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Donate to disaster relief for #GivingTuesday
The Camp Fire is now officially 100% contained, but our recovery is only beginning. Donations to our Disaster Relief fund are still being accepted, both in monetary amounts and through the giving of gift cards, which can be sent to
St. John's, Chico:
St. John's Episcopal Church
c/o The Very Rev. Richard Yale
2341 Floral Avenue
Chico, CA 95926
Thank you for your continued support, and please keep all who are affected in your prayers.
"
Christ's arms are big enough to embrace us all -- we are going to make it."
- Canon Andrea McMillin
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THE SEARCH FOR OUR NEXT BISHOP
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Bishop Search Petition Process information posted
The Petition Process has been published on the Bishop Search website.
The purpose of a Petition Process is to allow the addition of a candidate after the Search Process is concluded and a slate of candidates is presented to the diocese. A Petition Candidate will undergo the same degree of background and reference screening as the announced slate of candidates, and by agreeing to be a petition candidate, a candidate consents to the Standing Committee conducting a thorough background review. The Petition process for each such candidate shall remain confidential until the Standing Committee certifies a petition candidate has fulfilled these procedures and has approved the candidate to be added to the final slate of candidates. Any Episcopal priest or bishop in good standing may become a petition candidate provided that the criteria listed by the Standing Committee are met.
The opening of the Petition Process begins when the slate candidates are announced. Petitions will not be accepted until then.
Learn more on the Bishop Search website.
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FROM THE OFFICE OF THE BISHOP
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Convention donations for the clergy of Cuba
We are pleased to share that a total of
$6,500 was raised for clergy pension funds in the Episcopal Diocese of Cuba during this year's Diocesan Convention.
Cuba had been a diocese of the Episcopal Church but was kicked out due to its great suffering under communist rule.
During their time separated from the larger church, Cuba didn't have access to the Church Pension Fund.
This year, Cuba was welcomed back as a Diocese of The Episcopal Church, and to right this inequity, Bishop Barry asked that the Convention Eucharist offering be given to clergy pension funds in Cuba.
Thank you to all who donated!
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Clergy Quiet Day - Thursday, Dec. 6
Clergy Quiet Day will be Thursday, Dec. 6, from 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. at the Bishop's Ranch. This free event will be facilitated by the Rev. Canon Andrea McMillin. You must
register here to attend.
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2019 Annual Enrollment
2019 Annual Enrollment for eligible Active and Pre-65 Retiree has officially closed as of Friday, Nov. 16, 2018.
Should you have any questions or concerns regarding your annual enrollment, please contact our
Benefits Coordinator and Accounting Specialist, Elizabeth Vang, via email at
[email protected]
.
For eligible retirees in our diocese, the annual enrollment period is Oct. 15 - Dec. 7, 2018.
This year, the Church Pension Group has provided a
Member Education webinar
. We encourage all Medical Trust Members to watch this webinar to learn about the 2019 Annual Enrollment.
Learn more
about 2019 Annual Enrollment.
More information on the 2019 medical plans and rates is available here.
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2019 College for Congregational Development
Registration is now open for the 2019 CCD sessions! The weekend dates are
March 15-17, 2019 AND
Sept. 27-29, 2019. The week-long intensive is June 2-7, 2019.
Learn more and register here. For questions, please contact CCD Director Canon Andrea McMillin at [email protected].
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Bishop's visitation schedule
- Dec. 2 - Faith, Cameron Park
- Dec. 9 - St. James, Lincoln
- Dec. 16 - Our Saviour, Placerville
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NEWS AND EVENTS IN OUR DIOCESE
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$75 off Pathways registration if you register before Dec. 1
Pathways 2019 is open to all youth finishing grades 7-12. This fourth year of Pathways, from June 16-21, 2019, will take us to Humboldt County (our home base will be Humboldt State University) where we will explore matters of social and eco justice as we journey to the Redwood Coast, visit historical indigenous sites, local churches, and meet with people in these communities who are engaging in the work of reconciling us and creation to God.
We hope that congregations will consider ways to help support this trip financially and in other ways; we will also offer scholarships and other support with the goal of making this trip possible for everyone who wishes to participate. Please be in touch with the Rev. Sarah Quinney (
[email protected]) if the cost is a barrier.
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Anita Weaver Grant proposal request
Episcopal Community Services and the Episcopal Foundation of Northern California are now accepting requests for proposal for the Anita Weaver Grant, which is designated to help senior adults experiencing homelessness and extreme poverty. For complete information, please see the
Request for Proposal.
This is a two year grant of $15,000 in the first year, and if successfully completed, $7,500 for the second year. This grant provides an opportunity to develop a longer term program in collaboration with other congregations and/or city or county resources.
Currently the Arcata House Partnership Collaboration with St. Alban's, Arcata, is the grant recipient. They provide a safe warm alternative housing program, designed to help people get off the streets. Most of their clients are seniors.
Grant applications will be due by Jan. 15, 2019, and the grant award will be announced by Feb. 1.
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Celebration of New Ministry - Nov. 30 and Dec. 13
The Celebration of New Ministry for the Rev. Annie Mertz, Rector at
St. Paul's, Benicia, will be F
riday, Nov. 30 at 7 p.m. at the church. Reception to follow. Clergy - white stoles.
The Celebration of New Ministry for the Rev. Paul Colbert, Priest-in-Charge at Trinity, Sutter Creek, will be Thursday, Dec. 13 at 5:30 p.m. at the church. Reception to follow. Clergy - red stoles.
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Book talk on forgiveness - Sunday, Dec. 2 in Rancho Cordova
On Sunday, Dec. 2 from 6 - 7:30 p.m.,
St. Clement's, Rancho Cordova, will be hosting celebrated theologian, author, and priest, The Rev. Jeff Bullock, where he will give a lecture about his new book, "Practicing God's Radical
Forgiveness."
Books are for sale at $15 from St. Clement's and Fr. Jeff will be available for signing after the lecture. Please
email [email protected] to reserve your copy of the book.
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Stained glass window dedication - Thursday, Dec. 13
Bishop Barry Beisner will dedicate four new stained glass windows at
St. Andrew's, Antelope, on Thursday, Dec. 13 at 11 a.m. There will be a Eucharist, and a reception will follow.
The windows were designed and built by Mel Rose, Junior Warden at St. George's,
Carmichael
.
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2019 Diocesan Choir Festival - Saturday, Jan. 26
Your choir is invited to join Trinity Cathedral, Sacramento, for the 32nd Diocesan Choir Festival on Saturday, Jan. 26. This is the final choir festival in its current format, and Dr. David Flood, Organist and Master of the Choristers at Canterbury Cathedral will be returning to conduct. David recently celebrated his 30th year as Canterbury Cathedral Director of Music and is a good friend of Trinity Cathedral.
Here is a PDF with all of the details for the day, as well as a
registration form. Be sure to order the music in advance from Lois Fyfe Music. If you mention that you are participating in our choir festival, you will receive a 10% discount on your order.
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Discuss
The Book of Joy with author Douglas Abrams, Feb. 4
The UC Davis Campus Community Book Project's 2018-2019 book is
The Book of Joy: Lasting Happiness in a Changing World, also the Fall Bishop's Book for 2018.
UC Davis is hosting several events in the coming year to discuss various topics in the book, one of which includes an author's visit with one of three writers of the book, Douglas Abrams. There are two chances to see Abrams,
Monday, Feb. 4, from 4-5 p.m. and 7:30-9 p.m. at the Modavi Center at UC Davis. B
oth events are free and open to the public.
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Silent Days in Advent at the Bishop's Ranch - Dec. 7-14
Join The Bishop's Ranch in setting aside days of silence in which to observe Advent in an individual yet collective, self-directed retreat, from
Dec. 7-14.
Our intention is to provide a place for silence and solitude to help open a way for the Spirit, create time to listen, and embrace the mystery in your life. The Society of St. Francis and friends provide a meditative framework in which you can experience the mystical, prepare for the coming of the Christ child, and refresh and renew yourself through the Holy Spirit.
You may spend any number of nights from Dec. 7-14. Learn more and register
here
.
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The Good Book Club Initiative for Epiphany 2019
The Good Book Club is an invitation to all Episcopalians to join in reading Saint Paul's Letter to the Romans during Epiphany 2019. Episcopalians will start reading Romans on Jan. 7, 2019 and read a section every day (except Sundays) through the Epiphany season. In surveys taken before and after the first Good Book Club project in 2018 (reading the Gospel of Luke and the Book of Acts), participants reported growth in their understanding of scripture and a deepening of their prayer life. Perhaps most significantly, the percentage of people who reported reading the Bible on a daily basis increased to 73 percent at the end of the first Good Book Club reading, from 45 percent when it began.
Learn more here
.
Other news from the wider church:
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THE EPISCOPAL DIOCESE OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA
Making Disciples, Raising Up Saints & Transforming Communities for Christ
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