*The following is a transcript of Bishop Brenda's video (above).
Hello, it’s Bishop Brenda. We’re entering into a new season of the church year. We are at Christ the King Sunday, which is the last Sunday of the church year, we have Thanksgiving next week, and then, God help us, we move into Advent. It’s a time of transition and change and I wanted to speak very briefly about Thanksgiving. I’m not going to have anything new to say about being grateful. We understand that gratitude matters, it’s a good part of relationship, of any relationship, and so it’s good to spend time at Thanksgiving thanking God, thanking other people, for the blessings we have.  

We know it’s good for our brains. Our body responds with good chemicals when we are able to be mindful and thankful. OK.  

But I think one of the things that’s most important in times like these, that have been difficult, with loss and grief and confusion, it’s important to marvel at where God’s presence has been throughout. Now, the holidays are a time of depression and sadness for a lot of people. There is anxiety with family members or expectations lost, or realizing loved ones aren’t with us. These are the places where God really shines. Not because God brings superficial joy, but that God is with us in our sorrow.  This Thanksgiving, the second one in a pandemic, this Thanksgiving, after so many things we have had to give up, I invite you to think about where you have seen God, even in the pain, even in the confusion. Where was there beauty? Where was there connection? Where did you find hope in places where there should be hope? This is a very individualized experience. Sometimes God comes to us in the smallest possible places, in places we cannot speak about. I invite you to find those places.  

I also want you to think about when God has been present in community, when you have seen God when you are with a lot of people. That may be in online church services, or with your family, in whatever way you have connected with them, or in an office setting that has been surprisingly vibrant, even in this new way of working. How has God blessed the people? The nation? So many of the Psalms talk about God blessing “the nation”. I don’t mean that as the United States of America, although we could argue God has blessed our nation in many ways. What does “nation” mean to you? Is it a group of believers? Is it a sports team fan club? What does it mean? “Sports team fan club”, it sounds like I don’t even know what I’m talking about with sports…  

Where do you find community? Nation? Group? And how do you see God moving in that group of people? For some of us, the groups we identify with are always oppressed, and yet God is there. For some of us, the groups with which we identify are the majority, are the powerful. And where is God there?  

This Thanksgiving I want you to think about God, not just what God gives, but how God acts, and find gratitude there. 

May God bless you this Thanksgiving, this Advent, and into the coming year.

Bishop Brenda
*La siguiente es una transcripción del video de arriba.
Hola, soy la Obispa Brenda. Estamos entrando en una nueva temporada del año eclesiástico. Estamos en el domingo de Cristo Rey, que es el último domingo del año eclesiástico, tenemos acción de gracias la próxima semana, y luego, Dios nos ayude, nos movemos hacia el Adviento. Es un momento de transición y cambio y quería hablar muy brevemente sobre el Día de Acción de Gracias. No voy a tener nada nuevo que decir sobre estar agradecido. Entendemos que la gratitud importa, es una buena parte de la relación, de cualquier relación, por lo que es bueno pasar tiempo en Acción de Gracias agradeciendo a Dios, agradeciendo a otras personas, por las bendiciones que tenemos.
 
Sabemos que es bueno para nuestros cerebros. Nuestro cuerpo responde con buenos químicos cuando somos capaces de ser conscientes y agradecidos. Esta bien.
 
Pero creo que una de las cosas que es más importante en tiempos como estos, que han sido difíciles, con pérdida, dolor y confusión, es importante maravillarse de dónde ha estado la presencia de Dios en todo momento. Ahora, las festividades son un tiempo de depresión y tristeza para muchas personas. Hay ansiedad con los miembros de la familia o expectativas perdidas, o darse cuenta de que hay seres queridos no están con nosotros. Estos son los lugares donde Dios realmente brilla. No porque Dios traiga gozo superficial, sino porque Dios está con nosotros en nuestro dolor.  Este Día de Acción de Gracias, el segundo durante una pandemia, después de tantas cosas a las que hemos tenido que renunciar, los invito a pensar en dónde han visto a Dios, aun en medio del dolor, incluso en la confusión. ¿Dónde ha habido belleza? ¿Dónde ha habido conexión? ¿Dónde encontraste esperanza en lugares donde debería haber esperanza? Esta es una experiencia muy individualizada. A veces Dios viene a nosotros en los lugares mas pequeños posibles, en lugares de los que no podemos hablar. Te invito a encontrar esos lugares.
 
Pero también quiero que pienses en cuándo Dios ha estado presente en comunidad, cuando has visto a Dios cuando estás con mucha gente. Eso puede ser en los servicios de la iglesia en línea, o con su familia, de cualquier manera que se haya conectado con ellos, o en un entorno de oficina que ha sido sorprendentemente vibrante, incluso en esta nueva forma de trabajar. ¿Cómo ha bendecido Dios al pueblo? ¿La nación? Muchos de los Salmos hablan de Dios bendiciendo a "la nación". No me refiero a eso como los Estados Unidos de América, aunque podríamos argumentar que Dios ha bendecido a nuestra nación de muchas maneras. ¿Qué significa "nación" para ti? ¿Es un grupo de creyentes? ¿Es un club de fans de un equipo deportivo? ¿Qué significa? "Club de fans del equipo deportivo", suena como si ni siquiera supiera de qué estoy hablando con los deportes...
 
¿Dónde encuentras comunidad? ¿Nación? ¿Grupo? ¿Y cómo ves a Dios moviéndose en ese grupo de personas? Para algunos de nosotros, los grupos con los que nos identificamos siempre están oprimidos, y sin embargo, Dios está allí. Para algunos de nosotros, los grupos con los que nos identificamos son la mayoría, son los poderosos. ¿Y dónde está Dios allí? 
 
Este Día de Acción de Gracias quiero que pienses en Dios, no solo en lo que Dios da, sino en cómo actúa Dios, y donde encuentras gratitud allí.
 
Que Dios los bendiga este Día de Acción de Gracias, este Adviento y en el próximo año.

Obisba Brenda
Thank you to Pastor Maria Paiva for Spanish language translation.
Gracias a la pastora María Paiva por la traducción al español.
Nancy Ackerman and CLH Honored
On November’s National Philanthropy Day, the Association of Fundraising Professionals, Greater San Fernando Valley Chapter, a group of non-profit organizations and consulting firms throughout the Valley, honored Los Angeles individuals, organizations, and businesses for giving their time, talents, and resources for the enrichment and benefit of their communities.

Honorees included California Lutheran Home and Community Services (Outstanding Foundation) and Nancy Ackerman, CLH’s President and Chief Executive Officer (Outstanding Fundraising Professional).

California Lutheran Homes and community services, founded in 1948, provides funding and other assistance for those in need of housing and human services through partnerships with churches, community-based organizations, and social agencies. Their emphasis includes affordable housing and legacy funding for seniors, services, support, and housing for former foster youth, and support for Lutheran organizations including the Southwest California Synod.

Nancy Ackerman, who has served on the CLH board since 2019, was previously Executive Assistant to SWCA Synod Bishop Emeritus Dean Nelson, overseeing corporate operations, fiduciary stewardship, governance, policy administration, and personnel management. She has over 30 years of management and fundraising experience in religious, education, arts, and health and human services sectors.

California Lutheran Homes and Community Service, under Nancy’s leadership, is partnering with Living the Resurrection – a program developed by former DEM Pastor Marj Funk-Pihl with the support of the SWCA Synod - to make 18-month programs accessible to small-to-medium-sized congregations in Southern California.

You can find out about Living the Resurrection programs and partnership with CLH below.
The 18-month Living the Resurrection program provides eight workshops over 18 months to help congregations discern where God is building connections, along with developing momentum for change. To find out more about the process, please visit the LtR website.

If you are curious about the Living the Resurrection process and want to learn more, you can find information about the opportunities available listed on the website.

Exploration Workshops

Three exploration workshops (two in-person and one online) will be offered in November, December and January to allow participants to discover the outline of the Living the Resurrection process and practice a couple of its foundational skills. You will go home knowing enough to decide if NOW is the time for your congregation to begin Living the Resurrection. For the dates and locations, look under “Upcoming Events” on the home page and select the one you are interested in attending.

Questions about Living the Resurrection?

Contact Pastor Marj Funk-Pihl at marj@livingtheresurrection.com.
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