ELCA Vital Congregations Re-BOOT Camp spring sessions

Is your congregation ready to take some steps (even small steps) toward renewal or revitalization? Then, you are invited to attend the 2022 Spring Session of the ELCA Vital Congregations Re-BOOT Camp, which are four sessions, 1/13–2/27/2022.

Registration closes on 1/7/2022. FREE Registration link: Vital Congregations Spring 2022 Session - Google Forms

Please see the attached PowerPoint for more information regarding the Re-BOOT Camp. You can contact our GCS Director for Evangelical Mission, Miguel Gomez-Acosta, for further information or with questions.

ELCA, News, Leader ResourcesBrian FlatgardNovember 24, 2021Congregational VitalityComment

Upcoming installations: December through February 2022

Bishop Hutterer will preach and preside at these upcoming installations:

Pastor Doug Dill will be installed at Central Lutheran in Arizona City during worship, Sunday, 12/12/2021. Time will be confirmed.
Pastor Mari Larson will be installed at St. Andrew Lutheran in Las Vegas, Sunday, 12/19/2021 at the 8:30 and the 10am service (9:30 and 11 am MST).
Pastor Ruby Myers will be installed at Trinity Lutheran in Phoenix on Sunday, 1/9/2022 at 2 pm.
Pastor Naomi Hartman will be installed Lutheran Church of the Foothills in Tucson on Sunday, 2/6/2022, at 2 pm, in Tucson. Clergy will be invited to process.

Why the minichurch is the latest trend in American religion

While megachurches often make headlines, most of the congregations in the United States are relatively small. Read the article from Religion News Service.

According to the recently released Faith Communities Today study, half of the congregations in the United States have 65 people or fewer, while two-thirds of congregations have fewer than 100.

Read · Watch · ListenBrian FlatgardNovember 23, 2021Religious News ServiceComment

Prayers for St. Andrew Lutheran Church in Phoenix

We pray for Rev. Kari Williamson and the people of St. Andrew Lutheran Church in Phoenix, part of the Capital Conference. Visit their site at saintandrewaz.org and their social media pages on Facebook and YouTube.

Prayers, Grand Canyon SynodBrian FlatgardNovember 23, 2021St. Andrew Phoenix, Capital ConferenceComment

Addiction & The Science of Gratitude

The Center of Addiction & Faith is hosting a one-hour free webinar ‘Addiction & The Science of Gratitude’ next Tuesday, 11/30/2021, 10–11am MST, 9–10am PST, with follow-up 30 minute Zoom discussion. Register here.

Dr. Amy Krentzman will present research on addiction and recovery focusing on the science of gratitude.

NewsBrian FlatgardNovember 23, 2021The Center of Addiction & Faith, AddictionComment

Photos of the Week: Mexico Migrant Mass, Hindu sun god festival

Each week Religion News Service presents a gallery of photos of religious expression around the world. View the slideshow here.

This week’s photo gallery includes the Hindu sun god festival Chhath Puja, a Mass for migrants in Mexico and more.

Read · Watch · ListenBrian FlatgardNovember 23, 2021Religious News ServiceComment

‘Will the James Webb Telescope See God?’ topic of webinar with Heidi Hammel

In a Dec. 1 2021 webinar, Heidi Hammel, vice president for science at AURA, a consortium that operates large astronomical observatories, explains what the James Webb Telescope will see, and her take on whether it will see God.

This free Zoom webinar is hosted by the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago, Wednesday, Dec. 1, 4-5:30pm MST, 3–4:30pm PST. Register here to receive the Zoom link.

NewsBrian FlatgardNovember 23, 2021Lutheran Theological Seminary ChicagoComment

“We’re Chicken Women!" — Hunger and hope in Myra, Kentucky

With all eyes on turkeys this week, let’s not forget about chicken women. Check out this new video from ELCA World Hunger about Manna From Heaven, a ministry meeting the needs of its neighbors in Kentucky with support from ELCA World Hunger.

ELCA, Stories of HopeBrian FlatgardNovember 23, 2021Hunger, ELCA World HungerComment

Visioning Lab for CLU's Executive Skills for Church Leaders program

California Lutheran University is rebooting the Executive Skills for Church Leaders program, and hosting an online space for leaders offer feedback to inform their planning on Thursday, 12/9/2021 from 11am-12:30 pm MST, 10-11:30am PST. Facebook Event link here, with RSVPs and questions sent to thriving@callutheran.edu.

News, Grand Canyon SynodBrian FlatgardNovember 23, 2021Region 2, California Lutheran UniversityComment

Put stories of generosity on your Thanksgiving watchlist

Looking for something to watch during Thanksgiving weekend? How about the wonderful videos from last year’s Generosity Film Festival? They’re quick, fun, and hopeful. Watch them here.

Feeling inspired? Create your own story this weekend! Visit our film festival web page for tips and guidelines. The deadline for submission is December 8, 2021, with videos premiering Christmas week.

Faith Lens: When Your Temple Crumbles

In his book, Silence the Power of Quiet in a World Full of Noise, Thich Nhat Hanh talks about two kinds of knots. The first knot is our notions, ideas, concepts, and knowledge. These things are not bad, but when we get stuck on them we miss out on the truth of life.

The second knot is our afflictions, fears, anger, discrimination, despair, and arrogance. Thich Nhat Hanh believes that until these knots are undone we remain bound up and not truly free.

ELCA, Leader ResourcesBrian FlatgardNovember 23, 2021Faith Lens, Youth and Young AdultComment

Prayers for Lord of Grace Lutheran Church in Tucson

We pray for Rev. Lars Hammar and the people of Lord of Grace Lutheran Church in Tucson, part of the Santa Cruz Conference. Visit their site at lordofgrace.org, and their social media pages on Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and Twitter.

Prayers, Grand Canyon SynodBrian FlatgardNovember 22, 2021Lord of Grace Tucson, Kino ConferenceComment

How to report the clergy housing allowance

The housing allowance is an important tax advantage for clergy. However, your congregation must officially designate the amount in writing each year, before compensation is earned, that might be used for housing expenses. As you look ahead to 2022, be sure to take action to document this amount. Learn more on the Portico site when you sign in with your EmployerLink.

ELCA, Leader ResourcesBrian FlatgardNovember 22, 2021Administration MattersComment

Bishop Hutterer: A common table

For most of our lives, we’ve been aware that the promise of Thanksgiving—warm and loving reunions of family and friends around a common table heaped with abundance—can set us up for disappointments.

This year, in our first post-vaccination Thanksgiving, our hopes may even be higher as we finally gather in the larger groups we’ve yearned to be in. We’re striving for a “normal” Thanksgiving.

Bishop Hutterer, Letters, Grand Canyon SynodBrian FlatgardNovember 22, 2021Bishop Hutterer LettersComment

A heritage of giving by Lutheran Social Services of Nevada

This Thanksgiving, we share a photo taken 27 years ago of barren pantry shelves replenished by Living Hope Lutheran in Las Vegas (then Reformation Lutheran). Read more of the history of Lutheran Social Services of Nevada in this post, as they prepare for their silver anniversary on Silver Anniversary on December 20, 2021.

Faith, Sexism, and Justice: A Call to Action

This study guide for the social statement Faith, Sexism, and Justice: A Call to Action has six sessions that guide participants to engage the social statement and discern ways to take action.

In this post we share Bishop Eaton’s invitation to participate. View the study guide here.

Bishop Eaton, ELCA, Letters, Leader ResourcesBrian FlatgardNovember 19, 2021Sexism, Bishop Elizabeth EatonComment

Covid-19 exposure risk: 11/18/2021

All but two counties in our synod have extremely high levels for unvaccinated people.

Extremely high risk counties for unvaccinated people in our synod include Apache, Cochise, Coconino, Gila, Graham, Greenlee, Maricopa, Mohave, Navajo, Pima, Pinal, Santa Cruz, Washington, Yavapai, and Yuma counties.
Very high risk counties include Clark and La Paz.

News, Grand Canyon SynodBrian FlatgardNovember 18, 2021CoronavirusComment

Office of the Bishop Updates: 11/19/2021

This week’s update features photos from the Ordination of Pastor Ruby Myers and the Installation of Pastor Amalia Vagts. Read the post to see what the staff is up to as we enter the busy Thanksgiving, Advent and Christmas season.

News, Bishop Hutterer, Grand Canyon SynodBrian FlatgardNovember 18, 2021Office of the BishopComment

Advent Pilgrimage in Palestine

Advent Pilgrimage in Palestine: a four-week virtual pilgrimage from the ELCA’s Peace Not Walls and Young Adult Ministry teams featuring young adult voices from the ELCA and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land.

ELCA, Leader ResourcesBrian FlatgardNovember 18, 20212021 Advent and ChristmasComment

Lutheran women leaders reach milestones around the world

Malawi

The Rev. Bertha Godfrey Munkhondya recently became the first woman ordained to the ministry of Word and Sacrament in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Malawi (ELCM). She studied theology at the Tumaini University Makumira in Arusha, Tanzania, with the help of an ELCA International Leaders Program scholarship. Read more about the Rev. Munkhondya here.

Poland

On Oct. 16, the Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession in Poland (ECACP) voted to allow women to be ordained as pastors. Presiding Bishop Jerzy Samiec of the ECACP said: “I believe it’s a good decision and we will see good fruits come of it. It has been a long process for the church, and now we will find a way of walking together into the future.” Read more about the landmark decision here.

ELCA, Stories of HopeBrian FlatgardNovember 18, 2021Global MissionComment

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