Your ministry matters! Help us share the good news of faith in action across the Grand Canyon Synod. Whether your congregation is hosting an event, looking for volunteers, or seeking to fill a ministry position, we want to hear from you. Submitting is easy—just visit gcsynod.org/share to send us your updates. Let’s strengthen our synod by sharing the ways God is working in our communities!
Read MoreFaith+Lead’s Coaching for Spirit-Led Leadership course begins January 26, 2026, guiding pastors, deacons, and lay leaders to lead with trust, curiosity, and collaboration. This nine-week online cohort, taught by the Rev. Dr. Dawn Alitz, helps participants listen deeply, ask powerful questions, and empower others to discern their callings. Cost is $375 with scholarships available. Enroll now →
Read MoreThe Office of the Bishop will be closed Monday, January 19, 2026, in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. We give thanks for Dr. King’s witness and pray for courage to continue the work of justice and reconciliation.
Read MoreThe Office of the Bishop settles into the new year with regular news postings, office management, visiting congregations, and financial oversight.
Read MoreJoin Spirit in the Desert’s Spirited Book Club on Thursday, January 15, 2026, from 3:00–4:00 pm AZ (2:00 pm PST) for a conversation with author Peter Faur about his new novel, The Heretic Hunters: A Parable for Our Time. The book traces a denomination in crisis as authoritarianism, doctrinal purity campaigns, and personal courage collide—raising timely questions about faith, integrity, and the endurance of love.
The discussion will be facilitated by Sheri Brown, and registration is open. Learn more about the book, read early reviews, and sign up to join the conversation here: Read more & register →
Read MoreMany congregations are facing rising costs, leadership shortages, and increasing pressures—but the gospel continues to call us forward together. Join the Grand Canyon Synod for “Possibilities in Partnership,” a synod-wide Zoom conversation on January 15, 2026, at 6:00 pm MST, 5:00 PM PST, exploring new ways congregations can collaborate and share ministry.
Led by Rev. David Pavesic, this gathering invites rostered ministers and lay leaders into reflection, conversation, and discernment around what it means to be church together in this season. Advance registration is required.
Read MoreJoin Luther Seminary and Faith+Lead for the 2026 Rutlen Lecture on Tuesday, January 13, 2026, featuring Old Testament scholar Dr. William P. Brown. This year’s theme, Be-Wilded by Wonder: Just Creation in the Book of Job, explores how reading Job “from the end” reshapes our understanding of God, justice, and creation—especially in a time of climate crisis. Attend online or in person (with dinner included) and engage with a powerful exploration of Scripture, awe, and creation care. Register at faithlead.org/live-learning/rutlen26.
Read MoreJanuary is Financial Wellness Month. Explore Fidelity’s practical financial tips and schedule a free appointment with a credentialed Portico Financial Planner who understands ELCA benefits. Appointments are available online or by phone at no cost to you.
Read MoreStarting January 1, 2026, ELCA-Primary members will have access to expanded EAP services through Spring Health. Therapy and coaching are available for members and dependents, with flexible options including in-person, phone, video, and text-based care. Learn more through myPortico or the 98point6 app.
Read MoreELCA-Primary Health members should have received a new 2026 Portico health ID card, now including a Group ID number. If you received two sets, use the second and destroy the first. Questions? Quantum Health Care Coordinators are available by phone or online, and the Quantum Health app allows digital access to your card.
Read MoreIn response to the ongoing and complex challenges facing Venezuela, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America has shared a prayer calling on God’s mercy, justice, and peace. The prayer lifts up the people of Venezuela, especially the most vulnerable, and asks for wisdom and restraint among leaders, courage and perseverance for the Lutheran church in Venezuela, and hope rooted in God’s steadfast love revealed in Jesus Christ.
We invite you to pause, pray, and reflect with the wider church. Read the full prayer and join in this moment of global accompaniment.
Read MoreAs Arizona’s 2026 legislative session approaches, Lutheran Advocacy Ministry Arizona is equipping congregations and leaders with tools, training, and opportunities for faithful public witness. From RTS training and hunger advocacy calls to Lutheran Day at the Legislature on February 23, this month’s LAMA newsletter outlines how Arizona Lutherans can engage policy with faith, clarity, and purpose. Read the full LAMA Newsletter and upcoming advocacy opportunities.
Read MoreThis week we celebrate the ordination anniversaries of:
Rev. Stephen Springer, Dove of Peace, Tucson, who celebrates 29 years on January 12.
Rev. Annemarie Burke, Noble Hospice, Mesa, who celebrates 20 years on January 15.
Rev. Lourdes Olson, New Song, Henderson, who celebrates 4 years on January 15.
January is Human Trafficking Awareness Month, and congregations are invited to join a focused season of prayer, worship, and advocacy to help #EndHumanTrafficking. Women of the ELCA offers daily prayers, trauma-informed worship resources, and a church leader toolkit—available in English and Spanish—to support this work, especially during the four weeks leading up to the Super Bowl.
These resources equip congregations to respond faithfully through education, prayer, and action. Learn more, download materials, and find support resources at womenoftheelca.org, or contact the National Human Trafficking Resource Center at 1-888-373-7888.
Read MorePacific Lutheran Theological Seminary (PLTS) is offering a new Racial Justice and Faith Certificate Program in 2026, featuring 6-week, online, asynchronous courses open to clergy and lay leaders alike. The first course, Womanism and Social Justice, begins February 9, with enrollment requested by January 25.
Courses cost $250, with discounts for PLTS alumni and congregational groups, and four completed courses lead to a certificate. Designed to connect faith with action, this program supports participants in confronting racial injustice and dismantling white supremacy through liberative theological reflection and practice.
Read MoreCaring for creation is not a solo endeavor—it is communal, faithful, and deeply Lutheran in its grounding. In this reflection from Blessed Tomorrow, Rev. Carol Devine lifts up Green Teams as a vital way congregations live out their relationship with God, one another, and the earth. When creation care is woven into congregational life through a team or committee, communities often find renewed purpose, deeper faith, and shared energy for meaningful action.
As the new year begins, this is an ideal moment to start—or refresh—a Green Team in your congregation. The article offers practical guidance on building inclusive teams, grounding the work theologically, starting with achievable goals, celebrating progress, and leading visibly in the wider community. It also highlights how Green Teams can partner beyond congregational walls for greater impact and points readers to free trainings, resources, and upcoming opportunities. Read the full reflection and explore the resources.
Read MoreBeautiful Savior Lutheran Church in Tucson is seeking a skilled Music Accompanist to play piano or keyboard for Sunday worship and seasonal services, and to support choir rehearsals. This 12–15 hour/week position collaborates closely with the Music Director and Pastor and plays a key role in Lutheran worship life. Musicians with strong keyboard skills and a heart for worship are encouraged to inquire.
Read MoreMount of Olives Lutheran Church kicks off the new year with Jazz Vespers on Sunday, January 11. at 5:30 p.m., featuring Beth Lederman with Todd Herzog and a reception to follow. After raising over $10,000 in 2025 and supplying more than 8,000 family units with food, the Music for Food ministry continues to unite worship, music, and service to neighbors in need.
Read MoreChristians from across Arizona are invited to gather for the 2026 Statewide Week of Prayer for Christian Unity on Thursday, January 22, at 6:30 PM at Historic Tanner Chapel AME Church in Phoenix. Hosted by The Rev’d Dr. Benjamin N. Thomas, Sr. and the Tanner Chapel congregation, this ecumenical service is part of a global observance prayed by churches worldwide.
Using worship materials prepared by the Armenian Apostolic Church, the service offers a powerful opportunity to pray for Christian unity, deepen relationships across traditions, and witness together to Christ’s reconciling love. All are welcome.
Read MoreThe Grand Canyon Synod will gather for the 2026 Synod Assembly from June 11–13 at Love of Christ Lutheran Church in Mesa under the theme Rooted in God’s Story. Congregations are encouraged to begin identifying their voting members now, especially as annual meetings approach. Our churchwide representative will be Rev. Tim Brown, Director for Congregational Stewardship. Additional details and registration information will be shared in early 2026.
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