These past 9 months have provided churches in the South Bay and other conferences with countless challenges and opportunities for ministry. As the old saying goes, when someone gives you lemons are you going to make lemonade? In observing the ministry that has been transpiring since the outbreak of Covid-19,
Continue reading2019/2020 was a year of less transition in the Foothill Conference of our beloved Synod. Here is a brief rundown of some of the leadership and other changes (as on 04/09/2020): Pastor Zach Johnson has been called to Hill Avenue Grace, Pasadena The rest of the Conference has entered into
Continue readingLet us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Galatians 6:9 Fall/Winter It’s has been a busy time these last five weeks catching since before that I was on vacation. I am continuing to
Continue readingThe Justice Team continued to meet most months through Tuesday, March 10, 2020 at the Synod Office. We heard reports from several of our committees or task forces. In February The Rev. Dr. Alexia Salvatierra and Dixie Hansen reported on the circles of care formed to help immigrant youth who
Continue readingAutumn Renewal: On the weekend of October 12-13 the Women of the ELCA (WELCA) held our biannual Autumn Renewal at Cal Lutheran University. The theme was “Sharing God’s Love through Gratitude” using 2 Corinthians 4:15: “Yes, everything is for your sake, so that grace, as it extends to more
Continue readingGreetings to our fellow ELCA congregations of Southwest CA: With smoke, fire, pandemic, and a reckoning on race and racism in America, the Central Coast Conference continues to persevere in its care of its communities and love of God. While many of us leaders were bracing ourselves to hold our
Continue readingIn September 2019, I took on the role of Synod Youth Director with the following goals: to give increased attention to racial equity in our synod youth ministries to strengthen connections between youth ministries in our synod to continue connecting youth ministries in our synod to opportunities in the wider
Continue readingThe Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer, my God in whom I take refuge, my shield, and horn of my salvation, my stronghold. Psalm 18:2 God is faithful and sustains us in all circumstances and I think that we are all experiencing that grace in a special
Continue reading2020 has not been the year any of us hoped for; still, a quick look from Synod Assembly 2019 to when synod assembly 2020 would have been reveals that God is working in all things for good! Here are some of the places and ways God is moving right here,
Continue readingGod’s grace and peace to you. I entered into this call on December 1, 2019, in the last weeks of Pastor Reg Schultz-Akerson’s tenure as your previous assistant to the bishop. Pastor Reg was able to spend many quality hours with me, sharing with me his current workload, briefing me
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