August 27, 2024 E-News

August 27, 2024

In this edition of ENews:

Disaster Volunteers Change Lives
Stewardship Conference a Big Success – Recording and Presentation Slides Now Available
Day of Discernment Postponed
Want to be part of our Church Life and Ministry slideshow?
Free Concert at St.Timothy's, Gridley – Thursday, August 29

Missioner for Disaster Resilience

Disaster Volunteers Change Lives

Left: Looking over Project (Re)Start bins at Francis Cole-Boyd (All Saints’, Redding) talks with Rev. Phil Zabell of Lutheran Disaster Services – coordinating how the faith organizations work together. Top Right: Disaster Resilience Volunteers outside of St. Peter's, Red Bluff. Bottom Right: Project (Re)Start bins.

With many thanks to the people from across the diocese who volunteered to care for our neighbors impacted by the Park Fire, we share this personal testimony of one of those volunteers.

During the Park Fire an Evacuation Hub resource center was set up at St. Peter’s church in Red Bluff. Elaine Benwell, who works with older adults in Tehama County and is a vestry member at St. Peter’s, shares her experience:

I was invited to help staff the St. Peter’s Resource Center and was there on the day that it opened. One of the first people to come in was an elder woman, (we’ll call her B), who had been evacuated from Paynes Creek. B had driven through the fire with her three German Shepherds in a pickup truck and it’s where she slept the first harrowing night she was evacuated. When B arrived at the resource center in the morning, she was bedraggled, exhausted, frightened, fighting back tears, and worried about family who were still in the fire zone and not able to evacuate. The finish on her vehicle had melted, her gas tank was empty, as was her portable oxygen apparatus. I did the intake and sat with B to offer comfort and reassurance.

The St. Peter’s Resource Center provided snacks, bottled water, gas and gift cards. I gave B a “Go Bag” that I had prepared with hygiene products, a solar light, a small first aid kit, a mylar blanket, and other essentials. Since St. Peter’s was a resource center and not a shelter, it was decided that B could find temporary shelter at the PATH Navigation Center in Red Bluff. While not ideal, there at least she would have meals, a place to sleep for the night, and be able to stay with her dogs. I escorted B to the site, took her inside and left her in the capable hands of the Navigation Center staff. B wept and hugged me as they parted.

I kept B in her prayers all that night and the next day I went back to check on B to see how she could help further, but I was told that B had not stayed at the Navigation Center. The Navigation Center staff told me they had no idea where she had gone. I was concerned but there was nothing to do except to keep B in my prayers.

Several days later Tehama County organized an LAC (Local Assistance Center) at the Red Bluff Community Center. The LAC was open on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Since I work, the only time I was available to help was on Saturday morning. At that point, the evacuation had been lifted and some people were being allowed back into their homes. I was still praying for B and wondering how things had worked out for her and her dogs. Imagine the amazement and the joy when B showed up at the table hosted by St. Peter’s at the LAC! B looked bright and in good spirits. She told me she had been able to return to her home and although there was smoke damage, water and power issues, and spoiled food, she at least had a home to go back to. And most importantly, her family was safe. She said I had helped her tremendously and she expressed profound gratitude. There were tears all around.

Your support is still needed.

Give to Disaster Resilence

Office of the Bishop

Stewardship Conference a Big Success – Recording and Presentation Slides Now Available

Thank you to everyone who participated in this past Saturday’s Congregational Leadership Conference on Stewardship. The video and power point presentations are available below.

If you have any questions, or need help with stewardship resources, contact the Rev. Mack Olson, Missioner for Church Life, at Mack@norcalepiscopal.org

Click Here to View the Recording

Click Here to Download the Power Point

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 Postponed – Next one will be Saturday, March 1, 2025

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 Church Life and Ministry 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.

Please send your photos before deadline, Monday, September 30.

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

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

Message from the Rev. Dr. Pamela Dolan, co-chair of the Commission on the Environment

Like many of you, I completed my first Sacred Ground circle in 2020. I was so impressed by the curriculum, with its combination of video resources and readings and its compelling commitment to courage, compassion, and truth telling. There was a lot in it that made me uncomfortable, sad, even angry and discouraged, but by processing the information in a group setting, with good boundaries and facilitation, and in the context of shared faith and trust in a loving and liberating God, those feelings did not overwhelm me or hinder my ability to learn and grow from the experience.

Somewhere along the way, I thought, "What if there were a curriculum like that around climate change? Wouldn't that be a gift from the Church to the world?" Well, ask and it will be given to you, as Jesus once promised. Just this summer, the Episcopal Church unveiled its new "Love God, Love God's World" program, and it is exactly what I was hoping for: a nine-session course about caring for creation, informed by both our faith tradition and climate science.

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

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

Upcoming Events around the Diocese

Free Concert at St.Timothy's, Gridley

August 29 | 7:00 - 8:30 pm | St. Timothy's, Gridley

The concert will be outdoors; in the pavilion area. Water, snacks and seating will be provided but feel free to bring you're own chairs. The band plays in a French jazz style. All are invited!

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

September 28 | Our Saviour, Placerville | 5:00 pm

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