We share December’s Advocacy Connections from the ELCA advocacy office in Washington, D.C., which includes: Human Infrastructure, Housing In Federal Budget, Climate Risks, Cuba Policy, and Immigration Policy Provisions.
We also share the December Update: UN and State Edition, and fully excerpt the Arizona update from LAMA in our post.
Read MoreThe Office of the Bishop will be closed Friday through Monday, 12/24/2021–12/27/2021, and Friday through Monday, 12/31/2021–1/3/2022. We pray for a peaceful and safe Christmas and New Year’s for our synod.
Read MoreWe pray for Rev. Jill Doherty, Rev. Joseph Doherty and the people of New Promise Lutheran Church in St. George, part of the Colorado River Conference. Visit their site at newpromiseelca.org, and their social media pages on Facebook and YouTube.
Read MoreThe New York Times produced “Postcards From a World on Fire” a remarkable report from each of the 193 United Nations member states. Some of these stories may seem small, like an ancient drawing flaking off a cave wall in Indonesia; others are undeniably harrowing, like the stories of hungry people fleeing their homes in Guatemala; others may even seem hopeful, like the move toward building wooden skyscrapers in Norway.
Read the introduction here, experience the full project here.
Read MoreWe invite you to a presentation on the Anchor Church model on Tuesday 1/11/2022, 7pm MST, 6pm PST, with Pastor Charles Newman of Crossroads in San Tan Valley. Anchor Church is a grassroots movement within the ELCA where leaders accompany leaders toward cultural transformation within congregations. Register for the Zoom meeting here.
Read MoreThe Advent season is also one of installations. We celebrated Pastor Doug Dill’s installation at Central Lutheran in Arizona City this past Sunday. And Bishop Hutterer heads to Las Vegas to preach and preside at St. Andrew for Pastor Mari Larson installation this Sunday. Find out what the staff is doing in our weekly update.
Read MoreThe Arizona Department of Health Services reports 94 percent of beds in the state are full, with Covid-19 patients making up about a third of those hospitalized.
All but two counties in our synod continue to have extremely high levels of risk 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.
The Lutheran World Federation’s Hymns of Advent and Christmas continues with offerings from around the world: Evangelical Lutheran Church in Botswana, "Re tsamaya Lesedingla Modimo" ("Walk in the Light of God"); Evangelical Lutheran Church in Guyana, "Come O Come, Emmanuel"; The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Zambia, "How Beautiful"; Evangelical Lutheran Church of Saxony, "Veni, veni Emmanuel"; Evangelical Lutheran Church in Colombia, "Bella María"; Bangladesh Northern Evangelical Lutheran Church, "E Dhorom Isại Hoṛ"; Malagasy Lutheran Church, "Fa zaza no teraka" ("A child is born to us"); Union of Protestant Churches of Alsace and Lorraine, "Il est né le divin enfant" ("A Divine Child is Born").
Read MoreWe are nearing the end of Advent and the start of that special holiday, Christmas. In the United States, stores have been filled with seasonal music for six months now (it feels that way, at least), garlands and lights are draped over homes and lampposts, and pine trees are adorned with baubles of all shapes and sizes. In many countries, Christmas markets have taken over city squares. As the old carol says, “It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas.”
Read MoreFor relief and recovery efforts after tornadoes and storms, and for all left scared and grieving…
For the work of emergency responders and relief agencies, including Lutheran Disaster Response…
For the peace of Jerusalem, and throughout the Middle East…
For all who are facing a first Christmas without someone they love…
For all celebrating the holidays with a new perspective, new job, new home, or new family…
For musicians, volunteers, and lay leaders who enable and enhance our celebration of the incarnation…
The Faith Lutheran Church Office Administrator is a part-time role of approximately 20-25 hours per week. This is an in-office role on our campus located at 801 E. Camelback Rd, Phoenix, AZ.
Read MoreStirred by the need to help resettle Afghan refugees, a team of pastoral and lay leaders from four Northeast Valley Conference churches—Living Water (Scottsdale), New Journey (Fountain Hills), New Covenant (Scottsdale), and Christ the Lord (Carefree), known collectively as the NE Valley Consortium—gathered enough goods to completely furnish two two-bedroom homes and raised $30,000 for an emergency fund.
Read MoreTemple Beth Shalom, a Reform Jewish congregation in the northwest valley is filling a new part time position. The position of Outreach and Communications Assistant is one that requires the incumbent to get to know and informally communicate regularly with our members, in order to effectively work closely with the Rabbi on Outreach and other member efforts. Being Jewish is not a requirement for this position.
Read MoreOur Saviour’s Lutheran in Tucson has sanctuary furniture looking for a new home. All pieces are solid wood and in good condition, and include a communion table, pulpit and lectern, and oil lamp candles. Contact Pastor Amalia at Our Saviour's Lutheran for more information: pastoramalia@lutherantucson.org.
Read MoreChances are you are looking at these words on a screen or that you looked at them on a screen prior to printing them out. According to a study released by the JAMA Pediatrics in November 2021, screen time for teenagers has increased during the pandemic from 3.8 hours per day to 7.7 hours per day. The 7.7 hours per day is for recreation (gaming and videos) and social interaction (social media and texting). That does not include online schooling, which can represent another 5-7 hours per day.
Read MorePastor Dan Valasakos, synod council member and pastor at Mount Zion Lutheran in Tucson, shares a book of Advent daily devotions. Each devotions is accompanied with watercolor illustrations by Valaskos. The book is available on the Mount Zion website through these links: Advent Devotional - Daily Advent Meditations, Advent Devotional Printable Booklet (print two sided -flip at short side).
Read MoreIslamophobia and anti-Muslim discrimination is not a joke; it is dangerous and it can be deadly. Fueling fear and spreading hate and misinformation about Islam and Muslims can and must be condemned by our nation’s leadership as a bipartisan effort. Disagreeing politically does not give us license to dehumanize one another
Read MoreThe Rev. Dr. Mari Larson will be installed as Associate Pastor on Sunday, December 19, 2021, at St. Andrew's Lutheran in Las Vegas at the 8:30 and 10:00 AM worship services. The Rev. Deborah K. Hutterer, Bishop of the Grand Canyon Synod, will preside over the installation and preach.
Read MoreWe lift up in prayers the family of Pastor Jeff Gallen and Renae as they grieve the loss of Renae’s mother, Aurel Peterson.
Eternal God, your love is stronger than death, and your passion more fierce than the grave. We rejoice in the lives of those whom you have drawn into your eternal embrace. Keep us in joyful communion with them until we join the saints of every people and nation gathered before your throne in your ceaseless praise, through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Read MoreAfter a two-year pause, the ELCA’s Young Adults in Global Mission (YAGM) program is preparing to send volunteers out into the world again! Applications are now open, and you can invite young adults on this journey abroad for the 2022-2023 program year.
Encourage them to apply for YAGM by the deadline of Feb.1, 2022. (Priority deadline is Jan. 15, 2022.) Learn more at ELCA.org/YAGM.
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