New Journey Lutheran Church members gathered a substantial collection of kitchen items, as well as additional furnishings, to join with ELCA churches of the Northeast Valley Consortium in preparing three apartments for newly arriving Afghan refugee families. Phoenix area apartments were set-up on February 2, 8 and 15 for families of 6, 7, and 13 members, respectively, in partnership with Lutheran Social Services of the Southwest, which has welcomed eight Afghan families in February.

On Sunday, February 12, we said “Godspeed and Farewell” to Crystalle Ebbinga. Tears of gratitude and love were shed. Though the Farewell did not happen how we hoped, we continue to give thanks to God for the many gifts and contributions Crystalle has made to our shared life and mission at New Journey Lutheran Church.

What is Lent, exactly? Well, Lent marks a forty-day period leading up to Easter, and mirrors Jesus’ forty-day wilderness stay. Observing the season of Lent became a practice during the 4th century as a way for Christians to prepare for the holiest days in the church calendar.

Mark your calendars to volunteer for the Fountain Hills Food Pack, which will be held on Thursday, March 2 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Community Center. We are in need of 200 volunteers to pack dehydrated meals.

On Sunday, January 22 we blessed and set apart for the glory of God a stained glass art piece and Bibles, gifted to New Journey Lutheran Church by Hosea Harkness in memory of his beloved wife, Lily Harkness. We are grateful to God for the generosity of Hosea and for the opportunity to remember Lily in worship.

I really enjoy developing goals. It has taken me years to figure this out, but I need to develop goals because I am easily distracted by possibilities and new ideas. I love new ideas. My imagination goes wild when someone comes forward and says something like: “Have you ever considered [fill in the blank] before? Might we try that out?”

New Journey Lutheran Church, ELCA, in Fountain Hills is hosting its ninth community food pack. The event will be Thursday, March 2, 2023, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Fountain Hills Community Center.

Merry Christmas, people of New Journey! While many of my neighbors have begun removing Christmas lights from the exterior of their homes and the inflatable Christmas characters are slowly disappearing from lawns, the western church continues to celebrate the joy and the mystery of God come down in the person of Jesus.

“What does it mean to accompany the vulnerable?” is among the questions raised in New Journey Lutheran Church’s 2022 weekly Advent season studies.

The Maricopa County Health Department is reporting elevations in the COVID-19 transmission rate in Fountain Hills.

This November, I traveled to Pinerock Camp and Retreat Center in Prescott, Arizona to attend First Call Theological Education (FCTE) with six of my first call colleagues, Bishop Deborah Hutterer of our Grand Canyon Synod, and Pastor Jacqui Pagel, Assistant to the Bishop for Candidacy and Faith Formation.

You are invited to join in a card-writing project to send messages of welcome and support to thousands of individuals and families who have crossed borders seeking safety in the United States, but who are held in detention centers across the country this holiday season.

Someone once explained to me the difference between a “busy” calendar and a “full” calendar.

Still thinking about hunger as a social ministry priority?

Hope and possibility permeate our celebration of Reformation Sunday.

Thinking ahead about hunger as a social ministry priority: What are root causes affecting hunger in Maricopa County and Arizona more broadly? What are Lutherans doing to address hunger? How can our faith-in-action help?

On Sunday, September 11 we celebrated God’s Work, Our Hands Sunday in worship by packing hygiene health care kits and blessing 27 quilts for foster children in Arizona.

Pastor Beth and the Worship & Music Team need your input related to Mid-Week Advent Worship & Christmas Day worship. Please click the link and complete the survey by October 16.

Did you know that we all have questions about faith and finances? Talking about money in public spaces is uncomfortable at best and a cultural taboo at worst.

The Congregation Council has noticed a longing to feel grounded and connected amid a changed church and world. Through conversation and reflection, council members have identified a vision of “getting rooted again” and invite the community of New Journey Lutheran Church to live into this vision over the next months.