Featured News
Calling all hunger champions: join this network of the Grand Canyon Synod! Meet to hear updates on national and local Hunger and Food Insecurity efforts and initiatives, to learn from one another, and to share with the group what's happening in our congregations. Anyone interested in alleviating hunger is welcome. Prepare to be encouraged and supported! Tuesday, 4/28/2026, 6-7pm MST.
Ready for summer? Lutheran congregations across the Grand Canyon Synod are offering Vacation Bible Schools and children’s camps filled with faith, fun, and fellowship. Explore the growing list of programs, and help us share your church’s summer offerings by emailing Deacon Laura Book at lbook@gcsynod.org.
Recipes carry more than ingredients—they carry stories of faith, family, and community. The Grand Canyon Synod’s Rooted at the Table project invites you to share not only a recipe, but the story behind it.
Submit your recipe by May 1, 2026, and help build a collection that reflects the lived experiences and memories that shape our life together.
The Grand Canyon Synod invites you to travel with Bishop Deborah Hutterer to Egypt, January 27–February 5, 2027, for a ten-day pilgrimage exploring the Pyramids, the Nile, and historic Coptic churches tied to the Holy Family. Hosted by Elias Tours, this active journey includes 5-star accommodations, a Nile cruise, daily meals, and expert guides. Cost is $3,890 (land only) with a $300 deposit required; registration is now open. Discern whether this faith-filled adventure is right for you and secure your space today.
Synod Assembly
Thursday, June 11, to Saturday, June 13, 2026
Love of Christ Lutheran Church in Mesa, Arizona
We gather under the theme, “Rooted in God’s Story.”
As we prepare for the 2026 Grand Canyon Synod Assembly, we invite congregations and ministry partners across the Grand Canyon Synod to share stories of how God is at work in your communities. Share your story by Friday, May 8, 2026.
The ELCA Foundation helps individuals and congregations turn generosity into lasting ministry through gift planning, endowments, and faithful stewardship. In 2025 alone, the Foundation helped generate over $205 million in gifts and investment assets while supporting congregations and ministries across the ELCA.
As the 2026 Synod Assembly approaches, explore how this work—guided locally by Lisa Marie Higginbotham—is building a culture of generosity that sustains the church now and into the future.
The Mission Investment Fund (MIF) continues to support congregations and ministries across the ELCA through loans, investments, and financial partnership. With more than $614 million in loans and over $10 million supporting ministries in the Grand Canyon Synod alone, MIF helps bring ministry visions to life.
Explore the report to see how faithful stewardship and shared investment are strengthening congregations, rebuilding communities, and supporting God’s work across the church.
The ELCA Federal Credit Union provides banking, loans, and financial tools designed specifically for ELCA members and ministries. As a not-for-profit cooperative, it supports faithful stewardship while offering competitive and values-based financial services.
Programs like Resourceful Servants have helped more than 700 rostered leaders build over $1 million in savings, strengthening financial wellness across the church. Explore the report to learn more about how ELCA FCU supports individuals and ministries alike.
In the Grand Canyon Synod, where ministry takes many forms across diverse communities, ELEA’s work reminds us that faith formation is a shared calling. Whether through schools, early learning centers, or congregational life, we are all part of nurturing faith in the next generation.
As we gather for Synod Assembly, this report invites us to consider how we can continue to connect, develop, and inspire — rooted in God’s story and sent into the world.
Portico Benefit Services shares its annual report highlighting the impact of the ELCA’s shared benefits ministry. Serving more than 52,000 members, Portico provides healthcare, retirement, and financial support that strengthens those called to serve across the church.
Explore the report and video to see how a connected community increases access to care, builds resilience, and supports the well-being of those carrying out God’s mission every day.
In this video report for our 2026 assembly, see how the ELCA Foundation is partnering with Resurrection Lutheran Church in Oro Valley and the Grand Canyon Synod to nurture a spirit of generosity that will last for generations. Watch the video Grounded in Grace, Growing in Generosity, featuring Pastor Tim Nybroten, Rev. Dan Potaznick, and ELCA Foundation planner Lisa Marie Higginbotham, and learn how faithful giving strengthens the future of the church.
Featured Events
The 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.
Final day to share your recipes for our Rooted at the Table project. As part of our 2026 Synod Assembly under the theme “Rooted in God’s Story,” we are creating a community recipe book — Rooted at the Table.
On Tuesday, May 5 at 5 pm (AZ/NV time), the ELCA invites all to join a Candlelight Vigil for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women via Zoom. Participants can register online, download the liturgy, and stand in prayerful solidarity with Indigenous communities in this important act of remembrance and justice.
Final day to share your Mission and Ministry Partner stories. As we prepare for the 2026 Grand Canyon Synod Assembly, we invite congregations and ministry partners across the Grand Canyon Synod to share stories of how God is at work in your communities.
In a pastoral message for Child Abuse Prevention Month, Presiding Bishop Rev. Yehiel Curry calls the church to protect children, support survivors, and confront the realities of abuse with honesty and faith. Grounded in resurrection hope, the message invites congregations to review policies, strengthen practices, and embody Christ’s care for the most vulnerable. Read the full message and explore how your congregation can respond.
Our April 2026 Mission Support memo takes us back to Palm Sunday where this year many palm waving processions continued into the afternoon with journeys through downtown areas, around state buildings, in amphitheaters and in parking lots, as we and our denominational partners cried out for justice, peace and love, during the Palm Sunday Path. Our story focuses on activites in Wisconsin and specifically Northwest Synod of Wisconsin ~ learn about the day with dance, prayer, and calls to action. Also check out how to participate in the May 18 in the evening for a webinar on The Stewardship of AI: Benefits and Concerns.
A global gathering in Santa Marta, Colombia (April 25–29) is bringing together governments, Indigenous leaders, and faith communities to accelerate a just transition away from fossil fuels. But participants are clear: shifting energy sources is not enough. True transformation must address deeper systems of inequality, consumption, and ecological harm.
Faith leaders are calling for a holistic response—one that centers justice, community, and the sacredness of creation. This moment invites communities of faith, including ours, to engage not only in climate action but in reimagining our relationship with the Earth and one another. Read more.
Young adults are invited to a special Women of the ELCA webinar on Wednesday, May 6 at 4:30 p.m. (AZ/NV time). Hear from three young leaders—Naomi Mbise, Rebeca Amaro Trevino, and Bliss Tungnung—who have launched ministries supporting women and girls around the world through Seed Grants.
Learn how they discerned their call, started their work, and how you can make a difference in the church and world. Register now to join this inspiring conversation.
As preparations begin for the 2027 ELCA Youth Gathering, a new webinar offers practical guidance on budgeting and planning for your group. Led by Gathering leadership, the session provides timely tools, key dates, and a Q&A to support congregations as they prepare for this important faith-forming experience.
The ELCA has been awarded a $1 million grant to continue Total Inclusion!: Widening the Welcome, supporting outdoor ministries in creating more inclusive spaces for youth of all backgrounds and abilities. The funding will expand scholarships, accessibility improvements, staff training, and programs that center youth of color, LGBTQIA+ youth, and youth with disabilities. Learn more about how this work is shaping the future of outdoor ministry.
In the latest Pivot podcast, what does real church community cultivation actually require? For most churches, the honest answer is: more than we're currently doing.
People of faith across the country are invited to participate in the National Faith + Climate Forum 2026 on Saturday, April 25, 2026 (9:00 a.m.–2:30 p.m. PT / 12:00–5:30 p.m. ET). This free gathering will bring communities together to deepen understanding, inspire hope, and equip congregations with practical ways to respond to climate change as an expression of faith and care for creation.
Participants may attend a local host site, join virtually from anywhere, or organize a local gathering in their own community. Host congregations receive resources and potential funding support to help make local events possible. Learn more, explore the speaker lineup, and register today through the official event page. Read more and find registration details.
Lutherans Restoring Creation’s April “Good Green News” highlights upcoming opportunities to stay engaged in climate justice, including the April 28 “Afterglow” Connections Call, the April 25 National Faith + Climate Forum, and new resources for congregational action. With invitations to submit synod resolutions, apply for leadership programs, and celebrate Earth Day through giving, this month’s update offers practical ways to carry forward the church’s call to care for creation.
Recipes are already coming in from across the Grand Canyon Synod, offering a preview of the growing Rooted at the Table collection. From desserts and soups to potluck classics and cultural dishes, the table is beginning to take shape.
There’s still time to contribute—submit your recipe by May 1, 2026 to be part of the online collection and possible inclusion in the Synod Assembly cookbook.
Many of the people we support experience challenges similar to those of anyone else. Staying organized is one of them. It can feel like a constant juggling act, but organization is not about perfection; it’s about finding simple ways to make staying on track easier. Nancy Potter, Mosaic’s Director of Clinical Mental Health & Behavioral Services, shares how our direct support professionals help with that and offers six tips anyone can apply today to stay organized.
The post It’s About Understanding, Not Perfection: Six Tips to Stay Organized appeared first on Mosaic.
Join a free one-hour webinar on April 29 (10:00–11:00 AM Arizona/Nevada time) exploring what sustains long-term recovery beyond sobriety. Featuring Barry Lehman—pastor, counselor, and author—this session focuses on how daily practice, faith, and intentional living support ongoing healing and growth.
Hosted by the Center of Addiction & Faith, the webinar invites participants to reflect on recovery as a lifelong journey shaped by grace, meaning, and community. Register online to attend.
The fourth and final ELCA Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion learning module will take place Wednesday, April 29 via Zoom. Featuring Rev. Dr. Andrea L. Walker and Rev. Sonja Ware, this 90-minute session will integrate previous learning, explore bias in coaching, and include a live Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI) demonstration. Advance registration is required.
This concluding session invites faith leaders to move from awareness to action, equipping them to embody DEI principles in ministry and coaching contexts. Recordings of previous modules are available for those who wish to prepare or review.
Registration is now open for Leadership in Difficult Times, a guided certificate cohort from Faith+Lead running April 28–July 28, 2026. This live, four-session experience equips leaders with practical skills and spiritual grounding to lead faithfully amid division and uncertainty. Open to rostered and lay leaders alike, the cohort meets monthly on Zoom and offers scholarships. Learn more and enroll at faithlead.org.
Living Water Lutheran Church in Scottsdale is collecting new and gently used books from April 6 through June 30, 2026. Donations for readers of all ages—including children’s books, early readers, youth and adult books, cookbooks, and recipe magazines—may be dropped off at 9201 E. Happy Valley Road, Monday–Thursday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The drive aims to expand access to reading materials across the Phoenix area and help place books into homes where they are needed most. Donations must be in good condition, with no rips, tears, or markings.
Church & Society
Lutheran Social Services of the Southwest has shared a recording of its recent refugee services webinar, highlighting how federal policy changes are affecting families in Arizona and outlining ongoing work to support those already here. While new arrivals have paused, efforts continue in housing stability, employment support, ESL programs, and youth services.
Watch the webinar and take action by advocating, volunteering, or giving. In a time of uncertainty, this is an opportunity for our synod’s congregations and leaders to live out our call to accompany our neighbors with compassion and hope.
LAMA’s latest newsletter highlights an urgent ELCA Action Alert opposing the SAVE America Act, along with upcoming events on immigration, voting rights, and public witness. Additional updates include legislative news, advocacy opportunities, and ways to stay engaged across Arizona.
Clergy and ministry leaders are invited to a timely online gathering on Tuesday, April 14 (11:00 AM–12:30 PM) hosted by BJC and Christians Against Christian Nationalism. This Clergy Quarterly Touchpoint will focus on urgent issues at the intersection of immigration and religious freedom, offering conversation, leadership insight, and a call to action.
Designed to equip pastors for faithful leadership in a critical moment, the gathering will explore responses to immigration enforcement, support for mixed-status families, and ways to lead with clarity and courage. Register now and share with fellow leaders.
This Mother’s Day (beginning May 7, 2026), Lutherans across the Grand Canyon Synod are invited to join a cross-border effort delivering yellow flowers to detention centers and migrant shelters as a sign of compassion and solidarity. Participants can donate flowers or serve as Volunteer Site Leaders, helping coordinate local actions that lift up the dignity of those separated from their families.
Organized by partners including International Friendship Park and Border Church, this campaign reflects our Lutheran call to love our neighbor and seek justice. Learn how your congregation can take part in this meaningful witness of hope and shared humanity. View a PDF flyer here.
This week’s LAMA newsletter invites us into Holy Week with a call to rest, pray, and renew our commitment to advocacy. Upcoming opportunities include hunger advocacy calls, environmental collaboration, poll chaplain training, and a national conversation on faith and democracy.
Explore new stories, action alerts, and events happening across the synod and beyond. Read the full newsletter and share it with your networks to stay engaged in this vital work.
In a March 31 message for Transgender Day of Visibility, Presiding Bishop Yehiel Curry calls the ELCA to prayer, advocacy, and solidarity with transgender people, affirming that all are “fearfully and wonderfully made” (Psalm 139).
Amid rising anti-trans legislation, the message urges congregations to act through love, learning, and justice, and points to key ELCA resources that support this ongoing work of dignity and inclusion.
In a March 24 pastoral message, Presiding Bishop Yehiel Curry addresses the reality of sexual and gender-based violence, offering a word of care to survivors and reaffirming the church’s commitment to dignity, justice, and healing. Grounded in the truth that all people are created in God’s image (Psalm 139), the message names violence as a misuse of power and calls the church to stand with those who have experienced harm.
The ELCA continues to provide resources, training, and advocacy to prevent abuse and support survivors. Read the full pastoral message and access key resources for ministry and care.
Lutheran Social Services of the Southwest invites you to a live webinar, Supporting Refugees in a Time of Uncertainty, on Wednesday, April 1 from 11:30am–1:00pm (AZ Time) via Zoom. Learn about current resettlement realities, challenges refugees face, and practical ways to respond faithfully in your community.
Featuring guest speaker Valentina Restrepo-Montoya of ALWAYS, this conversation will equip individuals and congregations with timely insight and actionable next steps. Submit questions in advance when you register and join this important conversation.
This week’s LAMA newsletter includes a critical health care Action Alert (including HCR2056), along with opportunities to engage in advocacy, hunger ministry collaboration, voting rights efforts, and interfaith public witness.
Stay informed, take action, and live out our call to justice. Read and share the full LAMA newsletter.
This week’s LAMA newsletter highlights Interfaith Day at the Capitol (March 25), upcoming hunger and justice events, and key ELCA action alerts on Dreamers, the Farm Bill, and child protection.
Read the full newsletter to stay informed, take action, and engage in faithful advocacy across Arizona and our synod.
Lutheran Advocacy Ministry Arizona’s latest newsletter highlights an urgent ELCA Action Alert supporting a pathway to citizenship for Dreamers, along with upcoming advocacy opportunities including the LAMA Liaison Roundtable (March 16) and Interfaith Day at the Capitol (March 25).
The update also includes legislative resources, hunger advocacy opportunities, and ELCA statements on peace and justice. Read the full LAMA newsletter to learn more and take action.
In a March 4 pastoral statement, ELCA Presiding Bishop Rev. Yehiel Curry calls the church to prayer, advocacy, and renewed commitment to peace as war involving the United States, Israel, and Iran intensifies. Grounded in Scripture and Lutheran social teaching, Curry laments the loss of life—including Iranian schoolchildren and U.S. service members—and raises concern about the lack of congressional authorization prior to U.S. military engagement.
The bishop urges Lutherans to pray for peace, support diplomatic and humanitarian efforts, and stand in solidarity with companions in the Middle East, including the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land. Read the full statement from the ELCA Presiding Bishop.
Grounded in Grace, Growing in Generosity
How the ELCA Foundation and our synod are cultivating faithful giving that endures.
Generosity has the power to transform ministries and communities. Watch this short video to see how Resurrection Lutheran Church in Oro Valley, the Grand Canyon Synod, and the ELCA Foundation are partnering to build a legacy of faith for generations to come.
Read the full story to learn more about this ministry partnership and how generosity grows the church.
To explore endowment or planned giving for your congregation, contact Lisa Marie Higginbotham, ELCA Foundation Gift Planner, here »
Synod Spotlight
This section is dedicated to celebrating and lifting up the everyday work of our congregations, ministries, and partners at various levels—from local to global. Join us in gratitude and prayer for these people and organizations. View all spotlight posts here.
Land Acknowledgment
We acknowledge and honor the original inhabitants of the various regions of our synod. The Grand Canyon Synod is spread across lands in Arizona, Nevada, and Utah, which are currently home to over two dozen tribal nations.
We acknowledge and honor these communities, their elders both past and present, as well as future generations. We give thanks to our Indigenous siblings who have cared and continue to care for this place — this land — and call it their home.
Learn more about ELCA Indigenous Ministries, land acknowledgments, and Native American and Indigenous education resources.
Recipes are already coming in from across the Grand Canyon Synod, offering a preview of the growing Rooted at the Table collection. From desserts and soups to potluck classics and cultural dishes, the table is beginning to take shape.
There’s still time to contribute—submit your recipe by May 1, 2026 to be part of the online collection and possible inclusion in the Synod Assembly cookbook.