Dear Church,

We are living in a time of great uncertainty, and there are moments it can feel as if things are out of control.

The spread and effects of the pandemic—not in our control. The election—not in our control. The year 2020—with its cultural shifts, calls for racial justice, Supreme Court nominations and decisions, poverty, unemployment, hunger, wildfires, hurricanes, and climate instability—all out of our control. We are treading in the waters of uncertainty.

Perhaps the most disorienting part of this year is the speed of change and how much we don’t know. The pandemic is a catalyst that accelerates the changes that were slowly happening. In 2020, transformation expected to take decades happened in months, sometimes a few days.

Our church has not been spared from this accelerated pace of change. Whether we look at the church on a national or synod level, as individual congregations, or as families and individuals, we find people of faith wrestling with uncertainty. We struggle for answers as the questions keep changing.

I hear your exhaustion as you try to keep up. And I am also reminded, as church and people of faith, we have a huge advantage over most organizations and individuals. Our “product” is eternal and unwavering. The love of God, the good news of Jesus Christ, and the fruits of the Holy Spirit do not cease with the seasons of the world or the actions of humankind.

As Bishop, one of my main goals is to work with all of you to change and grow our church. The year 2020 has been wildly successful in implementing change, far more than anything we could have initiated on our own.

During this pandemic, I see an abundance of God’s work occurring as we unite in our struggles. I see my friends and family return to the basics in their relationship with God. I see churches freed from the confines of their walls, and exploring new ways of bringing worship and the word of God to their congregations and the world. I find myself, in the small confines of my home, with the time and space to return over and over to an obscure verse of the Bible for weeks, and discover something new every time.

I invite you to try to welcome this time of uncertainty. If you’re daring, embrace uncertainty, for this is a time when the Holy Spirit is at work. Dr. Theresa Fry Brown reminded us that we are in the time of God’s next. Sometimes, the Holy Spirit does her best work when we’re off balance. We tend to make plans more for our own comfort rather than God’s desire. Stripped of those plans, we take the foot off the brake and find a new pace as we follow God’s calling.

We, as synod and individuals, are blessed to have the gift of faith in these times. We are blessed to experience 2020 in established faith communities and spiritual practices. I am blessed by you, and I pray that you’ve felt supported by the Office of the Bishop.

As individuals, I invite you to ponder how this time of change has deepened your connection to God. With that answer, I invite you to help me discern how we, as a synod, can expand the ways we connect with each other as we find new ways to do God’s work.

Grateful for how God works through you,

The Rev. Deborah K. Hutterer
Bishop
Grand Canyon Synod of the ELCA