Rev. Jacqui Pagel Annual Report: 2022

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

Bishop’s Associate for Candidacy and Faith Formation

We are in this together. The church continues because we continue. We continue to love ourselves; we continue to love one another, and we continue to love God. It is my pleasure to continue with you. Thank you to the staff at the Office of the Bishop, the Candidacy Committee, Global Engagement Teams, and multiple Youth Directors that continues to help build leaders and thank you to the many people across the church that welcome me into their communities to build leaders together.

Connect People

Candidacy – Candidacy continues to grow within the Grand Canyon Synod.  There are 23 people officially in the process seeking ordination to become a pastor or deacon in the ELCA. This year 3 people completed the process and were prepared to take first calls. One person was ordained as an associate pastor in Henderson, NV and 2 others await opportunities. We currently have candidates at 7 of our 8 ELCA seminaries.

Diakonia – Five lay people completed the full two-year curriculum of Diakonia this year and the program looks forward to its first all participant retreat in late June. The GCS is fortunate to have an in-synod opportunity to build lay leaders and bolster the future of the church.  The next cohort starts in the Fall 2022.

FCTE - There are 7 pastors across the GCS new to the roster within their first 3 years of ordination, we continue to meet twice per year. Most recently we gathered at Ascension Lutheran Church in Paradise Valley and worked with Professor Jen Linde on Civil Dialogue. We look forward to gathering in the fall with our colleagues across Region 2 to do more work in Emotional Intelligence and developing good habits for high quality self-care.

Create Possibilities

Youth Ministry – Many of our youth groups across the synod are getting back into the swing of things. Although Youth Gathering was canceled this year, several high school youth and young adult leaders look forward to Leadership Lab at Augustana College June 20 – 25, 2022 and Campformation is set for the week of July 4th. Many of our congregations have servant camp experiences planned over summer break and Vacation Bible Schools continue to thrive.  The Western States Youth Gathering will be back in the Spring 2023.

LCM – All of our Lutheran Campus Ministry sites concluded the school year strong. Northern Arizona University is in transition and hopes to add an ordained leader.  Arizona State and the University of Arizona students continue to return to in person activities and the programs continue to grow. Hopefully, with the continued support of congregation support there will be opportunity to add LCM/Young Adult Ministries at additional ASU campuses and Las Vegas.

Churchwide Candidacy Committee Work Group – Churchwide is considering the ways that the candidacy process can be more adaptive to modernity. As part of the selected group to review the current process and possibly update that process, we look forward to making it possible for more and a greater diverse pool to take part in the leadership of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in the United States. 

Simon’s Project – Leaders gather monthly to discuss celebrating diversity in out synod. Contact the office if you are ready to start in the new cohort Fall 2022.

House of Prayer – Two leaders have been designated from the Navajo Evangelical Lutheran Mission and are taking steps towards solidifying their call to serve as Wisdom Leaders to that community.

Global Engagement – We are excited to welcome Pr. Roberto Trejo from Iglesias Lutherano Mexicano to our Synod Assembly 2022. We look forward to meeting the new president to the Lutheran Church of Senegal and deepening that relationship.

Funds for Leaders – Thanks to the generosity of golfers and golf lovers across the GCS more than $50,000.00 was awarded in scholarship money to candidates in good standing enrolled in 6 of our 7 seminaries. 

  • Communicate Jesus. There continues to be a variety of ways I get to share the good news with our people across the Grand Canyon synod. There were several in person and in writing opportunities I enjoyed outside of my usual Associate to the Bishop opportunities.

  • Youth Leadership Summit

  • Youth Leadership Extravaganza

  • Leadership Lab introduction video

  • Global Engagement Team introduction video

  • Funds for Leaders Golf Tournament (Phoenix, Tucson)

  • LSS-SW devotion leader

  • Global Missions Board

  • Various synodical and region worship expressions

  • Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary graduation 2022

  • Sundays and Seasons written contributions

  • Hunger network

  • Continuing Education

    • Bias and Burnout

    • Brave Conversations

  • Lutheran Day at the Legislature

  • Crossroads Lutheran Mother’s Day Tea keynote

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,

Pr. Jacqui

Grand Canyon Synod, LettersBrian Flatgard2022 Assembly Reports, Office of the BishopComment