We 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.
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We share this news from Paul Gerrish that his son, Stephen, is out of the hospital. We continue to pray for the Gerrish family. Read more in our initial post, visit their GoFundMe page, and get CaringBridge health updates for Justin and Katherine, who remain recovering in the hospital.
By your power, great God, our Lord Jesus healed the sick and gave new hope to the hopeless. Though we cannot command or possess your power, we pray for those who want to be healed. Mend their wounds, soothe fevered brows, and make broken people whole again. Help us to wel-come every healing as a sign that, though death is against us, you are for us, and have promised renewed and risen life in Jesus Christ the Lord. Amen.
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O God of life, you are older than time. You have seen generations who have died through sacrifice, war, courage and folly. You have comforted generations who mourned and grieved and sang solemn songs and laid flowers on graves. Gather us in your embrace and cradle us with your compassion. As we remember those who have died in past wars and conflicts, help us to remember that you were there when the mountains were formed. You were there to sooth our grief and breathe hope into the hopeless. You are with us still. We give you thanks for life in Jesus and pray that your lives may be reflections of his love. Amen.
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We share a video highlighting Fund for Leaders scholar Wanda Frenchman, who helps lead the Native American Urban Ministry in Phoenix, Ariz. which was founded by her mother, Mary Louise Frenchman.
Wanda is participating in the TEEM program at Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary. This allows her to pursue rostered ministry while she continues to lead her community in Phoenix.
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The Episcopal Diocese of Arizona is hosting a Candlelight Vigil for Victims of Gun Violence on Saturday, 5/28/2022 at 7pm, at All Saints Episcopal Church , 6300 N. Central Ave, Phoenix, AZ 85012. The Rev. Canon Anita Braden will be present to make remarks. All are welcome to attend.
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Do you or your church need a piano? This piano is looking for a home. It needs to be tuned but is perfectly playable. It is free to anyone who is willing to pick it up! For questions or to claim, contact Pastor Sarah Stadler from Grace Lutheran Church, Phoenix at pastorsarah@graceinthecity.com.
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According to the CDC’s COVID-19 Community Levels, Clark County is the first to be at medium level after months of low levels in our synod.
All of our synod’s remaining counties are low level: Apache, Cochise, Coconino, Gila, Graham, Greenlee, La Paz, Maricopa, Mohave, Navajo, Pima, Pinal, Santa Cruz, Washington, Yavapai, and Yuma.
The United States is averaging more than 105,000 new cases each day, the most since February, when the first Omicron wave was subsiding. Cases are rising in most states, and since many cases go uncounted in official reports, the true toll is higher than these figures show.
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“Stewardship is not just about what we give to the church, but how we spend and use everything that God has given us. Everything that we give comes first from God and passing it on is a way of affirming our faith that God will continue to bless us.” Read in this post or view as PDF.
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The Office of the Bishop staff continue to prepare for our 2022 Assembly, while attending to the day to day functions of our Church Together life. We also share photos from the Pacifica Synod Assembly.
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Lisa Marie Higginbotham, CFRE, one of our Regional Gift Planners with the ELCA Foundation is presenting virtual workshops on three related topics: planned giving, stewardship, and endowment. Use the links below to join the meetings.
Planned Giving, Tuesday, 5/31/2022, 1pm MST/PDT, 2pm MDT: Join Zoom Meeting
Stewardship, Wednesday 6/1/2022, 9am MST/PDT, 10am MDT: Join Zoom Meeting
Endowment, Thursday 6/2/2022, 1pm MST/PDT, 2pm MDT: Join Zoom Meeting
Click here to view/download the Rules of Procedure as PDF document for our Synod Assembly, June 10-11, 2022, at Love of Christ Lutheran Church in Mesa, Arizona.
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We pray for interim pastor Philip Gustafson, Rev. John Maroni, and the people of Shepherd of the Desert Lutheran Church in Sun City, part of the Cactus Conference. Visit their site at shepherdofthedesertelca.org, and their Facebook page.
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As part of our assembly, we’ll be approving our proposed 2023-2024 Mission Spending Plan. Visit this page to explore the plan in depth as we provide different ways of seeing this data.
If you missed our Q-&-A Zoom presentation of the plan, hosted by Synod Treasurer Erik Rehms, you can view a recording of the session here. You’ll also need this passcode to view: 5DDUcJ=V
We pray for Rev. Paul Block, Rev. Lourdes Olson and the people of New Song Lutheran Church in Henderson, part of the Colorado River Conference. Visit their site at newsonganthem.com, and their social media pages on Facebook, YouTube, and Vimeo.
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5/27/2022 update: more info from Heidi’s father, Paul, and links a GoFundMe page and to CaringBridge health updates for Justin and Katherine.
We lift up in prayer the friends and family of Heidi Gerrish. Heidi died at the scene of an automobile accident Saturday morning, May 21, 2022, while traveling to her sister Julie’s graduation from Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary. Also in the car were her partner Justin, and her brother and sister-in-law, Stephen and Katherine.
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After numerous Covid-thwarted attempts to arrange a visit, we are blessed that our 2022 Synod Assembly features a visit from Rev. Roberto Trejo Haager, Pastor President of the Mexican Lutheran Church (Iglesia Luterana Mexicana, ILM).
We look forward to worshipping with Pastor Trejo Haager and hearing updates on our companions in Mexico.
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Friday, May 27, 2022 is your absolute final day to register for our synod assembly. Click here to register.
We thank you for respecting our Covid safety precautions:
Only registered voting members may attend.
No in-person visitors. Visitors can view via livestream at no cost.
No tables or vendors will be at the in-person assembly.
The coronavirus has claimed nearly one million lives in the U.S. since the start of the pandemic, a once-unimaginable loss.
According to the CDC’s COVID-19 Community Levels, all of our synod’s counties remain low level: Apache, Clark, Cochise, Coconino, Gila, Graham, Greenlee, La Paz, Maricopa, Mohave, Navajo, Pima, Pinal, Santa Cruz, Washington, Yavapai, and Yuma.
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This week we celebrate the following ordination anniversaries:
Rev. Richard Glover, who celebrates 63 years on May 20.
Rev. Phillip Hausknecht, who celebrates 59 years on May 20.
Rev. Mel Soderberg, who celebrates 55 years on May 21.
Rev. Patricia Reed, who celebrates 21 years on May 21.
Deacon Laura Book, who celebrates 12 years on May 21.
Rev. Daniel Olson, who celebrates 59 years on May 22.
Rev. Raymond Stiffler, who celebrates 62 years on May 22.
Rev. Carl Zimmermann, who celebrates 45 years on May 22.
Rev. Wallace Klandrud, who celebrates 67 years on May 23.
Rev. Keith Lingwall, Abounding Grace, Tucson, who celebrates 55 years on May 23.
Rev. Richard Jessen, who celebrates 59 years on May 24.
Rev. Ronald Koplitz, who celebrates 53 years on May 25.
Rev. David Swanson, ,who celebrates 58 years on May 26.
The Office of the Bishop staff continue to prepare for our 2022 Assembly. We also share photos from the Installation of Rev. John Maroni at Shepherd of the Desert in Sun City.
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