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Making Disciples, Raising Up Saints & Transforming Communities for Christ
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Poverty, Racism, Violence: 120 Join Forces to Fight Ills
The Rt. Rev. Barry Beisner, right, the Rev. Drew Kadel, St. James', Lincoln, and Deacon Marcia Tyriver, St. Patrick's, Kenwood, traveled to Chicago last week, to join m
ore than
120 laypeople and clergy gathered April 20-22 at the Lutheran Theological Seminary in Chicago for the conference: Unholy Trinity: the Intersection of Racism, Poverty and Gun Violence.
"It was an honor for me to be one of about twenty bishops leading this procession through the streets of Chicago," Beisner said. "Our Church must stand against the 'unholy trinity' of racism, poverty, and gun violence that afflict our nation. Anything that devalues the life of another human being is a form of violence."
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Office of the Bishop News & Events
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Bishops Sign Brief to Support Immigrants
More than a dozen bishops of The Episcopal Church filed an amici curiae brief that opposes President Trump's executive order restricting immigration. The Rt. Rev. Barry Beisner, bishop of the Diocese of Northern California, also had signed onto the brief, but his name was left off in a filing error.
The brief says, in part, that the president's executive order impedes the ability of Episcopalians to practice their faith. "This executive order has slammed the door on people who have suffered some of the greatest atrocities in recent times, and it does this solely on the basis of their religion. ... Both as leaders in the Episcopal Church and as members of the broader faith community, the Bishops have a deep interest in preserving this country's special status as a safe haven for refugees and in protecting the fundamental principle of religious tolerance enshrined in the Establishment Clause."
A PDF of the full brief can be read here.
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Register Now for Congregational Leadership Conference, Eureka
The Eureka CLC is Saturday, May 13. Join Bishop Barry and learn how to strengthen your service to your church and community.
Click here to register and to view the full program.
These leadership conferences are designed for clergy, vestry members, treasurers and other program leaders in your church. There is no cost to participate; registration is required. Check in, coffee and conversation begins at 9:30 a.m.; the program runs from 10 a.m.- 3:30 p.m.
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Children and Youth Ministers - Bishop's Ranch Retreat - May 4-5
There are still spaces to join a retreat for children and youth ministers at Bishop's Ranch on May 4 and 5. Our retreat will be led by the Rev. Anne Clarke and the Rev. Dr. Susanna Singer, who teaches Christian education at CDSP. Our time together will focus on discernment about personal ministry, congregational life, and strategy/planning, both in your congregations and in our work together as deaneries and as a diocese.
If you would like to attend, please contact the Rev. Anne Clarke, at
[email protected].
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2018 Holy Land Pilgrimage
Bishop Beisner and his wife the Rev. Dr. Ann Hallisey are leading a Holy Land pilgrimage open to everyone in the Diocese from
Jan. 24 - Feb. 3, 2018. The price (including airfare, room, board, and gratuities) is $4,295. The brochure will be out soon. All interested should contact Sandra Littman, at
[email protected].
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Survey on Marriage Liturgies
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Summer Camper Scholarships Available
Summer camper scholarships in the amount of $200 will be available to 60 children and youth on a first-come, first-served basis to be used for Camp Living Waters, Camp Galilee, Bishop's Ranch, St. Dorothy's Rest, the Episcopal Youth Event, and the Pathways Youth Pilgrimage.
Congregational leadership members, please click here for the form to use to request a scholarship. Congregations will be responsible for verifying that each child is eligible and for distributing the scholarships.
If you would like to financially support this effort,
click here
to donate online.
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Bishop's Visitation Schedule
Bishop Beisner will be visiting the following congregations in May and June:
For the Bishop's full 2017-2018 visitation schedule,
click here
.
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Share Your Thoughts on "Toxic Charity"
Did you read "Toxic Charity" this spring? Would you like to share your thoughts and experiences with the book with others in our diocese?
If so, please contact the Rev. Anne Clarke at
[email protected]
.
In it, Robert D. Lupton writes: "What Americans avoid facing is that while we are very generous in charitable giving, much of that money is either wasted or actually harms the people it is targeted to help."
We want to hear how this book influenced your thinking.
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Lending Library and Episcopal Resource Center
The
St. Thomas Library and Episcopal Resource Center offers more than 7,000 titles, from children's books to video series to Biblical commentaries. You can browse the catalog
here and request books from the center. The books will be mailed to you free of charge, and you only need to pay to ship them back when you are finished.
Contact the resource center at
[email protected]
or at 408-736-4155 to request books.
To view the Resource Center's April newsletter, which highlights Vacation Bible School material,
click here
.
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Contemplating Compline for Families
"As my children transitioned from toddler to school-age, I worried that they might reject whatever I would come up with, just because. As double Priest's Kids, (my husband is also an Episcopal priest), they already get a lot of religion anyway. But still it nagged at me. I wanted a time at the end of the day that we could all come together, be aware that we are in the presence of God, and pray. Finally I gathered up my courage to try something new."
Read her entire post, which she says grew out of work she did during her College for Congregational Development training, here.
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SafeGuarding Our Youth: Training Dates at Faith, Cameron Park
All adults and youth (regardless of age) going on mission trips must attend three SafeGuarding trainings:
SafeGuarding God's Children, SafeGuarding God's People and Title IV (anti-sexual harassment) Training.
Faith, Cameron Park
is offering training dates in May.
Click here for registration. For those who cannot attend the trainings, you may complete all of the above units through the diocesan
Safe Church page.
For more information, contact Miranda-Lynn Gartin, Faith's Director of Youth & Children's Ministries at
[email protected]
or at 916-749-0307.
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2017 Bible Challenge - Do You Have a Story to Share?
If you are part of the challenge, participate by sharing your own practices around Bible study on social media using #norcalbible, or by emailing the Rev. Anne Clarke at
[email protected]
. To see an example of one church's midweek Bible study, St. Andrew's, Antelope, you can
click here to view a short story and photo essay about some of the participants.
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News & Events in our Diocese
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Pilgrimage Prayers Requested
Join us in prayer for congregations in our diocese embarking on pilgrimages to various parts of the world:
- The Rev. Sara Potter, Emily Arents, and Tim Doty of St. Alban's, Arcata, traveling to Haiti from April 22 to May 2.
- The Very Rev. Cliff Haggenjos and the Rev. Jeanne Forte are leading parishioners from St. John's, Roseville and St. Paul's, Benicia, traveling to the Holy Land from April 19 to May 3.
- Margie Harrison-Smith, as well as 19 other folks of All Saints', Redding, are traveling to Rome and Assisi from May 8 to 15.
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Annual Spring Garden Tour - St. John's, Chico - May 6
St. John's, Chico, will be offering its 34th annual garden tour on Saturday, May 6 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Tickets are $30 in advance and $35 on tour day, and can be purchased at several ticket outlets, which are listed on St. John's website here. The price includes seeing four gardens, a luncheon and visiting a plant boutique. Garden locations and a map are printed on the tickets.
Some gardens may not be suitable for the mobility-impaired. Only trained and certified service dogs may accompany tour guests. For more information, contact Beth Carlson, Community Publicity Chair for St. John's at [email protected].
St. John's is also currently looking for gardens for next year's tour. If you know of a garden that would be appropriate, please contact their office at 530-894-1971.
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Human Rights:
At Home and Abroad - Grace, St. Helena - May 5
Join Grace, St. Helena, for dinner and a discussion on our current human rights issues with leading global advocate, Noah Bullock. The evening will start with a pupusa (stuffed Salvadoran corn tortilla) dinner at 5:30 p.m.; the program will begin at 6:15 and run until 8:00 p.m. Bullock will share his insights on defending human rights and the innovative work Cristosal is doing in Central America.
A donation of $30 per person,
$50 per couple, or
$60 per family is asked; all proceeds go towards the work of Cristosal. Childcare will be provided. For more information, email
[email protected].
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Episcopal Community Services - Grant Proposals Due May 1
Episcopal Community Services is now requesting grant proposals for those who have submitted Letters of Interest for the Ministry Development Fund Grants, the Bishop Jerry & Jane Lamb Grant, and the new three-year Warren Dunning Memorial Social Justice Grant.
For more information and for the Request for Proposal (RFP), visit the
ECS website. Email
Betty Harrison-Smith to submit
your RFP or for any questions at
[email protected].
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Signups Continue for Incarnation 100 Event - June 10
The Incarnation 100 is a great event for avid and recreational cyclists alike. Register for the Saturday, June 10, event that starts at the Church of the Incarnation, Santa Rosa,
here.
More information can be found at
the Incarnation 100 website.
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Music Director Position Available - Epiphany, Vacaville
Epiphany Church, Vacaville, is seeking a music director who will be working under the direction and supervision of the rector. For more information on the position,
click here.
To apply, please contact the Very Rev. Mack Olson at
[email protected]
or call the church office at 707-448-2275.
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News & Events B
eyond
our Diocese
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Human Rights, Development, and Dignity Course in El Salvador
Cristosal, a human rights organization, will host a Global School seminar July 1-8 in El Salvador, and the Rev. Amy Zuniga,
Grace, St. Helena
, is leading a trip there. Registration is
available here
;
the deadline to register is May 1. For more information, email
[email protected]
.
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Presiding Bishop to Attend EcoJustice Weekend in San Francisco
Presiding Bishop Michael Curry will be participating in EcoJustice, a weekend event focused on racial reconciliation and justice and the environment, on
Friday, May 19 and Saturday, May 20.
For the full schedule, cost and registration, and more information, visit the Diocese of California's website
here
.
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Upcoming Events:
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Sept. 29 - Oct. 1 Creation & Climate: Just Living or Living Justly?, with Former Presiding Bishop the Rt. Rev. Katharine Jefferts Schori, Transfiguation Spirituality Center, Cincinnati. To register, click here.
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If you have a news story or event of interest to others in the diocese, or if you want assistance with your church or ministry communications, call Lori Korleski Richardson, Interim Communications Director, 916-442-6918, ext. 226.
If you received this e-News from another and would like your own subscription,
click here to sign up and keep in contact with our diocese and beyond.
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