Chart a New Course: Explore ‘The Seventh Story’ with the Spirited Book Club on 6/13/2024

Join Spirited Book Club on June 13th, 2024, from 12:00 to 1:00 pm PDT/MST, for a thought-provoking discussion on ‘The Seventh Story: Us, Them & The End of Violence’ by Brian D. McLaren and Gareth Higgins. This online event, facilitated by Sheri Brown, explores transformative narratives that encourage peace and understanding in a divided world. Discover how Jesus’ teachings can inspire a new way of living based on compassion and reconciliation. Register now to be part of this enriching experience and help change the stories we live by.

2024 Grand Canyon Synod Assembly Rules and Procedures Announced

The 2024 Grand Canyon Synod Assembly, scheduled for June 13-15, has released its Rules of Procedure. Key points include adherence to Robert’s Rules of Order, designated seating for voting members, and no proxy or absentee voting. Engage actively in our synod’s governance by understanding these guidelines in advance, and join us in a spirit of faithful witness and Lutheran values.

Grand Canyon Synod, NewsBrian FlatgardJune 3, 20242024 Grand Canyon Synod AssemblyComment

Join Deacons Brugh and Adelman for an Evening of Hymns and Community

Join us for the Wild Life Hymn Festival on Thursday, June 13, 2024, from 7:30-8:30 PM at Love of Christ Lutheran in Mesa. Organized by Deacon Lorraine S. Brugh and Deacon Kate Adelman, this event offers a rich tapestry of hymns from diverse cultures and historical periods, fostering spiritual dialogue and community connection. Experience an evening of melody, reflection, and spiritual harmony that celebrates our global Christian heritage

Grand Canyon Synod, NewsBrian FlatgardJune 3, 20242024 Grand Canyon Synod AssemblyComment

Civic Duty and Faith: Join Autumn Byars for Election Engagement Talks

This June, join Autumn Byars every Thursday at 5:30 PM PDT/MST for a series of engaging discussions on the role of young Lutherans in electoral politics. These sessions aim to empower and prepare you for active participation in the upcoming elections. Register here and mark your calendars to be a part of this important civic engagement initiative.

Help fill our hygiene kits for our 2024 Synod Assembly Service Project

Join us at the Synod Assembly on June 13, 2024, to help pack Hygiene Kits for Grace in the City, Phoenix. Participate in our service project by purchasing items from our Amazon Gift List by June 1. Your involvement will directly support those in need and enhance our community outreach efforts.

2024 Assembly Giving Focus: ELCA Federal Chaplains

Support the ELCA Federal Chaplaincy Ministries with your offerings at this year’s Grand Canyon Synod Assembly. Your donations will help fund scholarships for those called to serve as chaplains in the military, Veterans Affairs hospitals, and federal prisons, embodying the Word in their day-to-day ministries. Learn more and how to contribute on our ELCA Federal Chaplaincy page. Join us in making a meaningful impact on the lives of those who serve on the front lines of faith.

Celebrate Our 2024 Diakonia Graduates: Join Us In-Person or Online

Celebrate the 2024 Diakonia Graduation Ceremony after our assembly on June 15 at 12:30 PM at Love of Christ Lutheran Church in Mesa, AZ. Join us in person or watch the live stream here to honor our graduates’ faith journeys and achievements. For more details, visit www.diakonia.education and view the full PDF document with details of all the graduates.

Grand Canyon Synod, NewsBrian FlatgardJune 3, 2024Diakonia, 2024 Grand Canyon Synod AssemblyComment

Rev. Jacqui Pagel Annual Report: 2024

Pastor Jacqui Pagel, Bishop’s Associate for Candidacy and Faith Formation, reports significant strides in nurturing leadership and spiritual development across the Grand Canyon Synod. The Candidacy program is flourishing, with 27 candidates poised for pastoral roles, and anticipates ordaining deacons for the first time in fourteen years. Additionally, the Grand Canyon Synod is among the top ten synods for candidate numbers.

Efforts in Lutheran Campus Ministry have continued robustly despite pastoral retirements, maintaining vital support and faith exploration spaces for students across multiple campuses. Pastor Jacqui also highlights the impactful financial support provided to seminary students through the Funds for Leaders program, alleviating the burden of educational expenses. Her report encapsulates our synod’s ongoing commitment to forming faith-filled leaders equipped to serve and enrich their communities.

Grand Canyon Synod, NewsBrian FlatgardMay 31, 20242024 Assembly Stories, Office of the BishopComment

Ecumenical Progress: ELCA and Partners Update Common Texts, Address Historical Bias

The Consultation on Common Texts (CCT), which includes the ELCA among its members, recently convened to address revisions in the lectionary to combat anti-Jewish interpretations. Key updates and resources, such as the “Preaching and Teaching With Love and Respect for the Jewish People,” guide our community in respectful, inclusive worship planning. The CCT also plans to introduce a new feast celebrating divine creation, reflecting a broader ecumenical commitment.

ELCA, NewsBrian FlatgardMay 31, 2024ELCA WorshipComment

Lutheran World Federation newsletter: 5/31/2024

News, Global ChurchBrian FlatgardMay 31, 2024Lutheran World FederationComment

Lutheran Advocates Unite: A May Recap of Ecumenical Outreach and Policy Engagement

This May, Lutheran advocates have been active from the U.N. to local state legislatures, promoting sustainable development, justice, and community welfare. Highlights include the ECOSOC Youth Forum, California’s successful Lutheran Lobby Day, and significant legislative wins in Colorado. Join us for an upcoming event on June 13 to discuss the Farm Bill, a key policy affecting our communities. Read the full blog post on ELCA.org for more on how Lutherans are making a difference globally and locally.

ELCA, NewsBrian FlatgardMay 31, 2024Advocacy, ELCA AdvocacyComment

Pause and Reflect: Embracing Stewardship in the Midst of Summer

As we step into June, it’s a perfect time to pause and reflect. Congregational leaders often worry about attendance and engagement during the summer, but June offers a unique opportunity to take a moment to just be. The latest “Where Your Heart Is” newsletter from Tim Brown, ELCA’s Director of Congregational Stewardship, explores how to find peace, share community stories, and stay connected with upcoming stewardship events.

ELCA, NewsBrian FlatgardMay 31, 2024Where Your Heart Is, StewardshipComment

Join Generation Zero-Hunger! Actions for congregations

In preparation for the Youth Gathering this summer, youth from ELCA congregations across the country are raising money to become the generation that ends hunger. Will you join them?

Right now, gifts made to ELCA World Hunger as part of Generation Zero-Hunger are being matched until we reach $250,000!

ELCA, NewsBrian FlatgardMay 31, 2024Youth and Young Adult, 2024 ELCA Youth Gathering, Hunger, ELCA World HungerComment

Unveiling the 2023 ELCA Foundation Annual Report: A Year of Growth and Generosity

Explore the ELCA Foundation’s latest strides toward intentional generosity and financial stewardship in the newest issue of “Insights.” This edition includes the expanded 2023 annual report, featuring both gift planning and investment services. Learn about their new Vice President of Advancement role and find inspiring articles on leaving a legacy. Engage with the full content for more details and updates.

ELCA, Grand Canyon Synod, NewsBrian FlatgardMay 31, 2024ELCA Foundation, StewardshipComment

Your Quilts & Kits offer warm hospitality to ships stuck in Baltimore after the Key Bridge collapse

The Port of Baltimore is the starting point for most shipments of Lutheran World Relief Quilts & Kits. From here, seafarers from all over the world transport them across the seas to ports in Africa, Asia, Latin America and beyond.

But this spring, for the first time in LWR history, the ships themselves were the final destinations — and the seafarers were the intended recipients. Read the article and view the video at lwr.org.

Global Church, ELCA, NewsBrian FlatgardMay 31, 2024Lutheran World ReliefComment

Why Mosaic at Home is Our Largest Residential Service

Mosaic is offering people more options to help them have the life they choose in a place they want to live. Learn why Mosaic at Home shared living has become our largest 24/7 residential service. The post Why Mosaic at Home is Our Largest Residential Service appeared first on Mosaic.

Grand Canyon Synod, NewsBrian FlatgardMay 31, 2024Mosaic, Disability MinistriesComment

POSITION FILLED: Tanque Verde Lutheran in Tucson is Hiring Part Time Children's Ministry Director

TVLC is a dynamic, multi-generational congregation with a gifted staff, devoted volunteers and vibrant worship. We are looking for a part-time Children's Ministry Director to help us invest in our children and families, and tackle the challenges of ministering to a changing world from a position of strength. See the full job description on Indeed.

Grand Canyon Synod, NewsBrian FlatgardMay 30, 2024Tanque Verde Tucson, Kino Conference, Help WantedComment

Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary Annual Report: 2024

Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary shares their 2024 Annual Report via a just-released YouTube video.

Grand Canyon Synod, NewsBrian FlatgardMay 30, 20242024 Assembly StoriesComment

Grand Canyon Synod Global Engagement Team Annual Report: 2024

The congregations of the Grand Canyon Synod actively engage with and support many programs globally. Whether it be a direct congregational relationship or project outside the US or programs and partnerships attached to the synod, the ELCA or the Lutheran World Federation!

The Global Engagement team works to support these efforts and our ongoing companion synod relationships; we also support the ELCA Young Adults in Global Mission (YAGM) program and other ELCA Global Mission programs.

Grand Canyon Synod, News, Global ChurchBrian FlatgardMay 30, 20242024 Assembly Stories, Global Engagement TeamComment

Thriving Leadership Formation Annual Report: 2024

Thriving Leadership Formation, supported by a significant grant from the Lilly Endowment, continues to foster spiritual and leadership growth within our synod through its diverse initiatives and events. In the past year, this program, housed at Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary and California Lutheran University, has significantly impacted pastoral and lay leadership across ELCA Regions 1 and 2. Under the leadership of Pastor Lourdes Olson, among others, the program has engaged numerous leaders in spiritual practices and community building, helping them to thrive in their congregational roles. View their full annual report in this PDF.

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