The Episcopal Diocese 

of Northern California

Beloved Community

Resource Newsletter

Published by

The Commission for

Intercultural Ministries

November 2023 

Episcopal Church Becoming Beloved Community

Newsletter Highlights:

• The Episcopal Church in Navajoland
• Presiding Bishop Michael Curry Calls for an End to the Violence and Killing in Gaza
• Racial Justice Audit Executive Summary and Report Now Available
• Commission for Intercultural Ministries at the 2023 Diocesan Convention
• Commission on the Environment Presentation to Diocesan Convention 2023
• Churches Developing Plans to Achieve Carbon Neutrality by 2030
• I Will, With God's Help: Journey Toward Racial Healing and Justice October Workshops
• New Camino - A New Vision for Latino/Hispanic Ministries
• Pastorela Navideña Toolkit
• El Dia de Los Muertos
• Maya Angelou and the Freedom Poetry of Advent
• Civil Discourse

Native American Heritage Month 2023

Bishop Provisional Barry Beisner gave a presentation about Navajoland, an area mission of The Episcopal Church, at the 2023 Diocesan Convention of the Episcopal Diocese of Northern California held earlier this month at Faith Episcopal Church in Cameron Park. Watch Bishop Beisner's informative and moving presentation about Navajo Episcopalians.

• Read about Native American sites in the Sacramento area here.
• Read about the Gorman Museum of Native American Art at UC Davis here.

Presiding Bishop Michael Curry and Archbishop Hosam Naoum in Conversation

Join Episcopal Church Presiding Bishop Michael Curry and Anglican Archbishop Hosam Naoum of the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem for an update on the conflict in the Holy Land. The conversation will be recorded for later distribution, and there will some time for Q & A.

On Tuesday, November 7, Presiding Bishop Curry shared a statement calling for an end to the violence and killing in Gaza. He invoked our call to speak up for love. Here is his statement.  

The Episcopal Office of Government Relations provided information about how we can speak up to advocate for an end to the violence and killing in Gaza. Here is a link to this information. 

In the Presiding Bishop's message, he encourages us not to be quiet about this situation. Please consider this invitation to speak up in service to LOVE.

Miriam Casey

Co-Chair, Commission for Intercultural Ministries

In a Nov. 9 letter to President Joe Biden, Churches for Middle East Peace and thirty American Christian leaders called on Biden and his administration to support an immediate ceasefire, de-escalation, and restraint by all involved. The letter is below.

The constituting group tasked with proposing the organizational structure to establish a new Episcopal Coalition for Racial Equity and Justice met in person Oct. 31-Nov. 2 in New York City to discuss key themes, best methods, and next steps.

Creation of the coalition was recommended in a March 2022 report by the Presiding Officers’ Working Group on Truth-Telling, Reckoning and Healing and approved by the 80th General Convention in July 2022.

Representing the broad diversity of the church, constituting group members were named in February by Presiding Bishop Michael Curry, House of Deputies President Julia Ayala Harris, and group chair Ryan Kusumoto.

Since that time, the group has met virtually and held listening sessions with Deputies of Color, the Executive Council’s Committee on Anti-Racism, and attendees of the “It’s All About Love” festival held in Baltimore in July.

During its recent meeting, the group discussed key themes that emerged from the listening sessions, including the importance of ensuring the work of the Beloved Community continues; expanding and supporting robust networks such as the Union of Black Episcopalians and Deputies of Color to foster connectivity with dioceses and other groups engaged in racial justice work; and the need to act as a resource clearinghouse where people may network to share programs, structures, and curricula.

As Heidi Kim, one of the Deputies of Color, said, “The opportunity for the coalition is to go local and deep and over time.”

Members also reviewed the coalition’s stated purpose of “facilitating, coordinating, encouraging, supporting, and networking efforts of Episcopal dioceses, parishes, organizations, and individuals for racial justice and equity, and the dismantling of white supremacy.”

The Commission for Intercultural Ministries thanks everyone who participated in this year's survey of diocesan leaders, and our thanks to the Mission Institute (MI) for conducting the audit. Findings and recommendations are listed in the Executive Summary with details covered in the full report at the links below. The report has been included in the last two editions of the Episcopal Diocese of Northern California E-News.

This report is not a destination but rather a continued journey on the path toward Beloved Community. Next year MI will conduct the second year of the audit at parish level and issue a final report.

Please contact Lynn Zender, zenderlynn@gmail.com, or Jo Ann Williams, bjwilli@surewest.net, Racial Justice Audit Co-chairs, for questions or comments about the audit report.

The Rev. Canon Julie Wakelee, Canon to the Ordinary, and Jo Ann Williams, member of the Commission for Intercultural Ministries (CIM), present the new Diocesan Diversity Statement.

Lynn Zender, CIM Co-Chair, and Jo Ann Williams present a report on the 2023 activities of the CIM followed by a report of the results of the first year of the Racial Justice Audit.

Karen Nolan, Diocesan Sacred Ground Coordinator, and CIM member talks with the Rev. Rik Rasmussen, Rector of St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Sacramento.

The CIM exhibit table at the convention. CIM Co-Chair, Miriam Casey, was unable to attend the convention this year due to a prior commitment. We missed her!

The Rev. Dr. Pamela Dolan, a member of the Commission on the Environment (COE) and Rector of St. Martin's, Davis, and Bob Wohlsen, COE Project Coordinator, report on the amazing progress made by congregations, under the guidance of the COE, during the first year of the commission to further Resolution A087, Net Carbon Neutrality by 2030.

Churches throughout the Diocese are utilizing the recommendations in their energy-efficiency assessment reports to develop action plans that will guide them to achieve carbon neutrality over the next 6 years.

Twenty-six churches were assessed for their energy efficiency by Colby May, energy efficiency expert, this year. All have received their reports that detail current energy efficiency and recommend ways that will lead to a reduction in energy usage and saving money.

On October 21, The Commission on the Environment presented a webinar about developing an Action Plan to accomplish the recommendations. Green Team members from churches that have been assessed attended  the presentation. The recording of this webinar and an action plan workbook are posted on the Commission on the Environments webpage at the Diocesan website.

Round 4 of the energy assessments is now being scheduled for the 1st quarter of 2024. If your church is interested in being assessed, please contact Bob Wohlsen, COE Project Coordinator, at bob.wohlsen@gmail.com.

I Will, With God's Help:

Journey Toward Racial Healing and Justice

October Workshops

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Participants and facilitators at workshop hosted by St. Mary's, Napa

Participants and facilitators at workshop hosted by St. John's, Roseville.

In October, two parishes hosted the "I Will, With God’s Help: Journey Toward Racial Healing and Justice day-long workshop.

On October 7, Episcopalians from St. Patrick’s, Kenwood; St. Clément’s, Rancho Cordova; and St. John’s, Petaluma, joined parishioners of St. Mary’s, Napa for the workshop. Commission for Intercultural Ministries (CIM) facilitators were the Rev. Robin Denny, Rector of St. Mary's, Napa; Michael Adams; and Diane Williamson.

On October 28, parishioners from Trinity Cathedral, St. Paul’s, and St Matthew’s in Sacramento; Faith, Cameron Park; St. Mary’s, Napa; and St. Martin's, Davis, joined parishioners of St. John’s, Roseville, for the full-day workshop. The CIM facilitators were Michael Adams, Diane Williamson, and Jo Ann Williams.

The workshop focuses on the lives and history of communities of color in our country. These include the experiences of Indigenous peoples, African Americans, Latino Americans, and Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. We also spend time discussing the power and privileges of whiteness in our society. The workshop begins and ends with worship because the focus is on our faith response to these matters rather than a political response.  We are reminded that “God has made of one blood all the peoples of the earth.” (BCP p. 100) and of our baptismal promise to “… strive for justice and peace among all peoples and respect the dignity of every human being."

Using videos, talks, and group discussions, we focus on specific events and policies in our history which continue to have an impact on communities of color. All of this is consistent with the Episcopal Church’s commitment to building the Beloved Community.

The Commission for Intercultural Ministries will begin planning their 2024 workshops soon. Stay tuned for more information.

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

Episcopal Diocese of Northern California E-News I Posted 11/15/2023

We’re excited to announce that we will have a diocesan-wide New Camino training on February 16 & 17, 2024 at St. John’s, Chico. The Rev. Antony Guillen, the Episcopal Church’s Missioner for Latino/Hispanic ministries will be here to help us explore opportunities for Latino/Hispanic ministry in our diocese.

This training is suitable for individuals as well as church teams. 



Please go to: https://form.jotform.com/232965467198170  to indicate your interest in attending and to receive updates regarding lodging and expenses.

The diocesan Hispanic/Latino Ministries Task Force developed this toolkit which churches are welcome to use.

The Pastorela Navideña, or Christmas Pageant, is a good opportunity for communities that already have some relationship across linguistic and cultural lines to come together in a tradition that is familiar to them both.

Elements that are necessary for the production of the pageant are: • people that speak/read each language fluently, • some bilingual participants, • musical leadership (singing along to YouTube might be a substitute if not livestreaming and acceptable to your community) • a couple of families with children, and • a stash of Christmas pageant costumes.

This Christmas pageant follows the basic lessons and carols format: reading, hymn, prayer. It has space for a short reflection/homily at the end and could easily be followed by a Eucharist, replacing the Liturgy of the Word.

Several congregations in the diocese prepared ofrendas in remembrance of friends and loved ones in observance of El Dia de Los Muertos on All Saints Sunday on November 5^th. 

Why observe El Día de Los Muertos? The Church is called to offer pastoral care and to stand as a place of refuge and a wellspring of resilience. As people across the United States rise up for social justice, the Church is called to speak prophetic truth to power. The Church is called to give renewed witness to the way of love and the vision of Beloved Community.

Hispanic culture offers a unique opportunity not only to mourn the dead but also to affirm and celebrate life in community: El Día de Los Muertos, a festival originating in central and southern Mexico and now widely observed in Spanish-speaking communities in the United States. By observing El Día de Los Muertos as local congregations and as a diocese, we have an opportunity to offer a sacred and civic space and to express our solidarity with our Latino/Hispanic congregants, neighbors, and friends. Participation in El Día de los Muertos by clergy, parishes, missions, and other local ministries is entirely voluntary. We hope that many clergy and congregations will continue to participate to embody a corporate embrace of our shared grief and enact a unifying expression of our solidarity.

Trinity Cathedral, Sacramento

Artists: Espie Ghezzi and Maria Galvan

St. Paul's, Sacramento

Photo credit: The Rev. Rik Rasmussen

Incarnation, Santa Rosa

Photo credit: Daphne Vernon

St. Martin's, Davis

Photo credit: Gabe Avila

Church of the Epiphany, Vacaville

The Rev. John Heidel blessing the ofrenda while a parishioner wearing traditional garb looks on. Photo credit: Karen Nolan

Church of the Epiphany, Vacaville

Photo credit: Karen Nolan

Mark Your Calendars

This Advent, join Canon Julie and Missioner Mack as we read and pray with the poetry of Maya Angelou. 

Thursdays – 6:30 pm - 7:30 pm

November 30 - December 21

On Zoom

Register now: https://form.jotform.com/223255198020147

Dive into this exclusive behind-the-scenes chronicle that details the creation of Cathedral’s new stained glass windows, “Now and Forever” by world-renowned visual artist Kerry James Marshall, accompanied by the poem “American Song” composed by acclaimed poet Elizabeth Alexander. Hear from Cathedral leadership, the selection committee, the artist, and the stained glass artisan to learn about this momentous addition to Cathedral art. The Cathedral’s Now and Forever Windows capture the resilience, faith and endurance of African Americans and our nation’s struggle with the original sins of racism and slavery. Join us on this story of freedom on the move!

In this brief but powerful video, Bishop Deon Johnson of the Episcopal Diocese of Missouri speaks of the Christian call to affirm the dignity of all those whom we encounter at church and in our communities – not just to welcome people, but actually to invite them in, to sit with them, converse with them and learn who they are, to celebrate their worth even when we fear what they think or say, how they look or what they represent.

The Anglican tradition has been shaped by a culture of overseas domination for centuries. How has colonial expansion affected the life of the Episcopal Church and contributed to some of the conflicts within the Anglican Communion?

Dr. Kwok Pui-Lan, the Dean's Professor of Systematic Theology at the Candler School of Theology, Atlanta, Georgia will talk about her new book,

RSVP to EAST@dioceseny.org for conference link.

Equip yourself for more constructive political conversations using Make Me an Instrument of Peace: A Guide to Civil Discourse, the From Many, One campaign, and more. Help bridge partisan divides, learn from others, and enlarge the sacred space for debate.

Make Me an Instrument of Peace: A Guide to Civil Discourse

Brought to you by the Office of Government Relations and Department of Faith Formation, in partnership with ChurchNext, a ministry of Forward Movement, this interactive, five-part curriculum offers hope that by using the tool of civil discourse, we can find new ways to love our neighbor.

After attending Alan Yarborough's presentations at Trinity Cathedral on November 16th, several people expressed interest in taking Alan's presentation further. Doing this curriculum is an excellent way to do that. Trinity Cathedral would be happy to host a Diocesan wide group going through such a program as a cohort. If interested please email the Rev. Alex Leach, aleach@trinitycathedral.org, stating your interest.

Participating in our democracy is a central element of our common life together. It is also an expression of our faithful commitment to our neighbors. Presiding Bishop Michael Curry emphasizes that it is a Christian obligation to vote, and that we must vote faithfully when we go to the polls (or fill out our ballots by mail) each election cycle. Many Episcopalians already vote regularly, but we want to challenge you to do more by joining in the efforts mentioned below.

Elections take place somewhere in the United States every year, with many state and local elections happening not just on Election Day in November but on dates throughout the year. Being an engaged participant in democracy is a year-round exercise—not just to participate in each election but to also advocate to those we elect!

Beyond casting your own vote, here are three ways you can get more involved in our democratic process.

The Executive Council’s Joint Budget Committee met October 4-6, 2023, to create a working budget for the 2025-2027 triennium. The Joint Budget Committee will be presenting a working budget to the Executive Council at its meeting October 24-27, 2023. The working budget will be made available to the general public following that meeting at this link.

The Budget Narrative for the 2025-2027 Budget is available here.

It is crucial that the Joint Budget Committee receives input from the public from the beginning of November 2023 to January 2024 on the working budget, prior to the budget’s presentation to the Executive Council in January 2024.

The Joint Budget Committee invites The Episcopal Church to participate in open hearings that will be held in November and December 2023. During those hearings, the church community will have the opportunity to testify on the budget, as well as highlight any potential funding requests that might arise from upcoming resolutions to the 81st General Convention. This will allow the committee to take those requests into consideration when crafting the final budget that will be presented to the Executive Council and the General Convention. Remaining open hearings will be held via Zoom on December 9th and 12th.

• Urge Congress to Act on Solitary Confinement
• Help Save Lives in the Holy Land
• Tell Congress to Fight Poverty
• Urge Congress to Combat HIV/AIDS Globally
• Tell the Senate to Help Wildlife
• Urge Your Representative to Support Global Nuclear Disarmament

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

The Episcopal Diocese of Northern California

The Commission for Intercultural Ministries

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