This May, Living Christ Lutheran Church in Flagstaff, Arizona, celebrated the Holy Closure of over 35 years of faithful ministry. Yet, as Easter people, rooted in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, we hold fast to the promise of new life in Christ. In the midst of closure, Living Christ’s legacy lives on through the scattering of seeds for future ministry. One of these seeds is the newly established Living Christ Leadership Endowment. Initiated with $598,000, this endowment ensures that Living Christ’s commitment to leadership and discipleship will bear fruit for generations to come. A percentage of the endowment is available to be dispersed each year. 

This endowment is more than a financial fund—it is a legacy designed to inspire, empower, and equip leaders throughout the Grand Canyon Synod and beyond. For over three decades, Living Christ Lutheran Church embodied God’s unconditional love through ministries of healing, compassion, and leadership development. Now, through this fund, its mission will live on in a new form, supporting future congregation leaders as they answer their own calls to ministry.

A Legacy of Leadership

The mission of the Living Christ Leadership Endowment is both simple and profound: to support the development of future congregation leaders within the ELCA, especially those called to serve in the Grand Canyon Synod. The endowment is open to contributions from individuals, families, and other congregations who share this vision of faith-filled leadership. Gifts to the fund will help to:

• Provide education and training for seminary students, pastors, deacons, and lay leaders.

• Alleviate financial burdens for congregation leaders, including education debt and housing expenses, allowing them to serve more freely.

Through this endowment, Living Christ Lutheran Church continues to be a “light on a hill,” empowering leaders to shine the light of Christ’s love in the world.

How to Support the Living Christ Leadership Endowment

You are invited to become part of this legacy, ensuring that future leaders have the resources they need to answer God’s call. Here are some ways to contribute:

Send a Check

• Address: Grand Canyon Synod, 1819 E Morten Ave #110, Phoenix, AZ 85020

• Memo Line: Grand Canyon Synod Living Christ Leadership Endowment - E273393

Add the Endowment as a Beneficiary

• Consider designating the Endowment as a beneficiary in your trust or retirement account. 

Consider Alternative Giving Options

• Stock Transfers: A stock transfer could offset capital gains.

• Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD): If you are required to take minimum distributions from retirement accounts, a QCD directed to the Endowment may be tax-efficient.

For guidance, contact Lisa Marie Higginbotham, CFRE, Regional Gift Planner with the ELCA Foundation, at 805-910-5048 or Lisa.Higginbotham@elca.org.

Together, we are sowing seeds for the future. Through your support, we can equip faithful leaders to serve communities in love and hope. As Easter people, let us continue the work of Christ, planting seeds that will blossom into abundant new life in the generations to come.