ELCA Coaching is offering Taking Flight with DISC, a four-hour online leadership training designed to strengthen self-awareness, social awareness, and style flexibility. Led by Nathan Swenson-Reinhold, MCC, this practical masterclass equips church leaders to communicate effectively, navigate change, and lead teams with greater insight. Cost is $350 (includes DISC assessment and materials). Space is limited; email guide@summitcbc.com to register.
Read MoreThe ELCA’s Witness in Society team has shared an updated overview (Feb. 18, 2026) of sign-on letters—a timely advocacy tool that functions like a petition to members of Congress or other decision makers, often tied to an immediate issue or impending vote. These letters help educate leaders, name shared faith-rooted values, and urge specific action—often alongside ecumenical and interfaith partners.
The update also explains how the ELCA decides to sign on: careful analysis rooted in ELCA social teaching and policy priorities, attention to accuracy and tone (avoiding hyper-partisan language), and discernment about impact. The post includes a running list of recent ELCA-supported sign-on letters (last updated Feb. 12, 2026) with links to read each statement in full. Read more on the ELCA Advocacy blog.
Read MoreGathering Webinars are designed to provide timely, relevant information as you prepare for the Gathering. Each session is led by Gathering leadership and includes a presentation followed by a live Q&A. Webinars begin at 7:00 p.m. CST and run approximately 45 minutes. For those unable to attend live, recordings will be available online several days following the webinar. To learn more about upcoming webinars, visit the Gathering site. View the first webinar here.
Read MoreOn a bright January day in Jerusalem’s Old City, the Rev. Imad Haddad was consecrated as the fifth bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land (ELCJHL), succeeding Bishop Sani Ibrahim Azar. Surrounded by global Lutheran leaders—including ELCA Presiding Bishop Yehiel Curry—and ecumenical partners, Haddad called the church to steadfast witness, peace and reconciliation amid ongoing tensions and hardship.
Rooted in the Palestinian Christian community, Bishop Haddad spoke of sumud—steadfast endurance—and of the church’s baptismal calling to proclaim salvation and reconciliation in a land marked by suffering. Read the full story from Living Lutheran to learn more about this historic moment and its significance for our global Lutheran communion.
Read MoreIn celebration of Black History Month, we share “Black Joy” from Voices of Faith, written by ELCA Secretary Lucille “CeCee” Mills. Through personal memories of her mother’s strength and generosity, Mills reflects on Black joy as God-breathed resilience—an enduring, hope-filled force that sustains communities through hardship and amplifies celebration in times of blessing.
As part of our commitment to be Rooted in God’s Story, this powerful reflection invites us to see Black joy as a living testimony of faith, courage, and the Spirit at work. Read the full article from Living Lutheran to experience the depth and witness of this story.
Read MoreOn November 12, 2025, the ELCA Church Council adopted a Social Message on Child Protection, calling congregations to strengthen preaching, policies, and trauma-informed care. Wartburg Theological Seminary and the Center for Faith & Child Protection are offering a free webinar series (beginning February 26 at 6:45 p.m. CST) to help leaders implement these recommendations. Pastors and lay leaders across the Grand Canyon Synod are encouraged to register and equip their congregations to protect and care for the “least of these.”
Read MoreThis week’s ELCA Faith Lens reflection on Genesis 2:15–17; 3:1–7 invites us to look beyond blame and consider the deeper reality of shame, guilt, and reconciliation. Rather than focusing solely on “the fall,” Pastor Adrianne Meier highlights how shame isolates—but God moves toward humanity, clothing Adam and Eve and beginning the long work of restoration.
For youth and adult leaders alike, this resource offers discussion questions, activities, and a Gospel-centered reminder that from the very beginning, God’s response to our tangled lives has been reconciliation.
Read MorePresiding Bishop Yehiel Curry will join the Grand Canyon Synod Hunger Leaders Network for their next monthly call on Tuesday, February 24, from 6:00–7:00 pm (AZ time). The virtual gathering will include a short devotion, an update from Bishop Curry, a local hunger ministry spotlight, and shared resources and grant updates from across the synod.
If you’ve been meaning to connect with others working to address hunger and food insecurity, this is a great time to jump in. No registration is required—just bring your curiosity and commitment. Read more on the LAMA web site, and click this link to join the Zoom call.
Read MoreELCA-affiliated state public policy offices in Kansas, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Wisconsin are actively engaging 2026 legislative sessions with bold, faith-rooted advocacy. From defending immigrant neighbors and LGBTQ+ communities to advancing hunger relief, maternal health reform, voting rights, and anti-trafficking legislation, Lutheran leaders are mobilizing congregations and communities for public witness grounded in the belief that every person is made in the image of God.
These winter updates highlight rallies, lobby days, youth engagement, new advocacy resources (including a Lent curriculum on Faith and Civic Life), and growing interfaith coalitions. Read the full state-by-state update and explore how Lutheran advocacy continues to seek the well-being of all. Read the full update at ELCA.org.
Read MoreWith a February 13 deadline looming for DHS funding, ELCA Presiding Bishop Yehiel Curry joined eight other Christian leaders in urging Congress to enact just and humane immigration policies. The February 9 letter calls for due process, accountability for violence, protections for houses of worship, limits on excessive enforcement funding, and an end to the detention of children.
Grounded in Isaiah 58 and Leviticus 19, the letter affirms that immigrants are “beloved children of God” and encourages reforms that reflect human dignity and the common good. Read the full letter here. Read the original post at ELCA.org here.
Read MoreIn this week’s ELCA Advocacy devotional, Zachary Olson reflects on Lutherans who gathered in Washington, D.C., during a federal shutdown to advocate for disaster response reform — embodying Jesus’ call to be “salt and light.” Grounded in Matthew 5, this reflection invites us across the Grand Canyon Synod to consider how our faith shapes our public witness, compassion, and advocacy today.
Read MoreArtist activist and author Joe Davis sat down with Living Lutheran to share how the work he does as an artist shows up in healing spaces. Watch for part two of “Art as a conduit of collective liberation,” coming Feb. 23 on LivingLutheran.org.
Read MoreThe Transfiguration may be one of the strangest stories in the Gospels—mountaintop glory, Moses and Elijah, and a voice from heaven. Yet at its heart is a simple truth: when the journey is hard, “it is good for us to be here.” In a world marked by war, discouragement, and disconnection, Christ gathers us into community and kindles hope like a small flame that refuses to go out.
This week’s Faith Lens reflection invites us to consider where we experience renewed hope, how church becomes a mountaintop moment, and how God sustains us together—even as we descend back into a world that still needs healing.
Read MoreFor an end to war, conflict, and uncertainty, especially in Gaza, South Sudan, Ukraine, Iran, and Venezuela…
For protection, compassion, and dignity for immigrants, refugees, and asylum seekers…
For strained diplomatic relations between nations in the United States, Canada, and Cuba…
For those grieving the death of Hallie Tobler, daughter of Minnesota gubernatorial candidate Jeff Johnson…
For all victims of domestic violence and abuse, and all victims of sexual abuse and exploitation…
For those affected by severe cold weather, especially those without access to adequate heat and other resources…
For the continued safety of athletes, reporters, and others participating in the Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy…
For the conclusion of the Buddhist monks’ Walk for Peace, ending in Washington DC this Tuesday…
For affirmation, dignity, and celebration of LGBTQIA+ individuals and communities…
For pastors, deacons, church administrators, and musicians preparing for Lent…
ELCA Worship has highlighted several upcoming 2026 opportunities from trusted Lutheran and ecumenical partners, including The Hymn Society Annual Conference (July 19–22, Princeton, NJ), the Lutheran Summer Music Academy (application deadline March 1), the Institute of Liturgical Studies (April 13–15, Valparaiso, IN), and the ALCM Conference (Early Bird deadline March 17). Student awards in liturgical art and church music composition are also open, with $1,000 prizes and spring deadlines.
These gatherings and resources nurture congregational song, liturgical renewal, and theological depth in worship. Read more and access registration details at ELCA.org.
Read MorePresiding Bishop Yehiel Curry will join the Grand Canyon Synod Hunger Leaders Network for their next monthly call on Tuesday, February 24, from 6:00–7:00 pm (AZ time). The virtual gathering will include a short devotion, an update from Bishop Curry, a local hunger ministry spotlight, and shared resources and grant updates from across the synod.
If you’ve been meaning to connect with others working to address hunger and food insecurity, this is a great time to jump in. No registration is required—just bring your curiosity and commitment. Read more on the LAMA web site, and click this link to join the Zoom call.
Read MoreThe Annual Congregation Report is due March 1 for all ELCA congregations, new starts, and synod-authorized worshiping communities. This report provides essential data about people, finances, and resources and ensures your congregation is included in synod and churchwide planning and reporting.
Congregations should submit the report online at elca.org/congregationreport using the ID and password mailed in mid-January. Instructions, Form A, and support resources are available at elca.org/reportinstructions. If you are not receiving ELCA emails, be sure to update your contact information to stay informed.
Read MoreFebruary’s Good Green News from Lutherans Restoring Creation highlights upcoming opportunities for faithful climate action, including a February 24 Q&A with Bill McKibben on his new book Here Comes the Sun, newly announced dates for the Multiply! gathering (April 10–12, 2026), advocacy conversations like Coffee with Christine on March 4, and a practical climate action webinar on March 17.
Read the full newsletter for registration links, recordings, and ways to share these events with your congregation as we continue, together, the work of caring for God’s creation.
Read MoreJesus calls his followers “the salt of the earth” and “the light of the world”—an identity rooted not in personal piety alone, but in lives shaped by justice, mercy, and love of neighbor. Drawing on Matthew 5 and Isaiah 58, this week’s Faith Lens reflection explores how discipleship is lived out through concrete acts that loosen injustice, feed the hungry, and shine God’s light in the world.
Salt does not lose its saltiness, and light does not cease to shine—but both can be rendered ineffective. This reflection invites us to consider what gets in the way of living our baptismal calling and reminds us that even when we fall short, we remain beloved children of God, still called—and empowered—to be salt and light for the sake of the world.
Read MoreThe ELCA has released the first three videos introducing the 2027 ELCA Youth Gathering, offering an early look at this churchwide experience for youth, young adults, and leaders. The Gathering will be held June 28–July 2, 2027, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, under the theme “Imagine More.”
The videos highlight the Gathering as a movement of faith and introduce key pre-events, including the Multicultural Youth Leadership Event (MYLE) and the tAble, which affirm leadership, belonging, and inclusion. Learn more at elca.org/Gathering, and watch for future updates as we begin preparing across the Grand Canyon Synod.
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