Tracing Your Roots: Community Lunch

Ever wondered where your family came from—or how to begin finding out?

St. Peter’s Episcopal Church invites the community to “Tracing Your Roots,” a special Community Lunch on Tuesday, October 20, from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Parish Hall at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, 334 14th Street, Del Mar.

Guest speaker Jim Silva, a retired middle school special education teacher and avid genealogist, will introduce participants to the surprisingly accessible world of family history research. With approximately 30 years of experience researching his own family tree and helping others explore theirs, Jim will share practical ways anyone can begin uncovering their family story—including ways to get started for free.

Jim’s own interest in genealogy began with a mystery close to home. Having never met any members of his father’s large family, he decided in his 30s to take matters into his own hands and begin searching for them. That personal quest grew into a decades-long passion.

During the presentation, Jim will explain how beginners can start researching with little more than paper, pencil and curiosity. He’ll introduce different ways of organizing a family tree, popular genealogy research resources, DNA testing, local genealogy societies and libraries, and options for those who decide to invest in subscriptions or other research tools. He’ll also share how genealogy can become a social activity and even an inspiration for travel.

The goal, Jim says, is to show that there is no single way to explore your family history—and genealogy doesn’t have to be something you do alone.

The event is sponsored by the St. Peter’s Seniors Ministry and is open to the entire community. Lunch will be catered by Viewpoint Brewing Co.

When: Tuesday, October 20
Time: 11:30am–2pm
Location: St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in the Parish Hall: 334 14th Street, Del Mar, CA
$20 per person
Please RSVP: 858-755-1616