Since the 2016 Synod Assembly, the Pacifica Synod has aspired to become anti-racist. But what does that mean in practice, and how far have we come in the past decade? A new tool aims to answer those questions and more.

Called the Anti-Racism Baseline Assessment Framework, this new initiative functions much like a survey to glean data on where we are as a synod in our work toward becoming anti-racist.

“This assessment is not a test and it is not a report card,” said Desta Goehner, Pacifica Synod’s Assistant to the Bishop for Anti-Racism Coordination. “It is an invitation to tell the truth about where we are so that we can move forward together. The synod cannot offer meaningful accompaniment to congregations if we do not first listen. This is how we begin to listen to hear what is needed so we can respond well.”

Continue reading this story at PacificaSynod.org.

Take the assessment here.

Online Synod Assembly (A-Zoom-bly)

Voting members ONLY must register for the online Synod Assembly that will take place Saturday, June 20 from 12:00-3:00 PM (Pacific) / 9:00 AM-12:00 PM (Hawai'i). Prepayment of your congregational assembly registration fee invoice did NOT register your voting members. Registration of voting members for the A-Zoom-bly closes on June 10. Register here.

The A-Zoom-bly is to be attended by voting members ONLY, while Regional Gatherings are open for ALL to attend.

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If you have any questions about fee payment or registration, please contact Terri Robertson at terrirobertson@pacificasynod.org.

Synod Budget Hearing

May 30

Assembly voting members and all interested in learning more about the synod budget and other financial matters are invited to be with us online on Saturday, May 30 from 11:00 AM to noon Pacific/8:00-9:00 AM Hawaii. We'll review the proposed budget for 2027-2028 that will be voted on during our upcoming Synod Assembly on June 20. It's a great time to ask questions and learn more about how the synod uses the gifts generously shared with us.

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If you are interested in attending this online event, please email Terri Robertson at terrirobertson@pacificasynod.org to receive the Zoom link. The proposed budget will be available along with other financial reports in the pre-Assembly notebook of reports that will be emailed to all registered voting members and posted on our Assembly web page on or around May 20.

Called to Be a Leader in the Pacifica Synod?

The Nominating Committee of the Pacifica Synod invites members of Pacifica Synod congregations to prayerfully consider if God is calling you to serve on the Synod Council or one of our constitutionally established committees.

Elections to fill these positions will take place during the 2026 Synod Assembly on June 20, 2026 via Zoom. Descriptions of the duties of each open position can be found in the links below.

Any congregational member in good standing may self-nominate or be nominated to open positions by completing this online nomination form.

Nominations and biographical forms must be received no later than Friday, May 1, 2026. Due to the online nature of this assembly, floor nominations will not be accepted.

If you have any questions, please contact the Nominating Committee Chairperson, Lori Herman, or Carol Youngman

The following Synod Council positions are open:

An asterisk (*) denotes the position is currently held by someone eligible for election or re-election.

*SYNOD COUNCIL SECRETARY (4-year term)

This position may be filled by a rostered minister or layperson

Job Description – Secretary

*SYNOD COUNCIL AT-LARGE MEMBER who is a person of color and/or a person whose primary language is other than English (4-year term)

This position may be filled by a rostered minister or a layperson

Job Description – Synod Council Member

SYNOD COUNCIL AREA VOTING MEMBERS (3-year term except as noted)

These positions are to be filled by a rostered minister or layperson as noted

• *Orange County Area: Lay, Female or Non-Binary
• *Orange County Area: Rostered, Female or Non-Binary (2-year term)
• Inland Empire/Desert Area: Rostered, Female or Non-Binary
• Hawaii Area: Lay, Male or Non-Binary

Job Description – Synod Council Member

The following Committee Member positions are open:

CONSULTATION COMMITTEE MEMBER (1-7 open positions)

These positions are to be filled equally by layperson and rostered ministers as noted (6-year term)

• 1 layperson needed to meet minimum requirement of 6 committee members
• 6 additional members may be elected (must be ½ lay and ½ rostered)

Job Description – Consultation Committee

DISCIPLINE COMMITTEE MEMBER (1 open position)

These positions are to be filled equally by layperson and rostered ministers as noted (6-year term)

Rostered, Male or Non-Binary

Job Description – Discipline Committee

Use this online nomination form and get your nominations in!

Candidacy and Discernment Retreat

August 28-29

• Curious where God may be calling you?
• Feeling pulled towards Rostered Ministry?
• Want to learn more about become a Deacon or Pastor in the ELCA?
• Already in the Candidacy process and looking for dedicated time and conversation with other candidates?

Consider joining Pastor Cate Luehr, Candidacy Coordinator for the Pacifica Synod and other leaders for an overnight retreat at Luther Glen Retreat Center where we will explore some details about the Candidacy process as well as taking time to engage the Holy Spirit in discernment.

If this sounds like you, feel free to get more info and/or register right here.

Theoasis 2026: Save the Date(s)

October 13-15, 2026

What does it mean to take "Time to Breathe"? We'll dig into that concept and more at this year's Theoasis event, once more at the Embassy Suites in La Quinta. Block out October 13-15, 2026 and stay tuned as more about this refreshing annual event is revealed in the coming weeks.

Join Us at Border Church

Sundays at 1:30

We invite you to join us at Border Church for worship, learning, and a message of hope. Border Church is where faith inspires action—we are committed to serving our community on both sides of the border and advocating for justice.

All are welcome! Come as you are, and join us for a transformative experience. See you on Sundays at 1:30 PM at Whiskey 8! (Click here for the exact location.)

If you're a group that plans to attend, we have a few requests:

Communion Elements: Please bring wine or grape juice, and bread or wafers, from your congregation.

Offering: Your financial support helps cover the cost of the lunch we serve in Tijuana. An offering of $200 covers half the cost, and $400 covers the entire meal. This warm lunch is provided to 50–100 individuals and families, and for some, it is the only hot meal they will have all week.



Sign up in advance to confirm your attendance or text Pastor Manuel Retamoza at 619-916-9673 on the morning of the event or earlier.

AMMPARO:

Continuing to Support Immigrants in 2026

Many of you joined AMMPARO for the recent faith walk in Barrio Logan with the San Diego Organizing Project. Through this partnership, we also learn how to accompany immigrants and asylum seekers at court hearings, detention centers, and federal offices. We stand with our immigrant community!

If you’re curious about getting involved, join our monthly meeting on the 2nd Saturday at 10 am on Zoom. Our next meeting will be Saturday, March 14th. Use this link to join the meeting. Current opportunities include court accompaniment, helping families with basic needs, and attending Border Church—a weekly binational worship service at 1:30 pm on Sundays near the border.

Whether you want to donate supplies or show up in person, there’s a place for you. We’ll help you find your voice and live out the call of Jesus: “I was a foreigner and you welcomed me.” (Matthew 25)

LRCC Now Hiring Summer Staff

It’s that time of year where Luther Glen Farm and El Camino Pines are looking for and calling out to the future counselors of Summer 2026! Right now we know they’re out there volunteering in their communities, studying for their tests, helping out a friend, or, like a true hero, doing the dishes. Working at camp gives young adults hands-on experience with developing their leadership skills, teaching children, and being stewards for God’s creation. 

Camp grows great leaders. Leaders that care, ask questions, and aren’t afraid to put themselves out there, even if it means being silly or making a mistake. When young adults work at camp, they gain the confidence to grow into a strong leader and more importantly, to see themselves as a strong leader. It could be anything from leading games, making friendship bracelets with campers, sharing their faith, singing silly songs and performing skits, or guiding campers through hikes and low ropes. Or of course, basking in the glorious chaos of the dish room. It's more fulfilling than you'd think.

Applications for Counseling Staff, Support Staff, Staff in Training, and internship positions are open! We are excited to provide a sanctuary in time and space for our counselors to be away from the noise, distractions, and screens that distance us from nature, God, and each other. If you know or are a young adult that is interested in working at camp, we encourage all to apply to see how our talents, gifts, and passions can become a superpower! Go here to see the available roles and to apply!

Global Refuge Seeks Ambassadors

Global Refuge invites laypeople and clergy in the Pacifica Synod to apply to be a Global Refuge Ambassador. The Global Refuge Ambassador Network is a nationwide community made up of passionate advocates, volunteers, and leaders from all walks of life. They are all united by their passion and commitment to stand in solidarity with Global Refuge and the newcomers we serve. Ambassadors are volunteers with Global Refuge who meet with our staff on a quarterly basis virtually, to talk with one another about their action items and give each other ideas. 

With active support and training from Global Refuge staff, Ambassadors carry out a wide variety of work on the ground in their communities. Interested? Get more information from this PDF or apply here by July 1st.

Register Now For Lutheran Lobby Day

May 20

Advocates: come one, come all! We have a date for Lobby Day! We are gathering Lutherans and all people of faith in California on Wednesday, May 20th, 2026 to meet with California state legislative offices. More information and answers to frequently-asked questions are available here, or you can just go directly to the registration page by using this link.

Living Lutheran Wants to Know:

How Are You Showing Hospitality During the World Cup?

Living Lutheran would like to hear from our members and congregations about their plans to show hospitality to visitors to their areas for the World Cup this summer. Is this you? Email Public Relations Manager Candice Hill Buchbinder at candice.buchbinder@elca.org and let her know what you're up to. Be sure to use the subject line "World Cup".

Indian Boarding Schools: ELCA Truth-Seeking and Truth-Telling Initiative Invites You to Join the Work

The Truth-Seeking and Truth-Telling Initiative is leading a coordinated effort to research Lutheran involvement in Indian boarding and day schools dating back to the 1820s. We are seeking both clergy and lay volunteers who want to be part of this initiative. All are welcome, including those with skills in research, data collection, organizing, education, and leadership. The goals are to find and gather information in order to share it with impacted Indigenous individuals, families, and communities; for our church members to know our history of church-sponsored Indian boarding schools and their devastating impacts on Native communities; all as part of an ongoing truth and healing process.

We started in 2022 with 15 synods across four states. In May 2023, we expanded to 27 synods across ten states. We are now expanding to all synods across all states. We welcome you!

To learn more and to get involved, visit this link.

The Ordination of Perla Flores

Our Savior's Lutheran (San Diego, CA)

May 17

You are cordially invited to attend the ordination of Perla Flores, this Sunday, May 17th at 3:30 pm at Our Savior's Lutheran Church in San Diego, California. Clergy are invited to process and vest in the color red.

The church is located at 4011 Ohio Street, San Diego, CA 92104. There is limited parking available at the church, as well as limited street parking, or you may choose to park in the nearby North Park Garage at 3829 29th St. Parking. Rates are $2/hour.

Open House and Jazz Concert

Faith Lutheran (Anaheim, CA)

May 22

Faith Lutheran in Anaheim has undergone extensive renovations over the last few years, which are finally nearing completion. To celebrate, we are hosting a public Open House on Friday, May 22, at 6:00 PM, followed by a concert at 7:00 PM. The concert will feature the legendary jazz pianist George Gables performing a rare big band set with the Mina Choi Orchestra. For more information on the concert and for tickets, visit this link.

Free Webinar: How to Love Someone in Recovery

May 27

Join the Center of Addiction & Faith for a one-hour free webinar titled “How to Love Someone in Recovery” with Author Caroline Beidler hosted by the Center of Addiction & Faith. Caroline Beidler, MSW, will chair a discussion seeking to answer the question: "How do we practically love someone in or seeking addiction recovery?" Caroline is an author, speaker, and managing editor of Recovery.com where she combines research and expert insight on addiction and mental health. Caroline will also share her thoughts from her latest book, "When You Love Someone in Recovery: A Hopeful Guide to Understanding Addiction." Register at this link.

"Up Close and Classical"

Danish Lutheran Church & Cultural Center (Yorba Linda)

May 31

The Danish Lutheran Church and Cultural Center in Yorba Linda will be hosting "Up Close and Classical" for a presentation of a string quartet performances, including the North American premiere of Tadeusz Paciorkiewicz's 1946 "Theme & Variations for String Quartet." The performance will be at 2:00pm on Sunday, May 31, 2026. Admission is free though donations are appreciated. For more information, visit the Up Close and Classical website.

Western States Youth Gathering

June 28-July 1

Summer will be here before we know it, and registration is now open for this summer's Western States Youth Gathering, which will be held on the campus of California Lutheran University in Thousand Oaks. This gathering, being held a year before 2027's ELCA Youth Gathering, provides a wonderful opportunity to prepare your young people for the overall Gathering experience, becoming one step on the movement of their faith formation. Get more info or register at westernstatesyg.org.

Conference on Worship, Theology, and the Arts

St. Olaf Collage (Northfield, MN)

July 20-22

The 2026 Conference on Worship, Theology, and the Arts (CWTA) is a high-quality, affordable conference, full of practical ideas that you can adapt to your own setting, along with meaningful worship experiences — for ministry practitioners and by ministry practitioners. It will be held July 20-22, 2026, on the campus of St. Olaf College, Northfield, MN.

CWTA attracts participants from many different roles, including experienced and first-call Pastors, Deacons, and other church professional leaders; Lay people including lay leaders; Church workers – volunteer and paid; Children youth and family ministers/leaders; Artists; Church musicians; Christian education professionals; Outdoor ministry professionals; Seminarians; Others interested in deepening theological understandings and spiritual practices; and Members of congregations that are reimagining their vocation. We’ll provide opportunities for you to find those people at the conference so you can connect and share experiences.

Interested? More information and registration are available at the conference website.

Office and Campus Administrator

Calvary Lutheran, Solana Beach

The Church Office and Campus Administrator is the voice and face of Calvary to our community, guests, volunteers, and members and presents a welcoming and friendly presence to all. The Administrator helps coordinate the use of campus resources for both the congregation and external organizations. The Administrator supports communication with the congregation through regular communications such as a weekly e-newsletter and the Sunday service bulletin. Communication with community organizations such as the Chamber of Commerce, neighbor churches and business are also regular activities that support our mission to be welcoming to all. A successful administrator has excellent administrative skills, is organized but flexible, is a capable receptionist and secretary, and supports the mission and ministry of our congregation. For a more detailed job description and application information, view this PDF.

Associate Director of Youth and Family Ministries

St. John's Lutheran, Sacramento

St. John's Lutheran in Sacramento seeks an Associate Director of Youth and Family Ministries. This role works with staff and leaders of the congregation to design, implement, and facilitate a comprehensive program of Christian faith formation from infancy into young adulthood. The program will integrate all related ministries currently undertaken at St. John’s and coordinate the work of leaders of those ministries. A more full job description can be found here. Interested candidates may send resumes and contact information to interim Senior Pastor Paul Baglyos at paul.baglyos@stjohnslc.org.

With One Voice Hymnals Available (Free!)

Hope Lutheran, Fresno

Hope Lutheran Church in Fresno has With One Voice (WOV) hymnals available for any congregation that could use them. They have approximately 130 pew editions, 2 large-print editions, and 1 leader edition looking for a new loving home. If your congregation is interested, please contact Jason Hoff at jason@hopelutheranfresno.org.

Free Choir Robes

St. Peter's By the Sea has found an additional stash of choir robes so they now have 24 robes that need a new home--so they're giving them away! The robes are in good condition and they are willing to ship them wherever they might need to go, so if you could put these robes to good use or you'd just like to know more about them or see photos of the complete set, please contact Betty Wells at bettysheawells@gmail.com or by phone at 619-347-1148.

Executive Director

Spirit in the Desert Retreat Center, Carefree, AZ

Spirit in the Desert (SITD) Retreat Center, located in the scenic Sonoran Desert at Carefree, Arizona, is a Lutheran-rooted ministry welcoming people of all backgrounds to a place of peace, renewal, healing, and spiritual growth. The Center is seeking a new Executive Director to lead its mission, staff, operations, financial health, donor relations, and community partnerships into a new era of expanded ministry. For complete position information and application instructions, view this PDF.