This week’s Arizona Faith Network newsletter includes updates on the new Safe Communities Coalition, upcoming interfaith events, and ways to serve amid extreme heat. RSVP for AFN commissions, book groups, and meditation sessions. Find opportunities for service and justice—including heat relief canvassing, interfaith internships, and a contemplative retreat. Read the full newsletter and subscribe at arizonafaithnetwork.org/newsletter.
Read MoreRegistration is now open for the Women of the ELCA 2026 Triennial Gathering, held July 16–19 in Des Moines, Iowa. With the theme “I Am Worthy,” this powerful event brings Lutheran women together for worship, learning, and connection. Reserve your spot today!
Read MoreLutheran Summer Music (LSM) will return to St. Olaf College in 2026, the site of its inaugural season in 1982. The move marks a homecoming and a fresh chapter for LSM as it partners with the Association of Lutheran Church Musicians (ALCM) for a vibrant summer of sacred music and intergenerational learning. This follows a successful eight-year residency at Valparaiso University.
Read MoreIn response to a tragic act of political violence in Minnesota, Lutheran Advocacy Ministry–Minnesota (LA-MN) offers tools and hope to address the root causes of division. From the Graceful Conversations workshop to emerging resources on media literacy and Christian nationalism, this spotlight highlights how faithful advocacy, grounded in Lutheran theology, can help rebuild community and resist extremism. Click here to read the full article from ELCA Advocacy.
Read MoreKeith Christensen, principal gifts officer at Mayo Clinic and member of St. Peter Lutheran Church in Greene, Iowa, shares how his Lutheran faith shapes his calling in development and stewardship. With a legacy rooted in ELCA colleges, lifelong church involvement, and a commitment to generous leadership, Christensen reflects on listening, asking, and living out God’s call with humility and purpose. Click here to read the full story in Living Lutheran: I’m a Lutheran: Keith Christensen.
Read MoreIn A Liberation Theology of the Brain, Carmelo Santos-Rolón—ELCA theologian and former neuroscience instructor—invites us into a powerful dialogue between science and theology. Drawing on neuroscience and liberation theology, he explores how systems of oppression are encoded in our emotions and behaviors, and how the word of God can liberate us, body and mind. His insights point to a church that not only proclaims healing but practices it through dialogue, community, and transformation. Click here to read the full interview in Living Lutheran: Neuroscience and decolonial theology.
Read MoreToday we celebrate the ordination anniversaries of:
Rev. Sharon Brown, who celebrates 12 years on August 2.
Rev. Thomas McFarland, who celebrates 39 years on August 3.
Rev. Janet Richardson, who celebrates 36 years on August 6.
Rev. Richard Peterson, who celebrates 32 years on August 8.
Rev. John Hoelter, who celebrates 58 years on August 9.
Rev. Wyatt Linde, Resurrection, Oro Valley, who celebrates 2 years on August 9.
Rev. Joseph Dillon, who celebrates 49 years on August 10.
Rev. Paul Campbell, who celebrates 46 years on August 12.
Shauna Hannan has been named president of the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago (LSTC), effective July 1. With a background in pastoral ministry, homiletics, and theological education, Hannan brings deep experience and a bold vision for equipping leaders in a changing church and world. She describes LSTC’s commitment to justice, peace, and care for creation as “more vital now than ever.”
Hannan looks forward to building on the seminary’s legacy alongside LSTC’s community to ensure long-term sustainability and joyful service to God’s beloved world. Click here to read the full article on Living Lutheran.
Read MoreAll Saints Lutheran Church in Phoenix is hiring a part-time Administrative Assistant (21–24 hrs/week) to support its ministry by welcoming visitors, coordinating volunteers, and managing office tasks. Applications and job descriptions are available online or through the church office. Visit allsaintsphoenix.org/job-openings or contact Courtney Krueger at 602-866-9191.
Read MoreSpirit in the Desert shares campus updates, fall retreat previews, and spiritual resources in their August 2025 newsletter. From facility improvements and heartfelt summer reflections to new retreats and ongoing prayer offerings, Spirit invites you to rest, reflect, and reconnect. Read the full newsletter here: Spirit August 2025 Newsletter.
Read MoreJoin us Sept. 29–Oct. 1 at the Franciscan Renewal Center for the 2025 Bishop’s Fall Gathering: Life Together—Lament, Love, and Christian Hope in a Time Such as This. Rostered ministers and SAMs will reflect on Bonhoeffer’s Life Together alongside biblical texts with Wartburg Seminary guests Rev. Dr. Kristin Johnston Largen and Rev. Dr. S. Helen Chukka. Meals and lodging included; commuter options available. Registration deadline is Friday, Sept. 5.
Read MoreJoin the Spirited Book Club this August as we read Refugia Faith by Debra Rienstra, a profound exploration of Christian spirituality in a climate-altered world. We’ll meet online Thursdays, August 14 and 28, from 12:00–1:00 pm AZ time, with discussion led by Sheri Brown. Come discover how faith can help create hidden shelters of healing and hope—for the earth, for the church, and for each other.
Read MoreJoin the August 21 workshop Creating a Dementia-Friendly Congregation, led by Dr. Kristin Mauk and sponsored by the Lutheran Faith Community Nurse Association. Open to nurses and non-nurses, this online event equips participants with evidence-based tools and Christ-centered strategies to better support people living with dementia and their families. Registration is $30–$50 and includes 2.0 nursing contact hours. Register at lutheranfcna.org/event-6168932.
Read MoreFeeling like your church doesn’t have enough? Join a free webinar on Thursday, Aug. 14 at 6 p.m. Central (4 p.m. AZ)to discover the hidden resources your congregation already holds. Learn from the Kaleidoscope Institute how currencies of relationship, truth, and more can help us move from a mindset of scarcity to one of abundance. No registration required—just click to join.
Read MoreMajor changes are coming to all ELCA-Primary Health Plan options in 2026. Rostered ministers, lay staff, and congregational leaders are invited to two live Zoom sessions on Wednesday, August 27 to learn about the updates and how to prepare for Annual Enrollment. Sessions are not recorded, so advance registration is required. Times and registration links are included.
Read MoreJazz with a purpose! Join Mount of Olives Lutheran Church in Phoenix on Sunday, August 10 at 5:30 PM for Jazz Vespers featuring Beth Lederman and Kimberly Weston. This free concert supports the Olive Branch Food Pantry, which feeds over 150 families weekly. Refreshments follow, and the series continues September 14—guest artist to be announced.
Read MoreSolomon Kuch will be ordained and installed at Emmanuel Sudanese Lutheran Church (7205 N 51st Ave., Glendale, AZ 85301) on Sunday, August 24, 2025 at 1 pm. Bishop Deborah Hutterer will preach and preside. Rostered ministers are invited to process. The color of the day is red.
The service will be live-streamed on the Emannuel Sudanese Facebook page.
Read MoreDeacon Emma Janzen will be installed Sunday, 8/10/2025, 10:45 AM, at Resurrection Lutheran Church, (11575 N 1st Ave., Oro Valley, AZ 85737, livestream here), with Pastor Jacqui Pagel preaching and presiding.
Rostered ministers and candidates for rostered ministry are invited to process and wear their albs. Color of the day is green.
Read MoreNew fall programming from Thriving Leadership Formation invites you into deeper connection and growth—with free and low-cost online offerings for church leaders, ministry teams, and spiritual seekers. From weekly Lectio Divina and monthly spiritual practice gatherings to a new Enneagram panel series and team-building workshops, there’s something for everyone this season. Read the full newsletter →
Read MoreThe Rev. Dr. Colleen Windham-Hughes, a featured guest at our 2024 Synod Assembly, has been named Rector of Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary. A respected leader in Lutheran higher education and longtime faculty member at California Lutheran University, Dr. Windham-Hughes brings deep theological insight and visionary leadership to this new role. Join us in celebrating and supporting her as she helps shape the next generation of leaders in the ELCA.
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