Together We Gave: 2026 Synod Assembly Offering Supports Ministry in the Holy Land

Grand Canyon Synod Gives $3,702.84 to Support Lutheran Ministry in the Holy Land

At the 2026 Grand Canyon Synod Assembly, participants came together in worship, discernment, and generosity. Through gifts given during assembly worship and congregational support, the Grand Canyon Synod raised $3,702.84 to support the ministry of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land (ELCJHL).

Thank you for your generosity. (And visit the 2026 Synod Assembly Giving Page to learn how to give today).

This year’s assembly offering reflected our theme, “Rooted in God’s Story,” by supporting Lutheran Christians who continue to live, worship, teach, and serve in the very places where the Christian story first took root.

The ELCJHL is a small but vibrant church of approximately 2,500 members across six congregations in Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Ramallah, Beit Jala, Beit Sahour, and Amman. Beyond congregational life, the church also operates four Lutheran schools serving more than 3,000 students of many faith traditions, offering a witness of education, peacebuilding, and community care.

In January, the church celebrated the consecration of Bishop Imad Haddad as the fifth bishop of the ELCJHL. In his sermon, Bishop Haddad described the church’s calling to proclaim “salvation, peace, and reconciliation for the world.”

That ministry continues amid deep political tension, economic uncertainty, and hardship. Yet ELCJHL leaders often speak of their work through the Arabic word sumud — steadfast endurance — a commitment to remain rooted in faith, hope, and community despite immense challenges.

As Lutherans, we believe generosity flows from grace. We give not from obligation, but in gratitude for God’s abundant love. Through this assembly offering, congregations and individuals across the Grand Canyon Synod joined in supporting education, congregational ministry, accompaniment, and reconciliation in the Holy Land.

If you intended to give but did not have the opportunity during assembly, there is still time to participate. Gifts may still be made through the synod’s Assembly Giving page:

2026 Synod Assembly Giving Page

Together, we give thanks for the faithful witness of our Lutheran siblings in the Holy Land and for the opportunity to stand alongside them in hope.