Pray for our global companions, their ministries and the people they serve in this time of sickness and death, economic upheaval, social uncertainty and slow recovery.
Read More
Living as children of God and followers of Christ is not always easy or well received by others. Pray that we will find comfort and courage in knowing that God abides with us, knows our every struggle and joy, and surrounds us with love and peace that are impossible to break or obstruct.
Read More
Many of you know that the ELCA’s publishing ministry, 1517 Media, is located in Minneapolis. As employees gathered online to pray after the murder of George Floyd, the following prayer from All Creation Sings gave us words for this moment.
Lord Jesus Christ, your own mother looked on when your life ended in violence. Our hearts are pierced with grief and anger at the death of George Floyd. We commend him to your wounded hands, and his loved ones to your merciful heart, trusting only in the promise that your love is stronger than death, and that even now, you live and reign forever and ever. Amen.
Read More
Augsburg Fortress summer music clinics provide opportunities for musicians to learn new seasonal music, attend workshops, participate in hymn festivals and more. Pray that these participants will be inspired, equipped and strengthened, using their musical gifts to enrich our faith communities and reveal the glory of God.
Read More
The George Floyd memorial on 38th and Chicago in Minneapolis is holy ground where people gather. Gather to pay their respects, gather to lay down flowers, gather with advocacy organizations and gather around food and water. The words and artwork are a balm for the wounds that I, a white woman, cannot even begin to imagine.
Read More
As church we are called to confess the sin of racism, condemn the ideology of white supremacy, and strive for racial justice and peace. Beyond statements and prayers, we are called to also act and respond to injustices. Take the ELCA Anti-Racism Pledge.
Sign the pledge, “I commit to study, prayer and action to become an anti-racist individual in an anti-racist church,” and share your participation on social media using #ELCA4justice.
Read More
Dr. Michael Olsterholm, epidemiologist and Lutheran, talks with Terry Gross how the coronavirus will be with us for months and “may come and go, but it will keep transmitting until we get at least 60 or 70% of the population infected and hopefully develop immunity.”
Olsterholm is far more concerned with transmission through the air rather than surfaces, stressing it’s how much time you spend in enclosed spaces.
And he dislikes the term social distancing. "It's physical distancing…don't socially distance. If there was ever a time when we all need each other, it's now," he says. "We need to start an epidemic of kindness right now to take on this pandemic of this virus."
Read More
We pray for the first responders, residents, and creatures of God who are affected by the wildfires across the synod: the Bush Fire, Bighorn Fire, Bringham Fire, Dry Lake Fire, Blue River Fire, Sawtooth Fire and the Mangum Fire.
Read More
For quick comparison, we are using New York Times 7-day average graphs for each state in our synod: Arizona, Nevada, and Utah. As of June 4, 2020:
Arizona: This week, 43,494 cases and 1,284 deaths. Last week, 31,283 cases and 1,130 deaths.
Nevada: This week, 12,160 cases and 475 deaths. Last week, 10,403 cases and 458 deaths.
Utah: This week, 16,015 cases and 152 deaths. Last week, 12,986 cases and 128 deaths.
Navajo Nation: This week, 6,747 cases and 322 deaths. Last week, 6,275 cases and 292 deaths.
Hopi Nation: This week, 204 cases. Last week, 145 cases.
The New York Times provides an exploration of Juneteenth, a podcast if you’d rather listen than read, and a poem about today’s America.
In How We Juneteenth, writers reflect on the meaning of the holiday; the traditions kept alive in black names; rest as reparations, and more.
The Daily podcast provides history and meaning to Juneteenth.
In Weather, the poet Claudia Rankine writes about the climate in America in this moment.
Read More
Juneteenth commemorates a day when my ancestors could breath a little more freely. On June 19, 1865, in Galveston, Texas, enslaved Africans were read federal orders that they were freed, even though the Emancipation Proclamation was signed over two years prior. They didn’t know they were free because, in spite of the law, they were still brutalized by those who weaponized power.
Today, families of African descent throughout the United States celebrate this Freedom Day, which gave us a brief moment to inhale deeper than before.
Read More
God made us, and as God’s people we enjoy the blessings of God’s enduring love, faithfulness to every generation and redeeming presence. Lift up prayers of joy, thanksgiving and praise to God.
Read More
Pastors Shari Bernau and Mark Rossman with Living Water, Scottsdale, join us in this week’s Tech Lab for a quick conversation on their use of technology and adaptation during this time of change.
Use the link bit.ly/gcstechlab to access the Zoom meeting every Wednesday at 10 am, or email bflatgard@gcsynod.org to get an email invite. Visit gcsynod.org/tech-lab where we’ll archive resources from each week.
Read More
When religious leaders stepped up to help the communities of Minneapolis and St. Paul following the murder of George Floyd, I don’t think they knew what they were in for.
As a Native American and an activist, I know first hand the harm that well intentioned people of faith can do when they come in to “help” communities that have been marginalized or minoritized.
Read More
We congratulate Hannah Manzanares, who graduated from Cactus High School recently. President of the National Honor Society, active in student council and music, she’s also the Grand Canyon Synod Council Student Representative.
KJZZ recently asked 2020 graduates to share their thoughts, and Hannah offered hers: “We will change the world because we are witnessing history on a personal level.” Listen to Hannah here.
Read More
In honor to the Emanuel Nine Martyrs and in light of all that is happening in our country around the issues of racial justice, Our Saviour’s, Phoenix, hosted a Day of Repentence, Reflection and Prayer, with a Service of Confession, Lament and Prayer (watch here), a discussion of the film Just Mercy (available free all of June), and a candlelight vigil in remembrance of George Floyd and other victims of racism.
Read More
You are invited to join this weekly gathering designed to provide encouragement and support for ELCA leaders across the church.
We welcome back Dr. Martin Lohrmann on June 24. He is the Associate Professor of Lutheran Confessions and Heritage at Wartburg Theological Seminary.
Using the 1966 documentary A Time for Burning as a starting point, participants will learn about and discuss the ways that racism has impacted the witness and ministry of white Lutheran congregations in the United States.
Read More
For those of you who have discovered this and are not familiar with the ELCA AMMPARO strategy, it the ELCA strategy to accompany migrant children and families with protection, advocacy, representation and opportunities. As a holistic, whole church response, AMMPARO accompanies migrants in countries of origin, transit, destination and return!
Read More
Visit the Arizona World Refugee Day Facebook page on June 20 from 10-11 AM for the celebration.
Read More
As COVID-19 spreads around the world, refugee communities in Arizona and worldwide are among the most vulnerable. Many refugees that you serve at LSS-SW work in industries especially devastated by the crisis. Families with multiple children, still learning English, are thrust into homeschooling. Linguistic and cultural differences can heighten confusion and fear.
Read More