This week we surpassed the $300,000 milestone in our Growing Generosity Appeal, with a total of $303,464 in gifts and pledges!
Growing Generosity was formally launched in June as part of our 2021 Assembly, with over half of the $500,000 goal already raised. Please prayerfully consider how you’d like to be involved, and learn more about Growing Generosity here.
Read MoreWe continue our prayers for the family of Rev. Dr. Nathan Bowman, Chaplain at Hospice of the West.
Pastor Bowman writes, “Our daughter Moriah departed to be with God peacefully on July 16, 2021. We are having a service of Remembrance and Thanksgiving on this Saturday (July 24, 2021), at Shepherd of the Desert Lutheran Church in Sun City at 10:00 AM with prelude beginning at 9:45. The service will be followed by a brunch. It is a service open to all, and will include communion.
I wanted to thank you for your support and prayers for all of us during this time. We are at peace, grieving a very precious life, but thankful that her suffering time is over. [Attached] is a working copy of the bulletin that gives a little more history about this journey in our life…”
Read MoreWe pray for Rev. Ronald Glusenkamp and the people of Desert Hills Lutheran Church in Green Valley, part of the Santa Cruz Conference. Visit their site at dhlc.org and their Facebook page.
Read MoreWe pray for Rev. Richard Peterson and the people of Faith Lutheran Church in Yuma, part of the Cactus Conference. Visit their site at faithyuma.com, and their social media pages on Facebook and YouTube.
Read MoreA majority of United States counties were experiencing moderate to high Covid-19 transmission in early July. The map above shows the current risk for unvaccinated people in each county.
Extremely high risk counties for unvaccinated people in our synod include Clark, Mohave, and Washington counties.
High risk counties: Apache, Cochise, Coconino, Gila, Graham, Greenlee, La Paz, Maricopa, Navajo, Pima, Pinal, Santa Cruz, and Yavapai.
Yuma County is at moderate risk.
Interested in leading or more fully participating in the life of the church? The Diakonia program (diakoniaaz.org) equips lay leaders with foundational knowledge of the Bible, Lutheran doctrine, and church history.
Information sessions will be held in July and August in Phoenix, Las Vegas, Tucson, and online.
Read MoreWe pray for Rev. Kim Taylor and the people of American Lutheran Church in Tucson, part of the Santa Cruz Conference. Visit their site at godsplaceforgrace.org, and their social media pages on Facebook and YouTube.
Read MoreTheresa Thornburgh, the Director of Administration and Events for the Grand Canyon Synod, will be on vacation 7/16-7/23/2021. During that time our office hours continue to be Monday–Thursday, 9am-5pm, with visits by necessity or appointment only. Our office phone, 602-957-3223, will continue to be monitored.
The office@gcsynod.org email will not be monitored, and processing of checks will be on hold until Theresa’s return. You can find contact information for the full staff at www.gcsynod.org/contact.
Read MoreWith more and more Covid-19 cases being spread by the vastly more contagious Delta variant, it’s good to know vaccination rates in your area. Learn more about Delta in this podcast, and check vaccination rates by county and age group here.
Only four counties in the Grand Canyon Synod have half their residents vaccinated. The percentage of residents age 12+ that are fully vaccinated in each county are:
Over half: Santa Cruz 75%; Apache 58%; Coconino 55%; Pima 51%
Half to 1/3: Navajo 48%; Yuma 47%; Cochise 45%; Gila 45%; Graham 44%; Maricopa 41%; Clark 39%; Pinal 37%; La Paz 36%; Yavapai 35%
Under 1/3: Greenlee 31%; Mohave 30%; Washington 28%
We pray for Rev. Mateo Chavez and the people of San Juan Bautista Lutheran Church in Tucson, part of the Santa Cruz Conference. Visit their site at sjblc.org, and their Facebook page.
Read MoreSeveral years ago in my last congregation someone came to me with the question of whether Jesus advocated wealth redistribution. They had read something written by Jim Wallis and wanted me to confirm their mistrust of anything he had to say as he was much more liberal than they.
Read MoreSpiritual PopUp: Creating Your Own Memorial Service Leader's Guide and Participant's Guide are now available on Amazon. Published by New Song Anthem in Henderson, Nevada, by authors Sheila Choate Siino, Elizabeth Baldizan, and Patricia Rusch Duffey.
Read MoreThe second meeting of the Grand Canyon Synod Hunger Leaders Network is Tuesday, July 27, 2021, 6:30pm MST/PDT. Click here to join the Zoom meeting when it's in progress.
Petra Rickertsen, Networks Manager from ELCA World Hunger will share how other synod networks work and will also update us on Hunger Grants.
Read MoreOur office will be closed Monday, July 5, 2021, for Independence Day. May we, who came from many nations with many languages, delight as a united people in our many different gifts.
Read MoreLiberating God, you have given us this good land as our heritage. Make us always remember your generosity and constantly do your will. Bless our land with honesty in the workplace, truth in education, and honor in daily life. Save us from violence, discord, and confusion; from pride and arrogance; and from every evil course of action. When times are prosperous, let our hearts be thankful; and, in troubled times, do not let our trust in you fail. We pray in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Read MoreBeginning a Culture of Generosity (BCG) is a new and timely program to help guide congregations and provide the necessary tools to run a successful fall appeal. Congregations will receive training online in 6 sessions and 1:1 guidance on an easily implemented program.
Registration is open through August with the first session scheduled for August 14 ,2021: "Building Blocks for Generosity". View the info page on gcsynod.org, or download the information and registration PDF. Register online here.
Read MoreFor two evenings in July, the Phoenix Fusion Racial Justice Team will host, and Pastor Kristin Rice will facilitate discussion on the book, “The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America's Great Migration” written by Isabel Wilkerson. Thursdays, July 8th and 29th at 6:30 pm MST/PDT on Zoom. Click here to join.
Read MoreReformation Lutheran Church was founded in 1948 in the heart of Las Vegas. As part of their ongoing intention to gracefully welcome their neighbors to hear the Word of Jesus’ love for all, the people of God in this place have decided to re-name this community of faith as Living Hope Lutheran Church.
Read MoreRead the minutes from the synod council meeting on March 20, 2021, in PDF format.
Read More
