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.
Read MoreThe 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.
Read MoreWe 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.
Read MoreFrom the most recent Stories of Faith in Action (SOFIA), we share a snapshot of giving in the ELCA. In 2020, ELCA members gave $1.7 billion in unrestricted offerings to support God’s mission and ministry through the three expressions of the ELCA: congregations, synods, and the churchwide organization.
Thank you for your generosity that enable us to be communities together in Christ serving the world!
Read MoreThe ministry of ELCA World Hunger is ready to respond to ongoing effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, participating creatively and courageously in the renewing work God is doing — even in the most difficult times. In 60 countries including the United States, ELCA World Hunger is working to end hunger and poverty.
Read MoreCase 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.
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.
Read MoreDesert 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.
Read MoreMany 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.
Read MoreWe 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.
Read MoreAs the secular year draws to a close and the new church year opens into the season of Advent it seems a fitting moment to take a pause and to reflect on the turbulent last two years. This issue of JLE, therefore, is not introducing a new topic but is instead drawing together some of the articles previously published on three issues that loom large this December: Climate Change, COVID 19, and Possibilities for Dialogue. Read more.
In addition, check out their new 2022 Call for Papers here. Read the current issue.
Read MoreWe 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.
Read MoreAfter a Covid hiatus, Open Space returns, and Pastor Lars Hammar shares their January 2022 newsletter. View in this post, online, or via PDF.
“I am reminded of how many times the people of God had to restart things in the scripture: exiles, temples destroyed, regime changes, and yet, somehow, God always finds a way. And I believe we can too. Our mission stays the same: to reach urban young adults with art. What, exactly, that looks like, will be the fun part to find out.”
Read MoreBut the angel said to them,
‘Do not be afraid; for see—I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people.’
—Luke 2:10
May the Good News of Jesus be great joy for you and our world. Christmas peace,
—Bishop Deborah Hutterer and the Grand Canyon Synod office staff
Read MoreDesert Cross Lutheran is looking for a worship leader at their Gilbert campus. This person will be a gifted pianist and able to lift up other musical gifts and talents within the congregation. Contact the church if interested.
Read MoreContinued struggles with the Delta variant and the emergence of the highly infectious Omicron variant have pushed the country’s daily case totals to their highest levels since late summer.
Extremely high risk counties for unvaccinated people in our synod include Apache, Cochise, Coconino, Gila, Graham, La Paz, Maricopa, Mohave, Navajo, Pima, Pinal, Santa Cruz, Washington, Yavapai, and Yuma counties.
Bishop Hutterer wrapped up the year with the installation of Rev. Dr. Mari Larson at St. Andrew's Lutheran in Las Vegas this last Sunday. As we begin our church year anew, we thank you for walking with us through another year full of strange gifts and surprises. May we heed the winds of the Holy Spirit as we step forward yet again.
Read MoreThis network of the Grand Canyon Synod gathers once a month online to learn and to share with the group about hunger-related topics in our congregations. All are welcome. Tuesday, 12/28/2021, 6-7pm. View more info and find Zoom links here.
Read MoreThe ordination of Lourdes Olson will be Saturday, 1/15/2022, 11am PST, 12pm MST, at Holy Spirit Lutheran Church in Las Vegas. The Rev. Matthew Metevelis will preach and Bishop Hutterer will preside.
Lourdes has been called to serve New Song Lutheran in Henderson.
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