Embark on a spiritual adventure with the Spirit in the Desert Retreat Center as Spirited Examen wraps up this yearl. Dive deep into reflective practices focusing on strengthening your bonds with God, Creation, and fellow humans. Engage in this final meaningful online session of 2023. Discover more about this enlightening journey here.
Read MoreWe share the latest updates from ELCA Advocacy, and highlight the entry from Lutheran Advocacy Ministry Arizona (LAMA) – lamaz.org, in this post.
Read MoreSome of the Office of the Bishop staff gather for an in-person staff retreat this week, as we wrap up 2023 and prepare for the 2024 calendar year.
Read MoreThis week we celebrate the ordination anniversaries of:
Rev. Scott Summers, who celebrates 33 years on December 8.
The Rev. Erika Von Haaren, Gloria Christi, Phoenix, who celebrates 17 years on December 9.
Deacon Lorraine Brugh, who celebrates 44 years on December 10.
Rev. Abel Arroyo Traverso, who celebrates 5 years on December 14.
Join us for our Spring Gatherings themed "Embody the Word" across the Grand Canyon Synod! Engage in meaningful discussions, understand the bishop election process, and hear inspiring stories from our ministries. Mark your calendars for these gatherings at various locations from January to March 2024. Visit our 2024 Spring Gatherings page for all the details.
Read MoreThe Inside Out Network’s Fall-Winter 2023 newsletter is available, with great news; “After several years of on-again, off-again discussions and negotiations with Securus Technologies, we finally have a path forward to integrate our online ION website with the 600,000 tablet computers they supply to inmates across the country. This is the breakthrough moment we’ve been working and praying for and that inmates, corrections staff, and reentry service providers have been waiting for.
Read MoreAre you surprised that it's already time for Advent? Luther Seminary’s faith+lead would like to extend some support and encouragement to help you start this holiday season centered on Jesus. Get ready to take a daily pause to breathe in their free 5-Day Advent Challenge: Season of Hope. Discover Your Place in God’s Story in just 20 minutes per day.
Read MoreStill have a balance in your Flexible Spending Account (FSA) – either for health or dependent care expenses? Be sure to spend those dollars by Dec. 31, 2023, so you won’t lose them. Check your balance on myPortico, and submit receipts via the link to Further. Need ideas on what you can use your dollars for? This list can help.
Read MoreAmidst the joy and celebration – and, yes, stress – of this season, your body can use all the help it can get. Whether it’s treatment for a pesky cough, a listening ear to help process impostor syndrome or budget worries, or ideas for a new healthy holiday tradition, check out Portico’s curated list of resources to support you and your family this season (and Advent blessings to you!)
Read MoreThe next churchwide gathering of Women of the ELCA will be held July 16-19, 2026, in Des Moines, Iowa. You can register now at an early-bird holiday rate of $315 through December 31, 2023. Over 200 have already pre-registered! Click here to register.
Read MoreMake a difference today and save on taxes. It is possible when you support the Grand Canyon Synod through your IRA.
Read MoreJoin Lutheran Summer Music, December 3-24, 2023, for their third-annual Musical Advent Calendar–a daily moment of music and reflection on their Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube pages as well as archived on their website: LSMacademy.org/acal.
Read MoreJoin Mountain View Lutheran Church for a heartwarming German-Language Christmas Service on 12/17/2023, at 4:10 pm! Enjoy caroling, a traditional service, and festive fellowship with cookies and warm drinks. Can't make it in person? Join in virtually via livestream.
Read MoreRefresh your spirit this Advent with "Journeying Together -- Spiritual Practices in Community." Join Thriving Leadership Formation on Dec 7, 2023, from 10am-1pm MST, 9am to Noon PST, for a free virtual event focused on grounding spiritual practices. Perfect for ministry leaders seeking respite and connection. Register now for a serene start to your Advent journey. Register here. Questions? Email thriving@callutheran.edu.
Read MoreWould you like to finish this year with a gift to your church, the Grand Canyon Synod, and/or favorite ELCA ministry that maximizes your impact and reduces your taxes? Read about four smart options in this post.
Read MoreWe're excited to announce the election of Rev. Benjamin B. Bergren to the ELCA Church Council, serving until August 2025. Join us in thanking Pastor Karn Carroll for her impactful service and in welcoming Pastor Bergren, as he brings his ministry experience from Community Lutheran Church in Las Vegas and elsewhere to our churchwide leadership.
Read MoreSome of the Office of the Bishop staff worships with University Lutheran for the farewell/retirement Pastor Gary McCluskey, and prepares for our upcoming assembly. We also share a photos from Bishop Hutterer’s visit to Mexico City as part of our relationship building with Iglesia Luterana Mexicana (ILM, Mexican Lutheran Church) .
Read MoreThis week we celebrate the ordination anniversaries of:
Deacon April Boyden, who celebrates 34 years on December 1.
Rev. Lars Hammar, Lord of Grace, Tucson, Open Space, Tucson, who celebrates 24 years on December 5.
Rev. Joshua Pontious, Community of Grace, Peoria, who celebrates 2 years on December 5.
Join us in supporting the "Standing in Hope" campaign by Opportunity Palestine to aid the ELCJHL schools in the West Bank during the current crisis. With schools closed and families facing economic hardships, your generosity can provide essential scholarship assistance. Learn more about how you can contribute to this vital cause and stand in solidarity with the students and educators during this Advent Season.
Read MoreElevate your leadership skills with the Rocky Mountain Synod, ELCA's "Excellence in Leadership" program. Starting January 5, 2024, this 13-month cohort offers bi-weekly online sessions every Friday morning to nurture courageous, resilient, and faithful leaders.
Explore adaptive leadership, emotional intelligence, and spiritual practices in a community of diverse participants. Transform how you respond to challenges and conflicts, both personally and professionally. Don't miss this chance to journey towards emotional and spiritual wholeness. Enroll now and step boldly into the future, and view a PDF brochure for more info.
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