In this latest Pivot podcast, Dr. Andrew Root and Rev. Kara Root share what they learned about letting go.
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Faith+Lead’s February 2026 Roundup includes new on-demand courses on justice and leadership in polarized times, a free mini-course on shifting from “fixing” to listening, a live February 19 workshop with Dr. Alicia Granholm, and a guided certificate cohort beginning in April. Free Lent resources, a new Bible-in-a-Year podcast, and the Rutlen Lecture are also available. Read the full newsletter for details and registration links.
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Portico’s February updates include expanded mental health support for members with ELCA-Primary health benefits, important reminders about reporting compensation changes within 60 days, and new Retirement Readiness workshops in partnership with Fidelity. Complimentary clergy and congregational tax guides are also available to help you navigate tax season with confidence.
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The Transfiguration may be one of the strangest stories in the Gospels—mountaintop glory, Moses and Elijah, and a voice from heaven. Yet at its heart is a simple truth: when the journey is hard, “it is good for us to be here.” In a world marked by war, discouragement, and disconnection, Christ gathers us into community and kindles hope like a small flame that refuses to go out.
This week’s Faith Lens reflection invites us to consider where we experience renewed hope, how church becomes a mountaintop moment, and how God sustains us together—even as we descend back into a world that still needs healing.
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ELCA Worship has highlighted several upcoming 2026 opportunities from trusted Lutheran and ecumenical partners, including The Hymn Society Annual Conference (July 19–22, Princeton, NJ), the Lutheran Summer Music Academy (application deadline March 1), the Institute of Liturgical Studies (April 13–15, Valparaiso, IN), and the ALCM Conference (Early Bird deadline March 17). Student awards in liturgical art and church music composition are also open, with $1,000 prizes and spring deadlines.
These gatherings and resources nurture congregational song, liturgical renewal, and theological depth in worship. Read more and access registration details at ELCA.org.
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The ELCA resource Protecting Employees – Security Procedures in the Workplace offers congregations a clear, church-specific starting point for thinking about safety and preparedness. Grounded in care rather than fear, it encourages proactive planning that reduces risk and supports staff, volunteers, and worshipers.
This article highlights the document’s key guidance for leadership, volunteers, and building safety as part of the Grand Canyon Synod’s year-long series on congregational security and preparedness.
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Lent and Easter 2026 resources are now live on our site, featuring reflections, worship tools, and opportunities for faithful action across the Grand Canyon Synod. Highlights include the Region 2 Lenten Challenge supporting ELCA World Hunger, upcoming Lenten events, and new worship resources for the season.
Congregations and leaders are invited to explore, participate, and share their own stories and events at gcsynod.org/share as we journey together from ashes to resurrection hope.
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The Annual Congregation Report is due March 1 for all ELCA congregations, new starts, and synod-authorized worshiping communities. This report provides essential data about people, finances, and resources and ensures your congregation is included in synod and churchwide planning and reporting.
Congregations should submit the report online at elca.org/congregationreport using the ID and password mailed in mid-January. Instructions, Form A, and support resources are available at elca.org/reportinstructions. If you are not receiving ELCA emails, be sure to update your contact information to stay informed.
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In this latest Pivot podcast, Dwight Zscheile and Alicia Granholm answer your real questions about the shift from clergy-led to lay-led ministry.
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The annual Rostered Minister Report to the Bishop is now open and due Monday, March 30, 2026. This report offers rostered ministers an opportunity to reflect on their ministry and connect directly with Bishop Deborah Hutterer as part of our shared life as a synod.
All active (including those on leave or disability) and retired rostered ministers are asked to complete the appropriate online form. Every report is read by the bishop, with care given to each response. Links to both forms are on the synod website.
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Looking for a simple daily devotional practice? d365 offers a free, five-step daily devotion—Pause, Listen, Think, Pray, Go—written especially for youth and young adults and used by readers around the world. Available online and as a free mobile app.
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Jesus calls his followers “the salt of the earth” and “the light of the world”—an identity rooted not in personal piety alone, but in lives shaped by justice, mercy, and love of neighbor. Drawing on Matthew 5 and Isaiah 58, this week’s Faith Lens reflection explores how discipleship is lived out through concrete acts that loosen injustice, feed the hungry, and shine God’s light in the world.
Salt does not lose its saltiness, and light does not cease to shine—but both can be rendered ineffective. This reflection invites us to consider what gets in the way of living our baptismal calling and reminds us that even when we fall short, we remain beloved children of God, still called—and empowered—to be salt and light for the sake of the world.
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Pastor David Pavesic invites pastors and congregational leaders into a four-session online book study based on Better Together: Making Church Mergers Work. Building on the recent Possibilities in Partnership presentation, this study explores how mission can be strengthened through collaboration and shared ministry. Offered in both morning and evening Zoom sessions, the study creates space for honest conversation, faithful discernment, and hope-filled imagination—because while we may not be able to do this work alone, we are better together. Morning sessions start 2/17, evening sessions begin 2/19.
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What began as a creative response to pandemic disruption has become a defining ministry practice at Desert Cross Lutheran Church. Through thoughtfully curated monthly Faith Formation Playlists for children, youth, and adults, Desert Cross offers flexible, accessible “faith on the go” that meets people wherever and whenever they are—far beyond Sunday morning.
This behind-the-scenes look explores how a whole-church team collaborates around shared themes, integrates worship and learning, and embraces the belief that faith formation happens 24/7. Read the full story to learn what other congregations can take from Desert Cross’s intentional, community-centered approach to lifelong faith formation.
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Each month, ELCA Worship highlights resources from Augsburg Fortress, the publishing ministry of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, to support worship leaders, planners, musicians, and congregations. The February update features new and updated tools for deepening worship, engaging Scripture, nurturing young faith, and strengthening commitments to racial justice.
Highlights include See Me, Believe Me, an updated guide by Yolanda Denson-Byers that explores allyship with leaders of color in the ELCA and reflects on the leadership of Presiding Bishop Yehiel Curry; the Lutheran Study Bible, Second Edition (NRSVue); new Lent and Easter resources for children; and fresh organ music for the season of Lent. These resources offer practical, theological, and creative support for congregations across the synod. Read more from ELCA Worship to explore the full list and details.
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In the latest Pivot podcast, John McGinley shares how they're equipping everyday disciples to plant new worshiping communities in gyms, schools, neighborhoods, and workplaces.
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For February 1, 2026, the lectionary invites us to reconsider what it truly means to be “blessed.” Drawing from Micah 6:8, Psalm 15, 1 Corinthians 1, and Matthew 5:1–12, this week’s Faith Lens reflection reminds us that blessedness is not earned through success or circumstance, but promised through God’s steadfast presence—especially among those who mourn, hunger for justice, and are pushed to the margins.
In Jesus’ Beatitudes, God’s promise is clear: God is with those the world overlooks, calling us not inward toward self-interest, but outward toward justice, kindness, humility, and solidarity. Grounded in grace, we are freed and transformed to live as God’s people—bearing witness to a kin-dom where abundant life is for all.
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ELCA Coaching is launching a new chapter—Wayfinding in the Commons—a monthly online gathering inviting faith leaders to navigate uncertainty together through shared wisdom, spiritual practice, and community. Beginning February 4, participants will meet on First Wednesdays for 45 minutes across time zones.
Grounded in the Lutheran conviction of the priesthood of all believers, these gatherings welcome all members of the Body of Christ. Learn more and register at elcacoaching.org/events/wayfinding-in-the-commons.
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Artificial intelligence is reshaping daily life—and raising urgent ethical and theological questions. On Wednesday, February 25, 2026 (8:30 a.m.–3:00 p.m. PST), Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary will host a Disputatio on Artificial Intelligence, online and in Berkeley, inviting leaders into faithful, rigorous inquiry grounded in Lutheran tradition.
The day includes worship, lunch, expert-led conversations, and the Elizabeth and Harvey Mohrenweiser Lecture on ethical decision-making at the intersection of faith, science, and medicine. Learn more and register at admissions.callutheran.edu/register/AIDisputatio.
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ELCA Coaching is offering a full month of free January opportunities for ministry leaders, including gatherings, workshops, formation offerings, and racial justice and wellness training opportunities—most requiring advance registration. Additional subsidized leadership trainings begin in April. These resources support leaders across the ELCA, helping strengthen ministry, deepen resilience, and remind us that nobody journeys alone. Learn more at elcacoaching.org/events.
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