As a result of something usually outside of
one's control, there are times in life that become
"moments". I had the honor of being in a "moment" of
life over the course of the last two weeks. It
began with the opportunity to participate in two days
interviewing pastors who have been serving the church but were
not yet on the ELCA roster or who had been removed from the
roster. My "moment" continued as I was able to
participate in a day-long Candidacy meeting held at PLTS at
which pastors met with members of the Candidacy Committee as
well as faculty members in preparation for the possibility for
these pastors to be added to the roster. Worship, thanks
to Mary Stein-Webber, was a highlight - a time of confession
and absolution, prayer, scripture and the Eucharist.
Further details can be found in the
news
release from the ELCA.
For many of us, this time of receiving and celebrating
was long over-due. For others of us, there may still be
some caution, some concern, even some dismay. I'm hoping
you might be able to set aside our spectrum of opinions and
feelings about this, even if it is quite temporary, in order
to consider a very particular aspect of my "moment".
It has to do with ministry, pure and simple - Gospel
based, Spirit led, Christ centered ministry. It has to
do with ministry being led by people who have stayed focused
on their call from God in the midst of some very challenging
circumstances while maintaining a remarkable posture of
gracious gratitude.
Please don't misunderstand what I'm saying here. I
know - you know - that there are many many places where
effective and important ministry is occurring under difficult
circumstances led by gracious and committed pastors and
leaders. I get that. And I believe I honor and
value those places and people, too.
But today I write to express the deep gratitude I felt as
I got to listen to 6 ELM (Extraordinary Lutheran Ministries)
pastors and two pastors who were removed from the ELCA who
were willing to come together and share their stories - about
their calls to ministry during a time when the church did not
receive them in their fullness and about the ways in which
they have been willing and able to offer the Good News with
joy and compassion and hospitality. It was an honor to
be there. It was a privilege to hear these
stories. And it was important to tell you about
it. These brothers and sisters who are not new to us are
yet new to us. I look forward to the day when we fully
welcome and receive these partners in the Gospel. We
will be announcing the date for the Rite of Reception by next
week. I believe it will be yet another "moment" that
will bless us all.
Peace,
Nancy
The Rev. Nancy Feniuk Nelson
Bishop's Associate
|
 |
|
We remember in prayer .
. .
Pastor Bonnie Bell (retired) and family, grieving the
death of her grandson
Pastor Newt Kerney, Cross and Crown, Rohnert
Park, and family, grieving the death of his
father, Robert Kerney
Our call to steward God's great creation, and the ways we
attend to and/or neglect that call, remembering especially our
brothers and sisters directly affected by the oil spill
causing ecological disaster in the Gulf of Mexico
The following synods as they gather in assembly this
week:
Rocky Mountain Synod, Bishop Allan Bjornberg
Oregon Synod, Bishop Dave Brauer-Rieke
|
|
|
SYNOD STAFF CHANGES
This past week we welcomed Laureen Sullivan to
the synod office as Director of Synod Operations
(DSO). She will be taking on many of the financial and
administrative functions of the synod and will be based out of
the Sacramento office. Laureen is well equipped for this
broadly based position and we look forward to all that she
will offer the synod as time goes on.
We also welcomed a transition staff member,
Karen Idler, into a different, enlarged role. Previously
Karen worked only with Candidacy. She has now entered
into the role of Executive Assistant. Karen will
continue to work with Candidacy in addition to her new
responsibilities and will also be based out of the Sacramento
office. Karen has already been a blessing to the work of
our synod and we know that will continue and grow.
We are also preparing to move out of Oakland
and into our three deployed offices. More news to come
next week on details of that move!
|
|
|
SYNOD
ASSEMBLY:
EVALUATION
and HIGHLIGHTS,
YOUR
HELP IS NEEDED
An Evaluation
Form is now available for Assembly voting members to
provide important feedback on our recent gathering in
Reno. Please click on the link above and take a few
minutes to give us your input. Thank
you!
Highlights of the recent Synod Assembly
are now posted on the Synod
website. Also posted are the
Bishop's Report, the Independent Auditor's Report for 2010
and 2009, Resolutions and the Video
Order Form.
Voting members: 15 of the hand-held Quizdom voting
devices were not returned following assembly. The
devices cost the synod $75 each. If you have returned
home to find one of the devices tucked inside your luggage,
please return it to the synod office ASAP. Thanks!
|
|
SAVE THE
DATE
Invitation to Service
and
Youth Ministry Training Event
August 5-7, 2010
California
| |
|
| Quick
Links |
|
|
ELCA.org
|
|
|
Upcoming Events
|
|
2010
June 25-26 Synod Council
June 30 Closing of the Office of
the Bishop, Oakland
July 11-16 Mt. Cross
Shalom Camp
August 27-28, 2010 Candidacy
Committee, PLTS, Berkeley
September 18 District B Fall
Assembly 10:00 - 3:00
Resurrection, Granite Bay
September 24-25 Synod
Council
September 30 - October 5
Conference of
Bishops
October 12-14 Professional
Leaders Conference
Granlibakken Resort, Tahoe City
October 15-17 High School Event
at Mt. Cross
October 16 District E Fall
Assembly 10:00 - 3:00
Shepherd of the
Valley, Merced
October 17 District C Fall
Assembly 2:00 - 5:00 pm
St. Mark's, San Francisco
October 23 District A Fall
Assembly 10:00 - 3:00
Our Savior's, Lafayette
November 6 District D Fall
Assembly 10:00 - 3:00
Advent, Morgan Hill
November 12-14 Junior High Event
at Mt. Cross
2011
January 5-9 Bishop's
Academy
January 19-20 Council of
Deans Retreat - Christ the
King Retreat Center,
Citrus Heights, CA
February 25-27 Elementary
Retreat #1 - at Mt. Cross
February 28 - March 1
Retired Clergy/Spouse/Lay
Rostered//Widows/Widowers
Retreat
March 3-8 Conference of
Bishops
March 25-27 Elementary
Retreat #2 - at Sly
Park
May 12 Synod Council
May 13-15 Synod Assembly
Hyatt Regency Airport
Burlingame, CA
August 14-20 Churchwide
Assembly - Orlando,
FL
September 29 - October 4
Conference of Bishops
2012
January 5-9 Bishop's
Academy
January 18-19 Council of Deans
Retreat - Christ the
King
Retreat Center, Citrus
Heights
July 18-22 ELCA Youth
Gathering
New Orleans, LA
2013
February 28 - March 5 Conference
of Bishops
October 3-8 Conference of Bishops
Lutheran Center,
Chicago
|
|
LOPP
OFFERS BALLOT INFORMATION
Sign up with the Lutheran Office of Public
Policy - California for June and November ballot proposition
updates, as well as advocacy information on the
continuing state budget crisis and its effects on people
living in poverty and others with special needs.
Go to advocacy or the link at loppca.org, and be sure to select the California
public policy office.
|
|
|
SAFE FAMILIES AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
TRAINING
Is your congrega-tion interested in making your
church and community safer places for families by ending
domestic violence?
You are
invited to apply for a three-day "Lutheran Advocates for Safe
Families" training session. Choose from one of two
dates:
- Monday, September 13 through Wednesday,
September 15, 2010
- Thursday, October 7 through Saturday, October
9, 2010
The locations are forthcoming.
Applications
are available online. The
Lutheran Community Foundation is making the training session
and materials available at no cost, and they also are
able to provide some financial assistance for travel and
lodging.
| |
Sierra
Pacific Synod 