In this edition of ENews:
- St. John’s, Chico, (Re)aches Out to the Community
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Forward with Families: EDNC Clergy Visit the Center at St. Matthew's
- Application for $100,000 Foundation Grant Fund is still open!
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St. John’s, Chico, (Re)aches Out to the Community
The weekend of May 6-7 was a reminder of how beautiful our half of California can be in Spring, with warm breezes, the smell of blossoming trees, the faint buzz of (not too many) insects, and the low mutter of people admiring homegrown handiwork at the art festival hosted on the campus of St. John the Evangelist, Chico. There was also the faint smell of wood smoke in the air; an odor poignant to those who survived the tragic Camp Fire.
It was a time of community, not just for the members of the congregation and the various members of the bishop’s staff who were in attendance, but for several hundred members of the Chico community as well.
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Top: Sherry and Linda with the first donation from the community supporting the (Re)Start efforts of St. John’s, Chico.
Bottom: A (Re)Start bin on display under the St. John’s tent.
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It was a perfect time to remind everybody that the Episcopal Church loves our neighbors and regularly supports those in the greatest of need; especially true of the long-term recovery efforts in the burn scar.
Continuing their role as a leading congregation regarding disaster resilience, St. John’s, Chico, has begun the process of building re-homing bins as part of Project (Re)Start – a diocese-wide effort to have needed supplies collected and organized into usable bins, ready to be distributed at a moment’s notice to anybody who has been forced out of their homes due to disaster (for more information, click here).
Recognizing that the efforts of the church needed to be on display, the congregation set up a tent at the festival to share who they are and what they do. The administrative assistant, Sherry Wallmark, had a “light bulb moment” (when that great idea puts the cartoon lightbulb over your head) and decided to bring the community into Project (Re)Start along side the congregation. A display was set-up that shared the program, hand-outs were printed to explain how the program works, a donation bucket was put in place, and baked treats were made available to those who needed a bite. Sherry and several volunteers stationed themselves behind the cookies and the brownies. As folks went by I heard them say, “You look like somebody who could use a cookie!” That was all it took to start the conversation. As a result of sharing the recovery efforts of the church, donations were received that will allow for several bins to be packed. Even better, other community minded organizations pledged to assist in building bins. If it can get any more exciting, there were even people who had no previous involvement with the church taking all the information so they could organize packing parties with family and friends because they want to share the love, alongside the enthusiastic people of St. John’s.
Overall, the festival was a financial success with the several artists, the folks in attendance called for the festival to become a regular event, and the church received an outpouring of donations and support. It was a wonderful weekend and I’m glad to have been a part of it.
For more information on how to bring the community to your church with disaster preparation programming, please contact Mark G. Dibelka, Missioner for Disaster Resilience via email at mark@norcalepiscopal.org
As Wildfire Season begins, efforts to prepare for disaster become more urgent. Please consider a donation to the Bishop’s Disaster Fund.
All funds collected are used only towards Disaster Resilience/Relief.
If you or your congregation are interested in learning more about Project (Re)Start – and how it can help you connect to your community – click here.
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The Center at St. Matthew's |
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Forward with Families : EDNC Clergy Visit the Center at St. Matthew's
On May 11 and 12, the Center at St. Matthew’s invited clergy from the Episcopal Diocese of Northern California to visit the Center for tours and service projects during EDNC’s 2022 Clergy Conference. We were honored to welcome fourteen clergy and one clergy spouse. All three orders of clergy were represented, with Bishop Megan joining priests and deacons from across the diocese.
Reflecting on the experience in an email, the Rev. Dr. Daniel DeForest London, Rector of Christ Episcopal Church in Eureka, wrote:
I wanted to thank you again for giving me such a thorough tour of the Center at St. Matthew’s last Thursday…I relished the opportunity to work with some of the volunteers at the River City Food Bank, to meet some of the instructors at Highland Community Charter School, and to visit the worship space of the Mission at St. Matthew's.
We gathered on the Center’s bustling courtyard, near the spot where the founding members of St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church gathered for worship in a small grocery store building that was relocated to the site in 1944. Several of the clergy noted the rich historical connection between St. Matthew’s beginnings in a re-purposed grocery store and the present-day Center’s vital partnership with River City Food Bank, which now serves 700 households per week out of the former Sanctuary building, built for worship in 1953 and re-purposed as a food bank in 2017.
How To Donate
and select “The Center at St. Matthew’s” from the drop-down menu.
To donate by check, please make your check payable to “Episcopal Diocese of Northern California” and write “Center at St. Matthew’s” in the memo line. You may enclose a note in honor or in memory of your loved ones. Please mail your check directly to the Center at:
The Center at St. Matthew’s
2300 Edison Avenue
Sacramento, CA 95821-1714
For more information, please contact:
Jim Schaal, Executive Director
The Center at St. Matthew's
Phone: 916-927-0115
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Best Skills, Best Churches Announces
2022/2023 Program
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This exciting program is designed to meet the professional needs of leaders of nonprofit and public organizations. Upon successful completion of the program, participants will receive a Certificate in Nonprofit Management from the ASU Lodestar Center for Philanthropy and Nonprofit Innovation.
Click here for the schedule and additional information.
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Seminarian Financial Aid
The Diocese of California offers financial aid for postulants pursuing theological education at an approved seminary. Financial aid is available for students from the Diocese of California and, from designated funds, the Diocese of Northern California, the Diocese of San Joaquin, and the Diocese of El Camino Real. Specific eligibility requirements differ from fund to fund.
For additional questions, contact the vocations officer, Dr. Travis Stevens, at vocations@diocal.org.
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From the Episcopal Foundation |
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$100,000
Foundation Grant Fund –
Now Accepting Applications for 2022!
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The Episcopal Foundation of Northern California has joyfully committed to continue our $100,000 Foundation Grant program available to churches and missions throughout our Diocese in 2022.
The deadline to submit an application is July 1, 2022. Grants will be awarded in the month of August.
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June 5, 2022 | The Day of Pentecost: John 7: 37-39
On the last day of the festival, the great day, while Jesus was standing there, he cried out, ”Let anyone who is thirsty come to me, and let anyone who believes in me drink. As the scripture has said, ‘Out of the believer’s heart shall flow rivers of living water.”
In this short passage from John 7, relating to the giving of the Holy Spirit, interpreters ancient and modern have wrestled with several difficult questions. The first is this: To what scripture passage is Jesus referring? The exact words in John 7:38 are not found in the Old Testament either in Hebrew or in Greek. Nevertheless, several passages suggest themselves. Perhaps Jesus was referring to Isaiah 55:1, Ho everyone who thirsts, come to the waters. Or perhaps he had in mind the picture in Ezekiel 47 of the streams of water flowing from the new temple, a vision of the city and temple wonderfully restored after the destruction and exile. Perhaps he was also referring to the picture of the water flowing from the rock in the wilderness in Exodus 17:6. See 1 Corinthians 10:4. It is likely, I believe, that Jesus had all these Old Testament images in mind as he re-iterated his claim from John 4, that he was the Living Water.
Another question that has dogged commentators, both ancient and modern, is whether the passage refers to the rivers of living water flowing from Jesus or from the believer. The NRSV opts for the latter, as did most of the ancient commentators from the East. But in the West many early writers saw the words referring to the water flowing from the heart of Jesus. Whichever view we take, there is no doubt that Jesus was referring to the pouring out of the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost. On this flowing forth of the Spirit William Temple wrote,”Where the Spirit is, he flows forth; if there is no flowing forth, his is not there.” My own copy of William Temple’s remarkable commentary, Readings in St. John’s Gospel belonged to Canon Grant Carey of Trinity Cathedral, Sacramento, who has marked these words with double lines for emphasis. The church lives and grows through this flowing forth of the Spirit, and none knew this better than did Archbishop Temple and Canon Carey.
– The Rev. Peter Rodgers
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Commission for Intercultural Ministries |
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LGBTQ+ Welcome and Ministry Conversation
Saturday, June 25 | 9:00am - 10:30am
The diocesan Commission for Intercultural Ministries invites you to join us for a planning and dreaming conversation about how we can support churches in our diocese in being welcoming to the LGBTQ+ community, and to dream what ministry opportunities there may be.
For more information contact Miriam Casey, Co-Chair Commission for Intercultural Ministries at norcalcim@gmail.com.
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I Will With God's Help:
Journey Toward Racial Healing and Justice
Saturday, June 4 | 9:30am – 4:00pm
Faith Episcopal Church | Cameron Park
The workshop was specially developed for the Episcopal Diocese of Northern California by the Commission for Intercultural Ministries.
During the workshop you will have the opportunity to 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.
This workshop is open to individuals from throughout the Diocese.
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Job Opportunities Around The Diocese |
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The Office of the Bishop is seeking a Missioner for Church Life.
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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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St. Paul's | Sacramento is seeking a Music Director.
Read the job announcement here.
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Trinity | Folsom is seeking a Director of Children’s and Youth Ministries (Lay Position).
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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