|
In this edition of ENews:
- Diocesan Book Study TODAY at 6:00 pm
- Last Chance to Register for Best Skills - really!
- Bishop Megan visits St. Francis, Fortuna
- Important Convention news
- WCC Opens Applications for Lay Preaching Class
| |
|
Diocesan Book Study TODAY at 6:00 pm
Join Missioner Mack in a diocesan-wide discussion of Dr. Catherine Meeks’ The Night is Long, but Light Comes in the Morning: Meditations for Racial Healing
Tuesdays at 6:00 pm
September 26 – November 14
Zoom link
| |
|
Bishop Megan visits St. Francis, Fortuna | |
|
The Right Rev. Megan Traquair celebrated the Feast of St. Francis (transferred) at St. Francis Episcopal Church on Sunday October 8th. She presided and preached at a service of Holy Communion with Confirmation assisted by the Ven. Pam Gossard (Christ Church, Eureka) and the Rev. Geri Cunningham (St. Francis). Confirmands were MacKenzie Wall and Earl Cunningham.
Due to the frequent earthquakes in the Eel River Valley, St. Francis congregation embarked on a project to replace our oil filled candles and candleholders damaged in the January 1 earthquake with LED-flameless candles fitted into new candelabra and processional torches. Our theme has been "Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness...and safety. Bishop +Megan dedicated our new candelabra and processional torches.
While visiting the Eel River Valley, Bishop Megan toured a certified regenerative and organic farm in Carlotta, Shakefork Community Farm. She joined Semper Virens Deanery clergy for dinner at the St. Francis Vicarage on Saturday evening.
| |
Colleagues, family, and friends gather at Memorial Service for Jane Onstad Lamb | |
|
Top Left: Bishop Lamb with his sister Top Right: Bishop Lamb with a former staff member,
Bottom: The Rt. Rev. Lucinda Ashby, Bishop of the Diocese of El Camino Real, Bishop Megan Traquair, The Rt. Rev. Jerry Lamb (ret.), The Most Rev. Dr. Katharine Jefferts Schori, 26th Presiding Bishop (ret.)
| |
On Friday, October 6, many clergy colleagues, friends, and family gathered at Trinity Cathedral to celebrate the life of Jane Onstad Lamb, wife of retired Bishop Jerry Lamb. Celebrant for the service was the Very Rev. Matthew Woodward, Dean of the Cathedral. The homilist was Bishop Megan. Bishop Lamb closed the service with a moving dismissal and blessing. The service was followed by a reception in the Great Hall, which gave many an opportunity to greet Bishop Lamb and share their memories of Jane. Many thanks to the Cathedral staff, and to Bishop Lamb, for welcoming so many to honor Jane. | |
Blessing of the Animals at St. Paul's, Sacramento | |
|
On a balmy Wednesday morning on the corner of 15th and J streets in downtown Sacramento, more than 40 people took time from their day to join in the special Blessing of the Animals at historic St. Paul’s Episcopal Church. Many stayed to join the traditional noon Eucharist service that followed.
Weaving through the people and pets gathered in the parking lot on the south side of the church, Rev. Rik Rasmussen blessed more than 30 dogs — and two Guinea pigs.
One visitor from Sweden, drawn to the cheerful gathering, stopped to learn about the church and stayed throughout the two hours. Another, visiting Sacramento from Seattle to care for her mother, went inside after the service to enjoy the quiet sanctuary as sunlight streamed through the stained glass. Outside, songbirds flitted among the branches of the big elm tree. A third attendee, a new resident of Sacramento, mistakenly showed up on Tuesday with her pup and returned Wednesday for a blessing with her dog and a friend.
Some names we never learned. Others signed up for future events. Each shared in communion in their own manner.
Several St. Paul’s parishioners attended with their own pooches, gave rides to friends, and helped out in every way. Especially memorable were the homemade vegan dog biscuits baked by Carol Lucic, which kept the doggies smiling. Everyone appreciated that the parking lot and sidewalk were so clean, thanks to cleanup work the day before by Joe Onechyk and Matt Weiser.
We are so grateful we could provide welcoming fellowship, song and prayer in honor of St. Francis of Assisi, and to celebrate all of creation. A special thank you to the many small businesses on the downtown grid that agreed to post event flyers in their windows; and to the Sacramento Downtown Partnership and Sacramento SPCA for helping to get the word out on their websites and newsletters.
- Alexa Mergen, director, Hope’s Space at St. Paul’s
| |
|
Deadline to register for Best Skills Extended!
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.
This is a six-month program with classes held one weekend a month on Friday night (6:00pm – 9:00pm) and Saturday morning (9:00am – 12:00pm.). There are 6 courses that will consist of 2 classes per course (Fri & Sat).
| |
Left to Right: the Rev. Jim Richardson, The Rev. Stephen Shaver, The Rev. Simeon (Lew) Powell, Bishop Megan, and Martin Heatlie of Grace, Wheatland, who proposed the original resolution. | |
|
On Monday, October 9, Church Divinity School of the Pacific (CDSP) hosted a panel discussion – Canon, Communion, and Controversy – on the 2021 Resolution All Are Welcome to Receive Holy Communion, which originated in our diocese and was presented at the 80th General Convention last year in Baltimore. The Resolution did not make it out of committee, but generated much interest throughout the church.
All of the panelists were from the Diocese of Northern California, and it proved to be an enlightening, respectful, and informational session. We think this will be of particular interest to clergy and delegates for our upcoming convention.
View the recording of the discussion here:
https://us06web.zoom.us/rec/share/Xr7dFZaDp3lGQnCHMjuijGUdBFA6OBN1bX2IIbfKvF_fPV-eVHp8_JChEseTpYI2.z7652eR9Vbf_nJ5j
Passcode: 9gIt1C!6
| |
Wednesday is the Deadline to reserve a hotel room at a block rate!
Not Registered Yet?
| |
|
Town Hall and Convocation recordings are now available! | |
|
Voting Training/Testing Sessions Rescheduled
We are rescheduling these sessions. Stay tuned for an email with more information.
-
Wednesday, October 11 | 5:30 pm - 6:00 pm | Zoom
-
Thursday, October 12 | 1:00 pm - 1:30 pm | Zoom
Download the Voting informational sheet
| |
Send us a photo of your church banner! | |
|
Even though we don't have room for all the banners, we still want to see them! Sent us a photo we can share at convention!
Please send a photo of your church banner to Maria Ramirez. maria@norcalepiscopal.org
| | |
|
Website is now live!
Visit their website to learn more about the WCC and to apply to the Lay Preaching program.
| |
Missioner for Disaster Resilience | |
Personal Connections in a Global Effort | |
|
Your diocese is recognized worldwide because of our Mission for Disaster Resilience. Last week, I had the honor of hosting the Rt. Rev. Ernie Moral, Bishop of the Diocese of the Southern Philippines in the Episcopal Church of the Philippines, as well as his wife, Shermin, and his representative to Episcopal Community Action for Renewal and Empowerment, Gideon Bustamante. The purpose of the visit was to exchange lessons learned in their efforts to sequester carbon and how that has guided them in disaster response, while I shared Project (Re)Start and our model of long-term recovery groups.
The conversation was fulfilling and enjoyable, including introductions between their team and our lead volunteers here in Northern California. Good contacts were made, and we look forward to fruitful exchanges in the future.
Some of the stops we made during the visit included:
- St. Martin’s, Davis, to discuss carbon neutrality and what it means to developing nations
- Trinity Cathedral, where Bishop Ernie snuck into Bishop Megan’s fancy chair for a photo opportunity
- Grizzly Flats, to personally tour a long-term recovery and experience the devastation of wildfire
- Old Town Sacramento, laughs and ice cream
Our thanks to Episcopal Relief & Development for making this visit possible, and to Filipino delegation for sharing a new way to think about disaster resilience.
As we begin stewardship season, please consider including a recurring donation to the bishop’s disaster fund in 2024. Because we have had a quiet year, our donations are down, but the demand on the fund continues. We are at a historic low and soon, we will need to reduce valuable programming that helps us to better respond when the disasters do happen. Your support is needed now, just as much as when disaster strikes!
Peace,
Mark
| |
The need for support of Disaster Assistance has never been greater. Please consider making your gift today. 100% of your gift will go to disaster relief. | |
Partners in Ministries of Health | |
|
FREE! Advent Study from Living Compass
Offered to you by the Diocesan Partners in Ministries of Health.
| |
|
To order, contact:
Susan Wahlstrom, Coordinator
Email: wahlstrom@volcano.net
Please include number of copies, & for what congregation.
Please include private street address as no delivery is possible to churches.
We’ll take it from there!
| |
Commission for Intercultural Ministries | |
|
I Will With God's Help:
Journey Toward Racial Healing and Justice
This workshop is rooted in our baptismal identity and the promises we make in baptism. It focuses on how we can more fully live into our promise to be more loving toward our neighbors. During the workshop we follow the path of the Becoming Beloved Community labyrinth.
The workshops are open to anyone in the diocese. Workshops meet the requirement for licensing for Lay Eucharistic Ministers and Visitors Only. Other lay licensed ministries need to take Sacred Ground to meet Diocesan licensing requirements.
| |
Missioner for Church Life | |
Monthly Evangelism Gatherings. Last Wednesday of every month at 5:00pm | |
|
Apologies to those of you who tried to make the September meeting, I was having some Zoom difficulties. Our next evangelism gathering will be Wednesday, October 25 at 5pm. Each month, we gather on Zoom to discuss evangelism resources, share evangelism success stories, and address evangelism challenges. This month, we talk about how to “reclaim” the word evangelism, and hopefully make it a little less scary! The Zoom link to attend is here (please note this is a new Zoom link). Also, be sure to check out the Evangelism Resources on our diocesan website, where you’ll also be able to find recordings of past monthly gatherings. https://www.norcalepiscopal.org/site/evangelism-resources/
“If I have achieved anything in my life, it is because
I have not been embarrassed to talk about God.” Dorothy Day
| |
|
Before you know it, Advent will be here, so be sure to check out these Advent resources from the Episcopal Church.
This Advent and Christmas, The Episcopal Church offers the following resources to help you and your congregation share signs of God’s love through the coming of Jesus Christ—the “good news of great joy that will be for all the people” (Luke 2:10).
- Digital and printable resources to promote your Advent and Christmas events on social media, websites, or around town
- Customizable promotional video for your Episcopal congregation
- Advent curriculum, calendar, bulletin inserts: “Journeying the Way of Love”
- Advent curriculum: “Preparing to Become Beloved Community”
- “Sermons That Work”
- “Lesson Plans That Work”
- “Prophetic Voices” podcast series
- “d365” devotions
- Advent wreath-making video and blessing
- Printable letter to Santa and Christmas card
- “Las Posadas” churchwide Christmas pageant
- Episcopal Relief & Development Advent toolkit
- AdventWord inspirational online calendar
- And more
| |
|
Mark Your Calendars
This Advent, join Canon Julie and Missioner Mack as we read and pray with the poetry of Maya Angelou.
We’ll meet for four Thursdays from
6:30pm-7:30pm on November 30th - December 21st. Stay tuned for more information on how to register.
| |
|
Clergy Openings in The Diocese | |
Job Opportunities in The Diocese | |
Trinity Episcopal Cathedral | Sacramento is seeking a new Director of Cathedral Choristers (Children’s choir). Read the Job Announcement Here. | |
The ENews is published weekly on Tuesdays.
| |
|
|
The Episcopal Diocese of Northern California
Making Disciples, Raising Up Saints & Transforming Communities for Christ
www.norcalepiscopal.org
| | | | |
