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Pr. Barbara Caine, Holy Redeemer, Newark, recovering from hip replacement surgery.
Comfort for all those who mourn the death of Pr Jim Heinemeier, retired, who died on August 14. Services will be at Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd, Reno on September 10.
Pr Mark Dunbar, Faith, Elko, who is recovering from surgery and preparing for ongoing treatment.
Comfort for all those who mourn the death of Pr Nicolas Brie, retired, who died on August 5. He had been in hospice care in Healdsburg.
The memorial service is Saturday, Oct. 1, at 2 p.m. at Thanksgiving Lutheran, 1225 Fulton Rd., Santa Rosa, CA 95401. Clergy may vest--white stoles.
Continued comfort and healing for Revs. Grochau, Theiss and Fey.
For those affected by fire and flooding. We especially remember firefighters, rescue workers, and those providing care and services.
We pray for those who have lost their homes and those who are providing rescue and relief.
Places and people living in areas of violence and uncertainty, both locally and globally.
Those around the world who are fleeing terror and violence; that they find compassion and welcome as they seek refuge.
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Congregations in Transition
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Synod Calendar
Events and Meetings
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September 17, 2016
Fall Online Synod and Conference Gatherings
Ascension Lutheran, Citrus Heights
Our Savior's Lutheran, Lafayette
Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran, Merced
Grace Lutheran, Palo Alto
Cross and Crown Lutheran,
Rohnert Park
Advent Lutheran, Morgan Hill
September 23 - 24, 2016
Synod Council Meeting
Sacramento Office of the Bishop
October 14 - 16, 2106
SPSYC Elementary School Retreat
Mt. Cross
October 15, 2016
SPS Hunger Network Workshop
Lutheran Church of the Incarnation, Davis
October 17 - 18, 2016
Rostered Women's Retreat
Dean's Gathering
October 18 - 20
Professional Leaders Conference
The Village at Squaw Valley
November 11 - 13, 2016
SPSYC Middle School Retreat
Mt. Cross
January 27 - 28, 2017
Synod Council Meeting
Sacramento Office of the Bishop
January 31 - February 1, 2017
Dean's Retreat
Christ the King Center, Citrus Heights
February 2017
Synod Council Meeting
Sacramento Office of the Bishop
February 24 - 26, 2107
SPSYC High School Retreat
Mt. Cross
February 27-28, 2017
Annual Retired Pastors Retreat
San Damiano, CA
March 11, 2017 Rwanda Connections Meeting Lutheran Church of the Master, Sacramento
March 17 - 18, 2017
Candidacy Meeting
Hope, El Sobrante
May 3, 2017
Synod Council Meeting
Fresno
May 4 - 6, 2017
Synod Assembly
Fresno
June 23 - 24, 2017
Synod Council Meeting
Sacramento Office of the Bishop
June 28 - July 2, 2017
Western States Youth Gathering
California Lutheran University
October 16-17, 2017
Deans & Women's Retreat
Monterey
October 18-20, 2017
Professional Leaders Conference
Monterey
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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September 15, 2016
Sacramento Area
September 23 - 24, 2016
St John's Lutheran Church
Sacramento
Fall 2016 Winter 2017 October 17 - 20, 2016 Pneuma 2016
November 4 - 5, 2016
Good Shepherd, Salinas
December 5-7, 2016
March 13-15, 2017
May 22-24, 2017
Hope United Methodist Church
San Diego, CA
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These are not official Synod events, we hope you'll find this information useful as you plan for the 500th anniversary.
May 17-24, 2017
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Newsletter Submissions
Please submit any newsletter requests to
by Thursday at 5:00 pm
Thank you!
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Was this newsletter forwarded to you?
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The Synod Offices will be closed on Monday, September 5 in observance of the Labor Day holiday.
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A message from Daniel Smith, Reformation500
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. . . living, or rather dying and being damned make a theologian, not understanding, reading or speculating . . .
- Martin Luther
When I was in college, I struggled with my faith. I had been raised in the church, was a pastor's kid and I knew I was loved. Deep down, I wanted to believe in God, but somehow I found my intellect getting in the way. As a science student at U.C. San Diego (in biochemistry), I was beginning to think like a scientist, and most scientists, I discovered, did not believe in God. That, in addition to something of an identity crisis I had, caused many things to be very unclear for me. I began to read the works of Søren Kierkegaard. The titles of his books alone spoke to me directly: The Concept of Dread, The Sickness unto Death, Fear and Trembling, Philosophical Fragments. I had found a kindred spirit. In spite of my doubt, I was captivated enough by what I read to go to seminary and study theology, to see where the Spirit might be leading me.
At seminary I discovered another figure that intrigued me: Martin Luther. If Kierkegaard got me to go to seminary, Luther got me to stay there. At the time I was still very much seeking answers to life's great questions, and trying to figure out my role in their solutions. It wasn't until I read Luther for myself that I began to make sense out of the faith tradition in which I was raised, and that I have come to know and love as my own. There was much about Luther's life and thought that I found incredibly fascinating. But it was in his struggle with Anfechtungen - times of trial or doubt - that I once more saw myself.
Theologian David Tracy encourages us to read classics - those texts that are "timelessly timely", as opposed to "period pieces", which speak only of the hopes, desires and values of a certain era. For me, Luther's works were classics: they spoke of universal truths, yet out of a very specific, personal experience, one with which I could relate directly. That is the reason we return to these texts again and again. Luther was far from perfect (as he himself acknowledged), yet the adventure of theology is an ongoing dialogue with kindred spirits from the great "cloud of witnesses" who have gone before, who speak out of their particularity into ours.
Luther first nailed the 95 Theses on Indulgences to the door of the castle church in Wittenberg in 1517, and so next year (2017) we will observe 500 years of Reformation. Our synod is undertaking an effort to move us ad fontes - to the sources! The goal of this effort is to read Luther. There will be a reading group that begins September 21 at PLTS, led by renowned Luther scholar Kirsi Sterna. In case you cannot be there, you will have the opportunity to engage with the group online, or to follow a syllabus for a class at your church. Either way, we encourage you to read Luther for yourself, and to re-discover a classic figure who is both very flawed and very interesting. Blessings to you in this effort!
Yours in Christ,
Pastor Dan Smith
Lutheran Church of the Incarnation
Davis, CA
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Reformation: Past, Present and Future
2016 Rostered Women's Retreat
Dean's Gathering
October 17 - 18, 2016
2016 Professional Leaders Conference
Did you know the Leadership Discipling Team gives Individual Grants for PLC?
Are you a rostered leader serving in a first call, a person of color, a person whose primary language is other than English, or are paid under the Synod guidelines? If so, you are invited to email by September 1st to request an LDT individual grant...
to make your request known!
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We have a new website!
Go to www.spselca.org to see what's going on in the synod.
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Our PO Box is no longer active.
Please send all correspondence to the Sacramento Office of the Bishop at:
Sierra Pacific Synod
9985 Folsom Blvd.
Sacramento, CA 95827
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Meet the New ELCA Vice President
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ELCA Video:
This is a great resource to help all to understand what happens to the offerings sent to churchwide.
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Is Campus Ministry for You? 
If you are a young adult, or if you know of a young adult who is looking for a community of friends and a way to express faith, consider campus ministry. Campus Ministry seeks to strengthen and support young adults as they learn and grow.
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News from around the Synod and Beyond
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Rostered Leaders Celebrations
Installation: Prs Erik and Amy Allen - October 30th 2016, 2:00 pm at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, Reno ******************************************* Do you have other Celebrations (installations, ordinations, book publishings, etc.) that you'd like listed in this column? Feel free to submit them to our enewsletter editor, Kathye Hamm. |
Grace in the Public Square: Area Ministry Strategies
Members of congregations in the Sierra Pacific Synod interested in expanding ministry in their community are invited to attend a day of renewal with Pastor Stephen Bouman, Executive Director, Domestic Mission Unit of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.
Saturday, September 10, from 10-3 at Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd, 1650 Morse Ave at Arden Way, Sacramento.
Registration is necessary to attend. A $10 charge will include a box lunch.
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Helping Flood and Fire Victims
Gulf Flooding
Historic floodwaters have required tens of thousands of people to be rescued and even more have been evacuated as rain sweeps across southern Louisiana. Floodwaters have affected communication, overwhelmed streets and highways, and damaged or destroyed more than 40,000 homes. This flood comes on the heels of several other floods that have hit the Gulf Coast region, starting earlier this spring.Entire neighborhoods and communities still remain under water, and the full extent of the damage has yet to be realized. We know that it will be a long road to recovery, and Lutheran Disaster Response will be there to assist through every phase of this disaster recovery process.
Your gifts are needed to help respond to the Gulf Coast flooding. Your gifts through Lutheran Disaster Response will bring God's hope, healing and refuge to those who are affected by these devastating floods. Lutheran Disaster Response coordinators are actively present, collaborating with local community leaders and officials to begin planning the proper responses, particularly the long-term recovery efforts. We will respond and walk with survivors in the days, weeks, months and years ahead, for as long as we are needed.Gifts designated for " Gulf Coast Flooding" will be used (100 percent) until the response is complete to help disaster survivors recover and rebuild their lives. Your generous offerings of prayer and financial support will help address the many needs, especially the long-term recovery efforts of those affected.
Lake County Fire
Less than a year after the fires in Lake and Calaveras Counties, on August 13th 2016, Lake County suffered the loss of 268 structures, including 175 homes, after a major fire tore through 4,000 acres. The number of damaged and destroyed structures may continue to rise as additional data is confirmed. This time, the fire was man-made. A man from Clearlake, CA, has been arrested and charged with 17 counts of arson.
We at LSS send our thoughts and prayers to the victims of the fires. We have been involved in the relief efforts for the September 2015 fires, and we know this is another devastating loss for Lake County. Lake County is predominantly rural and low-income, and they need support.
LSS of Northern California is part of the Lutheran Disaster Response Network. LSS responds to disasters by assisting in long term rebuilding efforts.
All proceeds go directly towards helping fire victims rebuild their homes. The Red Cross has been very clear that they do NOT want donations of food, clothing, or other household items. Please donate money or gift cards only.
Donate Now
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Attend a Portico Pre-Retirement Seminar in Long Beach, CA
If you're over age 50 and within 15 years of retirement, our pre-retirement seminars and webinars are a great way to get planning off to a strong start or keep the momentum going. Hosted by Portico and a certified Ernst & Young financial planner, the seminars and webinars answer the important questions you may have about retirement, including: - How much money will I need when I retire?
- What health care options will I have in retirement?
- As I approach retirement, how can I manage my investment risks?
- How can money be distributed from my ELCA retirement account to create a steady stream of income in retirement?
Both allow time to answer questions along the way.
November 10, 2016 RSVP by October 10th.
Christ Lutheran
6500 E Stearns St.
Long Beach, CA 90815
9 a.m. - 6 p.m.
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Need funding for a new ministry project?
Consider applying for a grant from the St. Francis Lutheran Church Endowment Fund. St. Francis Lutheran Church of San Francisco offers grants ranging from $250 to $3000 for projects or initiatives related to justice and inclusion. For more information and instructions on how to apply please contact St. Francis Lutheran Church at stfrancis@sflcsf.org.
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Western States Youth Gathering
June 28 - July 2, 2017
California Lutheran University is again hosting the Western States Youth Gathering.
Information about the event itself can be found at: www.WSYG.com and you can follow and add to our hashtag: #wsyg17.
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Registration is open for the SPSYC Elementary Retreat
 The Sierra Pacific Synod Youth Committee is excited to invite your children in grades 3-6 to the upcoming Elementary Retreat at Mt. Cross on October 14-16, 2016.
Our registration is open and ready. Registration for each person is $140.00 but that price rises to $175.00 on September 27th, so register early! Scholarships are also available. All registration and payment can be done online as a group or as an individual, or can be done by mail.
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I Was a Stranger and You Welcomed Me??
Hunger, the Refugee and the Immigrant
Saturday, October 15, 2016
Lutheran Church of the Incarnation, Davis, CA
9:30 to 4:30 p.m.
Presented by the Sierra Pacific Synod Hunger Network
Don't miss this exciting workshop! Learn how faith and justice are intertwined in a hungry world This educational workshop by the Sierra Pacific Synod Hunger Network explores both the life-saving work of the ELCA Hunger and Disaster Appeals, and how the immigration and refugee crisis impacts world and domestic hunger. Our Keynote Speaker is Johanna Olson, ELCA Global Mission Manager for Relationships for Europe, the Middle East and North Africa. She will share stories of ELCA World Hunger and ELCA Disaster Response involvement in the global refugee crisis. Pastor Susan Birkelo, Director of the Community Information Center for Migrant Assistance, in Watsonville, CA will share stories of hunger and poverty experienced by immigrants right here in California! You'll also hear recent immigrants tell their own stories. Information and resources for AMMPARO will be shared. AMMPARO is a holistic, whole church commitment by the ELCA, as a church in the world, to accompany children today and in the future. Rev. Tita Valeriano will be our worship and bible study leader. Asante Fair-Trade Products will be available for early Christmas shopping!
The cost is only $10 for the day, including lunch; no charge for congregational hunger contacts, college students or seminarians. If you take AMTRAK California, rides to the workshop will be provided. Questions? Contact Edie Lott at thelotts@gmail.com or (530) 582-5362 or Pastor Elieen Smith Le Van at pastoreileen@peacelutherangv.org or 530-802-0925. Edie will be out of the U.S. and unavailable by phone in September. Send email registrations to thelotts@gmail.com.
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Over 600 adults who work with children, youth and families (CYF) in congregations of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America will gather at The Galt House Hotel and Conference Center in Louisville, Kentucky for Extravaganza 2017. The "E" is the premier training event for adults who work in faith formation.
Held January 20-24, the Extravaganza will focus on the theme "500," with an emphasis on the ongoing re-forming work of the Holy Spirit in the life of the world and the church. Dynamic spiritual renewal, transformational continuing education and supportive networking are critical elements of Extravaganza. For more information on the Extravaganza, and to register, please visit www.ext17.org. Our local contact for information about the Extravaganza or the Youth Ministry Network is Lisa Herlocker.
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"God's Work. Our Hands."  September 11, 2016
Plan now to enter the contest!
It is time to start planning your congregation's projects for"God's Work. Our Hands." Day . There are two categories: video and narrative. The winning congregation in each category will have the honor of having a $100.00 gift made to ELCA Good Gifts in their name. 1.Your congregation submits either a written narrative or a video of its "God's Work. Our Hands." Project, along with an entry form, which will be available soon as well as instructions for submitting your video. Each congregation is limited to one submission, either a video or a narrative. Deadline: October 15, 2016. 2. The narratives and videos are posted on the Sierra Pacific Synod website, where you will vote for your favorite. Deadline: December 15, 2016. 3. We tally the votes and announce a winner, sometime in early 2017.
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Part Time Children's Choir Director
First Lutheran Church of Palo Alto is looking for a part time choir director to choose appropriate music, teach music and direct elementary (ages 5-10) and middle school (ages 11-14) children in providing music for worship.
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