Our September 2026 Mission Support Memo celebrates the new ministry of Bethlehem Arabic Lutheran Church in our Pacifica Synod. This ministry is deeply grateful that God has brought together Palestinians, Iraqis, Syrians, Jordanians, Lebanese, plus many others, connecting various faiths and creating one community where everyone can find hope, belonging, and the grace of Jesus Christ
Read MoreIn Chiang Mai, Thailand, home visits and community gatherings supported through ELCA World Hunger are helping older adults reconnect and feel valued. Through the Church of Christ in Thailand’s community development ministry, this work has inspired church volunteer care teams and collaboration with local government—putting love of neighbor into practice through lasting relationships. Read “Seeds of Hope”.
Read MorePreparing for the 2027 ELCA Youth Gathering in Minneapolis? Share this video with youth, families and adult leaders for a glimpse of ENGAGE, the Gathering’s new program experience. Watch the ENGAGE preview.
Read MoreExplore affordable student housing, a “How to Rent Well” resource, and collective purchasing opportunities in the latest ELCA Church Property Resource Hub newsletter. Plus, find November webinars on disaster preparation (Nov. 5) and sustainable generosity (Nov. 16). Read the full issue for resources and event links to share with your congregation’s leaders.
Read MoreExplore Advent through the stories of five women in Jesus’ family tree. Preparing the Way: A Herstory of Hope offers congregations worship materials, Bible studies, activities, and a December 1–January 1 devotional. Discover this St. Olaf College resource and share it with your congregation’s worship and faith formation leaders.
Read MoreLearn practical ways to support people affected by intergenerational trauma at LFCNA’s Oct. 13 session with Jamie Aten, PhD. Nurses, rostered ministers and lay leaders are welcome. 4–6 p.m. in most of Arizona and southern Nevada; 5–7 p.m. in Utah and the Navajo Nation. Cost: $30 for members/$50 for nonmembers; 2.0 nursing contact hours available with full attendance and a completed evaluation. Learn more and register.
Read MorePresiding Bishop Yehiel Curry invites the ELCA to recognize diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility as expressions of our baptismal call to serve all people and seek justice. His Sept. 28 message encourages congregations to build trusting relationships and honor the distinct gifts each person brings to the body of Christ. Read Bishop Curry’s message.
Read MoreGrace Lao and Hope Lutheran churches in El Sobrante, Calif., celebrated a new ministry partnership with multilingual Pentecost worship in May. Sharing space and resources while honoring each community’s identity, they are exploring how collaboration can strengthen ministry. Their emerging partnership offers Grand Canyon Synod leaders a glimpse of the Spirit’s work through patient listening, shared mission and worship across languages. Read their story in Living Lutheran.
Read MoreThe ELCA’s Asian and Pacific Islander Ministries has developed a five-year vision for leadership, cultural belonging and justice that invites the whole church to participate. Grounded in listening sessions and our baptismal call, the plan calls for confronting anti-Asian racism, strengthening mentorship and reforming leadership pathways, with initial reforms expected by September 2027. Read the full story in Living Lutheran.
Read MoreELCA congregations and eligible ministries with existing feeding programs may apply for a $500 Daily Bread Grant beginning Oct. 1. Applications close Oct. 21 at midnight Central Time. These grants support local ministries responding faithfully and practically to hunger and poverty. Review eligibility and application details.
Read MoreThe ELCA’s Sept. 25 advocacy update examines nutrition assistance and the Farm Bill, religious liberty and military chaplaincy, federal funding, global humanitarian aid, and free speech concerns in immigration proceedings. Grounded in Lutheran commitments to our neighbors’ well-being, it also points readers toward an action alert urging senators to protect nutrition assistance and support farmers. Read the update and explore opportunities for action.
Read MoreVolunteer with Gather Valley of the Sun and Pitchfork Pantry on October 3 to help distribute food and essentials to ASU students. Arrive at 8 a.m. at First United Methodist Church in Tempe for an 8:15–10:15 a.m. shift, with optional brunch and a devotional afterward. RSVP by messaging Gather on Instagram.
Read MoreThis week we celebrate the ordination anniversaries of:
Rev. Nanette Christofferson, Love of Christ, Mesa, who celebrates 7 years on October 5.
Rev. Kimberly Sterner, Christ Evangelical, Goodyear, who celebrates 40 years on October 5.
Wendy Schulz will be ordained to Word and Service at Peace Lutheran Church (18265 North 89th Ave., Peoria, AZ 85382), on Saturday, October 3, 2026 at 10 am, with a reception following. Bishop Hutterer will preside. Rostered ministers and seminarians are invited to process and robe. The color of the day is red. The ordination will be live-streamed by Peace Lutheran and available on their YouTube channel.
Read MoreRev. Jenn Luong, called to serve University of Arizona Lutheran Campus Ministry, will be installed Sunday, 10/4/2026 at 4 pm at Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church (1200 North Campbell Avenue, Tucson, AZ 85719). Bishop Hutterer will preach and preside. Rostered ministers are invited to process. Color of the day is green. There will be a reception and meal to follow.
Read MoreRegistration is open for “A Different Way: Jesus and the Call Beyond Christian Nationalism,” a Nov. 14 symposium featuring Bishop Shelley Bryan Wee of the Northwest Washington Synod. Join the Grand Canyon Growing in Faith Program in Sun City or online for a biblical and theological exploration of faith, nation, power and our ultimate identity in Christ. Cost is $25.
Read MoreGod is at work across the Grand Canyon Synod—and we want to help tell that story. From events and service projects to ministry opportunities and milestones, your congregation’s news strengthens our shared life together. Rooted in God’s story and guided by the truth that we are one body with many members (1 Corinthians 12), we invite you to submit your updates at gcsynod.org/share and help us celebrate what God is doing among us.
Read MorePreparing for November 3? Arizona’s October 5 registration deadline and Nevada’s October 6 standard registration deadline are approaching. Utah’s registration deadline is October 23; Navajo Nation absentee ballot requests are due October 19. Read this week’s reminder for official links, ballot-return requirements, and the separate Navajo Nation election deadlines.
Read MoreChildren, youth and young adult ministry leaders are invited to Camp Pinerock in Prescott, October 16–17, for 24 hours of connection, renewal and shared learning. The $50 retreat includes informal fellowship and participant-driven conversations about faith formation, intergenerational ministry and the joys and challenges of ministry with younger generations.
Reserve your spot by emailing Deacon Laura Book at lbook@gcsynod.org by October 1, 2026.
Read MoreJoin SYAT Collective on Zoom this fall: October 8 at 6:30 p.m. for a 2027 National Youth Gathering info session, November 19 at 10 a.m. for Navigating Political Conversations, and December 10 at 6:30 p.m. for Advent renewal for children’s, youth, and young adult leaders. Register separately through each event link, and explore SYAT and youth ministry resources.
Read More
