In this latest Pivot podcast, Beth Felker Jones explores why Protestant faith still matters in a moment when many are converting to Catholicism, embracing Orthodoxy, or deconstructing entirely.
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The 2026 Lutheran Summer Music Academy & Festival is now accepting applications for students in grades 8–12. Hosted at St. Olaf College, LSM offers young musicians a formative experience of musical growth, performance, and worship in a supportive Lutheran community.
The Standard Enrollment deadline is March 1, and spaces are filling quickly. Nominate a student at LSMacademy.org/nominate or encourage them to submit a free application at LSMacademy.org/apply.
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The January ELEA newsletter is full of resources to help Lutheran educators start the year strong. Highlights include the Lutheran Schools Week 2026 “BRAVE” toolkit, grounded in John 13:34–35; a call for workshop proposals for the 2026 Biennial Conference in Los Angeles (due January 16); member-only Community conversations; and timely employment law updates through Zywave.
The issue also features a School Spotlight on Peace Lutheran Preschool, upcoming events, and reminders about ELEA membership benefits. Read the full newsletter for links, tools, and opportunities to connect with educators across the church.
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In this Voices of Faith reflection, Bishop emeritus Abraham D. Allende recalls gathering in Washington, D.C., on the 50th anniversary of the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr., and challenges the church to move beyond honoring his memory to living out his dream. Drawing on Scripture, poetry, and King’s deep grounding in the gospel, Allende reminds us that King’s vision was never only political—it was profoundly Christian, rooted in love of neighbor, repentance, and transformation.
As Lutherans, our baptismal covenant calls us to defend the dignity of every human being, resist discrimination, and work for justice and peace. This timely reflection invites us to examine how God’s love can shape our common life and witness today. Read more in Living Lutheran.
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Beginning January 1, 2026, ELCA-Primary members in the Grand Canyon Synod have access to expanded mental health and wellness services through Spring Health. These EAP benefits include therapy, coaching, and flexible care options that support the whole person—mind, body, and spirit.
One of the synod’s Spiritual Directors, David Bullock, is now available as a Spring Health coach while continuing to offer free monthly spiritual direction. Rostered ministers are also invited to explore the synod’s full list of spiritual directors as trusted companions for discernment, renewal, and faithful ministry.
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A recording and resources from Possibilities in Partnership, a synod-wide Zoom conversation held January 15, 2026, are now available. Led by Rev. David Pavesic, the gathering invited congregations to imagine new ways of sharing ministry, leadership, and resources in a challenging season.
This post includes the full video recording, downloadable slides, an image slideshow, and a link to the ELCA’s new Church Property Resource Hub. It also outlines upcoming opportunities for deeper discernment, including future online sessions and a potential in-person event this fall.
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Lord of Life Lutheran Church in Sun City West, Arizona, is offering free hymnals and service books for local pickup. Available resources include 72 Gather hymnals, 24 Worship & Praise hymnals, and four well-used Service Book and Hymnal volumes. Congregations or ministries in need of worship materials are encouraged to take advantage of this shared resource.
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Pastor Robert S. Jones retired from pastoral ministry on Sunday, January 4, 2026, concluding a faithful season of service at Santa Cruz Lutheran Church in Tucson and beyond. Retirement Rites were celebrated during worship, followed by a joyful congregational potluck.
We give thanks for Pastor Jones’ years of ministry in Arizona and abroad and lift him in prayer as he begins a new season of rest, renewal, and adventure.
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Arizona Faith Network’s latest newsletter highlights opportunities for prayer, advocacy, and interfaith connection across Arizona—from the Statewide Week of Prayer for Christian Unity on January 22 in Phoenix, to Environmental Day at the Capitol on February 11, along with ongoing meditation, youth interfaith events, justice vigils, and spiritual retreats.
Get dates, locations, RSVP links, and the full calendar by reading the complete AFN newsletter at arizonafaithnetwork.org/newsletter.
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For an end to war, conflict, and uncertainty especially in Gaza, South Sudan, Ukraine, Iran, and Venezuela…
For peace and resolution in Minneapolis, and for safety for all residents…
For safety, dignity, and justice for immigrants, refugees, and asylum seekers…
For deescalation of tensions surrounding Greenland and international relations…
For victims of train crashes in Spain…
For those facing winter storms and extreme cold across the United States…
For newly-installed Bishop Imam Haddad and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land…
For Christian communities in Palestine and especially for schools…
For renewed unity in Christ among churches and denominations around the world…
Synod staff remain actively engaged in congregational life, campus ministry, evangelism, generosity, administration, and financial stewardship. This week includes preaching and greetings across the synod, Synod Assembly planning, grant administration, and preparation for upcoming council and staff meetings.
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In this week’s Faith Lens reflection for January 25, 2026, repentance is reframed not as shame or judgment, but as an invitation into God’s unfolding reign of justice, healing, and community. As Jesus begins his ministry in Galilee, Matthew presents repentance as a turning toward hope—especially for those living under despair, exclusion, or injustice.
Drawing on Isaiah and Matthew’s Gospel, the reflection invites readers to consider who hears this good news most clearly today, how Jesus’ anti-imperial vision challenges the status quo, and how we are called—together—to follow, heal, and share the work of God’s kingdom.
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This week we celebrate the ordination anniversaries of:
Rev. Tina Mills, Our Savior’s, Mesa, who celebrates 15 years on January 25.
Rev. David Sivecz, Grace, Phoenix, who celebrates 8 years on January 27.
Deacon Carol Arnold, who celebrates 44 years on January 27.
In a joint statement released Jan. 16, 2026, national bishops from Lutheran churches in the United States, Canada, and Denmark voiced strong support for the Greenlandic people amid growing international pressure on Greenland’s future. The statement affirms Greenland’s right to self-determination, peace between nations, and respect for international law, echoing the words of Paneeraq Siegstad Munk: “We are people, not property. Greenland is not land to be bought.”
The bishops invite Lutherans to pray for Greenland and to contact elected leaders, urging them to respect the independence, dignity, and human rights of the Greenlandic people.
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In this special episode of Here I Pod, Amy E. Reumann and Laurie Larson Caesar reflect on what faithful public witness looks like in today’s complex civic landscape. Their conversation explores how Lutheran theology shapes advocacy, accompaniment, and engagement in the public square.
This episode offers timely insight for rostered leaders and laypeople alike who are discerning how to live out their baptismal call beyond the walls of the church. Listen to the full episode via Living Lutheran.
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In this Epiphany reflection, Mindy Roll explores what it means to bear witness in a neighborhood where the language of faith is unfamiliar—but curiosity remains alive. Through chalk blessings, children’s questions, and the story of the magi, she invites readers to see Epiphany as openness to God’s light appearing in unexpected places.
This gentle, poetic reflection encourages congregations and households alike to see their thresholds as places of welcome, wonder, and quiet proclamation: Christ is here. Read the full reflection from Living Lutheran.
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In this I’m a Lutheran profile, Grace Carlic shares how her faith shapes her vocation as a workforce and public affairs specialist in the clean-energy sector. From creating inclusive pathways for people with disabilities to understanding grace as listening and finding common ground, Carlic reflects on what it means to live out love of neighbor in everyday work.
Her story is a powerful reminder that Lutheran faith is not confined to Sunday mornings—it is embodied through action, dignity, and hope in the world God loves. Read the full profile from Living Lutheran.
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The ELCA 2025 Annual Report cover is now available for congregational use. Congregations are encouraged to use this cover for annual reports and meetings as a way to connect local ministry with the wider work of the ELCA.
The 2025 report highlights our shared life in Christ, grounded in Colossians 2:6–7, and offers a snapshot of how Mission Support, ELCA World Hunger, Lutheran Disaster Response, and Where Needed Most help carry out God’s work across the church and the world. Download the cover and preview what’s inside.
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Lutherans and friends from across Arizona are invited to gather at Wesley Bolin Plaza on Monday, February 23, 2026, from 9:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m. for Lutheran Day at the Legislature. The morning includes meeting legislators, connecting with LAMA leaders, hearing speakers, and praying for justice, with breakfast at 8:30 a.m. and lunch provided.
Held at the Arizona State Capitol in downtown Phoenix, this annual event equips us to live out our baptismal call to strive for justice and peace. Register today.
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Congregations across the Grand Canyon Synod are invited to prepare their 2026–2027 Mission Support Plans and submit their Statement of Intent by March 1, 2026. Mission Support resources—including the letter from Bishop Hutterer and Vice President Mark Myers and the fillable intent form—are now available. A downloadable thank you video from Bishop Hutterer is also provided for use in worship, newsletters, and council meetings.
Rooted in our 2026 theme, “Rooted in God’s Story,” congregations are encouraged to consider a 10% Mission Support commitment as we invest in leadership formation, local and global partnerships, justice advocacy, and ministries that transform lives across our synod and the wider church.
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