Fund for Leaders and the ELCA invite you to join our online discernment groups starting July 1. Designed for those curious about seminary or church leadership, these groups serve as a platform for exploring your spiritual calling. Register at elcaseminaries.org or contact recruitment@elca.org. Rostered ministers interested in leading can reach out to Rick.Summy@elca.org. Discover your path in a supportive community of faith leaders.
Read MoreOur June 2024 ELCA Mission Support Memo takes us back to U.P. Wild Church, in Northern Great Lake Synod: “a spiritual home for the seekers of beauty, wonder, & awe; where the ‘church goers’ supplement their journey and the ‘misfits’ finally feel connected within the congregation of paper birch trees & squawking geese via the Mystery which creates all things.”
Additionally find free access to ELCA Stewardship recordings on “The Spirituality of Capital Campaigns,” “Creating a Year-Round Stewardship Calendar,” “Narrative Budget Construction,” “Donor Motivations” or “Four Mindset Shifts” which are perfect for stewardship teams wanting to do some continuing education or for councils curious about what’s happening in the realm of stewardship.
Read MoreLutheran Advocacy Ministry Arizona (LAMA) shares an article after having had the pleasure of visiting several churches and feeding ministries in Tucson! They want to use their blog to help share the stories of various ministries around our synod, both to celebrate ELCA World Hunger’s 50th anniversary, and to foster connections between people doing God’s good work. Stay tuned over the coming weeks to hear more about ministries in Tucson and around the state!
Read MoreThis week we celebrate the ordination anniversaries of:
Rev. Michael Johnson, who celebrates 37 years on June 21.
Rev. Roger Thompson, who celebrates 43 years on June 21.
Rev. Joseph Carucci, who celebrates 63 years on June 21.
Rev. Terry Pletkovich, who celebrates 43 years on June 21.
Rev. John Sersland, who celebrates 43 years on June 21.
Rev. Nancy Milleville, Our Savior’s, Mesa, who celebrates 44 years on June 21.
Rev. Michael Girlinghouse, LCM Canterbury, Flagstaff, who celebrates 37 years on June 21.
Rev. Sarah Upham-Birdsall, who celebrates 22 years on June 22.
Rev. Matthew Dobyns, ELCA, Chicago, who celebrates 16 years on June 22.
Rev. Gary Hess, who celebrates 47 years on June 22.
Rev. Duane Peterson, who celebrates 66 years on June 22.
Rev. Andrew Schlecht, Maricopa, Maricopa, who celebrates 16 years on June 22.
Rev. Glenn Zimbelman, who celebrates 40 years on June 24.
Rev. Scott Hove, Good Samaritan, Las Vegas, Good Sam at The Lakes, Las Vegas, who celebrates 29 years on June 25.
Rev. Paul Overvold, who celebrates 46 years on June 25.
Rev. Dennis Hagstrom, who celebrates 47 years on June 25.
Rev. John Geske, Mayo, Scottsdale, who celebrates 36 years on June 26.
Rev. David Towers, who celebrates 48 years on June 27.
We thank everyone who helped us with our Grand Canyon Synod Assembly. The Office of the Bishop takes the next few weeks to put our house back in order and prepare to create new possibilities.
Read MoreThe Rev. Deborah K. Hutterer was reelected June 14 to serve a six-year term as bishop of the Grand Canyon Synod. Information about the Grand Canyon Synod is available at gcsynod.org.
Read MoreMark your calendar for Sunday, Sept. 8, when congregations of the ELCA will join together for our annual day of service, “God’s work. Our hands.”
Participating in service projects is one way to celebrate who we are as the ELCA — one church, freed in Christ to serve and love our neighbor.
Read MoreThe Rev. Vivian J. Davila, Bayamon, Puerto Rico, was elected June 8 to serve a six-year term as bishop of the Caribbean Synod. Information about the Caribbean Synod is available at facebook.com/elcalcs.
Read MoreThe Rev. Martin R. Halom, Bloomer, Wis., was elected June 8 to serve a six-year term as bishop of the Northwest Synod of Wisconsin. Information about the Northwest Synod of Wisconsin is available at nwswi.org/.
Read MoreHave you heard the phrase, “May you live in interesting times?” Many would say we live in uncertain times, with a world experiencing war and famine, the stress and lingering effects of the pandemic. But Bishop Eaton reminds us that as people of the Resurrection we also live in hope. God’s love sustains us even in the most difficult times. We live in interesting times because God’s love is always real.
Read MoreThe Rev. Timothy M. Graham, Fort Wayne, Ind., was elected June 8 to serve a six-year term as bishop of the Indiana-Kentucky Synod. Information about the Indiana-Kentucky Synod is available at https://iksynod.org/.
Read MoreThis summer, engage with your faith through music at a series of Lutheran music events. Highlights include Augsburg Fortress Summer Music Clinics in five U.S. cities and the Lutheran Summer Music Academy at Valparaiso University, featuring over 30 public concerts. Additionally, Music that Makes Community offers community singing workshops, embodying our commitment to faith, music, and community. Embrace this opportunity to deepen your spiritual journey through music and read more at ELCA Worship’s monthly blog post.
Read MoreThe Rev. Nathan D. Pipho, Worcester, Mass., was elected June 7 to serve a six-year term as bishop of the New England Synod. Information about the New England Synod is available at nelutherans.org/.
Read MoreTo commemorate the 9th anniversary of the martyrdom of the Emanuel 9 – Clementa C. Pinckney, Cynthia Marie Graham Hurd, Susie Jackson, Ethel Lee Lance, DePayne Middleton-Doctor, Tywanza Sanders, Daniel Lee Simmons, Sharonda Coleman-Singleton, and Myra Thompson, our beloved siblings in Christ who were murdered by a self-professed white supremacist and ELCA parishioner while they were gathered for Bible study and prayer at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church (often referred to as Mother Emanuel) in Charleston, South Carolina on June 17, 2015 – Desta Goehner, Board President of the ELCA Association of White Lutherans for Racial Justice to share some thoughts about this day of repentance.
For more ELCA resources visit: Commemoration of the Emanuel Nine — June 17 – Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (elca.org)
See also: Establishing_June_17th_as_Emanuel_9_Commemoration_and_Day_of_Repentance.pdf (elca.org)
Worship Resources: Prayers_Litanies_Laments_Emanuel_Nine_Commemoration.pdf (elca.org)
Rewatch the 2024 Grand Canyon Synod Assembly on Love of Christ Lutheran’s Facebook page. All sessions, including the Diakonia Graduation, are now available online. Whether you missed the live event or want to experience it again, find all parts of the assembly at your convenience. Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, and the Diakonia Graduation are available for streami
Read MoreThe ELCA Disability Ministries is now accepting grant applications for 2024, offering a total of $50,000 to support projects that integrate and uplift people with disabilities within our congregations. Eligible projects should align with goals such as promoting leadership, enhancing support resources, and building inclusive community connections. Applications will close by July 31st or sooner if 30 applications are received. Apply today to contribute to a more inclusive church environment. For details and registration, visit ELCA Grants.
Read MoreMeeting under the theme "Created to Be," nearly 16,000 youth, adult leaders and others from the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) will participate in the ELCA Youth Gathering in New Orleans, La., July 16-20. The Gathering brings together high school age Lutherans from across the country and overseas for faith formation, worship, fellowship and service. Read full press release at ELCA.org.
Read MoreJoin Luther Seminar’s faith+lead for an exclusive workshop, “Living the Story: Moving from Membership to Discipleship,” on June 27th via Zoom, designed to empower church leaders to foster a culture of active, daily discipleship in their communities. Explore effective strategies for spiritual growth and community engagement, led by Dwight Zscheile of Luther Seminary.
This workshop is free for Faith+Lead members, with special membership rates available for new joiners. Rediscover the joy in your spiritual journey and transform your ministry practices. Register now and be part of God’s unfolding narrative in new and impactful ways.
Read MoreIn the aftermath of a storm, hurricane, or tornado, New Orleans residents regularly find themselves without electricity. This quickly becomes a health crisis as people try to manage life in the hot, humid Gulf Coast summers. City leaders and community organizers identified the eight most-requested items to help residents as they wait for the power grid to be restored.
Our goal is to create 3,000 disaster relief kits filled with these items to help New Orleanians get through the days immediately following a natural disaster. It takes about $100 to create an entire disaster relief kit. We encourage you to collect the items for your region or raise funds to complete an entire kit! Click here to learn more.
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