Dear , 

Have you heard about Lily?  She's a 7-year-old girl who is "food insecure."  Since we're among friends, let's be clear:  Lily is "hungry."  She is one of 17 million children in the United States who are not sure whether there will be food to eat at their next mealtime.  Lily is willing to talk about her situation, in order to help others, but she's also uncomfortable, often looking down at her feet instead of making eye contact.

While our national economy is sputtering, food banks and emergency pantries are doing a land office business.  It should be the other way around, of course.  As long as unemployment lingers at such high levels, especially in California, and more particularly in the Central Valley, there will be plenty of children like Lily.  "But what can we do?  We're just one person/family/congregation/synod/ church" (pick your favorite).

"'With what shall I come before the LORD, and bow myself before God on high?  Shall I come before [God] with burnt-offerings, with calves a year old?  Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, with tens of thousands of rivers of oil?  Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?'   [God] has told you, O mortal, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?" (Micah 6:6-8 NRSV)  

"Just then a lawyer stood up to test Jesus.  'Teacher,' he said, 'what must I do to inherit eternal life?'  [Jesus] said to him, 'What is written in the law? What do you read there?'²⁷  He answered, 'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.'  ²⁸ And [Jesus] said to him, 'You have given the right answer; do this, and you will live.'  ²⁹But wanting to justify himself, he asked Jesus, 'And who is my neighbor?'" (Luke 10:25-29 NRSV)

Scripture makes it clear that our response to the need of others is love.  Not love as an emotion or a feeling, but the kind of active love that recognizes others as our neighbors, that accompanies those in need, that motivates us to do what we can - all that we can - while offering comfort, support and hope.

I know that many of you have helped those in need, through your personal work or donations, or through your congregation.  Thank you so much for what you have done and are doing!  Yet there is still much, much more to be done, isn't there?

By the way, Lily is a Muppet and not a "real, live girl" - see a picture in the lower right-hand corner of this newsletter.   

I don't know about you, but for me this knowledge makes it even more poignant:  the folks at Sesame Street have had to create a new Muppet in order to draw our attention to this crisis.  While I'm thankful that Sesame Street has addressed this issue, along with many other sensitive areas in the past, I still have to wonder - could we not have seen those like Lily for ourselves?

Yours, in Christ,

Jim Goldsmith, Assistant to the Bishop

P.S.  One way to help is through ELCA World Hunger, which supports work in the U.S. and around the world; take a look! 

We remember in prayer:  

Pastor Stan Niemi (Interim, Zion, Stockton), spouse Kris, family and friends, following the death of Kris' father, Warren Jensen 

2012 Clergy/AIMs/Diaconal Ministers and Spouses/Partners Retreat

Redwood Glen, Santa Cruz Mountains

February 19-21, 2012 

The cost of the retreat is $500 and covers room and board; $250 is needed by November 30th to reserve your spot.  Space is limited to the first 21 couples. 

Please make your check payable to Santa Clara Valley Lutheran Parish and mail to: 

ELCA Rostered Leaders & Partners

c/o Jim & Peggy White,

3744 Cadwallader Ave., San Jose 95121

??? - call Todd Bertani at 707-688-6411.

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT (TIME SENSITIVE - RESPONSE NEEDED)

Insurance Brokerage Antitrust Litigation - Class Action Settlement

TO: All Eligible ELCA Congregations and Synods having held liability and/or property insurance coverage through Charity First for the period August 26, 1994 through September 1, 2005, or any portion thereof

FROM: ELCA - Office of the Treasurer and Office of the Secretary

DATE: October 1, 2011

The ELCA was awarded a net amount of $57,648.97 in settlement of a class-action suit involving Charity First, former administrator of the ELCA-endorsed synodical and congregational insurance program during the period August 26, 1994 through September 1, 2005.

On behalf of participating ELCA congregations and synods, the ELCA Churchwide Organization received the settlement amount.  In accordance with action of the ELCA Church Council, the ELCA Office of the Treasurer and Office of the Secretary are to distribute settlement proceeds to eligible congregations and synods.  Eligible congregations and synods are defined as those holding liability and/or property insurance coverage through Charity First during the period August 26, 1994 through September 1, 2005, or any portion thereof.

Each eligible congregation and synod must complete the attached Claim Form in order to receive a portion of the proceeds.  Please submit the completed, signed Claim Form to the ELCA - Office of the Treasurer via U.S. mail or e-mail on or before February 20, 2012.  Claim Forms postmarked or sent electronically after February 20, 2012 will be ineligible for the distribution.  If you have any questions you may contact the ELCA Office of the Treasurer at 773-380-2892 or via e-mail.

Click to download a copy of this Announcement and the Claim Form.  Thank you for your cooperation.

Board of Pensions Webinar Available

What drives the price of ELCA benefits?  Watch  or download a recording of the recent BOP webinar by clicking here.

FALL DISTRICT / CONFERENCE GATHERING SCHEDULE

DISTRICT E --

Sierra San Joaquin (electing a Dean) and Central Valley Conferences - Sat., Oct. 29, 9:30am-2pm, Emanuel, Modesto

Visions of Hope:

An Exodus From Hunger!

Featuring: Rev. Arthur Simon,

Founder of Bread for the World

Nov. 4-6 at Mount Cross Retreat Center, Felton, CA.

Click here for registration brochure.  Cost for the weekend is $150; scholarships are available for seminarians and college students.  Contact Edie Lott by email for more information.

Cultural Competency Workshop - November 12

If you have not registered, please do so now to get the discounted price.  There will be child care AND English to Spanish translation for the workshop.  If you would like child care and/or translation, contact the Registrar, Linda Vogelgesang, immediately! 

Anti-Racism Workshop

St. Matthew, Walnut Creek November 17-19

Register soon, as registration closes Nov. 1; click here for more info or to register.

 Cost: $155 per person; includes Friday dinner and Sunday lunch.
 Registration closes October 28; to register click here. 

"LILY"