Enjoy free concerts and support local missions! Ascension Lutheran hosts the Women’s Orchestra of Arizona—next concert: Symphonic Cinema, Oct. 12. Mount of Olives offers Jazz Vespers Sept. 14, benefiting their food pantry. Foxes, Wine & Wheat premieres Michael Torke’s Psalms and Canticles Sept. 12–13. Click for more details.

August 31, was a Fifth Sunday letter-writing day. New Journey members signed letters for delivery to the local offices of Senator Kelly, Senator Gallego, and Representative Schweikert, in response to two recent ELCA calls for advocacy on shelter for the unhoused and affordable housing issues.

THANK YOU all for generous support to the Summer 2025 Heat Respite Lunch Pack project. On Tuesday, September 2, New Journey partnered with Inspiration Academy students for a fifth and final lunch pack for this season. Nearly 40 students plus staff, and a couple of Shepherd of the Hills volunteers joined 5 New Journeyans in packing 200 lunches. Students had decorated the lunch bags in advance with colorful pictures, blessing messages, and stickers to brighten recipients’ days.

THANK YOU for your support to New Journey's Sew Journers! 28 quilts, blessed by the congregation on August 10, were delivered to Native American Connections to be received by persons moving into apartments.

We’re excited to share that starting this Sunday, we’ll be returning to Sundays and Seasons as our guide for worship. This means we’ll once again follow the rhythm of the Revised Common Lectionary—with a first reading, psalm, and gospel each week.

We’re excited to share that live streaming for worship has resumed at New Journey Lutheran Church! After a short break, we’re back online — helping our congregation stay connected, especially during this time of transition as we search for a new pastor.

To read the approved August Congregation Council meeting & Special Transition Meeting minutes, click here.

If you have questions, please contact any member of the Congregation Council.

On August 12 and August 17, our New Journey Lutheran Church community came together to say goodbye to Pastor Beth, whose ministry has been a source of wisdom, compassion, and steady leadership.

The Diakonia Program, a trusted ELCA ministry for over 40 years, invites you to plant yourself in good soil and grow through its newly updated curriculum starting August 25, 2025.

Grief Support Group at Living Water Lutheran Church
Have you lost a loved one recently or are still grieving a past loss? You are warmly invited to join this welcoming 8-week support group.📄 Brochure included.

To sign up, contact Pastor Shari at 480-473-8400 or pastorshari@lwlcaz.org.

The Northeast Valley Consortium Steering Committee met on August 19. 

• Navajo Evangelical Lutheran Mission: Progress is beginning to be visible for the water project, supported by 40-40-40 Lenten Challenge funds through Lutheran World Relief, including the large cement pad for the chlorinated water tank to come. The food bank and kitchen at NELM are serving lots of people. 

The ELCA Churchwide Assembly, recently held in Phoenix, adopted a new Faith and Civic Life Social Statement, fulfilling a directive from the 2019 assembly. This important document offers guidance on how faith informs our engagement in civic life.

Updated Time!
Tuesday, September 2 at 8:30 a.m. (earlier than previously announced)

We’ll be packing lunch bags and making sandwiches for Heat Respite. Here’s what we need:

Support Affordable Housing. This  is an advocacy call from Lutheran Social Services of the Southwest. Materials and a draft letter are posted on the Red Door at church, with the letter for Senators Gallego and Kelley, and Representative Schweikert, attached here. 

“God’s work. Our hands.” is our annual day of service—a time to roll up our sleeves and show love to our community in simple, meaningful ways.

During this time of transition at New Journey Lutheran Church, Pastor Anna Reike of Christ the Lord Lutheran Church is available to provide emergency pastoral care.

If you are in need of support, please reach out:

📞 Call or text: (206) 291-8841
📧 Email: pastor@ctlcarefree.org

Below is a recently shared newsletter article from the former bishop of the Southwestern Minnesota Synod, which features both Ron and Connie Schwartau—and includes a kind mention of New Journey as their winter church home.

The article encourages all of us to stay connected to a faith community, especially when traveling or relocating. As you spend time in your summer congregations, consider sharing about New Journey and inviting others to find a church home wherever life takes them.

On Sunday, August 24th after worship, we will meet to chose hymns for September and October. Those choices will be shared with Susan Brahs, our Communication Coordinator, so she can prepare the worship PowerPoints.

We’d like to extend an invitation to anyone who would like to offer ideas, suggestions, and/or questions you’d like answers to concerning worship during this time of transition.

To read the approved July Congregation Council meeting minutes, click here.

To read the approved NJLC Special meeting minutes, click here.

If you have questions, please contact any member of the Congregation Council.

We want to keep our New Journey congregation informed and engaged as we move through this important time of transition.

Yesterday, our Church Council met with Pastor Phil Gustafson, our transition coach. Pastor Phil will be leading worship this Sunday, and following the service, he’ll host a conversation to share key insights and answer any questions you may have. We encourage everyone to attend and participate.

This transition is more than just finding a new pastor—it’s a time to reflect, refocus, and renew.