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We are pleased to share with you the following news, information and ministry opportunities taking place within our synod. If you have items to share about the ministries happening through your congregation, please email Terri Robertson at
[email protected]. If you know of others who aren't receiving our emails, please share this with them and encourage them to sign up
here.
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Warner Trust Fund Grants - Deadline Sunday, January 15
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Applications are now being received for the Charles and Mable Warner Trust fund proceeds being administered by the Pacifica Synod. The application deadline is January 15, 2017.
Charles and Mable Warner were members of First Lutheran Church, Los Angeles. They had no children and loved their church as evidenced by the following quote from their will:
"...The entire remainder of the trust estate shall go and be distributed to the Evangelical Lutheran Synod of the Southwest, Los Angeles, California, with the request that such estate be used in the construction of Sunday School facilities and to further youth Christian education."
As legal successors to the Southwest Synod, the principal was divided among the five ELCA synods in Region 2. The principal from the fund has been placed in the ELCA Mission Investment Fund and the interest is made available annually in March, as grants. Depending on interest rates we anticipate receiving about $4,500 on our investment this year that will then be distributed as grants.
The Warner Trust Fund Committee, appointed by the Pacifica Synod Council, is empowered to approve all grant applications. Any project that received a grant last year will not be eligible again this year, but may apply again in the third year.
Please follow the link below to download an application and return it to the Pacifica Synod office no later than January 15, 2017.
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Day of Theological Reflection & Dialogue - February 2, 2017
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"Philippians, Power and Privilege"
Thursday, February 2, 2017
9:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Vina de Lestonnac Retreat Center
39300 De Portola Road, Temecula
ALL rostered and lay leaders are invited to be with us for our 2017 Day of Theological Reflection & Dialogue.
In Philippians, Christ is described as not grasping to the status he deserved but emptying himself and taking on the form of a slave. In light of this teaching and in response to the Synod Assembly resolution that we address power and privilege, we invite our leaders (rostered and lay) to a day of theological reflection entitled, "Philippians, Power, and Privilege". We will gather for worship, scripture study led by Bishop Taylor and a facilitated discussion. This is not another lecture on racism, sexism and other forms of exclusion, but a place for sharing stories and seeking God's guidance as a church. Pastor Ron Werner from Portland, Oregon will be our facilitator. He is trained in group process to ensure that key conversations take place. We pray for renewed vision as leaders, commitment for change, and steps to ensure a more inclusive future.
Please make this event a priority for the sake of our common community!
The cost is $50 per person, which includes lunch. Financial assistance is available by request for those who register online (follow the link to the registration form for details.)
Online registration is strongly encouraged to help us plan for lunch. Follow
this link to register now.
The schedule for the day will be as follows:
9:00 a.m. Registration Check-In and Coffee
9:30 a.m. Service of the Word
Opening Songs and Prayer
Bible Study on Philippians 2 - Bishop Andy Taylor
Dialogue Sermon - Pastor Greg Ronning
10:15 a.m. Stories & Conversation - Facilitated by Ron Werner
12:00 p.m. Lunch
12:45 p.m. Group Process - Facilitated by Ron Werner
1:45 p.m. Service of the Table
2:30 p.m. Evaluation & Dismissal
Spanish translation will be available. For registration questions, please contact Terri Robertson at 714.692.2791, ext. 732 or by email at
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Annual Reporting for Rostered Ministers
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All rostered ministers in the ELCA are required to complete an annual report. Follow this link to select the applicable report. This report is a fillable PDF. To ensure that your report is saved properly before sending or printing it, please follow the instructions below. Once completed, please return this form to the synod office by email (see below), fax (714.692.9317), or by mail to the Pacifica Synod office at 1801C Parkcourt Place, Santa Ana, CA, 92701. Go to the ELCA webpage to get the form.
- Right-click or control-click (on a Mac) on the file you want to use and select "save file" so it gets saved on your computer in a place you can find.
- Close the webpage! Don't type your answers in the webpage version!
- Find the file on your computer, and open it in Acrobat or Preview or another .pdf reader.
- Fill out a couple lines of the form. Save it. Close the file. Reopen it to see that the data is being saved correctly.
- Finish completing the file and save it.
- Find the file on your computer and attach it to an email sent to [email protected]
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Congregational Report (Parochial Reports)
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 In mid-December, the ELCA mailed the 2016 congregational report forms to all congregations.The mailing included Form A, Form C, the instructions, and the financial worksheet. In addition, the Congregational ID number and password for online reporting were included in the mailing. You will need these items to login and file your report online. To do so, follow
this link.
The information included in these forms is crucial to keeping the parochial statistics current. The due date for these forms is February 15, 2017. If you can't find your login information, please email Terri Robertson at
[email protected]
.
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2017 Congregational Statement of Intent for Mission Support
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From Victoria Flood, Director, ELCA Mission Support and Nick Kiger, Associate Director, ELCA Mission Support...
Budgeting - just the sound of this word makes some people cringe. Yet, we know in our personal lives as well as in the lives of our congregations, budgeting enables us to responsibly steward our financial resources. The same is true for our ELCA synods and churchwide organization. Both rely on unrestricted giving, called Mission Support, from congregations like yours to support ministries locally and globally.
ELCA synods and the churchwide organization can better make, fulfill and expand ministry commitments when they hear from your congregation about its giving intent for the next year. We ask you to prayerfully consider your congregation's financial support for ministries of the wider church and then share this intended support with your synod using the form provided. We are church together, doing so much more than any one of us could do alone.
Your ministry partners in the ELCA invite congregations to make a statement of intent to synod and churchwide ministries for 2017. As your congregation considers its commitment, please note this invitation models the spiritual practices of regular reflection and faithful response to God's abundant grace. We encourage each expression of the church (households, congregations and synods) to engage in these practices regularly. In this way, we move beyond ourselves to do God's work together.
Congregations are asked to submit their 2017 Statement of Intent as soon as your 2017 budget is approved. You may find a copy of the 2017 Statement of Intent here for you to complete and return to the Pacifica Synod office at your earliest convenience.
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Pacifica Synod Assembly 2017 - Reform, Transform, Inform
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We will gather for our 30th Annual Pacifica Synod Assembly from Thursday, May 11 to Saturday, May 13, 2017 at the Town and Country Resort in San Diego. Our Assembly Planning Team is working hard and details will be available very soon. Thanks for your patience.
Watch for your congregation's early bird registration invoice to arrive by January 20. You will have until February 28, 2017 to take advantage of the discounted registration fee. Online registration for voting members and guests will open in March 2017.
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2017 Resolutions Process for Synod Assembly
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THE DEADLINE FOR PRESENTING A RESOLUTION TO THE 2017 SYNOD ASSEMBLY IS FEBRUARY 11, 2017
Resolutions may be submitted by a congregation of the Synod, a Ministry Team, an ELCA institution or agency, a conference, or the Synod Council and must be signed by the appropriate leadership (i.e., president, chair, dean, etc.) Individuals may submit a resolution with the signatures of 10 other members of the Synod. The maker(s) of the resolution must be identified separately from the required signers.
Resolutions are to be submitted in writing 90 days in advance of the Synod Assembly (by February 11, 2017) for review by the Resolutions Committee and for placement in the pre-assembly materials. They may be mailed or faxed to the synod office (address at bottom of this page) to the attention of the Resolutions Committee.
Resolutions submitted are reviewed by the Resolutions Committee for proper form, appropriateness of subject, appropriateness of desired action, inclusion of a plan of implementation and for elimination of duplication. The Resolutions Committee has the responsibility to ensure that resolutions brought before the Assembly are grammatically correct and factually correct as to existing church policies or structure. Therefore, the Resolutions Committee has the responsibility to edit resolutions if necessary so that the Assembly can deal with the substance of the issues presented. The Committee shall report its action to the makers of the resolution and to the Synod Council, to which the makers can appeal the decision.
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Synod Council Nominations Requested
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The Nominating Committee for the 2017 Pacifica Synod Assembly needs your help in surfacing names of persons able to serve our synod in an elected capacity. If you provide their contact information, the committee will make contact with the nominee to determine a willingness to serve. To meet the inclusivity requirement of our Synod Constitution (S6.04), we will accept nominees to fill the following council positions as shown below. We are seeking two nominees for each position. Designations male/female are made in an effort to provide 50/50 balance. Please contact Rachel Line by email at
[email protected] for more information.
2017 Synod Council Positions To Be Filled:
Four-year term:
Treasurer (lay or clergy)
Three-year terms:
Youth Representative (age 20 or younger at time of election)
Hukilau Conference Lay (male)
Lay at Large (female, ethnic or English as a second language)
Big Bear Conference Clergy (female)
Saddleback Conference Lay (female)
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International Women's Day - March 8
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March 8 marks International Women's Day, a day dedicated to celebrating women's achievements throughout history and across nations. On this day, the ELCA will encourage gifts to the ELCA Campaign's International Women Leaders initiative and share the impact, both future and present, on communities around the world. Please save the date and watch your inbox for additional details on how to get involved. More info may be found on the ELCA Campaign's web page.
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What Would Luther Do Today?
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Marking the 500th year anniversary of Martin Luther's historic reform work,
 Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton is inviting the world to commemorate the life, legacy, and relevant teachings of reformer Martin Luther by taking a free, pre-recorded online class series.
In the class "What Would Luther Do Today?", students will learn more about Luther and make relevant connections that can lead to transformation. The class is a series of video lectures, quizzes, and discussions. No special software is required. The course will take an average learner about 45 minutes to complete, and learners are encouraged to interact in the online discussions. Registration is free and open to all. Go to ChurchNext.tv to learn more and register today. Once registered, the course will be available free from January 16 - 30, and accessible after then for a modest fee.
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New Churchwide Position
Candidacy and Leadership Manager for Regions 1 & 2
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The Candidacy and Leadership Manager is a member of the Domestic Mission Candidacy Team working collaboratively with bishops to mentor, resource and train synod candidacy committees. Their work will be in collaboration with other leadership team members, and may include leadership formation, Assignments, mobility, vocations and recruitment, relate to the Lifelong learning and campus pastor networks to identify and resource the formation processes for people responding to their call to rostered ministry. This full-time position will be based in the Region 1 or 2 area.
Follow this link for more information and/or to apply. The application period closes January 20, 2017.
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ELCA Regional Gift Planner Job Opportunity
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The ELCA seeks a Regional Gift Planner that will support the Pacifica and Southwest California Synods. The Regional Gift Planner is responsible for identifying, cultivating, soliciting and securing new and ongoing gifts from individuals in support of churchwide ministries, congregations, synods and related ELCA ministries. Each Gift Planner lives and works within their assigned territory (home office).
You can click here to access the online application process on the ELCA website. Application and inquiries may also be confidentially directed to Gaye Lindfors, the consultant managing the search: [email protected].
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ELCA Annual Report Cover Page
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The 2016 Annual Report Cover Page and other resources are now available on the
Stewardship page of the ELCA website:
- Annual Report Cover (Folder version)
- Annual Report Cover (Single page version)
- Where your offering goes (Poster)
- Where your offering goes (8.5x11)
The Annual Report Cover also includes a message from Bishop Eaton and an opening litany.
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Celebrating Ministry Together!
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 During a clean up of a storage room at Christ Lutheran Church in Orange, they discovered a treasure trove of outdated audio-video equipment that consists of:
- a 35 MM film projector (no films)
- a carousel slide projector (some slides)
- a film strip projector (with over 100 film strips of various Sunday school-type lessons, mostly elementary school level)
- a Polaroid Land camera
They are willing to donate these items to anyone who is interested and can pick them up from the church, located at 2715 East La Veta Avenue, Orange. Please contact the church office at 714.532.3403 if you are interested.
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Celebrating the Life and Legacy
of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. - January 15
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This historical event taking place this Sunday, January 15 at 3:00 p.m. is a joint worship service with our full communion partners, The Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles. The first African-American Episcopal Presiding Bishop will be preaching, and the first female Presiding Bishop of The Evangelical Church in America will be the celebrant. The service will take place at Westchester Lutheran Church, 7831 S. Sepulveda Blvd., Los Angeles.
After the service, join us for a short refreshment break, followed by a panel discussion with our bishops, representatives of the LAPD and YOU. The topic for the discussion is: How can Faith Communities and Law Enforcement Work Together to Ensure a Safe Community For All?
If you are interested in attending and would like to carpool from Orange County, please let Pastor Dave Hodgson know by email at [email protected] or leave a message on his mobile phone at 714.318.1332 by this Friday.
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Golden Anniversary of Ministry in the Neighborhood
Lutheran Church of Our Savior, San Bernardino - January 15
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All are invited to the Lutheran Church of Our Savior in San Bernardino as they celebrate 50 years at 5050 North Sierra Way on Sunday, January 15 at 10:00 a.m. with a reception and refreshments following in the Parish Hall. Pastor Ken Caudill will preach, Pastor Scottie Lloyd will preside, and Pastors Lester Hoffman and Eugene Holtz will participate. Neighbors and friends from everywhere are invited to join us for food, fun, and story sharing of ministry past and exciting new ministry emerging in our neighborhood. Call for details at 909.882.5013.
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Movie Premiere Highlights Faith and Ethics of Dietrich Bonhoeffer Loma Linda - January 21
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The North American premiere for a film, detailing the last days of Lutheran pastor and Nazi resister Dietrich Bonhoeffer, is coming to the Inland Empire. Entitled Come Before Winter, this docudrama lifts the curtain on cruel ironies of the last weeks of World War II in Europe and tells Bonhoeffer's story from the unique perspective of a British propaganda radio team.
Filmed on the Baltic island of Rügen, in Berlin, Buchenwald, England, and various locations in Southern California, the movie weaves together both dramatic scenes and interviews with leading Bonhoeffer scholars. One of the experts is John Matthews, current Lutheran pastor and former president of the International Bonhoeffer Society, English Chapter. Another expert, Keith Clements from Bristol, UK, will be present following the screening for a Q&A.
The premiere will be held at 4:30 pm on Saturday, January 21 at the Loma Linda University Church, 11125 Campus Street, Loma Linda. Admission is free to the public. Additional information can be found at comebeforewintermovie.com.
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Human Trafficking Awareness - Incarnation, Poway - January 25
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Grant Writing Workshop - Hope Lutheran, Temecula - January 28
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Have you ever wished you could get some start-up funding for a new project for  an organization that you are involved in? Does the idea of writing a grant application sound intimidating?
Join us as we learn the basics of the grant application process from local professional grant writer, Denee Burns. As the owner of TruNorth Grants, Denee has vast experience working with non-profits, churches, schools and other organizations to write successful grant applications.
She will discuss how to research available grants, what information to include to make a competitive application, what types of projects are more likely to be funded, and seeing the process to fruition. There will be time for Q & A during her presentation, so bring questions that pertain to your projects.
Location: Hope Lutheran Church
32819 Temecula Pkwy Ste B, Temecula
Date: Saturday, January 28, 2017
Time: Coffee and Registration: 9 - 9:30 am
Workshop: 9:30 - 11 am
This FREE workshop is open to anyone interested in learning more about writing grants for their non-profit organization. For more information and to register, contact the church office at
[email protected] or by phone at 951.676.6262. For a downloadable event flier, please click here.
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ELCA "Engaging Worship & Culture" Event - Santa Monica
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When we come to worship, we come as part of many cultures: congregational and church cultures, the cultures of our family, towns or cities, cultures of country and many more. Worship both transcends culture and embraces the diversity of particular cultures. Communal worship also challenges cultures and highlights sharing between cultures. It is these many intersections that make thinking about worship and culture both exciting and challenging.
What questions do you have about how culture and worship intersect in your place? "Worship at the Center: Engaging Worship and Culture" will give you opportunities to address theses questions. These two days of worship, presentations and workshops are geared for pastors, musicians, worship teams and anyone interested in vibrant worship in their communities.
Come to beautiful Santa Monica, California on February 19-21. St. Paul's Lutheran will be our host for this event
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Registration is NOW OPEN for
Western States Youth Gathering - June 28 to July 2, 2017
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Held on the campus of California Lutheran University in Southern California
June 28 - July 2, 2017
For all high school youth in ELCA Regions 1 - 4
Western States Youth Gathering occurs every three years. There will be mass gatherings with great speakers and musicians; learning and small group experiences; a beach day; immersion experience in Los Angeles; worship that takes you in new directions; and much more!
The current registration cost is $460 per person. For more info, go to the website at www.wsyg.com.
Questions? Contact
Linda LeBlanc, Assistant Director for Congregational Relations at [email protected] or 805.493.3936.
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