr. Tony Scheer, ICF Certified ACC. Coach Facilitator for Grand Canyon Synod, General Coaching for Rostered Leaders and Lay Leaders. Specialized Training in Mission Development and Redevelopment and Team Coaching
In 2024 We have recorded amongst the Grand Canyon Synod coaches 39 clients (including 4 congregations) and 153 hours of coaching. We would love to double that this year.
If coaching is a tool you would like to use I, as coaching coordinator, would be honored to connect you with a coach to assist you. We also can work with the full network of ELCA Coaches (over 45 ELCA Active Certified Coaches and over 900 Trained Coaches). My email for contact is pngustafson@gmail.com.
