It must be summer in the Sierra
Pacific Synod .... The fog is in over the Monterey Bay; in
"the valley" anything accidentally left in a closed car has or
is in the process of melting; and all over, people are ready
to rest and play and re-create. All of which seems to
lead to things being a little quieter at church (except on
Sundays, of course!)
I find this
is a great time to catch up on things I've let slip to the
bottom of the pile ... reading, non-urgent correspondence,
laundry ... You know. You have your own list. And
I'm about to add to it.
Have you checked out "
Administration Matters" ( www.elca.org/adminmatters) yet? It's an
e-newsletter with something for nearly everyone who has
anything to do with congregational life. The most recent
issue has a great article about working with nonprofit
organizations that use church premises and another on
congregational ethics.
And I'm wondering about the last
time you looked at the great stewardship resources there are
on the ELCA website. Just go to www.elca.org and
search "Stewardship". Or, if you prefer, look up
"Evangelism" or "Discipleship" or "Book of Faith".
You'll be amazed at the resources available. Maybe you
can think of it as picking flowers from a Lutheran
meadow. Oops. Sorry. Got a little carried
away there.
Praying that your
summertime be blessed with sunshine and shade as required,
And for peace in our hearts, our
homes, our neighborhoods, our world.
Rev. Nancy Feniuk Nelson
Bishop's Associate
Link |
|
We remember in prayer . .
.
Pastor Tom Nibbe (Holy Cross,
Pacifica), recovering from an injury suffered in a
fall
Pastor Scott Minke (Interim
Ministry), undergoing treatment for cancer
Pastor Ivan Larsen (retired),
undergoing tests and treatment
Victims of death by suicide and those who grieve
their loss
The unemployed, under-employed and those who
await word of budgetary
cuts
|
 |
|
JOB POSTING: DIRECTOR FOR MISSION
SUPPORT 
We are
pleased to post information for an executive staff position
opening with the Sierra Pacific Synod of the Evangelical
Lutheran Church in America. This posting is for a new
position, Director for Mission Support, which is
funded by the Evangelical Outreach and Congregation Mission
unit of the ELCA. It is 0.5 FTE. The full position
description can be found on the synod website at: Sierra Pacific
Synod.
This
position is open to both lay and clergy applicants. The
person who works in this position will work closely with the
Director of Evangelical Mission, Rev. Harvey Blomberg,
Bishop's Associate Nancy Feniuk Nelson, and Bishop Mark W.
Holmerud.
Applications will be received through July 20,
2009. Those who are interested in applying are asked to
send a cover letter, resume, references and any other
appropriate information to:
DMS
Search
Sierra
Pacific Synod - ELCA
401
Roland Way, Suite 215
Oakland,
CA 94621
Or
Questions
may be directed to Bishop's Associate Nancy Feniuk Nelson at
nfn@spselca.org or to the Sierra
Pacific Synod Director of Evangelical Mission, Rev. Harvey
Blomberg, at blomberg@spselca.org.
Link |
|
|
LUTHERAN VOLUNTEER CORPS STAFF POSITIONS
OPEN The Lutheran
Volunteer Corps has two staff positions open in Atlanta,
GA. For complete job descriptions, go to www.LutheranVolunteerCorps.org
1) LVC Atlanta Program Developer
LVC seeks a creative, collaborative leader and
organizer to coordinate LVC's local work in Atlanta, GA.
This is a half-time, capacity-building position.
Applications are due July 24th. E-mail a resume
with cover letter and a writing sample to Joanne Otte, Program
Director, Lutheran Volunteer Corps:
2) LVC Development Director
LVC seeks a vibrant communicator, collaborative leader
and detailed administrator to cultivate gifts and coordinate
LVC's national fund development. The Development
Director will solicit and steward major gifts and
contributions from individuals, congregations and
foundations.
Applications are due July 31st. To apply, send a
resume with cover letter describing your skills and passion
for this work to the Rev. Michael Wilker, Executive Director,
at: director@LutheranVolunteerCorps.org Link |
|
|
CHANGE THE WORLD: 2009 LUTHERAN YOUTH
CHALLENGE
Change the World: 2009 Lutheran Youth Challenge
unites the voices, offerings and hopes of thousands of young
Lutherans across the United States to raise $1 million to help
end hunger and poverty.
One million dollars is a big goal, but
the Challenge is starting small, collecting "change for
change.". Put your spare change in a collection
container. Click here to choose and print a label for your
container.
Visit
www.elca.org/youthchallenge for
fund-raising ideas, resources, and information for your
congregation and synod. Order free copies of the
six-panel brochure to share with youth and others through
Augsburg Fortress (order code: ITEM000920).
Give
online or mail gifts to: ELCA World Hunger, PO Box
71764, Chicago, IL 60694-1764. When mailing checks, be
sure to put "youth challenge" in the memo line so it can be
totaled with other gifts.
Link |
|
|
DO YOU KNOW A
CHAMPION?
The
Lutheran Educational Conference of North America is working
with Thrivent Financial for Lutherans Foundation to connect
high school students with Lutheran colleges and universities
through a program called Champions of Lutheran Higher
Education.
Champions recognize the power of a personal
recommendation when prospective
students are searching for
a college. The champions offer their time and
enthusiasm to help students and families in their
search.
Your help is needed to identify potential champions
in your community. Check out the Champions Program
at Champions. Link | |
|
Upcoming Events
|
|
July 10-12 Catechumenate
Training - San Damiano
Retreat Center, Danville
July 11-12 Tour de Revs
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 7 - Synod Office
closed for Labor Day
holiday
September 19 10:00 - 4:00
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 10:00 - 4:00
District A Conferences
Assembly - Elim,
Petaluma
October 11 1:00 - 4:00
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
Good Shepherd,
Fresno
October 24 10:00 - 3:00
District E Conferences
Assembly - Good
Shepherd, Fresno
October 24 Book of Faith
Conversation - Good
Shepherd, Fresno
November 1 Joint Lutheran /
Roman Catholic Service in
Stockton - 4:00 pm
November 7 10:00 - 3:00
District D Conferences
Assembly - Grace,
Palo Alto
November 7 - Book of Faith
Conversation - Faith, Chico
November 13-14 WELCA
Gathering - Peace,
Grass Valley
November 13-15 Spouses of
Clergy, AiMs & Diaconal
Ministers Retreat - Eagles
Rest, Sonora, CA
November 14 - Book of Faith
Conversation - Christ the
King, Orangevale
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
January 30 - Book of Faith
Conversation, Bethel,
Cupertino
March 1-2 Retired Clergy/
AIMs/Widows-Widowers/
Spouse Retreat - San
Damiano Retreat Center,
Danville, 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
|
|
SUPPORT THE YOUTH SERVICE
PROJECTS IN NEW ORLEANS
ELCA youth need the whole church to support
their service projects in New Orleans this summer.
You can support them in their work by
providing the supplies they need. All of the supplies
will be left in New Orleans to benefit ongoing Gulf Coast
relief efforts.
The highest priority is the need for school
supplies. ELCA youth will be assembling school supply
kits for 13,500 children in grades K-3 in New Orleans this
fall. These children are some of the most at-risk children in
the U.S. because of poverty and ongoing trauma from the
hurricanes.
The ELCA Youth Gathering is a mega-sized
example of "God's Work. Our Hands."
To contribute, go to the giving
page. To learn more about the need in New Orleans,
view the video
created to assist congregational groups for this missional
adventure.
Link |
|
PROFESSIONAL LEADERSHIP
CONFERENCE OCTOBER 20-22
The Professional Leadership Conference
will be held October 20-22 at Asilomar.
Registration materials will be coming out in
July. See Asilomar for
more information.
Link | |
Sierra
Pacific Synod 