The Office of the Bishop of the Southwest California Synod of the ELCA is located on the traditional territory of the Chumash, Tongva, and Kizh people. The SWCA Synod rests on the traditional territory of over 11 different indigenous people.
Here is one resource you can use to find out more information about the traditional keepers of the land on which you live, work or travel.
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California Lutheran University received a $1 million, five-year grant from the Lilly Endowment to create the program in partnership with its own Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary and the 11 ELCA synods of Regions 1 and 2. Cohorts of church leaders began meeting in 2020 to provide support, connection, and engage in spiritual practices. This coming year, Cohort Leaders and participants will be eligible for coaching and spiritual direction sessions as part of the grant. We are seeking a pool of coaches and spiritual directors for that purpose.
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Living the Resurrection Exploration Workshops |
Want to experience what it’s like to be part of a Living the Resurrection Learning Community? Sign up and attend one of these workshops.
You’ll get an overview of the whole process as well as a chance to practice using a couple of the skills!
The first official Southwest California Synod Living the Resurrection workshop will take place Saturday, February 5, 2022 from 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Living the Resurrection Blogsposts:
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From the General Counsel of the ELCA: Your congregation may have received information from the Boy Scouts of America (the “BSA”) including a “Plan Solicitation” package concerning voting on its proposed chapter 11 plan of reorganization (the “Plan”) and/or whether your congregation wishes to opt out of the treatment provided in the Plan for “Chartered Organizations.” We have prepared the information below to help member congregations. It is not legal advice and should not be considered as such. Please retain and consult with an attorney if your congregation needs or wants legal advice concerning the BSA and its Plan.
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First, we pray. We pray for the impoverished and oppressed. We pray for police officers and jailers and bailiffs. We pray for investigators and judges and district attorneys and defense lawyers. We pray for the families of victims. We pray for the wrongly accused and the desperately guilty. All of these are our siblings. This is the painful truth: we are all the Body of Christ. Those who kill and those who are killed. What a challenge for us, to pray for those who have done horrible things. How else can healing come in our society?
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#B3SWCA
#WhereIsBishopBrenda
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From the Presiding Bishop |
"The Cross is the True Gift of Christmas" |
Sarah Hinlicky Wilson, Lutheran pastor, author, professor, and theologian and her dad, Paul R. Hinlicky - also a Lutheran pastor, professor, theologian and writer - discuss the Bible, theology, doctrinal topics, practical questions, and "wild speculation."
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Please pray for the following:
- Lutheran Immigrant Services and their work with refugees.
- Pastor Ray Kibler, who is battling immuno-deficiency disease and cancer.
Your prayer requests are important to us. If you would like to be added to the prayer list or if we should continue your request, please email news@socalsynod.org.
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The Southwest California Synod is a Reconciling In Christ Synod, making a public commitment to welcome, include and celebrate lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, and asexual (LGBTQIA+) people. For information about becoming a Reconciling in Christ congregation or organization, please contact the Region 2 RIC Coordinator or the RIC office.
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We are also a Lutheran Restoring Creation Synod. Lutherans Restoring Creation is a grassroots movement promoting care for creation in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, cultivating a community of dedicated stewards of earth and neighbor who proclaim God’s promise of hope and healing for all.
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The Rev. Brenda Bos
Bishop
The Rev. Joseph Castañeda
Carrera
Assistant to the Bishop for Leadership Development and Authentic Diversity
The Rev. Chryll Crews
Director for Evangelical Mission
Taylor Dariarow
Office Manager
Executive Assistant to the Bishop
Robin Lujan
Administrative Assistant
Adrienne Griffin
Accountant
Lisa Higginbotham
Gift Planner/Advancement Advisor
Thomas Yuschak
Region 2 Archivist
Samantha Henderson
Mission Interpreter
1300 E. Colorado Street
Glendale, CA 91205
(818) 507-9591
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News from the SWCA Synod: December, 2021 |
#Giving Tuesday: Record Breaking Giving in 2021 |
#GivingTuesday, a global generosity movement about radical generosity, took place November 30. In the the United States alone, #GivingTuesday donations totaled $2.7 billion - a 9% increase compared to 2020, and a 37% increase since 2019.
From the #GivingTuesday website: we project that volunteering and gifts of goods on GivingTuesday also increased from 2020 in the United States. Volunteering on the day increased by 11% and gifts of goods (clothes, food, supplies, etc.) saw an 8% increase compared to 2020. Additional results and deeper analysis of giving, including global stats, will be shared in the coming weeks.
Bookmark #GivingTuesday resources now so that your congregation or organization is prepared to participate - to fundraise for your ministry or another group - in 2022!
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Ask a Bishop!
email askbishopbrenda@gmail.com
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For congregations: send hope and cheer to families in detention |
All you need are Christmas cards (no envelopes).
Write a greeting* on a card and sign your first name and city. Gather all the cards prepared by your congregation, add a cover sheet with the following information:
1. Congregation’s name and address
2. Pastor’s name and email address
3. Point of Contact name and email address
4. Number of cards sent
Mail in a manila envelope or a box to the church listed below that will send them to the centers:
First English Evangelical Lutheran Church
Attention: Hope for the Holidays
3807 Charles Street
Baltimore MD 21218
*Possible greetings (write in English and/or Spanish): Dear friend/ Querido amiga/o
Greetings from (city/state) / Saludos desede (city/state) My name is (first name only) / Me llamo (first name only) Merry Christmas / Feliz Navidad
May God bless you! / Que Dios se benediga!
For more information, please visit www.lirs.org
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December What's News: Southwest California Women of the ELCA
In this issue - Loving Connection October Convention recap, a message from SWO President Dixie Hanson, and more!
Read more
www.socalsynod.org
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Lutheran World Federation’s First Woman General Secretary |
The Lutheran World Federation (LWF) is a global community of 148 churches in the Lutheran tradition representing over 75.5 million Christians in 99 countries. Our ELCA is a member. It was established in 1947 in Lund, Sweden and is now headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland. LWF works in 25 countries carrying out emergency responses and long-term development that assists 2.7 million people. As of November 1, 2021 the LWF General Secretary is the first woman and the first person from Central Eastern Europe. Her name is The Rev. Anne Burghardt and she is from the Estonian Evangelical Lutheran Church.
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Thrivent Members - Don't forget to designate your choice dollars! |
Last year, Thrivent Financial for Lutherans provided more than $100 million to help congregations, communities and individuals in need. Thrivent Choice program offers two ways members can recommend where Thrivent Financial distributes some of its charitable outreach funds. Some members can participate in both, based on eligibility.
Eligible Thrivent members are designated Choice Dollars, based on insurance premiums, contract values and Thrivent Financial volunteer leadership. Choice Dollars can be directed to thousands of nonprofit organizations nationwide, including your local congregation! If you are eligible to direct Choice Dollars, you will receive a letter in the mail at the point you become eligible.
Choice Dollars designated during the calendar year can be directed until March 31 of the following year.
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NPR Podcast: Pastor Samson Chauhan of Lutheran Maritime Ministry |
With on-going relationships around the world, Chaplain Sampson has stayed in touch with literally hundreds of officers and seafarers during this difficult time. Many of them are Filipinos, Chinese and from India, and some are from Eastern Europe, North Africa, Ghana, Bangladesh, and Korea.
This ministry receives support from congregations, the Synod, and individuals, and the North America Maritime Ministry Association. You can support them here.
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Maritime chaplain offers support to crew stuck on cargo...
NPR's Ailsa Chang speaks with Samson Shekhar Chauhan of the Lutheran Maritime Ministries about his work assisting crew members unable to leave ships because of COVID restrictions and shipping delays. AILSA CHANG, HOST: Imagine being stuck aboard...
Read more
www.npr.org
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St. Matt's NoHo 90th Anniversary |
St. Matthew's in North Hollywood marks 90th anniversary, ...
More than five years ago, on a Wednesday morning, Art Figueroa and other members of St. Matthew's Lutheran Church in North Hollywood nervously awaited their first guests. The congregants of the small, decades-old church had opened up a shower...
Read more
www.dailynews.com
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Pastor Eric Shafer of Mt.Olive, Santa Monica to Retire |
Beloved pastor to retire leaving his congregation twice...
Many a community member has been touched by Reverend Eric Shafer, be it through attending his services, using the homeless shelter he helped open, or simply being cheered up by seeing his beaming smile on the side of a Big Blue Bus.
Read more
www.smdp.com
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Pastor Eric has been hosting "Hope Matters," a video interview program produced by Mt. Olive, Santa Monica about the importance of hope. Weekly guests from the synod, the US, and around the work speak about hope in their lives and, especially, in these times. Here are some episodes - check out the rest!
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Southwest California Synod, ELCA
1300 E. Colorado Street
Glendale, California 91205
(818) 507-9591
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