Rachel’s Day, observed the first Sunday in May, invites congregations to mourn the loss of children to violence and to renew our commitment to hope and action. New resources for Rachel’s Day 2025 are available to help your congregation pray, mourn, and act against the forces of fear and violence in our communities. Join us in lifting up the promise of Jeremiah 31:15–17: there is hope for your future.
Read MoreJoin Women of the ELCA on Sunday, May 5, at 5:00 p.m. Arizona time for a Candlelight Vigil honoring Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women’s Day. Register to attend via Zoom, download the vigil liturgy, and learn how to get involved in raising awareness and seeking justice.
Read MoreJoin Mountain View Lutheran Church on Saturday, May 3, 2025, at Bear Creek Golf Course in Chandler for a 50th Anniversary Golf Fundraiser supporting MVLC’s Mission & Outreach! Registration is $145 per player and includes golf, a banquet, contests, and more. Sponsorship opportunities are available for businesses and individuals. View a PDF flyer here. Sign up today at MVLC’s event page!
Read MoreRegistration is now open for Campformation 2025, happening June 30–July 4 at Camp Pinerock in Prescott, AZ. Youth entering grades 6–10 are invited for a week of mountain hikes, ropes courses, and spiritual growth alongside peers from across the synod. Don’t miss this sacred summer tradition—register today at www.lutherancampformation.com.
Read MoreJoin Rev. Dr. Eric H.F. Law on Thursday, May 8, for a free webinar that reimagines stewardship through storytelling. Learn how the simple act of writing “love letters to our church” can inspire natural generosity rooted in gratitude and connection. No registration needed—just join online from 4–5:30 p.m. AZ/NV or 5–6:30 p.m. UT/Navajo Nation.
Read MoreReconnect with fellow missioners at the Mexico Mission Reunion Celebration on Saturday, May 4 at 5:30 PM at Mountain View Lutheran Church in Phoenix. Enjoy a taco bar from Los Taquitos, hear a special message from Pastor Don Liles, and reflect on the impact of our shared work in Mexico. Register now at bit.ly/mvlcmexicomissionreunion. Kids eat free!
Read MorePeace Lutheran Church in Peoria was voted Best Place to Worship in the Best of Peoria 2025 survey—and for the sixth year in a row, Peace Lutheran Preschool was named Best Preschool. These community-voted honors highlight Peace’s deep-rooted ministry in worship and early childhood education.
Read MoreIt’s National Volunteer Week, a week-long celebration that recognizes and thanks volunteers for their contributions that positively impact their communities. Three Mosaic volunteers, Joyce Finnell, Pastor Rachel Thorson Mithelman and Tonya Bagwell, describe their experiences giving back. The post Three Mosaic Volunteers Exemplify the Meaning of National Volunteer Appreciation Week appeared first on Mosaic.
Read MoreELCA’s April 2025 Mission Support Memo reflects on the Northwest Intermountain Synod Council Retreat at beautiful Lutherhaven Camp. Throughout the time together, council members and synod leaders meditated on our stories and sought to embody the stories that God has entrusted to each of one to hear, empower, and share. Explore the memo to find out ways we can connect with councils, leaders, and congregations. Also, learn about how you and others can join on May 8th in a online session to wonder about "Why People Give: Love Letters to Our Church”.
Read MoreDavid Scherer of JUSTmove will join us at the 2025 Synod Assembly to lead daily intercultural development sessions and shape our worship experience. With a creative, embodied, and invitational approach grounded in Lutheran values, Scherer brings years of experience in helping communities grow in cultural humility.
Read MoreMay 5 is National Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women’s (MMIW) Awareness Day—a time to honor the lives of Indigenous women, girls, and relatives who have gone missing or been murdered at alarmingly high rates. In line with the ELCA’s Declaration to American Indian and Alaska Native People, congregations are invited to wear red, host prayer vigils, include MMIWGR in worship, and build relationships with local Indigenous leaders and musicians. Click here to learn more and access resources from the ELCA.
Read MoreThe Rules of Procedure for the 2025 Synod Assembly, held June 12–13 in Las Vegas, are now available. These rules cover quorum, voting procedures, speaking guidelines, and submission deadlines. Review them in advance to participate fully and faithfully. Read now: gcsynod.org/2025/assembly/rules
Read MoreThe Office of the Bishop travels for special events at congregations around the synod, and maintains daily and weekly operations. We also share photos from the First Call Accompaniment Region 2 Retreat, at Spirit in the Desert.
Read MoreJoin Arizona Faith Network in honoring Pope Francis’s legacy through faithful action. This week’s newsletter highlights urgent needs for heat relief volunteers, the upcoming May Day March for justice, interfaith events on science and spirituality, and a powerful community moment of tree planting and service. Explore the full calendar and get involved at www.arizonafaithnetwork.org/newsletter.
Read MoreCarolyn Perkins, Choir Director at Desert Cross Lutheran Church in Gilbert, AZ, has been selected as a music assistant for the 2025 Hearts, Hands and Voices summer camp in Michigan. Sponsored by Holy Cross Lutheran Church and the SE Michigan Synod, this acclaimed ELCA music ministry program nurtures children’s spiritual and musical growth. Perkins plans to bring what she learns back to enrich Desert Cross and its surrounding community.
Read MoreIn a moving reflection, Rev. Carol Devine recounts her encounters with Pope Francis—from the White House lawn to Pentecost Mass in Rome—and his profound impact as a global moral leader on creation care. Though not Catholic, Devine highlights how Pope Francis, through the spirit of St. Francis, inspired interfaith climate action and compassion for the Earth and its most vulnerable. We’re invited to honor his legacy through prayer and renewed action to care for our common home. Click here to read the full tribute and call to action.
Read MoreIn a special episode of the Respecting Religion podcast, faith leaders speak out on the urgent and unfolding case of Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia, who was mistakenly deported from Maryland to El Salvador. The conversation, featuring Melissa Rogers, highlights profound concerns about due process, justice, and the rule of law—issues that deeply affect all who call this country home. Click here to listen and learn more about this critical moment for people of faith.
Read MoreDiakonia shares their annual report for 2025, view here as a PDF.
Read MoreHelp us celebrate how God is at work across the Grand Canyon Synod! As we prepare for the 2025 Synod Assembly, we’re collecting stories from congregations and ministries that reflect this year’s theme: Build Up the Body (Ephesians 4:12–13). Submit your story—written, photo, video, or audio—by May 9, 2025 to be featured during the assembly and in synod communications. Full details at gcsynod.org/assembly.
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