news

Clergy Boundary Training 101 will be offered on April 10, 2018 at Elk Grove UMC--see registrations for more information and to register. Clergy Boundary Training 201 will be offered on April 26, 2018 at Elk Grove UMC--see registrations for more information and to register

*By Dr. Larry R. Hygh, Jr.   For the first time in recent memory, the California-Nevada Conference paid 100 percent of its 2017 General Church (denominational) and Western Jurisdiction apportionments.    "The people of the California-Nevada Conference have responded to God’s abundant grace through their giving.  They have done so, faithfully and sacrificially.  My heart rejoices in the good work that has brought us thus far," says Bishop Minerva G. Carcaño, resident bishop. She added, "The ...

Hurricane Maria, one of the most powerful hurricanes in history, devastated the Island of Puerto Rico.  The Methodist Church of Puerto Rico (MCPR) has issued an invitation for teams to assist them with recovery and rebuilding.  An Early Response Team Mission Trip has been planned for March 17 to 24. The group is going to assist with the near-term damage mitigation.  The specific assignment will be made closer to the time of the trip, but persons can assume it will likely include tarping, ...

Christmas Eve Evening Worship is a regular service for Alum Rock UMC every year. But, because this year it’s on Sunday—we decided to have Sunday morning worship at St James Park in downtown San Jose.   So on Christmas Eve, Alum Rock UMC celebrated Christ's birth in a way that we believe truly honored the Savior to come: by spending time with the hungry, cold and homeless. Throughout advent, we gathered supplies to create 'blessing bags' that we dedicated to one of our influential members that ...

The Korean clergy family retreat as held December 25 to 27 at Zephyr Point Conference Center at Lake Tahoe. The speaker was Sukhan Jung, professor of counseling psychology at the United Graduated School of Theology Yonsei University in South Korea. He lectured on two subjects, "The Prevention and Healing of an Adult Child" and "The Stress Management and Mental Health of Clergy." In attendance were 15 clergy families with 67 people participating. For nine years, every Christmas season, they have...

Sonoma United Methodist Church will be having a Used Book Sale. Paperback books $1 and Hardback books $2. Friday, January 19, 2018, 9 am-2 pm; Saturday, January 20, 2018, 9 am-2 pm; Sunday, January 21, 2018, 9 am - 12noon. The church is located at 109 Patten Street, one block south of the historic Sonoma Plaza. Coming and see some great finds and enjoy a day in Sonoma where: "The Love in the air"

The First United Methodist Church of Roseville will be providing a Christmas Day Meal on Monday, December 25, as part of our Helping Hands Feeding Program which has been preparing a meal each Monday for 36 years. We expect to serve 200 - 240 meals on Christmas Day and would appreciate volunteers to help serve the homeless, and donations of food for this meal. Sign up to volunteer by calling Kathleen Mirtoni at 916-782-2450.

Rev. Andrew Bear (ATEM) is organizing the fourth annual Homeless Persons' Interfaith Memorial Service. Held on the Winter Solstice, the longest night of the year, the Homeless Persons' Interfaith Memorial service will feature leaders from Silicon Valley's diverse religious traditions (Buddhist, Jain, Hindu, Sikh, Muslim, Wiccan, Jewish, Unitarian Universalist, Protestant and Catholic). They will share prayers, readings, songs, and chants, and read the names of persons who died without a home in ...

Chuck Snyder (center) from Florin UMC in Sacramento presented Bishop Minerva G. Carcaño (right) with an original art piece.  Snyder's carved wood art piece is based on The United Methodist Church's mission statement. The Rev. Gail Chiew (left), Florin's pastor, was also present. He is the surviving spouse of the Rev. Linda Snyder.  

Los Altos United Methodist Church invites those not feeling the holiday “cheer” to The Longest Night: a Service of Solace on Monday, December 18, at 7:30 p.m. in the Sanctuary. Come find a space of peace, reflection, and comfort in this busy and sometimes difficult season. Those who are grieving and those who are feeling overwhelmed, tired, anxious, or stressed may find this service particularly welcome, but all are invited to experience an hour of candlelit prayer, meditation, music, and a ...

The Adopt-a-Family Christmas Program has made a joyful Christmas a reality for about many local families in need every year since 2002 thanks to the Family Intervention Team (FIT) Foundation. Since 2010, local United Methodist Churches in the Three Rivers Circuit have matched families in need with donors willing to provide. This year, 53 families will be served through this program, which have already been identified and referred through county agencies, departments, and schools. Each year, ...

In our troubled times, people of many faiths, and people of no particular religious tradition, wonder how to address their concerns together. The churches of "Interfaith Nevada County" (aka "INC"), inspired by a proposal from the Ba 'hai Community, came up with a way to gather and share their hopes in prayer for a whole day. People of all kinds joined in a day of prayer for World Unity and Peace, on Saturday October 21, at Grass Valley United Methodist Church. The vigil began at 7 a.m. with ...

The UMW of Roseville awarded pins to three women in our congregation on Sunday, Nov. 12th, in recognition for their work with women, children and the homeless. Women being recognized were: Debbie Thompson, for the multitudes of prayer shawls she has made for the Prayer Shawl Ministry; Cathie Wierbick, for her longtime work with The Gathering Inn, The Monday Feeding Program and the Lending Program; and Chris Handley, for spearheading Vacation Bible School this year, Sunday School, the Finance ...

Need to burn off some Thanksgiving calories and support your church and community? Join Chasity Jones (US-2 GMF Seattle, WA) for a Vinyasa flow class for all ages and levels! Bring your own mat if possible! We will have a yoga class and then have a discussion afterwards about her work in Seattle, WA with Faith Action Network. Maggie Lohmeyer will also be discussing the mission of the Waller Center in our local community. Admission is donation based. All donations will go towards supporting ...

Maggie Lohmeyer (pictured far left), field coordinator for the Jubilee Initiative participated in a panel for a legislative briefing at the California State Capitol.  The briefing, sponsored by the Center for Responsible Lending and Assemblymember Ash Kalra, was entitled "The State of Small Dollar Lending in California." This was the second session and focused on efforts to provide alternatives to high-cost predatory lending.  The first session focused on how small dollar lending has become ...

The First United Methodist Church of Roseville is honored to host Erin Pettengill to speak at our Sunday Service on November 5, 2017. Erin is the Author of "Termites Ate My Couch", and is currently serving in Central Africa. During her talk on Sunday November 5th, Erin will be speaking on Finding Joy in the Midst of Trials based on Romans 15:12. Don't miss the opportunity to hear Erin's stories come to life. Please join us at 109 Washington Blvd, Roseville, CA. Invite your friends! Worship ...

Turlock First UMC rallied together October 15 for the Redwood Empire Food Bank. Redwood Empire Food Bank were receiving donations of perishable and nonperishable food items that required preparation and cooking facilities. However, they were in dire need of nonperishable foods that required no cooking or preparation. Local resources were depleted. First UMC Turlock received $4,000 worth of donations in one hour.  They were able to purchase water, Gatorade, protein bars, jerky, trail mixes, and a...

A “Building an Inclusive Church workshop” is planned for Saturday, October 28th at Walnut Creek United Methodist Church, from 8:30 to 5 pm. Our workshop facilitator is the Rev. Dr. Israel Alvaran, Reconciling Ministries Network Western Regional Organizer. The free workshop helps congregations become Reconciling Churches, welcoming LBGTQ and all others into the full life of the church. Come learn the basic steps to building an inclusive community in your church. Register at http://tinyurl.com/wal...

Sometimes, someone leaves a lasting impression on your soul, and when that person leaves this earth, they leave behind a legacy that others can only try to fill.   This was the case of one such member of the McKinleyville United Methodist Church of the Joyful Healer. Teri Hawkins was a long time member who felt the need 3 years ago to show faith in action in a way that used her particular gifts and talents. She was a masterful seamstress/tailor and found the organization “Little Dresses for ...

*By Dr. Larry R. Hygh, Jr.   "Our prison system cages people for long periods of time, like a human zoo, and tears them apart from their innocent children," says Pastor Holly Hillman. "So the question a church can ask itself is, 'What are we here to be and do?" Hillman recently helped to plan and was one of the leaders for the Bishop's Consultation on Prison Ministry within the California-Nevada Conference.    The purpose of the consultation, held at the Conference Center in West Sacramento, ...

Thanks to the generosity of several United Methodist churches and community organizations in Northern California, more than $8,000 was raised during a September speaking tour for a guest house project in the Palestinian village of Wadi Foquin to boost tourism and help offset agricultural losses due to encroachment by an illegal Israeli settlement onto its land. Since it was initially established in 1985, the settlement of Betar Illit and its accompanying outpost settlement, Hadar Betar, have ...

The Conference Committee on Christian Unity and Inter-religious Relationships is rejuvenating and looking for fresh connections! We want to know what exciting things have been going on ecumenically and interfaith-wise in our Conference! Please share your best practices, bridge-building events, heart-warming connections, etc with us! Email your photos and a brief description to Akiko Miyake-Stoner (akiko@ujcclife.com). We look forward to hearing from you!

Brentwood UMC recently celebrated its 150th church anniversary with Bishop Minerva G. Carcaño preaching from the theme, "Rooted and Grounded in Love," based on Ephesians 3:14-21.  For more information about the 150th celebration, history, and the church's ministries, click here.  

Rabbi Greg Wolfe, Imam Amam Shahin, and the Rev. Brandon Austin of Davis UMC explain their interfaith walk and meal happening in Davis on Sunday. The trio did an interview yesterday on "Insight" with Beth Ruyak on Capital Public Radio.  An interfaith meeting in Davis this weekend connects Christian, Jewish and Islamic leaders as the religious communities face conflict. This past summer, Imam Ammar Shahin raised controversy in a sermon last summer. The three explain their interfaith walk and meal...

For churches wishing to donate through the California-Nevada Conference for immediate relief for the fires, and immediate needs of future disasters, make checks payable to "California-Nevada Annual Conference," and write "CN Disaster Response" in the memo line.  Churches can add their donation in with their tithing form and annotate in the area as "other designated giving."    Mail checks to the California-Nevada Conference Center, P.O. Box 980250, West Sacramento, CA 95798-0250. This helps the ...

In late September, the Korean caucus held a mission dinner for a new church being planted at San Francisco Korean UMC. Each year, the Korean caucus has been having a mission dinner, and two congregations have been planted (New Creation UMC and Jesus Love UMC) in the California-Nevada Annual Conference. In the past this dinner has raised $20,000.  The Rev. Staci Current, Bay District Superintendent, preached for the worship service. Music was led by the Korean caucus clergy and their spouses. ...

Fire Update 10/17/17 as of 10:30 a.m. Bishop Carcaño Visits Sonoma Circuit Today we met with about 20 leaders from the Sonoma Circuit who shared their stories of evacuations, fear and a deep desire to serve others.  We learned that 80% of our Sonoma church had evacuated.  On Sunday morning those who had gathered for worship had looked around and realized that only the poor had stayed.  Poverty is a sure deterrent to being able to easily move out of the way of the danger of natural disasters.(...

The First United Methodist Church of Roseville will be holding "A Blessing of the Animals" on Sunday, October 8, 2017. The event will be held in the church parking lot next to the church located at 109 Washington Blvd, Roseville, CA. (corner of Church St. & Washington Blvd) Bring your pet OR a photo of your pet. Our pets are a blessing to us...join us in blessing them!

The Cal-Nev Philippine Solidarity Task Force has two upcoming report backs from their recent trip in July. The first will be at Park Presidio United Methodist Church (4301 Geary Blvd, San Francisco) on October 8th, 2017 at 11 AM. The next opportunity will be a youth report back to take place at the Waller Center (1525 Waller St., San Francisco) from 4-6 PM. Join us to hear more about what's currently happening in the Philippines with martial law, extra-judicial killings, the war on drugs and ...

The Conference Board of Higher Education and Campus Ministry is accepting grant applications for 2018 Campus Ministries. Funded by the Annual Conference, the Board currently administers grants to support Campus Ministries at seven northern California universities. The Board also provides support to circuits or congregations looking to expand their presence on love university campuses. For information and applications, contact Patty Bartscher at pattybartsher@sbcglobal.net, or 650-922-3889

The Basic Lay Servant Course for El Camino Real District will be presented at Evergreen Valley UMC on Saturday, October 14th and Saturday, October 21st from 9AM to 2 PM. The cost is $20 and snacks and lunch will be provided. Nina Klepec will teach the class. If you plan to attend, please contact Donna Furuta (donna.furuta@hotmail.com) (408) 258-6710 or Pastor Sunae Cho (408) 691-9215.

On October 14th, 1917 the first worship service of Methodist Episcopal Church (today known as the Rio Linda Community United Methodist Church) was held in the school house. The first church building was completed in August 1918 and officially dedicated on October 13, 1918. The original church building was destroyed by a fire in June 1951. Ground was broken on April 20, 1952; the first service held in the new building on October 5, 1952. On October 8, 2017 we will celebrate the 100th anniversary ...

The California-Nevada Philippines Solidarity Task Force (PSTF) calls for congregations to support the week of action now taking place from September 15 to 24, "In Solidarity With the Philippines."   PSTF, as members of National Ecumenical-Interfaith Forum for Filipino Concerns (NEFFCON), and in conjunction with Nor-Cal’s chapter of the International Committee on Human Rights in the Philippines (ICHRP,) invites pastors and congregations in the California-Nevada Conference to express their support...

By Linda Kuruhara, Chair of the Immigration Task Force   On September 7, there was a grand march to the Sheriff's Office from the Capitol.  This was an advocacy march for SB 54, The California Values Act. This act separates Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE) from local law enforcement. and establishes a uwallbetwenn the two agencies, so that Californians can live in safe communities.  this Act is an expansion of the Trust Act which passed legislation a couple of years ago.  It was established...

The call came from the American Red Cross for female chaplains to come to Texas to provide support in shelters following Hurricane Harvey.  Last week, the Rev. Toni Hartman (3rd from left), a chaplain and clergyperson in the California-Nevada Conference answered that call. Here are some of her reflections... September 10 I have been in the shelter in Dallas. When we first arrived there were 3,600 people. Today they moved 600 back to Beaumont,Texas to a shelter closer to their homes. We have ...

For churches across the California-Nevada Conference who have been creating cleaning kits (flood buckets) to help replenish the United Methodist Committee On Relief (UMCOR) West Depot in Salt Lake City, there will be a truck dispatched that will travel to through the annual conference to pick up the flood buckets.  Churches will be asked to bring their cleaning kits to designated churches (to be announced soon) on October 14 and 15.  The truck will then begin its route to pick up the kits from ...

The Refugee/Immigration/ Sanctuary Task Force of St. Mark's UMC Sacramento, along with ACT (Area Congregations Together) is offering an Immigration/DACA Forum and Workshop on Sat. Sept. 30, from 8:30 a.m. until 1 p.m. at the church located at 2391 St. Mark's Way, Sacramento.  There will be a presentation by Attorney Sharron Williams from Justice Immigration Legal Services, assisted by Attorney Gina Manchiati.  The Rev. Michael Yoshii of Buena Vista UMC will be speaking about their current ...

Have you ever served a church that missed a paycheck? Have you ever served a church that didn’t pay its tithe? Have you ever been troubled by the financial condition of the congregation you are serving? From October 17 through 21, the Rev. Dr. Ken Sloane will be presenting workshops in each of the California-Nevada districts on what pastors need to know about church finances and connectional giving.    The Rev. Dr. Ken Sloane is the UMC's Director of Stewardship and Connectional Ministries, ...

The CA-NV Annual Conference Certified Lay Ministry Program (LM) has approved a blended course that utilizes on-line learning through BeADisciple.com and classroom learning on Second Saturday training days to complete the requirements for Certified Lay Ministry training.   The LM Blended Course, allows students to work from the comfort of their own homes to complete modules 1-4 and then attend four additional courses, Deeper into the Bible, Preaching and Preaching Practicum, and Lay Pastoral ...

The Endowment Board would like to thank donors for their contributions in the fiscal year 2016 to 2017. Through gifts, the Endowment Board has granted over $44 million to the Board of Pensions (BOP), and the Retired Clergy Association (RCA) to provide healthcare subsidies, Pre-1982 pension service years funding, and RCA membership, services, and programs for the retirees and their spouses of the California-Nevada Conference.      In fiscal year 2016 – 2017, the Endowment Board provided:   BOP: -...

Ata Manasra from the Palestinian village of Wadi Foquin, in the West Bank, will visit the California-Nevada Annual Conference September 10 to 20 for an educational and fundraising speaking tour. Manasra is the coordinator of the Narjes community development project, a unique Muslim-Christian partnership supported by the General Board of Global Ministries that assists with economic initiatives, and other efforts to help make life sustainable while resisting the Israeli military occupation. He ...

A Call to Action to The United Methodist Churches in the U.S. September 4, 2017   We have learned that President Trump is considering rescinding the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) which presently provides undocumented immigrant young people employment authorization.  Under DACA young people are able to obtain social security cards, work and go to school.  Since DACA’s inception in June 2012, almost 800,000 young people have received its benefits.  Many other young people who ...

  The Board of Pensions has launched a new web site to communicate their services and news to the clergy, churches, and lay people of the California-Nevada Conference.  It can be found at www.bopumc.org. The web site features pages devoted to pensions, health insurance plans, wellness programs, church resources, frequently used forms, retired clergy resources, news articles, and more.  Other links and resources include The UM Foundation, The Conference Claimants Endowment Board, the Retired ...

By Kelly Peterson-Cruse   California-Nevada’s summer camping season is over, but the blessings and impact will last far beyond closing campfire and worship.  Camping and Retreat Ministries “branched out” in new and exciting ways this season.   We partnered with our ethnic camping programs, and two of them were held out our own Camp Lodestar.  As well, our conference camping program provided outreach to churches that usually haven’t attended our camps in the past.  These partnerships included ...

  First United Methodist Church of Vallejo hosted a Summer Learning Cafe where many community children and youth came to join with children of the church. Mornings began with breakfast and conversation about the body and nutrition. There were also sessions on anti-bullying, and self-affirmation sessions presented by Vallejo Police, plus classes in music, art, HulaHoops, kite-making and chess.  The student's lunch was provided by the Vallejo Unified School District. During the afternoon sessions,...

Missionary Ken Cruz, who is from The Philippines and serves in Cambodia, will be on itineration this fall in the Conference.  He is available to visit church groups October 25 to November 5.  “Ken is charming, charismatic, and makes an engaging presentation about his work in community health and agricultural development,” according to Howard Parker, Conference Secretary of Global Ministries. Missionary Cruz will be preaching at supporting churches on the two Sunday mornings that he is here, ...

Some folks who are young at heart came up during the Children's Moment one Sunday recently when there were no children in church. They participated and answered questions as their 6 year old selves. From left to right - Chris Handley, Children's Moments Leader, Pamela Woicicki, Don Harris, Paul Woicicki, Cliff Williams, John Handley and Kathleen Mirtoni. Thanks to the UMM of Roseville who had decided to do this at their last meeting and others who jointed to make a very meaningful, fun, and ...

Our Cabinet went on retreat on August 3rd-6th for spiritual formation and team building, and to think strategically as we prepare for our work for the coming conference year.  We retreated to Yosemite National Park and were reminded of our Creator God who has blessed us with the magnificent beauty of Creation.    We also visited Mariposa United Methodist Church and had the opportunity to consult with Pastor Allison Byerley about the Detwiler fire.  We are so grateful for Pastor Byerley’s ...

Five years ago this Saturday, a white supremacist opened fire inside a Sikh gurdwara in Oak Creek, WI, taking the lives of six people. Bishop Minerva G. Carcaño says, "As Christians, we are called to love all God’s children and grieve when one suffers.  The memory of Oak Creek reminds us that our work of building God’s beloved community is not yet done.  May we join others in remembering Oak Creek, and may our remembering stir our hearts to loving our neighbor, truly loving with the very love ...

The Endowment Board bid farewell to Board President the Rev. Dr. Tony Ubalde at their annual meeting on Saturday, June 3. Rev. Dr. Ubalde served as a trustee for 15 years. “We are very grateful for Tony’s dedication over the years,” says Executive Director, Cory Parish, “his spectacular leadership has benefitted not only our organization, but the hundreds of retired clergy and their spouses that we support. We cannot thank him enough for his efforts during his tenure with The Endowment Board.” ...