January 11, 2022 | Week of 1 Epiphany
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Date Announced for the Thirty-fourth annual Diocesan Choir Festival |
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Trinity Cathedral invites all singers from around the Diocese to join us for our thirty-fourth Diocesan Choir Festival, to be held on Saturday, January 22nd. Our guest conductor will be Dr. Maxine Thévenot, who is Canon Precentor & Director of Music at the Cathedral of St John in Albuquerque, New Mexico. A gifted musician in every aspect of church music, Maxine has a wonderfully engaging style, which promises a wonderful day of singing.
After a full day of rehearsal, the festival concludes with a service of Choral Evensong at 3:00 pm, to which all are invited.
Please note, in accordance with Diocesan guidelines, we are asking that all participants be fully vaccinated and wear a mask while participating. Other safety protocols will be in place for the entirety of the festival.
Click here for more information!
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Dr. Maxine Thévenot
Canon Precentor & Director of Music Cathedral of St John
Albuquerque, New Mexico
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Click here for the latest update on Covid-19 protocols and other information.
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Thursday Nights
at the Cathedral
January 20 – February 24 7:00–8:30 pm
Brothers in the Beloved Community: The Friendship of Thich Nhat Hanh and Martin Luther King Jr.
by Marc Andrus, Bishop of the Diocese of California
“The never-before-told story of the friendship between Martin Luther King Jr. and Thich Nhat Hanh (Vietnamese Buddhist monk) — icons who changed each other and the world…The two men bonded over a shared vision of the Beloved Community… a vision describe by John Lewis as ‘a nation and world society at peace with itself.’ It was a concept each knew of because of their membership within the Fellowship of Reconciliation, an international peace organization, and that Martin Luther King Jr. had be popularizing through his work for some time. Thich Nhat Hanh…took the lineage of the Beloved Community from King and carried it on after his death.”
Facilitator: Susan Hotchkiss
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News from the Office of the Bishop |
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The Office of the Bishop will be closed Monday, January 17 in observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.
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Benefit Update:
Carrier Telehealth Platform Coverage Change
We want to share information about an important change to active carrier telehealth platform coverage in response to the expiration of the HSA-qualified CDHP deductible waiver that was applied from January 1, 2020, through December 31, 2021.
This change effects all employees enrolled in an Anthem, Cigna, or Kaiser plan through the Church Medical Trust.
Please click here to read more about this change.
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January 16, 2022
Epiphany 2: John 2:1-11.
Today we turn again to the Gospel of John, and to the famous story of Jesus turning water into wine. This is the first miracle in John, which he refers to as a “sign.” This term indicates that the miracle which was performed to meet an immediate need also had a spiritual significance. It gave a new clarity to who Jesus was and what he had come to do. In the case of the changing of water into wine the reader learns several things about the character of Jesus.
First we learn that Jesus understands life. He was not detached but involved, and he participated fully in human life. At the wedding at Cana he was informed by his mother of a difficulty, namely that the wine had run out, and he sought to correct the situation.
The second thing we learn is that Jesus loves life. Here he was at a wedding enjoying himself. Jesus entered into the joy of the moment. No doubt, his disciples did so as well. One commentator has even suggested that the reason that the wine ran out was because Jesus and the disciples were at the wedding!
The third spiritual lesson that I see in this passage is that Jesus transforms life. Just as he changed the water into wine, so he can change our lives into something new and fulfilling. He said, “I came that they might have life, and have it abundantly” (John 10:10). This life in all its fullness is ours if we will see and believe.
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Week of Prayer for Christian Unity
You are invited to Livestream Special Event on Tuesday, January 18, 2022 from 3:00-6:30 p.m. during the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. The theme is: We have seen his star in the East and have come to pay homage to him
(cf. Matthew 2:2).
This event is sponsored by the North State Ecumenical Conference (NSEC), which was established in 1968 and is comprised of Christian faiths in the Greater Sacramento Area.
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Event Schedule
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Panel Discussion (3:00- 4:15 p.m.) with several Christian faith leaders, who will address the topic of: Uniting as Christians, as we pay homage to Christ.
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Featured Speaker (4:30- 5:00 p.m.) will be Rev. Rola Al Ashkar of Westminster Presbyterian Church, and her topic is: The gift of the star is a sign of hope during today's troubled times.
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Worship Prayer Service (5:15- 6:30 p.m.) led by 16 Christian faith leaders, with the sermon delivered by Rev. Aidan Rontani of the Episcopal Church.
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There is no charge for this Special Event. Donations may be made to Sacramento Food Bank and Family Services (please make reference to: NSEC Special Event). To donate please click here. Thank you!
For more information or questions, contact:
Deacon Dennis Gorsuch, NSEC Chair
(916) 984-8550, or E-mail: dennisgorsuch@comcast.net
May we gather to be the LIGHT for unity
and a beacon of HOPE for all humanity
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Diocesan Partners in Ministries of Health |
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Free Lenten Resources Available
Living Well Through Lent 2022
Lenten Resource available without cost for your Congregation. Provided through the Diocesan Partners in Ministries of Health.
To order, sent your address and number of copies needed and we’ll take it from there.
Susan Wahlstrom, Coordinator
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Commission for Intercultural Ministries |
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Afghan Resettling Update
Everyone can help resettle an Afghan Family
Individuals, small groups, and churches all can have a role to play in welcoming our new Afghan Neighbors to Northern California and providing them with much needed and appreciated help in establishing their new lives here. Opportunities for participation include supplying winter blankets, laptop computers, money for temporary housing and services, and forming a Sponsor Circle and working directly to resettle an Afghan family.
To date, 56,000 Afghan Allies (these are folks who worked directly in support of the U.S. mission in Afghanistan over the past 20 years, their family members, and folks who worked for NGOs and humanitarian groups that provided aid to the Afghan people) have left their temporary homes at U.S. military bases and are resettling in communities all over our country. Many are already in Sacramento and other communities in Northern California. 18,000 more Allies are awaiting assignments and sponsors at these bases. Several thousand of these refugees are slated to come to Northern California. The nine official resettlement agencies (our local partners international Rescue Committee and World Relief are two of the nine) are maxed out in their ability to resettle all the families. Our help is very needed and urgent.
Please join this effort by doing your part to welcome Afghan refugees. Details on ways to do this are here.
The Afghan Resettlement Team
A Ministry of the Commission for Intercultural Ministries
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New Sacred Ground Circle Beginning February 3 |
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A new Sacred Ground Circle open to anyone in the Diocese will begin on February 3, 2022. The group will meet weekly on Thursdays, from 1-3 pm.
Sacred Ground is a film and readings based dialogue series on racism, grounded in faith. The experience helps you to be more knowledgeable about the history of racism in our communities and how, as people of faith, we are called to bring God's transformative love into our presence in the community.
The Circle will be co-facilitated by Sharron Simpson, a spiritual director and educator, and Bob Wohlsen, a social justice advocate.They have teamed together to lead three previous Circles in the Diocese. Participants frequently make comments that the Sacred Ground Circle was transformative, and has changed their lives by learning the truth about racism.
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As of today, the Bishop's Partnership Appeal Book of Dreams has raised $21,415 for ministries around the diocese. These ministries still need your support for their dreams to be realized.
Click here to view the book and learn more about how to donate to these projects. Please consider joining the many folks in our diocese who have given so generously. The campaign ends January 31, 2022.
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Job Opportunities around the Diocese |
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NEW!
The Office of the Bishop is seeking a Missioner for Evangelism, Discipleship, & Congregational Vitality.
See the position description here.
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St. Clement’s | Rancho Cordova is seeking a 3/4 time Priest-in-Charge.
See the position description here.
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All Saints | Sacramento is looking for a part-time Office/Administrative Assistant. Read the job posting here.
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St. Michael’s | Carmichael is seeking an Assistant/Associate Priest. Read the job announcement here.
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St. Patrick's | Kenwood is seeking an Organist/Pianist. Click here for more information.
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St. Paul's | Sacramento is seeking a Music Director.
Read the job announcement here.
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St. Paul’s | Benicia is seeking a Contemporary Music Leader
For more information, click here.
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Diocesan Commissions | Committees | Ministries |
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The ENews is published weekly on Tuesdays.
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The Episcopal Diocese of Northern California
Making Disciples, Raising Up Saints & Transforming Communities for Christ
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