Ordination celebrations in 2022

We introduce a new feature of our news system this year. Each week we’ll celebrate upcoming ordination celebrations, on a Friday-to-Friday basis. We hope you will enjoy getting to know the ordained leaders of the Grand Canyon Synod. And while our records should be up to date, please let us know if we’ve missed you or anyone else. We also want to feature photos, so please update us with your most recent portrait or selfie.

Up first is Rev. Stephen Springer, with Dove of Peace Lutheran in Tucson, who celebrates 25 years on January 12, 2022. Congratulations! And we appreciate all he does in helping us with our synod assemblies!

Let Justice Roll: A community celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King's vision of justice for all

All are welcome to this free event at Saint Matthew’s Episcopal Church, 901 W Erie St., Chandler, AZ 85225. Sunday, 1/16/2022, 5pm MST.

Come for a faith-filled evening of song with pianist Raymond Forte, soloist Diana McCowan, and readings from Letter from Birmingham Jail. Optional children’s focused lesson available. View livestream at Youtube here.

Covid-19 exposure risk: 1/6/2022

The number of reported daily cases has never been higher since the start of the pandemic for Nevada and Utah. Arizona is rapidly approaching record-breaking numbers of daily cases.

All but two counties in our synod continue to have extremely high levels of risk for unvaccinated people.

Extremely high risk counties for unvaccinated people in our synod include Apache, Clark, Cochise, Coconino, Gila, Greenlee, Maricopa, Mohave, Navajo, Pima, Pinal, Santa Cruz, Washington, Yavapai, and Yuma counties.
Very high risk counties include Graham and La Paz.

News, Grand Canyon SynodBrian FlatgardJanuary 6, 2022CoronavirusComment

Office of the Bishop Updates: 1/7/2022

2022 gains momentum as we celebrate ordinations and installations, welcome those new to the synod, and continue planning for the year, especially the 2022 assembly.

News, Bishop Hutterer, Grand Canyon SynodBrian FlatgardJanuary 6, 2022Office of the BishopComment

Ordination and Installation of Katie Langston at New Promise Lutheran in St. George

Pending congregation vote on 1/30/2022, Bishop Deborah Hutterer will preside at the ordination and installation of Katie Langston at New Promise Lutheran in St. George, Utah.

Rev. Kathryn Schifferdecker, Professor and Elva B. Lovell Chair of Old Testament at Luther Seminary, will preach. Color of the day is red. Friday, February 4, 2022, 5pm MST. 244 S Valley View Dr, St. George, UT 84770.

Installation of Pastor Naomi Hartman at Lutheran Church of the Foothills in Tucson

Bishop Deborah Hutterer will preach and preside at the installation of Rev. Naomi Hartman at Lutheran Church of the Foothills in Tucson. Clergy will be invited to process.

Sunday, February 6, 2022, 2 pm MST, 5102 North Craycroft Road, Tucson, AZ, 85718.

Prayers for Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Chandler

We pray for Rev. Christine Stoxen and the people of Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Chandler, part of the Fiesta Conference. Visit their site at htlutheran.com, and their social media pages on Facebook and YouTube.

Prayers, Grand Canyon SynodBrian FlatgardJanuary 4, 2022Holy Trinity Chandler, Fiesta ConferenceComment

Installation of Pastor Ruby Myers at Trinity Lutheran in Phoenix

Bishop Deborah Hutterer will preach and preside at the installation of Rev. Ruby Myers at Trinity Lutheran in Phoenix.

Sunday, January 9, 2022, 2pm MST, 9424 North 7th Avenue, Phoenix, AZ, 85021. Color of the day is white.

Installation of Chad Diegle at Prince of Peace in Phoenix

Bishop Deborah Hutterer will preach and preside at the installation of Chad Diegle as the Director of Youth and Family Ministries at Prince of Peace Lutheran in Phoenix.

Sunday, January 9, 2022, 9:30am MST, 3641 N 56th St, Phoenix, AZ 85018. Reception and Youth lunch to follow.

Prayers for Christ Lutheran Church in Sedona

We pray for Rev. David Brandfass and the people of Christ Lutheran Church in Sedona, part of the High Country Conference. Visit their site at christsedona.org, and their social media pages on Facebook and Vimeo.

Prayers, Grand Canyon SynodBrian FlatgardJanuary 3, 2022Christ Sedona, High Country ConferenceComment

Invite voting members to the 2022 Grand Canyon Synod Assembly

As your congregation prepares for its annual meeting, be sure to invite members to attend our 2022 Assembly, Friday-Saturday, June 10 & 11, 2022, at Love of Christ Lutheran Church in Mesa. Our theme is “Stirred Up by the Spirit.” Read more to find out how many voting members you congregation can send.

News, Grand Canyon SynodBrian FlatgardJanuary 3, 20222022 Synod AssemblyComment

What PhLY means to me

The crew at PhLY (Phoenix Lutheran Youth) share a 2021 wrap-up video of what the high school ministry means to them.

PhLY is multi-congregation ministry, and a Vitality and Innovation grant recipient through Vital Right-Shaped Ministry (VRSM), which is supported by the Growing Generosity Appeal.

News, Grand Canyon SynodBrian FlatgardJanuary 3, 2022Youth and Young Adult, PhLY Comment

Colorado's Boulder County wildfires

We share a message from Rocky Mountain Synod’s Bishop Jim Gonia, who reports two pastors and multiple church members lost their homes in the recent Marshall Fire. In his message, Bishop Gonia provides an update, prayers, and information on how to help.

We also share Lutheran Disaster Response’s wildfire relief page about the Marshall Fire.

News, Grand Canyon SynodBrian FlatgardJanuary 3, 2022Rocky Mountain Synod, Lutheran Disaster ResponseComment

Covid-19 exposure risk: 12/29/2021

Case records are shattered across the nation. Despite reporting inconsistencies caused by the holidays, caseloads have continued to increase rapidly as the Omicron variant spreads. Deaths and hospitalizations have remained relatively steady.

Extremely high risk counties for unvaccinated people in our synod include Apache, Clark, Cochise, Coconino, Gila, La Paz, Maricopa, Mohave, Navajo, Pima, Pinal, Santa Cruz, Washington, Yavapai, and Yuma counties.
Very high risk counties include Graham and Greenlee.

News, Grand Canyon SynodBrian FlatgardDecember 29, 2021CoronavirusComment

Office of the Bishop Updates: 12/31/2021

Things are quiet this time of year as a good number of the staff take a vacation and travel. May you find God’s peace in this liminal time of the year.

O God, it is your will to hold both heaven and earth in a single peace. Let the design of your great love shine on the waste of our wraths and sorrows, and give peace to your church, peace among nations, peace in our homes, and peace in our hearts; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

News, Bishop Hutterer, Grand Canyon SynodBrian FlatgardDecember 29, 2021Office of the BishopComment

POSITION FILLED: Parish Nurse Position Available at Desert Hills Lutheran Church, Green Valley

Desert Hills Lutheran Church seeks a parish nurse to work 20 hours per week. Read the job description as a Word doc and contact the church if interested.

News, Grand Canyon SynodBrian FlatgardDecember 29, 2021Desert Hills Green Valley, Help Wanted, Kino ConferenceComment

Email scams are back for the holidays

Many of you may have received an email supposedly from Bishop Hutterer that she wants to speak with you urgently but is going into a meeting and to email her. Please do NOT respond to that email – it is not from her official email address, and is a scam.

We’re including and adapting a scam awareness PDF created by the Southeastern Iowa synod which has great tips on how to recognize scam text and emails.

News, Bishop Hutterer, Grand Canyon SynodBrian FlatgardDecember 29, 2021Comment

$202,874 awarded in the 2022 Grand Canyon Synod Grants Program

We rejoice in the actions and gifts of the many ministries of the Grand Canyon Synod, which are the warp and weft of our life as church together. Because of your benevolence, we are able to achieve many things, including providing $202,874 for 30 grants to ministries in our synod.

Read more about the grants and who received them in this post.

News, Grand Canyon SynodBrian FlatgardDecember 29, 2021Grants, GCS Grants ProgramComment

Prayers for Faith Lutheran Church in Phoenix

We pray for Rev. Sarah Isakson and the people of Faith Evangelical Lutheran Church in Phoenix, part of the Capital Conference. Visit their site at faithalive.com, and their social media pages on Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram.

Prayers, Grand Canyon SynodBrian FlatgardDecember 28, 2021Faith Phoenix, Capital ConferenceComment

2021 brings $485,082 in gifts and pledges to Growing Generosity Appeal

We finish the 2021 calendar year full of gratitude for all we have accomplished together as a synod.

We also celebrate all who have pledged large and small gifts to our Growing Generosity Appeal. In under a year, we are unexpectedly surprised to find we are already at 97% ($485,082) of our three-year goal of receiving $500,000 in pledges.

News, Grand Canyon SynodBrian FlatgardDecember 28, 2021Growing Generosity AppealComment

Grand Canyon Synod

News

Connect

Communicate

create