Posts in Grand Canyon Synod
Arizona Nonprofit Security Grant: Up to $100,000 Available—Deadline Oct. 15
Arizona Nonprofit Security Grant: Up to $100,000 Available—Deadline Oct. 15

Arizona’s Nonprofit Security Grant Program (AZ-NSGP) is open for FY2025/2026, providing up to $100,000 total per applicant to fund target hardening and security enhancements for at-risk nonprofits. Eligibility requires meeting FEMA NSGP nonprofit standards plus either (a) no federal award in 2024–2022 or (b) inability to front costs for the federal program. Application deadline: Wed., Oct. 15, 2025, 5:00 p.m. Submit to hs@azdohs.gov. Info & forms: azdohs.gov/az-nsgp. Webinars: Wed., Sept. 17, 1:00 p.m. and Thu., Sept. 18, 1:30 p.m.

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Grand Canyon Synod, Leader Resources, NewsBrian FlatgardGrantsComment
Celebrate Community at Resurrection’s Fall Craft Fair: Oct. 11 in Oro Valley
Celebrate Community at Resurrection’s Fall Craft Fair: Oct. 11 in Oro Valley

Resurrection Lutheran Church hosts its Fall Craft Fair on Saturday, October 11, from 9am–2pm in Oro Valley. With 50+ vendors, food supporting the youth group, Art by Heart, and a diaper drive for local food banks, it’s a joyful day to shop local, support ministry, and share in community. Free admission and parking.

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Grand Canyon SynodBrian FlatgardResurrection Oro Valley, Kino ConferenceComment
Santa Cruz Lutheran Marks 40 Years with Worship, Music, and Community
Santa Cruz Lutheran Marks 40 Years with Worship, Music, and Community

Santa Cruz Lutheran Church in Tucson will celebrate its 40th Anniversary October 11–12, 2025. Saturday includes greetings, lunch, video presentations, history displays, cake, and mariachi music. Sunday’s worship, with Bishop Hutterer preaching, will bless a new youth-created banner and pray for future generations. Join in giving thanks for 40 years of ministry!

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Grand Canyon Synod, NewsBrian FlatgardSanta Cruz Tucson, Kino ConferenceComment
Shurden Lectures Ask: Is Mercy Being Criminalized?
Shurden Lectures Ask: Is Mercy Being Criminalized?

This week’s BJC newsletter highlights advocacy against Texas’s new Bible-infused school curriculum, previews the October 21–23 Shurden Lectures on sanctuary and migrant justice, and covers an upcoming Supreme Court case on religious freedom in prisons. Readers will also meet Rabbi David Segal, BJC’s new Policy Counsel, and find the latest Report from the Capital addressing how threats to religious freedom are becoming reality. Read the full issue for details and ways to engage.

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Grand Canyon SynodBrian FlatgardBJC (Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty), Christian Nationalism, Church and SocietyComment
Greening Your Finances: Aligning Budgets with Faith and Creation Care
Greening Your Finances: Aligning Budgets with Faith and Creation Care

Budget season is a time to reflect not only on pledges to our congregations but also on how our personal finances reflect our faith and values. From reducing household costs to choosing greener financial institutions, each decision shapes how we steward God’s creation. Explore practical steps to “green” your money and align it with your commitment to creation care. Read the full article at Blessed Tomorrow.

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Grand Canyon SynodBrian FlatgardBlessed Tomorrow, ecoAmerica, Climate ChangeComment
Celebrate Community at Resurrection’s Fall Craft Fair: Oct. 11 in Oro Valley
Celebrate Community at Resurrection’s Fall Craft Fair: Oct. 11 in Oro Valley

Resurrection Lutheran Church hosts its Fall Craft Fair on Saturday, October 11, from 9am–2pm in Oro Valley. With 50+ vendors, food supporting the youth group, Art by Heart, and a diaper drive for local food banks, it’s a joyful day to shop local, support ministry, and share in community. Free admission and parking.

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Grand Canyon SynodBrian FlatgardResurrection Oro Valley, Kino ConferenceComment
Be Part of AFN’s 2025 Gathering—Hybrid, Bilingual, Transformative
Be Part of AFN’s 2025 Gathering—Hybrid, Bilingual, Transformative

Registration is now open for the Arizona Faith Network’s 2025 Annual Gathering, themed United We Rise. Join faith leaders from across Arizona on Tuesday, December 2, 2025, from 9:00 AM–12:30 PM at the Baháʼí Faith Community Center in Scottsdale, or participate online. This bilingual (Spanish & English) event will feature keynote speaker Gen Kelsang Chenma, a Buddhist nun and teacher known for her warmth and practical wisdom. Sponsorship opportunities are also available. Learn more and register—click here.

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Grand Canyon SynodBrian FlatgardArizona Faith Network, Ecumenical and Inter-Religious RelationsComment
Spirit in the Desert Welcomes New and Returning Guests This Fall
Spirit in the Desert Welcomes New and Returning Guests This Fall

September at Spirit in the Desert brought meaningful gatherings, including the Bishop’s staff retreat, Lutheran Advocacy Ministry of Arizona, local church retreats, and the first-ever national meeting of the Young Onset Parkinson’s Network. Looking ahead, October will welcome both familiar groups and first-time guests, while special events such as Healing of Memories workshops, the Thanksliving Music Fest, and spring retreats are open for registration. Read the full update and upcoming opportunities from Spirit in the Desert—click here.

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Grand Canyon SynodBrian FlatgardSpirit in the Desert Retreat CenterComment
Join the Song: Maricopa Lutheran Seeks Church Musician & Choir Director
Join the Song: Maricopa Lutheran Seeks Church Musician & Choir Director

Maricopa Lutheran Church is hiring a Church Musician (pianist/keyboardist) and a Choir Director to serve a growing, song-loving congregation that worships at Desert Wind Middle School. Pay is per service/rehearsal with mileage reimbursement (IRS guidelines) for those outside Maricopa; roles are independent contractor (1099).

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Grand Canyon SynodBrian FlatgardHelp Wanted, Maricopa Lutheran, Kino ConferenceComment
Not Just a Conference: TENx10 Summit is A Convergence for Youth Discipleship
Not Just a Conference: TENx10 Summit is A Convergence for Youth Discipleship

Join over 500 leaders from across denominations at the TENx10 Summit in Atlanta, October 8–10, 2025. This unique gathering invites passionate changemakers to reimagine how the Church forms faith in young people. Earlybird registration ends August 26. Learn more at tenx10summit.org.

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Grand Canyon Synod, News, Leader ResourcesBrian FlatgardYouth and Young Adult, Synod Youth Advisory Team (SYAT), Tenx10Comment
Mandatory Boundary Training for Rostered Leaders: Complete by October 8
Mandatory Boundary Training for Rostered Leaders: Complete by October 8

All rostered leaders in the Grand Canyon Synod are required to complete boundary awareness training in 2025. The synod has partnered with Faith+Lead to offer an online course at a reduced cost of $29, plus a mandatory Zoom review session with Pr. Jacqui Pagel. The course must be completed by October 8, 2025, and certificates submitted to the synod office by October 13, 2025.

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Grand Canyon Synod, Leader Resources, NewsBrian FlatgardComment
Songs of Restoration: Watoto Choir at Peace Lutheran Church in Peoria
Songs of Restoration: Watoto Choir at Peace Lutheran Church in Peoria

Join Peace Lutheran Church in Peoria on Saturday, Nov. 15, at 5:30 p.m. for a powerful evening with the Watoto Children’s Choir from Uganda. Their new production, Better Days—There is Hope, features vibrant music, dance, and testimonies of God’s love. Come be inspired by their message of hope and restoration.

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Global Church, Grand Canyon Synod, NewsBrian FlatgardPeace Peoria, Fiesta ConferenceComment
Learn to Lead with Hope: LFCNA Workshop for Nurses, Clergy, and Caregivers
Learn to Lead with Hope: LFCNA Workshop for Nurses, Clergy, and Caregivers

Learn evidence-based tools to offer hope during crisis. On Oct. 7, join LFCNA for Hope in Practice, a two-hour online workshop introducing Solution-Focused communication techniques for faith leaders, nurses, and caregivers. Led by Laurra Aagaard, this training emphasizes strengths-based care, with CE credits available. Open to all. Register here. View PDF here.

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Grand Canyon Synod, NewsBrian FlatgardCommunity Nursing, Lutheran Faith Community Nurse Association (LFCNA)Comment