 |
In thanksgiving for the democratic process and the right to vote. We pray for open hearts and minds as we move forward living into the election results together.
In thanksgiving for God's healing power as Pastor Paul Theiss and his wife Nancy Satterford celebrate a successful stem cell transplant and his remission from multiple myeloma.
Pastor Bill Strehlow (ret.) as he continues to be hospitalized.
Continued comfort and healing for Barbara Schaefer, Dennis Jones and Prs. Ajer, Swee, Scott, Dunbar and Fey.
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.
|
Congregations in Transition
|
God's Work, Our Hands  Day Contest Voting is Open!
Everyone is invited to vote in this contest. Voting will be open until December 15, 2016. You may vote in each category and you may vote more than once.
We will tally and announce the winning congregations in early 2017.
|
Synod Calendar
Events and Meetings
|
November 24, 2016
Thanksgiving
December 10, 2016
Synod Council Meeting
Sacramento Office of the Bishop
December 26, 2016 Synod Offices Closed
January 2, 2017
Synod Offices Closed
January 20 - 21, 2017
Candidacy Committee
PLTS
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 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
Thursday - Saturday
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
August 25 - 26, 2017
Candidacy Committee
TBD
October 16-17, 2017
Deans & Women's Retreat
Monterey
October 18-20, 2017
Professional Leaders Conference
Monterey
November 3-4, 2017
Candidacy Committee
TBD
CANDIDACY COMMITTEE MEETINGS:
January 20-21, 2017
PLTS
March 17-18, 2017
Hope Lutheran Church, El Sobrante
August 25-26, 2017
Location TBD
November 3-4, 2017
Location TBD
Please take note of our office schedule:
All Synod offices are open Monday-Thursday and closed every Friday.
|
January 9 - 13, 2017
Spirit in the Desert Retreat Center
May 28 - June 2, 2017 Seminary of the Southwest, Austin
June 11 - 16, 2017
Seminary of the Southwest, Austin
|
These are not official Synod events, we hope you'll find this information useful as you plan for the 500th anniversary.
Student Multimedia Contest: Reconciliation: "The Love of Christ Compels Us"
The North State Ecumenical Conference is sponsoring an ecumenical multimedia contest for 9th - 12th grade students.
The deadline is December 31, 2016.
Mail submissions to: John Berger, Secretary, North State Ecumenical Conference, 3736 Laguna Way, Sacramento, CA 95864-2923
For more information please call 916-482-6976.
Opportunity to Travel to Germany to Celebrate the 500th Anniversary of the Reformation
August 30-September 6, 2017
|
Newsletter Submissions
Please submit any newsletter requests to
by Thursday at 5:00 pm
Thank you!
|
Was this newsletter forwarded to you?
|
|
|
|
|
|
All synod offices will be closed on Thursday, November 24 for the Thanksgiving holiday.
|
|
|
Beloved Children of God, my Sisters and Brothers of the Sierra Pacific Synod, ELCA this is my final contribution to our newsletter. I give deep gratitude to God for the blessing of call serving you as Director of Evangelical Mission and assistant to Bishop Mark Holmerud. I give thanks to God for each of you! Many of you have communicated your positive reception of words I have offered concerning stewardship. I pray you receive these words too as part of your ongoing discernment concerning Stewardship.
Everything we have and everything we are belongs to God. We are not the "owners" of what we tend to think is ours. We are not owners of anything. We are stewards, and as stewards we are servants and managers of God's creation.
In Genesis God gives to humanity, us, you and me, the responsibility to till and keep and take care of the garden, God's creation the world. This assignment is just the first of many, many images of our role as stewards and managers in the Bible. The word "stewardship" comes from the same Greek word oikonomia which translates to "economics", referring to the management of goods and services in the world.
In the Bible, the steward is usually a supervisor or foreman, one who has been given "the responsibility for management and service of something belonging to another...the office presupposes a particular kind of trust on the part of the owner or master." Humanity, us, you and me have been entrusted with the stewardship of God's creation...as well as our lives and living, our time and our treasure...all are gifts to us from a loving God.
Everything we are and everything we have belongs to God. This provides us, you and me opportunity for deep discernment and pondering from two perspectives. One, the call to be faithful stewards judges our idolatrous desire to be self-reliant and condemns our every mentality that views anything as truly ours by "ownership". Secondly, and most importantly, the recognition of belonging to the God who created us, redeemed us, and continues to love and protect us is fundamentally and foundationally Good News!
Beloved Children of God, my Sisters and Brothers this is Good News of God which inspires us to trust, gratitude and devotion. My prayer is trusting in God that we continue to acknowledge the blessing and joy of stewardship in our lives and our living!
God's blessings and peace be unto you all your days!
Carlton Monroe
Assistant to the Bishop and DEM
|
ELCA Mobility System and Candidacy Portal Closure
We have been informed that the ELCA will be shutting down the Mobility System and the Candidacy Portal on the ELCA website from December 15, 2016 through January 17, 2017 to implement updates related to the new Word and Service roster.
No Mobility forms (RLPs, MSPs, references, etc.) can be completed, submitted, or edited during this time.
No Candidacy forms (applications, decisions forms) can be completed or submitted during this time.
If you are working on a document, PLEASE make sure that you have saved a copy to your computer.
Contact Pr. Katy Grindberg in the Sacramento Office of the Bishop if you have questions about mobility forms during this time; and Laurie Gaumer in the Bay Area Office of the Bishop if you have questions related to candidacy.
|
|
News from around the Synod and Beyond
|
Celebrations
Ordination:
Ryan Eikenbary - December 3, 2016, 2:00 pm at St John's Lutheran Church, Sacramento
******************************************* 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.
|
Letter from Synod Secretary Regarding Bylaws
An email was sent Tuesday, November 15 from Synod Secretary, Jeff Pennington, about changes to the synod bylaws. If you did not receive the email you may find his letter here.
|
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.
|
Amendments to the Model Constitution for Congregations
An email was sent Tuesday, October 11 from Synod Secretary, Jeff Pennington, about changes to the congregational constitutions following the 2016 Churchwide Assembly. If you did not receive the email you may find his letter here.
You can find the amendments and the new model constitution on the Resources page of the synod website under " For Congregations." |
Warner Trust Now Online
Information about the Warner Trust and the Grant Application are now available on the synod website. The deadline for applications is December 15.
|
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.
WYLE: One Day Pre-Event Multicultural Youth Leadership Event
June 27 - 28, 2017
The theme for the Western State Multicultural Youth Leadership Event (WYLE) is also "Dream Big!"
Cost: $100 Speakers: Rev. Yeheil Curry, Rev. Leila Ortiz Workshops: Social Justice Issues (Police Brutality, Dream Act, Lack of Resources), Racism, Breaking out of your Box, The Gospel According to Hip Hop Register at WSYG site and click the WYLE as an Add-on!
|
|
|
|
|
