Prompts for Prayers of Intercession: November 14, 2021

For equitable access to healthcare and medical resources…
For attendees of the Astroworld festival and the families of those who died there…
For those suffering severe flooding in the states of Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh in India…
For all victims of senseless acts of violence and destruction…
For all in search of warm places of shelter as the weather turns…
For justice-seekers working in healthcare, housing, food and nutrition, and education…
In thanksgiving for the harvest that has been gathered and for the hands that worked the fields…

ELCA, PrayersBrian FlatgardNovember 10, 2021ELCA Worship, For What Shall We PrayComment

Enter your video for the 2nd annual Generosity Film Festival

The Grand Canyon Stewardship looks forward to an abundance of stories from across our synod, overflowing with heart-felt testimonies of generosity and hope. To enter, visit our film festival web page for tips and guidelines. The deadline for submission is December 8, 2021, with videos premiering Christmas week.

When we enter the Season of Advent we will light the first candle on the Advent Wreath, the candle that symbolizes HOPE. In the midst of the challenging times we continue to live, the Stewardship Team invites you to give witness to your experiences of generosity that offer HOPE for the New Year.

Church resources available from Celebration Lutheran, Peoria

Celebration Lutheran in Peoria has many items available for congregations. View the list in this post as well as many photos. If interested, please contact Dottie Anderson, 602-625-7859 or andadot@aol.com, who can arrange access to the church and help you “shop” through these resources.

News, Grand Canyon SynodBrian FlatgardNovember 10, 2021Classifieds, Celebration Peoria, Cactus ConferenceComment

2021 Fall Tea Party: An Interfaith Celebration of Women

The Islamic Speakers Bureau of Arizona (ISBA) presents their 2021 Fall Tea Party: An Interfaith Celebration of Women. This online, women-only event is Sunday, December 12, 2021 , 1pm MST, noon PST. Register here.

Join us virtually for an afternoon of friendship, fun, learning and sisterhood. For women 12 years old to 150 years old. Guest Artist: Aizzah Fatima

News, Grand Canyon SynodBrian FlatgardNovember 10, 2021Ecumenical and Inter-Religious Relations, Islamic Speakers BureauComment

Thanksgiving gift card collection

Lutheran Social Services of the Southwest is collecting $20 gift cards for Walmart and Fry’s to pass out at their food pantries this month and help provide a Thanksgiving meal for those in need. The goals is to collect 250 gift cards by Friday, 11/12/2021.

You can drop off physical gift cards at the Phoenix or Tucson LSS offices or donate funds using this link and the LSS staff will purchase the cards: lss-sw.org/thanksgiving-2021.

News, Grand Canyon SynodBrian FlatgardNovember 10, 2021Lutheran Social Services of the Southwest, Hunger, 2021 ThanksgivingComment

Christmas Sheet Drive: Lutheran Social Services of the Southwest

This holiday season, Lutheran Social Services of the Southwest (LSS-SW) is collecting 1,300 new queen size bedsheets for older adults and people with disabilities. Learn more about this program here.

Donations delivered before December 13, 2021, will be distributed as gifts to clients in time for Christmas. Your gift of bedsheets delivers comfort and love to neighbors who truly deserve it. Thank you.

Symbols of Presence: Virtual Weekly Advent Program

Symbols of Presence: A virtual weekly program from Spirit in the Desert during the season of Advent that helps participants prepare to receive the Best. Gift. Ever. The program is FREE, register on our calendar pages.

Prayer for Mount of Olives Lutheran Church in Phoenix

We pray for the people of Mount of Olives Lutheran Church in Phoenix, part of the Capital Conference. Visit their site at mountofolivesaz.org, and their Facebook.com page.

Prayers, Grand Canyon SynodBrian FlatgardNovember 9, 2021Mount of Olives Phoenix, Capital ConferenceComment

POSITION FILLED: New Journey Lutheran, Fountain Hills, seeks Communication Coordinator

New Journey Lutheran, Fountain Hills, seeks Communication Coordinator, who reports to the Pastor and works to develop and produce all aspects of the church’s print and online communications and marketing. This is a part time position, with compensation based on qualifications and experience. View the job description in PDF.

Welcome of Afghan newcomers

Support from ELCA members and congregations has swelled with an outpouring of concern, prayers and offers of assistance to our Afghan neighbors. As ELCA and through Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service (LIRS), we can continue to offer our support.

Read an overview at ELCA.org of what’s been happening, how Lutherans are stepping up to provide accompaniment, and where you can engage further by advocating for legal protections for new arrivals.

ELCA, NewsBrian FlatgardNovember 9, 2021Immigration and Refugees, Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service (LIRS)Comment

Bishop Eaton: Tending God's garden

Caring for creation is not just a boutique issue for the few, but a faith issue for all of us. As COP26, the UN Climate Change Conference, is underway in Glasgow, Bishop Eaton reminds us that we are called to tend God’s garden and be good stewards of creation.

Bishop Eaton, LettersBrian FlatgardNovember 9, 2021Climate ChangeComment

Ryan Cumming: Remembering Martin de Porres and Elizabeth of Hungary

This month, we commemorate two particularly inspirational Catholic saints, Martin de Porres on November 3, and Elizabeth of Hungary on November 17, who each exemplified “faith active in love” in important ways. What might we learn from these important leaders?

ELCA, Stories of Hope, LettersBrian FlatgardNovember 9, 2021ELCA World Hunger, HungerComment

POSITION FILLED: Holy Trinity Lutheran, Chandler, seeks office manager

Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Chandler, AZ, is seeking an Office Manager for 28 hours per week. Please submit resumes to: htapplications@gmail.com. Resumes will be reviewed after December 31, 2021.

News, Help Wanted, Grand Canyon SynodBrian FlatgardNovember 9, 2021Help Wanted, Holy Trinity Chandler, Fiesta ConferenceComment

Workshop on Anger Issues in our Faith Community

Many bishops and rostered ministers have reported an increase in anger in our faith communities. Covid issues over the past two years have made ministry more complicated.

Barbara Keller, with ELCA’s Misconduct Prevention, presents a 1-hour zoom workshop for rostered ministers. It focuses on understanding the origin of anger and ways to help rostered ministers and congregations deal more effectively with anger. Tuesday, 11/30/2021, 9 am MST, 8 am PST. Register here.

ELCA, News, ResourcesBrian FlatgardNovember 9, 2021Comment

Prayers for New Spirit Lutheran Church in Tucson

We pray for Rev. Carol Breimeier, Rev. Fred Nelson, and the people of New Spirit Lutheran Church in Tucson, part of the Sunrise Conference. Visit their site at newspiritlutherantucson.org and their Facebook page.

Prayers, Grand Canyon SynodBrian FlatgardNovember 8, 2021New Spirit Tucson, Kino ConferenceComment

Tips & Tricks: Preparing Your Group and Fundraising for the 2022 ELCA Youth Gathering

This Gathering webinar provides information about preparing your group for the 2022 Gathering. Information includes fundraising ideas, tips and resources.

Questions? Our Grand Canyon Synod Gathering Coordinator is Pastor Shari Bernau, with Living Water Lutheran in Scottsdale: pastorshari@lwlcaz.org.

News, Grand Canyon SynodBrian FlatgardNovember 8, 2021Youth and Young Adult, ELCA Youth Gathering, 2022 ELCA Youth GatheringComment

‘A Complete Turnaround’ for Matt

Matt's parents struggled with repeatedly finding new services for him due to violent behaviors, but his story has a happy ending. After he moved into a Mosaic home just over three years ago, everything changed. Matt's mom called it “a complete turnaround” for her son. Read more from Mosaic.

Stories of HopeBrian FlatgardNovember 6, 2021Mosaic, Disability MinistriesComment

Amending the Christian Story, a new book by Rev. Ron Rude

Amending the Christian Story: The Natural Sciences as a Window into Grounded Faith and Sustainable Living, by Ron Rude is now available at wipfandstock.com, bookshop.org, or Amazon.

After several years of research and writing and teaching, with worldview-altering insights into Nature's natural sciences and life's experience, "Amending the Christian Story" reframes and recasts God's story of life and God's story of Jesus.

News, Grand Canyon SynodBrian FlatgardNovember 5, 2021Comment

Rev. Lisa Heffernan: Disability Ministries update

Greetings! My name is Rev. Lisa Heffernan, and on June 1st I began serving as coordinator for ELCA Disability Ministries. I work remotely out of South Dakota, where I am also serving as a part-time interim pastor with a congregation.

As a person with a disability (spina bifida), this ministry is especially close to my heart and I’m excited for where God is leading us in 2022 and beyond.

ELCA, LettersBrian FlatgardNovember 5, 2021Disability MinistriesComment

Navajo Lutheran Mission School update

On Friday, October 8th, 2021, the Navajo Mission Preparatory School completed its first quarter. While this has been a challenging quarter with Covid-19 still looming large, the school has moved forward in some very positive ways.

We are very proud of so many of our families who have embraced our read-at-home program. One of the single biggest predictors of success in school is whether or not a child is read to in the home.

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