October 11, 2022 E-News

October 11, 2022

In this edition of ENews:

Resolution Town Hall!
Learn more about Convention Resolution R2-22
Regional Dean Transitions
Boost Your EQ IQ!
Get out the vote!

2022 Diocesan Convention

Diocese Resolution Town Hall a Big Success

On Thursday, October 6, we held the Resolution Town Hall to learn about resolutions to be presented at convention.

75 clergy, lay delegates, and interested parishioners joined us for the online-only event.

Participants were able to learn more about resolutions, and ask questions of the Resolution presenters. To watch a video recording of the Town Hall Zoom meeting, click here.

Learn more about Resolution R2-22:

Frequently Asked Questions: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ZSwpKBXLUhx9gW0JHGFALuc0AKo2Vr69WOJMc4GS1Sg/edit?usp=sharing

Actions (from Interfaith Power and Light) that a church or individual can take to reduce their carbon footprint. https://www.interfaithpower.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/Top-10-Tips-Span-n-English-Alpha.pdf

St. Luke's Woodland Solar Story

Article about Resolution R2-22A

Around the Diocese

On September 25, The Rev. Dr. Richard B. Yale retired as rector of St. John the Evangelist, Chico after 25 years in that role. He also served as Regional Dean, first in the Superior California Deanery from 2003 – 2008, and more recently, as dean of Alta California from 2017 until his retirement. He also served on the Commission on Liturgy & Music from 1997 – 2008.

In recent years, he has been deeply engaged in disaster response and recovery, first with the Oroville Dam Disaster in 2017, the Camp Fire in 2018, and the North Complex fires in 2019. He and his wife Linda plan to remain in Chico.

The Rev. Sara Potter recently stepped down as Dean of the Semper Virens Deanery. She has served in that capacity since 2012. Sara+ will continue as rector of St. Alban's church in Arcata, where she has served since 2008.

Stay tuned for more news about the new dean for Semper Virens Deanery.

Many thanks to both Richard and Sara for their many years of service to the diocese as Deans, and to their respective parishes.

The Rev. Tammy Smith-Firestone has been named Dean of Alta California Deanery, replacing the Rev Dr. Richard Yale. She serves as assistant rector at St. John the Evangelist in Chico. Prior to that Tammy and her family lived in Bolivia for 22 years, where she was ordained both as deacon and as the first woman priested in the Province of South America, serving at a local congregation for over 15 years. Tammy loves to be engaged in team ministry, equipping new lay and ordained leaders, and Latino outreach/church development. Tammy is married, has two young adult children, and enjoys all things outdoors of Northern California.

Missioner for Church Life

Evangelism Huddle – Let’s Talk!

Each month, Episcopal evangelists are invited to join the Episcopal Church’s staff officer for evangelism Jerusalem Greer and guest mentors via Zoom to talk about issues around the practice and ministry of evangelism. Monthly topics may include evangelism in a Latino/Hispanic ministry, forming evangelists, small group ministry, evangelism for campus ministry, storytelling, and much more.

Evangelism Huddle – Let’s Talk!

Third Wednesday of each month

12:00 p.m. Eastern on Zoom

To register for the October 19^th and November 16^th huddles, go to:

https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJArdu-oqDItE9O9WT2CJ_g_0GoCBvFOSZ-8?mc_cid=1d7a112635&mc_eid=d936b581ee

For more information go to:

https://www.episcopalchurch.org/ministries/evangelism/evangelism-huddle/

Here you can sign up for the monthly evangelism newsletter, as well as access recordings of previous huddles.

Stewardship Resources

for Congregations

The Episcopal Parish Network (EPN) is a collaborative membership association of approximately 200 clergy and lay leaders in the Episcopal Church. They have an extensive webinar library covering a wide range of topics, including stewardship, which are available for anyone to use.

Learn more at: episcopalparishes.org

Centered: A Christian Discipleship Experience

The Episcopal Church Office of Evangelism announces a new small-group resource for churches and individuals seeking to go deeper in relationship with Jesus and in loving and serving others.

Centered: A Christian Discipleship Experience is a digital, nine-session resource—available in English and coming soon in French and Spanish—for church members, neighbors, and friends to explore in small, gathered communities. Learn more.

Missioner for Disaster Resilience

Boost Your EQ Preparation IQ! (Part 2)

This is part 2 of the 3 part series on earthquake safety. If you missed part 1, please look back at last week's ENews.

Being ready (both personally and preparing the space around you) during and immediately following the next big earthquake will make a difference in how you and others survive and can respond to emergencies. This week the focus is on response and survival. For a quick guide, click here.

Mark G. Dibelka | Missioner for Disaster Resilience

Spiritual Formation

Sunday, October 16

The Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost

Luke 18:1-8 – The Parable of the Unjust Judge.

This deceptively simple story yields theological and practical treasures for those who study it closely. Again, I have been helped to have as a guide Kenneth E. Bailey, Through Peasant Eyes, Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1980, 127-141.

A few perspectives guided me in my study:

The Logic: The parable tells of a persistent widow who pesters the judge until in exasperation he grants her request. Jesus uses this story to urge persistence in prayer. The logic follows a well-known pattern of Jewish argument, called Qal wa -khomer (Literally: “light and heavy.”) This was the first of Rabbi Hillel the Elder’s seven rules of interpretation (Died 10 AD). The argument runs: If the lesser thing is true, how much more the greater. It can be illustrated in the teaching of Jesus in Matthew 6:30. The argument here runs: If an unjust judge grants a persistent woman her request because she pesters him daily, how much more will our loving heavenly father grant us our requests if we persist in prayer.

The Humor. A number of scholars have noticed the humor in this little parable. The contrast of an unjust judge with a loving God, and the hero of the tale as a woman with no standing or resources must certainly have been seen as incongruous and even humorous. The playfulness of Jesus in giving serious teaching about God helped to drive home the vital lesson he was giving the disciples.

The Serious teaching: Perseverance in prayer – persisting and not losing heart – is fundamental to Christian pilgrimage. It is not easy, and Jesus knew that from his own experience both on the mountain and in Gethsemane. But he knew, and we must know, that “the prayer of the righteous is powerful and effective.” (James 5:16). We need to remember the wise word of Archbishop William Temple, “When we pray, coincidences happen; when we cease praying, coincidences cease.”

– The Rev. Peter Rodgers

Commission for Intercultural Ministry

California Votes in

Four Weeks

Are you ready to vote in the California General Election on November 8th? Very important Local, State, and National offices, propositions, and referendums are on your ballot. The Episcopal Church urges us all to Vote Faithfully and, also to empower everyone in our congregations to do so.

Presiding Bishop Curry has said, “Voting and participation in our government is a way of participating in our common life and that is a Christian obligation. We are blessed as a nation to vote. As citizens of this country this is a right, an obligation, and a duty. Go vote. Vote your conscience. Your conscience informed by what it means to love your neighbor, to participate in the process of seeking the common good, to participate in the process of making this a better world. However you vote, go and vote. And do that as followers of Jesus.”

Below are links to resources to assist you and your congregation members to vote:

● California Official Voter Information Guide English, Spanish

● Track Your Ballot - link: Select language in upper right corner

● Contact Info for your County’s Election Office - link

● Easy Voter Guide (League of Women Voters) English, Spanish

Commission for Intercultural Ministries

Advocacy Team

Miriam Casey - Chair

Climate Action Opportunity at Convention

**Youth Representative Needed - Travel Stipend Provided**

By Juliette Beck

Do you know a young person concerned about climate change and ready to raise their voice to support meaningful climate action? The Commission on the Environment is seeking a young person (aged 30 or younger) to join our team at the upcoming Diocesan convention, Oct. 21-22 in Redding. We are championing a Climate Action Resolution that will be voted on by the delegates at the convention and we want to do all we can to ensure its passage. We value youth leadership and are seeking a young person to help:

Staff an information table
Talk to delegates about the resolution
Promote the Commission and our goals
Have fun!

We welcome your ideas and participation! A stipend is available to support travel costs. Please contact Miriam Casey, (650) 380-2747 mlcasey7@yahoo.com if you are interested.

Trinity Cathedral

Trinity Cathedral welcomes

Dr. Catherine Meeks

Founder and Executive Director of the Absolom Jones Episcopal Center for Racial Healing

“Joy comes in the morning!”

Psalm 30 v. 5

The tensions that exist around race have been a long dark night for the soul of the United States of America from slavery, through the civil war, Jim Crow and the struggle for civil rights. Dr Catherine Meeks, a leader in the area of Racial Healing in the Episcopal Church and beyond believes that we can look forward to joy once the new day dawns. She is just not sure which day it will be.

Come and listen to Dr. Meeks, founder and Executive Director of the Absolom Jones Episcopal Center for Racial Healing, expound her vision of racial healing at Trinity Cathedral, Sacramento on October 28 – 30.

We are privileged to have this national leader, and 2022 Presidential Award Lifetime Achievement Honoree with us for a whole weekend at Trinity Cathedral.

Friday, October 28, 7:00pm: Joy Comes in the Morning! Psalm 30 v 5

A talk by Dr. Meeks, with questions to follow and a reception.

Donations of $20 are welcome.

Please register for this event on Realm, you can fulfill the suggested donation through Realm of $20.

https://onrealm.org/TrinityCathedral/PublicRegistrations/Event?linkString=NzMzN2E4NWEtNzA2OS00ZjZlLTkzZTMtYWYyNjAxODFlM2Nl

Saturday, October 29, 10:00 am-12:00 pm: A workshop on racial healing.

Sunday October 20, 11:00am: Dr. Meeks will preach at the Eucharist to conclude her weekend with us.

Watch a VLOG post with Cathedral Dean Matthew Woodward and Dr. Meeks here:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1uLViOT-wh0doaDQrNmRCHUXZ0qieVx8D/view?usp=sharing

Upcoming

Events

Around

The Diocese

Cursillo 117 | In person

October 27 – 30 | Thursday – Sunday

Mt. Hope Bible Camp | located outside of Oroville

Accommodations for 25 candidates – applications on the website: cursilloncal.org. Potential candidates will need a sponsor (a previous Cursillo attendee). For information contact Jo Churchill at gjchurchill@snowcrest.net or call/text 530-524-1468