May 10-11, 2019
Hope Lutheran Church
45900 Portola Way
Palm Desert, CA 

There are just three more days until our 32nd annual Pacifica Synod Assembly begins at Hope Lutheran Church in Palm Desert! Our staff will be arriving in Palm Desert on Wednesday evening to begin preparations for the start of the Assembly on Friday.

The Lutheran Center for Mission and Learning (Synod Office) will be closed Wednesday, May 8 through Monday, May 13. The office will reopen on Tuesday, May 14. PLEASE NOTE: There will be no weekly worship service this Wednesday, May 8.

In the event of an emergency, please call 619.333.0828 and a staff member will assist you. For non-emergencies, please leave a message and your call will be returned on or after May 14.

Some important reminders about the assembly:

Thursday Evening Early Check-In/Registration & Reception
For those who are arriving to Palm Desert on Thursday, May 9, we encourage you to come by Hope Lutheran between 5:00 and 8:00 p.m. in order to check-in or register that evening.  This will allow you to sleep a bit later on Friday morning and will help our registration process run smoothly.

Also at Hope Lutheran on Thursday evening, between 5:30 and 7:30 p.m., there will be a wine and cheese reception sponsored by Southern Cross Property Consultants (www.southerncrosspc.com). Some display tables will be open and representatives available from various organizations during this time. We are grateful to Southern Cross for their generous sponsorship!

Friday Onsite Assembly Check-In/Registration
Registration will open at 7:00 a.m. on Friday to allow attendees to arrive early, check-in, and share in fellowship and hospitality prior to the beginning of the assembly promptly at 9:00 a.m.  Voting members must be checked in by 8:15 a.m. on Friday in order to be counted for the first credentials report.

Registration will take place on the outdoor courtyard between the Worship Center and Hope Center. 

Assembly Schedule
The Assembly will open with its first business session beginning at 9:15 a.m. on Friday, May 10 and close on Saturday, May 11 at noon. For an updated Assembly schedule, please click here.

Pre-Assembly Notebook of Reports
Don't forget your Pre-Assembly notebook! Print or download it to your device before you arrive. Visit our Synod Assembly web page to access a PDF version of the notebook.

Resolution Update
There are two resolutions that were received after the printing of the notebook.  These two resolutions, 19-05 and 19-06, along with Resolutions 19-02 and 19-03 must be approved by a two-thirds vote to be considered before the assembly as they were received after the February 11 deadline. These two resolutions are included here for those who would like to review them in advance.  

Assembly Guidebook App
Again this year, we are excited to share that our synod assembly materials are also available through a free app that you can access through your phone or tablet. Using the Guidebook App, all of the resources included in our assembly notebook are available at your fingertips, plus the ability to access the most up-to-date information about our event, including schedules, maps, and much more.


Android and iOS users:
  1. Tap the "Download" button to download the free Guidebook app
  2. Open Guidebook and you can find our "2019 Pacifica Synod Assembly" guide
Save time and download the app BEFORE you arrive at the Synod Assembly. If you need help, please contact Terri Robertson at terrirobertson@pacificasynod.org

Parking
You are strongly encouraged to carpool to Hope Lutheran with other members from your congregation or your hotel. If the parking lot at Hope Lutheran is full, limited street parking is available on both Lantana Avenue and Fairway Drive.

Wireless Access
WiFi is available at Hope Lutheran, but to ensure that we don't exceed the bandwidth available, please download any and all documents (and the Guidebook App) PRIOR to arriving at the Assembly. Network and password information will be available at registration.

Friday Afternoon Worship & Assembly Offering
The Friday afternoon worship service begins at 4:15 p.m. and is open to all. The offering received at this service has been designated to be shared equally between our Companion Synod, the Basal Christian Church of Malaysia and Lutheran Disaster Response. You may bring your offering with you to the Assembly or mail it in to the synod office, labeled "Assembly Offering" and it will be designated as listed above.

Friday Evening AMMPARO Dinner & Conversation
AMMPARO is a network within the ELCA, which organizes opportunities to learn, serve, and otherwise advocate for the dignity and needs of migrants and their children. AMMPARO is an acronym for Accompanying Migrant Minors with Protection, Advocacy, Represenation, and Opportunities. AMMPARO in Pacifica partners with Lutheran organizations in Southern California, and Lutherans called to ministry with immigrants, refugees, and asylum seekers. We have many opportunities for mission trips, facility tours, discussions and events in the United States and Mexico. We would be glad to share our story and purpose and learn yours over Friday dinner during Synod Assembly. Please contact Thomas Voelp at tvcharles17@gmail.com to RSVP for dinner and conversation at Fresh Agave Mexican Grill at 5:30 on Friday, May 10.

Cal Lutheran and PLTS Alumni & Friends Reception
You are invited to join Cal Lutheran and PLTS for a complimentary happy hour with beverages and appetizers at the Sonoma Grille at the Embassy Suites, Palm Desert from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. on Friday, May 10. Non-alcoholic drinks, beer and wine provided. No RSVP is necessary.

Got Cookies?
As is our tradition, we invite congregation members to bake and bring donations  of cookies for our hospitality room at the Assembly. Your cookie donations may be sent with those attending from your congregation and dropped off at the church when you arrive. Thank you for your faithful baking!

Stay Connected!
We encourage those attending the Assembly to share your experiences through social media by using the hashtag #pacifica19 on your photos and posts. You can also share photos through the "Connect" feature on the Guidebook App. 

Want to keep informed of what's happening during the Assembly even if you can't be there in person? The business sessions of the assembly will be livestreamed on the synod's YouTube channel. You can follow us on Twitter or like our Facebook page for the latest updates.

We give thanks for the hard work of the Assembly Planning Team, the pastors and congregation members of Hope Lutheran, and the many volunteers who give so generously of their time to make this Assembly a possibility. We are grateful for your prayers for our synod staff, assembly voting members, guests, vendors, and volunteers. If you will be attending, we look forward to welcoming you when you arrive! Safe travels!