About Us - Grand Canyon Women

Grand Canyon Women of the ELCA is a partner organization of the Grand Canyon Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America. The geographic area includes all of the state of Arizona, the southern area of Nevada, including Las Vegas and also St. George, Utah.

The Grand Canyon Synod is proud to include one of the great wonders of the world, the beautiful Grand Canyon National Park. The beautiful and bountiful Colorado River runs deep through the territory, bringing life giving water to the Sonoran Desert. Demographics include big cities (Las Vegas, Phoenix and Tucson), as well as small rural ranch towns. The temperatures vary from snow in the mountains to the warm climates in the deserts.

God has blessed the Grand Canyon Synod with many special wonders. The most important blessings are the fantastic women who have devoted their lives to being the hands and feet of Christ in this part of the world.

Grand Canyon Synod is divided into eight (8) conferences. Each may have a Conference Planning Team who coordinates and plans activities for the women in their geographic area.

In addition, several committees currently chaired by members of the synodical board are working with women from around the synod to help women, their friends and families grow in their faith, helping women affirm the gifts God has given them, and working on ways to help support one another in our callings and together engage in ministry and action, to promote healing and wholeness in the congregations, the communities in which we live, and around the world.

The women of Grand Canyon Synod are acting boldly on their faith in Jesus Christ because they know they are “Embraced by Grace.”

2026-2027 Board

Executive Committee Members

Chair: Laura Krueger, Peace/Peoria – Cactus Conference (Email Laura)
Secretary: Jenell Zweifel, Holy Spirit/Las Vegas – Colorado River Conference(Email Jenny)
Treasurer: TBA (inquiries about funds should be directed to Laura Krueger)

Board Members

Michele Pankiw: Community Lutheran/Las Vegas – Colorado River Conference

Job Descriptions

Descripciones de puestos

Chair (Co-Chairs):

To preside over all conventions of the women’s synod organization at Board and Executive Committee meetings
To ensure that the statutes and statutes of the organization are duly respected and to carry out its acts, and to appoint all committees that are not otherwise provided for
Be an ex-officio member of all committees of the women’s synodal organization, except the Nominating Committee
Submit a report to each regular convention of the women’s synod organization on its work, with observations and recommendations affecting the women’s synod organization as it deems important
Liaise with the churchwide women’s organization and attend the meeting of the Conference of Synodal Presidents
To represent the women’s synodal organization or to appoint representatives in the inter-Lutheran and ecumenical associations and councils in which the organization participates;
Serve as a representative to the Synod Council, or appoint a representative
If Co-Chairs are elected, both will be up-to-date and agree on all expectations and desired outcomes for a meeting.
If co-chairs are elected, one will act in the absence, disability, or resignation of the other. She will assume all duties and responsibilities of the office.

THE TREASURER SHALL:

Attend all administrative and executive board meetings
Work with the designated bookkeeper to maintain all records and be responsible for all funds
Work with the accountant to ensure the disbursement of funds in accordance with ELCA Women’s financial policies and the synod women’s organization budget
Work with the bookkeeper to submit a complete report, including an accounting compilation or review, to the synod women’s organization convention and an interim report to each board and executive committee meeting
Provide knowledge and resources to all units and donors within the Grand Canyon Synod on various ways to give.

THE SECRETARY SHALL:

Attend all administrative and executive board meetings
Record and distribute the minutes of the meetings of the synod board
Maintain a record of board members and elected officials and their terms
Perform special tasks under the direction of the board
Attend to correspondence
Provide for the collection and preservation of historical records and documents
Keeping a record of the policies of the synod women’s organization
Provide appropriate reports requested by the ELCA Women Across the Church, i.e., dates and locations for synodal convention, constitutional changes, and bylaws before they are presented to the whole Church

BOARD MEMBERS SHALL:

To carry out the purpose of the ELCA Women’s organization as set forth in Article II, Section 1 of the organization’s constitution and bylaws
Work in partnership with Churchwide organizations, conferences, and women’s units in the Grand Canyon Synod territory.
Attend all required board meetings
Represent the synod at conference and unity meetings
Working with officials, conducting necessary transactions, and making programmatic decisions across conventions
To establish the policies necessary for the effective and efficient functioning of the synodal organization
Serve on synodical committees appointed by the organization’s President

EL PRESIDENTE (Copresidentes):

Presidir todas las convenciones de la organización sinodal de mujeres en las reuniones de la Junta y del Comité Ejecutivo.
Velar por que se respeten debidamente los estatutos de la organización, llevar a cabo sus actos, y nombrar todos los comités que no estén previstos de otra manera.
Ser miembro de oficio de todos los comités de la organización sinodal de mujeres, excepto del Comité de Nominaciones.
Presentar un informe a cada convención regular de la organización sinodal de mujeres sobre su trabajo, con observaciones y recomendaciones que afecten a la organización sinodal de mujeres según lo considere importante.
Servir de enlace con la organización de mujeres de toda la iglesia y asistir a la reunión de la Conferencia de presidentes Sinodales.
Representar a la organización sinodal de mujeres o nombrar representantes en las asociaciones y consejos inter-luteranos y ecuménicos en los que participa la organización;
Servir como representante ante el Consejo del Sínodo, o nombrar un representante.
Si se eligen Copresidentes, ambos estarán actualizados y estarán de acuerdo con todas las expectativas y resultados deseados para una reunión.
Si se eligen copresidentes, uno actuará en ausencia, discapacidad o renuncia del otro. Ella asumirá todos los deberes y responsabilidades de la oficina.

EL TESORERO DEBERÁ:

Asistir a todas las reuniones de la junta administrativa y ejecutiva.
Trabajar con el auxiliar contable designado para mantener todos los registros y ser responsable de todos los fondos
Trabajar con el contador para garantizar el desembolso de fondos de acuerdo con las políticas financieras de Mujeres de la ELCA y el presupuesto de la organización de mujeres sinodales
Trabajar con el auxiliar contable para presentar un informe completo, incluida una compilación o revisión contable, a la convención de la organización de mujeres sinodales y un informe provisional a cada reunión de la junta y el comité ejecutivo
Proporcionar conocimientos y recursos a todas las unidades y donantes dentro del Sínodo del Gran Cañón sobre diversas formas de donar.

EL SECRETARIO DEBERÁ:

Asistir a todas las reuniones de la junta administrativa y ejecutiva
Registrar y distribuir las actas de las reuniones de la junta sinodal
Mantener un registro de los miembros y funcionarios electos de la junta y sus mandatos
Realizar tareas especiales bajo la dirección de la junta
Atender la correspondencia
Proporcionar la recopilación y preservación de registros y documentos históricos
Mantener un registro de las políticas de la organización de mujeres sinodales Proporcionar los informes adecuados solicitados por las Mujeres de la ELCA en toda la Iglesia, es decir, fechas y lugares para la convención sinodal, los cambios constitucionales y los estatutos antes de que se presenten a toda la Iglesia

LOS MIEMBROS DE LA JUNTA DEBERÁN:

Llevar a cabo el propósito de la organización de las Mujeres de la ELCA como se establece en el Artículo II, Sección 1 de la constitución y los estatutos de la organización
Trabajar en asociación con organizaciones, conferencias y unidades de mujeres de toda la Iglesia en el territorio del Sínodo del Gran Cañón.
Asistir a todas las reuniones de la junta requeridas
Representar al sínodo en las reuniones de la conferencia y de la unidad
Trabajar con los funcionarios, realizar las transacciones necesarias y tomar decisiones programáticas entre las convenciones
Establecer las políticas necesarias para el funcionamiento eficaz y eficiente de la organización sinodal
Servir en los comités sinodales designados por el presidente de la organización