2021 Assembly Reports: View reports for our 2021 assembly on our assembly report page and in this collection of blog posts.

View this report as PDF.

Over the last two years much has been attempted and much has been completed in the way of Leadership Development in the Grand Canyon Synod.

Due to the mandatory stay home “orders” because of COVID 19, some ministry opportunities were thwarted, halted, and other flourished and newly started. As the Associate to the Bishop for Candidacy and Faith Formation, it has been a privilege to work closely with Bishop Deborah and her staff to forward the agenda of the GCS by Communicating Jesus, Connecting People, and Creating Possibilities. Below is a brief overview of the different ways ministry intersected and we continue to grow the GCS into a great place to express the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. 

Connect People

Candidacy – We have 30 people in the process seeking ordination as a deacon or pastor through the Grand Canyon Synod. There are 8 dedicated leaders working as the Candidacy Committee that meets up to four times a year. We have candidates at 6 of our 7 ELCA seminaries across the United States. All seminarians are receiving some amount of financial scholarship and covet the prayers that you make on their behalf. For the 2021-22 school year, 3 GCS seminarians received full tuition scholarships from Churchwide’s Fund for Leaders.  

Diakonia – Lay School ministry continues to thrive and with the onset of this assembly we recognized the completion of 11 participants that are ready to serve in their ministry setting assisting their pastors or to pursue additional education. 

FCTE – We have 6 pastors participating First Call Theological Education and enjoy the opportunity twice per year to gather with other pastors and deacons within three years of ordination from all of Region 2. 

Boundaries Training – Set up and completed Synod Council mandated Boundaries Training provided by Congregation U. 

Create Possibilities

Youth Ministry – While many youth groups moved to Zoom formats and Youth Gathering was delayed till 2022, my opportunities to interact with the youth across our synod were denied. I look forward to renewing in person connections as soon as COVID restrictions or lowered. 

LCM - Each of our Campus Ministry sites continue to thrive and it is a pleasure to preach, have bible study and pray with and for students at all of our college campuses. Each of our Campus ministers across Arizona at Arizona State University, Northern Arizona University, and The University of Arizona keep me regularly apprised of the strides their sites and students make in deepening their faith and strengthening their relationship to the church. I look forward to reach further across our synod into sites at Arizona States Polytechnic and West campuses, along with the consideration at University Nevada Las Vegas. Campus Ministry continues to be a prominent point of entry into ministry leadership.

Simon’s Project – There are 12 leaders from across our synod that meet monthly to discuss skin tone politics in the United states and how we can better bear the cross of institutionalized racism and instead celebrate the rich diversity of the Grand Canyon Synod. Our hope is to be sure each of our congregations are indeed filled with tables ready to truly welcome all. 

House of Prayer – Navajo Evangelical Lutheran Mission needs leaders. With a push from Deacon Kate Adelman and a positive nod from Bishop Deborah we are developing learning opportunities specific for the Navajo community at Rock Point, part of our GCS. We are working to provide the necessary designations to continue and provide an ELCA presence and the desired pastoral care for that community to continue to thrive.  

Global Engagement – Senegal, ILM, Hunger, Peace not walls – With the help of Pr. Karn Carroll, Pr. Jan Flatten and lay leaders across the synod we are building tables for each global engagement opportunity. We hope to work alongside Lutheran Advocacy Ministry of Arizona and continue to learn how we can walk alongside our brothers and sisters in Christ at that borders, who hunger, and have walls that separate us. There are art, bible study, and cultural exchanges planned to encourage relationship building. 

Growing Young – We continue to see opportunities to Grow Young across our synod and look for ways congregations can use the book to strengthen their communities. 

FILC - Faithful Innovation Learning Communities coaching was completed in March 2021 and the knowledge will be used with specified communities to explore growth opportunities and Holy experimentation of new ways to be church, helping our worshipping communities try new ways to be church now. 

Communicate Jesus

It has been unsafe to meet in person yet, thanks to technology, there were several opportunities for me to share the Gospel and biblical principles in multiple settings. Some of those were:  

• Women’s Bible study @ Peace, Phoenix

• Women’s retreat for New Promise, UT

• Digitally preaching at several congregations

• Present at PhLY

• Rocky Mountain Fall Gathering

• GCS Spring Gathering 

• LSS-SW

• White Accountability @ California Lutheran University

• Various synodical and region worship expressions

• Book study with Emmanuel, Prescott

Developing leadership for the ELCA in the Grand Canyon Synod continues to bring immense joy and satisfaction for a job well done. Our church is in good hands as high-quality people continue step forward and lead. It is my honor to be a part of making this a great place to be about ministry in the Southwest. 

Respectfully submitted,

—The Rev. Jacqueline Pagel
Bishop’s Associate for Candidacy and Faith Formation