Pastor Beth

• Current Ministry Projects:

  • Summer Worship Planning

  • Attending the Festival of Homiletics, May 12-15

  • Vacation May 16-19

  • Administrative Tasks

Susan

• Current Ministry Projects:

  • Worship PowerPoints

  • Social Media & Advertising Planning

  • Website Updates

Jamie

• Current Ministry Projects:

  • Choir Leadership

  • Worship Leadership

  • Summer Worship Planning Support

We’re honored to share the 2023-2024 Annual Report from our mission partner, Lutheran Social Services of the Southwest—a powerful reflection of compassion in action.

As members of the Grand Canyon Synod, we’re excited to join others in lifting up the ways God is at work in our congregations and communities. In anticipation of the 2025 Synod Assembly, ministries across the synod have shared stories of faith, service, and growth—all centered on this year’s theme, Build Up the Body (Ephesians 4:12–13).

June marks the beginning of summer—a season of sunshine, growth, and endless possibilities. It's the perfect time to embrace fresh adventures, soak in the vibrant energy of nature, and create unforgettable memories. Let’s make the most of June together!

On May 29, New Covenant Lutheran Church hosted the inaugural consortial Feast of the Ascension celebration, attended by two dozen-plus friends from Ascension, Christ the Lord, New Journey and New Covenent congregations.

The congregations of the Northeast Valley Consortium are invited to participate again in the Living Water Lutheran Vacation Bible School Mission Project Book Drive (June 16-20).

The House of Representatives passed legislation that would cut $290 billion from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) by making significant changes to the program. These changes would push families and children off SNAP and drive them deeper into hunger and poverty. Fortunately, these harmful SNAP cuts have a long way to go before they become law and there is a lot we can do to stop them – including using the power of prayer.    We would like to share with you a “Prayer for SNAP.”

ALL are welcome (and needed!) to join the first summer lunch pack after worship on Sunday, June 8. We will prepare 200 lunches for the Arizona Faith Network cooling center at First United Church of Christ – Phoenix, a partner with their neighbor Grace Lutheran.

In 2024, Christian ethicist, David P. Gushee wrote a book titled: The Moral Teachings of Jesus, Radical Instruction in the Will of God. At the Festival of Homiletics, Pastor Beth attended a workshop and a lecture led by Gushee on his book, and was inspired to bring it back to the New Journey community.

This book will form the basis of a summer series in which our community will consider 11 moral teachings of Jesus. Beginning Wednesday, June 18 at 5:30 pm by Zoom, members and friends of NJLC will gather around select teachings for discussion, deliberation, spiritual challenge and comfort.

Thank you for a few minutes to share your thoughts about the Narrative Lectionary. 

This last fall, our congregation moved to the Narrative Lectionary to support our community's connection to and knowledge of the stories of scripture. By focusing on one story per Sunday, we hoped our community would come to notice the broad sweep of the Biblical arc as one story from Creation through the early Christian church.

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

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

May 18 and 25 are the closing Sundays for New Journey's food support drive for the asylum-seeker shelter at Nogales, Mexico.

Envelopes for donations are available at church, or you can give to NJLC online (clearly designated for Casa M), or bring bulk rice, beans, or flour to add to fill the wagon in the fellowship area.

THANK YOU! to Lou Hutchinson and Steve Brady who transported and delivered furnishings for two apartments for persons moving from homelessness, with support of the Paiute Neighborhood Center in Scottsdale. Thanks, also, to New Journey neighbor - Estate Interiors - for donating a small table and shelving for this project.

The Fountain Hills Community Center is once again opening its doors to support a vital cause—saving lives through blood donation. Mark your calendars for Friday, June 13th, and Saturday, June 14th, from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM, as the community comes together in Ballroom 1 for this important event.

• New Journey Water Pallet delivered to First Church, Phoenix: Our 2025 heat respite project kicked off on Monday, May 12, with the delivery of a pallet of water to First United Church of Christ in central Phoenix. Given the extended heat season, if additional funds become available through gifts or savings in the heat respite component of New Journey’s mission spending plan, we’ll provide another pallet in the late summer to Wesley United Methodist Church in south Phoenix.

Our report to the Grand Canyon Synod Assembly is posted at 2025 Assembly Mission and Ministry Stories — Grand Canyon Synod of the ELCA and the video is also available on our blog.

We are thrilled to invite you to the Ascension Ice Cream Party on May 23rd from 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM. This event will be held at New Covenant Lutheran Church, and we can't wait to celebrate Ascension Day with you in the sweetest way possible!

This month, the Congregation Council is on break and will not meet for church business. The minutes from April’s Council meeting will be approved at the June 17th Council meeting and published in the June 20th eNews.

For questions, please reach out to Mike Wilson at mike@forensicphotog.com or Pastor Beth at pastorbeth@njlc-fh.org

In this week’s vlog, Pastor Beth shares her experience at the Festival of Homiletics, held at Peachtree Road United Methodist Church in Atlanta, GA. She was among more than 1,000 preachers from across the U.S. and around the world, all gathered under the theme: 'Preaching to Heal the Divide.