July 12, 2022
In this edition of ENews:
  • Scenes from General Convention
  • 80th General Convention wrap up
  • Countdown to 2022 Diocesan Convention begins
  • St. George’s Carmichael Awards Scholarships to three
  • St. John's Roseville to host Sacred Ground Circle 
  • Our Saviour, Placerville helps survivors share their abundance
General Convention
Scenes from the 80th General Convention in Baltimore, Maryland
Top: Our Deputies cast their votes in support of commemorating the Rt. Rev. Barbara Harris
Second Row, Left: Director of Convention Security, Kati Braak, with Bishop Megan
Second Row, Right: Canon Julie Wakelee with her husband Brad Pierce, join Bishop megan and several deputies for a cruise after convention.
Third Row, Left: Rev. Jim Richardson celebrates passing of the resolution honoring Howard Thurman
Third Row, Right: Lay Deputy Canon Charles Mack in his sartorial splendor
Bottom: Our deputation: Left to right: Canon Charles Mack, Rev. Robin Denney, Rev. Matt Warren, Mr. Peter Juve, Rev. Br. Simeon (Lewis) Powell, Mr. Jay Elmquist, Bishop Megan, Ms. CeeCee Coleman, Rev. Jim Richardson, Ms. DonnaJo Woollen. Not pictured - Rev. Canon Cookie Clark.
The Rev. Gay Clark Jennings, who ended her term at president of the House of Deputies July 11 at the end of the 80th General Convention, and Presiding Bishop Michael Curry listen July 10 during the convention’s budget presentation. Photo: Scott Gunn
80th General Convention wrap-up: shortened, masked, tested, legislated
Mary Frances Schjonberg | Episcopal News Service

The 80th General Convention of The Episcopal Church is one for the history books, and not just for the decisions made but also for how the COVID-19 pandemic changed the way the church conducted its business.

The July 8-11 gathering – postponed a year because of COVID-19 and shortened from eight days – conducted what Presiding Bishop Michael Curry had referred to during the planning process as “matters essential for the governance and good order of the church.” Still, 412 resolutions were filed for consideration.

Legislative committees acted online most of the resolutions before gathering in Baltimore. That cleared the way for the House of Bishops and House of Deputies to devote the in-person gathering only to legislative floor sessions. They passed most of the resolutions in batches through consent calendars. Bishops and deputies had floor debates only on more controversial measures or on actions that they wanted to raise to greater prominence.

The streamlined convention had been scheduled to run until 5 p.m. EDT but both houses finished their work before 1 p.m. on July 11. Story Continues here.
Office of the Bishop
Only 101 Days until Diocesan Convention!
The 112th Annual Convention is October 21–22 in Redding. Registration is now open for Clergy, Delegates, Alternates and Visitors. to register, visit the convention website.
Around the Diocese
Saint George’s, Carmichael, awards three with Sherrill Memorial Scholarships
Irie Odem, Zachary Fisch, and Michael Maslianka are this years recipients of the Gregory Kenneth Sherrill Memorial Scholarships
Saint George’s Episcopal Church in Carmichael awarded the 2022 Gregory Kenneth Sherrill Memorial Scholarships to three outstanding young adults who are heading to top UC campuses this fall. 

The scholarship is named for Gregory Kenneth Sherrill, a member of St. George's who died tragically at a young age. His parents established an endowment which has awarded scholarships since 1985 to students who graduated in the San Juan Unified School District. On our scholarship committee this year were Aaron Atkins, Lana Engler and John Karsten. 

  • Michael Maslianka of Del Campo High School was awarded $4,000. He will attend UC Davis with a major in Global Disease Biology.

  • Zachary Fisch, a graduate of Casa Roble High School, received a $3,000 scholarship. He will attend UCLA with a major in Civil Engineering.  

  • Irie Odom, a graduate of Mira Loma High School, received a $2,000 scholarship. She will attend UC Santa Cruz with a major in Biology.

Congratulations to these fine students for their accomplishment. It is a blessing for Saint George’s to be able to award grants of financial aid to such worthy students. For more photos, click here. 
St. John’s Roseville to Hold Sacred Ground Dialogue Circles

Sacred Ground is a film- and readings-based small group dialogue series on race and racism in America, grounded in faith; and is part of Becoming Beloved Community, the Episcopal Church’s long-term commitment to racial healing, reconciliation, and justice in our personal lives, our ministries, and our society. To date, over 50 individuals have attended the three previous sets of circles offered at St. John’s. 

This is a 11-session program, with small group discussion and reflection. Sessions will be held bi-weekly on Wednesday evenings from 7pm-9pm beginning August 10th and will be offered via zoom. There is no cost for attending the program, although participants are asked to purchase to books to help guide them in our discussions.

For more information, or to indicate your interest in attending, please contact Fr. Cliff Haggenjos at haggenjos@comcast.net or 707.235.9728.

2022/2023 Best Skills,
Best Churches Program Registration is Open

Click here for the schedule and additional information.
Click here to register.
Two diocesan Clergy to teach through CALL program at CDSP
The Rev. Alex Leach
The Rev. Dr. Daniel London
The Rev. Alex Leach, rector of St. Luke's, Woodland, and The Rev. Dr. Daniel London, rector at Christ Church, Eureka, will be teaching courses for Church Divinity School of the Pacific (CDSP) beginning in Fall 2022. The courses are scheduled to run September 12 — October 31. Both courses are online. Registration for CALL courses open July 20th. 

CDSP’s Center for Anglican Learning and Leadership (CALL) works actively with partner dioceses across the Episcopal Church to develop curricula and continuing education courses that support local formation for ordained ministry and complement diocesan-based retreats and formation experiences.
Any lay or ordained person can take courses through CALL. Participants do NOT need to go through CDSP’s degree program admissions process.
From the Wider Church
Caregiving and Alzheimer’s in Today’s World
Presented by Marge Burke

Zoom Workshop | Saturday, July 16 | 10:00 am

This workshop is designed to give a face to Alzheimer’s disease from the caregiver’s and care recipient’s perspective. Participants will learn the importance of mind, body, spirit and the arts, how to find resources and create a support system. The leader of this workshop has written a trilogy of her experience caring for her husband over the course of nine years.


*Attendance is limited to the first 100 persons who log into the Zoom workshop.

Mission for Disaster Resilience
Our Saviour, Placerville helps survivors share their abundance with other survivors

Following a disaster, some survivors are overwhelmed by an abundance of donations, while others are left wanting. Recently, the survivors of the Caldor Fire (El Dorado County) found themselves inundated with bicycles that were generously donated to their children by people in the Sacramento area. At the same time, the children who survived the Dixie Fire (Plumas County) found themselves with few recreational opportunities and no bicycles. 

Valerie Mihanovich of the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (CalOES) knew of the abundance in one area and need in another, so she reached out us, knowing that we have a seat on both the Caldor and Dixie Long-Term Recovery Groups, asking if we could facilitate the transfer of bicycles from El Dorado to Plumas County. Rev. Deb Sabino of Our Saviour, Placerville, stepped up and made it happen! Thanks to Our Saviour, Placerville, in being the agent that made this possible.
From the Episcopal Foundation
$100,000
Foundation Grant Fund –
Application Deadline Extended to August 1!
The deadline to submit a Foundation Grant Application is now August 1, 2022. Grants will be awarded in the month of August.

Click here or visit the EFNC page on our website to find out more, and to download an application!
Spiritual Formation
July 17, 2022
The Sixth Sunday after Pentecost
Luke 10:38-42

This short passage about Jesus with Mary and Martha has been subjected to a number of different interpretations, ancient and modern. It is helpful in sorting them out to employ a useful three-sided analysis of the passage, that we may be faithful in our own interpretation and application:

First, we should consider the world behind the text. We need to read the text against its first century Jewish background. In the Judaism of Jesus’ day, it was customary that the men would sit at the feet of the rabbi while the women busied themselves with the practical matters, especially in the kitchen. Against that background it is clear that Jesus, by approving of Mary’s choice to join the men in listening to the master, was making a radical departure from the cultural norm.

Then there is the world of the text. This study considers the story in its literary context in the gospel of Luke. Note how the story comes right after the parable of the Good Samaritan (where action is stressed and shows what it truly means to love one’s neighbor). And look at the next paragraph (Luke 11:1 – 13, where Jesus teaches the disciples the Lord’s prayer, and the importance of perseverance in prayer). And in turn, these teachings are set within Luke’s long “travel narrative,” in which he “set his face to go to Jerusalem.” So many of his detailed teachings and actions in this section (9:51 – 19:44) he does with an eye on the exodus  that he was to accomplish in Jerusalem (9:31).

Third, we must consider the world in front of the text. From ancient times till today many approaches have been developed to help with understanding the biblical text. Whether it is the allegorical interpretation, developed by Origen (3rd Century) which taught that Martha stood for action and Mary for contemplation, or the many modern and post-modern approaches like Social-scientific analysis, Feminist reconstruction or post-colonial criticism – or many others, we need to be aware that all of these and other approaches can illuminate, but also possibly obscure the text. So I am reminded of the wisdom of my Old Testament professor Robert Dentan, who said “Read the text of scripture. It sheds amazing light on the commentaries.”

– The Rev. Peter Rodgers
Commission for Intercultural Ministries
I Will, With God's Help:
Journey toward Racial Healing and Justice

In person anti-racism workshop for the Episcopal Diocese of Northern California
 
August 27 | 9:30 am – 4:00 pm
Christ Church Episcopal Church
625 15th Street, Eureka

Description
This one-day workshop was specially developed for the Episcopal Diocese of Northern California by the Commission for Intercultural Ministries. Renew your Baptismal Covenant as we learn about forms of historic and contemporary racism and how to engage in ministry with sensitivity and respect for all.

Please note that due to the nature of the program, attendance is limited to 30 participants.
Refugee Resettlement Update

Diocesan Churches Welcoming Refugees
Episcopal Churches and their community partners are welcoming a Ukrainian family in the Redding area and Afghan families in Sacramento, Cameron Park, Napa, Santa Rosa, and Petaluma.  

The gratitude for this loving life sustaining work is expressed in a letter by Ruslana, a young mother from Ukraine who is now living in the Redding area with her husband and 3 young children:
You too can become involved in this vital ministry! 
Click here to learn more about Refugee Resettlement in our Diocese. 

For more information contact Bob Wohlsen - bob.wohlsen@gmail.com
Job Opportunities Around The Diocese
Incarnation, Santa Rosa, is seeking a Director of Music.
See position description here.
All Saints, Sacramento, is seeking a ¾ time Interim Rector
See position description here.
St. John the Evangelist, Chico, is seeking a full-time Interim Rector
See position description here.
St. Clement's | Rancho Cordova is seeking a 3/4 time Priest-in-Charge. 
See the position description here.
St. Paul's | Sacramento is seeking a Music Director. 
Read the job announcement here.
Trinity | Folsom is seeking a Director of Children’s and Youth Ministries (Lay Position). Read the job announcement here.
Trinity Cathedral | Sacramento is seeking a Temporary Business Manager. Read the job announcement here.
Diocesan Commissions | Committees | Ministries
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