April 23, 2024 E-News

April 23, 2024

In this edition of ENews:

Fearless Faith: A Creation Care Pilgrimage to St. Martin's, Davis
St. Peter’s participates in the 70th Annual Red Bluff Roundup Parade
Diocese of Northern California wins awards at Episcopal Communicators Conference
Trinity Cathedral Celebrates Earth Day
Fearless Faith Revival is this Saturday
Preparing the Ground for Evangelism Workshop Recording Available
Highlights from the latest Board of Trustees Meeting
Saint Alban’s Creation Care Ministry Leads the Way

Around the Diocese

Fearless Faith: A Creation Care Pilgrimage to

St. Martin's, Davis

Dr. Suzanne Jubenville directing and conducting the performance

On Sunday afternoon, more than 75 people from around Davis and surrounding communities gathered to experience a beautiful performance of "The World Beloved: A Bluegrass Mass" at the Church of St. Martin. Program highlights included several gorgeous solos, opportunities for the audience to join in the singing, and interludes of poetry, expertly read by the Rev. Ernie Lewis. The event was billed as a "Creation Care Pilgrimage" in anticipation of the Creation Care workshops and exhibits at the upcoming Fearless Faith Revival. St. Martin's was the first "Zero-Carbon Church" in the Diocese.

"The World Beloved" was composed by Carol Barnett, with text by poet Marisha Chamberlain. St. Martin's own Dr. Suzanne Jubenville directed and conducted the performance and had the inspired idea to pair the musical work with poetry by Maurice Manning. The St. Martin's Sanctuary Choir was joined by bluegrass musicians from U.C. Davis. The evening concluded with a short jam session, bringing people to their feet to dance, and a reception in the narthex.

St. Martin's began the day with a solemn recognition of the rising level of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere and the accelerating pace of the climate crisis. A procession around the Great Lawn, accompanied by the ringing of bells, began the 10 o'clock service. The Rev. Dr. Pamela Dolan read an invitation from The Bishop's Commission on Climate Change of the Diocese of Los Angeles, asking churches and individuals "to commemorate Earth Day with bell ringing, prayer, or meditation."

St. Peter’s participates in the 70th Annual Red Bluff Roundup Parade

St. Peter’s participated in the 70th Annual Red Bluff Roundup Parade this past Saturday. They wowed the crowds with their St. Pete’s Fishing Crew, synchronized fishing pole routine, and fish mascot! St. Peter’s continues to build relationships in our community and share the joy we have in Christ Jesus.

Diocese of Northern California wins awards at Episcopal Communicators Conference

Last week, the Episcopal Communicators met at Portland, Maine for their annual conference.

A feature of the conference was 2024 Polly Bond Awards for Excellence in Communications. These awards recognize excellence in church communications across 19 different categories for work completed in 2023. Independently judged by well-respected and experienced communications professionals outside of the organization’s membership, the best submissions on each category receive awards.

The Diocese of Northern California received an Award of Excellence for social media and three Honorable Mentions for graphic design, social media, and Bishop's Book of Dreams booklet.

Trinity Cathedral Celebrates Earth Day

On April 14, TREE (Trinity Respecting Earth & Environment) held an early celebration of Earth Day. In addition to special music and prayers at all services, the courtyard hosted Refill Madness, SMUD, Solar Cookers International, Sacramento City Deptartment of Water Conservation, and SacACT, all dispensing information and goodies to attendees. Parishioners Rob Stoinoff and Paul Brosio had plants for sale. One table was devoted to activities for children. The TREE table had Voter Registration and Farm Bill information. As has become the tradition, free tomato plants were handed out.

Church of the Epiphany in Vacaville and Grace Episcopal Church in Fairfield will co-host a Sunday afternoon Sacred Ground Circle beginning

Sunday, May 5, 2024.

Hybrid Sessions | 1:30 pm - 3:30 pm | Zoom & Epiphany, Vacaville

May 5, 19 | June 2, 23 | July 7, 21 | August 4, 18 | September 8

In-Person Session | 9:00 am - 4:00 pm | Location TBD

Saturday, September 21.

The circle is limited to 20 participants.

https://forms.gle/MPpbbGqT2c8tfNw29

Fearless Faith Revival Updates

EYE & Friends Reunion

Come gather to build community, learn from national church leaders, explore our faith, and prepare for the Revival. This is a great Episcopal Youth Event (EYE) reunion + friends that will include spending time with and jamming with the EYE band. Dinner will be provided.

Friday, April 26th | 6:00 pm - 10:00 pm

Location: Trinity Cathedral, Sacramento

Age Range: 13-19

Free Event!

Click Here to Register.

Recording of the last session of Preparing the Ground for Evangelism Workshop Now Available

Fearless Faith Revival is this Saturday!

For more information visit the Revival Website:

https://www.fearlessfaith2024.org/

Need a hotel room for the Revival?

Click here for a list of hotels offering special rates: https://www.fearlessfaith2024.org/hotels

Sacred Spaces at the Revival

In addition to the spirit-filled worship, there will be several opportunities for attendees to experience quiet, contemplative spaces:

Season of Courage: It is I, Lord. The Commission for Intercultural Ministries and the Commission on the Environment are presenting an immersive exhibit to share stories of people answering the call to show courage in service to growing the Beloved Community and caring for the environment. Fifteen stories from Clergy and Laity around the diocese will be shared. A QR code will be provided on each poster to enable visitors to read a fuller description of the stories. Exhibit visitors will be invited to write a prayer for courage and hang it on the Prayer Tree in the center of the space.

Redwood Prayer Chapel

Jacob Zuniga, a parishioner of Grace Church, Healdsburg is constructing

a prayer chapel made from redwood boughs and grapevines. Visitors will be invited to write a prayer on a strip of fabric and tie it to the chapel.

Walk a labyrinth

Trinity Cathedral is bringing their portable labyrinth, allowing attendees to experience this ancient practice at the Revival Festival.

Want to Volunteer at the Revival?

We need help in many areas. Click here to fill out a form with your preferences. https://form.jotform.com/240926353575159

Board of Trustees

Highlights from the latest Board of Trustees Meeting

This is a short synopsis of what happened at the most recent Board of Trustees meeting. While this is not a full report of our meeting, it does share some of the highlights of our work.

At the March Board of Trustees meeting, the Board took the following actions:

The Board took the surplus of money generated by St. Matthews Center in 2023 and put it into a designated fund for the Center. This ensures that those funds continued to be available for the Center for future needs and are not put into the general fund for the Diocese. In addition the Board dissolved the steering committee for the St. Matthews Center. A few years ago when St. Matthews Center divided the facility to share with River City Food Bank and Highlands Community Charter School, the Steering Committee was formed to help with the property management and any site issues. We now have a professional property manager, and found that the duties of the steering committee had become redundant and were complicating the work of St. Matthew’s Mission Committee. The Mission Committee will continue their work of prayer and being the Episcopal congregation in the Arden Arcade neighborhood.

The Board voted to take the proceeds from the sale of the St. Mary’s in Ferndale and put them in a designated fund. While the Board did not designate the purpose of the fund at our March meeting, these proceeds can be used for a purpose that fits our strategic priorities in the future.

Following the recommendation of the Budget and Finance committee, the Board approved that future Curate positions in the Diocese of Northern California be exempt from apportionment. Curate positions are typically for newly ordained priests where the curate works under an experienced rector to gain knowledge, experience and confidence before they move onto running a church as a priest in charge, vicar or rector. Curate positions last for two years and increase participating churches ability to offer additional ministries.

The Board approved the following land acknowledgment:

The Episcopal Church in Northern California acknowledges that its sixty-three churches are built on the unceded Native American land of forty-four federally recognized tribes and of other tribes that are seeking the return of federal recognition.

With God’s help, we commit ourselves to acknowledging the truth of California’s history, as well as strengthening existing relationships and improving our efforts to build collaborative relationships with Native peoples.

-Margie Harrison-Smith, Vice President

Office of the Bishop

2024 Clergy Conference – Registration Now Open

Tuesday, May 14* | 4:00 pm — Thursday, May 16 | 12:00 pm

Bishop's Ranch | Healdsburg

*Fresh Start begins on Monday, May 13

Guest Presenter | Ms. Lisa Kimball, PhD

Vice President for Lifelong Learning and the James Maxwell Professor Chair of Lifelong Christian Formation, Virginia Theological Seminary

Click here to register.

Postulant Financial Aid Available

The Diocese of California offers financial aid for postulants pursuing theological education at an approved seminary or theological institution. Financial aid is available for students from the Diocese of California and, from designated funds, the Diocese of Northern California, the Diocese of San Joaquin, and the Diocese of El Camino Real. Specific eligibility requirements differ from fund to fund.

Apply by April 30, 2024

For additional questions, contact the vocations officer, Dr. Travis Stevens, at vocations@diocal.org.

Episcopal Community Services

ECS 2024-2025 Annual Grant Cycle Begins – Request for Proposals

ECS is pleased to announce that the 2024-2025 Annual Grant Cycle has begun!

Episcopal congregations throughout the Diocese of Northern California can apply for a number of grants, including:

The Ministry Development Fund (1 year)
The Warren Dunning Memorial Social Justice Grant (3 years)
The Barry L. Beisner Multi-Year Grant (up to 5 years)
The Bishop Jerry and Jane Lamb Grant (1 year, youth and young adults)
The Healing and Health Ministries Mini-Grants
The Rev. David & Catherine Cavanagh Memorial Grant (1 year, with option for 2 renewals)

Information about each of these grant opportunities can be found on the ECS website www.norcalecs.org.

The actual request for funding (Request for Proposals, or RFP) is due to the Grants Chair steve.mershon@icloud.com by May 1, 2024.

If you are going to be submitting an RFP and have not submitted a Letter of Interest yet, please contact the Grants Chair as we provide grant-writing assistance.

Missioner for Church Life

Commission on the Environment

Saint Alban’s Creation Care Ministry Leads the Way

Earth Day was yesterday and it is a time within the Season of Easter and Rogation-tide when we focus on God’s creation, and how we can be loving caretakers of this beautiful creation.

In the diocese there are many congregations that are making changes to reduce their carbon footprint to help heal the climate. This story from Daniel Moyer, Chair of the Saint Alban's Creation Care Ministry, shares information about their journey.