Greetings dear members of North Central California Presbytery. 

For the past 3 ½ years I have had the extraordinary experience of serving as your Transitional Presbyter. Now as I begin to approach the completion of my 4-year term, I feel the Spirit beckoning me elsewhere. With gratitude for the journey we have shared, May 15, 2023 will be my final day of work. Shortly thereafter, my husband and I will return to the east, to family and 30-year friendships.

What a journey we have had in these past few years, merging two entities to become a new presbytery, experiencing a global pandemic, facing civil unrest and social upheaval that rippled across our nation and region. What challenging and transformative times. Even in the face of so much change, we have sought to ground ourselves in the Isaiah 43 text:

“Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth. Do you not perceive it?”

We can trust that God has been and will continue to be in our midst, breathing life into the weary places in our lives and congregations, providing strength and renewal when we feel weak, sheltering us with peace and guidance when the path seems unclear. Out of these challenging times God is re-making the church and invites us to participate in “the new.”

These times invite our courage, innovation, compassion, and trust as we seek to be faithful to the Risen One. I trust that together, as you continue to be inspired by the Holy Spirit, you will further grow into a thriving people of faith, the body of Christ, stretched across north central California, and you will be a blessing to the region. 

In subsequent weeks, as I bring my ministry among you to a close, you will hear more from presbytery leadership as to the path ahead. Please know there are many wise and thoughtful leaders who will help discern the path ahead. 

Thank you for the ways you have and will continue to show forth the love of God and the peace of Christ. You will remain in my prayers as the Spirit continue to do a new thing in you and within NCCP.

Your partner in ministry,  

 Mary Westfall, Transitional Presbyter



Presbyterian Women, PCUSA Celebrates Women's History Month

Find great resources and information as we acknowledge and celebrate the role of women in church and society.

Special Offerings: One Great Hour of Sharing is the single largest way that Presbyterians come together every year to work for a better world. Typically received on Easter Sunday, which this year falls on April 9, the annual Offering supports Presbyterian Disaster Assistance, the Presbyterian Hunger Program and Self-Development of People. All three programs work in different ways to serve individuals and communities in need to provide people with safety, sustenance and hope. Find resources here. (The poster, bulletin inserts and minutes for mission are available in Korean and Spanish.) Looking for information for Special Offerings dates in 2023? Click here.

Being Matthew 25, a livestream from the Presbyterian Mission Agency

March 16: In the next episode of the Being Matthew 25 livestream, we will be attending the Commission on the Status of Women. This event is instrumental in promoting women’s rights, documenting the reality of women’s lives throughout the world, and shaping global standards on gender equality and the empowerment of women. During the Commission’s annual two-week session in March, representatives of U.N. Member States, civil society organizations and U.N. entities gather at U.N. headquarters in New York. We are going and will be sharing their important work with you. Join us live on Thursday, March 16, at 1 p.m. (ET) on Facebook and YouTube. (Available in English only.)

Apply for a Presbyterian Undergraduate Scholarship today! Students may be eligible for $4,000 or more from the Presbyterian Mission Agency through the Office of Financial Aid for Service. Learn more about the guidelines and application process at the link below.

February 2, 2023 – March 25, 2023

Presented by the Mills Station Arts & Cultural Center

10191 Mills Station Road, Rancho Cordova, CA 95670

Virtual Event

In 2023, we gather during a time of fear and uncertainty. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has killed thousands of deaths and created 12 million refugees. Newly-empowered populist regimes violate human rights and flout international law. Unnumbered conflicts rage in every corner of the globe. These wars—and the looming threats of others—are used to justify increases in military spending, investments in more efficient tools of destruction and death. Meanwhile, every four seconds someone dies of hunger.

Through the prophet Micah, God declares, “They shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore.” But God also tells us why: “They shall all sit under their own vines and under their own fig trees, and no one shall make them afraid.” God intends that we should enjoy our time, move about without fear, and participate in sabbath rest. In this holy Shalom, our portions will suffice, and all will have enough. 

Having spent so long running in every direction but peace, it’s easy to forget there’s another way. No one can serve two masters; we cannot excel in both war and justice, both wealth and mercy. We cannot take by force what is intended to be shared. Let us heed Christ’s call and gather as one body to discern how we can reforge weapons of destruction into tools of growth, cultivate healing throughout God’s creation, and pursue systems that empower each person to thrive. Join us at Ecumenical Advocacy Days 2023, a conference to worship, educate, and advocate for the innovative and courageous policies needed to realize God’s promise.

If you register by April 1st, you can pick up your copy of the book at the Presbytery office.

Book Description:

There is a deepening crisis in mission as practiced by North American congregations. Many mission activities are more effective at satisfying church members than making a lasting difference, producing what’s too often consumer-oriented “selfie mission.” Too much effort is based on colonial-era assumptions of mission launched from a position of power. These practices are not just ineffective―they deviate from mission in the way of Jesus. Hunter Farrell and Bala Khyllep want to help free congregational mission from harmful cultural forces so churches can better partner

with God’s work in the world.

*NORTH CENTRAL CALIFORNIA PRESBYTERY PARTICIPANTS ARE ELIGIBLE FOR A $200 REGISTRATION DISCOUNT. DISCOUNT WILL AUTOMATICALLY SHOW UP AT CHECKOUT.

North Central California Presbytery

5645 Marconi Ave.

Carmichael, CA, 95608

www.nccpresby.org