All NCCP Newsletter submissions are due by12pm on the 10th of every month.

Please contact cdmanager@nccpresby.org for more information.

At our February 7 Presbytery meeting, we began exploring this year's NCCP Presbytery Theme: Building Together. Our Executive Presbytery, Karen Sapio shared a reflection on Ephesians 4: 11-13 which tells us that God has entrusted church leaders with the sacred task of equipping the saints to build up the body of Christ. She urged us to ask ourselves what we are building up as Christ's church—and to distinguish the creative and holy work of building up from the quite different energy of propping up what no longer serves the gospel. You can read her reflection here. 



Karen Sapio

Executive Presbyter, North Central California Presbytery

916-414-8105

John Fong, Presenter at our February 7^th Presbytery meeting invited NCCP leaders to join him for a 90 minute workshop on Effective Outreach for Today's Church on March 9^th at 4pm. At this workshop, he will further develop the concepts he introduced in his presentation to Presbytery.  Register below.

John Fong would welcome the opportunity to meet with interested leaders BEFORE the workshop so that he can become more familiar with the needs of our congregations in order to make his workshop as relevant and helpful as possible. If you would like to schedule a time to talk with him, you may contact him at johnchoufong@gmail.com

To make payments to NCCP, you can find the remittance form HERE. 



NOTE: There is a change to the PCUSA schedule for annual special collections. Where there have been 4 collections, there will be 3. Also, the retention of funds at the church and Presbytery level has been replaced by a grant process. You can find more information, including links to upcoming information sessions, HERE.

*******************

The next Treasurers’ Meeting is Monday, March 16^th at 7:00 PM.

Maria Mar (she/her)

Treasurer, NCCP

916.414.2080, ext. 4

Treasurer@nccpresby.org

The North Central California Presbytery Mission Support Committee stewards a legacy fund specifically designated for ministries with older adults. In 2026, the Committee is offering up to $750.00 to each congregation as grant funding for outreach to older adults in your community. Projects could include ministries that promote the spiritual, physical, social, or emotional well-being of Senior adults. To apply for the grant, please use the new Common Grant Application for NCCP. Grant applications will be considered in May and October. The deadline for consideration in May is April 1, for October the deadline is Sept 1. For more information, please contact Mission Committee Co-chairs Tiffany Nicely-Holleck, or Edrine Ddungu.

What do you know about opioids, marijuana, and vaping? Do you know enough to keep your loved ones safe? Do you know what drugs do to minds and bodies? 

In addition to parents and youth, we need ministers, elders, deacons, and congregants to learn more about drug abuse prevention and strategies that are effective with people of all ages.

GKI, Indonesian Presbyterian Fellowship, and Celtic Cross Presbyterian Church invite you to their joint campus at 5839 Dewey Drive, Citrus Heights, CA, on Sunday, March 15^th, for education and training. The training is between 1:00 and 4:00 PM and includes lunch.

There will be time for all ages to learn together and time for age-specific break-out groups.

Training will be provided by Omni Youth Programs of Sacramento County, which is recognized by the California Department of Health Services, among others, for delivering effective substance abuse training to all ages and multiple ethnicities.

https://www.omniyouth.net/

Thanks to generous support from the California Department of Health Services, Sacramento County, and Omni Youth Services, this workshop is free to all attendees.

To register, see the link below:

Vaping & Opioids: What You Should Know Registration

 Please register so we can provide space and food for you.

Questions? Call Jacquelyn Sneed, Presbyterian Elder at Bethany Presbyterian Church and a Presbytery member of the Clinton Foundation Overdose Response Network, which partners with the California Department of Health Services to mitigate the effects of opioid misuse.  She can be reached at 916- 428-5281

As we enter the season of Lent, a time to reflect on life, mortality, and meaning, why not move beyond simply talking about death and truly engage with it?

Iama Embodied Ministries’ member Elizabeth Moreno invites your congregation to host a 3-week guided exploration of death. This series offers a compassionate, safe space for participants to confront fears, learn about the role of death doulas, and reclaim agency over end-of-life planning. By engaging with death, your community can deepen appreciation for life, spark meaningful conversations with loved ones, and cultivate more intentional living.

Read the workshop’s full description here. If your congregation is interested in hosting this series, please reach out to Rev. Rola Al Ashkar at embody.iama@gmail.com 

Who is Elizabeth Moreno?

Elizabeth is an INELDA-trained end-of-life doula (2024) with experience in hospice and spiritual care. She has served as a chaplaincy volunteer at a Placer County mosque since 2021 and is a hospice volunteer with Snowline Hospice, supporting individuals and families with compassionate presence at the end of life. Learn more about Elizabeth here: www.sacredinvitationdoulacare.info

Submitted by Rola Al Ashkar, Iama Embodied Ministries

The Presbyterian Committee on the Self-Development of People has released a new yearbook to help congregations. The Rev. Dr. Alonzo Johnson manages the Presbyterian Committee on the Self-Development of People. “We encourage you to use this resource in your worship services, Bible studies, Sunday school classes, youth group lessons and any other opportunity where you learn and grow together,” SDOP’s manager, the Rev. Dr. Alonzo Johnson, says in the introduction. “We pray that this resource will inspire you to become more familiar with the work and legacy of SDOP.”

Thank you to MWS Janice Kamikawa, member of the SDOP Committee, for bringing this new resource to our attention!

During January 2026, members of Parkview Presbyterian Church were treated to two viewings of a powerful modern-day Nativity diorama by Sacramento artist Adan Romo. Entitled “Seeking Refuge – An American Nativity Scene,” the diorama can presently be viewed at Mr. Romo’s studio, located about two miles from Parkview, by contacting him at 916-505-5753.

Parkview members felt this brought home very well the experiences of present-day migrants, who are increasingly being apprehended and sent to detention centers without due process.  

Submitted by: Maurine Huang

A conference for pastors, church leaders, and friends to inspire imagination.

March 9-11, 2026 | Orlando, FL

Disbursing grants is one of the ways North Central California Presbytery supports our churches, pastors, and ministries. We have been blessed with financial resources to make this possible and we want to steward those resources faithfully. To create a process that fosters prayerful discernment by committees and equitable access by those seeking funding, NCCP is making two important changes to its grant making procedures in 2026. 

1. A Common Grant Application (Click Here For Application) All those seeking grant funding from one of our NCCP Committees will begin the process by filling out a common grant application. This will help ensure that those reviewing grant requests are receiving the same kind of information from all applicants. Committees may request supplemental information as needed. The form will also enable our staff to keep more accurate and readily accessible records of what grants have been approved and funded.
2.  A Common Schedule for Grant Applications and Approvals: Committees considering grant applications need sufficient time to receive, review, and discuss these applications in order to make thoughtful decisions supported by prayer and holy conversation. Considering a number of grant applications on the same schedule also allows various committees to share information, collaborate as needed, and identify emerging needs. In 2026, Committees will review grant applications at their February, May, and October meetings. The deadline for applications will be the 1st of the month preceding grant reviews. (January 1, April 1, and September 1.) Emergency grant applications can be considered at any time. 

Thank you to our Grants Task Force for developing the Common Grant Application and Grant Tracking spreadsheet. If you have any questions regarding these new processes, please ask any of our Presbytery staff.

Westminster Woods is blessed to welcome Rev. Gretchen N Sausville as the 2026 Women’s Weekend Speaker! During this inspiring weekend, gretchen will focus on 

stories of agency, integrity, identity, and authenticity — drawing from scripture and the lived experiences of women across generations.

Registration is officially open for the More Light Presbyterians 2026 National Gathering!

Ferncliff Camp and Conference Center to offer our LGBTQIA+ community a weekend of rest, respite, and reconnection. Ferncliff has generously provided a 50% discount on all accommodations for attendees!

If you have questions about the gathering, scholarships, or whether you can bring a partner or spouse, reach out at hello@mlp.org.

We are inviting all of the local affiliated churches to attend the 2026 Racial Justice Conference in Sacramento April 24th (evening) and 25th (day). 

The conference will have speakers from Ecumenical, University and Community presenting convergent and intersecting ideas between all the stakeholders.

Where: Sierra Vista Community Church, 890 Morse Ave. Sacramento, 95864

Program: Friday Evening focus on Sacramento State University, a Leader in Advancing Racial Justice. Dinner included. Saturday focus on Interfaith Communities as catalysts for Racial, Immigration and Homeless Justice. Lunch provided.

Vision Statement: To cultivate a just and loving society where Universities, Churches and Communities unite to dismantle Racial and economic inequities through education, faith and social action, upholding the dignity of every person.

Cost: Free for all who attend

We ask that participants register before the event so the planners can calculate how much food to order from the caterer. 

To register please visit: www.ncncucc.org

The NCCP Immigration Task Force has learned that recent ICE activity within the bounds of our presbytery is impacting our congregations and the communities they serve. We have heard about family separation, emotional trauma, and, quite frequently, significant financial hardship because of lost income, emergency travel to detention centers, and other urgent needs.

Because of the great need for immediate relief, the NCCP Mission Support Commission has authorized our Immigration Task Force to provide small amounts of funding to meet emergency needs. If you know of members of your congregation or community who need help and could use this assistance, please complete the attached form and forward it to Executive Presbyter Karen Sapio at karen@nccpresby.org 

If your church, Presbyterian Women’s group, or other groups within your church would like to contribute to this fund, please contact the NCCP treasurer, Maria Mar, at treasurer@nccpresby.org

For further information, please contact the Presbytery Office.

Davis Community Church, Full Time Pastor 

First Presbyterian Church, Colusa, Part Time Pastor

Please contact, Bob Harper, Bob@chiconut.com for more information.

First United Presbyterian Church Turlock, Part Time Pastor

Auburn Presbyterian Church, Part Time Pastor/ Full Time Pastor

Davis Community Church, Communications & Outreach Manager

Davis Community Church, Children & Youth Program Director

St. Andrew Presbyterian Church, Yuba City, Church Organist

Faith Presbyterian Church, Sacramento, Communications Coordinator

Elk Grove Presbyterian Church, Covenant Pastor

Grace Presbyterian Church, Lodi, Part Time Pastor

Clergy Bible Study

Please consider joining us on Zoom weekly (Tuesday at 1-2pm) to discuss the lectionary passages for the coming Sunday. Our group shares thoughts, insights, and questions about the passages. Our conversations not only offer differing perspectives, they provide a forum for support and connection for clergy.

(If you would like to know more about the group or to join, please e-mail Laura Barnes at revlaura@eldoradofederatedchurch.org

We look forward to hearing from you.)

North Central California Presbytery

5645 Marconi Ave.

Carmichael, CA, 95608

www.nccpresby.org