Volume 4 Issue 33 August 19, 2021
News
Leoni Meadows Is Still Standing
Let’s praise God that Leoni Meadows Camp is standing! See photos on the Leoni Meadows Facebook page and Craig Heinrich's Facebook page. Make a donation to Leoni Meadows at leonimeadows.org.
Members Around the Country Rally to Support Fire Survivors
We want to acknowledge the NCC employees and church members who have been and are currently being impacted by this year’s wildfires. These fires include the Antelope, Beckwourth, Bell, Cache, Caldor, Dixie, Glen, Lava, McFarland, River Complex, River, and Tamarack fires.

Grass Valley church Senior Pastor Jeff Richards was evacuated from his home due to the River Fire, and several of his church members lost their homes. “It’s always sweet to see members rally to show God’s love to each other and the community,” he remarked. “We’ve been especially blessed by Paradise fire survivor Shirley Grear, who used her tragedy to minister to others.”

Due to the ongoing Caldor Fire, a number of Placerville church members have evacuated their homes and are waiting to see if they are still standing. “While this is a challenging time, people are seeing needs and doing whatever they can to bless others,” reflected Ed Fargusson, interim senior pastor.

The Placerville church has opened its parking lot for evacuees from the Caldor Fire to bring their RVs and stay. Members hosted a meal last night and fed 60 people. Watch a local news report that features the church.

“The NCC wishes to thank the 28 donors who have given over $3,500 to date,” said Laurie Trujillo, director of communication and development. “This support directly helps our members and those connected to the local church who have been impacted by the disaster. Since requests are still coming in, please stay tuned for the impact report.”

The notes attached to the gifts have been very touching. One out-of-state donor wrote: “We’ve been following these tragic developments from Michigan. Please know our hearts are shattered. PRAYERS ascending continually. God sees the bigger picture, although right now these events are hard to process.”

Another donor wrote: “My continued prayers for all, especially those directly affected by this unfortunate event.”
Union Meetings in Tucson
On Sunday and Monday, delegates from the NCC and the six other conferences of the Pacific Union gathered in Tucson, Arizona, to elect leaders, make changes to the union bylaws, and hear reports. A historically diverse administrative team (pictured with NAD President Alexander Bryant) was elected to lead for the next five years. Read the union’s news release.
Following the constituency session, Pacific Union pastors attended several days of meetings in Tucson. Attendees heard a number of inspiring speakers. President Marc Woodson, Gracepoint church Associate Pastor Marlene Rodriguez, and NCC Religious Liberty Liaison Stephen Allred presented the seminar “Adventism and Biblical Social Justice” (pictured).
Elder Eleazar Famorcan Ordained to the Gospel Ministry
Last Sabbath, Eleazar (Eli) Famorcan was ordained to the gospel ministry during an afternoon service at the American Canyon Fil-Am church, where he serves as pastor. He also leads the All Nations church of Elk Grove.

Famorcan is a first-generation Adventist, born and raised in the Philippines. After graduating from Mountain View College with a theology degree, Famorcan served for many years as an editor and writer at the church-run Philippine Publishing House, while also shepherding the Philippine Union College Remnant Church and completing graduate coursework. In the early 2000s, he and his wife Romelda – along with their two daughters, Ffrances Gem and Ffrancine Danielle – came to the United States.

“I thank God, who is there at every fork in the road, in every uphill climb, and in every downhill slide,” said Famorcan. “He put people at strategic places in my journey – to challenge, encourage, support, and pray for me.” See more photos from the ordination on the NCC Facebook page.
Placerville VBS Brings Kids Closer to God
Despite the challenges of the pandemic, six mothers from the Placerville church were determined to have a Vacation Bible School program this summer. After much hard work, their VBS team hosted a program for 100 children earlier this month. About 40 percent of those who attended came from families who are not members of their church.

Numerous people stepped up in support of the VBS. “Almost all of the parents whose kids attended asked, “how can I help?’” said Alex Stewart, VBS director. “And the church family was very generous with their donations.”

Stewart encourages other churches to get involved in this engaging ministry. “The biggest reason to have VBS is to make sure our kids feel close to God despite what is going on around us,” she said. “There is no doubt that the kids will feel the power of the Holy Spirit while they are there.”
Upcoming Events
Save the date for the upcoming African American Ministries Virtual Convocation.

Every Thursday morning, pray with people from around the NCC during the prayer call.
Adventist Book Center
The NCC ABC will be making prepaid drop-off deliveries in Northern California during August and September.
Job Opportunity
The NCC Human Resources Department is looking for someone to join our team as an HR analyst. The ideal candidate will be a seasoned HR professional with both people and technical skills to provide proactive and comprehensive support to the HR Department. This is a strategic position that requires an individual to combine data analytics with customer needs to determine best practices and ensure that compliance needs are met. Please click on the button below for a detailed job description and to apply.
Northern California Conference of Seventh-day Adventists
(916) 886-5600 I www.nccsda.com