Northern California District Church of the Nazarene

The Nazarene BSRT is hosting a free online webinar for Black pastors and leaders. Dr. Fili Chambo, an amazing, anointed leader will be speaking. "The Strategic Readiness Team has put together a virtual conference under the theme, A New Season, A New Day. The aim of this conference is to provide enrichment and encouragement for our pastors and church leaders. Our office is covering the cost of this virtual conference; thus, you can attend without any cost on your part! "The... conference will be held Saturday, June 5th, beginning at 12 Noon (EST). We are offering a variety of topics with top-notch speakers, along with a MEGA Workshop hosted by General Superintendent Filimao Chambo. Our breakout session topics include: Effective Ministry for All in a Digital World, Covid 19’s New Normal, and Economics & Financial Sustainability Post-Covid, and more. There will be a live Q&A session during each session." https://web.cvent.com//bcebfd7e-922f-4878-8788-340/summary

Hello NorCal Family! We have some great news! After more than a year of pastoral transition (during a pandemic, no less), we are happy to announce that Christ Community Church of the Nazarene has called Rev. Dave Myers as their next lead pastor. Pastor Dave, his wife Julia, and their children will be moving to NorCal during the summer. Many of you know the Myers family already. Pastor Dave served as an associate and lead pastor at Hillside Community in Petaluma for 11 years. ...Most recently, he served as Pastor of Family Life at Pasadena First Church of the Nazarene on the Los Angeles District. Pastor Dave is passionate about helping the local church envision itself as the embodiment of the kingdom of God in its community. He is a Pennsylvania native with a business degree from Grove City College (PA) and an MDiv from Nazarene Theological Seminary. He has been an ordained elder since 2008. Dave and Julia (a California girl) have been married for 11 years and have 3 children. Together, they have served as foster parents and look forward to supporting this work in the future. Julia is a talented creative with a heart full of empathy and a mind full of new ideas. She is a force for healing and justice in the world around her. Please join us in welcoming (back) the Myers family to the NorCal District!

We're excited to welcome you back to the NTS campus for #preach2021! This year's conference will feature pastor and author Brian Zahnd and a great lineup of preachers and preaching lab facilitators. Come be encouraged! Early bird pricing through July 15: www.nts.edu/preach

Our prayers are with those who have lost friends and loved ones in the tragic shootings in San Jose, CA today. Lord, may you use our nearby churches to be a source of compassion and healing during this time. Help us to respond in ways that are helpful and loving. https://www.npr.org//multiple-deaths-in-shooting-at-san-jo

Our Nazarene churches in Pittsburg, Concord, and Antioch teamed up today to hold a free community giveaway event as a way to love their neighbors! Way to go, friends! Let's keep making earth look more live heaven through works of service, hospitality, generosity, and compassion! The world needs more of this!!!

As Pastor Appreciation Month draws to a close, be reminded that it is the gift of prayer that makes the greatest impact in the lives of our pastors. We encourage you to call your pastor and ask them for her/his prayer requests. And then consider how you can be an answer to their prayers. Perhaps after this challenging season, it might be an appropriate time to plan for a pastoral sabbatical? https://pastormentor.com/pastors-sabbatical/

DISTRICT CALL TO PRAYER FOR SUNDAY, NOV. 1 The election is just days away. Given the heightened division in our country, we’d like to designate this Sunday, Nov. 1 as a Day of Prayer for our district family. Many have been praying for the outcome of this election. However, what kind of people we will be on Nov. 4 may be even more important. As followers of Jesus, our hope is in Christ and our citizenship is in heaven. We are called to be peacemakers and have been given the mi...nistry of reconciliation. Please join us in prayer for our nation this Sunday. If we have been careless with our words and witness and harmed our neighbors, let us repent and ask the Lord to soften our hearts. May we clothe ourselves in humility, kindness, grace, and love in the days to come.

All over our district, we see evidence of God's faithfulness. Just this past weekend: Casa de Restauracion, a new Hispanic church in Newark led by Pastors Richard and Ana Rivera, had its first official worship service! Three people were baptized into the family of God at a special oceanside service in Pacific Grove by Pastor Tim King (Salinas New Life church)!... Livermore Discovery Church (Pastor Curtis Lillie) held its first in-person communion service since sheltering-in-place orders went into effect in March! The Spirit of God is moving! The Lord is stirring hearts and transforming lives in our churches and communities! Keep pressing on, friends! Be encouraged! God is with us!

So excited for the baptisms celebrated at Salinas New Life Church today! The gospel continues to transform lives in NorCal! God is so faithful!

To all the pastors of NorCal - your labor is not in vain... Meditate on these song lyrics as you sit in God's presence. Know that you are loved and that God is with you. "Your labor is not in vain... Though the ground underneath you is cursed and stained Your planting and reaping are never the same Your labor is not in vain Your labor is not unknown Though the rocks they cry out and the sea it may groan The place of your toil may not seem like a home But Your labor is not unknown I am with you, I am with you I am with you, I am with you" https://www.youtube.com/watch

Sunday morning worship with Oasis de Esperanza in Cambrian Park! The good news of Jesus continues to be proclaimed and the mission of the church continues!

Research shows that Google searches for anxiety and panic related queries were at record highs at the onset of the pandemic. There is an alarming trend towards a historic mental health crisis in the near future. Pastors - guard your mental health and well-being! Here is a mini-course to get you started in educating yourself about managing stress. If you need financial help for professional counseling, be reminded that the NorCal district offers a Clergy Mental Wellness Gra...nt. Contract Christine Hung at [email protected] for more information. https://fullstrength.org/sj/lessons/managing-stress/

Dear Pastors, Here is a very practical self-care checklist as a reminder to engage in self-care. This is not to burden you with yet one more thing to do. This is a list of ways to protect yourself from future breakdown. We encourage you to pick one item from each domain and prayerfully discern what lifestyle changes need to happen for optimal health. When that becomes a habit, then go to the next item on the list. Your district staff are praying for you, especially this mont...h during Pastor Appreciation Month. You are loved! You are appreciated! You are prayed for. https://fullstrength.org/self-care-is-the-most-underrated-/

Hi Pastors! How have you been doing lately? Sometimes, when we are going through challenging seasons, self-care goes out the window. We are out of touch with our own unhealth as we are caring for others. Check out this online assessment that evaluates different areas of your life. Keep track of how you are doing today and in the months ahead. Prayerfully discern the lifestyle changes to keep yourself healthy and reach out to others when you need the support of others. https://domainassessments.org/

If you are a church board member, you have a little more insight on how hard your pastor has been working this year. Take the time this month to help your board and congregation express a deep felt appreciation for your pastor. Here is a list of 50 ways to support your pastor's well-being across five dimensions: physical, emotional, spiritual, social, and financial. Hang on to this list to promote your pastor's well-being even beyond Pastor Appreciation Month. https://www.wespath.org/assets/1/7/4775.pdf

October is Pastor Appreciation Month. This is typically when we thank and show a little extra love to the women and men who have dedicated their lives to serving Christ and the Church. Many pastors are feeling exhausted and discouraged from leading their congregations amid a global health crisis, an increasingly polarized culture, an economic downturn, and many other challenges. What can we do to support our pastors in more substantial ways? This year, the Northern California District Church of the Nazarene is highlighting the importance of clergy wellbeing in six key domains: Spiritual, Emotional, Relational, Physical, Intellectual, and Financial. To read more about the six domains of clergy wellbeing, check out https://fullstrength.org.

Time for our final prize drawing for all those who registered for our Pastors and Families Retreat! Who won today??? We have 54 pastors and families signed up so far (131 people in total)! If you want to join the fun, please register today at https://forms.gle/HTEmAVEtrUvvosGt7. Can't wait to see everyone! Have a blessed day!

Day 4 of our pastors and family retreat prize giveaway. We are giving away a prize each day through the registration deadline of 10/5. You must be registered to be entered into the drawing. Watch to see who wins:https://youtu.be/Rby-EJUqIT8 Register: https://forms.gle/HTEmAVEtrUvvosGt7... Register today: