It’s blackberry picking season here in the foothills. Have you ever picked wild blackberries?

Grab a bucket and come out to the patch with me. Oh, be sure to wear long sleeves, as the vines have thorns on them—no fun picking with scratched up, bleeding arms. Thorns like to grab onto any skin, including legs, so wear long pants and covered toe shoes. One needs to reach out to the vines and pluck those gooey dark blackberries. The ripe ones easily come off the vines; unripe ones take a strong tug, which gets your hands entangled in the vines and oops, you’ve spilled your bucket. You need to bend down and look up to see the clumps of berries inside the bushes. Reaching into the vines could result in a new hairdo…a vine and berry halo. Those ripe berries taste yummy, one in the mouth, one in the bucket. It’s time to end when your arms are tired of wrestling with the vines, your tummy is full, and your hands are dyed purple. If you are lucky, you have a small bucket of blackberries. Happily, let’s hike back to the house and make a blackberry cobbler. Mix those raw ingredients, put them in the hot oven—and wala! One taste and ahh, yes, this is why we go through the hassle of picking wild blackberries. Add ice cream and it’s even yummier. Farewell, summer.

So, why am I talking about picking blackberries? Well, when I was picking the other day, I looked down at my purple hands—yes, my LWML hands, I thought. My mind went to the LWML CNH planning meeting held August 22. I thought of all the planning accomplished at the meeting. All the LWML ladies thinking, praying, and pondering ideas to plan for the next two years for their various committees. Vice presidents teaming up to map out assignments. New ladies joining seasoned ones for committee responsibilities. Would we have harmony, unity, and commitment with a common vision? Would the Holy Spirit lead and guide us? We wrestled with ideas, reached into our Bibles, prayed, ate, talked, and voted. And we “baked” options resulting in a delicious 2026-2028 biennium of coordinated goals. Stay tuned…to taste and see the “blackberry pies” we baked at the planning meeting. Join us however you can—via groups, zones, district meetings/gatherings—serving the Lord gladly with our purple hands.

April 2028 may seem far away, but calendars fill quickly. Please mark April 21-23, 2028, on your calendar now for the LWML CNH Convention.

Thank you to everyone who completed the survey earlier this summer. We reviewed the results before beginning the convention theme selection process. The survey results helped guide our discussion by showing what members hoped to see reflected in the next convention theme. You may view the results by opening the link below.

At the LWML CNH planning meeting on August 22, 2026, the Vice Presidents, their committees, and the Communications Committee gathered to plan for the next biennium. During the meeting, we prayed that our choice would be pleasing to God, then selected the theme and Bible verse for the 2028 Convention. It was inspiring to see so many women participate as we worked together to choose a verse and theme that reflects the survey results and the California region where the convention will be held.

We chose Jeremiah 17:7–8 as the Bible verse: “Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose trust is the LORD. He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit.”

The theme is “Drought-Free in Christ.” We all experience droughts in life, but we are blessed with the assurance that God is always with us. When we trust and obey Him, He provides the nourishment we need.

I am also excited to share that Cindy Steinbeck will be our Bible study leader. If you have not yet had the opportunity to hear Cindy, you are in for a spirit-lifting study. Those of us who have been blessed by her teaching before can’t wait to learn from her again.

We are now collecting mites for Grant #6: Bringing Light to Little Ones with Technology at Trinity Lutheran Early Learning Center, Redding, California, $5,190. Trinity Lutheran Early Learning Center has been teaching children about Jesus for 35 years. They are now pursuing accreditation through the LCMS school accreditation program. Your mites will fund Smart Boards—large wall-mounted interactive touch screens. This new technology replaces white boards and is now required for LCMS school accreditation. Both teachers and children will be “touching, teaching, and learning,” from Bible Stories to Science. We are over halfway there! The amount still needed is $3,000.

On August 2, a check for $2,500 was presented for Grant #4: Bringing Christ’s Hope to the Homeless – Mercy Holistic Ministries at Town and Country Lutheran Church to Pastor Mankin, Treasurer Bill Swift, Board President David Kretzman, and T&C LWML women.

Grant #5: Room to Grow Childcare Center Childcare Center at  St. John’s Lutheran Church, Fallon, NV, $6,975 was funded August 18. LWML CNH Past President, Roxan Schwab will make the check presentation of $6,975 on September 20.

We are “Women in Mission!” Your mites have already raised $21,875—an inspiring witness to what faithful giving can accomplish when many hearts come together in mission.

With every gift, we move closer to the March 2028 goal of raising $121,755 to fully fund all 23 mission grants and extend Christ’s love through each one. May our mission hearts and Mighty Mites continue to touch lives, share the Gospel with joy, and point others to Jesus, who remains our Passport.

Colossians 1:13–14. “He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.”

Guest speaker Stephanie Jones of First Lutheran, Concord, will represent LINC Bay Area and share how Youth Ministry Training and Empowering Leaders—two recent recipients of LWML CNH Mission Grants—are putting our “mighty mites” to work.

38451 Fremont Blvd, Fremont CA 94536

Saturday, October 3, 2026

10:00 am – 2:00 pm

Brunch and Lunch provided.

Join us for fun and fellowship, lunch and singing, breakout sessions, and an apple pie dessert social.

1011 Ulatis Drive, Vacaville, CA 95687

Saturday, October 17, 2026

11:00 am – 3:00 pm

Lunch provided.

Explore Luther’s Rose through a simple craft that brings LWML women, families, and generations together in faith and fellowship—a great way to highlight Reformation celebrations this October.

Join Lutheran Women in Mission this fall to support grants, share Christ’s love, and celebrate faithful service in your congregation.

Share stories about your successful past events and plans for upcoming events. Share what inspires you. We welcome photos!