OCTOBER 23,  2018
Bishop Barry explains the impact of U.S. aid cuts on the Diocese of Jerusalem

Bishop Barry at the Ahli Hospital, along with director Suhaila Tarazi in center.


As many of you may know, Bishop Barry Beisner is Chair of the  American Friends of the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem (AFEDJ) board, a partnership he holds dearly in his heart. During his recent visit to the Holy Land, the Bishop had the opportunity to visit several institutions, including several refugee schools and the Ahli Hospital in Gaza.

Here Bishop Barry witnessed how the Ahli Hospital is being severely affected by the $25 million cut to the East Jerusalem Hospital Network, which the U.S. government announced in September.  With these cuts in aid, this will exhaust the financial commitments that the Diocese of Jerusalem has made to its institutions. 

"The hospital leaders have told us they may be looking at a shortfall of $700,000 a year. We need to do what we can to support our sisters and brothers in these ministries. These are our ministries too because we are one body in Christ -- it's not their ministry and we're the onlookers and cheerleaders -- it's our ministry," Bishop Barry said.

"The Ahli Hospital in Gaza is only one of five hospitals in Gaza city, and it is the only hospital which is a Christian and a charitable hospital. It is open to all, and it's very clear they are doing this work because it's the work of Jesus.They love and serve and are living the baptismal covenant in the most inspiring way."

To make a contribution or to learn more about the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem, please visit the AFEDJ website. R ead more from Archbishop Suheil regarding these cuts and about the institutions the Diocese of Jerusalem supports  here .

More pictures of Bishop Barry's trip are available on our diocesan Facebook page.
FROM THE OFFICE OF THE BISHOP
Nominations reopened for diocesan offices - due Oct. 24

Looking to be in a position to affect change in the diocese? There's still time to nominate yourself or someone you know for the Standing Committee or the Board of Trustees. Both clergy and lay positions are available. 

Elective Offices to be Filled: 
 
Standing Committee: 2 clergy (four-year term and one-year term)
Standing Committee: 2 lay (four-year term and two-year term) 
Board of Trustees: 2 either clergy or lay (three-year term)

Want to learn more? You can visit the nomination section of our website, or e-mail convention@norcalepiscopal.org.

The deadline for filing nominations during the second filing is  Wednesday, Oct. 24. 
You are invited - celebrate Total Ministry Thursday, Nov. 8 
 
Please join us for a celebration of Total Ministry, on Thursday, Nov. 8 at All Saints, Redding, located at 2150 Benton Dr. We will gather at 6:30 p.m. for food, fun and stories and will conclude our evening with a service of Compline at 8:30. 

We especially encourage anyone who has been part of the Total Ministry story in this diocese, anyone who is currently involved in Total Ministry, and anyone else who would like to come and enjoy some good food and friendly people. For questions or more information, please contact the Rev. Betsey Monnot at  betsey@norcalepiscopal.org. See you in Redding!
Registration for Convention


The annual Diocesan Convention will be held in Redding on Nov. 9-10, 2018. 
The Pre-Convention packet is available on our  website.

Convention late registration is open. For those who volunteer (a minimum of four hours; delegates are excluded from this), registration is free. 
Pre-Convention Gathering - From church chores to ministry 

O ur third Pre-Convention Gathering topic is "Following God's Call: From Church Chores to Ministry." How can our church communities cultivate and support ongoing vocational discernment for brand new and long-time leaders? How can we cultivate spiritual practices that sustain each person's baptismal ministry inside and outside the walls of our churches?

Join us for a morning of learning, discussion, and discernment about these questions. The event is free, and lunch will be provided.  Learn more here.
Diocesan Convention offering - pension funds for Cuba

At General Convention this year, bishops and delegates voted "Yes" on A052 - Reconciliation with Cuba. Cuba had been a diocese of the Episcopal Church but was kicked out due to its great suffering under communist rule. This year, Cuba was welcomed back as a Diocese of The Episcopal Church.  During their time separated from the larger church, Cuba didn't have access to the Church Pension Fund. If every member of our churches gave $1, the pension for Cuba could be brought to standard. 

Bishop Beisner is asking each congregation to take up an offering to support the deferred pensions for the Episcopal priests in the Diocese of Cuba. Please make out checks to EDNC and write "Cuba" in the memo line. Please bring your Church's offering to the Diocesan Convention Eucharist.
2019 Annual Enrollment dates

For Active Employees and Retirees in Our Diocese - p lease note the important dates listed below:

2019 Retiree Annual Enrollment
October 15 - December 7, 2018

2019 Active Employee Annual Enrollment
October 29 - November 16, 2018
 
2019 Pre-65 Retiree Annual Enrollment
October 29 - November 16, 2018
 
This year, the Church Pension Group will provide a pre-recorded Member Education Session webinar. We encourage all Medical Trust Members to watch this webinar to learn about the 2019 Annual Enrollment. The pre-recorded webinar, new benefit plans and all information pertaining to the 2019 Annual Enrollment will be posted onto our diocesan website on Wednesday, Oct. 24.

For questions, please contact our Benefits Coordinator and Accounting Specialist, Elizabeth Vang, via email at benefits@norcalepiscopal.org.
Bishop's visitation schedule  
  • Oct. 28 - Trinity Cathedral, Sacramento
  • Nov. 18 - Grace, St. Helena 
  • Dec. 2 - Faith, Cameron Park 
  • Dec. 9 - St. James, Lincoln 
  • Dec. 16 - Our Saviour, Placerville
The Bishop's full 2018 visitation schedule is available here
NEWS AND EVENTS IN AND BEYOND OUR DIOCESE
Ordination to the Sacred Order of Priests, Friday, Oct. 26

Friday, Oct. 26, at 7 p.m. Grant McNeill Bakewell will be ordained into the Sacred Order of Priests at Trinity Cathedral, Sacramento, 2620 Capitol Ave. A reception will follow. Clergy are invited to vest -- red stoles, please.
Join us for our fourth year - register now for Pathways 2019!


The fourth year of our Pathways Youth Pilgrimage will be June 16-21, 2019. Pathways is a pilgrimage uniting youth to one another and to God, equipping them to be agents of truth, peace, and reconciliation. Led by the young adults who started Pathways, participants will spend the week together sharing meals, worshiping, having fun and traveling as pilgrims.

Pathways 2019 is open to all youth finishing grades 7-12. This fourth year of Pathways 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.

Application and Payment information is  here.
Participant applications are  here.
Young Adult and Adult Leader applications are  here.
Better Angels talk on media and politics - Saturday, Oct. 27  

Better Angels is hosting a free workshop addressing the question "What is the media's role in polarizing America?" at Trinity Cathedral, Sacramento, on Saturday, Oct. 27. 

Better Angels is a bipartisan citizen's movement seeking to unify our divided nation. By bringing together people who do not necessarily agree with each other into a working alliance, we're building new ways to talk to one another, participate together in public life, and influence the direction of the nation.
 
Interested in taking part? Please contact Marisa Bodanoff at marisangottuso@yahoo.com or at 707-480-1319 for questions and RSVP here.
Healing - Thank God! conference at Trinity Cathedral, Nov. 2-3


Life is our greatest adventure. Live it to the full. Become whole. Participate in healing through forgiveness, gratitude, grief, loss and an encounter with God. Give yourself the time to listen and pray. We have speakers who have come to the hard times and found a way through. There is a way for you, too.

The conference will be at Trinity Cathedral, Sacramento, on Friday, Nov. 2 at 5 p.m. and Saturday, Nov. 3 at 8:30 a.m. - 4 p.m. and is sponsored by members of the International Order of St. Luke the Physician. The order is made up of clergy, health professionals, and people who feel called to make Jesus' ministry of healing a regular part of their vocation. The featured speaker is the Rev. Canon Lynell Walker.  

For more information, email  elbawhite@yahoo.com. Scholarships are available for those who need them. The cost to attend is $35 and includes lunch on Saturday. You can  register on Eventbrite here
Cursillo orientation and training - Saturday, Nov. 3
If you have made your Cursillo, you are invited to a special orientation and training event for team members and prospective team members at  Faith, Ca meron Park, on Saturday, Nov. 3, from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

The Cursillo Ministry of Northern California is preparing and building teams for two gender-specific Cursillos in 2019.  Cursillo #114 (May 16-19, 2019) will be for men and Cursillo #115 (May 30-June 2, 2019) will be for women.  All Cursillistas that can are encouraged to attend. Even if it has been a long time since you made your Cursillo or worked a Cursillo, your participation is welcome. This will be a day to familiarize yourself with the different aspects of a Cursillo, re-energize past connections and help us to make these Cursillos the best ever.
 
Please bring a potluck item to share for lunch. For questions and to RSVP, please contact Cass Bisbikis at cass@cassbsales.com or at 916-799-3525. 
Jesus and the Dead Sea Scrolls - evening class on Nov. 15

The Center for Bible Study by St. Andrew's, Antelope, presents a class entitled "Jesus and the Dead Sea Scrolls" on Thursday, Nov. 15 from 7 - 8:30 p.m. at  University Covenant Church in Davis, located at  315 Mace Blvd. The keynote speaker is Dr. Travis B. Williams, an associate professor of Religion at Tusculum University. The primary areas of his research focus include the epistle of 1 Peter and the Dead Sea Scrolls, on which he has published a number of books and articles. 

The cost to attend is $10; register and learn more here.
Life planning workshop in Carmichael - Saturday, Nov. 17

Join St. Michael's, Carmichael, and the Episcopal Foundation of Northern California on Saturday, Nov. 17 at 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. for a life planning  workshop, where you will learn about wills and trusts, long tern hospice care, durable power of attorney, and more.  You will leave with a guide that includes samples of important documents and resources to assist you with planning.

The suggested donation is $15. Please RSVP by Nov. 9 to  rhonda@stmichaelscarmichael.org or call the church office at 916-488-3550.
Cristosal Global School: Travel to El Salvador in Feb. 2019


The Rev. Amy Denney Zuniga, Rector of Grace, St. Helena, and Vice President of the board of Cristosal, is co-leading a group to El Salvador Feb. 17-23, 2019, to join a Cristosal's  Global School Seminar on "Applying a Human Rights Approach to Social Justice."  Come learn with Salvadorans about how to address the root causes and build sustainable solutions to poverty, violence, and injustice. Through participatory learning, we will engage with experts working in the field, conduct field visits, dialogue with civic leaders, and share in inter-cultural exchange.  

The cost is $995, plus airfare, and the deadline to register is Nov. 18. 
Want to learn more? An info session, which you can attend in person or via Zoom, will be held at Grace, St. Helena, Oct. 30 at 7 p.m. For questions, to RSVP for the info session, or to register, email  globalschool@cristosal.org .
News from the wider Church

Episcopal Church
Every three years, in accordance with General Convention Resolution #1982-D079, The Episcopal Church convenes an international youth event so "that the energy of the youth of the Episcopal Church can continue to be utilized in active ministry as members of the Body of Christ." It is our practice to accept applications from across the church to discern a group of youth and adult mentors to serve as members of the Episcopal Youth Event (EYE20) Planning Team. Applications are now open for adult mentors to serve on the team. Learn more.

Other news:


Presiding Bishop Michael Curry to release book of sermons, 'The Power of Love'

Executive Council passes budget, grants diocesan waivers, praises work of Episcopal Migration

Good Friday Offering raises record total to support Middle East ministries

Episcopalians advocate for Great Lakes water quality

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THE EPISCOPAL DIOCESE OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA
Making Disciples, Raising Up Saints & Transforming Communities for Christ