The Episcopal Diocese 

of Northern California

Beloved Community

Resource Newsletter

Published by

The Commission for

Intercultural Ministries

April 2026

Episcopal Church Becoming Beloved Community

Newsletter Highlights:

• Palm Sunday - Church of the Incarnation, Santa Rosa
• I Will, With God's Help: Journey Toward Racial Healing and Justice Workshop Registration Now Open
• Welcome Diane Williamson, Diocesan Sacred Ground Coordinator
• Understanding Our Working-Class Neighbors Through a Gospel Lens
• Church's Asiamerica Ministries invite Episcopalians to make origami cranes for detained immigrants
• Seeing Christ's Power in Sister Earth
• Pacific Coastal Eco-Region
• SAVE THE DATE: September 27-28, 2026 - Province VIII Creation Care Network Conference, Salt Lake City, Utah
• How Does Martin Luther King, Jr.'s Vision Thrive?
• The Color of Life Book Study and Webinar with Cara Meredith
• Advocacy
• Oasis Meeting on a New Day



Editor's note: This is the last monthly publication of the Beloved Community Resource Newsletter. Beginning in June 2026, it will become a quarterly publication.

The. Rev. Stephen Shaver, Rector, reflects on Matthew 27:25 in his Palm Sunday sermon in a world deeply marked by violence and God's solidarity with humanity through the Cross.

“Seek and serve Christ in all persons, loving your neighbor as yourself... strive for justice and peace among all people, and respect the dignity of every human being.”

These powerful promises from our Baptismal Covenant are at the heart of our faith, yet living them out in a complex world is a daily challenge—especially across the lines that divide us.

In the Diocese of Northern California, we believe that reconciliation is not just a requirement for lay leaders—it is a sacred opportunity to grow. Our upcoming one-day workshops are designed to help you deepen your understanding of racism’s impact and, more importantly, empower you to share God’s healing love within your own community.

Who Is this designed for?

●    Vestry

●    Sr. and Jr. Wardens

●    Lay Eucharistic Ministers and Visitors

Join us for a transformative experience this year; each workshop is held on a Saturday:

May 9           Hybrid Workshop at Church of St. Martin’s, Davis | Register here

Registration deadline: May 2

June 27       Virtual only | Register here

Registration deadline: June 20

July 25        Hybrid Workshop at St. Patrick’s, Kenwood | Register here

Registration deadline: July 18

Sept. 5        Virtual only | Register here

Registration deadline: August 29

October 10 Virtual only  | Register here

Registration deadline: October 3

Whether you are a new Vestry member fulfilling a diocesan requirement or a longtime leader seeking personal growth, these workshops offer a supportive space for reflection and action.

The Diocesan policy letter for racial reconciliation training can be found here. Unsure if this is right for your role? We’d love to chat. Reach out to Miriam Casey or

Jo Ann Williams at norcalcim@gmail.com. 

The Commission for Intercultural Ministries (CIM) welcomes Diane Williamson from St. John's, Roseville, as the new Sacred Ground Coordinator for the Episcopal Diocese of Northern California. CIM appreciates the years of wonderful Sacred Ground Coordinator support provided by Karen Nolan who is stepping away to pursue local church ministries and community activities.

Diane is an experienced Sacred Ground facilitator, having facilitated one-to-two Sacred Ground circles each year for the last five years at St. John's. Please look for future information from Diane about the Sacred Ground program in the diocesan ENews and the Beloved Community Resource Newsletter.

Diane can be reached at dianewilliamson864@gmail.com.

This webinar is designed for those wondering if and how to enter into Sacred Ground work in an interracial context. It will be a more structured follow-up to our November open conversation on this topic.

Organizers and facilitators who have experience with interracial Sacred Ground circles will share, and we will explore specific best practices for forming and facilitating these circles.

Unlocking the Power of the Labyrinth

in Sacred Ground Circles

Greetings Sacred Ground Community,

Thank you for attending our Lenten webinar with Rev. Dr. Lauren Artress about the Labyrinth and its use as a tool for reflection and spiritual growth in Sacred Ground.

For those who weren’t able to attend live, here’s a link to the recording (passcode: A3$@bH+L): Sacred Ground Lenten Webinar - Zoom

From the whole Sacred Ground team, we extend tremendous gratitude to Lauren for this offering to our community. As I said on Thursday, it left me much better informed about the labyrinth, and excited to learn even more. It also certainly got my wheels turning about how we can incorporate more labyrinth exploration into the revised Sacred Ground curriculum (coming this summer).

Understanding Our Working-Class Neighbors Through a Gospel Lens

Excerpts from the article, “What So Many People Don’t Get About the U.S. Working Class,” by Joan Williams in the Harvard Business Review, 11/10/2016, compiled by the Very Rev. Bob Scott

As a community of faith, we are called to love our neighbors and to understand their struggles with compassion and insight. In her Harvard Business Review article, “What So Many People Don’t Get About the U.S. Working Class,” Joan Williams helps us see important truths about many Americans’ lived experience — and invites us to listen deeply with our hearts as well as our minds.

(This is only one of the many themes and stories explored in the Episcopal Church series called Sacred Ground. You can learn more about Sacred Ground and how to sign up for the entire series of sessions by using this link: EDNC Beloved Community webpage.)

Keeping Track of Sacred Ground

Are you forming a Sacred Ground Circle? Let the Commission for Intercultural Ministries know by registering it here: https://forms.gle/hriHCPKmLwjUHEyEA

Are you interested in joining a Sacred Ground Circle? Sign up here: https://forms.gle/G26EPxDzEFSpnsZW7

Origami cranes hang over the nave of St. Peter’s Episcopal Parish, a historically Japanese church in Seattle, Washington. Photo: Courtesy of Elizabeth Riley

The Episcopal Church’s Asiamerica Ministries is calling on Episcopalians to make origami cranes for immigrants in detention as a symbol of peace and solidarity. 

“Making each crane is an act of prayer for healing and wholeness,” the Rev. Jo Ann Lagman, missioner for Asiamerica Ministries and a Filipina American, told Episcopal News Service.

Fr. Daniel had the joy and honor to preach at St. James Episcopal Church in Florence, Italy, on March 15 and to lead worship alongside the rector, the Rev. Richard Brooks Easterling, and the Senior Vice President of General Theological Seminary, the Rev. Michael DeLashmutt.

We've been name the Pacific Coastal Eco-Region! Member dioceses of the network are: The Diocese of El Camino Real, The Diocese of California, and our diocese.

Resolution B002, which was adopted in 2024 by the 81st General Convention, defined the creation of eco-regions. It said that eco-region creation networks can be created when bishops of at least three dioceses describe to the presiding bishop their intention to form a network, designating one diocese to be the administrative center for the region.

In partnership with Center for Religion and Environment at the School of Theology at the University of the South in Sewanee, Tennessee, will provide resources to help bishops and dioceses both create networks and implement nature-based climate solutions in their areas.

The Church of the Incarnation in Santa Rosa held a hybrid panel discussion on February 22^nd facilitated by the Rev. Dr. Stephen Shaver, Rector. Attendees learned much and grew in their understanding of the history and meaning of the Beloved Community and about the realities of being Black in the local community. The speakers were:

• Jennifer Snow, scholar and author of Mission, Race, and Empire: The Episcopal Church in Global Context, who sketched the history and theology of Becoming Beloved Community through the perspectives of activists, priests, and churches.

• Kirstyne Lange, President of the Santa Rosa/Sonoma County NAACP, described the present state of the Sonoma County racial justice experience.

Passcode: @NUx8WBL

ADVOCACY

For questions or information, contact Bob Wohlsen,

Advocacy Team Chair, bob.wohlsen@gmail.com,

Episcopal Public Policy Network

Public Policy and Witness Weekly Prayers

Dear Advocate,

Attached are the notes from this morning's [4/2/2026] briefing. I invite you to read them and share the updates in your gatherings and conversations.

Alan Yarborough, OGR Director, closed the briefing by encouraging donations to the church's Good Friday Offering, especially this year due to the extreme hardships being inflicted on the people in the Middle East. The Good Friday Offering supports church work in the Middle East via the three dioceses in the Province of Jerusalem and the Middle East. Donate here.

I wish you a blessed walk toward Easter.

Peace be with you,

Bob

YouTube I Model Leader I Posted March 31, 2026

In this episode of the American Model, we talk with Mariann Budde, Episcopal Bishop of Washington, and Randy Hollerith, Dean of the Washington National Cathedral. They share wisdom and insights on the freedom of religion, faith, and leadership in the context of democracy.

YouTube I Episcopal Parish Network I Posted March 11, 2026

At a time when truth feels fragile and trust is fraying, the Church is called to stand as a community of integrity, courage, and hope. In this opening keynote, Presiding Bishop Sean Rowe joins Jonathan Rauch, writer for "The Atlantic" and senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, for a conversation on how faith and public life intersect in the struggle to uphold truth, rebuild trust, and renew the common good.

Together, they will explore what it means for the Church to lead with courage and conviction in a divided world—restoring community not through power, but through presence, grace, and a steadfast commitment to truth.

This conversation will name what is at stake in our time: the renewal of truth, the rebuilding of trust, and the restoration of community life shaped by grace, humility, and hope.

• Protect Children's Online Safety
• Address Challenges in Housing
• Condemn Attack on Iran and Assert War Powers
• Support the Truth and Healing Commission on Indian Boarding Schools

For more information, contact Bob Wohlsen, Advocacy Team Chair, bob.wohlsen@gmail.com.

The Episcopal Diocese of Northern California

The Commission for Intercultural Ministries

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