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| Blessings for Holy Week and Easter | March 24, 2016 |
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The 2016 Plan for Mission Support is now available in a fillable PDF
Please submit your plan as soon as possible.
Click here for a fillable PDF of the 2016 Plan for Mission Support
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A message from Rev. Katy Grindberg, Assistant to the Bishop
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Dear ,
I'm writing this on Tuesday - the day we awoke to news of the terrorist bombings in Brussels. We sit with this news, and the news of the bombings in Turkey, and the news of deaths among our own families and friends, the news of violence and death in our community, and the knowledge that there is violence and death in places that we will never hear about. And it's Holy Week. We're in the midst of the remembrance of Jesus' last supper, the foot washing, the trial, and his execution and death.
We know the story - that God will raise Jesus, and on Saturday night Vigils and Sunday morning Easter services we will celebrate the resurrection and shout and sing Alleluias again, and be filled with wonder, joy, music, and ringing bells. But for many in our world, and maybe for you, it will feel too soon. Many will not be ready to shout with joy, or to sing anything that is not in a minor key. Sometimes people need to sit at the foot of the cross, or in front of the stone-covered tomb for a while and weep and wail and wonder 'why?' The good news is that God waits with us in those spaces and joins in our tears and laments. When we are ready to emerge again, into the resurrection morning, we find Jesus, already there, arms outstretched to receive us. Let us be attentive, in our celebrations, to those who may need to linger at the cross or the closed tomb. Let us sit with them in the silence and wails of grief and confusion, and then with Christ, receive them as we together proclaim "Christ is Risen! Christ is Risen, Indeed, Alleluia!"
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Rev. Katy Grindberg
Assistant to the Bishop
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 SYNOD ASSEMBLY"We Are Church Together"
June 3 - 5, 2016
(Friday - Sunday)
Grand Sierra Resort, Reno
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Synod Assembly Registration is Open!
Visit the SPS Website to see registration information and to register now. Click Here
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Here are a few things to keep in mind when planning your trip to Reno:
The Grand Sierra Hotel is waiving the normal $10 per night "resort fee."
There is free wi-fi and valet parking.
Passage can be made from the meeting areas to the room areas via "no smoking" routes.
The hotel is honoring the "convention room rate" of $99 three days before and three days after.
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2016 Synod Assembly Resolutions Process
Resolutions - and the resolutions process - are an integral aspect of our annual synod assembly. As the highest legislative body of the Sierra Pacific Synod, the Synod Assembly requests action by congregational, synodical or churchwide expressions of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America through resolutions. Resolutions may be proposed or endorsed by synod congregations, conferences, discipling teams, task forces, affiliated organizations and institutions, or at least fifteen voting members of the Assembly itself.
Prior to their presentation to the Assembly, resolutions are vetted by the Resolutions Committee. The Resolutions Committee is asked to "receive, review and prepare" resolutions so as to ensure that they are legal, factual and understandable. Additionally, the Resolutions Committee works with submitters of resolutions to edit (or occasionally consolidate) resolutions for clarity and procedural purposes. While the Resolutions Committee has authority to recommend action on any resolution that the Committee presents to the Assembly (including the adoption or rejection of the resolution, or a referral of the proposed action to another synodical entity), resolutions are normally referred to the Assembly without recommendation.
The 2016 Resolutions Committee humbly requests that resolutions to this year's Assembly be submitted to the Chair of the Resolutions Committee (emailed to Pastor John Valentine at jvalentine@holyshepherd.org) no later than Monday, March 28th. Submitting them by this date will ensure that the Resolutions Committee has ample time to properly prepare and promptly distribute them to all voting members.
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Applications for Display Space now available
Please click here if you are interested in submitting a request for display space for Synod Assembly
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ELCA Members Lift Up International Women Leaders
In observance of International Women's Day, March 8, members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) celebrate the cultural, educational, political and social achievements of women across the globe.
"As we join the rest of the world in celebrating this day, we give thanks for the incredible women leaders in the ELCA and throughout our Lutheran companion churches," said Andrew Steele, director, ELCA Global Church Sponsorship.
Through the ELCA's International Women Leaders initiative, the ELCA will provide more than 200 women from global companion churches with scholarships and educational opportunities to support their call to ministry and leadership. The initiative is one of 10 priorities of the ELCA's five-year comprehensive campaign, Always Being Made New: The Campaign for the ELCA. Approved by the 2013 ELCA Churchwide Assembly, the campaign seeks to raise $198 million to help sustain and grow the ministries of this church.
"The initiative provides scholarships to women from our companion churches all around the world, to not only study in their home contexts but also to study at our ELCA seminaries, colleges and universities," said Steele.
"The International Women Leaders scholarship has given me the chance to go out of my comfort zone, learning and experiencing things that help me open my eyes to the world," said Lynette Lee, a member of the Lutheran Church in Malaysia. Lee attends Luther College in Decorah, Iowa, and is studying to become a teacher. Luther is one of the ELCA's 26 colleges and universities.
Through this initiative the ELCA seeks to expand opportunities for international women, helping create a church and society that is built on gender equality.
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NEWS FROM AROUND THE SYNOD
AND BEYOND
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FREE BOUNDARIES WORKSHOP
On April 12th and 14th, Barbara Keller, the ELCA's consultant for prevention of clergy sexual misconduct, will conduct boundary workshops for rostered leaders in the Sierra Pacific Synod. There is no cost to register for this event. It is expected that rostered leaders in the ELCA participate in ongoing continuing education on maintaining appropriate boundaries in ministry. This workshop will address issues church professionals must be aware of for themselves and for the ministries they serve. If it has been more than three years since you have had this training, it is highly encouraged that you plan to attend. A certificate of completion will be sent to all participants following completion of the workshop. The trainings will be offered at two locations. Please plan to attend the workshop that is most convenient for you: April 12: Lutheran Church of the Master, 1900 Potrero Way, Sacramento
April 14: Trinity Lutheran Church, 1225 Hopyard Road, Pleasanton
(this gathering will be focused on interim settings, but all are welcome to attend)
The schedule for the day will be as follows:
9:00 a.m. Gathering with Coffee
9:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. workshop
Lunch will be provided. People with special dietary needs are encouraged to bring their own lunch.
Please RSVP by e-mailing info@spselca.org and let us know which of the two trainings you plan to attend, or if you have any questions.
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What is new and thought provoking at the
Synod Resource Center??
"When Lightning Struck! The Story of Martin Luther," by Danika Cooley This historical novel on Martin Luther will immerse the reader in the dust and grit of sixteenth-century Germany. You will not only feel that Luther's struggles are your own struggles, you will enter the gates of paradise with Luther into the freedom of justification by faith alone in Christ alone. Danika Cooley is both an engaging writer and a careful and winsome theologian. As all good novels do, the reader will be drawn into the story from beginning to end. While this is not the in-depth study you will find in our Martin Luther in 3 Volumes series, it is a great read and comes highly recommended!
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California Lutheran University, in partnership with the Center for Equality and Justice, the SEEd Project (Sustainable Edible Education), and the Segerhammar Center for Faith and Culture invite you to tune into a live stream presentation of "Cultivating the Sky: How the Ethics of Food Matters to the Politics of Climate Change" by esteemed speaker, Willis Jenkins.
Thursday, March 31, 2016 at 7:00 p.m.
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REFORMATION 500
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Bibliodrama Workshop
From Reformation to Transformation
Friday, May 20, 5:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
Saturday, May 21, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
St. Matthew's Lutheran Church,
3281 16th Street/Dolores, San Francisco
A core teaching of Martin Luther is his statement that neither penance nor good deeds bring the individual closer to God; only God's grace given as a free gift will save human beings. What does that mean in postmodern times, where Dorothee Sölle, a protestant theologian, intimately connected to the American way of life, speaks not of faith but of the necessity of remembering G.O.D. in a world of extreme consumerism and fundamentalism? Creative resistance against the oblivion of an innate sacredness or just goodness - the daily experience of many- was her spiritual answer. With the tools of Bibliodrama- inquiring personal narratives, role play, body and movement rituals/meditations we will be tracking some of our own footprints between oblivion and tastes of moments of transformation out of nowhere whose beauty often seems hard to believe with our skeptical minds.
Suggested Donation:
$40 - $25 for students or seniors
Includes light snack on Friday and lunch on Saturday; nobody will be turned away for lack of funds.
To read more about the event and Dr Erlenwein click here.
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Healthy Congregations Workshop
November 4 - 5, 2016
Good Shepherd, Salinas
The workshop will be led by Richard Blackburn, Executive Director of Lombard Mennonite Peace Center (LMPC). The event is most helpful when attended by a group of lay and Pastoral leaders from the same church, group discounts are available!
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News from Mt. Cross Ministries
Jr. High Spring Weekend registration is now open!
Summer camp registration is now open! Check out all of the life-changing summer camp programs we have to offer this year! 2016 Summer Camp Programs
Do you know a young adult who is looking for summer employment? Mt. Cross Ministries is looking for enthusiastic young adults with a passion for working with youth of all ages, families and church congregations in outdoor settings.
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We Remember in Prayer...
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The family and friends of Pr. Bill Nadell who died at home at the age of 77. We thank God for this good and faithful servant of Christ and his service. the funeral service will be held Friday, March 24, at 2:00 pm at St. Johns Lutheran Church in Sacramento.
Steve Wright (Synod Candidacy Committee Chair) for the continued success of a recent medical procedure.
Pr. George Spindt (retired) on the death of his wife, Evelyn. Pr. Spindt formerly served Messiah Lutheran in Redwood City.
Pr. Paul Theiss upon a diagnosis of pneumonia.
Pr. Joseph Chiu (Good Shepherd Christian Community, Cupertino), whose mother, Ginger Chiu, died in Taiwan on Sunday, March 6th. Services were held March 12th in Taipei, Taiwan.
The family, friends and colleagues of Pr. Joan Randall (All Saints Lutheran and Sunnyveiw Lutheran Home, Cupertino), who died after a short illness. We thank God for this good and faithful servant of Christ and her ministry. The memorial service will be held Saturday, April 16, 11:00 a.m., in the Community Room at Sunnyview Retirement Community.
Pr. Dot Lundgren (Immanuel, Alameda) and family on the death of her father, Leonard Cassaday.
Our world, torn apart by violence and war, and especially for the people of Belgium and Turkey, and those who were injured in the bombings this past week as they recover from the latest act of bloodshed perpetrated upon innocent victims.
Peaceful resolution to the oppression and massacres of the Oromo people in Ethiopia, and that justice may prevail where conflict and violence runs rampant.
Those around the world who are fleeing terror and violence; that they find compassion and welcome as they seek refuge.
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Second Mile Giving
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March 2016
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Congregations in Transition
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Executive Skills for Pastors:
Lessons from the World of the MBA
When: Monday, July 18-22, 2016
Where: The campus of California Lutheran University, Thousand Oaks, CA
Cost: $799 which includes classes, materials, room and board
The event begins at 9:30 am on Monday and concludes with lunch on Friday. For those who are traveling housing may be arranged for Sunday night the 17th or Friday night the 22nd.
For more information or to register contact the Office of the Congregational Relations by phone at (805) 493-3936 by e-mail: leblanc@callutheran.edu
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2016 Grace Gathering
The Grace Gathering will be held in partnership with the 2016 ELCA Churchwide Assembly in New Orleans Aug. 10-13.
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"God's Work. Our Hands. Sunday"
Mark your calendars for Sunday, Sept. 11, for "God's work. Our hands." Sunday.
The deadline for ordering personalized t-shirts is Aug. 19
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Clergy Clinic in Family Emotional Process
December 5-7, 2016
March 13-15, 2017
May 22-24, 2017
Hope United Methodist Church San Diego, CA
Clergy Clinic is designed to enhance the ability of participants to function as self-differentiated leaders in their ministry setting. It can be taken as a follow-up to MSTI, or, on its own. The clinic meets three times during the year for three days each time, providing a total of nine days of training. The training is presented by the Lombard Mennonite Peace Center.
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Synod Calendar
Events and Meetings
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April 8 - 9, 2016 Candidacy Committee PLTS, Berkeley
April 12, 2016 Boundaries Workshop Lutheran Church of the Master
Sacramento
April 14, 2016 Boundaries Workshop
Trinity Lutheran Pleasanton
June 3-5, 2016
2016 Synod Assembly
Grand Sierra Resort
Reno, NV
CANDIDACY COMMITTEE MEETINGS: PLTS, Berkeley
August 26-27, 2016 October 14-15, 2016 January 20-21, 2017
Please take note of our office schedule:All Synod offices are open Monday-Thursday and closed every Friday. |
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STEWARDSHIP
DISCIPLING TEAM
MARCH COUNCIL DEVOTIONS
"Be still and know that I am God"
Psalm 46:10a
Click here to download the devotions |
Newsletter Submissions
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Please submit any newsletter requests to kathye@spselca.org
by Tuesday at 3:30 pm
Thank You!
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We Are a Reconciling in Christ Synod
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| For more information click here
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Committed to being re-formed...
The Sierra Pacific Synod
9985 Folsom Blvd, Sacramento, CA 95827-6628
916-756-1665 · 800-275-3522 · 888-789-6434 (Fax)
Click here to visit our website www.spselca.org
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Office of the Bishop, Sacramento
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Office of the Bishop, Bay Area
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Office of the Bishop, Fresno
Synod Resource Center
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9985 Folsom Blvd.
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500 Airport Blvd. Suite 442
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2311 E. Shaw Avenue
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Sacramento, CA 95827-1405
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Burlingame, CA 94010-1938
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Fresno, CA 93710-8204
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916-756-1665 (Direct)
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650-590-0980 (Direct)
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559-345-2725 (Direct)
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