One week from today, the Synod Assembly
will begin in Fresno. I hope and pray that the long
hours spent by the planning committee, synod staff, and many
others in our synod will come to fruition in a time of prayer,
praise and thanksgiving for the blessing of having been called
by God to work in the vineyard that is central and northern
California and northern Nevada. Please remember in
prayer our keynote speakers, Pr. John Rutsindintwarne and Pr.
Walt Parry, our Bible Study Leader, Bishop Emeritus April
Ulring Larson, synod leadership, our gracious hosts from the
Fresno area, and those who will be travelling to serve as
voting members and visitors at the Assembly.
A special e-mail with important reminders and
information about the Assembly was sent to you earlier
today. For those who have served as voting members
before - welcome back - it will be good to see you
again! For those who have never served, I think you will
find this a great use of your time. My hope is that
those who are more familiar with how Synod Assemblies work
(pastors, lay rostered leaders, prior voting members) will
offer help and assistance to those who will be navigating the
work of being a voting member for the first time. Please
make sure that all of the voting members from your
congregation / ministry have access to the materials they will
need to bring with them, as well as any insights you can offer
that will be helpful to a first time attendee.
You know, helping people feel welcome and
prepared for a Synod Assembly isn't really all that much
different than the kind of welcome we would wish to offer
someone who visits our church for the first time - a warm
greeting, a friendly face, a kind word of explanation - look
for such opportunities to serve as we gather in Assembly, and
the blessings will abound! Hospitality - it's not just a
job - it's a calling! Let's work together to make this
the most "hospitable" Assembly we can possibly offer - all to
God's glory.
See you in a
week!
Bp. Mark
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We remember in prayer . . .
Pastor Dan Severson (Faith, Castro Valley),
recovering from back surgery
The following synods as they meet in
Assembly in the coming weeks:
Oregon Synod
Pacifica Synod
Sierra Pacific Synod
Texas-Louisiana Gulf Coast Synod
Northwest Synod of Wisconsin
Greater Milwaukee Synod
La Crosse Area Synod
New England Synod
Delaware-Maryland Synod
South Carolina Synod
South Dakota Synod
Minneapolis Area Synod
St. Paul Area Synod
Upstate New York Synod
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MT. CROSS ANNUAL MEETING
All congregations are invited to the
Mt. Cross Memorial Day Annual Meeting, beginning 10:00 am on
May 25th.
Worship with installation of their new
Executive Director, Dr. Craig Oldenburg will
begin at 11:00 am. Participating will be
Bishop Mark Holmerud representing the ELCA and President
Robert Newton representing the LCMS.
Please remember the ministry of Mt. Cross and
Dr. Oldenburg's installation in the prayers of the church on
Sunday, May 24th. .
Link
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SOME EXCITING SUMMER COURSES FROM
PLTS/PSR
Pacific Lutheran Theological
Seminary, together with Pacific School of Religion
in Berkeley, is offering an exciting list of summer
courses this year. Thirty-six different course topics
are designed for ordained and lay leaders in the church.
The series of one-week classes begin July
6 and conclude in late August. All classes convene on
the PSR campus (1798 Scenic Ave., Berkeley, CA
94709-1323).
Some of the intriguing
courses:
- Dealing with Conflict in Congregations
- Instructor: Speed Leas/PSR
- Luther and Calvin on Earthly Life and
Eschatology - Instructor: Jane Strohl/PLTS
- Ministry with Latino Neighbors -
Instructor: Alicia Vargas/PLTS
- Pastoral Care of Dying and Grieving -
Instructor: Herbert Anderson/PLTS
- Preaching in Our Contemporary Culture -
Instructor: Richard Jensen/PLTS
- Using New Media Technologies and
Web-Based Resources in Worship - Instructor: Michael
G. Bausch/PSR
- Using the People's Bible in the Parish
- Instructor: Wil Gafney/PLTS
- Faith Community Leadership in Disaster
Response - Instructor: Kevin Massey/PLTS
- Church Conflict: Matthew 18 -
Instructor: John Beck/PLTS
- Catalyzing Creative Leadership for the
Emerging Church - Instructor: Gerardo
Marti/PSR
For a complete listing of courses,
class detail, fees and schedule, go to the PLTS website
at PLTS.
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PROFESSIONAL BOUNDARIES ADVANCED COURSE
AVAILABLE
Maintaining Professional
Boundaries
Advanced course for those
who
have completed the basic
course and need continuing education hours
Taught by:
The Rev. Dr. Kibbie Ruth
Wednesday, June 10,
2009
9:00 am - 4:00 pm
Six hours of training
First Congregational
Church
Palo Alto, CA
Registration Fee:
$50
To register,
contact:
Rev. Stephen Glauz-Todrank
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EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN EDUCATION
ASSOCIATION
Does your church have a weekday school or
Early Childhood Center? ELEA is the national membership
association of schools and early childhood programs in ELCA
congregations and its full communion partners. With a host of
membership
benefits, including accreditation, resources,
conferencing, discount programs, employee benefits, and much
more, we are here to help you!
Evangelical
Lutheran
Education Association
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Upcoming Events
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May 25 Mt. Cross Annual
Meeting & Installation of
New Executive Director
May 27 Synod Council
May 28-30 Synod Assembly
Fresno, CA
May 29 Book of Faith
Conversation - At Synod
Assembly, Fresno
June 1 Synod Office Closed
June 10 Council of Deans
Shepherd of the Hills,
Vacaville, CA
June 13 Media-Enhanced
Worship Workshop
9:00 am - 3:00 pm
Lutheran Church of the
Ascension, Citrus Heights
June 26-27 Synod Council
St. Mark's, Fairfield, CA
July 10-12 Catechumenate
Training - San Damiano
Retreat Center, Danville
July 22 - 26 ELCA National
Youth Gathering - New
Orleans
August 17 - 23
Churchwide
Assembly, Minneapolis,
MN
August 29 Book of Faith
Conversation - Trinity,
Pleasanton
September 19 District B
Conferences Assembly
St. John's, Sacramento
September 22 LSS Garrison
Keillor - Live in Concert
Memorial Auditorium
Sacramento
September 25-26 Synod
Council - Mercy Center,
Burlingame, CA
September 26 Women's
Retreat - Mt. Cross
October 10 District A
Conferences Assembly
Elim, Petaluma
October 11 District C
Conferences Assembly
PLTS
October 1-6 Conference
of Bishops, Chicago
October 19-20 Council of
Deans - Asilomar
October
20-22 Professional
Leaders
Conference,
Asilomar Conference
Center
October 23-24 Word &
Sacrament Event - ELW
Freedom &
Flexibility
October 24 District E
Conferences Assembly
Fresno
October 24 Book of Faith
Conversation - Good
Shepherd, Fresno
November 1 Joint Lutheran /
Roman Catholic Service in
Stockton - 4:00 pm
November 7 District D
Conferences Assembly
November 13-14 WELCA
Gathering - Peace,
Grass Valley
November 13-15 Spouses of
Clergy, AiMs & Diaconal
Ministers Retreat - Eagles
Rest, Sonora, CA
2010
January 4-9 Bishops'
Academy, Itasca, IL
January 13-14 Council of
Deans Retreat - Christ the
King Retreat Center,
Citrus Heights, CA
January 15-16 Synod
Council - Mercy Center,
Burlingame, CA
March 4-9 Conference of
Bishops
May 6-8 Synod Assembly
Silver Legacy Hotel
Reno, NV
September 30 - October 5
Conference of Bishops
2011
March 3-8 Conference of
Bishops
August 14-20 Churchwide
Assembly - Orlando,
FL
September 29 - October 4
Conference of Bishops
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Please note that due to the Synod Assembly next week,
we will not be publishing this e-newsletter. Look for
our next edition the following week..
Link
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LAST DAY TO REGISTER FOR
ASSEMBLY
The last day to
register on line for the Synod Assembly is May
22nd. If you wish to have a printed badge, you
must register by that date. No badges will be printed on
site at the Assembly.
PLEASE NOTE: If
your spouse or partner will be coming with you to the
Assembly, he/she
must be registered in order to attend
the banquet Friday night or either of the meals Thursday
night.
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ROSTERED LEADERS TO BE PHOTOGRAPHED AT
ASSEMBLY
All Rostered
Leaders: Please be prepared to have your
picture taken by Olin Mills at the Assembly. Photos will
be taken on Friday, May 29, between 10:00 am and 5:00 pm in
the display area of the Radisson Conference Center.
We will be issuing a picture directory
and would like every rostered person to be
included.
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CORRECTION FOR TIME OF PLTS WOMEN'S LUNCHEON
AT ASSEMBLY
The correct time for the PLTS Women's
Luncheon on Thurs., May 28th, is 11:45 am
(not 11:00). Please make this change in your
copy of the agenda.
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Sierra
Pacific Synod 
