Posts tagged Ecumenical and Inter-Religious Relations
Praying Together for Christian Unity: Join the 2026 Statewide Service
Praying Together for Christian Unity: Join the 2026 Statewide Service

Christians from across Arizona are invited to gather for the 2026 Statewide Week of Prayer for Christian Unity on Thursday, January 22, at 6:30 PM at Historic Tanner Chapel AME Church in Phoenix. Hosted by The Rev’d Dr. Benjamin N. Thomas, Sr. and the Tanner Chapel congregation, this ecumenical service is part of a global observance prayed by churches worldwide.

Using worship materials prepared by the Armenian Apostolic Church, the service offers a powerful opportunity to pray for Christian unity, deepen relationships across traditions, and witness together to Christ’s reconciling love. All are welcome.

Read More
Grand Canyon SynodBrian FlatgardEcumenical and Inter-Religious RelationsComment
Interfaith Action and Reflection: What’s New from Arizona Faith Network
Interfaith Action and Reflection: What’s New from Arizona Faith Network

The latest Arizona Faith Network newsletter features interfaith gatherings, educational events, meditations, partner actions, and seasonal opportunities for service across Arizona. From peace-focused worship to justice-centered advocacy, there are many ways to engage. Explore the full newsletter and stay connected.

Read More
Grand Canyon SynodBrian FlatgardEcumenical and Inter-Religious Relations, Arizona Faith NetworkComment
From Lament to Action: Bishop Curry on Gun Violence and Advent Hope
From Lament to Action: Bishop Curry on Gun Violence and Advent Hope

Following a deadly shooting at Brown University that claimed two lives and injured many others, Presiding Bishop Yehiel Curry calls the church to prayer, lament, and faithful public action. The statement names gun violence as a symptom of deeper brokenness in our common life and rejects its normalization in U.S. society.

Drawing on the ELCA’s social message on gun violence, Bishop Curry urges evidence-based, life-saving measures alongside sustained advocacy and accompaniment. In this Advent season, the statement affirms that God meets us in suffering and calls the church to work for justice, compassion, and peace. Read the full statement and prayer from Bishop Curry.

Read More
ELCA, Bishop CurryBrian FlatgardBishop Curry Letters, Church and Society, Ecumenical and Inter-Religious RelationsComment
Standing with Our Jewish Neighbors After the Bondi Beach Attack
Standing with Our Jewish Neighbors After the Bondi Beach Attack

Presiding Bishop Yehiel Curry has issued a statement following a deadly terror attack on the Jewish community gathered for a Hanukkah menorah lighting at Bondi Beach in Australia. Writing on the Third Sunday of Advent, Bishop Curry condemns antisemitism, reaffirms the ELCA’s commitment to opposing anti-Jewish hatred, and calls the church to concrete acts of solidarity, love, and peace with our Jewish neighbors.

Grounded in God’s irrevocable covenant and the hope of Advent, the statement invites prayer and faithful action as an antidote to fear and violence. Read the full statement and prayer from Bishop Curry.

Read More
ELCA, Bishop Curry, Global ChurchBrian FlatgardBishop Curry Letters, Church and Society, Ecumenical and Inter-Religious RelationsComment
AFN News: December Gatherings, Interfaith Events, and Climate Justice Actions
AFN News: December Gatherings, Interfaith Events, and Climate Justice Actions

The latest AFN newsletter highlights December and January interfaith events, including ecology workshops, clergy gatherings, Monday meditations, and the upcoming Midwinter Peace Gathering. It also features climate-justice sign-on opportunities for faith leaders, Giving Machine charity sites, and partner news from across Arizona’s interfaith community.

Read More
Grand Canyon SynodBrian FlatgardEcumenical and Inter-Religious Relations, Arizona Faith NetworkComment
AFN Weekly Update: Annual Gathering Nears, Interfaith Events Ahead
AFN Weekly Update: Annual Gathering Nears, Interfaith Events Ahead

AFN shares a full lineup of upcoming events, including the 2025 Annual Gathering (Dec. 2), interfaith Thanksgiving services, prayer walks, ecology workshops, and the “No Amazon for Advent” campaign. Learn more and view all events and advocacy actions in the full AFN newsletter at arizonafaithnetwork.org/newsletter.

Read More
Grand Canyon Synod, NewsBrian FlatgardEcumenical and Inter-Religious Relations, Arizona Faith NetworkComment
United We Rise: Join the 2025 Arizona Faith Network Annual Gathering
United We Rise: Join the 2025 Arizona Faith Network Annual Gathering

Join faith and community leaders at the 2025 Arizona Faith Network Annual Gathering on Tuesday, December 2, 2025, 9 AM–12 PM at the Bahá’í Center in Scottsdale. The morning features guest speaker Gen Kelsang Chenma and honors the 2025 Arizona Leadership Awardees. Register at arizonafaithnetwork.org/annualgathering. A communications toolkit and graphics are available to support congregational sharing.

Read More
Grand Canyon Synod, NewsBrian FlatgardArizona Faith Network, Ecumenical and Inter-Religious RelationsComment
Upcoming AFN Events Celebrate Unity, Justice, and Creation Care
Upcoming AFN Events Celebrate Unity, Justice, and Creation Care

Join people of faith across Arizona for AFN’s 2025 Annual Gathering—United We Rise on Dec. 2, honoring Rep. Patty Contreras for her leadership in unity and service. Explore more events including an interfaith Prayer Walk, Reconciliation Ecology Workshop, and the No Amazon for Advent pledge. Read the full newsletter at arizonafaithnetwork.org/newsletter.

Read More
Grand Canyon SynodBrian FlatgardArizona Faith Network, Ecumenical and Inter-Religious RelationsComment
United We Rise: Join the 2025 Arizona Faith Network Annual Gathering
United We Rise: Join the 2025 Arizona Faith Network Annual Gathering

Join faith and community leaders at the 2025 Arizona Faith Network Annual Gathering on Tuesday, December 2, 2025, 9 AM–12 PM at the Bahá’í Center in Scottsdale. The morning features guest speaker Gen Kelsang Chenma and honors the 2025 Arizona Leadership Awardees. Register at arizonafaithnetwork.org/annualgathering. A communications toolkit and graphics are available to support congregational sharing.

Read More
Grand Canyon Synod, NewsBrian FlatgardArizona Faith Network, Ecumenical and Inter-Religious RelationsComment
Explore AFN’s Latest News, Events, and Mutual Aid Resources
Explore AFN’s Latest News, Events, and Mutual Aid Resources

Discover what’s happening across Arizona’s interfaith community in the latest Arizona Faith Network newsletter. Explore the new Faith & Mutual Aid Resource Guide, register for the 2025 Annual Gathering: United We Rise, and find upcoming events focused on justice, creation care, meditation, and interfaith collaboration. Subscribe or share today to help build Arizona’s network of care.

The issue also includes details for the 2025 AFN Annual Gathering, United We Rise, on Tuesday, December 2, 2025, honoring Rev. Towanda NT Connelly and other bridge builders; weekly Monday Meditations; Reconciliation Ecology workshops; and safety training for faith communities.

Read More
Grand Canyon SynodBrian FlatgardArizona Faith Network, Ecumenical and Inter-Religious RelationsComment
Share Your Congregation’s Mutual Aid Resources with Arizona Faith Network
Share Your Congregation’s Mutual Aid Resources with Arizona Faith Network

Arizona Faith Network’s latest newsletter highlights ways people of faith are responding to community needs through mutual aid, reflection, and action. Congregations are invited to share their ministries in AFN’s new Faith & Mutual Aid Resource Guide, helping connect families across Arizona to food, shelter, and care.

The issue also includes details for the 2025 AFN Annual Gathering, United We Rise, on Tuesday, December 2, 2025, honoring Rev. Towanda NT Connelly and other bridge builders; weekly Monday Meditations; Reconciliation Ecology workshops; and safety training for faith communities.

Read the full update and subscribe at arizonafaithnetwork.org/newsletter.

Read More
Grand Canyon SynodBrian FlatgardArizona Faith Network, Ecumenical and Inter-Religious RelationsComment
Bridge Builders and Bold Conversations: Highlights from the AFN Newsletter
Bridge Builders and Bold Conversations: Highlights from the AFN Newsletter

Stay connected with Arizona’s interfaith community through the Arizona Faith Network Newsletter, featuring the upcoming 2025 Annual Gathering – United We Rise on December 2, 2025, honoring bridge builders like Mary Permoda. Discover upcoming opportunities for learning and advocacy, from elder care training and faith education to climate action and community safety.

Read more and subscribe at arizonafaithnetwork.org/newsletter.

Read More
Global ChurchBrian FlatgardArizona Faith Network, Ecumenical and Inter-Religious RelationsComment
Learn, Connect, and Celebrate with Arizona Faith Network this Fall
Learn, Connect, and Celebrate with Arizona Faith Network this Fall

Celebrate bridge-builders at the Arizona Faith Network 2025 Annual Gathering: United We Rise, happening Tuesday, December 2, 2025, at the Baháʼí Faith Community Center in Scottsdale. This year’s event honors Billie K. Fidlin with AFN’s first-ever Legacy Award. Register to attend in-person or online, and explore AFN’s full lineup of fall events and interfaith opportunities — from meditation and justice trainings to faith education and environmental action — at arizonafaithnetwork.org/newsletter.

Read More
Grand Canyon SynodBrian FlatgardArizona Faith Network, Ecumenical and Inter-Religious RelationsComment
Register Now: Celebrate Bridge Builders at the 2025 Arizona Faith Network Annual Gathering
Register Now: Celebrate Bridge Builders at the 2025 Arizona Faith Network Annual Gathering

Celebrate faith leaders who build bridges across Arizona at the 2025 AFN Annual Gathering – “United We Rise”, on Tuesday, December 2, 2025, at the Baháʼí Faith Community Center in Scottsdale. Honoring Dr. Warren H. Stewart, Sr., this year’s event will unite faith communities for a morning of storytelling and celebration. Plus, explore AFN’s fall lineup of virtual and in-person gatherings and subscribe to the AFN newsletter for weekly updates: arizonafaithnetwork.org/newsletter.

Read More
Grand Canyon SynodBrian FlatgardArizona Faith Network, Ecumenical and Inter-Religious RelationsComment
ELCA Denounces Deadly Synagogue Attacks in Manchester, England
ELCA Denounces Deadly Synagogue Attacks in Manchester, England

The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America has issued a statement condemning the deadly attacks at a synagogue in Manchester, England, on Yom Kippur. The ELCA extends condolences to victims and their families and stands in solidarity with Jewish communities worldwide. Reaffirming its 1994 “Declaration to the Jewish Community,” the ELCA denounces anti-Semitism as “a contradiction and an affront to the Gospel” and calls all Christians to act as ambassadors of peace and justice. Read the full ELCA statement at ELCA.org.

Read More
ELCABrian FlatgardJudaism, Ecumenical and Inter-Religious RelationsComment
Be Part of AFN’s 2025 Gathering—Hybrid, Bilingual, Transformative
Be Part of AFN’s 2025 Gathering—Hybrid, Bilingual, Transformative

Registration is now open for the Arizona Faith Network’s 2025 Annual Gathering, themed United We Rise. Join faith leaders from across Arizona on Tuesday, December 2, 2025, from 9:00 AM–12:30 PM at the Baháʼí Faith Community Center in Scottsdale, or participate online. This bilingual (Spanish & English) event will feature keynote speaker Gen Kelsang Chenma, a Buddhist nun and teacher known for her warmth and practical wisdom. Sponsorship opportunities are also available. Learn more and register—click here.

Read More
Grand Canyon SynodBrian FlatgardArizona Faith Network, Ecumenical and Inter-Religious RelationsComment
Register Now: AFN’s 2025 Annual Gathering, “United We Rise”
Register Now: AFN’s 2025 Annual Gathering, “United We Rise”

Arizona Faith Network invites you to the 2025 Annual Gathering, “United We Rise,” on December 2 in Scottsdale, with keynote speaker Gen Kelsang Chenma. The latest AFN newsletter also highlights weekly Monday Meditation, trainings on elder abuse and LDS 101, and calls to action on peace and protecting sacred lands. Read the full AFN newsletter here.

Read More
Grand Canyon Synod, NewsBrian FlatgardEcumenical and Inter-Religious Relations, Arizona Faith NetworkComment
Sacred Desert, Sacred Duty: Faith Leaders Gather for Climate Justice
Sacred Desert, Sacred Duty: Faith Leaders Gather for Climate Justice

Autumn Byars, member of University Lutheran in Tempe and former LAMA Hunger Advocacy Fellow, reflects on joining Creation Justice Ministries’ Witness for Creation press conference and worship at the Desert Botanical Garden. Held during the Season of Creation, this interfaith gathering lifted up urgent issues such as water justice, sacred lands, and support for the unhoused amid intensifying Arizona heat. It was a powerful call to care for creation—and one another—as an act of faith. Click here to read more.

Read More
Grand Canyon Synod, NewsBrian FlatgardLutheran Advocacy Ministry Arizona (LAMA), Advocacy, Climate Change, Ecumenical and Inter-Religious Relations, Church and SocietyComment
Interfaith News & Events: Book Study, Meditation, Trainings, and Sacred Land Action
Interfaith News & Events: Book Study, Meditation, Trainings, and Sacred Land Action

Explore events and resources from Arizona Faith Network this September: the final session of The Tears of Thingsbook study, weekly Monday meditations, October trainings on elder abuse and LDS 101, plus powerful faith-based calls to action on peace, sacred land protection, and climate advocacy. Read the full newsletter and subscribe at arizonafaithnetwork.org/newsletter.

Read More
Grand Canyon Synod, NewsBrian FlatgardEcumenical and Inter-Religious Relations, Arizona Faith NetworkComment