Today we celebrate the ordination anniversaries of:
Rev. Thomas Dunham, Streams in the Desert, Tucson, who celebrates 46 years on June 3.
Rev. Patricia Lowe, Emmanuel, Prescott Valley, who celebrates 18 years on June 3.
Rev. Mark Halvorson, who celebrates 52 years on June 3.
Rev. Donald Jacobson, who celebrates 63 years on June 3.
Rev. Greg Wenhold, who celebrates 46 years on June 3.
Ready for summer? Lutheran congregations across the Grand Canyon Synod are offering Vacation Bible Schools and children’s camps filled with faith, fun, and fellowship. Explore the growing list of programs, and help us share your church’s summer offerings by emailing Deacon Laura Book at lbook@gcsynod.org.
Read MoreJoin Mount of Olives Lutheran Church in Phoenix for two free summer jazz concerts—June 8 with Beth Lederman & Hope Morgan, and July 13 with Beth Lederman & Dennis Rowland. Held at 5:30 PM, these Music for Food events support the Olive Branch Food Pantry, which feeds over 150 families weekly. Come for the music, stay for the mission.
Read MoreJoin Spirit in the Desert’s Spirited Book Club for a two-part discussion of How We Learn to Be Brave by Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde, Thursdays, June 12 and 26 at 12:00 PM AZ time. Explore faithful courage in life’s turning points through a book that blends Scripture, story, and personal reflection. Registration now open.
Read MorePending a congregational vote, Vicar Jarrod Iversen will be ordained and installed Saturday, 6/7/2025, at 1pm at Central Lutheran Church, (12921 S. Sunland Gin Road., Arizona City, AZ 85123). Bishop Deborah K. Hutterer will preside. Service will be posted to YouTube afterwards.
Clergy are invited to vest and process. The color of the day is red. Reception will follow, please RSVP to RSVP@centrallutheranaz.org.
Read MoreJoin us at Synod Assembly 2025 in a special service project to assemble 200 hygiene kits for individuals in need! We’ve set up an Amazon Gift List where you can purchase needed items, which will be shipped directly to our host church, Community Lutheran. Help us reach our goal—donate by June 1, 2025, and join us on June 12 during check-in to pack the kits. Let’s build up the body of Christ together! Shop the Gift List here.
Read MoreWe uplift and pray for Joaquin Garcia and the people of Pan de Vida Lutheran Church in El Mirage, part of the Cactus Conference.
Read MoreToday we celebrate the ordination anniversaries of:
Rev. Carol Breimeier, who celebrates 25 years on June 2.
Rev. Roland Harder, who celebrates 59 years on June 2.
Rev. Ellis Eskritt, who celebrates 60 years on June 2.
Rev. Gary Benson, who celebrates 51 years on June 2.
Rev. James Lundeen, who celebrates 60 years on June 2.
Rev. Lloyd Wallace, who celebrates 62 years on June 2.
Rev. Fred Nelson, who celebrates 25 years on June 2.
We uplift and pray for Rev. Arhiana Shek-Dill and the people of University Lutheran Church in Tempe, part of the Fiesta Conference.
Read MoreToday we celebrate the ordination anniversaries of:
Rev. Andrea Cain, Desert Cross, Tempe, who celebrates 17 years on June 1.
Rev. Brian Cain, Spirit of Joy, Gilbert, who celebrates 17 years on June 1.
Rev. Richard Lawrence, who celebrates 41 years on June 1.
Rev. Eugene Perry, who celebrates 67 years on June 1.
Rev. Douglas Moffat, who celebrates 51 years on June 1.
Deacon Ellen Schnack, who celebrates 34 years on June 1.
Today we celebrate the ordination anniversary of Rev. Lawrence Conway, who celebrates 45 years on May 31.
Read MoreWith Pastor Marcos Canales and Nina Lau Branson, discover how being church in a community crisis goes far beyond emergency preparedness in the latest Pivot podcast.
Read MoreToday we celebrate the ordination anniversaries of:
Rev. Randall Olson, Honor Health, Scottsdale, who celebrates 49 years on May 30.
Rev. Dennis R. Nelson, who celebrates 54 years on May 30.
Rev. Kenneth Miller, Grace, Kingman, who celebrates 21 years on May 30.
Grace Lutheran in Phoenix shares their annual report as part of our 2025 Synod Assembly.
Read MoreOver 80 youth from across the synod will attend Lutheran Campformation at Pinerock from June 30–July 4, exploring faith through worship, study, and fellowship. This year features a new focus on Creation theology. You can support this ministry by sponsoring meals, camper days, scholarships, or giving to the Gerald Manlove Memorial Camp Fund.
Read MoreA seven-week Zoom course—Renewal and Resilience: A Depth Psychology Approach for Clergy—offers active clergy a space to explore burnout, internalized pressure, and hidden congregational dynamics. Led by Rev. Richard Mallory, the program runs Tuesdays from Sept. 9–Oct. 28. Limited to 8 participants.
Read MoreStart your summer with compassion in action. This month’s Arizona Faith Network newsletter includes invitations to interfaith meditation, events on faith and science, and youth-led climate action in Bolivia. Most urgently, join AFN in packing Bags of Hope for heat-vulnerable neighbors in Tucson and Tempe. Find the full list of programs and RSVP links at arizonafaithnetwork.org/newsletter.
Read MoreAl prepararnos para reunirnos en la Asamblea del Sínodo del Gran Cañón de 2025, mi corazón está lleno de gratitud y esperanza. El tema de este año, “Edificar el Cuerpo,” nos recuerda que nuestros ministerios no son esfuerzos aislados, sino que están entretejidos en el diseño más grande de Dios para la iglesia y el mundo. Cada uno de ustedes aporta una voz, un don y una presencia únicos que fortalecen nuestra misión compartida como cuerpo de Cristo.
Read MoreThe Office of the Bishop gathers for an in-person staff meeting, and also presents the Grand Canyon Synod Proposed Mission Plan Webinar on May 31, 2025, 10 AM. And of course we are completely focused on our upcoming assembly.
Read MoreAs we prepare to gather for the 2025 Grand Canyon Synod Assembly, my heart is full of gratitude and hope. This year’s theme, “Build Up the Body,” reminds us that our ministries are not isolated efforts but woven together in God’s greater design for the church and the world. Each of you brings a unique voice, gift, and presence that strengthens our shared mission as the body of Christ.
We gather in Las Vegas at Community Lutheran Church for our 37th synod assembly. Whether you are attending as a voting member, a ministry partner, or a visitor, you are part of a Spirit-led community that believes God is not done with the church.
Let us be bold and courageous in speaking for justice, compassionate in amplifying voices often unheard, and steadfast in proclaiming God’s grace through actions that heal and reconcile.
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