Bible Retreat at Faith Lutheran Reno, NV
How do we use the Bible to see, examine, revise, and exchange the stories we tell about ourselves and others? Join us as we explore these thought-provoking questions with Dr. Fred Niedner, Senior Research Professor of Theology at Valparaiso University. The suggested cost is $25 (lunch included). Preview the entire session overviews.
Please register HERE.
The Next Faithful Step Zoom Course
Join Us for a “The Next Faithful Step” Zoom Course!
Tuesday Jan 14, 2025 (6:00 pm - 7:15 pm)
Tuesday Jan 21, 2025 (6:00 pm - 7:15 pm)
Tuesday Feb 4, 2025 (6:00 pm - 7:15 pm)
Tuesday Feb 11, 2025 (6:00 pm - 7:15 pm)
What is our faithful response to the rise of Christian Nationalism, authoritarian politics, and anti-immigrant rhetoric?
Join us on Zoom to:
CULTIVATE COURAGE: Respond to attacks on the marginalized and harm to creation.
LEARN FROM TRADITION: Find hope in scripture, Lutheran history, and movements for justice.
TAKE ACTION: Discern bold steps your congregation can take in solidarity with those on the margins.
You can register as an individual for $25 or as a congregation for $100. (Discounts available)
Course leaders:
Dr. Cynthia Moe-Lobeda, Professor of Theological and Social Ethics, PLTS
Dr. Adam Braun, Assistant Professor of New Testament and Theology, PLTS
Together, we’ll build a faithful response to the pressing needs of our time. Don’t miss this opportunity to deepen your understanding and commitment to justice!
Register HERE
National Day of Racial Healing
The 2025 National Day of Racial Healing is an annual observance that follows Martin Luther King Jr. Day. This year, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America will join the movement of racial healing for our church and the nation. On January 21, 2025, from 8 AM - 12 PM PT, join a free online educational event that centers the voices of ELCA leaders of color. This event is open to all ELCA rostered ministers, lay leaders and members, the church’s affiliate organizations, and ecumenical and interreligious partners. Learn more, browse speaker bios and register today at ELCA.org/ndorh.
Bishop's Convocation & Chrism Mass
Rostered Leaders are invited to join Bishop Jeff Johnson for the Bishop's Convocation & Chrism Mass. More information is to come.
2025 Synod Assembly
Congregational voting members are encouraged to participate in ONE regional gathering and the online business session. Regional gatherings are open to everyone, including non-voting members, providing a chance to connect, learn, and share in our ministry. However, please note that only voting members may attend the online business session.
Mark your calendars and join us as we come together to discern and celebrate the mission of our Synod! More information is to come!
Oakland Holiday Benefit Concert @ Trinity Lutheran
Join Trinity Lutheran Oakland for “We Are Oakland: A Holiday Benefit Concert”—a night of music, joy, and community!
📅 When: Friday, December 13, 2024
⏰ Time: 7:00 PM PST
📍 Where: Trinity Lutheran Church, 650 Alma Ave., Oakland, CA
🎟️ Free Entry!
This one-night-only event brings together the heart of Oakland for an unforgettable evening. All funds raised will support the Alameda County Community Food Bank, helping those in need this holiday season. For more info, visit WeAreOaklandConcert.com.
Robert A. Williamson's Ordination
Join us as we celebrate Robert A. Williamson's ordination at St. Mark's Lutheran Church and Preschool at 1 pm on Saturday, November 23th! Clergy are invited to robe and the color of the day is Red. There will be a light reception to follow. We praise God for Rob's call to ministry and for his future partnership with St. Luke's Lutheran Church!
The Rev. Clark Brown's Installation at Hope Lutheran, Fresno
Join us as we celebrate the installation of The Rev. Clark Brown as pastor of Hope Lutheran Church, Fresno at 5 pm on Sunday, November 17th. Clergy are invited to robe, as the color of the day is green. Folks can join in person or online for the celebration. There will be a light reception to follow. https://www.hopelutheranfresno.org
The Rev. Paul Larson's Installation at St Paul's Lutheran Family, Carson City, NV
Join us as we celebrate the installation of the Rev. Paul M. Larson, as pastor of St. Paul’s Lutheran Family at 2pm on Saturday, November 16th. Clergy are invited to robe, as the color of the day is Green, and guests are asked to RSVP to stpaulcarson@gmail.com. There will be a light reception to follow.
The Rev. Jil Disbro's Installation at Hope Lutheran Church, El Sobrante, CA
You are invited to join Pr. Jill Disbro’s installation service on Saturday, November 16th at 2pm. She will be installed to her shared time ministry call as Director of Admission at PLTS and Assistant Pastor at Hope Lutheran Church in El Sobrante, CA. The service will be held in person at Hope with light refreshments to follow and will also be on Zoom (Password 2830).
ELCA Good Gifts Presentation
Can't decide what to get your friends and family for Christmas? Consider something from the ELCA Good Gifts catalog! Join the SPS Hunger Network to hear more on Tuesday, November 12, at 7 p.m. on Zoom. To register, please email HERE.
Elementary/Middle School Retreat
Join us for a retreat at Mt. Cross for youth grades 3-8!
Pricing and Payment Deadlines
$225 Early Bird Registration
Closes at 11:59pm on Monday, October 21, 2024
$275 Regular Registration
Closes at 11:59pm on Friday, November 1, 2024
Scholarships are available. Please register Here.
Rostered Leaders Election Toolbox Conversation
As we approach the upcoming election, the Bishop’s team is encouraging rostered leaders to sign up for the 2024 Election Season Toolkit from Faith+Lead. This free resource will guide congregations through the election season with three emails on how to talk, preach, and live out justice and faith during this time.
All interested rostered leaders are invited to join the Bishop’s team for a Zoom gathering on Tuesday, October 29 at 10:00 AM to discuss the toolkit and explore practical ways to lead during the election season. The Zoom link for rostered leaders is HERE.
Sign up for the Toolkit HERE!
ELCA World Food Day
World Food Day
Celebrating 50 Years of ELCA World Hunger
When: Tuesday, Oct. 15, 5 PM PT (7 PM Central time)
Where: Zoom webinar
Register Here
Tune in on Oct. 15 to hear firsthand stories from partners at ELCA World Hunger projects. Make it an event and watch it with your faith community! You’ll see the impact of 50 years of ELCA World Hunger work and get excited and equipped to be a part of the next 50 years!
Advocacy with Regina Q. Banks
You Are invited to a virtual evening with Regina Q. Banks, Director of Lutheran Office of Public Policy.
Thursday, October 10th at 7:00 p.m.
We will be exploring the California Ballot Propositions from a faith perspective.
Presented on Zoom by the Sierra Pacific Synod Hunger Network.
This event will be recorded and posted.
Register now!
Email Edie Lott at thelotts@gmail.com with your name, city, and congregation to register. You will receive a Zoom Meeting Invitation the week before the event.
Ecumenical Service for The War In Gaza
As we approach the one-year anniversary of the war in Gaza, please join us for an Ecumenical service of lament on October 7 at 11 a.m. PT on Zoom. It will be recorded.
For additional worship resources, please visit the ELCA Worship Blog and The Lutheran Palestine Israel Caucus Resource Page.
Register for Ecumenical Service of Lament
Michael Basil's Ordination
Please join us on Sunday evening, September 29, 2024, as we celebrate the ordination of Michael Basil. The service will begin at 4:00 PM at Saint Matthew Lutheran Church, 399 Wiget Lane, Walnut Creek, CA 94598.
This is a special moment that reflects years of dedication, study, and deep commitment to serving God’s people. We would be honored to have you with us to share in the joy and hard work that marks this occasion.
A reception will follow the service, where we can continue the celebration together.
Special Synod Assembly Meeting
Our Synod will convene via Zoom to discuss and vote on a budget. Normally, the voting members from the June assembly will also be voting members at the September meeting. All voting members must register for the meeting to receive a link to join the Zoom meeting.
If you are a voting member, please register for the Budget Meeting on September 28 at 9 am HERE. You must register before September 23.
Before September 28th, there will be an opportunity to learn more about the budget. There will be an online budget hearing on the evening of September 17.
Synod Budget Hearing
Join us as we learn about the 2025-2026 synod budget and discern as a community. You will have an opportunity to ask questions and learn more about our stewardship.
Join via zoom Here.
God's Love Made Real Zoom Conversation
The Rev. Elizabeth A. Eaton, presiding bishop of the ELCA, will join congregations in the Sierra Pacific, Southwest California, Pacifica, Grand Canyon and Rocky Mountain synods on Tuesday, Sept. 10, at 12 pm PT for a regional conversation on God’s Love Made Real. The Rev. Brenda Bos, bishop of the Southwest California Synod, will host the online conversation.
God’s Love Made Real is a movement encouraging the ELCA to create a world experiencing the difference God’s grace and love in Christ make for all people and creation.
Join us on Zoom for this life-giving conversation HERE.
2024 Synod Assembly
This year's assembly theme builds upon two recent events – the 2023 Synod Assembly and Bishop Jeff's installation. Last year's assembly theme (“Broken Yet Whole”) addressed the dichotomy of our fractured relationships and our experience of being made whole by Christ. It is precisely within the enduring context of individual, collective, and systemic brokenness that we must claim the hope we have in Christ. The assembly planning team also revisited the Gospel reading at Bishop Jeff's installation, the story of Jesus on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24:13-32). In this story, the Risen Christ met his followers where they were – broken yet whole – and offered them hope. On this occasion just as throughout his public ministry, Jesus practiced the art of storytelling. He is known for telling powerful stories that continue to engage, inspire, and transform people. Storytelling is an important, albeit under-utilized item in our own ministry toolbox, too. To help us refine that tool, the assembly planning team has engaged a keynote speaker who effectively utilizes storytelling in her worship services and ministry – Rev. Rebecca Anderson who serves at Gilead Church in Chicago. Over several sessions, Pr. Anderson will show us ways to utilize storytelling in our respective ministry settings. Her time with us will also include opportunities for us to consider our own stories and hear the stories of others. The assembly theme of hope also sets the framework for the workshops we will offer. All of the workshop presenters, each in their own way, will focus on finding and claiming hope within our own lives and proclaiming that hope to a world in need.
For more information, please visit our 2024 Synod Assembly page in the navigation bar at the top of the website.
Memorial Day Work Weekend at Mt. Cross Ministries
Save the date for Mt. Cross Ministries Memorial Day Work Weekend, May 24-26! Spend the day volunteering at camp and the evenings around a campfire with new and old friends. In thanksgiving for your hard work, registration is free.
From Crisis to Chrysalis: Cultivating Pathways to Wisdom, Cultivating Purpose Workshop
Modern Elder Academy is the world’s first midlife wisdom school—and to a community built on spreading wisdom and navigating transitions together.
Midlife isn’t a crisis. It’s a calling. That’s certainly the case for the three co-founders of MEA—Chip Conley, Christine Sperber, and Jeff Hamaoui—who saw an opportunity to reframe aging and help people make the most of midlife, an era that lasts decades longer than it did a century ago.
From online courses to workshop retreats on the beach in Baja or on the newest campus in Santa Fe, New Mexico, the Modern Elder Academy blends midlife wisdom and social science-based knowledge to help adults find—and focus on—their calling. MEA students learn from the brilliant minds and teachings of world-renowned experts across various fields to connect with and grow their own wisdom.
This workshop will help equip you with the tools to ignite your life with purpose. What are the things that bring meaning to your life? The purpose of your life is to discover your gift. The work of your life is to develop it and the meaning of your life is to give the gift away. Join us as we build a purpose portfolio for the next step of life.
Interfaith Earthfest
Our second annual Earth Day Festival is bringing together the local interfaith community along with partners of civic, school, and community organizations with a common purpose: channel our collective energies to more responsibly steward our sacred planet.
This Town of Danville community event is a collaborative celebration of Baháʼí, Buddhist, Jewish, Muslim, Sikh, Sufi, Hindu, Taoist, and Christian friends, with acknowledgement to our Indigenous relations.
The entire family will enjoy fun and learning opportunities throughout the afternoon of ritual, art, music, speakers, booths, activities, and ceremony. We will spotlight our eco-success stories, draw hope from one another, and inspire ongoing local commitment to action!
PLTS Signs Along the Way Discernment Weekend
Have you ever considered seminary? Have you ever felt like God might be calling you into ministry, but you’re not sure how or where to start? Join others in discernment at Signs Along the Way, a visit weekend at Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary in Berkeley.
Prophets as God's Messengers for Social Justice
This semester-long Bible study will take a deeper dive into some of the prophets of the Old Testament. It is designed for pastors and lay persons, primarily in the Lutheran Church (ELCA), to highlight the message and work of the prophets as messengers of God with instructions to care for others in need, with an eye to today's world, understanding prophets were not fortune-tellers nor apocalyptic.
The class will meet every Thursday (excluding March 28 and April 11) in Oehler Hall at St. John's Lutheran Church and online via Zoom.
Rev. Dianne Wendt, currently serving as pastor at Lutheran Church of the Cross in East Sacramento, will be teaching this bible study. The development and leading of this class are part of Pr. Dianne's Doctorate of Ministry Program at the Pacific School of Religion, Berkeley, CA.
Participants will only need their Bible; note-taking and journaling are encouraged.
RSVP and/or questions: RevDianneLCOC@gmail.com or (916)456-8880.