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In this edition of ENews:
- Diocesan Book Study Continues TODAY at 6:00 pm
- Churches pray for Peace in the Holy Land
- St. Paul's Crescent City Mark Ten Years of Hosting Cyclists
- Congregational Development Grants Application Now Open!
- Send us a photo of your Church Banner for Convention!
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Today is final day to register for I Will With God's Help Workshop
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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
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Diocese joins in Church-wide Prayers for Peace in the Holy Land | |
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Churches in the Diocese gathered to pray for Peace in the Holy Land on Tuesday, October 17 in response to the churchwide call for prayer.
Christ Church, Eureka – Left, top and middle: The Centering Prayer group prayed A Litany for the Holy Land led by Daniel London+
St John’s, Roseville – Left, bottom: Although Fr. Cliff was in Los Angeles at a Genesis Gathering, he held an online prayer service during his lunch break on Tuesday.
Faith, Cameron Park – Center, top and middle: Tom Gartin+ led prayers in the sanctuary on Tuesday evening.
Incarnation, Santa Rosa – Center, bottom: Stephen Shaver+ led noontime prayers on Tuesday.
St Mary’s, Napa – right: Noonday prayer service for the diocese of Jerusalem and for peace in Israel/Palestine. The cross was made by Rev. McIlmoyl, designed after the cross in Christ Church, Nazareth, and usually hangs behind our pulpit.
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St. Paul's, Crescent City Celebrates Ten Years of Welcoming Cyclists | |
Parishioner Katie Benoit with some of the cyclists she's hosted at St. Paul's Crescent City. | |
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September of this year marked 10 years that St Paul’s, Crescent City has been hosting bicyclists traveling up and down the west coast.
It all began September 1, 2013, when a bicyclist, Rick, called looking for a safe place to spend the night. He asked if he would be able to to spend it at our church. We agreed, and with that our ministry was started. Rick told us about the Warm Showers program, an international community of bicycle tourists and the hosts that support them. Hosting him was such a delight that we joined the Warm Showers community and have been hosting bicyclist ever since.
We offer two sofas, lots of floor space for sleeping bags, TV, WiFi, a full kitchen and of course a lovely warm shower.
Over the last ten years we have hosted 2303 people from many locations in the US as well as Korea, the Pyrenees, Australia, New Zealand, France, Belgium, Canada, Germany, South Africa, Russia and Holland and many other countries. Our guests have come to us as individuals, families, large and small groups. We have hosted guests from babies to seniors and their pets are also welcome.
There is no charge to the bicyclists for their stay, however our hostess, Katie Benoit charges a hug from each guest. We have several guestbooks full of greetings as well as a binder of postcards that our guests have sent to us. This continues to be a wonderful ministry for our church.
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Apply for a Congregational Development Grant! | |
Does your church have a small project that needs a boost?
Congregational Development Grants are for anything that helps strengthen your ministry.
These small grants (generally up to $2000) may be used for things often not funded by other diocesan resources, including building repairs or improvements and personnel.
Priorities echo those of our Board of Trustees:
- Congregational Vitality
- Creation Care
- Formation/Discipleship
- Racial Reconciliation
- Youth & Young Adults
Other areas (community organizing, feeding programs, etc.) may also be funded.
An example of grants made last year include funding for a neighborhood outreach summer program, flooring for a kitchen where food is prepared for the community, support for summer youth service program, and increasing the reach of online services through hiring a local young adult to run tech for worship.
Total grant pool is $13,000. Number of grants awarded depends upon number of qualified applications received.
Application deadline: Thursday, November 15, 2023
Grants will be announced by November 22, 2023
To apply:
Send an email to Canon Julie Wakelee at Julie@norcalepiscopal.org
Please include:
- A short paragraph explaining the need and how it will strengthen your congregation.
- A stated agreement that you will provide a short report on how the funds were used, along with photographs of the completed project, due by September 1, 2024. You will also agree to this information being shared in diocesan communications.
Churches that received CDG funds in prior years must submit their reports and photos before requesting new grants.
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Send us a photo of your church banner!
Even though we don't have room to display 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
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Still Not Registered for Convention? | |
It's not too late! Avoid the hassle of registering at the door. Register today. | |
Partners in Ministries of Health | |
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FREE! Advent Study from Living Compass
Offered to you by the Diocesan Partners in Ministries of Health.
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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!
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Commission for Intercultural Ministries | |
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This Saturday! Deadline to Register is Today!
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.
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Missioner for Church Life | |
Monthly Evangelism Gatherings. Last Wednesday of every month at 5:00pm | |
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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
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We’re excited to announce that we will have a diocesan-wide New Camino training on February 16 & 17, 2024 at St. John’s, Chico. The Rev. Antony Guillen, the Episcopal Church’s Missioner for Latino/Hispanic ministries will be here to help us explore opportunities for Latino/Hispanic ministry in our diocese.
This training is suitable for individuals as well as church teams.
Please go to: https://form.jotform.com/232965467198170 to indicate your interest in attending and to receive updates regarding lodging and expenses.
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Spirituality of Fundraising
by Henri Nouwen
Most of our congregations have already begun their fall giving campaigns, but it is not to late check out this easy-to-read and inspirational resource from Henri Nouwen. It might help you look at your stewardship efforts less as drudgery. “Fundraising is, first and foremost, a ministry,” Henri Nouwen writes. “It’s a way of announcing our vision and inviting other people into our mission.” Nouwen encourages us to see fundraising as spiritual work and approach it confidently. “Fundraising is precisely the opposite of begging,” he points out. A Spirituality of Fundraising is brief and can easily be read in one sitting, so if you would like to receive a copy to share with your stewardship team, contact the Missioner for Church Life, the Rev. Mack Olson at Mack@norcalepiscopal.org
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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
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Mark Your Calendars
This Advent, join Canon Julie and Missioner Mack as we read and pray with the poetry of Maya Angelou.
Thursdays from 6:30 pm - 7:30 pm
November 30 - December 21
On Zoom
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Applications now open for English language
Lay Preaching Cohort
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The Episcopal Dioceses of El Camino Real, Northern California and San Diego are accepting applications for the 2024 English language cohort to prepare individuals to apply for a Preaching license (the Spanish language cohort will begin recruiting in January). We are seeking adult learners of all ages and educational backgrounds who are actively involved in ministry in their congregations and demonstrate gifts in lay leadership. Participants must be members of a congregation within one of our three partner dioceses.
Who is this for? Lay members of our congregations with gifts for preaching and leadership in ministry.
What will we study? Biblical exegesis and preaching theory and practice.
Where will we meet? On Zoom
When will we meet? Once each month on the 4th Thursday from 5 - 9 p.m.
We are currently accepting applications through December 1, 2023.
To apply, visit the West Coast Collaborative’s website at https://www.wccollaborative.org/
Questions? Contact the dean:
The Rev. Sr. Kathy Lawler sfmdean@norcalepiscopal.org
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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.
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The Episcopal Diocese of Northern California
Making Disciples, Raising Up Saints & Transforming Communities for Christ
www.norcalepiscopal.org
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