Bishop Hutterer: The Church continues
Bishop Hutterer: The Church continues

Recently I heard a story about a Lutheran woman from the United States traveling through eastern Europe years ago. As she talked with a group of locals, it came up that she was Lutheran. One woman in the group told the American, “I know who you are.”

The European woman went into her house and came out with a quilt. She showed the American woman a label sewn onto the quilt which gave the name of an ELCA church who had made and donated it. "I was once in a refugee camp and had nothing,” the woman said. “You gave this quilt to me.”

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Bishop Hutterer, LettersBrian FlatgardComment
Lutheran Social Services of Nevada services are by appointment
Lutheran Social Services of Nevada services are by appointment

Lutheran Social Services of Nevada continues to offer services, including Identification Recovery Services (Birth Certificates), Rapid Rehousing Services, Senior Case Management, and more, although our one-on-one services will now be by appointment only.

Please call our main line at 702-639-1730 Monday - Friday or e-mail info@lssnv.orgat any time for more information about our services or scheduling an appointment.

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Grand Canyon Synod, Z Colorado River Conference, Z Covid-19Brian FlatgardLutheran Social Services of Nevada, Reformation Las VegasComment
Farewell and Godspeed to Rev. Jeff Kallevig
Farewell and Godspeed to Rev. Jeff Kallevig

We pray for Rev. Jeff Kallevig, whose final Sunday at Our Saviour’s, Tucson, was this Easter. Rev. Kallevig is accepting a call to North Hollywood, California.

Eternal God, we thank you for Jeff and for our life together in the Grand Canyon Synod. As he has been a blessing to us, so now send him forth to be a blessing to others; through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.

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Prayers, Kino ConferenceBrian FlatgardOur Saviour's TucsonComment
Prayers for Rev. Thomas Stephens on his retirement
Prayers for Rev. Thomas Stephens on his retirement

We lift up Rev. Thomas Stephens, who is retiring from Central Lutheran Church in Arizona City. Ordained in 1984, we thank God for Rev. Stephens’ 35 years of service.

Gracious God, we thank you for the work and witness of your servant Tom, who has enriched this community and brought gladness to friends and family. Now bless and preserve him at this time of transition. Day by day, guide him and give him what is needed, friends to cheer his way, and a clear vision of that to which you are now calling him. By your Holy Spirit be present in his pilgrimage, that he may travel with the one who is the way, the truth, and the life, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

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Prayers, Fiesta ConferenceBrian FlatgardCentral Arizona CityComment
Prayers for Rev. Dr. Gene Perry
Prayers for Rev. Dr. Gene Perry

Please pray for Rev. Dr. Gene Perry (retired), who was anticipating a heart procedure designed to help prevent strokes. That surgery is now delayed 2-3 months by COVID-19 issues because it’s considered an elective surgery.

By your power, great God, our Lord Jesus healed the sick and gave new hope to the hopeless. Though we cannot command or posses your power, we pray for those who want to be healed.

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PrayersBrian FlatgardComment
Emergency response memo from Navajo Evangelical Lutheran Mission
Emergency response memo from Navajo Evangelical Lutheran Mission

Dikos Nitsaaígíí-Náhást'éíts'áadah: That’s what the pandemic is called in Navajo. “We shouldn't be the last to get equipment," said President Nez, "We are the first citizens of this country, our nation. And we just got to remind our federal partners out there that we are still here and we're resilient and we'll overcome this."

On April 7, the number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 on the Navajo Nation reached 321, with 13 deaths. These numbers are not included in the overall reporting for the State of Arizona.

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Z Covid-19Brian FlatgardNavajo Evangelical Lutheran MissionComment
Leading Beyond the Blizzard: Why Every Organization Is Now a Startup
Leading Beyond the Blizzard: Why Every Organization Is Now a Startup

The Office of the Bishop staff is giving this article from The Praxis Journal a deep read: The novel coronavirus is not just something for leaders to “get through” for a few days or weeks. Instead, we need to treat COVID-19 as an economic and cultural blizzard, winter, and beginning of a “little ice age” — a once-in-a-lifetime change that is likely to affect our lives and organizations for years.

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Z Covid-19Brian FlatgardComment
Worksheet for congregational financial health
Worksheet for congregational financial health

A worksheet to help congregations evaluate their financial situation during Covid-19 is available from Dr. Jerry Kingston, Special Bishop’s Associate for Mobility, and ASU Economics faculty member from 1969 to 2011.

The worksheet is based comparing available liquid assets for the period May 1, 2020 through September 30, 2020 to two sets of costs: (1) legally-required expenses; and (2) legally-required + pledged expenses to the synod and the churchwide organization. The worksheet is available as a PDF or Word doc.

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Leader Resources, Z Covid-19Brian FlatgardComment
Helping People Make Ritual at Home after a Death
Helping People Make Ritual at Home after a Death

There’s a fair amount of advice out there on what to do about funerals or memorial services during the current “stay at home” shutdown. Often people are encouraged to plan for a memorial service whenever that becomes possible.

There’s another piece to ritual care for grieving people in the current situation, though: helping them create home ritual that fills some part of the need for more immediate ritual. Read more here »

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Leader Resources, Z Covid-19Brian FlatgardELCA WorshipComment
Worship in the Home: Sunday, April 19, 2020
Worship in the Home: Sunday, April 19, 2020

From ELCA Worship we find Worship in the Home for the Second Sunday of Easter, April 19, 2020.

In this time of world-wide crisis, congregations throughout this church are not able to gather for worship as the body of Christ. While you cannot be together in person, we can hear the word of God and hold each other in prayer. We offer this brief resource as an aid for prayer in the home.

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Leader ResourcesBrian FlatgardComment