The Office of the Bishop Staff attends and prepares for a flurry of events and meetings in January.
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On Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025, the ELCA will host a free online event from 9am-1pm MST, 8am-noon PST, featuring worship, workshops, music, and guided reflection. Centering the voices of ELCA leaders of color, the event seeks to raise awareness of the need for racial healing and inspire collective action toward justice and equity. Open to all ELCA members and partners, this event aligns with the work of Truth, Racial Healing & Transformation. Visit ELCA.org/NDORH to learn more and register today!
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We pray for the family and friends of Donald R. Thompson, who died December 9, 2024
The Celebration of Life for Love of Christ Lutheran Church Founding Pastor, Donald R. Thompson, will be Saturday, January 18, 2025 at 10AM in the Center of Compassion (1525 N. Power Road Mesa, AZ 85205).
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As we welcome 2025, Living Lutheran shares journal prompts to guide your self-reflection and help you set your faith intentions for the new year.
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Love Anyway Feasts offer a fresh way to bring neighbors together in divided times. Learn how ELCA members in Pennsylvania used shared meals to build bridges and model Christ’s teaching to love our neighbors. With resources from Lutheran Advocacy Ministry in Pennsylvania, you too can join this movement of connection and hope. Read more in this article from Living Lutheran.
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As Living Lutheran wrapped up 2024, they took a look at some of our top stories from the year. Below are Living Lutheran‘s five most-read articles from the last 12 months.
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Discover four practical ways to support family caregivers and break barriers to caregiving ministry in this two-hour workshop hosted by the Lutheran Faith Community Nurse Association on January 23, 2025. This session offers 2.0 Nursing Contact Hours and equips participants with the tools to reconnect caregivers with their faith communities. Register here.
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Faith Lutheran Church in Phoenix is seeking a part-time Director of Music Ministries to serve as a worship leader and liturgist. This role includes organ and choir leadership for Sunday 9:00 a.m. liturgies and other seasonal services. Salary is $24,000 annually with four weeks of paid vacation. Contact Faith’s Church Office at 602-256-3394 or email info@faithalive.com for details.
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This week we celebrate the ordination anniversaries of:
Rev. Stephen Springer, Dove of Peace, Tucson, who celebrates 28 years on January 12.
Rev. Annemarie Burke, Noble Hospice, Mesa, who celebrates 19 years on January 15.
Rev. Lourdes Olson, New Song, Henderson, who celebrates 3 years on January 15.
Explore the power of language to transform our communities in an online two-session Spirited Book Club this January, featuring Marilyn McEntyre’s Caring for Words in a Culture of Lies. Delve into twelve strategies for stewarding truth and grace in an era of dishonesty.
Facilitated by Sheri Brown, discussions will focus on the book’s call to nurture words as we nurture one another. Sessions are January 9 and 23 at 3:00 PM AZ/MST. Learn more and register at Spirit in the Desert Retreat Center’s website.
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Join Lutherans and friends across Arizona for Lutheran Advocacy Day on February 10, 2025, at Wesley Bolin Plaza in Phoenix. From 8:30 am to 1:00 pm, engage in our call to justice as we meet legislators, pray for those who serve, and connect with Lutheran Advocacy Ministry in Arizona leaders. Register today to be part of this impactful day of faith and advocacy.
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Deepen your faith and explore the intersection of theology, science, and creation at the “Living into a New Story” retreat from January 23–26, 2025, at Spirit in the Desert in Carefree, Arizona. Scholarships are now available, covering full costs for shared rooms or reducing single-room fees to $100 per person.
Led by Pastor Ron Rude and Sharon Reinbott, this retreat offers thought-provoking sessions on how Earth’s wisdom and scientific breakthroughs reshape Christian beliefs. Register now to secure your place for this transformative experience in faith and ecological wisdom.
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The Grand Canyon Synod welcomes Dorothy Anderson, a 2024 graduate of the Sustainable Faith Spiritual Direction program, to our list of spiritual directors. Drawing from decades of experience in ministry and counseling, Dorothy offers Spirit-led guidance and practices like contemplative prayer and Lectio Divina. Contact Dorothy to explore how she might support your spiritual journey or learn more about spiritual direction on our website.
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This Christmas season, ELCA Sumud reflects on a year of advocacy and accompaniment with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land (ELCJHL). From Rev. Gabi Aelabouni’s solidarity visit to impactful ministries like the Olive Harvest Festival and Beit Jala’s hot meals program, our Palestinian siblings inspire hope amid hardship. Read Bishop Azar’s powerful Christmas message, explore ways to advocate for justice, and learn how you can support the ELCJHL Christmas Appeal in this season of peace. Read more in their Winter Newsletter.
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In this Christmas message, the bishops and synod vice presidents of Region 2 reflect on Howard Thurman’s poem, “The Work of Christmas,” calling us to embrace God’s grace and live out Christ’s liberating love. Representing over 500 congregations, they invite us to join in justice, service, and joy, embodying the good news of Christ in our communities and the world.
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Happy New Year from the Office of the Bishop! As we step into 2025, we thank you for your faithful service and the countless ways you share Christ’s love throughout the Grand Canyon Synod. We are blessed to journey together and look forward to all that God has in store for us in the year ahead.
This week Bishop Hutterer travels to Puerto Rico for the Bishop’s Academy, and the staff enters 2025 on the ground and running.
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Rev. Paul Larson, lead pastor of St. Paul’s Lutheran Family in Carson City, NV, has been appointed Advocacy Director for Lutheran Engagement and Advocacy in Nevada (LEAN). As the 83rd Nevada Legislative Session approaches, Rev. Larson will represent Lutheran voices on issues like immigration, food insecurity, and environmental care. His leadership promises to strengthen LEAN’s mission of justice and compassion. Learn more about his vision and upcoming initiatives, including February’s “Lobby Day” at the Capitol, at leanforjustice.org.
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Kylee Bestenlehner, a member of Christ the Servant Lutheran Church in Henderson, Nevada, shares her inspiring journey from leading ukulele lessons to attending seminary at the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago (LSTC). Drawn by LSTC’s Public Church Curriculum and supported by scholarships, Kylee is following her call to ministry while creating lasting community impact. Learn how trust in God and encouragement from her church community guided her path in an article from LSTC’s Epistle magazine.
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Discover how God’s love is at work in the ELCA through the 2024 Annual Report Cover and Pages, available in two PDFs (download version 1, download version 2). Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton highlights stories of transformation and the impact of Mission Support in advancing ministry.
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Sacred Places Magazine provides stories about Partners’ work with congregations across the country; practical information on repair, maintenance, and fundraising; profiles of Professional Alliance members; and more. View the latest edition here.
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