As we move toward Synod Assembly, we do so in a season of the church year that reminds us who we are.

At Pentecost, the Holy Spirit gathered people from many places, many languages, and many walks of life—and formed them into the church. What began as a moment became a movement: a people rooted in God’s story and sent into the world.

That same Spirit continues to gather us today.

In many ways, our Synod Assembly is a small but real expression of Pentecost. We come together from across Arizona, southern Nevada and Utah, and the Navajo Nation—not simply to conduct business, but to listen, to discern, to worship, and to be shaped together for the sake of the gospel.

This year’s theme, “Rooted in God’s Story,” invites us to remember that we are not starting something new. We are stepping into something ongoing. We are part of a story that began long before us and will continue long after us—and yet, this moment matters. Our life together, our decisions, and our shared ministry are all part of how that story unfolds now.

At this year’s assembly, we will also look ahead as we present and reflect on the Proposed Mission Plan for 2027–2028. I encourage you to take part in these conversations as you are able. These are not simply planning documents—they are expressions of how we believe the Spirit is calling us forward together.

Most importantly, assembly is a time to be together. To worship. To reconnect. To meet new people. 

To share stories of what God is doing in your congregation and community.

In a time when much in our world can feel fragmented or uncertain, there is real strength in gathering as the church—rooted, grounded, and open to the Spirit’s leading.

I invite you to come with a spirit of curiosity, generosity, and joy. Come ready to listen, to participate, and to be part of what God is doing among us.

I look forward to being with you.

With you in Christ,

The Rev. Deborah K. Hutterer
Bishop
Grand Canyon Synod of the ELCA

Polls are opening soon! Do you know where you’re going to vote during the #PrimaryElection?

Visit bit.ly/NVPrimaryEVSites, which connects to an interactive map of Nevada with every 2026 Primary Election polling place during Early Voting and Election Day, as well as all Official Mail Ballot Drop Box locations.

Search to find a polling location near you!

As immigration detention surges across the United States, the private companies building and running detention facilities are reporting record profits. To learn more and take concrete steps to ensure the safety of all, visit http://resources.elca.org/…/public-witness-and-for…/ to download the ELCA Advocacyand ELCA Ammparo resource “You Shall Also Love the Stranger: Public Witness and For-Profit Immigration Detention.”

Presiding Bishop Yehiel Curry has released a statement on the shooting at the Islamic Center of San Diego.

“As the ELCA, we must speak plainly: violence rooted in hatred is sin. We condemn Islamophobia and acknowledge its rise in recent years. Our church affirms that “anti-Muslim hatred is antithetical to our Christian faith” (A Declaration of the ELCA to the Muslim Community), for we are called to love our neighbor in ways that cast out fear (1 John 4:18).”

Read the full statement here or below.

Grace and peace to you in the name of Jesus Christ.

We grieve with heavy hearts following the deadly attack at the Islamic Center of San Diego earlier this week. In a place devoted to prayer and community, three lives were taken in an act of violence that authorities are investigating as a hate crime.

We mourn with the families of those who lost their lives, with the Muslim community in San Diego and with all who carry fear and sorrow in the wake of this tragedy. We give thanks for those whose courageous actions helped protect others — bearing witness, even in crisis, to the God-given dignity of every human life.

As the ELCA, we must speak plainly: violence rooted in hatred is sin. We condemn Islamophobia and acknowledge its rise in recent years. Our church affirms that “anti-Muslim hatred is antithetical to our Christian faith” (A Declaration of the ELCA to the Muslim Community), for we are called to love our neighbor in ways that cast out fear (1 John 4:18).

This violence does not stand alone. It grows in a climate where fear, dehumanization and anti-Muslim rhetoric take hold. As people of faith, we are called to interrupt that pattern — to speak, to show up and to stand with those who are targeted.

We must also name the ongoing crisis of gun violence in our nation. Our church has long taught that society shares responsibility for protecting life and promoting the common good (The Church in Society: A Lutheran Perspective, 1991). We have urged stronger measures to prevent gun-related violence and death (“Gun-related Violence and Trauma,” 2024). This tragedy is yet another reminder that we cannot look away.

Our calling as the church requires more than naming what is wrong — we must move forward. Our church has committed itself to relationship, solidarity and shared life with our neighbors. We are called:

• To stand in visible solidarity with our Muslim neighbors.

• To build real relationships that deepen understanding and trust.

• To speak out whenever hatred or fear is given voice.

• To examine our own words and actions and to seek reconciliation where harm has been done.

Our Lutheran faith teaches us not only to refrain from harming our neighbor but also to defend them — to speak well of them and to stand with them when they are under threat. This is that moment.

To our Muslim neighbors: we affirm our love and respect for you. We stand with you — not only in grief but also in the ongoing work of building communities where all people can live and worship in safety.

I ask the people of this church to respond with courage:

• Connect with neighbors in solidarity and presence.

• Speak out against anti-Muslim hatred.

• Build relationships that reflect the love of Christ.

• Advocate by calling on public officials to publicly condemn the attack and to support a thorough investigation.

In this moment, we return to a truth we have proclaimed before: Hate will not divide us. 

We are people of resurrection hope. Even now, God is calling us — beyond fear, beyond division — toward a future shaped by justice, compassion and peace.

In Paul’s letter to the Romans, he beckons us: “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good” (Romans 12:21).

Hate will not have the final word, and we will not grow weary in speaking out against it.

‍

In Christ,

The Rev. Yehiel Curry
Presiding Bishop
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America 

Lent may be behind us, but the invitation to love and serve our neighbors is still very much before us.

The 2026 ELCA Region 2 Lenten Challenge supports ELCA World Hunger, with a shared goal of raising $100,000 across the five Region 2 synods: Sierra Pacific, Southwest California, Pacifica, Grand Canyon and Rocky Mountain. Rooted in Matthew 25, the challenge reminds us that when we feed the hungry, welcome the stranger, care for the sick and stand with the vulnerable, we are serving Christ himself.

And here’s the good news: it’s not too late to donate. Gifts received through May 31, 2026 count toward the Region 2 Lenten Challenge total. The appeal code is R2LENT2026.

Your gift to ELCA World Hunger helps support sustainable, community-based solutions to hunger and poverty—work that includes health clinics, microloans, water wells, farm animals, community meals and advocacy. These gifts are part of our church’s long-standing commitment to address not only immediate hunger, but also the root causes of poverty and injustice.

Whether you participated in the Lenten Challenge all season long or are just hearing about it now, your gift matters. Individuals, families, congregations and organizations are all welcome to participate. You may give online at lentenchallenge.org, by phone, through your congregation or synod office, or by mailing a check to ELCA World Hunger with R2LENT2026 in the memo line.

Don’t want to donate online? Fine!

• Give through your synod office. Make checks payable to “ELCA World Hunger” and add Appeal Code ‘R2LENT2026’ in the memo line.
• Give through your congregation. Make checks payable to your congregation, write “ELCA World Hunger” and Appeal Code R2LENT2026 in the memo line, and place your gift in the offering plate.
• Give by phone. Call 800-638-3522 Monday-Friday, 8:00am-5:00pm central time and mention Appeal Code R2LENT2026.
• Send your check to ELCA World Hunger. Make checks payable to “ELCA World Hunger,” add Appeal Code R2LENT2026 in the memo line, and mail to: Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, ELCA Gift Processing Center, P.O. Box 1809, Merrifield, VA 22116-8009.

This is a simple, faithful way to extend the spirit of Lent into Easter living: generosity, compassion and solidarity with neighbors near and far.

Donate today at lentenchallenge.org and help Region 2 build a just world where all are fed.