This month, the Congregation Council is on break and will not meet for church business. The minutes from June’s Council meeting will be approved at the August 13th Council meeting and published in the August 16th eNews.

For questions, please reach out to Cindi Brady at cindi@njlc-fh.org or Pastor Beth at pastorbeth@njlc-fh.org

Fountains United Methodist Church reached out to New Journey for collaboration in support of the Family Promise program. This program supports families experiencing homelessness for one week at a time over the Fall, Winter, and Spring seasons. You can participate by helping to prepare a dinner meal and joining the families for dinner that evening. If you are interested in learning more about possible October participation, please talk to Brenda Galindez, Jane Stoss, or Kris Bartanen.

New Journey will again participate in the Islamic Speakers Bureau of Arizona 9/11 Multi-Faith Food Drive for Extended Hands Food Bank. Any food items you provide to our EHFB bin from August 12 – September 8 will be designated as 9/11 Food Drive contributions. Extended Hands is now serving about 1200 persons a month, an increase of 200 from their prior website postings. Stay alert for top items needed at https://www.ehfb.org/, or check in with our regular volunteers Jo Martinson and Dorothy Schmidt.

Given New Journey’s limited posting or distribution space, we’re using the Red Door to support New Journey’s advocacy efforts. Items posted there are ELCA updates on current issues, Lutheran Advocacy Ministry Arizona (LAMAz.org) information items, and advance copies of letters for our “5th Sunday Letter Signings.” As Martin Luther noted: “If you want to change the world, pick up a pen and write!”  

Stay tuned for arrival of the “wish list” from Kristin’s Closet at I.E.M. School. We hope to gather and deliver items in time for the start of school on August 1.

Thanks to your quiet generosity, a third box for 2024 is on its way to Lutheran Social Services of the Southwest. Please continue to be alert for unopened travel-size toiletries, travel snacks, as well as athletic shoelaces, for refugees processed through Phoenix who are on their way to new homes in other parts of the country.

Sew Journers have twenty-some quilts ready for July 7 blessing; they will go to Native American Connections. NAC also accepts used clothing. You may bring good condition clothing and shoes to worship on July 7 and 14 only, for delivery with the quilts. Thanks for your generosity (and for understanding, we cannot store clothing on an ongoing basis). Other donation options are here.

Letters are off to Representative Schweikert and Senators Kelly and Sinema, each with fifteen signatures, in support of key provisions of the U.S. Farm Bill as component legislation is now being reconciled in the House and Senate. A copy of the letter is here. Additional ELCA updates on the farm bill are here.

Living Water Lutheran reports that – thanks to NEVC partners, including New Journey – this summer there will be 2,862 books to give to kids in need! Pr. Shari Bernau writes, “You can be sure that these books will provide an opportunity for many children to enjoy a book-break during their hot summer, with special thanks for Sue Brash and Assistance League of Phoenix.” New Journey helped by provided 272 books!

Thanks to New Journeyans for completing two great lunch packs for Grace in the City heat respite! 18 and 20 participants, respectively, prepped 200 lunches each on Mondays June 17 and July 1. Lead partners from Ascension, Christ the Lord, and New Covenant were thankful for seeing the project in action on June 17 as they prepare to host nine Monday lunch packs over the next two months with their congregations.

Have you ever wondered how scripture passages are chosen for Sunday morning worship? Have you ever wondered why we read from three or four parts of the Bible—Old Testament, Psalm, Epistles, & Gospel—each Sunday? What does “lectionary” even mean?

Worship is an integral part of our shared life together.

Worship is where the good news of God’s love for the world in Jesus is proclaimed and shared in water, word, bread, and wine. It is time set aside in our weekly schedules to retreat with God in the company of a loving, welcoming and hospitable community. It’s also a place where our deepest needs, fervent hopes, urgent prayers and questions are brought before God in the safety of community.

For this month’s Pastor Pen, Pastor Beth shares a video about the upcoming worship series: “A Place for You”

Join Arizona Faith Network for an afternoon of community service. Together we will pack heat relief bags for community members and cooling centers to hand out to those in need of heat relief. Donations are needed!

For those who were unable to attend our recent Grand Canyon Synod Assembly in person or wish to revisit the discussions and celebrations, we have good news! All sessions of the assembly, including the special Diakonia Graduation, are now available to watch on the Love of Christ Lutheran’s Facebook page.

This post was shared from the Grand Canyon Synod’s website.

The Rev. Deborah K. Hutterer was reelected June 14 to serve a six-year term as bishop of the Grand Canyon Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). The election took place during the synod assembly, June 13-15 at Love of Christ Lutheran Church, Mesa, Ariz.

This post was shared from the Grand Canyon Synod’s website.

The Grand Canyon Synod Assembly convened Thursday through Saturday, June 13–15, 2024, at Love of Christ Lutheran Church in Mesa under the theme, “Embody the Word.”

This post was shared from the Grand Canyon Synod’s website.

Next project? Imagine East Mesa School Supplies! We do not have a wishlist yet, but you can keep your eyes out for great sales!. We'll aim to deliver our contributions to IEM in mid-July.

Did you know that Afghan (and other) refugee women who are part of Lutheran Social Services of the Southwest's women's empowerment program have their own Etsy site where handmade items can be purchased?

More thanks! What a great crew of 20 New Journeyans to launch the 2024 Summer Heat Respite Lunch Pack Series for Grace Lutheran in downtown Phoenix!