Facing Hate with Courage: Arizona Faith Leaders Speak Out
Facing Hate with Courage: Arizona Faith Leaders Speak Out

Antisemitic and hate incidents are on the rise across Arizona and the nation. In an interview with KJZZ’s The Show, Rev. Katie Sexton of the Arizona Faith Network and Rabbi Andy Green of Congregation Or Tzion discuss how faith communities are responding. From defining hate and confronting conspiracy theories to organizing rapid response networks and naming hope in struggle, this candid conversation highlights both the danger of rising intolerance and the strength found in shared action. Click here to read the full article and listen to the interview.

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Grand Canyon Synod, NewsBrian FlatgardArizona Faith Network, Ecumenical and Inter-Religious Relations, Lutheran Advocacy Ministry Arizona (LAMA)Comment
“Here I Pod” Amplifies Voices on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women
“Here I Pod” Amplifies Voices on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women

The latest Here I Pod episode from ELCA Advocacy addresses the crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW), featuring a powerful conversation with ELCA Indigenous Ministries leaders. Vance Blackfox, Justice Nichols, and Brenda Blackhawk reflect on the church’s call to justice, truth, and healing. Timed with MMIW Awareness Day on May 5, this episode explores the intersections of advocacy, climate justice, media representation, and the ELCA’s ongoing Truth & Healing Movement. Click here to listen or learn more.

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ELCA, Grand Canyon Synod, NewsBrian FlatgardAmerican Indian and Alaska Native, Here I Pod, ELCA AdvocacyComment
From Cooling Stations to Climate Justice: How You Can Help This Season
From Cooling Stations to Climate Justice: How You Can Help This Season

Triple-digit temperatures have returned—and Arizona Faith Network is leading the charge to protect our most vulnerable neighbors through cooling stations, interfaith bag-packing events, and summer service opportunities. Learn how you can help, register for upcoming Zoom events, and explore opportunities to live out your faith in action this season. Read the full AFN newsletter here.

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Grand Canyon Synod, NewsBrian FlatgardArizona Faith Network, Ecumenical and Inter-Religious RelationsComment
Join ELCA Leaders in Minneapolis for a Liturgical Deep Dive
Join ELCA Leaders in Minneapolis for a Liturgical Deep Dive

Join Lutheran pastors, deacons, musicians, and scholars August 13–15 in Minneapolis for the inaugural Seminar on Lutheran Liturgy. Centered on the theme “Let It Be With Me According To Your Word: From Praying to Knowing to Doing,” the event features top liturgical voices and musicians across the ELCA. Registration is now open at www.seminarliturgy.org.

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Grand Canyon Synod, Leadership Resources, NewsBrian FlatgardComment
Rev. Dan Potaznick, Director of Generosity & Strategic Development, Annual Report: 2025
Rev. Dan Potaznick, Director of Generosity & Strategic Development, Annual Report: 2025

The Grand Canyon Synod’s FY 2024-2025 Annual Report highlights a year of remarkable generosity and strategic development. The Mission and Ministry Fund grew nearly 8%, enabling us to double the number of ministries we support—from 8 to 16—particularly in underserved communities. From congregational triumphs like Crossroads’ debt-free Easter to the creation of two new endowments and a new donor CRM system launching this summer, this year’s progress reflects a Spirit-led commitment to stewardship, sustainability, and expanding Christ’s mission across Arizona, Nevada, Utah, and the Navajo Nation.

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Grand Canyon Synod, NewsBrian Flatgard2025 Assembly Stories, Office of the BishopComment
Faith Lens: Flourishing Together
Faith Lens: Flourishing Together

What does it mean to truly flourish? A global study from Baylor University finds that regular participation in a faith community—not wealth or age—is a key factor in living a good life. Scripture agrees. In John 14, Jesus promises we are never alone, and the Spirit remains with us so we may live abundantly. This week’s Faith Lens explores how our call to community and presence—both divine and human—helps us flourish together, not apart.

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Worship Resources, ELCA, ResourcesBrian FlatgardFaith Lens, Youth and Young AdultComment
May 2025 Mission Support Memo: God With Us
May 2025 Mission Support Memo: God With Us

The May 2025 Mission Support Memo from ELCA is all about the resiliency of a small-town ministry. Immanuel Lutheran Church, in rural central Texas, faced a variety of challenges, a vacancy in pastoral leadership and the ongoing impact of the pandemic. Yet, they saw opportunity when they called Katie Rode under a special program that allowed her to serve part-time while attending seminary full-time.

Explore the memo to find out how you can participate in the September Stewardship Kaleidoscope Conference in New Orleans and learn about the 2024 Mission Support outcomes.

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ELCA, NewsBrian FlatgardStewardship, Mission Support, ELCA Mission Support TeamComment
From Lawn to Life: How Native Plants Can Heal Creation
From Lawn to Life: How Native Plants Can Heal Creation

Two things are essential for a blessed tomorrow: cutting emissions and restoring biodiversity. This spring and summer, congregations are invited to be part of healing creation—starting by shrinking the lawn and planting native. Native plants support pollinators, conserve water, sequester carbon, and tell the story of where we live. Whether planting a pot on a balcony or transforming church grounds, every step counts. Click here to read the full article on the Blessed Tomorrow blog.

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Grand Canyon Synod, NewsBrian FlatgardClimate Change, Blessed TomorrowComment
Breaking Barriers: Australian and New Zealand Lutherans Welcome Women to the Pulpit
Breaking Barriers: Australian and New Zealand Lutherans Welcome Women to the Pulpit

The Lutheran Church in Australia and New Zealand (LCANZ) has ordained women as pastors for the first time, following a landmark decision last fall to allow the ordination of women. Maria Rudolph and Sue Westhorp were ordained this spring to serve congregations in Perth and Box Hill, respectively. This historic move affirms the LCANZ’s commitment to recognizing the gifts of all whom God calls, regardless of gender, and aligns with broader movements within the Lutheran World Federation. Click here to read the full article on Living Lutheran.

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ELCA, Global Church, NewsBrian FlatgardLiving LutheranComment
What’s New in Church Administration? Read the May Issue of Administration Matters
What’s New in Church Administration? Read the May Issue of Administration Matters

The May 2025 issue of Administration Matters is now live. Find key updates on online Bible studies for the 2025 Churchwide Assembly, mental health resources for leaders, health benefit changes coming in 2026, and practical financial and safety tools for congregations. Don’t miss this valuable resource for leaders across the Grand Canyon Synod. Read the full issue.

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ELCA, Leadership Resources, NewsBrian FlatgardAdministration MattersComment
Bishop Shelley Bryan Wee Reelected in Northwest Washington Synod
Bishop Shelley Bryan Wee Reelected in Northwest Washington Synod

The Rev. Shelley Bryan Wee has been reelected to serve a second six-year term as bishop of the ELCA’s Northwest Washington Synod. The vote took place May 16 during the synod assembly in Everett, Washington, with Bishop Wee receiving 215 votes on the second ballot. She has served as bishop since 2019 and brings decades of pastoral and leadership experience within the ELCA. To read the full article at elca.org, click here.

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ELCA, NewsBrian FlatgardComment
Ordination celebrations: May 23-29, 2025
Ordination celebrations: May 23-29, 2025

This week we celebrate the ordination anniversaries of:

  • Rev. Wallace Klandrud, who celebrates 70 years on May 23.

  • Rev. Richard Jessen, who celebrates 62 years on May 24.

  • Rev. Ronald Koplitz, who celebrates 56 years on May 25.

  • Rev. David Swanson, who celebrates 61 years on May 26.

  • Rev. Jon Clutz, who celebrates 61 years on May 27.

  • The Rev. Donald Bebber, St. Raphael, Benson, who celebrates 2 years on May 27.

  • Rev. Benjamin Bergren, Community, Las Vegas, who celebrates 27 years on May 28.

  • Rev. Nicholas Mays, who celebrates 59 years on May 29.

  • Rev. Norene Smith, who celebrates 42 years on May 29.

  • Rev. Leroy Rehrer, who celebrates 48 years on May 29.

  • Rev. Ronald Glusenkamp, who celebrates 44 years on May 29.

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Grand Canyon Synod, News, SpotlightBrian FlatgardOrdination AnniversariesComment
Voices for Justice and Creation: May Updates from Lutherans Restoring Creation
Voices for Justice and Creation: May Updates from Lutherans Restoring Creation

Learn how Lutheran leaders are addressing the crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women in a free May 27 webinar, and explore new creation care resources from Lutherans Restoring Creation. Share your voice in a churchwide ELCA survey, mark your calendar for upcoming climate-focused calls, and join a June 4 conversation on federal policy and the environment. Read the full newsletter now for links and details. Read the full update.

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Grand Canyon Synod, NewsBrian FlatgardClimate Change, Lutherans Restoring CreationComment
A Message from Bishop Eaton for the Fifth Anniversary of George Floyd’s Murder
A Message from Bishop Eaton for the Fifth Anniversary of George Floyd’s Murder

May 25, 2025 marks the fifth anniversary of the murder of George Floyd. In her message to the church honoring George Floyd, ELCA Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton calls our attention to how this “horrific act revealed the deadly reality of racism in the United States for many across the world.” Eaton stresses that “racism is one of many tools of white supremacy and a sin that distorts God’s image in all of us, and it stands against the Gospel we proclaim.”

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Bishop Eaton, ELCA, NewsBrian FlatgardRacial Justice, Bishop Eaton LettersComment
Free Webinar: Faith Communities Responding to the Addiction Crisis – May 28
Free Webinar: Faith Communities Responding to the Addiction Crisis – May 28

Join the Center of Addiction & Faith on May 28 from 10–11 a.m. (AZ/NV) for “Breaking Chains, Building Hope,” a free webinar with Jeff Horowitz, CEO of SAFE Project, on how faith communities can respond to America’s addiction crisis. Learn practical strategies to support those struggling with addiction and move beyond judgment to life-saving compassion. Register now.

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Grand Canyon Synod, NewsBrian FlatgardAddiction, The Center of Addiction & FaithComment
Churchwide Assembly 2025: Congregation Observers Invited to Participate
Churchwide Assembly 2025: Congregation Observers Invited to Participate

Each ELCA congregation is invited to register one observer for the 2025 Churchwide Assembly in Phoenix. Observers receive access to all assembly materials and reserved seating but do not vote. Registration is $125 and closes May 31. Learn more about lodging, travel, and how to be part of this unique gathering of our wider church.

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ELCA, News, Grand Canyon SynodBrian Flatgard2025 Churchwide AssemblyComment