We’d love to have 2–4 people join Kris Bartanen in visiting Ascension Lutheran for worship and fellowship at 10:00 a.m. on Sunday, February 22.

Recently, Denny and Gwen Rubenow tackled the church landscaping, trimming back overgrown bushes, removing dead plants, and giving the area a much-needed cleanup.

The 2026 New Journey Lutheran Church Directory is now available! It’s a meaningful way to stay connected with our church family and strengthen the relationships that make our community so special.

We’d like to say a big thank you to all who participated in the listening circles or provided their responses via email. We held 11 listening circles and received 9 email responses. This is a total of 44 responses that we reviewed and summarized into common themes. This participation represents over 50% of our congregation members. Fantastic job!

As we approach the season of Lent, we are reminded of the importance of wondering—both personally and communally—what faith means to us.

Save the date:  Feast of the Ascension worship, followed by ice cream social, on Thursday, May 14. New Covenant Lutheran invites New Journeyans and other NEVC partners. Likely late afternoon time and details TBA.

Save the Date: Northeast Valley Consortium Faith Development Seminar, April 11, at Living Water Lutheran Church. Dr Karoline Lewis of Luther Seminary will present and facilitate a workshop (topic and specific time TBA). We are exploring carpooling and virtual options for joining the seminar.

The second annual NEVC “pew exchange” is coming on the First Sunday of Lent. This is an opportunity for consortium members to get a chance to visit with another congregation and learn a bit more about the Consortium.

The 2026 challenge is focused on Matthew 25: 37-40 “Lord, When Did We See You?” The challenge offers each of you options of a daily Lenten devotion delivered to your email box, daily learning and/or daily action options, and/or a daily pledge of $1 a day (or more) to ELCA World Hunger. You are encouraged to commit to 3 of the 4 (or all 4!) practices during the 40 days of Lent. See www.lentenchallenge.org for much more information.

An Explanation of the final 2025 Mission Spending Plan and the Proposed 2026 Plan

As you review the various documents in the 2025 Annual Report and the agenda for the 2026 Congregational Meeting, you will see that both the 2025 and 2026 Mission Spending Plans appear to be in deficit. The final 2025 plan shows a roughly $10,000 deficit, and the proposed 2026 plan estimates an approximate $11,000 deficit. Both of these figures require some unpacking to explain their context.

Here’s a snapshot of our finances as of January 21. Thank you for your continued support of New Journey’s ministries and mission!

Join us after worship on Sunday, February 1, 2026, for our 2025 Annual Meeting. During this meeting, we will vote on the mission plan, elect new congregation council members, and address other church business.

The agenda is available in the 2025 Annual Report.

To read the approved January 2026 Congregation Council Meeting minutes, click here.

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

We are in the season of Epiphany. It is a season that helps us look at the inbreaking of the kingdom of God, both in the birth of the Word made flesh and in our everyday lives as people of faith. Its themes have mostly to do with light breaking into the darkness. How has Jesus’ presence made itself known to you these days?

Here’s a snapshot of our finances as of December 30. Thank you for your continued support of New Journey’s ministries and mission!

Happy New Year!
As we step into 2026, we want to make sure our church family stays connected. One of the best ways to do that is by keeping our church directory accurate and up to date.

This year, Gwen Rubenow has graciously taken the lead on updating the directory, and she needs your help! If you’ve had any changes—new address, phone number, or email—please share your updated information so Gwen can make sure everything is correct.

New Journey will need to select representatives to attend synod assembly, Thursday June 11 - Saturday June 13, 2026 at Love of Christ Lutheran Church in Mesa. The assembly theme is "Rooted in God's Story."

Planning is underway for a Spring 2026 seminar at Living Water Lutheran in Scottsdale on Saturday, April 11, led by Dr. Karoline Lewis of Luther Seminary. More details to come!

We will again join with advocates across the nation in Bread for the World's annual Offering of Letters to U.S. legislators. The letter text will be available in the NJLC eNews in advance and, as always, individuals are welcome to write and send their own letters.

Lutheran Day at the Legislature: Monday, February 28, 9:30-1:30 (registration opens at 8:30). This is an opportunity to meet legislators, meet congregational LAMA liaisons, meet your LAMA policy council, and meet other Lutherans across Arizona who share a common belief that we are called through our baptismal covenant “…to strive for justice and peace in all the earth.”