In this edition of ENews:
- New homes dedicated for Camp Fire Victims
- St Barnabas, Mt. Shasta Commemorates Covid Deaths
- Center at St. Matthews Hosts Vestry of St. Marys, Napa
- Best Skills, Best Churches Program Graduates second cohort
- Local Parishioner reports from Warsaw on Ukraine humanitarian efforts
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Camp Fire Victims receive new homes |
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On Friday, March 25, three new homes were dedicated in Concow, an unincorporated community near Paradise that was devastated in the 2018 Camp Fire. Thanks to the generosity of many, three families were able to return to the lands where their homes burned. The homes were built by volunteers from Mennonite Disaster Services, with assistance from the Tsu Chi Foundation. The Camp Fire Collaborative – supported in part by the Episcopal Diocese of Northern California – provided funds to complete the projects after all all other sources of funding were exhausted.
Mark Dibelka, Missioner for Disaster Resilience, and Sherry Wallmark, Parish Administrator for St. John’s, Chico represented the Episcopal Church for the dedication ceremonies. Click here for a story in the Chico Enterprise-Record.
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Top, right: New, stick-built homes replace ones lost in the Camp Fire
Lower left: Sherry Wallmark, Episcopal Church Representative for the Camp Fire Collaborative, welcomes John, one of the recipients, to his new home.
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Calling all Quilters!
Update for the quilt project: We have been offered sewing space at St. Clement's in Rancho Cordova, and have scheduled Tuesday, April 26 and Wednesday, April 27, 9:30 am to 2:30 pm both days. Members of other congregations are invited to come sew, assist and/or observe. Bring your own beverages and lunch and join us. If you are interested in coming, please contact Beth Carlson at 530-345-8142 or e-mail her at rbmj1616@gmail.com. Thank you to the members of St. Clement's for their generous donation of space for this project.
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WordFest!
Saturday, April 23
9:00 am - 2:30 pm
$10 | On Zoom
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Workshops designed for lay readers, lay preachers, and bible study leaders to deepen their connection to scripture and build confidence in delivering the word. |
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St. Barnabas, Mt. Shasta Commemorates
Siskiyou County Covid Deaths
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St. Barnabas Church in Mt. Shasta, in conjunction with an interfaith prayer group—Episcopal, Roman Catholic, Buddhist, and Baha'i—has established a memorial for the COVID dead in Siskiyou County. The Rev. Larry Holben and Doug Hogin of St. Barnabas installed the banner and placed 104 small white flags - commemorating each life lost to the disease. Their prayer is that by bringing awareness to the impact of the pandemic on their community, we can bridge our many differences and come together in our compassion to protect those who are most at risk. |
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St. Mary's, Napa Vestry travels to Sacramento
for retreat at Center at St. Matthews
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The Rev. Robin Denney | Rector, St. Mary's Napa
The Center at St. Matthew’s is an incredible resource to our Diocese, not only in the wonderful ministry and outreach to support those in need, but also as a resource for learning, visioning and faith formation for our churches.
St. Mary’s Napa recently held our vestry retreat at the Center at St. Matthew’s, located near the Arden-Arcade area of Sacramento. The center’s executive director, Jim Schaal, hosted us and gave us an inspiring talk on the history of St. Matthew’s and the work of the center. Our vestry had the opportunity to serve in the morning at the Food Bank, and to take a tour of the facility. We were deeply moved by the experience of service, and the chance to share a moment of encouragement with refugees from Afghanistan and Ukraine who were coming for food assistance. Serving together not only helped us to build relationship with each other, it deepened the conversations that we had when we moved to the business portion of our retreat. St. Matthew’s provided an inspiring backdrop for our conversations about vision and the future of our own church.
Whether a vestry or leader’s retreat, a day of service, or a local mission trip, coming to St. Matthew’s is an encouraging loaves and fishes experience. Every week they feed a Gospel multitude at the center, and help people transform their lives with language skills leading to job training and employment opportunities. We would highly recommend the experience to other churches in the diocese, and encourage folks to give generously to the Center at St. Matthew’s!
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Best Skills, Best Churches Program
Graduates Class of 2021|2022
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Recently, the second cohort of the Best Skills, Best Churches program completed the five-month long course designed to help grow and strengthen churches.
The Diocese of Northern California partnered with Arizona State University, Lodestar Center to provide this innovative program. Graduates receive a Certificate in Nonprofit Management from the ASU Lodestar Center for Philanthropy and Nonprofit Innovation.
The course curriculum includes modules on: Volunteer management, Effective Communication and Handling Conflict, Financial Management for Effective Service, Marketing and Community Presence, Legal Aspects of Governance, and Fundraising Aspects of Stewardship.
Congratulations to all of the graduates for their commitment. Click here for a list of graduates of the 2021|2022 class and the 2020|2021 class. Congregations with graduates can expect to see the impact of their hard work in the months and years to come.
If you are interested in this innovative program, the 2022|2023 Class begins September 23-24, 2022. We will be sending information on how to register in the months to come. For more information about the program, visit our website.
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St. Paul's, Benicia parishioner reports on the humanitarian efforts in Warsaw, Poland |
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My name is Caleigh Furlong, and I am a member of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Benicia. I have been living and teaching in Warsaw Poland for the past 8 years.
At the start of the war, Poland opened its borders to Ukrainians who are fleeing the war. At last report almost
3 million Ukrainians have come to Poland. Many are going to the larger cities in the country for better accommodations and job prospects. Warsaw alone, has now received over 400,000 displaced people.
The people of St. Paul’s have been donating generously to help those here in Warsaw who need support. The money that has been donated has been used to buy grocery store and drugstore gift cards for the families that are staying with my friends, students from my school and those that work with Smile Warsaw (Smile Warsaw is a non-profit organization run by ex-pats in Warsaw that offers a Sunday meal, haircuts, and clothing). This will allow their guests to be able to get what they themselves need and want and give some financial relief to their hosts. For the time being I am focusing efforts on helping people that I know personally who are hosting refugee families or in some cases are going to the border to get families to bring to Warsaw. Read More.
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Episcopal Relief and Development is deeply engaged in addressing the humanitarian needs of Ukraine. Bishop Megan has directed a significant donation from the Bishop’s Discretionary Fund for this humanitarian crisis. Give by clicking on this link: Episcopal Relief and Development.
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In honor of Earth Month, TREE (Trinity Respecting Earth and Environment) presents the acclaimed film Kiss the Ground.
Thursday, April 7
7:00 pm
At Trinity Cathedral and on Zoom
To Zoom, email Amy Dierlam by Tuesday, April 5, at amydier62@gmail.com for the link, and be sure to put Kiss the Ground in the subject line.
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Holy Joy, Holy Rest Womens Retreat
May 20-22 | Mercy Center | Auburn
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All 40 of the full retreat slots are filled. Thanks so much to all who registered. If you wish to be put on a waiting list in case we have cancellations, please email susan_hotchkiss1@hotmail.com .
There are still slots open for the Saturday, May 21 program for $35.00 which includes lunch.
You can register with a debit/credit card here or send checks to:
please mark them as Women’s Retreat Saturday reservation.
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April 3 – The Fifth Sunday of Lent
John 12:1-8
Today our Gospel reading is from John, and similar stories are found in Matthew, Mark and Luke. They tell of the anointing of Jesus. In the Old Testament and the time of Jesus anointing was a practice used for designating someone as a king (1 Kings 1:34) It was also used to prepare a body for burial. For John the two are intimately connected. In the fourth Gospel, Jesus’ death and subsequent burial was his exaltation as king. The hour of his crucifixion was the hour of his glorification. In the middle of this chapter (verse 23) when the Greeks want to see Jesus, he declares “the hour has come.” Further on he makes clear that this “hour” is the time of his crucifixion, which is the hour of his glorification. “And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” (12:32).
If you read through the Gospel of John, you will see clearly that it is the death of Jesus on the cross that is the point of victory and enthronement. This is also the thought in the Old Latin translation of Psalm 96:10 The Lord reigns from a tree, which became popular among early Christian writers such as Barnabas, Justin Martyr and Tertullian. May we meditate in the next few weeks on the cross as the place where Christ the king won the victory.
– The Rev. Peter Rodgers
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Episcopal Community Services & Diocesan Partners in Ministries of Health Present: |
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Sister Joan Chittister
A Monastic Heart:
How to Live an Ordinary Life
Extraordinarily Well Webinar
Saturday, September 10
10 a.m. – noon | On Zoom
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Commission for Intercultural Ministries |
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Afghan and Ukrainian Refugee
Resettlement Update
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Click here for the latest news on Refugee Resettlement Efforts in our diocese.
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Invitation to Reading of Dr. Martin Luther King’s Beyond Vietnam Speech
You are invited to attend a virtual (zoom) reading of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr’s seminal speech titled “Beyond Vietnam: A Time to Break Silence.” The reading will begin at 5 pm on Monday, April 4.
When Dr. King delivered this speech at Riverside Church on April 4, 1967, there was a war raging in Vietnam and social injustice and unrest here at home. Today, 55 years later, there is a war raging in Ukraine and social injustice and unrest here at home. And so, his prophetic message has relevance to us today.
This special event is sponsored by the Commission for Intercultural Ministries of the Episcopal Diocese of Northern California and the Poor People’s Campaign. To register, please send a note to EDNCBBC@gmail.com.
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Good Friday Worship Resource |
Are you looking for a way to worship the Stations of the Cross on Good Friday? Consider doing a Via de los Cruces event. Here is a toolkit developed by the Commission for Intercultural Ministries.
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Job Opportunities around the Diocese |
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St. Clement’s | Rancho Cordova is seeking a 3/4 time Priest-in-Charge.
See the position description here.
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All Saints | Sacramento is looking for a part-time Office/Administrative Assistant. Read the job posting here.
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St. Patrick's | Kenwood is seeking an Organist/Pianist. Click here for more information.
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St. Paul's | Sacramento is seeking a Music Director.
Read the job announcement here.
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Diocesan Commissions | Committees | Ministries |
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The ENews is published weekly on Tuesdays.
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The Episcopal Diocese of Northern California
Making Disciples, Raising Up Saints & Transforming Communities for Christ
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