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Synod Snapshots from this Week!
Bishop Megan Rohrer and their family worshipped at Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church in Fresno, CA this past Sunday. Grace Evangelical is a Hmong worshipping community and is led by Pastor Lu Vang.
Pastor Tita Valeriano worshipped with Messiah Lutheran Church in Redwood City, CA this past Sunday! The congregation is led by Pastor Courtney Geibert and is located just south of San Francisco.
Catherine Slabaugh worshipped with Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Fresno, CA yesterday. Special thanks to Pastor Ted Niemi and the Good Shepherd community for the warm welcome.
A few members on Synod Staff joined the Lutheran Hunger Network in Fresno, CA for a morning of service! This past weekend, Bethel Lutheran Church in Fresno hosted the food distribution as volunteers served fresh produce and meats to community members in need.
Bishop Megan Rohrer joined Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Concord, CA this past Wednesday for their mid-week Lenten Service. Thanks to Pastor Jeremy Serrano and the Good Shepherd community for the warm welcome - it was a pleasure to worship with you all.
Bishop Megan Rohrer and their children joined Mayor London Breed this past week in City Hall as San Francisco celebrated some philanthropists for Women's History Month.
Upcoming Synod Wide Events/Livestreams
Check out our upcoming Synod-Wide Events here.
Bishop's Book Club
Monday, April 4th 4:00pm
Livestream via Facebook & YouTube
Community Prayer Service
Tuesday, April 12th 7:00pm
at Holy Cross Lutheran Church Livermore, CA & Livestream Here
Chrism Mass Services
April 13th at 1:00pm
Unity Lutheran Church North Campus in South San Francisco
April 27th at 1:00pm
Faith Lutheran Church in Meadow Vista
SPSYC Middle & High
School Retreat
April 22-24, 2022
Mt. Cross Ministries, Santa Cruz, CA
Being a Reconciling Synod
A Conversation with LGBTQ+ Theologian in Residence Pam Rocker
Tuesday, April 26th 6:30-8:00pm
Conversation via Zoom
Updates and Resources from ELCA Churchwide & Beyond
Caring for Creation & Earth Day Resources

"Caring for God's creation is an ever-evolving topic in this world, especially with each new natural or human made disaster. As stewards of this world, we are called to care for the earth and examine our behaviors toward creation. While we need to take from the land for food and sustainability, we also need to be careful that we maintain good stewardship and do not exploit the wonderful things the earth provides."

Check out Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton's video raising up Lutherans caring for creation and information on the development of a new Social Message on Caring for Climate.

ELCA Now is the Time Study
A 5-Part Study for the ELCA Declaration to People of African Descent

Join Rev. Kacey Hahn and Desta Goehner of California Lutheran University for this 5-part zoom conversation for white members of the ELCA to face an uncomfortable past and walk boldly into a new future of racial justice and reconciliation.

Register to join here: bit.ly/NowIsTheTimeELCA

Learn more here: https://fb.me/e/1ICH2IBVr
2024 National Youth Gathering in New Orleans!

This past week, the National Youth Gathering team announced that the 2024 gathering would be held in New Orleans, Louisiana. Save the date for July 16-20, 2024 in NOLA! MYLE and the tAble will take place immediately before on July 13-16.
Synod Assembly 2022
1 Month Left to Register for Synod Assembly!
Open March 1 - May 1, 2022

Have you registered to attend Synod Assembly 2022? The Assembly will commence on Thursday, June 2, 2022 and close Saturday, June 4, 2022. In order to attend synod assembly as a voting member in-person, all individuals will need to provide proof of full COVID-19 vaccination. Registration for the Synod Assembly or any of the accompanying events must be completed online.
1 Week Left to Apply to Lead a Workshop at Synod Assembly

We're collecting applications for Workshop Leaders for Synod Assembly 2022! We invite you to apply to lead a 1-hour workshop during Synod Assembly in Sparks, NV this June. Applications will be accepted until April 15th, and all workshops offered at the Assembly will be announced after May 1st.
Hotel Room Block Available for 1 More Month

For Synod Assembly, we've received a block of hotel rooms at a significantly reduced rate at The Nugget Hotel in Sparks, NV. This room block is only available at the reduced rate until May 8th, so we encourage you to book your room today!
Synod Assembly Volunteers Needed

As hundreds of our fellow Lutherans will be attending the Assembly to Worship, Learn, and Conduct the Business of the Sierra Pacific Synod, volunteers are needed to assist Assembly attendees. We are looking for additional volunteers! Here's where volunteers are most needed:
  • Set-Up Team: May 31st anytime
  • Event Photography: June 2nd 12:30-4:00pm, June 3rd 9:00am-12:00pm, June 4th 9:00am-12:00pm
  • Hospitality Greeters: June 2nd 10:00am-2:00pm
  • Registration Support: June 2nd 10:00am-3:00pm
​​
Email catherine@spselca.org or dbtorry@att.net to sign up to volunteer.
Notification of changes to Synod Constitution
Continuing Resolution S7.26.A00

At its meeting on February 16, 2022, the Synod Council voted to amend Sierra Pacific Synod Constitution continuing resolution S7.26.A00. by striking the text One lay member from each synodically authorized worshiping community shall be a voting member of the Assembly and substituting it with the following text: Two lay members from each synod authorized worshipping community shall be voting members to the Synod Assembly.
Prayers for Our People
Prayers for Sacramento

Our hearts ache at the news of a shooting in Sacramento over the weekend, just block away from many churches in our synod. We send prayers to all who grieve this heartbreaking news, and join together in the following litany from the ELCA:

Today we remember
those who have died by gun violence,
those who have survived gun violence,
those who mourn deaths of family and friends by gun violence.

Aching with sorrow
we grieve this pain and death that surrounds and fills us.
Rejecting the viciousness
we give ourselves to one another in love and care.

Today we remember
deaths and fears of death
rampant in schools, homes, and workplaces.

Marching for their lives, young people awaken us to action.
Listening at last
we rise up to face the horror; we confess ourselves complicit.

Let us pray together.

Forgive, O God, our wrongful action and our inaction. Forgive our silence and indifference.
Lead us in love, for Jesus’ sake.

Amen.
Bishop's Wednesday Livestream Prayer

Every Wednesday, Bishop Megan (or a member of the Synod Staff) goes live on Facebook and YouTube for a time of prayer as a community.

We invite you to join us for prayer every Wednesday at 6:00pm! Public prayers can be lifted up in the comments, and private prayers can be messaged directly to Bishop Megan.

Prayers happen here: https://www.facebook.com/meganrohrer
Connect with Synod Staff
Rev. Dr. Megan Rohrer
Bishop
Sierra Pacific Synod
bprohrer@spselca.org

Rev. Hazel Salazar-Davidson
Assistant to the Bishop for Authentic Diversity, Inclusive Community & Service
hazel@spselca.org

Diana Barrios
Director of Finance, Systems and Administration
diana@spselca.org
Rev. Manda Truchinski
Assistant to the Bishop for Leadership & Strategic Organization
manda@spselca.org

Rev. Tita Valeriano
Director for Evangelical Mission and Assistant to the Bishop
titav@spselca.org

Catherine Slabaugh
Communications & Connections Coordinator
catherine@spselca.org
The Sierra Pacific Synod Office resides on the unceded land of the Ramaytush Ohlone People.
To learn more about their tribal history, we encourage you to click here.
The Sierra Pacific Synod is a Sanctuary Synod and a Reconciling in Christ Synod.