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FROM THE OFFICE OF THE BISHOP
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RSVP for the Camp Noel Porter Celebration, Sept. 1
F
or decades, Camp Noel Porter has been a sacred place for families, young adults, youth, and children. As camping programs have changed, the
Camp Noel Porter board and the Board of Trustees have prayerfully decided that it is no longer possible to hold camp programs on this site. It is time
to say goodbye to this summer camp ministry, remembering the spirit-filled gifts that we have received
here. The time has come to "pass it on" as our camp-song reminds us.
To honor this beloved ministry, Bishop Barry Beisner invites you to a day of memory, celebration, connection, prayer, and song on Saturday, Sept. 1, from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. If you plan on attending, we ask that you please RSVP here by Aug. 10.
This event is free, and dinner will be provided. An agenda of the day is below.
2:00 p.m.
Visit the camp, arts/crafts, ping-pong, connect with old friends
4:00 p.m.
Eucharist at the Outdoor Chapel
5:00 p.m.
Dinner provided
6:00 p.m.
Campfire
7:30 p.m.
Closing prayer and closing song, "Pass It On"
Camp Noel Porter attire is welcome!
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Ordination to the Sacred Order of Priests
On Friday, Aug. 3
, at 6 p.m.,
Lisa Biersch Cole
will be ordained t
o the Sacred Order of Priests by Bishop Barry Beisner at Trinity, Sonoma.
Your prayers and presence are requested; a reception will follow. Clergy: red stoles.
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Certificate of Lay Delegates for Convention Due Aug. 3
Thank you to the 22 churches that have submitted their Certificate of Lay Delegates forms for the 2018 Diocesan Convention! If you're one of the remaining churches that hasn't submitted your form to the Office of the Bishop, please note that the due date is Aug. 3.
The 2018 Certificate of Lay Delegates form and more information is
available here.
Please note that filling out this form is NOT convention registration for delegates. See link below for convention registration.
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Registration Open for Our Convention in Redding, Nov. 9-10
The annual Diocesan Convention will be held in Redding on Nov. 9-10, 2018.
The Pre-Convention packet is available on our
website.
Convention registration is now open! P
lease purchase your tickets as soon as possible to avoid the late registration fee of $25.00 and to help the Office of the Bishop prepare most efficiently for convention. For those who volunteer (a minimum of four hours; delegates are excluded from this), registration is free. General registration will close Sept. 28.
Pre-Convention Gathering to Focus on Baptismal Ministry - Register Now!
Our 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.
And save the date for Deanery Convocations, which will be Oct. 20.
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Bishop's Visitation Schedule
- July 29 - Holy Spirit, Lake Almanor
- Aug. 26 - St. Paul's, Oroville
- Sept. 2 - St. Nicholas', Tahoe City
- Sept. 9 - St. Luke's, Calistoa
- Sept. 16 - Trinity, Folsom
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NEWS AND EVENTS IN AND BEYOND OUR DIOCESE
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St. Francis, Fortuna, Installs 10th Artistic Window
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Artist Jeannette Frey-Carson provides a finishing touch to the newest stained-glass window
at St. Francis, Fortuna. Photo by
the Rev. Geri Cunningham, priest-in-charge.
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By Diana LaVen, Senior Warden,
St. Francis, Fortuna
A new stained-glass window at St. Francis, Fortuna, known as the Baptism/Vocation Window, is full of Christian symbols: shepherds and their sheep, an eagle representing the new life begun in baptism, burning torches depicting the light of the world, and shimmering water that tie in the themes of Baptism and Vocation.
Jeanette Frey-Carson, a very creative stained-glass artist from Ukiah, has designed and constructed all 10 of the stained-glass windows now in the nave of St. Francis' Church. The new window is a gift from the families and friends of Karen Chase and Nancy McLaughlin and will be dedicated to their memory. Both Karen and Nancy passed away this past year.
It has been nearly 20 years since the first stained glass window was installed in the nave. That first window was a memorial gift to the church from the family of a young boy who tragically succumbed to cancer. Gradually over the years other windows have been added as remembrances and now the last of 10 stained glass windows has been installed.
On a Sunday morning earlier this month The Rev. Geri Cunningham, priest-in-charge at St. Francis, had fun challenging the children to locate the bee and the locust in the window. The bee and locust are symbols of St. John the Baptizer and although they are small in size, they are an important part of the story depicted in the window. The artist has cleverly included small features in each window which at first are not obvious but are delightfully discovered after a few minutes studying the details.
A celebration of the completion of the stained-glass windows is planned for Sunday afternoon, Sept. 23 at 3 p.m. The public is invited. The program will include a concert by Tre Amici (piano, clarinet and cello), a discussion by the artist highlighting the symbolism of each window, and a display of the techniques she uses in constructing a stained-glass window. Refreshments will follow in the parish hall.
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The Belfry Bids Goodbye to Pastor Jocelynn
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Last Monday, July 16, Lutheran Episcopal Volunteer Network (LEVN) held its annual Sending Service. While they usually hold this event at The Belfry, the home of LEVN and Lutheran Episcopal Campus Ministry at UC Davis, this year St. Martin's, Davis, allowed them to hold the service in its beautiful sanctuary and the traditional after-service BBQ on its grounds.
While always a bittersweet event, this year's service was especially so as it marked the end of the Rev. Jocelynn Hughes' 10 years of ministry at The Belfry.
Emily Hyberg, executive director of the campus ministry, said "Pastor Jocelynn gave a moving homily which remembered numerous baptisms and confirmations as well as the founding of LEVN and the many people who have made all of that
work possible. In her parting words, she highlighted the Gospel reading of John 21:15-19 reminding current staff, the Belfry Board, and community supporters to feed and tend His sheep." After the Eucharist the LEVN volunteers were formally released from their year of service with prayer while the assembled group laid hands on them. The closing hymn, "
God Be With You Till We Meet Again,"
is
a tradition from Pastor Casey Dunsworth's seminary years that was sung whenever folks were moving on to their next life stage.
After the service, everyone reconvened in the courtyard for burgers grilled by Belfry volunteers. Former Board members, LEVN alumni, and congregants from our partner parishes mingled with the current staff, Belfry Board, and the outgoing LEVN volunteers remembering all of the many years of UC Davis campus ministry, prior LEVN program years, and those who weren't able to be there.
The sentiment echoed over and over at the BBQ and in the weeks leading up to it were of how incredibly fortunate The Belfry was to have called Pastor Jocelynn in 2008. Her stalwart leadership helped The Belfry and LEVN weather many seasons both good and bad with grace and tenacity, and her tenure has been witness to miracles large and small. That The Belfry continues to thrive is a testament to her remarkable abilities. As she leaves, The LEVN program itself embarks on a new stage by moving the volunteers' housing to Sacramento. This undertaking will allow the program to expand both in number of volunteers and in partnerships with area nonprofits and fulfills a long-term vision of Pastor Jocelynn.
If you wish to support this exceptional vision, and the expansion of the LEVN program with a gift of your own, donations can be made in Jocelynn's honor here.
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A Message From Rev. Olga
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
I want to thank you for the donations I received during my medical treatment. My family and I are thankful and have no words to express our feelings about what you have done.
We pray this fellowship continues for years and years. You are in our prayers and we hope to be back one day to serve the Lord and share his love with you.
God bless you,
Reverend Olga Barrera
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Two Conferences to Focus on Health, Healing and Self-Care
On Oct. 1-4 at the Bishop's Ranch, the
PNEUMA 2018 Conference will focus on tools to help build up wellness in ourselves as leaders and wellness-based spiritual formation in our churches. "Imagine that your church is known as the 'Wellness Center' in the community - a place where teens, adults and families can learn ways to live healthier in every aspect of their lives. This isn't just about healthy eating or exercise. This is about psychological, emotional, and spiritual health as well." Register here.
On Nov. 2-3, The International Order of
St. Luke the Physician,
Sacramento-Foothills Chapter, is planning a Friday night-Saturday conference.
For more information, contact conference coordinator Elba Rivas de White at
[email protected]
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The Center at St. Matthew's Seeks Executive Director
The St. Matthew's Center is a project of the Episcopal Diocese of Northern California, based in Sacramento, California. It is an effort by the Episcopal Church in this region to ascertain and meet the needs of a diverse and somewhat underprivileged community in the North Sacramento area. To this end, the campus of an existing Episcopal Church is being converted into a center for outreach to the surrounding neighborhood, while still hosting a small, active congregation. While this project is still in development, it already hosts a food bank, a preschool, and an ESL facility.
The Center is seeking an individual who can assume the day-to-day management of the Center, as well as strategizing community outreach, fundraising and future growth in the services provided by the Center. The individual chosen to be Executive Director will also need to be able to maintain and manage relationships with and among the existing projects and congregation (which are largely self-managing and autonomous), as well as working with and reporting to the Center Committee. (The Committee serves as a Board for the Center, under the Episcopal Diocese.)
A complete job description is here.
Please submit cover letter and resume to [email protected]. Applications will be accepted through Aug. 17, 2018.
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New Rector Called by St. Paul's, Benicia
The Rev. Annie Pierpoint Mertz, at right with her son and husband Andrew, sent this letter to St. Paul's, Benicia. Her
first Sunday will be Sept. 2.
In a letter to St. Paul's, Mertz said:
"I am so excited to serve as your next rector!
I sense that God has great things in store for this parish, and I'm delighted to be a part of it.
'Til we meet again, may God bless and keep you!"
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Rector Maryly Adair, St. Peter's, Red Bluff, Retires
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Items From St. Francis, Fair Oaks Closure Still Available
As you may recall earlier this year, the folks at St Francis offered up a lot of their precious items to the rest of the churches around the diocese. This was a very successful and smooth process, and "we thank the wonderful folk at St. Francis, Fair Oaks, for their work on this," said Lynn Zender of St. Martin's, Davis, who shepherded the dispersal.
There are two items still available. Please see below for a listing of the items. You may send an email to
[email protected] if you are interested, or if you have questions, or for photos of the items. Also, please take into consideration that you would need to go to Fair Oaks and pick up the item and arrange for its transportation to your congregation, at a time and date to be arranged.
- Baby Grand Piano - this piano was donated by a family in Grass Valley. It has stipulations that the piano needs to be given to an Episcopal Church in Northern CA. Thom Greathouse from Emmanuel, Grass Valley, worked with the family. The piano is in very good condition.
- Allen Organ - good condition, S/N 150327
"We are sure that these items will go to a wonderful place! We will be giving the instruments to the first congregation which requests it and can make pick-up arrangements," Zender said.
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THE EPISCOPAL DIOCESE OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA
Making Disciples, Raising Up Saints & Transforming Communities for Christ
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