The science of taste is fascinating, perhaps because food is a universal part of our daily lives. We eat to live and, for many of us, sharing a meal with others brings a whole new sense of joy to our daily lives. Food tells stories and we use the flavors of food to experience it in all sorts of different ways.
Read More12/1/2022 update: We learned there was a problem with form functionality, and now provide new statements of intent from Churchwide for your use. (view as PDF in English or Spanish)
Please share your congregation’s plan for 2023 Mission Support by February 15, 2023 so the Synod Council can plan for the coming year. Thank you!
In this post, we share a letter (English, Spanish) from Bishop Hutterer and Synod Vice President Barbara Carl, thanking you and our synod’s congregations for continued mission support, half of which is passed to ELCA churchwide for ministry in the larger church.
Read MoreWe pray for interim pastor Rev. Philip Gustafson and the people of Grace Lutheran Church in Phoenix, part of the Capital Conference. Visit their site at graceinthecity.com, and their social media pages on Facebook. and Youtube.
Read MoreIn order to serve more people experiencing homelessness, Lutheran Social Services of the Southwest is pleased to announce that the Interfaith Homeless Emergency Lodging Program (I-HELP) will be launching in Phoenix in January, 2023.
To support this program as an individual or have your ministry sign up as a host site, view more info here or send an email to Angel George, Community Engagement Supervisor.
Read MoreI was telling my granddaughter the other day that a good portion of artistic skill lies in how you see things. I have an artistic eye, but because of my tremor, I don't do much with it anymore. However, it got me thinking there are other things that are so much in how we see things, like generosity.
Read MoreThe churchwide office entered into an agreement with Bravura Technologies for a customized event app that could incorporating the PDF navigation and annotation capabilities of the Foxit PDF editor. That agreement includes the option for synods and ELCA-related organizations to build an event app using Bravura’s platform for $550/event. For more information about the Bravura offering, view this Bravura flyer as PDF.
Read MoreThe churchwide office has negotiated a new 3-year agreement with Guidebook.com to offer their mobile event app building platform with a couple changes. Last year Guidebook raised their prices across the board for the first time in close to a decade. For more information, view this Guidebook flyer in PDF or view this post. A Wednesday, February 1, 2023 webinar is also available.
Read MoreWorried about your congregation today? Wondering what the future holds? You are not alone.
People throughout the church are experiencing doubts, fears, and uneasiness about the future. Bishop Hutterer would like to talk with you about the worries and wonders you are experiencing. If you are invested in our Church’s future, join the conversation at one of our upcoming 2023 spring gatherings.
Click here to register for one of the following spring conferences so our host congregations can plan for this event.
Read MoreAs the nation watches another video exposing police violence against a Black man after a traffic stop, there will be great suffering and despair emerging from across the United States. In just over a week we have witnessed mass gun violence in California – twice – and the shooting of a protester at a future police training site in Atlanta. Each of these tragedies inspires grief, not only for the lives lost and forever altered but also for our loss of confidence in a system that continues to fail us, over and over.
Read MoreHow are we as Lutheran Christians called to civic engagement, including in the arenas of government and political life? What is the proper relationship of the church with government, and what is not?
The ELCA invites you and your congregation to explore these questions and more by using "A Study Curriculum on Civic Life and Faith."
Read MoreIn an effort to reduce paper usage for weekly worship bulletin production, Faith Lutheran in Phoenix, AZ is seeking unwanted Evangelical Lutheran Worship hymnals (the cranberry hymnal) from other congregations of the Grand Canyon Synod.
Read MoreThe January, 2022, bimonthly e-newsletter for ELCA congregational and synodical leaders is here, featuring: Stories of Faith in Action; New year checklist for Portico financial and health benefits; Risk control technologies; and IRS issues standard mileage rate for 2023.
Read MoreJoin us for a four-day training experience for pastors and church leaders that offers practical learning, Sabbath rest, and support.
Leading Well is a retreat for church leaders, Tuesday, February 7 – Friday, February 10, 2023 at Spirit in the Desert Retreat Center. Register here.
Read MoreReflect, rest and renew, and connect with God, self and one another in this spiritual wholeness retreat focusing on the multi-dimensional elements of wellness. Friday-Wednesday, Feb. 10-15, 2023. Learn more & register.
We are called to live as whole and holy people of God. As a participant in this six-day, five-night Desert Sojourn Retreat, you will gather in community, and grow in your journey toward wholeness.
Read MoreYou’re invited to join Beautiful Savior as they celebrate their 45th Anniversary! Celebrate the past, embrace the present, engage in the future. Sunday, February 5th, 2023, 9am at Beautiful Savior Lutheran Church and Academy, 7570 N. Thornydale Rd. Tucson AZ 85741.
We will begin at 9:00 a.m. with one service followed by a catered brunch and program/fellowship. Please RSVP by emailing or calling the office by January 22, with your contact info and number in your party: 520-744-2665 or office@beautifulsavior.net.
Read MoreJoin Association of Lutheran Church Musicians (ALCM) at Ascension Lutheran in Paradise Valley, Arizona on February 4, 2023, 9am – 3::30pm for a workshop exploring music from a variety of cultures. Register on the ALCM website.
Using current worship resources, we will discuss cultural practices, theological ideas embedded in poetry and songs, and performance practice as we learn and sing church music from around the world. The day will include worship, presentations, communal singing, and discussion.
Read MoreService, intentional community, simplicity, spirituality: if these values are important to you, consider joining the Urban Servant Corps community in Denver, CO. a ministry of the Rocky Mountain Synod of the ELCA. Learn more at urbanservantcorps.org.
Read MoreThe Office of the Bishop travels to Tucson as part of Synod on the Move, preaching at various churches and attending the Kino Conference Spring Gathering, Jan 28, 2023, 1:00 PM – 3:30 PM. On Monday, we go to 2023 Lutheran Day at the Legislature, Jan 30, 2023, 9:30 AM – 11:30 AM.
Read MoreThis week we celebrate the following ordination anniversaries:
Deacon Carol Arnold, who celebrates 41 years on January 27.
Rev. Janice Von Rappard, who celebrates 18 years on January 30.
Rev. Paul Nordeen, who celebrates 46 years on January 30.
Rev. Jose Valenzuela, Community of Grace, Peoria, who celebrates 14 years on January 31.
