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Kathleen Hurty (wife of Pr. David Hurty), having hip replacement surgery on January 23.
Barbara Schaefer (wife of Pr. Marty Schaefer, ret.) is completing 6 weeks of radiation treatments. Prognosis is very good after the two surgeries, and this should be all that's needed.
Pr. Sylvia Mueller on the death of her father Pr. Russ Mueller (retired). More information on his services will be coming soon.
Pr. Ruth Lesher on the death of her father Pr. Robert Lesher (retired).
The family and friends of Pr. Lynn Freele (retired, served at Galilee, Kelseyville) on her death.
The family and friends of Pr. Don Gilbertson (retired) on his death.
The family and friends of Pr. Jack Kahle (retired, served most of his ministry in Iowa.) on his death. Continued comfort and healing for Dennis Jones and Prs. Lubkeman, Ajer, Swee, Scott, Dunbar and Fey.
Places and people living in areas of violence and uncertainty, both locally and globally, especially the family and friends of those killed in Playa Del Carmen, Mexico. 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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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 17-19, 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.
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DON'T FORGET: Reconciling in Christ (RIC) Sunday is January 29th, 2017
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March 15 - May 31, 2017
May 8 - 12, 2017
Memorial Presbyterian Church, Phoenix
May 28 - June 2, 2017
Seminary of the Southwest, Austin
June 11 - 16, 2017
Seminary of the Southwest, Austin
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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.
LAST CALL!!!
We have 7 rooms remaining for singles, doubles, families, shared or private. We will be giving up remaining rooms and finalizing our group by the end of January. Don't miss this great chance with a great group to observe the 500th anniversary of the Reformation where it happened! Go to
Opportunity to Travel to Germany to Celebrate the 500th Anniversary of the Reformation August 30-September 6, 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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A message from Bishop Mark W. Holmerud
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I think it can be fairly stated that inauguration ceremonies of our Presidents are a "stepping off point" into the future - with all of the hope and anticipation of new beginnings that such occasions usually engender. That was an especially strong feeling on the part of many eight years ago this week, when Barack Obama was inaugurated as the 44th President of the United States, and the first African-American to serve in that office. I happened to be in Rwanda for my first visit to one of our companion synods. Fortunately, near our hotel in Kigali, there was a sports bar which had two very large-screen televisions. I look forward to someday telling my grandchildren about watching that momentous occasion on a big screen TV in a Rwandan Sports Bar when they are old enough to understand why this was a defining moment in our history as a nation.
It's a powerful coincidence that the inaugurations of our Presidents take place in the same week that we commemorate the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and nearby the place where Dr. King delivered his "I Have a Dream" speech. Forty-three years after he gave this speech, the full scope of Dr. King's dream for this country has yet to be realized. Did you know that fifty-six years ago, Dr. King spoke at the 1961 Luther League Convention of The American Lutheran Church, what we know today as the ELCA Youth Gathering? He spoke of the need for "agape" -- God-like love in face of rejection -- and asked the youth to be "proudly maladjusted" toward a society which permits injustice. Sadly, ground has been lost as of late in Dr. King's hopes that people "will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character." The Black Lives Matter movement is testimony to the fact that we have more work to do in bringing about racial justice and equality. Inspired by God's Spirit, our voices as followers of Jesus have been and need to be a part of this conversation as it moves forward.
I'm not sure where you are in your hope and anticipation of the inauguration that will take place later this week of the 45th President of the United States. Watching reports on the news, it seems clear our country is deeply divided about whether this new administration will be a blessing or a bane in the lives of the American people, and around the world. I have been praying, and will continue to pray, that God's wisdom and grace will lead the President as the full mantle of leadership rests on his shoulders during his term of office. I pray that better angels will guide his words and choices and leadership for the sake of all who look to our President to be a voice of reason, wisdom and hope. I pray he will be a leader who sees the worth and dignity of all of the people he has been called to serve.
Two weeks ago, Debbi and I were in Charleston, South Carolina for the ELCA Bishop's Academy. As you may have seen on Facebook, during our time there, we visited "Mother Emanuel" African Methodist Episcopal Church, the site of the murder of nine members of that congregation in 2015 at the hands of Dylan Roof, a member of an ELCA congregation in Charleston. Two of the pastors of that church who were murdered, The Rev. Clementa Pinckney and The Rev. Daniel Simmons, were graduates of the ELCA's Lutheran Southern Seminary. As Presiding Bishop Eaton so movingly pointed out at the time, "One of our own is alleged to have shot and killed two who adopted us as their own." We met with the current pastor of the church, as well as two members, who shared their story and that of the congregation.
It was especially moving that we were meeting at the church while the penalty phase of the trial of Dylan Roof was happening. He had already been found guilty of murdering the nine Black members of the church. In his own words, he was hoping the killings would initiate a "race war." What we heard from the pastor and the members of Mother Emanuel were not words of vengeance, or hopes that Dylan Roof would suffer the death penalty. What we heard was how his terrible actions did not, and would not, diminish the light of Christ that continues to shine brightly through their ministry. A light that has shone for 200 years to the people of South Carolina, even in the most challenging of times. One of the members we met, whose name was Willie, explained matter-of-factly "that's what Black folk have always done, and will always do." When he was asked how he felt about the election of Donald Trump as President, he said, "We've lived through 295 years of slavery, 100 years of Jim Crow, and 50 years of the Civil Rights Movement. I think we can handle the next four years."
I have tried to remember and reflect on the words of Willie as the inauguration nears. I pray that God will guide me in my role as a citizen and as a pastor and bishop to speak out when needed and act when called upon to do so to promote justice, peace and hope, no matter who is serving in the Oval Office. I ask you to join me in praying this prayer, taken from the ELCA's Prayer Book for the Armed Services as we anticipate a peaceful change of leadership this week:
"Almighty and Everlasting God, guide the president of the United States, his cabinet and counselors, and all in authority over our nation, that they may be just in purpose, wise in counsel, unwavering in duty. In the administration of their solemn responsibilities, may they uphold the honor of our nation and secure the welfare and protection of all people. Holy Trinity, you show us the splendor of diversity and the beauty of unity in your own divine life. Make us, who come from many nations with many languages, a united people who delight in our many different gifts. Give those whom we have entrusted with authority the Spirit of Wisdom, that there may be peace and justice throughout our land. God, in your mercy, hear our prayer."
I don't know if this a prayer you can pray. Know I will be praying this to help me live into our future. If you use this in worship, please feel free to let people know its source is the prayer book our military chaplains use in serving our troops.
God's Peace,
Bp. Mark
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Register for the SPSYC High School Retreat
Early Bird Price ($140) ends January 31. Registration closes February 7.
We'd love to help your congregation participate, contact us for more info.
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Registration opens on Friday, January 20!
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Presiding Bishop Eaton Issues Message in Observance of Martin Luther King, Jr Day
"Which of these three, do you think, was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?" He said, "The one who showed him mercy." Jesus said to him, "Go and do likewise."
(Luke 10:36-37) On Monday, Jan. 16, our nation will be observing Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Dr. King's work called us, all of us, to remember our neighbor. As a civil rights leader, he spoke about a vision of a beloved community and preached a message of love. In his last speech, Dr. King said, "Let us develop a kind of dangerous unselfishness" and then spoke of the parable of the good Samaritan. The key of the parable is the man's answer: Being a neighbor is about how you act when a person is in need. As children of God, we are all deserving of respect and dignity. According to Pew Research, in the ELCA more than 90 percent of the congregations are involved in some type of food ministry whether it's a soup kitchen, food pantry, community garden or other similar ministry. Through ELCA World Hunger, our congregations accompany communities toward a world of justice where all will be fed. We care for our neighbor in need, and Martin Luther King Jr. Day is another opportunity for us to be the church for one another. We are called to be a church that embraces each person and confronts racial, ethnic, cultural, religious, age, gender, familial, sexual orientation, physical and economic barriers that can manifest themselves in unjust treatment, inequalities, exclusion and violence. Do we always get it right? No, we don't. As a denomination that must do better at being a neighbor - we have work to do. Dr. King once said, "There comes a time when silence is betrayal." When we hear and witness actions that intimidate, degrade, make fun of or cause harm and choose not to speak up, we are equally complicit in the action. Whether it is on a school playground, a water cooler conversation, in the halls of Congress or in a congregation, we are called to be the Samaritan. We are to show mercy and break our silence of all forms of violence including those that stereotype groups, demean people and discriminate. Next week our nation will be inaugurating the next president. No matter whom you voted for, we are all children of God. Through our baptism in Jesus Christ, we become part of the One Body; what happens to one happens to us all. When we all are allowed to thrive in a society that treats everyone with dignity and respect, we open ourselves up to endless possibilities for prosperity. When opportunities are awarded to everyone equally, then we will all have unity and social harmony. In his "Letter from a Birmingham Jail," Dr. King wrote, "We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly." We have an opportunity to continue the legacy and vision of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. not just on King Day, but every day, at all times and in all places. God's peace, The Rev. Elizabeth A. Eaton Presiding Bishop Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
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Transforming White Privilege: A 21st Century Leadership Capacity
Dear Friends in Christ,
"Transforming White Privilege: A 21st Century Leadership Capacity" is an online training curriculum available through the Racial Equity Tools website. The curriculum was created to help formal and informal leaders of all kinds identify, talk productively about and intervene to address white privilege and its consequences in all spheres of influence. It was designed as a resource that organizations, denominations and others could use to enrich and deepen the work that they are already doing around equity and justice.
Major curriculum topics introduced include:
- Understanding how white privilege operates and is maintained within a system of inequity
- How "whiteness" itself was created
- Ways in which specific history, culture, laws and policies, economics and power helped create and maintain a set of accumulated advantages for groups labeled "white" and a set of accumulating disadvantages for groups not considered "white" at various points in U.S. history
- Tools for change, including: strategic questioning, entry points, mental checklists and framing
- Processes for going within and for reaching across the group to build confidence and tap into the group's individual and collective strengths and their willingness to act for racial justice
I have invited the developers of the resource (The Center for Assessment and Policy Development, MP Associates and World Trust Educational Services) to offer an introductory webinar for the ELCA.
The 90-minute interactive online webinars will be on Jan. 18 and 19 from 12:30 - 2:00 p.m. PST. We will offer the same webinar each day via Skype for Business. Audio and screen-sharing for this webinar will take place through your browser. About 10 minutes prior to the start of the event, click to join the online webinar. You may be prompted to install a small extension for your browser. Turn up your computer speakers for the audio. For best results use a headset and a microphone. You'll also be able to enter questions in a chat box.
Participants will experience parts of the curriculum, learn more about why and how the content was created and get a close look at the topics, resources and supports that are part of the packet. Presenters will discuss findings from pilot sites, as well as offer some guidance on facilitating the modules.
Blessings,
Judith Roberts
Program Director for Racial Justice
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
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ELCA Regional Gift Planner
The ELCA seeks a Regional Gift Planner that will support the Sierra Pacific Synod. This individual is responsible for identifying, cultivating, soliciting and securing new and ongoing gifts from individuals in support of churchwide ministries, congregations, synods and related ELCA ministries. Each Gift Planner lives and works within their assigned territory (home office). The posting closing date is February 28, 2017.
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Thursday, May 4 - Saturday, May 6, 2017
We Are Church Together:
Telling our Stories
We know that this is truly the Savior of the World (John 4:42b)
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DUE FEBRUARY 27thPlease thoughtfully consider the material you would like to present during the 2017 Synod Assembly (Thursday, May 4 - Saturday, May 6). Workshops will be held Friday, May 5th in the late afternoon (subject to change). Presenters will be notified if the workshop has been chosen by April 7th.
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News from around the Synod and Beyond
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Installations:
Pr. Casey Kloehn to serve at The Belfry at UC Davis - January 18th, 7:00 pm at Davis Lutheran Church, 317 E 8th St, Davis 95616.
Pr. Rebekah Davis - February 19, 2017 at St Marks Lutheran Church, 3051 Putnam Blvd, Pleasant Hill, CA 94523.
12:00 Potluck, 1:30 Installation service.
Clergy please vest - color of the day is green.
Pr. Chad Adamik - February 26, 2017, 3:00 pm at St Paul's Lutheran Church, 1201 N Saliman Rd, Carson City, NV 89701.
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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.
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Now is the Time to Prepare
During this time of very heavy rain and snowfall in our synod's territory, we offer the following information from our Tri-Lert (Lutheran Social Services; The California-Nevada-Hawaii District of the LCMS and our Sierra Pacific Synod) Disaster Preparedness Team:
If you have flood prone regions in your area, we have reports they are already being flooded.If you have had significant rains over the past couple of weeks, it is quite possible some trees will get uprooted or drought stressed trees will lose branches. If you live in hilly or mountainous areas it is reasonable to expect road closures due to landslides. Please seek out immediate assistance from local public works agencies or PG&E if you become of concerns in your neighborhood.
The following preparations are suggested:
- Pray that the God of Creation will bless you with wisdom for dealing with these storms in the best ways possible and, if need be, how to be a minister of God's mercy for those who have suffered losses.
- Have an adequate supply of water and food, enough to carry you through at least 3 days.
- Make sure your flashlights are working and get batteries if needed.
- Make sure your battery operated radio is functioning so you can stay up to date on what is happening in your area.
- If you have shut-ins or disabled members or friends, think about ways you will be able to be of help to them. Give them a call now to work out ways you will connect during/after the storms.
- Make sure your cell phone batteries are charged, but don't be surprised if cell service becomes unavailable. Texting capabilities may continue even if voice calls are not possible.
- Put your mask on first (airline talk), that is, keep yourself and your family safe and then head out as needed to be of help to others.
If your congregation/church property is experiencing any difficulty due to storm related damage, please contact the synod office.
Stay safe, keep your prayers going and share God's love for all who are in need!
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New W-2 & 1099 Filing Requirements
 The IRS has moved up the deadline to file 2016 W-2 and 1099 forms to January 31, 2017. In past years, the deadline to file W-2 and 1099 forms electronically was March 31.
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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.
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!
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