Pacifica Synod
Upcoming Events & Updates
October 26, 2022
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We share with you the following news, resources, information and event updates taking place within our synod and throughout the ELCA.
If you have items or information to share, please email TaSh Elzie at communications@pacificasynod.org. If you know of others who aren't receiving our emails, please share this with them and encourage them to contact us using the above email or sign up here.
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Current Synod News & Events |
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Pacifica Synod Bishop Installation
October 16, 2022
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What a gift it was to celebrate the installation of Pacifica Synod’s fourth bishop, the Rev. Dave Nagler on Sunday, October 16!
Thank you to all who attended, watched online, led, planned, served and prayed for this service. Our thanks to St. Paul’s Episcopal Cathedral staff and volunteers for your hospitality!
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Rostered ministers, if you attended Bishop Dave's installation and left an alb, stole, or cincture at the Cathedral, they might be here at the Synod office. We have 2 albs and one stole. Also, if you are missing a black sport/suit jacket, give us a call. Someone else ended up with it and is missing their dark blue sport/suit jacket. You can reach the office at 714-692-2791, Ext. 732. |
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People's Anti-Racism Roundtable (Hybrid)
Sunday, October 30
(5th Sunday this Month Only)
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The Racial Healing Handbook – Our next session will review Chapter 3. Remember, participation in this book study is key. It is available from your library, or feel free to purchase. Here is a link to the worksheets if you don’t want to write in the book:
We would love to have you join us. Sunday at 2 PM in the lower Youth Room at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Fullerton at Harbor Blvd. and Las Palmas or online!
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Pacifica Women of the ELCA
Annual Convention
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November 4-5, 2022
Hope Lutheran Church, Temecula
To download a schedule, click here.
Download a registration form here.
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Bishop Dave Visits Hawaii Congregations |
In September, Bishop Dave and Celia not only embraced the spirit of Aloha in Hawaii but also brought Aloha to Hawaii. The Lutheran congregations in Hawaii were thrilled to welcome Bishop Dave and his wife Celia on their first “official” pastoral visit to Hawaiian Islands.
During one week, Bishop Dave and Celia visited four congregations and participated in the clergy and spouses get-together.
He preached at the Hukilau conference worship and gathering. Following which he spent time interacting with the rostered ministers in Hawaii. During his visit, Bishop provided guidance to congregations, pastoral care to the pastors and spent time in getting to know people. Bishop also met with the leaders of denominations in partnership. We look forward for your visit again!
Pastor JP Sabbithi
Regional Assistant to the Bishop - Hawaii
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Coaching for All Seasons
Monthly Gathering for Rostered & Lay Leaders
Thursday, November 3
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"Flight School and Plane Design
A Crash Course"
with Bishop Dave Nagler
Thursday, November 3
11:00 a.m. to noon PDT/8:00 to 9:00 a.m. HST
Join us as Bishop Dave shares his experience with us as well as his vision for the Pacifica Synod.
Pre-registration is required to receive the Zoom link to attend. Click HERE to register now!
Brought to you by your Pacifica Synod Coaching Team to support Synod leaders during challenging times. Each monthly offering brings a presentation on a current topic and an opportunity to discuss it in a small group facilitated by an ELCA coach.
Evangelism doesn’t have to mean handing out pamphlets or cornering strangers at the mall. Pastor Jennifer Garcia, Associate Pastor of First Lutheran in Fullerton and a member of the Pacifica Synod Evangelism Team, has created a Bible study curriculum for Pacifica Synod congregations to use in their setting about sharing our faith stories in a more relational way.
Join Coaching For All Seasons on Thursday, November 3 at 11 AM PDT/8 AM HST!
Pacifica Synod has invested in training coaches to work with rostered and lay leaders one-on-one or in groups. A coach's role is to support leaders in naming challenging issues and identifying constructive responses to them.
For more information:
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Global Mission Update
Hitoshi & Satoko Adachi
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Pastor Hitoshi Adachi and his wife, Satoko, are currently serving as missionaries with the Japan Evangelical Lutheran Church in Kumamoto, Japan. To learn more about what is taking place in their ministry, please click here for their October 2022 newsletter.
The brochure attached here details the Adachi's ministry in Japan and how to best support them. You can give through the synod office or mail your check to Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Gift Processing Center, P.O. Box 1809, Merrifield, VA 22116-8009. Make checks payable to “ELCA Missionaries” with “(Hitoshi and Satoko) Adachi GCS2051” in the memo line.
To donate by credit or debit card, go to https://community.elca.org/Japan or call 800-638-3522 and specify “(Hitoshi and Satoko) Adachi GCS2051”. To set up an automatic monthly bank withdrawal or to establish a covenant of prayer, communication, and support, please contact 800-638-3522, ext. 2657, or globalchurch@elca.org.
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Mark these dates on your calendar now and watch for more info to come!
Pacifica Synod Assembly 2023
May 5-6, 2023
Hope Lutheran Church, Palm Desert
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Lutheran Office of Public Policy-California
2022 Ballot Measure Voter Guide
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Lutheran Office of Public Policy-California's November 2022 Ballot Measure Voter Guide is ready. Download your copy here.
These recommendations by the Policy Council of the Lutheran Office of Public Policy-California are made within the framework of the principals, values, and commitments of ELCA Social Statements and Social Messages.
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Western States Youth Gathering 2023 |
Early-bird Registration for the Western States Youth Gathering (WSYG) and Western States Multicultural Youth Leadership Event (WYLE) is now OPEN! Register your group with the early-bird registration rate today.
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LRCC is Hiring Outdoor School Instructors
Outdoor School Instructors
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Lutheran Retreats, Camps and Conferences is looking for Outdoor School Instructors for our Spring 2023 season!
Our season starts with a comprehensive training in March and ends in June (with the opportunity to work year-round if interested).
Outdoor School is a fun way to teach elementary and middle school students about God and the environment. We have programs for each of our sites: at El Camino Pines our program is focused on the forest, and at Luther Glen Farm our focus is on the farm. Each of the programs provide the students with hands-on learning experiences, and bonding opportunities with their classmates.
Weekly salary as well as room and board are provided. Outdoor School staff live at camp, working together as an inclusive Christian community.
If you have questions and/or are interested in Outdoor School or year-round employment please email meredith@lrcchome.com.
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CLU's Thriving Leadership Formation
Cohorts Forming Now!
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Join a Thriving Leadership Formation Cohort Group – Registration Now Open!
Cohorts come together with the intent of creating nurturing and empowering times, spaces, and relationships. They are intended to foster spiritual and contemplative practices in order to enrich life and ministry, and help the church and its leaders thrive. Cohorts meet virtually for 12 sessions using a curriculum of spiritual practices. Membership is open to rostered and non-rostered leaders in ELCA Regions 1 and 2. Explore the cohorts for this year and find one that works for you!
At Large Cohorts are organized around a particular group or theme:
· Black, Indigenous, People of Color
· First call/new clergy
· LGBTQI+
· Partners of Rostered Leaders
· Retired Leaders
· Seminarians/PLTS
· Youth Ministry Leaders
Synod Cohorts are organized for people in the following synods:
· Alaska
· Montana
· Northwest Intermountain
· Northwest Washington
· Oregon
· Pacifica
· Rocky Mountain
· Sierra Pacific
· Southwest California
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California Lutheran University's
Executive Skills for Church Leaders
January 9-13, 2023
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Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary
Signs Along the Way
November 5, 2022
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What: Signs Along the Way, an in-person discernment retreat with opportunities for participants to:
- Explore their call to ministry
- Experience the Bay Area and what it’s like to live and study at PLTS
- Attend a PLTS class and connect with current students, faculty, & staff
When: Saturday, November 5th at 10:30 am - Monday, November 7th at 12:30 pm
Where: PLTS Campus in Berkeley, CA
Who: Folks at any stage in their discernment; people who may be considering rostered ministry in the ELCA or those who may be called to other vocational paths that could benefit from theological education and practical faith-based leadership training
How: Lodging and most meals provided; travel assistance available upon request
For more information and to register, click here.
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Lutheran Social Services
2022 The Color of Hope Gala
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Spiritual Direction Certification Program
Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary
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Interested in the practice of holy listening? Want to learn how to support others as they discern their life’s pilgrimage with God? Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary of Lenoir-Rhyne University offers a Spiritual Direction Certification Program; the next cohort starts in January 2023. The program includes four Wednesday-Saturday residential intensives in January and June on the seminary’s Columbia, SC campus over an 18-month period. In between intensives participants engage in self-paced reading, written reflections, conversations with mentors, and in spiritual direction.
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Tables & Chairs Free to a Good Home
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Christ Lutheran Church in San Clemente has 56 folding chairs and a 4’10” table that are free to a good home. If interested, please contact Ken Gilliand at 949-702-9377.
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Webinars and Other Events |
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Stephen Ministry Bridge Leader's Training Course
Synod Scholarships Available
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Stephen Ministries St. Louis is now training caring ministry leaders through a live, interactive online training experience called the Bridge Leader’s Training Course (BLTC). This event fully trains Stephen Leaders—the pastors, church staff, and lay leaders who begin and lead Stephen Ministry in their congregation.
The BLTC draws on newly redesigned and updated Stephen Ministry resources to equip participants with the skills and know-how to lead all aspects of their congregation’s Stephen Ministry. This includes training a team of congregation members as lay caregivers (called Stephen Ministers), matching them with hurting people in the congregation and community, and offering ongoing guidance and support to Stephen Ministers as they provide one-to-one, Christ-centered care to people experiencing a wide range of life difficulties.
Did you know that the Pacifica Synod offers scholarships for lay persons attending Stephen Ministries training? These are available through the Cathryn Wright Fund. More information about the scholarship and the application to apply may be found on our synod website here.
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Lombard Mennonite Peace Center
Mediation Skills Training Institute
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You are invited to attend Mediation Skills Training Institute for Church Leaders, a 5-day event that helps participants deal more effectively with interpersonal, congregational, and other forms of group conflict. The next in-person session is on November 14-18, 2022 at the beautiful Franciscan Renewal Center in Scottsdale, AZ. The next online session will be March 13-17, 2023. Registration is now underway at https://lmpeacecenter.org/all-events/.
We would also like to introduce our new one-day event called Restorative Conversations. Devon Miller, LMPC Associate Director and the author and facilitator of this course, describes it this way: Restorative conversations are useful when working through difficult or polarizing topics, processing shared painful experiences, building community, and dealing with certain levels of conflict in the church setting. The workshop will benefit all levels of leadership including pastors, lay leaders, youth leaders, and Sunday school teachers. Three sessions of this workshop have been scheduled for next year: Feb. 23, May 23, and Nov. 2, 2023.
Please contact the Lombard Mennonite Peace Center (630-627-0507 or Admin@LMPeaceCenter.org) with questions about this or any of our outstanding workshops. Thank you for your commitment to peace and wholeness within the body of Christ!
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We Remember in Our Prayers |
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We ask that you hold the following people and situations in your thoughts and prayers:
- For Pastor Ruth Peterson.
- For the family and friends of Pastor Richard Elliott.
- For the people of Ukraine, Russia and neighboring countries affected by this violent conflict.
- For the Afghan people, our allies, and vulnerable populations in the midst of this humanitarian disaster.
- For the people of Haiti in the face of earthquakes, tropical storms and political unrest.
- Those affected by wildfires, floods, tropical storms and other natural disasters, as well as emergency personnel responding to these situations.
- For those in countries facing political and civil unrest - Ukraine, Afghanistan, Cuba, Haiti, Myanmar and others.
- For peace in Palestine and Israel and for those who have lost loved ones and their homes due to violence and unrest.
- Our nation and its leaders.
- Those affected with the COVID-19 virus and those who have lost loved ones.
- Our healthcare providers, first responders and all who continue to care for those battling COVID-19.
In our synod e-newsletter, prayer requests may be shared for our synod's rostered ministers, spouses, key lay leaders and congregations.
Prayer requests included are subject to the following guidelines:
- Only the names of those to be prayed for will be included in our communications. Additional information (with permission) may be shared with the bishop or synod staff, but will not be publicized.
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Those being prayed for must have provided the requester with explicit permission for their names to be shared with the synod.
- Names will remain in the synod communications for one month, unless we are notified by the Conference Prayer Coordinator to extend the request.
- Prayers MUST be added through your Conference Prayer Coordinator, who will submit the prayers to the synod office for distribution.
The following people are serving as your Conference Prayer Coordinators:
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Pacifica Synod - ELCA
Lutheran Center for Mission & Learning
1801 Park Court Place, Bldg. C, Santa Ana, CA 92701
714.692.2791
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