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The staff of the
Sierra Pacific Synod
wishes you a blessed
Maundy Thursday,
Good Friday, Easter Vigil and
Easter Sunday!
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Bishop Mark
Holmerud
Rev. Nancy Feniuk
Nelson
Rev. Harvey
Blomberg
Mary Brown
Suzanne Bruce
Barbara
Nelson
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We remember in prayer . . .
Dorothy Westerhoff, wife of Pastor Robert
Westerhoff(retired), recently diagnosed with
lymphoma.
Mary Brown, wife of Pastor Gregg Brown (Miracles of
Faith, Oakland), undergoing tests. (Note:
This is not Mary Brown in the Synod office.)
The father of Pastor Janet Carlson, recovering from
surgery
The unemployed and the under-employed.
All who have suffered the loss of a loved one, that
they may be comforted by our resurrection hope.
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BISHOP HANSON'S EASTER
MESSAGE 
"Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified ...
has been raised" (Mark 16:6).
When Mary
Magdalene, Mary and Salome came to the tomb, their hopes and
fears intersected. They wondered aloud about the impossibly
large and heavy stone that presented an obstacle to their
immediate plans. Worse, what they thought lay behind the stone
was unspeakably devastating. Jesus, who embodied the hope of
God's promise in a fully human life, was not simply dead, but
crucified -- executed in the most extreme humiliation, a
savage mockery of the hope that had lived with him.
But the stone was gone, the grave empty.
Where they had expected to hear the silence of death's
mockery, they were met by an astonishing message that the
crucified one was raised from the dead, that their hope was
victorious over humiliation, and that Jesus lives and is
leading the way into an unexpected, surprising future with
God.
Jesus lives and resurrection hope beckons.
Jesus' resurrection on the third day signals that God is not
finished until the life of Jesus renews the whole creation.
Sinners once haunted by the threats of judgment will live
forgiven, restored, renewed and freed. All lives broken by
sin's injustices and haunted by death's terrors will be
transformed by joy and transfigured into the new creation in
Christ.
You and I are witnesses of this new creation.
You have been baptized into Jesus' death and resurrection and
have heard his promise. Your lives are hidden in his and he
feeds you with a foretaste of the eternal feast of joy. He
will meet you in your hope. He claims your daily work and
makes it into a holy calling. He lives in you and sends you
into the world as an ambassador of reconciliation, a testimony
of God's incomparable love. Jesus lives! Your life in him is
resurrection witness.
"This is our God ... let us rejoice and
be glad in his salvation!" (Isaiah 25:9).
The Rev. Mark S. Hanson
Presiding
Bishop
Evangelical Lutheran Church in
America
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HEIN-FRY
LECTURE AT PLTS
Hearing the Word:
Lutheran
Perspectives on
Biblical
Interpretation
Wednesday, April
22
10:00 am - 2:30
pm
"Interpreting the Bible
Lutheranly:
Between the Undertow
and a
Tsunami"
The interpretation of the Bible has
always been and continues to be a contest among rival
interpretations. The church is called to confess Jesus Christ
as the living Word of God in every generation. This lecture
contributes to a constructive approach to interpreting the
Bible as the book of faith in our
time.
Presenter: Rev. Dr. Craig Nessan,
Professor of Contextual Theology, Wartburg
Seminary
Respondent: Rev. Dr. Moses Penumaka,
Director, Theological Education for Emerging Ministries
(TEEM), PLTS
PACIFIC LUTHERAN
THEOLOGICAL
SEMINARY
2770 Marin Avenue
Berkeley, CA
94708
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RECLAIMING
OUR LUTHERAN HERITAGE: FIVE IMPORTANT THEMES LUTHERANS
HAVE LOST
WHEN: April 17-18, 2009
Friday: 7:00 - 9:00 pm
Saturday: 9:00 am - 3:00 pm
WHERE: Immanual
Lutheran Church
14103
Saratoga Avenue
Saratoga, CA 95070
PRESENTER Dr. Dennis Bielfeldt,
Provost,
Institute of Lutheran Theology and Professor of
Philosophy & Religion, South Dakota State University
COST: Adults $25.00, Youth
$10.00
SPONSORED BY: Several churches in
the Santa Clara Valley Lutheran Parish in cooperation with the
Lutheran Bible Institute
TO REGISTER: Click here to
download information for posting, including the registration
form: Lecture
Series
MORE INFORMATION Call Immanuel
Lutheran Church (408) 867-0822 or Jim Wenzel (408) 741-1263,
or go to www.ilcsaratoga.org/lbic
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LUTHERAN SOCIAL SERVICES BRINGS GARRISON
KEILLOR
Save the date --
September 22, 2009! Lutheran Social Services of Northern
California is bringing Garrison Keillor, radio host and
world-renowned creator of Prairie Home Companion, to the
Sacramento Memorial Auditorium. LSS is presenting him to
celebrate their 125th anniversary and to raise funds for
services provided to former foster youth, families and
vulnerable individuals.
Get the best seats now! Major
sponsorships are available and range from $50,000 to
$250. Churches are encouraged to become sponsors.
The ticket price only covers the cost of the
performance. Sponsorships will raise funds for the LSS
social ministry mission.
Individual tickets can be ordered with a
pre-sale code (4LSS) for LSS supporters at the Sacramento
Convention Center, Convention Center, or call
(916) 808-5181. Link
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Upcoming Events
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April 13 - 19 Bishop
Holmerud on vacation
April 16-18 Gathering for
Women of Color in
Ministry
Eaglewood Resort &
Spa,
Itasca (Chicago) IL
April 19 Concert at Trinity
Lutheran Church,
Oakland
April 21 - 22 Mobility
Conference -
Carefree, AZ
April 22
Hein-Fry Lecture -
Pacific
Lutheran
Theological Seminary
April 23 Tri-Synod Campus
Ministry Board - Synod
Office
April 24 Professional
Leadership Conference
Committee
11:00 am - 2:00 pm
April 24-25 Candidacy
Committee at PLTS,
Berkeley, CA
April 29 Interim Pastors
Gathering - Bay Area
(Site TBD)
April 30 Interim Pastors
Gathering - Valley Area
(Site TBD) May
27-28 Synod Council
May 28-30 Synod Assembly
Fresno, CA
May 29 Book of Faith
Conversation - At Synod
Assembly, Fresno
June 1 Synod Office Closed
July 10-12 Catechumenate
Training - San Damiano
Retreat Center, Danville
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
October 10 District A
Conferences Assembly
Cross & Crown, Rohnert
Park
October 11 District C
Conferences Assembly
PLTS
October 1-6 Conference
of Bishops, Chicago
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
2010
January 4-9 Bishops'
Academy, Itasca, IL
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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CHRISM
MASS OILS
AVAILABLE
To all rostered leaders: If you were unable to
attend one of the Chrism Masses, there are blessed oils
available in the Synod office. Please call and arrange
to pick up the oil.
Link
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CONCERT AT TRINITY LUTHERAN,
OAKLAND
Carole and Tom Parmeter Dyer, former musicians
at a number of Synod congregations, will give a concert with
their group, Woven Image, on Saturday, April 19, at
7:00 pm.
Location will be
Trinity Lutheran Church, 650 Alma Ave., Oakland, CA.
Carole and Tom were
the main musicians in the Songs of Hope and
Healing CDs. A freewill offering will be
received.
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SYNOD ASSEMBLY
REGISTRATION
The
links for registering for the Assembly and for hotel
reservations are on the Synod website. Simply click on
the words "Online Registration" and "Hotel Information."
Please note these important dates:
April 28 - Assembly Registration fees due
April 29 - A $50 late fee will be charged.
No exceptions. On-site registration will have a $75 late
fee assessed.
May 1 - Hotel reservations close for our
reduced rate.
One person should complete the congregation's
registration information form for all Voting Members.
Please have information for all Voting Members on hand before
starting the registration process.
If you have questions, feel free to e-mail the Synod
office at:
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COOKIES FOR
ASSEMBLY
Don't forget to bring
cookies to the Synod Assembly. We are hoping for ten
dozen cookies from each congregation!
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Sierra
Pacific Synod 
