Pray for open hearts and minds, that we might reflect prayerfully on our church, society, institutions, laws, traditions and selves, seeking meaningful change and reform to combat racism and white supremacy wherever they exist, perpetuate injustice or influence us.
Read MoreELCA Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton’s weekly message talks about the effect COVID-19 will have on the ability to feed our struggling neighbors, and implores us to act now.
You can help by letting your elected leaders know the importance of including funding for critical feeding programs in the $1 trillion COVID response bill in congress. https://ELCA.org/COVIDaction
Read MoreA few years back I started memorizing poetry. I was reading a lot of it then, and it felt like I needed those words to be with me though out my days, and not just in the mornings when I had time to sit down with a book.
Read MoreThese petitions are offered as guides to prayer for the global, social and outreach ministries of the ELCA, as well as for the needs and circumstances of our neighbors, communities and world. Thank you for your continued prayers for the life and mission of this church. Download a Word doc, or PDF for letter size printout or legal size printout, or view the ELCA resource page.
Read MoreWe continue out 50·40·10 celebration with a message from Pastor Elizabeth Ekdale, St. Mark’s Lutheran Church, San Francisco. Her message: Take more risks, be a prophet.
Read MoreFor quick comparison, we are using New York Times 7-day average graphs for each state in our synod: Arizona, Nevada, and Utah.
Arizona: This week: 170,905 cases, 3,628 deaths. Last week: 153,029 cases, 3,067 deaths.
Nevada: This week: 47,034 cases, 805 deaths. Last week: 40,088 cases, 709 deaths.
Utah: This week: 36,178 cases and 271 deaths. Last week: 39,714 cases and 303 deaths.
Navajo Nation: This week: 9,019 cases and 504 deaths. Last week: 8,734 cases and 432 deaths.
Hopi Nation: This week: 415 cases. Last week: 384 cases.
Lift up in prayer our neighbors who are unemployed or underemployed and seek safe, meaningful work that will help them develop self-sufficiency and confidence and meet the needs of the people for whom they provide care, assistance and support.
Read MoreRegistration is now open through August 15th for Beginning a Culture of Generosity, a program from the consulting firm GSB Fundraising. Register by August 15, 2020. 3E and the Grand Canyon Synod are offering a $500 scholarship for each congregation toward the program cost of $650.
Get professional, relevant help this year with GSB Fundraising, who has tutored dozens of congregations. The program aims for congregations to stabilize current 2020 year giving to 2019 (pre-Coronavirus) levels.
Read MoreIt has been a while since I wrote about in-person gathering for worship. I was waiting for certainty before I grabbed my pen. I was waiting for clarity from the federal government and the CDC, from health scientists, and from our state health departments and governors. I waited for a common-sense consensus amongst the citizens of our nation. I turned to the books of wisdom in the Old Testament, hoping for a revelation.
I am still waiting.
Read MoreThe Weekly Online Gathering for ELCA Leaders continues every Wednesday, 1 pm Central, 11am MST. Links to the meeting at elcacoaching.org as well as archives.
Pastora Irma Bañales leads us through Expressing and Mourning our Grief in this Wednesday’s online gathering, Wednesday, August 5, 2020. She is the DEM for the Northern Texas-Northern Louisiana Synod, and will be with us the first Wednesday of each month through 2020.
Read MoreGive thanks for the special gifts, skills and minds of scientists, researchers and explorers who strive to better understand creation, improve the human condition, solve complex problems that cause us suffering, and restore and steward creation with a long view of sustaining future generations. Pray that they will make wise, responsible and just use of their research and discoveries for the well-being of all people and our planet.
Read MoreIn response to the government of Israel’s plan to annex parts of the West Bank, Bishop Eaton calls on the church to accompany the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land in being a disturbing presence for peace through prayer, action, and advocacy with our elected leaders.
Read MorePraise God for the joy and reassurance of knowing that there is nothing ― absolutely nothing ― that can separate us from God’s love in Jesus Christ.
Read MoreRead the minutes from the synod council meeting on June 13, 2020, in PDF format.
View all council news and minutes on our blog here.
Read MoreFor your individual or group devotion, you may choose to listen to the following choral recordings made available through Augsburg Fortress: “Bread for the World;” “The Fullness of God;” “Jesus Feed Us.”
Read MoreWorship in the Home: Sunday, July 26, 2020. Eighth Sunday after Pentecost, Lectionary 17.
Glorious God, your generosity waters the world with goodness, and you cover creation with abundance. Awaken in us a hunger for the food that satisfies both body and spirit, and with this food fill all the starving world; through your Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.
Read MoreWhat gives you cause for happiness and hope these days? Give thanks and praise to God for desiring joy,
healing, renewed life and freedom for us and all humanity.
Being Church, Weekly Online Gathering for ELCA Leaders, Wednesdays, 11am MST. Links to the meeting at https://www.elcacoaching.org/. We look forward to hosting Sister Kelly Marciales, ELCA Community Organizing Program Coordinator and Director of the Organizing for Mission Network, on July 29.
Read MoreAs the Hagia Sophia changes from museum to mosque, the ELCA responded by joining faith communities in calling for a day of mourning and joining partners in calling on the Turkish government to maintain Hagia Sophia as a unifying heritage site.
Read MoreAs part of our move to a suite next door, we are making some furniture and equipment available on a first-come, first-served basis. Contact Theresa at the synod office if you have questions about the items and to arrange a pickup. While the items are free and we are happy to make space, donations can always be made on our web site.
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