Fall Highlights from Women of the ELCA: SALT Appeal, Prayer, Study, and More
Fall Highlights from Women of the ELCA: SALT Appeal, Prayer, Study, and More

Women of the ELCA invites you to live your faith through generosity, prayer, and connection this fall. Your SALT Appeal donation will be doubled through a $50,000 matching gift, and new initiatives like the Campus Ambassador Program and Pray Without Ceasing prayer groups are building vibrant communities of faith. Don’t miss opportunities to join the Boldcafe B.Y.O.D. on October 16, attend the 2025 Thankoffering Service on November 9, and prepare for the 2026 Triennial Gathering in Des Moines. Find links to these stories and more at womenoftheelca.org.

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ELCABrian FlatgardWomen of the ELCA (WELCA)Comment
Celebrating Leadership and Faith: Bishop Curry’s Installation Service Now Online
Celebrating Leadership and Faith: Bishop Curry’s Installation Service Now Online

The video of the installation of Rev. Yehiel Curry as Presiding Bishop of the ELCA—held on October 4, 2025, at Central Lutheran Church in Minneapolis—is now available to watch online. The service celebrates Bishop Curry’s leadership and the ELCA’s shared mission to proclaim Christ in the world. Watch the installation service on YouTube.

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Bishop Curry, ELCABrian FlatgardBishop CurryComment
From Chilstrom to Curry: A Legacy of ELCA Leadership in Transition
From Chilstrom to Curry: A Legacy of ELCA Leadership in Transition

On October 4, Rev. Yehiel Curry was installed as presiding bishop of the ELCA at Central Lutheran Church in Minneapolis—the first Black leader to serve in this role. As we celebrate this historic moment, we look back at the installations of past ELCA presiding bishops available on ELCA’s YouTube and give thanks for the Spirit’s continued guidance of our church.

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ELCA, NewsBrian FlatgardBishop CurryComment
ELCA Denounces Deadly Synagogue Attacks in Manchester, England
ELCA Denounces Deadly Synagogue Attacks in Manchester, England

The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America has issued a statement condemning the deadly attacks at a synagogue in Manchester, England, on Yom Kippur. The ELCA extends condolences to victims and their families and stands in solidarity with Jewish communities worldwide. Reaffirming its 1994 “Declaration to the Jewish Community,” the ELCA denounces anti-Semitism as “a contradiction and an affront to the Gospel” and calls all Christians to act as ambassadors of peace and justice. Read the full ELCA statement at ELCA.org.

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ELCABrian FlatgardJudaism, Ecumenical and Inter-Religious RelationsComment
New Worship Resources for Advent, Christmas, and Beyond
New Worship Resources for Advent, Christmas, and Beyond

Augsburg Fortress highlights new worship materials for fall and winter, including the Together by Grace Bible Conversations webinar (Oct. 15), Humble and Holy Advent devotional, insights on the three-year lectionaries by Gail Ramshaw, and a new Music Sourcebook. These resources support worship leaders and congregations in planning and prayer. See the full list of resources on the ELCA Worship blog.

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Leader Resources, ELCABrian FlatgardELCA WorshipComment
Arizona Nonprofit Security Grant: Up to $100,000 Available—Deadline Oct. 15
Arizona Nonprofit Security Grant: Up to $100,000 Available—Deadline Oct. 15

Arizona’s Nonprofit Security Grant Program (AZ-NSGP) is open for FY2025/2026, providing up to $100,000 total per applicant to fund target hardening and security enhancements for at-risk nonprofits. Eligibility requires meeting FEMA NSGP nonprofit standards plus either (a) no federal award in 2024–2022 or (b) inability to front costs for the federal program. Application deadline: Wed., Oct. 15, 2025, 5:00 p.m. Submit to hs@azdohs.gov. Info & forms: azdohs.gov/az-nsgp. Webinars: Wed., Sept. 17, 1:00 p.m. and Thu., Sept. 18, 1:30 p.m.

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Grand Canyon Synod, Leader Resources, NewsBrian FlatgardGrantsComment
Celebrate Community at Resurrection’s Fall Craft Fair: Oct. 11 in Oro Valley
Celebrate Community at Resurrection’s Fall Craft Fair: Oct. 11 in Oro Valley

Resurrection Lutheran Church hosts its Fall Craft Fair on Saturday, October 11, from 9am–2pm in Oro Valley. With 50+ vendors, food supporting the youth group, Art by Heart, and a diaper drive for local food banks, it’s a joyful day to shop local, support ministry, and share in community. Free admission and parking.

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Grand Canyon SynodBrian FlatgardResurrection Oro Valley, Kino ConferenceComment
Santa Cruz Lutheran Marks 40 Years with Worship, Music, and Community
Santa Cruz Lutheran Marks 40 Years with Worship, Music, and Community

Santa Cruz Lutheran Church in Tucson will celebrate its 40th Anniversary October 11–12, 2025. Saturday includes greetings, lunch, video presentations, history displays, cake, and mariachi music. Sunday’s worship, with Bishop Hutterer preaching, will bless a new youth-created banner and pray for future generations. Join in giving thanks for 40 years of ministry!

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Grand Canyon Synod, NewsBrian FlatgardSanta Cruz Tucson, Kino ConferenceComment
Shurden Lectures Ask: Is Mercy Being Criminalized?
Shurden Lectures Ask: Is Mercy Being Criminalized?

This week’s BJC newsletter highlights advocacy against Texas’s new Bible-infused school curriculum, previews the October 21–23 Shurden Lectures on sanctuary and migrant justice, and covers an upcoming Supreme Court case on religious freedom in prisons. Readers will also meet Rabbi David Segal, BJC’s new Policy Counsel, and find the latest Report from the Capital addressing how threats to religious freedom are becoming reality. Read the full issue for details and ways to engage.

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Grand Canyon SynodBrian FlatgardBJC (Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty), Christian Nationalism, Church and SocietyComment
Pathways Toward a Moral Economy: New Book Series Inspires Action
Pathways Toward a Moral Economy: New Book Series Inspires Action

Dr. Cynthia Moe-Lobeda and others invite readers into a vision of an ecological, equitable, and democratic economy. The Building a Moral Economy series offers tools and inspiration for those seeking to live faithfully in ways that resist exploitative systems and embrace justice, joy, and life-giving relationships. Explore the series and resources here.

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Region 2Brian FlatgardCynthia Moe-Lobeda, Climate Change, Pacific Lutheran Theological SeminaryComment
Greening Your Finances: Aligning Budgets with Faith and Creation Care
Greening Your Finances: Aligning Budgets with Faith and Creation Care

Budget season is a time to reflect not only on pledges to our congregations but also on how our personal finances reflect our faith and values. From reducing household costs to choosing greener financial institutions, each decision shapes how we steward God’s creation. Explore practical steps to “green” your money and align it with your commitment to creation care. Read the full article at Blessed Tomorrow.

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Grand Canyon SynodBrian FlatgardBlessed Tomorrow, ecoAmerica, Climate ChangeComment
Celebrate Community at Resurrection’s Fall Craft Fair: Oct. 11 in Oro Valley
Celebrate Community at Resurrection’s Fall Craft Fair: Oct. 11 in Oro Valley

Resurrection Lutheran Church hosts its Fall Craft Fair on Saturday, October 11, from 9am–2pm in Oro Valley. With 50+ vendors, food supporting the youth group, Art by Heart, and a diaper drive for local food banks, it’s a joyful day to shop local, support ministry, and share in community. Free admission and parking.

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Grand Canyon SynodBrian FlatgardResurrection Oro Valley, Kino ConferenceComment
Faith Lens: The Faith to Do What Needs to be Done
Faith Lens: The Faith to Do What Needs to be Done

This week’s Faith Lens reminds us that even the smallest measure of faith is enough for the work God calls us to do. In Luke 17, Jesus uses exaggerated, even humorous, images—uprooting trees, masters serving servants—to teach that faith is already present within us and sufficient for the tasks ahead. Habakkuk, Paul, and Jesus all echo the same truth: though the work of discipleship can be difficult and even seem impossible, God equips us with the gift of faith to endure, serve, and trust in God’s promises.

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ELCA, Leader ResourcesBrian FlatgardFaith LensComment