2022 Assembly Reports:
View reports for our 2022 assembly on our assembly report page and in this collection of blog posts.

The first two recipients of the Grand Canyon Synod International Travel Scholarship have been selected. Pastor Lourdes Olson (New Song) and Pastor Stephen Hilding (Tanque Verde) were selected among the pool of applicants to receive $6000 each over the next two years to help them gain international travel experiences.

Pastor Lourdes, whose describes her life as a cross cultural experience, has chosen to visit our companion church in Senegal. She believes new experiences change people and hopes she will come back from Africa “better equipped to accompany people on their faith journeys.”

Pastor Hilding will be traveling the Holy Lands this summer with his alma mater, Gustavus Adolphus. He is hoping this trip will deepen his faith by “connecting locations, history and Bible stories to life and culture in the Holy Land.” He imagines this trip will enhance his understanding of scriptures and bring something of value to his preaching.

Both pastors plan to share what they discover along their journeys not only with the people of the congregations they serve, but throughout our synod.

The GCS International Travel Scholarship is made possible by a generous donation from a family who understands the importance a wider world view makes in ministry. The recipients, ordained less than 10 years as required, were chosen after prayerful consideration by members of the Grand Canyon Synod Global Engagement Team. This scholarship will be available in 2023 and 2024. 

The Grand Canyon Synod Global Engagement Team exists to support various global efforts across our synod, which include promoting our companion church relationship with L’ Eglise Luthérienne du Sénégal (ELS) , support of Young Adults in Global Mission, and enabling new partnerships, like with the Iglesia Luterana Mexicana (ILM). It is with great joy we celebrate the election of a new president of the ELS, Pastor Latyr Diouf, and welcome President Roberto Trejo Haager (ILM) to our 2022 assembly in person.

May we continue to be stirred up in the Spirit for global accompaniment!