In 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 readingEmmanuel, North Hollywood, in partnership with the All Valley Youth Soccer Club, sponsored a “God’s Work Our Hands” Sunday Food Drive. It was a huge success! We collected an amazing 1500 pounds of food! Volunteers from Emmanuel and the All Valley Youth Soccer Team both collected food and were on
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
Continue readingTrinity Pasadena was so blessed to receive a $2,500 Love Our Neighbor grant to address the increased utilization of our Trinity Food Ministry during this COVID-19 pandemic. We also thank the Southwest California Synod Council. It means a lot that you express this confidence in us and our ministries. When
Continue readingThe Twin Valleys Conference of the Southwest California Synod of the ELCA includes 15 congregations spread through the San Fernando and Santa Clarita Valleys, 14 of which lead and collaborate in shared ministries. Our congregations are varied in size, cultures, ministries, worship languages (ASL, English, Spanish), forms of worship, and
Continue readingDear People of God of the Southwest California Synod, Saint Paul wrote: “But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ…” Philippians 3:14 The content
Continue readingOn God’s Work Our Hands Sunday, Community Lutheran Church Los Angeles had a food distribution drive for the surrounding neighborhood. Members and volunteers passed out 120 packages containing boxes of fruit, canned and dry goods, and pandemic supplies of masks, gloves, hand sanitizer and first aid kits. Fifty five vehicles
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