August 20, 2024

In this edition of ENews:

Stewardship Conference is this Saturday
St. Paul's, Sacramento Celebrates 175 years in Sacramento
All Saints, Redding receives Project (Re)start bins from St. Francis, Fortuna and Christ Church, Eureka
Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month
Diocesan Rainbow Ministry Regathering!
A Civil Discourse Primer: Building Capacity for Engaging on Tough Topics

Office of the Bishop

Online Stewardship Conference Is This Saturday – Spaces still available

Please join us for this year’s Stewardship Congregational Leadership Conference on Saturday, August 24 from 9:00 am–10:00 am. This year’s session will have a special focus on every member canvass resources for your annual stewardship campaigns. We’ll discuss the basics, share resources, and talk about why you should consider an every member canvass to achieve not only your stewardship goals, but how an every member canvass can support your pastoral care efforts as well as help in identifying future goals for your congregation.

To register, go to: https://form.jotform.com/240366571427155

Wondering how your church might reach out in new ways?

New Camino, an innovative in-person workshop led by The Rev. Cn. Anthony Guillen, will help you look at how to use what you have, to connect more successfully with people in your community of Latinx/Hispanic heritage.

No Spanish language skills required.

St. John the Evangelist Episcopal Church | Chico

2341 Floral Ave, Chico, CA 95926

Starts: September 27 at 6:00 pm

Ends: September 28 at 2:30 pm

Dinner and Lunch will be provided.

Cost: $35.00 per person (plus hotel)

Day of Discernment Registration Now Opened

Saturday, September 7 | 9:00 am – 11:00 am | On Zoom Only

Interested in being a priest, deacon or a member of a religious order? Want to know more about what it’s really like, or family and time commitments?

This is the first step if you are interested in being in the Ordination process. A sponsoring clergy person or Senior Warden must join you. Spouses/partners are encouraged to attend with you.

Registration is free, but requested: https://form.jotform.com/241937308544158

Around the Diocese

St. Paul's, Sacramento Celebrates 175 years in Sacramento

On Sunday, St. Paul's hosted a Festive Eucharist with Bishop Megan presiding and the Rev. Rik Rasmussen, rector of St. Paul's, assisting. Before the service, the congregation gathered at the corner of 3rd and J Street, near the site where the first Episcopal Church service was held in the city in 1849.

St. Paul's will continue the celebration on Saturday, September 14. This event is opened to the public. Church members will host a full day of history, music, tours and food beginning at 8:00 a.m. with coffee and conversation on the sidewalk outside.

All Saints, Redding receives Project (Re)start bins from St. Francis Fortuna and Christ Church Eureka

Earl Cunningham, Mother Geri from St. Francis and Steve Preston, Elizabeth Harper-Lawson, Father Daniel London from Christ Church loaded the truck. At All Saints in Redding, they were met by Margie Harrison-Smith, Vice President of the Board of Trustees, and All Saints members Josh and Ken who unloaded the bins.

Last week, Earl and Mother Geri Cunningham delivered 8 Cleaning Bins from St. Francis, Fortuna and 5 Bathroom Bins and 5 Bedroom Bins from Christ Church, Eureka to All Saints, Redding for the Park Fire Assistance Centers set up in Red Bluff and Chico.

The Rev. Daniel London Announces New Book, Spiritual Friendship Distilled

The painting on the cover was made by David Giles Lochtie, a parishioner at Christ Church, Eureka.

Bishop Megan wrote the following endorsement for the book:

“The Rev Dr Daniel London writes with deep insight into the matters of spirituality. He brings a remarkable combination of strengths: a wholehearted love of God, theological depth, and a broad engagement with the community around him. Further, the work is grounded in the realities of caring for his own congregation in the midst of a changing, post-pandemic world. If you come across his books—read them!"

Read the book's description here

Missioner for Church Life

Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month

Friday, September 15-Sunday October 15, 2024

National Hispanic Heritage month is coming up in September! Be sure to check out the resources available on our diocesan website here.

Diocesan Rainbow Ministry Regathering!

Wednesday, September 25 | 1:00 pm | On Zoom

Please join us for a meeting of the diocesan Rainbow Ministry (RM). After a brief summer hiatus, the Rainbow Ministry is regathering and you are invited! The Rainbow Ministry is a group that welcomes all who identify as 2S/LGBTQIA+ and allies. God loves us all and we are all saved by God’s amazing grace.

Mission:

The Rainbow Ministry exists to celebrate and embrace the fabulous gender and sexual diversity of all God’s people, fostering education, invitation and connection throughout the diocese.

While the agenda for the meeting is still being finalized, we hope to create a time and space to welcome and connect with new members and build relationships with each other as we regather after our hiatus. We would love to touch base with each other on where our churches are in their journey of openness and acceptance of 2S/LGBTQIA+ community and allies. The Safe Zone Project (https://thesafezoneproject.com/) will be discussed. Please join us!

Zoom Link:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86220268889pwd=TMlbO0oZT0MlfXT7cPTba7aIMI06lq.1

Meeting ID: 862 2026 8889

Passcode: 443388

Diocesan Convention

Want to be part of our Convention slideshow?

Send us photos of your congregation during worship, gatherings, events, community events, holidays, etc. We want to see photos from your congregation's events and services from late 2023 to the end of summer, 2024. The slideshow will be on display during the 2024 Diocesan Convention.

Requirements:

Photos need to be submitted in a JPEG (JPG) or PNG file format
All photos must be original and not copyrighted, and you must have permission from the photographer and/or subjects to use these photos for this purpose.

We want every congregation represented!

Please send photos to communications@norcalepiscopal.org

Diocesan Convention Registration is Open

Links to the following documents may be found here:

Call of Convention
Convention Schedule at-a-Glance
House Rules
Governance Nomination Instructions
Resolution Instructions
Keynote Speaker Info
2024 Congregational Range Sheet
Important Convention Dates and Deadlines
Filing Alternate to Delegate Form
Filing Alternate Vacancies Form

Commission for Intercultural Ministry

A Civil Discourse Primer: Building Capacity for Engaging on Tough Topics

The Episcopal Office of Government Relations will present a webinar on Tuesday, August 27 at 1PM Pacific. The goal of the webinar is to equip Episcopalians to build and maintain relationships that are fundamental to our common life during this election season.

This workshop will serve as a primer on our civil discourse curriculum, helping you understand the opportunities and limits of civil discourse as a critical tool for bridging partisan divides, learning from one another, and creating better solutions for our communities.

For more information and to register click here.

Vote Faithfully Webinar

“It is a Christian obligation to vote, and more than that, it is the church’s responsibility to help get souls to the polls.” - Presiding Bishop Michael Curry

It’s time to get actively involved in the 2024 Elections. The Campaigns are in high gear, and as you know, there is so much at stake in this year's elections, locally and nationally. What can you do to get involved? Here is the answer.

The Commission for Intercultural Ministries will present a webinar on Thursday, September 5 at 7PM Pacific highlighting the Episcopal Office of Government Relations Vote Faithfully Election Engagement 2024 Toolkit. Tune in to learn how you can help:

Run Elections
Register voters
Mobilize - Help your community members access polling stations on Election Day
Communicate - Use common church platforms for quick and easy communication to encourage your community to get out the vote
Advocate for voting rights
Plus - Prepare for Vote Faithfully Sunday, November 3, 2024, including Quotes for thought and communal reflection, Music, Prayers

This workshop meets the requirement for licensing for Lay Eucharistic Ministers, Lay Eucharistic Visitors, and unlicensed lay leaders (such as vestry members and ministry leads) in the Diocese. Other lay licensed ministries need to take Sacred Ground to meet Diocesan licensing requirements.

All Classes are on Saturdays from 9:30am – 4:30 pm

Saturday, September 14 | Trinity Cathedral, Sacramento

Registration deadline: September 7

For questions, contact Diane Williamson, dianewilliamson864@gmail.com

Saturday, October 19 | St. Paul’s, Healdsburg

Registration deadline: October 12

For questions, contact Miriam Casey, edncbbc@gmail.com

Commission on the Environment

Trinity to Host Free Documentary Showing on September 21

Saturday, September 21| 2:00-4:00 pm | Trinity, Cathedral

“Cooked: Survival by Zip Code”

Directed & Produced by Judith Helfland

There will be a panel discussion and substantial refreshments in the Lexis Gallery, Trinity Cathedral, 2620 Capitol Ave, Sacramento.

TREE (Trinity Respecting the Earth & Environment) and St. Francis’ Climate Justice Committee are co-sponsoring a free showing of the documentary “Cooked: Survival by Zip Code,” the story of a tragic heatwave in Chicago when 739 citizens died in a single week. What are the implications for Sacramento? For public policy? For action?

There will be a panel discussion and substantial refreshments in the Lexis Gallery, Trinity Cathedral, 2620 Capitol Ave, Sacramento.

For more information contact Deirdre Johnson at deirdre.johnson@icloud.com.

Carbon Neutral 2030 Action Plan Workshop

Saturday, September 7 | 10:00 AM - 12:30 PM

The Fearless Faith Post Revival Committee and the Commission on the Environment Present a nuts and bolts webinar providing:

How to guidance to prepare your church’s Action Plan to be Carbon Neutral by 2030
Stories from diocesan churches about creating their plan and implementing energy efficiency recommendations
Info on technical resources and funding for designing, financing, and contracting for energy efficiency projects at your churches
Time for conversation among attendees

All invited to come and learn, especially churches who have received the Energy Efficiency Assessment.

Zoom Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89836290843

Meeting ID: 898 3629 0843

Hope to see you there!

For more information and questions, contact - bob.wohlsen@gmail.com

Upcoming Events around the Diocese

Honoring our Shared Humanity: Understanding Islamophobia and Antisemitism

St. Patrick's, Kenwood | September 24 | 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm

St. Patrick’s Kenwood, in conjunction with the Interfaith Council of Sonoma and Congregation Ner Shalom in Sebastopol, is presenting a Zoom program “Honoring our Shared Humanity: Understanding Islamophobia and Antisemitism."

Click here for more information.

Dine and Dance, Swing and Sway

Start with a lasagna dinner at 5:00 pm on Saturday, September 28, 2024. Follow with music and dancing with the SwingMasters’ big band sound. Think Glenn Miller, Artie Shaw, and Tommy Dorsey. SwingMasters is an 18-member band that produces a big, bold sound. Members come from a variety of experiences and backgrounds, but all are experts on their instruments. Sit and listen or dance the courtyard.

It all happens at Episcopal Church of Our Saviour, Placerville.

Cost: $40 per person (children under 12 free)

Reservations are highly advised at 530-391-4588. Tickets will be available at the event if there is space.

This fun extravaganza is a benefit for the Building Fund to repair and upgrade the historic church.

Job Openings in The Diocese

Our Saviour, Placerville is looking for a new secretary. The secretary is responsible for producing a monthly newsletter, printing and filing documents, responding to inquiries, maintaining the church’s website, greeting and assisting visitors, and performing other duties as requested from the Rector.

Click here for more information.

The Trinity Cathedral Choir of Sacramento is looking for a new Soprano Choral Scholar for the 2024-25 season. The choral scholar acts as a paid section leader and soloist under the supervision of the Canon Precentor & Director of Music.

More information can be found here: https://sierracanon.wordpress.com/2024/07/09/trinity-cathedral-choir-seeing-a-new-soprano-choral-scholar/

Clergy Openings in The Diocese