The Grand Canyon Synod Assembly convened Thursday through Saturday, June 13–15, 2024, at Love of Christ Lutheran Church in Mesa under the theme, “Embody the Word.”

You can view photos of the assembly here, and watch the entire assembly here.

The Assembly was led by Bishop Deborah K. Hutterer, who was reelected for another term. Key leadership included Barbara B. Carl (Vice President), Rev. Stephen Springer (Secretary), Mr. Erik Rehms (Treasurer), and Rev. David Brandfass (Parliamentarian).

Special guests included Bishop Jim Gonia from the Rocky Mountain Synod, Dr. Colleen Windham-Hughes, (Associate Vice President for Mission and Identity at California Lutheran University), Rev. Dr. Toni Hawkins (Transitional Conference Minister from the Southwest Conference of the United Church of Christ), and Chaplain Captain Matthew W. Dobyns from the United States Air Force.

Deacon John Weit, Executive for Worship at the ELCA and our churchwide representative, guided us through our Bishop Election and provided updates from churchwide on Saturday morning.

We began our celebrations with Wild Life, a hymn festival organized by Deacon Lorraine S. Brugh and Deacon Kate Adelman, on Thursday evening.

After opening with a land acknowledgment, receiving greetings from Rev. Roberto Trejo Haager, Pastor President of the Mexican Lutheran Church (Iglesia Luterana Mexicana, ILM), and adopting the rules of procedure and the agenda, Deacon Weit introduced us to the bishop election process and guided us through our first ballot vote, which reelected Bishop Hutterer.

Friday morning was the first of two worship services, where Rev. Dr. Toni Hawkins delivered the sermon.

After worship we received a financial report from Erik Rehms, then voted for the following conference representatives on the synod council:

• Lynn Davis, High Country Conference

• Jeffrey Michaels, Rio Salado Conference

• Rev. Christopher Heller, Fiesta Conference

Roger Bailey with the nominating committee gave his report on elections for synod council, the Committee on Discipline, and representatives to the 2025 Churchwide Assembly.

Results for those elections were as follows:

At-Large Synod Council Representatives

 At-Large Representative, Lay Female

• Taylor Welch

At-Large Representative, Lay Male

• Mark Myers

At-Large Representative, Rostered Minister male

• Pr. David Pavesic

At-Large Representative, Rostered Minister female

• Pr. Nanette Christofferson

• Pr. Lourdes Olson

At-Large Representative, Person of Color or English as a 2nd language (any gender)

• Pr. Verónica Alvarez

Youth representative (any gender)

• Layra Siqueiros

Young adult representative (any gender)

• Hannah Manzanares

Committee on Discipline

Discipline Committee (Rostered Leader)

• Pr. Mary Louise Frenchman

• Pr. Tina Mills

• Pr. Lourdes Olson

• Pr. David Pavesic

Discipline Committee (Layperson)

• Mark Myers

Churchwide Assembly Voting Members

Rostered Leader (any gender)

• Pr. Amalia Vagts

Rostered Leader of Color or English as a 2nd language (any gender)

• Pr. Veronica Alvarez

Lay Person of Color or English as a 2nd language (any gender)

• Peter Garang

• Patterson Yazzie

Lay youth/young adult (any gender)

• Hannah Manzanares

• Layra Siqueiros

Lay male or other except female

• Mark Myers

Lay Female or other except male

• Kathye Hamm

After lunch we received a presentation on the 2025/2026 Mission Plan, and had a wonderful Bible study with Rev. Dr. Colleen Windham-Hughes, CLU.

Recognitions and celebrations

We recognized a number of important milestones and anniversaries at our assembly.

Congregation milestones

• 25 years

  • Lord of Grace Lutheran in Tucson, Arizona

  • New Promise Lutheran in St. George, Utah

  • Spirit of Grace Lutheran in Surprise, Arizona

• 50 years

  • Tanque Verde Lutheran in Tucson, Arizona

• 75 years

  • American Evangelical Lutheran in Tucson, Arizona

  • First Evangelical Lutheran in Mesa, Arizona

Newly ordained

• Rev. Judi Tyler, 1/21/2024

• Rev. Luis Ochoa, 1/21/2023

• Rev. Daniel Potaznick, 3/18/2023

• Rev. Timothy Perlick, 5/13/2023

• Rev. Wyatt Linde, 8/9/2023

• Rev. Glenn Schrader, 10/22/2023

• Rev. Lourdes Olson, 1/15/2022

• Rev. Katie Langston, 2/4/2022

• Rev. Verónica Alvarez ,10/30/2022

Newly called and change in call

• Rev. Wyatt Linde– Resurrection, Oro Valley 8/9/2023

• Rev. Charles Newman– King of Glory, Tempe 9/1/2023

• Rev. Kaila Armbruster– Crossroads, San Tan, 9/6/2023

• Rev. Kenneth Miller– Grace, Kingman – 9/8/2023

• Rev. Matthew Metevelis– Nathan Adelson Hospice, 9/23/2023

• Rev. Carl Sirotzki– Mount Cross, Payson, 10/2/2023

• Rev. Glenn Schrader– Our Savior’s, Tucson, 10/22/2023

• Rev. Joshua Pontious– Community of Grace, Peoria, 10/22/2023

• Rev. David Sivecz– Grace, Phoenix, 12/1/2023

• Rev. Arhiana Shek-Dill– University Lutheran, Tempe – 1/1/2024

• Rev. Kurt Fangmeier– Sierra Evangelical, Sierra Vista, 2/1/2024

• Rev. Judi Tyler– Our Savior’s, Phoenix, 1/21/2024

• Rev. Douglas Dill– Mountain View Lutheran, 2/20/2024 (interim)

• Rev. Amy Janssen– Tanque Verde, 2/25/2024

• Rev. Christopher Heller– Esperanza, 2/26/2024

• Rev. John Hackler– Lord of Life, SCW, 3/1/2024 (bridge pastor)

• Rev. Carol George– Resurrection, Oro Valley, 4/8/2024

• Rev. Lisa Hackler– American, Sun City, 6/1/2024

ROSTERED MINISTER ANNIVERSARIES

5 years

• Rev. Nanette Christofferson

• Rev. Greg Hartman

• Rev. Erin Morris

10 years

• Rev. Jason Adams

• Rev. Melinda Gapen

15 years

• Rev. Adam Barnhart

• Rev. Thaddeus Book

• Rev. Steven Crittenden

• Rev. Miguel Gomez-Acosta

• Rev. Naomi Hartman

• Rev. Jose Valenzuela

20 years

• Rev. Rebecca Boardman

• Rev. Deborah Hutterer

• Rev. Scott Klimke

• Rev. Kenneth Miller

25 years

• Rev. Karn Carroll

• Rev. Joseph Doherty

• Rev. Carol George

• Rev. Hildegardo González Gómez

• Rev. Lars Hammar

• Rev. Jeffrey Solheim

30 years

• Rev. Barbara Bengtson

• Rev. Timothy Brown

• Rev. Michael Sager

35 years

• Rev. Scott Hackler

• Rev. Paul Hansen

• Rev. Daniel Hoeger

• Rev. Jonathan Linman

• Rev. Janet Richardson

• Rev. Maria Valenzuela

• 40 years

• Rev. Janice Brosen

• Rev. Mitchell Eickmann

• Rev. Richard Lawrence

• Rev. Thomas Stephens

• Rev. Kim Taylor

• Rev. Timothy Wright

• Rev. Glenn Zimbelman

45 years

• Rev. Paul Campbell

• Rev. Thomas Dunham

• Rev. Philip Gustafson

• Rev. Keith Hardy

• Rev. Daniel Megorden

• Rev. Martin Overson

• Rev. Thomas Rogers

• Rev. Ronald Rude

• Rev. Paul Scheitlin

• Rev. Gary Ulrich

• Rev. Glenn Zorb

50 years

• Rev. Douglas Moffat

• Rev. Gary Benson

• Rev. Frank Nausin

• Rev. Dennis D. Nelson

• Rev. Myron Nysether

55 years

• Rev. Bennett Henrikson

• Rev. Ronald Koplitz

60 years

• Rev. Jon Clutz

• Rev. Ronald Hedwall

• Rev. Carlyle Smith

• Rev. David Swanson

• Rev. Ronald Tellefson

• Rev. Charles Wilfong

65 years

• Rev. Richard Glover

• Rev. John Lundering

70 years

• Rev. Harold Aasland

• Rev. Theodore Swanson

We were deeply honored to recognize a remarkable milestone in the life and ministry of one of our cherished pastors, Rev. Harold Aasland, who joined us to celebrate an incredible 70 years of faithful ordination. At 99 years old, his commitment and service to the church stand as a testament to a lifetime of dedication and love for God’s work. Watch video of Pastor Aasland here.

Retirement celebrations

• Rev. Sarah Upham-Birdsall, 7/1/2023

• Rev. Glenn Zorb, 9/1/2023

• Rev. Robert Crabb, 12/1/2023

• Rev. Gary McCluskey, 1/1/2024

• Rev. Kim Sterner, 1/1/2024

• Rev. Colin Melby, 1/1/2024

• Rev. Deacon Janice Zimbelman, 1/1/2024 

• Rev. Stephen Beyer, 5/1/2024

• Rev. Janice Brosen, 6/1/2024

• Rev. Mitchell Eickmann, 6/1/2024

Barbara Carl also helped us celebrate volunteers and lay people.

We then had two sessions of workshops, heard from the Grand Canyon Stewardship team about Care for Creation, recognized our synod council, and thanked outgoing council members Pastor Tina Mills, At-Large Representative with the Rio Salado Conference, and Hannah Roberts, Youth Representative. Laura Musfeldt gave us an update on our successful Growing Generosity Appeal, and we were blessed to receive a gift from All Saints Lutheran in Phoenix, who recently pledged to commit 10% of any undesignated gifts to the synod.

Friday evening we enjoyed the joys of dinner and bingo.

Saturday morning opened with another Bible study with Rev. Dr. Colleen Windham-Hughes, and plenary sessions where we finished our elections and adopted our audit report and 2025-2025 mission plan.

We then recognized conference deans…

• Cactus Conference: Rev. Ryan Hersch, Peace Lutheran Church, Peoria

• Capital Conference: Rev. Kari Williamson, St. Andrew, Phoenix

• Colorado River Conference: Rev. Jason Adams, Good Samaritan, Las Vegas

• Fiesta Conference: Rev. Andrea Cain, Desert Cross, Tempe

• High Country Conference: Rev. Michael Girlinghouse, LCM Canterbury, Flagstaff and Rev. David Brandfass, Christ, Sedona

• Kino Conference: Rev. Naomi Hartman, Lutheran Church of the Foothills, Tucson

… and our Diakonia graduates:

• Foundation Year graduates: Bethany Boyd, Allison Good, Kenneth Goode, Timothy Koenig, Linda Masters, Susan Meintel, Marilyn Pool, and Marsha Wooley (2024 Graduate of both the Foundation Year and Practical Year).

• Practical Year Graduates: Kathy Anderson, Debra Carter, Tammy and Val Cobos, Sandra Holm, Vanessa Jones, Leslie McCourt, Debbie Nelson, Deanne Olivas, Mark Schulz, Julie Skrzypek, Janet Swarstad.

• Legacy Program Graduate: Richard Flones.

Chaplain, Capt Matthew W. Dobyns shared his compelling stories and testimony from his call as a chaplain in the US Air Force. As part of our commitment to support these vital ministries, we are focused our assembly giving this year on the ELCA Federal Chaplaincy Ministries, specifically towards the ELCA Fund for Leaders Federal Chaplaincy Scholarship Endowment.

During our time together, we also made tangible contributions to our community, assembling 100 hygiene kits for men and women, which will be utilized by Grace Lutheran Church in Phoenix.

Before closing for worship and the diakonia graduation, we received the Bishop and Synod Council Report.

Bishop and Synod Council Report

The Bishop and Synod Council Report highlighted the diverse and vibrant ways in which congregations and ministries across the synod live out their faith. The report showcased the efforts of the synod to make the Gospel tangible in various contexts, celebrating the transformative power of Christ’s love and grace in our actions and relationships.

Key initiatives and stories include:

• Peace Congregation in Peoria: Focused on becoming a multi-generational community, engaging and forming discipleship relationships with people under 50. The congregation has seen a significant increase in younger members participating in their faith journey.

• New Promise in St. George, UT: Hosted a significant baptism event, baptizing 17 people in a single day, demonstrating a vibrant communal response to a call to faith.

• Lutheran Advocacy Ministry in Arizona (LAMA): Engaged in advocacy work that reached across legislative bodies and communities, emphasizing Lutheran commitments to social justice and hunger relief.

• Congregational Vitality: Efforts are being made to support congregations in discerning their future, particularly those facing challenges like declining attendance or possible closure. Resources and tools are being provided to help these congregations thrive.

• Lay Leadership: With a decrease in seminary enrollments and pastoral availability, there is a growing emphasis on training lay ministry assistants to support congregational needs, particularly in areas lacking pastoral leadership.

• New Church Starts: Initiatives in southern Nevada and the West Valley area of metro Phoenix are exploring new Lutheran-Episcopal collaborations and other new ministry opportunities, supported by substantial financial and community investments.

• Global and Ecumenical Relations: Efforts to strengthen relationships with global Lutheran communities and other Christian denominations highlight a commitment to ecumenical dialogue and shared ministry, including significant engagement in global humanitarian efforts.

• Youth and Young Adult Engagement: New programs and retreats are focusing on integrating young adults more fully into the life of the church, recognizing the importance of engaging this demographic in sustainable and relevant ways.

• Addressing Modern Challenges: The synod is navigating the realities of modern ministry, including the need for more pastors, the financial burdens of education for clergy, and the opportunities presented by church closures to rethink and revitalize ministry efforts.

The assembly not only reflected on the achievements and challenges of the past year but also set the stage for ongoing growth and transformation within the synod, emphasizing a collective call to live out faith actively and authentically in a complex world.