Lutheran Volunteer Corps is accepting applications for the 2025–2026 program year through June 30. Fellows serve full-time at justice-centered nonprofits in DC, the Twin Cities, Wilmington, and a new site in Pittsburgh, while living in intentional community. Learn more or apply at lutheranvolunteercorps.org.
Read MoreThe Lutheran Church in Australia and New Zealand (LCANZ) has ordained women as pastors for the first time, following a landmark decision last fall to allow the ordination of women. Maria Rudolph and Sue Westhorp were ordained this spring to serve congregations in Perth and Box Hill, respectively. This historic move affirms the LCANZ’s commitment to recognizing the gifts of all whom God calls, regardless of gender, and aligns with broader movements within the Lutheran World Federation. Click here to read the full article on Living Lutheran.
Read MoreThe May 2025 issue of Administration Matters is now live. Find key updates on online Bible studies for the 2025 Churchwide Assembly, mental health resources for leaders, health benefit changes coming in 2026, and practical financial and safety tools for congregations. Don’t miss this valuable resource for leaders across the Grand Canyon Synod. Read the full issue.
Read MoreThe Rev. Shelley Bryan Wee has been reelected to serve a second six-year term as bishop of the ELCA’s Northwest Washington Synod. The vote took place May 16 during the synod assembly in Everett, Washington, with Bishop Wee receiving 215 votes on the second ballot. She has served as bishop since 2019 and brings decades of pastoral and leadership experience within the ELCA. To read the full article at elca.org, click here.
Read MoreThis week we celebrate the ordination anniversaries of:
Rev. Wallace Klandrud, who celebrates 70 years on May 23.
Rev. Richard Jessen, who celebrates 62 years on May 24.
Rev. Ronald Koplitz, who celebrates 56 years on May 25.
Rev. David Swanson, who celebrates 61 years on May 26.
Rev. Jon Clutz, who celebrates 61 years on May 27.
The Rev. Donald Bebber, St. Raphael, Benson, who celebrates 2 years on May 27.
Rev. Benjamin Bergren, Community, Las Vegas, who celebrates 27 years on May 28.
Rev. Nicholas Mays, who celebrates 59 years on May 29.
Rev. Norene Smith, who celebrates 42 years on May 29.
Rev. Leroy Rehrer, who celebrates 48 years on May 29.
Rev. Ronald Glusenkamp, who celebrates 44 years on May 29.
Learn how Lutheran leaders are addressing the crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women in a free May 27 webinar, and explore new creation care resources from Lutherans Restoring Creation. Share your voice in a churchwide ELCA survey, mark your calendar for upcoming climate-focused calls, and join a June 4 conversation on federal policy and the environment. Read the full newsletter now for links and details. Read the full update.
Read MoreMay 25, 2025 marks the fifth anniversary of the murder of George Floyd. In her message to the church honoring George Floyd, ELCA Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton calls our attention to how this “horrific act revealed the deadly reality of racism in the United States for many across the world.” Eaton stresses that “racism is one of many tools of white supremacy and a sin that distorts God’s image in all of us, and it stands against the Gospel we proclaim.”
Read MoreThe Grand Canyon Synod is sharing the proposed 2026-2027 Mission Plan, available as a PDF here, and we invite you to be part of the conversation! Sign up for a Mission Plan presentation webinar on May 28 at 5:30 PM or May 31 at 9:00 AM to learn more and ask questions.
Read MoreJoin the Center of Addiction & Faith on May 28 from 10–11 a.m. (AZ/NV) for “Breaking Chains, Building Hope,” a free webinar with Jeff Horowitz, CEO of SAFE Project, on how faith communities can respond to America’s addiction crisis. Learn practical strategies to support those struggling with addiction and move beyond judgment to life-saving compassion. Register now.
Read MoreEach ELCA congregation is invited to register one observer for the 2025 Churchwide Assembly in Phoenix. Observers receive access to all assembly materials and reserved seating but do not vote. Registration is $125 and closes May 31. Learn more about lodging, travel, and how to be part of this unique gathering of our wider church.
Read MoreYoung people are leaving the church at an alarming rate—but it doesn’t have to be this way. The Grand Canyon Synod’s Youth Advisory Team highlights TENx10, a national collaboration led by Fuller Youth Institute, offering free, research-based tools to help youth leaders, pastors, and congregations reimagine faith formation. Visit TENx10.org to access resources, take a 2-minute quiz, and join this movement to help faith matter more to the next generation.
Read MoreRegional leadership consultations
News
Host communities: The heart of any refugee response, by Stella Namatovu
From proposed Medicaid and SNAP cuts to the dismantling of FEMA and halted humanitarian aid to Gaza, the May 2025 Advocacy Connections report from ELCA Advocacy highlights urgent policy concerns affecting vulnerable communities at home and abroad. Guided by Lutheran social teaching, ELCA advocacy staff are responding with calls to action on hunger, healthcare, global health funding, disaster response, and tax justice.
Learn how these developments intersect with ELCA priorities like Sufficient, Sustainable Livelihood for All and Caring for Creation, and see how our companion churches are helping shape the conversation in Washington, D.C. Click here to read the full May update from ELCA Advocacy.
Read MoreLutheran Summer Music returns June 22–July 20, 2025, at Valparaiso University, featuring over 30 free concerts, worship services, and recitals. From the beloved Bach Cantata Eucharist to the Festival Choir finale, all events are open to visitors and streamable via Live from LSM. Explore the full season brochure and plan your visit at LSMacademy.org/2025.
Read More2025 Assembly Greetings from Rev. Roberto Trejo Haager, Pastor President of the Mexican Lutheran Church (Iglesia Luterana Mexicana, ILM).
Read More2025 Assembly Greetings from Rev. Latyr Diouf, President of Lutheran Church of Senegal (Église Luthérienne du Senegal).
Read MoreAs part of our 2025 Assembly, Faith Lutheran Church in Yuma shares a video from Crossroads Mission. Faith Lutheran received a Manna Grant, which was then shared with Crossroads Mission to fund its community literacy program.
Read MoreWe share the video annual report from the Lutheran Campus Ministry at University of Arizona as part of our 2025 Grand Canyon Synod Assembly. More info at LCMUofA.org.
Read MoreHaving a place you belong and a person you connect with makes all the difference in the world. Learn how it changed one person’s life. The post A Place to Belong and a Person to Connect With appeared first on Mosaic.
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