March 21, 2023

In this edition of ENews:

• 2023 Episcopal Youth Event Registration Closes Next Week
• Diocese Board of Trustees March Meeting Highlights
• 2023 Women's Retreat Registration Opens
• Update from the Refugee Resettlement Team

Missioner for Church Life

EYE Registration Closes Next Week

The deadline to apply for the 2023 Episcopal Youth Event has been extended to March 29. If you know any youth ages 15-19, and who are enrolled in high school for the 2022-2023 school year, encourage them to apply here. Adults 21 and over who are interested in serving as chaperones are also encouraged to apply. 

Missioner for Disaster Resilience

Blue Skies are for Playing and Preparing

March came in like a lion and is now calming into the gentleness of spring. Many of us are recovering from snow, rain, wind, flooding, and other storm damage. If you need assistance in your recovery, contact your congregation. If you are congregational leadership and your congregation needs assistance in recovery, contact the diocese – we’re ready to help.

No matter how you’ve been impacted, please take this time to:

• Update your contact list so we can all keep track of each other
• Change the medication in your “Go Kit” to ensure it remains effective when needed
• Check the expiration date of any foods you have ready for evacuation
• Practice leaving your residence so you know what to do when the evacuation order is issued
• Donate to the Bishop’s Disaster Fund, so we can continue to help when need arises

Let’s make this our safest summer in many years.

Peace, 

Mark Dibelka | Missioner for Disaster Resilience

Diocese Board of Trustees

Highlights from the latest Board of Trustees Meeting

This is a short synopsis of what happened at the most recent Board of Trustees meeting written. While this is not a full report of our meeting, it does share some of the highlights of our work.

During the March Board of Trustees Meeting:

We heard about the ongoing Disaster Resilience projects from Mark Dibelka, our Missioner for Disaster Resilience. Mark shared that our communications hubs served not only our churches during the fires and earthquakes last year, but the wider communities that were affected by the disaster. During the Mosquito Fire, displaced residents of Forest Hill were able to apply for FEMA using the hotspots provided by the Diocese. He also highlighted that we used connections built by his good work to fly in Project ReStart boxes to Ferndale after the earthquake. In 2022, we had 16 congregations in 6 deaneries contribute boxes to this program. He hopes to see those numbers more than double in coming years. One final bit of good news Episcopal Relief and Development has allocated staff time to develop a handbook for other dioceses to use to grow Project ReStart around the Episcopal Church. We are getting a reputation for resiliency – not only because disasters happen here, but also how we respond with care for ourselves and our neighbors.

We discussed ways in which we could gather as a Diocesan community in addition to our annual Convention. We enjoy our gatherings at Convention, but they are often limited to elected representatives from the churches attended. The Board discussed other ways that all the members of our Diocese could gather to celebrate our diverse community with broader representation from our churches.

Canon to the Ordinary Julie Wakelee shared a draft of a Diversity Statement for the Diocese to include on all of our hiring documents. In consultation with human resource executives from around the Diocese, Cn. Julie combined their best practices with our baptismal covenant so that our hiring practices can help reflect the diversity of diocese. The Board offered some feedback, and looks forward to rolling it out soon to the wider diocese.

– Vice President Margie Harrison-Smith



Trinity Cathedral

2023 Women’s Retreat: Being Embodied Beings

May 19-21 | Mercy Center, Auburn

The 2023 Women’s Retreat will be Friday, May 19 – Sunday, May 21 at Mercy Center Auburn. This event is sponsored by Trinity Episcopal Cathedral, Sacramento in partnership with the Diocesan Partners in Ministries of Health. We are very pleased to have Marilyn McEntyre, noted author, poet and Episcopalian, as our facilitator this year. 

In this retreat, Marilyn will guide us in “being embodied beings.” We will explore “what the body is, what the body does…what the body knows” and how, as the body of Christ, we can find “healing, wholeness and holiness.” In addition, there will be outside exercise activities, crafts, worship, and time for solitude in a beautiful setting.

Cost: $225.00 for lodging and meals for the weekend which will include Sunday lunch this year. $40.00 for Saturday attendance which includes lunch.

Scholarships are available.

Contact: Susan Hotchkiss

Click here to Register



Episcopal Community Services

ECS Announces beginning of 2023-2024 Annual Grant Cycle

Episcopal congregations throughout the Diocese of Northern California can apply for a number of grants, including:

• The Ministry Development Fund (1 year)
• The Warren Dunning Memorial Social Justice Grant (3 years)
• The Barry L. Beisner Multi-Year Grant (up to 5 years)
• The Bishop Jerry and Jane Lamb Grant (youth/young adults)
• The Healing and Health Ministries Mini-Grants
• The Rev. David & Catherine Cavanaugh Memorial Grant (1 year, with option for 2 renewals)

Information about each of these grant opportunities can be found on the ECS website, www.norcalecs.org.

Request for Proposals (RFPs) are due to the Grants Chair by May 1, 2023.  The Request for Proposals document can also be found on the ECS website.



Commission for the Environment

Kick Off your Earth Day 2023 Celebration

The Church of the Incarnation and the Commission for the Environment are excited to invite you to a screening of the documentary film The Ants & the Grasshopper on Wednesday evening, April 19. 

The film will be screened in-person at The Church of the Incarnation in Santa Rosa, and simultaneously broadcast over Zoom. We hope you'll watch with us!

Please RSVP for the in-person event to bob.wohlsen@gmail.com

Here is the Zoom information to participate online:

The Ants and the Grasshopper Screening

Apr 19, 2023 06:00 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81516563752?pwd=WTQ3WW91QzFGRUUvRWc1TlZqOUNrUT09

Meeting ID: 815 1656 3752

Passcode: 719100

Or dial in:    +1 669 444 9171 US

Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kb9EcQkofY

Read More

Watch trailer



Commission for Intercultural Ministries

Welcoming Refugees to Northern California

Trinity Cathedral, Sacramento, one of the congregations active in our diocesan Refugee Resettlement Team, is delighted to announce that they have just welcomed an Afghan family of six to the Sacramento area. Wesal, the father, is a broadcast journalist, editor and videographer, one of the types of people specifically persecuted by the Taliban. The couple have four young children.

Thanks to generous members, the congregation has already assembled most of the furnishings needed when the young family moves into their own apartment. In addition, Trinity members are exploring professional connections to friends who work in the media to help the father re-enter his career field. In the meantime, the congregation is planning some fun outings for the young family.

Another related project underway (a collaboration between Trinity Cathedral and Christ Church, Eureka) is the production of art boxes to help refugee children process the complex feelings they might have about leaving everyone behind and trying to adjust to a new home, a new school, a new language and a new country. Trinity member (and child psychologist) Dale Reinhard created a parent information sheet to go into the kit with the art supplies. Christ Church, Eureka is supplying the boxes and much of the art supplies that will be contained inside. We are presently getting the information sheet translated into as many languages as possible.

For more information about any of these projects, or to find out how your congregation can welcome a refugee family in your area, contact the chair of the team, Bob Wohlsen at (510) 926-0286 or Trinity member Shireen Miles at (916) 203-5595.

I Will, With God's Help: Journey Toward Racial Healing and Justice Workshop

This one-day in-person workshop was specially developed for the Episcopal Diocese of Northern California by the Commission for Intercultural Ministries. Renew your Baptismal Covenant as we learn about forms of historic and contemporary racism and how to engage in ministry with sensitivity and respect for all.

Please note that due to the nature of the program, attendance is limited to 30 participants.

Saturday, April 29 | 9:30 am - 4:30 pm

St. Luke's | Auburn

Register: https://forms.gle/YCgcdyRvdHWJfLBB8

Registration fee of $15 (cash or check) on day of workshop.

Contact Diane Williamson for questions. dianewilliamson864@gmail.com

Job Opportunities in The Diocese

Saint Luke’s | Auburn is seeking a part-time Parish Mission Coordinator to assist the Clergy, Vestry and parishioners in the mission and management of the church. Read the Position Description Here.

Grace Church | Fairfield is seeking a part-time bilingual Children's Outreach Worker to assist the Rector in planning and implementing outreach activities for children in the community. Read the position description here. 

Clergy Openings in The Diocese

We have a brand-new new page on our website, listing pending clergy openings in the diocese: https://www.norcalepiscopal.org/site/open-positions/

For job descriptions or questions, please contact transitions@norcalepiscopal.org or call Cn. Julie at 916.442.6918 x 214



The Episcopal Diocese of Northern California

Making Disciples, Raising Up Saints & Transforming Communities for Christ

www.norcalepiscopal.org