One of my favorite scripture passages is
Revelation 21:5: "See, I am making all things
new." Often a text I used during funeral services, or as
I talked with someone grieving a loss, I have come to find it
offers hope to me on a very personal level from one day
(hour?) to the next. God is making all things new,
including me. Including you. Hope dwells
here. But so does challenge, not in terms of God's
ability, but rather in terms of our receptivity. There
needs to be room for new.
This is the sort
of introduction that could lead into any of a hundred
different ways of applying it to our lives, individually,
congregationally, synodically. But today I'm writing it
from my particular perspective. For the past 14 months,
I have been serving as Bishop's Associate. It has been
amazing, joyful, sad, rewarding, frustrating, challenging,
exhilarating and exhausting. And I am pleased to be able
to continue serving in this remarkable call. But I am
tired. And I need to allow some room, time, space,
energy, capacity to notice that God is making me new.
The Executive Committee of the Synod Council had the wisdom to
see this and encouraged (insisted) that I take some time
away. To that end, I will be out of the office and away
from phone and email from Nov. 14 to December 14. I will
have time at home and then in Prague, where my husband and I
will visit our son, who is studying there. Then I will
go on to Geneva to participate in a continuing education event
offered by the Lutheran World Federation. Then, when I
return, Bishop Mark will be taking some time away as
well. We talk about health and wholeness. We know that even God rested.
Yet we live in a time and society that values productivity and busyness,
seemingly above all else. And I, like many of you, buy into the deception,
often unwittingly missing out on noticing God, who is indeed making all things
new. I am grateful to have this opportunity to dwell in the moment, be with
loved ones, learn something new while simultaneously being made so. I look
forward to finding out how that will turn out!
Pastor Nancy Feniuk Nelson
Bishop's Associate
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We remember in prayer . . .
Joan Grochau, wife of retired Pastor Bob
Grochau, undergoing rehabilitation for the effects
suffered from laser and surgery treatment for melanoma of the
head
Update:
Eli Smuts, the son of Pr. Matt Smuts (Grace, Palo Alto)
and Mariel Spengler (Mt. Cross Ministries), for the 6th time
in his 13 years underwent successful open heart surgery last
Friday. While there were initial issues that
necessitated a second procedure this hospitalization, his
recovery appears to be straightforward at this point almost a
week out, and he is no longer in the CVICU. Thank you
for the prayers!
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CHARLES & MABEL WARNER GRANT
APPLICATIONS DUE
Charles and Mabel Warner were members of
First Lutheran Church, Los Angeles, in the late 1940's
and 1950's. Upon their death they made a bequest that
their estate be "used in the construction of Sunday School
facilities and to further youth Christian
education."
The amount of the bequest received
by the Sierra Pacific Synod was $196,719.08. Earnings on
the principal can be distributed each year, and for the fiscal
year ending January 31, 2010, are expected to be approximately
$9,000. Grants are authorized in January and payable in
February.
To apply for a grant, please submit your
request, on your organization's letterhead, to our Synod
Treasurer at:
Elaine
Alexander
448 Hill
Street
The deadline for applications is December
31, 2009. You may also e-mail your request to: ea_cpa@sbcglobal.net.
Your request should include:
1. Name and address of
congregation
or agency
2. Name, address and phone or
e-mail
of contact
person
3. Dollar amount
requested
4. Tangible item(s) for which the
funds
are
requested.
5. Description of the services to
be
provided by the
activity, program
or
project
6. Demographic make-up of
persons
to be served by the
activity,
program or
project
7. Any additional comments
regarding
the
request
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ADVENT SILENT RETREAT
Christ the King Retreat Center
Citrus Heights, CA
"How Silently" is the theme of the Advent
retreat of the California Chapter of the Society of the Holy
Trinity. The retreat will be conducted mostly in
silence, broken only for worship and praying the daily
offices. The schedule includes time for private
confession and absolution. Pr. Joshua Elliott-McGuffie
(St. Andrew's, Los Angeles) will serve as Chaplain; preachers
will be Pr. Jon Christenson (Redeemer, Bakersfield) and Pr.
Richard Johnson (Peace, Grass Valley).
The retreat begins with lunch on Monday,
November 30, and concludes with lunch on Tuesday, December
1. Registration is $100 (including meals and room); the
chapter invites seminary students to come at no charge.
Any Lutheran pastor is welcome.
To register, contact Pr. Bruce
Lundberg at bglundberg@yahoo.com
(or telephone at 530-823-3210); or Pr.
Richard Johnson at roj@nccn.net
(or telephone at 530-273-9631.
Registration deadline is November 23.
For more information about the Society of the
Holy Trinity, visit www.societyholytrinity.org.
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Upcoming Events
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November 13-14 WELCA
Gathering - Peace,
Grass Valley
November 13-14 Bible
Study with Dr. Hans
Wiersma - Bethel,
Cupertino
November 13-15 Spouses of
Clergy, AiMs & Diaconal
Ministers Retreat - Eagles
Rest, Sonora, CA
November 13-15 Synod
Youth Middle School Event
Mt. Cross
November 15 - ELCA-UMC
Full Communion
Partnership Celebration
7:00 pm
First UMC Church,
Sacramento
November 16 Financial
Wellness Workshop
Grace, Palo Alto
November 16 Lutheran
Clergy AA Meeting
Light of Christ, Turlock
November 19 Financial
Wellness Workshop
Our Savior's, Lafayette
November 19 Regional
Interim Pastors Gathering
10:00 am - 2:30 pm
Gloria Dei, Sacramento
2010
January 4-9 Bishops'
Academy, Itasca, IL
January 12 10:00 - 12:20
Interim Pastors Steering
Committee - Synod Office
January 13-14 Council of
Deans Retreat - Christ the
King Retreat Center,
Citrus Heights, CA
January 15-16 Synod
Council - Mercy Center,
Burlingame, CA
January 26 Synod-wide
Interim Pastors Gathering
10:00 am - 2:00 pm
Location to be announced
February 14-16 Clergy/AiMs
& Spouses Retreat
Asilomar
March 1-2 Retired Clergy/
AIMs/Widows-Widowers/
Spouse Retreat - San
Damiano Retreat Center,
Danville, CA
March 4-9 Conference of
Bishops
March 12-14 Spring Youth
Retreat at PLTS
April 22 Mt. Cross Shalom
Camp Meeting for Pastors/
Youth Directors
10:00 - 2:00 pm
Advemt. Citrus
Heights
May 6-8 Synod Assembly
Silver Legacy Hotel
Reno, NV
July 11-16 Mt. Cross
Shalom Camp
September 30 - October 5
Conference of Bishops -
Chicago
2011
March 3-8 Conference of
Bishops
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
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SET OF LUTHER'S WORKS AVAILABLE
An almost-complete
set of Luther's works is being offered free to any seminary
student or pastor by retired Pastor Jerry Guthrie.
The set is missing Vol. 29 & 49, and is in excellent
condition.
Pastor Guthrie lives in Hollister, CA. Call him at
(831) 636-0169 to arrange pickup or
delivery.
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LUTHERAN
CLERGY AA
MEETING
The next Lutheran Clergy AA meeting is
Monday, November 16, 12:00-2:00 pm at a NEW location:
Light of Christ Lutheran Church, 4510 Crowell Rd., Turlock,
CA.
Lunch will be provided -- freewill donations
welcome. For more information, contact Mary at
209-745-1825 or 916-946-5253.
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FINANCIAL WELLNESS
WORKSHOPS
Andrea Arey of the ELCA Board of Pensions
will be presenting two wellness workshops in the Sierra
Pacific Synod. Lunch provided.
November 16
10:30 - 12:00
Grace Lutheran Church
3149 Waverley
Palo Alto, CA
November 19
10:30 - 12:00
Our Savior's Lutheran Church
1035 Carol Lane
Lafayette, CA
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Sierra
Pacific Synod 
