In this advent season of waiting, we prepare for the coming of Jesus. At the Office of the Bishop, we also ready ourselves for the new year.
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Have you ever seen somebody going through a really tough time during Thanksgiving and wondered how they could feel thankful? Or know people who are really poor and wonder how they could be generous?
What I have learned over the years is that thankfulness and generosity are intrinsically tied together and yet neither has very much to do with one's circumstances or fortunes. Read in this post or view as PDF.
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Save the dates for two of our biggest events of 2022! We’ll provide more details as we finalize plans.
Our 2022 Grand Canyon Synod Assembly will be Friday and Saturday, 6/10/2022 and 6/11/2022, at Love of Christ Lutheran Church in Mesa. Our theme is “Stirred Up by the Spirit.”
Our 2022 Bishop’s Fall Gathering is October 17-19, 2022, at the Franciscan Renewal Center in Scottsdale.
Advent blessings to you of hope, joy, peace, and love from the Office of the Bishop of the Grand Canyon Synod!
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We pray for Rev. Lars Hammar and the people of Open Space Lutheran Church in Tucson, part of the Santa Cruz Conference. Visit their site at openspacetucson.com, and their social media pages on Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram.
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We pray for Revs. Linda and Clifford Hanus and the people of Mount Cross Lutheran Church in Payson, part of the High Country Conference. Visit their site at mountcross.org, and their Facebook page.
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It’s your final week to create and submit a video that shares a story of generosity that offers hope for the new year! Visit our film festival page for info and submission guidelines (web page or PDF).
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All but two counties in our synod continue to have extremely high levels of risk for unvaccinated people. 45% of our synod remains unvaccinated.
Extremely high risk counties for unvaccinated people in our synod include Apache, Cochise, Coconino, Gila, Graham, Greenlee, Maricopa, Mohave, Navajo, Pima, Pinal, Santa Cruz, Washington, Yavapai, and Yuma counties.
We’re compiling our news and events for Advent and Christmas on one page on our site. Visit gcsynod.org/advent to see it all, and let us know if we’re missing anything.
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“And now we thank you, our God, and praise your glorious name.” 1 Chronicles 29:13
With prayers of gratitude and thanksgiving for all who share in our ministry together throughout the Grand Canyon Synod. —Bishop Deborah Hutterer and the Office of the Bishop staff
Read this post for the what’s and where’s of the team in the coming week.
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We pray for Rev. Kari Williamson and the people of St. Andrew Lutheran Church in Phoenix, part of the Capital Conference. Visit their site at saintandrewaz.org and their social media pages on Facebook and YouTube.
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California Lutheran University is rebooting the Executive Skills for Church Leaders program, and hosting an online space for leaders offer feedback to inform their planning on Thursday, 12/9/2021 from 11am-12:30 pm MST, 10-11:30am PST. Facebook Event link here, with RSVPs and questions sent to thriving@callutheran.edu.
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Looking for something to watch during Thanksgiving weekend? How about the wonderful videos from last year’s Generosity Film Festival? They’re quick, fun, and hopeful. Watch them here.
Feeling inspired? Create your own story this weekend! Visit our film festival web page for tips and guidelines. The deadline for submission is December 8, 2021, with videos premiering Christmas week.
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For most of our lives, we’ve been aware that the promise of Thanksgiving—warm and loving reunions of family and friends around a common table heaped with abundance—can set us up for disappointments.
This year, in our first post-vaccination Thanksgiving, our hopes may even be higher as we finally gather in the larger groups we’ve yearned to be in. We’re striving for a “normal” Thanksgiving.
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This Thanksgiving, we share a photo taken 27 years ago of barren pantry shelves replenished by Living Hope Lutheran in Las Vegas (then Reformation Lutheran). Read more of the history of Lutheran Social Services of Nevada in this post, as they prepare for their silver anniversary on Silver Anniversary on December 20, 2021.
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All but two counties in our synod have extremely high levels for unvaccinated people.
Extremely high risk counties for unvaccinated people in our synod include Apache, Cochise, Coconino, Gila, Graham, Greenlee, Maricopa, Mohave, Navajo, Pima, Pinal, Santa Cruz, Washington, Yavapai, and Yuma counties.
This week’s update features photos from the Ordination of Pastor Ruby Myers and the Installation of Pastor Amalia Vagts. Read the post to see what the staff is up to as we enter the busy Thanksgiving, Advent and Christmas season.
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Did you know we’ve increased the number of candidates in the Grand Canyon Synod nearly tenfold? With around 30 people in the candidacy process, we’re excited to build on this momentum.
If you or someone you know is interested in being a candidate, we’ve updated candidacy information on the synod site, with initial steps for candidates to follow, our candidacy committee roster, and news archive. Visit the updated page at gcsynod.org/candidacy.
You can also contact Pastor Jacqui Pagel, Assistant to the Bishop for Candidacy at jpagel@gcsynod.or or (480) 678-4406.
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