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Spring Conference Gatherings continued! Conferences 8 Sierra Central Valley and 9 Central San Joaquin held a Bishop Election Discernment gathering at Hope Lutheran Church Fresno, CA on May 13.

Church of the Cross, Sacramento, held a Mother's Day Luncheon at Mama Susanna's Italian Restaurant. Our guest speaker was Susan Taylor from Lutheran Social Services who gave us updated information on their Transitioning Foster Youth Programs which our WELCA women support annually.

Pictured are Pastor Dianne Wendt and Susan Taylor, receiving one of the 10 "bathroom kits" for the new Residents who have transitioned to their own housing.

Send your ministry pictures to info@spselca.org be featured in the Synod Newsletter!

Discerning & Electing a new Bishop

In February of this year, the Bishop's Election Committee began outlining the process of discerning and electing a new Bishop to serve the Sierra Pacific Synod. The Committee is delighted to share with you an array of documents, timelines, and procedures that will guide the Bishop Election process over the next five months.

On the Sierra Pacific Synod website, you will find a new tab called "2023 Synod Assembly" where all of this information (and more!) is and will be housed in the coming months. Under the Bishop's Election tab, we invite you to take a look at the newly released documents from the Bishop's Election Committee.

They include:

• A Discernment & Conversation Guide for Pre-Identification of Bishop Candidates
• The Bishop's Election Timeline & Process
• The 2023 Synod Profile
• The Call Responsibilities of the Sierra Pacific Synod Bishop
• Disclosure Questions for the Bishop's Election
• A Biographical Information Form
• Information on the Bishop's Election Committee

These can be found in English and Spanish here: https://www.spselca.net/bishopselection

Synod Staff Update

Spring Conference Gatherings: May & June

Spring Conference Gatherings

May and June throughout the Synod

Spring Conference Gatherings began last weekend! The Bishop’s Election Committee and Conference Deans will host our Spring Conference Gatherings at various locations throughout the synod this May and June. These Conference Gatherings will have two key focuses: discernment of our upcoming Bishop’s Election, and a Conference Assembly for business items. ALL are invited to attend and participate in these gatherings!

Learn more about when your Conference Gathering will be held here.

Upcoming Synod-Wide Events

Mt. Cross Ministries Memorial Day Work Weekend

May 26 - 28, 2023

at Mt. Cross Ministries, Ben Lomond, CA

Looking to make Memorial Day weekend plans? Consider spending the weekend at Mt. Cross Ministries helping prepare the camp for summer! Service projects for the weekend may include:

• Madrone Bathroom Repairs
• Sand Volleyball Court Maintenance
• Dining Hall Bathroom Repairs
• Cabin Deck Repairs
• Trail Maintenance
• Cabin Deep Cleaning

Click here to RSVP.

Conference 5 WELCA Gathering

Saturday, June 24th at 11:00am

at Santa María y Santa Marta Lutheran Church in San Francisco, CA

The Conference 5 Sierra Pacific Synod Women of the ELCA (WELCA) are hosting a gathering this coming June 24th from 11:00am - 3:00pm at Santa María y Santa Marta Lutheran Church in San Francisco, CA. All are welcome to join WELCA for an afternoon of enlightenment, education, fundraising and fellowship. Free lunch will be included!

Please RSVP by June 15th to spswelca5@gmail.com or (415) 647-2717.

2023 ReconcilingWorks Pride

Worship & Resources

Our partners in ministry at ReconcilingWorks invite your congregation to prepare for Pride month this June! ReconcilingWorks offers worship service resources, trainings and call to action items, shirts, prayers, and so much more.

You can find all of these resources here.

Online Open House for

Wartburg Seminary

Tuesday, May 23rd from 4:30 - 6:30pm PT

"With work, school, home, family, and church, our routines are set and drive us from one day to the next. Do you have a gnawing feeling in your gut that you may be ready for your routine to shift a bit, or that you are being called to do something different?

Join us for an Online Open House to learn about Wartburg Seminary and all it has to offer."

Learn more & register here.

Connect with Synod Staff & Your Conference Dean

Bishop Claire S. Burkat

Interim Bishop, Sierra Pacific Synod

bishop@spselca.org

Deacon JJ Godwin

Director of Operations

jj@spselca.org

Carolyn Hanrahan

Director of Finance

carolyn@spselca.org

Debbie Cook

Finance Assistant Contractor

debbie@spselca.org

Melanie Gordon

Administrative Assistant

Melanie@spselca.org

Rev. Manda Truchinski

Assistant to the Bishop for Leadership & Strategic Organization

manda@spselca.org

Rev. Ron Valadez

Interim Assistant to the Bishop for Candidacy and First Call

ronv@spselca.org

Mandi Slagle

Communications

mandi@spselca.org

Rev. Dr. Dawn Roginski

Director of Evangelical Mission

dawn@spselca.org

Rev. Ben Colahan 

Dean, Redwood Mountain Conference 1

conference1@spselca.org

Rev. Dave Miller

Dean, Bridges Conference 2

conference2@spselca.org

Rev. Dr. Gabriele Schroeder

Dean, Capitol Valley Conference 3

conference3@spselca.org

Rev. Charlane Lines

Dean, Sierra Nevada Foothills

Conference 4

conference4@spselca.org

Rev. John Kuehner

Dean, San Francisco Peninsula Conference 5

conference5@spselca.org

Rev. Cristina Beauchemin

Dean, El Camino Real Conference 6

conference6@spselca.org

Rev. Dr. John Valentine

Dean, Mt. Diablo Conference 7

conference7@spselca.org

Rev. Mark Price

Dean, Sierra Central Valley Conference 8

conference8@spselca.org

Rev. Jodi Golden-Lund

Dean, Central San Joaquin Conference 9

conference9@spselca.org

Rev. Cindy Beck

Dean, Interim Ministry

interims@spselca.org