This coming Sunday, Nov. 1, at 4 p.m. Eastern time (2 pm MST), I will join many other religious leaders in the Holding On to Hope National Prayer Service. Please join me for this special occasion to pray for the good of our nation.
Throughout our church, many are experiencing heightened anxiety around the 2020 election. I confess that I feel it, too.
Read MoreI am ready for a new season, one to comfort and cool our nation’s hot wounds. A season for allowing the swelling to go down long enough for us to feel something besides the pain and see something besides the red blisters.
I am praying for a season change that will be long enough for us to put a balm on our wounds. I am longing for a cold, quiet winter.
Read MoreDaylight Saving Time ends on Sunday, November 1, 2020, at 2:00 A.M. If you’re not in Arizona, set your clocks back one hour (i.e., gaining one hour) to “fall back.”
For the Grand Canyon Synod, that means that Nevada and California are now one hour different from Arizona, the Navajo Nation, and the Rocky Mountain Synod: 2:00 pm Pacific Time is 3:00 pm Mountain Time.
Read MoreWith the people of Beautiful Savior Lutheran in Tucson, we pray for the family of Rev. David Pavesic as they mourn the death of Pastor David’s mother, Ila.
Read More“God is our refuge and strength.” Give thanks and praise to God and reflect on how God sustains you, gives you courage, influences your decisions and actions, and equips you for living as a follower of Christ in the world.
Read MoreAlthough many winners may quickly be evident on election night, the increase in mail voting because of the pandemic is expected to push back the release of full results in many key states.
The New York Times asked officials in every state and the District of Columbia about their reporting processes There is a fair amount of uncertainty surrounding results in any election, but say that many states will not have complete results on election night.
Read MorePersons with disabilities take great pride in going to vote, but some do experience obstacles at the voting polls or even in registering and/or voting by mail.
Please consider being in dialogue with persons with disabilities about their desire to vote, about their opinions about those running for office, and consider asking what might make that day or even that week or month meaningful for them.
Read MoreFrom the ELCA Advocacy office in Washington, D.C. – the Rev. Amy E. Reumann, director, are updates on: Covid-19 Stimulus | Refugee Admissions Goal | TPS Uncertainty | Election 2020 Is Here! | Welcome New Leaders.
Read MoreIt is both privilege and responsibility for Lutherans in the United States to approach Election 2020 as faith-informed voters.
With mere days remaining in advance of Election Day 2020, here is a review of material associated with the ELCAvotes initiative.
Read MoreELCA Innovation Lab is reading “Collective Genius: The Art and Practice of Leading Innovation.”
Authors Dr. Linda A. Hill, Greg Brandeau, Emily Truelove and Kent Lineback say innovation is not about solo genius but focuses on building the culture and context for collective genius.
Read MoreIn 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. As with our prayers in the gathered assembly for worship, you are encouraged to prepare or adapt them locally for your context.
Read MoreListen to devotional music available through Augsburg Fortress: “Filled with His Voice;” “Many and Great O God;” “What a Friend We Have in Jesus.”
Read MoreWe pray for Pastor Bill Timm and the people of Gloria de Cristo, Yuma, part of the Cactus Conference. View their Facebook and YouTube pages.
Read MoreELCA Coaching and Rev. Solveig Nilsen-Goodin present The Sacred Work of Grief, Part 3, Wednesday, November 4, 12 pm MST.
The Weekly Online Gathering for ELCA Leaders continues every Wednesday, 1 pm Central, 12pm MST. Links to the meeting at elcacoaching.org as well as archives.
Read MoreFirst state-wide gathering for LAMA advocates and friends to connect! Saturday, November 7, 9:00 am - 12:00 pm.
Presenters Dr. Ryan P. Cumming (ELCA World Hunger) and Ms. Angie Rogers (Arizona Food Bank Network) discuss food insecurity and poverty and what we can do to help.
Read MoreAs Bishop, one of my main goals is to work with all of you to change and grow our church. The year 2020 has been wildly successful in implementing change, far more than anything we could have initiated on our own.
As church and people of faith, we have a huge advantage over most organizations and individuals. Our “product” is eternal and unwavering. The love of God, the good news of Jesus Christ, and the fruits of the Holy Spirit do not cease with the seasons of the world or the actions of humankind.
Read MoreThe GCS Stewardship Team invites you to film and submit a “story of generosity” as part of the Generosity Film Festival. Your video will be featured on the GCS website the week of Thanksgiving. Our hope is for an abundance of stories from across our synod, overflowing with heart-felt testimonies of generosity.
Read MoreThe ELCA Fund for Leaders scholarship program supports students of promise attending ELCA seminaries. Pray that we will generously support this program to make seminary more affordable, to enable more future ministers to study and to help them graduate with less debt as they respond to God’s call to serve as the church needs and the Spirit leads.
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.
Download a Word doc, or PDF for letter size printout or legal size printout, or view the ELCA resource page.
Read MoreAccording to articles by Foundation for Economic Education, a libertarian think tank, and Fox News, The World Health Organization (WHO) has revised its position to say that countries around the world should not rely on lockdowns to stop outbreaks of the coronavirus.
The advice comes as the number of new COVID-19 cases is rising in the United States and across Europe, with some leaders considering new lockdowns to bring the numbers down.
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