Spirited Book Club, hosted by Spirit in the Desert Retreat Center, discusses Everything is Spiritual: Who We Are and What We're Doing Here, by New York Times best-selling author Rob Bell. January 14 and January 28, 2-3pm MST.
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There are times when events in our nation and world are shocking—we search for words to try to make sense of what we are seeing on television.
As bishops serving in Region 2, we stand united in calling upon elected leaders of all political parties to call for an end to this violence.
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Esperanza Lutheran is sharing their working documents on coronavirus health safety, including HVAC recommendations. Esperanza’s Council President is co-owner of a company that does environmental testing.
These documents—the Esperanza COVID19 Plan (Word doc) and Esperanza HVAC Report (pdf)—can be a starting point for public health discussion in your organization.
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We’ve created a Zoom resource page, where we share tips and tricks we’ve collected as we explore this technology.
Whenever you schedule a Zoom meeting, feel free to share this page, www.gcsynod.org/zoom, with attendees as a resource.
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All are invited to online Epiphany 2 worship and the installation of Rev. Thaddeus M. Book at Desert Cross Lutheran Church, Tempe/Gilbert, on January 17, 2021, 10am MST, 11 am PST. A welcome reception will follow the installation on Zoom. Click to join the Zoom meeting. Download worship bulletin here.
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Following the death of his wife Kay, we pray for Pastor Vernon Victorson and family. Kay Victorson died Monday, January 4, 2021. The couple celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in April, 2020. As Pastor Victorson shared, "The strife is o'er, the battle done; Now is the victor's triumph won! Now be the song of praise begun. Alleluia!"
There are no plans for a service until after the pandemic, when a memorial celebration will be held at First Lutheran in Albany, New York.
Eternal God, your love is stronger than death, and your passion more fierce than the grave. We rejoice in the lives of those whom you have drawn into your eternal embrace. Keep us in joyful communion with them until we join the saints of every people and nation gathered before your throne in your ceaseless praise, through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
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As we begin a new year, we thank you for the ministry we share as the Grand Canyon Synod. We thank you for the honor of serving you. We give thanks for God’s creation and new creation.
Sovereign of the universe, your first covenant of mercy was with every living creature. When your beloved Son came among us, the waters of the river welcomed him, the heavens opened to greet his arrival, the animals of the wilderness drew near as his companions. With all the world’s people, may we who are washed into new life through baptism seek the way of your new creation, the way of justice and care, mercy and peace; through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.
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We end our year grateful for all of the leaders of the Grand Canyon Synod, and especially celebrate those with ordination anniversaries in 2020, as well as the newly ordained, in this video from earlier in the year.
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The Grand Canyon Women of the ELCA present the Winter Gather Bible Study on January 23rd, 2021 from 9am to noon MST.
We invite you to join us and Rev. Christa von Zychlin to “Journey with Angels” by exploring the Bible in search for angels and God’s calls to action. Register here for this free event. Registration open through Jan. 21, 2021. English-to-Spanish closed captioning available.
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We give thanks to the conference deans who have been crucial to the good health of our synod in this year of change and challenge. Their wisdom and knowledge are gifts.
We thank Rev. Sharon Brown (High Country), Rev. Donald Lorfing (Colorado River), Rev. David Pavesic (Sunrise and Santa Cruz), Rev. Peter Perry (Cactus), Rev. Christine Stoxen (Fiesta), Rev. Sarah Stadler (Capital), Rev. Adele Resmer (Northeast Valley), and current dean Rev. Steven Crittenden and former dean Rev. Chon Pugh of the Rio Salado Conference.
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We lift up our deacons in this video, part of our 2020 Bishop’s Fall Gathering Worship service.
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As we look back on this year, we share this video from July of 2020, celebrating our synod’s women pastors.
With gratitude for those who have gone before and hope for the future, we give thanks to God for the ministry of women. We celebrate 50 years of Lutheran women being ordained in the United States, 40 years of women of color being ordained, and 10 years of LGBTQIA+ individuals being able to serve freely.
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Welcome to our new Director of Community Outreach Lisa Riggleman. Lisa comes to LSSN with years of leadership experience in the non-profit and education sectors.
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Our synod assembly will be online this year, Friday evening and Saturday, June 11-12, 2020. This is a great opportunity to send voting members of your congregation who couldn’t normally attend a physical gathering. Extend an invite at your congregation’s annual meeting. Read this post to determine how many voting members your congregation can send.
Because we’re online this year, we’re looking for people who are comfortable with technology, and have their own unique device to use during the entirety of the assembly for voting purposes.
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As 2020 comes to an end, we honor rostered leaders of the Grand Canyon Synod who have died since our last assembly. Our In Memoriam video was originally published in October, 2020.
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From our family to yours, we wish you a very Merry Christmas and blessings in the New Year!
Read all the latest LSSN updates in their December 2020 newsletter.
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May the Everlasting Light shine in this strange season: in the dark streets, at the quiet tables, in the open desert, in our crowded valleys, in the hectic hospitals, in the discourse seeking order, in all the yearning places of need.
We thank you for the gift of you, and all you do in the Grand Canyon Synod. The peace of Christ to you and yours.
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The Office of the Bishop will be closed on the upcoming Thursdays and Fridays: December 24 and 25, as well as December 31 and January 1st.
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In this difficult year, please join us in a Service of the Longest Night, which will be available for viewing Monday, December 21, 2020, at 5pm MST, 4pm PST, on our Facebook, Youtube, Vimeo, and gcsynod.org/longest-night.
Worship will be enhanced if you have four candles that you can light along the way as you will be invited. The order of worship is below, or view/download as PDF.
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I encourage every congregation and ministry of our synod to take advantage of this disorienting time to intentionally ask God questions.
For the life of God’s beloved world, how can we more fully become the church the Spirit needs us to be? As the Body of Christ in our time and place, what conversations, partners, and resources help us explore the future we are being called to embrace?
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