Dear New Journey Friends and Family,

We rejoice in the promises of God revealed by the prophet Isaiah:

“The Lord will guide you continually, and satisfy your needs in parched places, and make your bones strong; and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters never fail.”

Through the past 10+ years, God has guided us and made us strong. Did we ever imagine where the journey would lead us? Perhaps we began the journey just like the Israelites leaving Egypt: worried about what we left behind, anxious about God’s provision, and unsure if we would survive the journey. Over the past decade and in this last year, God has been faithful, teaching us to trust in God’s provision. In 2024, we responded to God’s promised provision, embodying beloved community, generosity, and creativity in these ways:

Thank you for attending the joint World Communion Sunday worship service with our friends at The Fountains UMC on Sunday, October 6. It was a truly special day filled with unity, reflection, and joy.

We invite you to look at all the wonderful photos taken by Mike Wilson. Each photo tells a story of community and faith, highlighting the smiles, the prayers, and the connections made.

Thank you once again for being a part of this meaningful celebration.

Reformation Sunday is just around the corner on October 27! You are warmly invited and encouraged to wear red attire to commemorate this vibrant festival day. This special occasion honors the courageous 16th-century reformers of the church, including the influential Martin Luther, the visionary John Calvin, the pioneering Huldrych Zwingli, and many other remarkable figures who played pivotal roles in shaping the course of church history. Let’s come together in a sea of red to celebrate their enduring legacy and the profound impact of the Reformation!

Join us for the All Saints Worship Service on Sunday, November 3, 2024. During our worship service, we will take a moment to honor and remember the saints who have been baptized or passed away since the last All Saints Sunday in 2023. This is a sacred time to reflect on the lives of those who have joined the great cloud of witnesses. We invite you to email Pastor Beth with the names of your loved ones who have been baptized or who have departed this life since last November. Let us come together in remembrance and celebration of their spiritual journey and enduring legacy.

A heartfelt thank you to Brenda, Jane, Liz, and Kris for their generosity in providing food on October 6, 8, and 10. Your support on behalf of New Journey has been invaluable to the Fountains UMC as we shelter participants of the Family Promise Program who are experiencing episodic homelessness.

The ballot is (“uber”) long, but please take time to pray, research, complete the whole 4 pages, and cast your vote on time.

Lutheran Advocacy Ministry Arizona (www.lamaz.org) has offered a number of links in this eNews space in recent weeks. Here are four short videos – created with the support of New Journey’s Stephen Gallen – that provide hopeful overviews of a few key questions related to elections and voting:

On October 15, Ascension Lutheran Church Council voted unanimously to fund $12,700 for the 2025 heat respite project. Christ the Lord, Living Water, New Covenant, New Journey, and Ascension will host 13 lunch packs, plus provide water pallets and electrolyte powder to save lives during next summer’s extreme heat season. Praise God!

To give space for the Food for Kidz team to meet its financial goals, Social Ministry will not be hosting an Advent fundraiser in 2024.

• We anticipate the traditional Angel Tree for Imagine East Mesa School in December.

• Last year, NJLC Sew Journers contributed 30+ quilts for seniors in the Lutheran Social Services of the Southwest Aging and Disability Services program; we will again contribute quilts, blessing them on Sunday, December 8 for delivery shortly thereafter.

• If you are interested in on-your-own holiday giving opportunities, here are a few options:

  • Additional LSS-SW priority items for Christmas 2024 are pots and pans with lids for seniors and children’s toys Christmas 2024 — Lutheran Social Services of the Southwest (lss-sw.org). See the LSS-specific wishlist at Amazon.com (items in the $10-$15 range that can be delivered directly to LSS.)

  • www.ELCA.org/goodgifts: animals, plants, school supplies, and more.

• The draft Social Ministry Calendar is posted on the new bulletin board to the left of the nametag rack.

  • Our next “5th Sunday Letter-Writing” will be in early January (deferred from December 31, 2024, for all the reasons you might imagine).

  • New Journey will participate with our Northeast Valley Consortium partners in the Grand Canyon Synod 40-40-40 Lenten Challenge in March-April 2025.

We are excited to announce our upcoming ministry team meetings!

These gatherings are a wonderful opportunity to come together, share our progress, and plan for the future. Your presence and input are invaluable as we continue to grow and serve our community.

We look forward to seeing you there.

Here are the dates for October:

• Food for Kidz Team —October 24 @ 4:00 pm by Zoom

• Worship & Music Team —October 28 @ 4:00 pm

• Stewardship Team—October 29 @ 4:00 pm

• Northeast Valley Consortium—October 30 @ 5:00 pm by Zoom

We invite you to read Bishop Elizabeth A. Eaton’s heartfelt statement on the recent surge of hostility towards Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio. In her message, Bishop Eaton emphasizes the biblical call to love and welcome strangers, condemning the harmful rhetoric and violence. She urges the church to stand in solidarity with Haitian immigrants, advocating for their dignity and protection, and calls on all people of faith to combat hate and support their neighbors.

Read the full statement:

As early voting begins in Arizona, and with early voting also beginning soon in Utah and Nevada, I want to reflect on the sacred responsibility we hold as citizens and people of faith. Our participation in the democratic process is not only a privilege but a duty—one that reflects our commitment to justice, peace, and the flourishing of all people.