Grace Lutheran Church in Phoenix will host a Connections Taco Tuesday fundraiser for Hope Women’s Center on March 31 at 6:00 p.m. The evening will include free food, live music, and fellowship, with attendees invited to bring full-size body wash, shampoo, or conditioner donations to support women and teen girls served by the ministry.
Read MoreKing of Glory Lutheran Church in Tempe will host Big Truck Day on Saturday, March 28 (10 a.m.–1 p.m.), featuring police, fire, and dump trucks, food trucks, games, and raffle tickets. This free, family-friendly event offers a hands-on way to explore community vehicles and connect with neighbors.
Open to all, Big Truck Day is a joyful opportunity to gather, build relationships, and experience community.
Read MoreYouth in grades 7–12 from ELCA congregations across the Valley are invited to a Youth Community Event on Sunday, March 29 from 4–7 p.m. at Love of Christ Lutheran Church in Mesa. The evening will include games, food, and fellowship, bringing together youth from multiple congregations including Esperanza and Desert Cross.
Additional churches are welcome to join. Congregations interested in participating can contact Deacon Laura Book (lbook@gcsynod.org) for details.
Read MoreThe Grand Canyon Synod Assembly will feature a Friday Night Variety Show on June 12, 2026, offering an evening of music, storytelling, humor, and creative performances from across the synod. Dinner will take place from 5:30–6:30 pm, followed by the show from 6:30–7:30 pm, hosted by Pastor Thaddeus Book of Desert Cross Lutheran Church in Tempe.
The planning team is currently inviting 5–7 minute family-friendly acts from individuals, groups, congregations, and families. Interested performers are encouraged to submit a short description of their act using the online form, with selected performers contacted prior to Assembly. If you would like to be considered for the Friday Night Variety Show, please submit a brief description of your act using this form by Monday, April 27, 2026.
Read MoreThe LSS-SW FY2025 Annual Report tells the story of what you made possible as a Partner in Action. Inside, you’ll find stories of resilience and the collective impact of neighbors like you who are helping stabilize lives, build strong foundations, and preserve dignity across our community. View the report here.
Read MoreMosaic and our donor partners helped Natasha find a place to belong and get the things she needed to start anew. The positive impact continues to change her life.
The post Donor gifts help young woman start fresh at Mosaic appeared first on Mosaic.
Read MoreIn this latest Pivot podcast, Dwight Zscheile and Alicia Granholm bring you inside the last eight months in the Twin Cities of Minnesota.
Read MoreThe 2026 Conference on Worship, Theology, and the Arts (CWTA) will be held July 20–22, 2026, at St. Olaf College in Northfield, MN. Designed for ministry practitioners and by ministry practitioners, this high-quality, affordable conference focuses on nourishing vocation through worship, theology, music, the arts, and spiritual renewal.
With programming centered on “Nourishing Vocation Every Time, Age, and Place,” CWTA offers practical ideas, daily worship, networking, and rest for pastors, deacons, musicians, lay leaders, and ministry partners. Learn more and register at wp.stolaf.edu/cwta/.
Read MoreIn the face of climate crisis and widespread discouragement, this devotional reflects on how faith calls us not to despair, but to become “the light of the world.” Drawing from experiences at the global COP30 climate conference, it names both the weight of inaction and the hope found in collective advocacy.
As Lutherans, we are reminded that advocacy is part of discipleship—equipping others, illuminating pathways forward, and working toward justice together. Read more for reflection questions and encouragement for faithful action.
Read MoreAt the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW70), ELCA advocacy leaders joined global partners to advance justice for women and girls. Through panels, worship, and conversation, participants reflected on how faith communities can help build systems rooted in dignity, equity, and care.
This reflection reminds us that justice is not only policy—it is lived reality. As Lutherans called into public witness, we are invited to participate in this ongoing work locally and globally. Read more about this experience and how it connects to our shared calling.
Read MoreThis week we celebrate the ordination anniversaries of:
Rev. William Timm, who celebrates 45 years on March 29.
Deacon Glenda Blegen, who celebrates 20 years on April 2.
ELCA World Hunger has released a wide range of 2026 resources to support congregations, synods, and ministry leaders—from feeding ministry guides and backpack programs to bilingual VBS curriculum and interactive youth experiences. These tools are designed to help communities better understand and address hunger at its roots.
Whether you’re planning for synod assembly, expanding an existing ministry, or engaging new leaders, these materials offer practical, faith-grounded support for the work of justice. Explore the full list of resources and learn how to access and share them.
Read MoreAt the recent Youth Ministry Extravaganza, ELCA Disability Ministries leaders gathered with ministry partners from across the church to share stories, challenges, and hope. Through conversations, workshops, and resource-sharing, a central question emerged: how do we move from simple inclusion to true belonging in our congregations?
Grounded in our call to care for one another as the body of Christ, this reflection invites us to consider how accessibility, community, and relationships shape faithful ministry for all. Read more about these insights and practical resources for your congregation.
Read MoreELCA Coaching invites you to Wayfinding in the Commons, a monthly online gathering beginning April 1 (first Wednesdays around noon). In just 45 minutes, participants experience community grounding, leadership insight, small group conversation, and one actionable step—designed to move from isolation toward clarity and shared purpose. More information and details here.
Open to anyone seeking connection, direction, or encouragement in ministry or life, this gathering reflects a simple truth: hope grows in community, and no one journeys alone.
Read MoreThe Office of the Bishop will be closed Friday, April 3, for Good Friday. We pause to remember Christ’s sacrifice and pray for hearts open to the hope of resurrection.
Read MoreRev. Dr. Karoline Lewis will lead Belonging: Five Keys to Unlocking Your Potential as a Disciple on Saturday, April 11 (1:00–4:00 PM) at Living Water Lutheran Church in Scottsdale. Centered on Jesus’ encounter with the Samaritan woman (John 4), this free event invites participants to explore discipleship “from wonder to witness.” Registration is required by April 6 at lwlcaz.org/nevcevent/. Reception to follow. Watch a welcoming video from Karoline Lewis here.
Read MoreCarly Chamberlain will be ordained to Word and Service at Faith-La Fe Lutheran Church (801 E Camelback Rd, Phoenix, AZ 85014), Saturday, April 18 at 10:30 am. She will be installed at Mount of Olives Lutheran Church at a later date. Rostered ministers are invited to robe and process, color of the day is red. Pastor Jonathan Linman will preach, Bishop Hutterer will preside.
A reception will follow immediately in the parish hall. The service will be live streamed on the Faith Lutheran Facebook page.
Read MoreThe Grand Canyon Women of the ELCA are offering four scholarships to attend the Women of the ELCA Triennial Gathering, July 16–19, 2026, in Des Moines, Iowa. Each scholarship covers registration plus $500 toward travel and lodging.
Applications are due April 1, 2026, with notifications sent by April 15. Congregations are encouraged to share this opportunity widely. Learn more about the Gathering and how to apply today.
Read MoreThrivent members can make a big difference through Thrivent Choice Dollars and Thrivent Action Teams—two benefits that support ministry at no extra cost. Direct your 2025 Choice Dollars by March 31, 2026 to your congregation or the Grand Canyon Synod, and apply anytime for a $250 Action Team grant to fund a service or outreach project. Learn more at Thrivent.com/thriventchoice and Thrivent.com/actionteam.
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