“For now we see only a reflection, as in a mirror, but then we will see face to face. Now I know only in part; then I will know fully, even as I have been fully known.” — 1 Corinthians 13:12

This summer, 15 young people from 10 congregations across the Episcopal Diocese of San Diego will travel to Hawaii for the Province VIII Talk Story Youth Pilgrimage. But the work of pilgrimage began long before they boarded the plane.

Over the past several months, these students have gathered to reflect on their own stories, learn about Hawaiian culture and history, raise funds together, and prepare to represent the Diocese of San Diego among young Episcopalians from across Province VIII.

The pilgrimage itself grew out of an unexpected challenge. When it became clear that there would be no Episcopal Youth Event (EYE) in 2026, EDSD’s Director of Formation, Charlette Preslar, and EDSD’s Children and Youth Missioner Leighton Jones began reaching out to dioceses across Province VIII. Together, they helped create an alternative gathering centered on the Hawaiian practice of “Talk Story”—a tradition of sharing stories, listening deeply, and building relationships through lived experience.

This July, 125 youth and adult leaders (33 adults) from 12 Province VIII dioceses in Hawaii, Taiwan, Arizona, Navajoland, Utah, Oregon, Washington, California, Nevada, and Idaho (63% of Province VIII) will gather to learn from one another and from the communities that call Hawaii home.

In 1 Corinthians, Paul reminds us that none of us sees the whole picture. We understand only part of God’s creation until we encounter others and their stories. That scripture directs our pilgrimage’s guiding themes: indigenous history and culture, immigration, faith, and leadership.

Native Hawaiian traditions teach the value of mālama–the sacred responsibility to care for and protect people, places, and traditions. Mālama is still a living practice for many Native Hawaiians today. It shapes how communities care for the land, preserve cultural heritage, strengthen relationships, and honor their responsibility to future generations. Our youth will be invited to consider what it means to belong to a place, to care for the creation in that place, and to understand stewardship as a relationship. This may be their first opportunity to encounter a culture that emphasizes deep relationship with land, community, ancestors, and future generations.

Students will learn how Native Hawaiian communities have preserved language, culture, music, dance, and identity through generations of change and challenge. These stories of resilience offer powerful lessons about memory, faithfulness, and community.

This is not tourism. It is pilgrimage. Most of us encounter Hawaii through beautiful beaches, resorts, luaus, and stunning landscapes. Those things are real, but they are only part of the story. Our pilgrims seek to understand the people who call Hawaii home, the history that shapes the islands, and the challenges communities face today. Pilgrimage invites our students to arrive as guests. It teaches our youth to listen before speaking, to approach another culture with humility, and to recognize that transformation comes through relationship rather than consumption.

The delegation will also explore Hawaii’s history of immigration. Through visits to cultural and civic sites, students will learn how generations of people from around the world helped shape the islands and continue to contribute to Hawaii’s unique identity; conversations that are especially meaningful for the Episcopal Diocese of San Diego. As a border-diocese, EDSD knows that migration is not simply a topic in a textbook; it is the lives of our neighbors, congregations, and families.

In preparation for the pilgrimage, students have spent time reflecting on who they are, where they come from, and the communities that have shaped them. Many of the students are most excited about the relationships they will build.

Jack from St. James by-the-Sea looks forward to meeting young people from other dioceses and working alongside them. Mikey, also from St. James, is excited to connect with people he would likely never meet otherwise.

Katie from St. Thomas hopes to learn more about indigenous Hawaiian culture. Caden from Christ Church Coronado is eager to explore Hawaiian history. Steven from St. Luke’s looks forward to experiencing Hawaiian culture firsthand.

Others are excited by the opportunity to encounter something entirely new. Thomas from St. Margaret’s will be visiting Hawaii for the first time. Rose from St. Luke’s is looking forward to meeting new people and experiencing the beauty of the islands.

What stands out in these reflections is that very few students talk about vacation. Instead, they talk about people, culture, learning, and connection. In many ways, they are already pilgrims.

We have rallied around these young leaders. Delegates and adult leaders have participated in five fundraising events throughout the diocese, written support letters, shared announcements in congregations, and practiced telling the story of this pilgrimage wherever they go.

But an important need remains.

The Province VIII Talk Story Youth Pilgrimage has applied for a grant from The Episcopal Church as an alternative to EYE. If received, those funds will help underwrite the costs of programming on the pilgrimage, not the costs for individual participants. At the same time, airline ticket prices have risen by more than $300 per person since planning began, creating thousands of dollars in unexpected expenses for the delegation. 

These young people have already done the hard work of preparation. They have reflected, learned, fundraised, and committed themselves to representing our diocese well.

Now they need our help.

This pilgrimage is about more than a week in Hawaii. It is about forming Christian leaders. It is about learning how to listen deeply. It is about understanding cultures and histories beyond our own. It is about building relationships across the Church and discovering how God is present in communities different from our own. Most of all, it is about returning home changed.

If you are able, please consider making a gift to support the EDSD delegation. Your support will help ensure that these young pilgrims can participate fully in an experience that will shape their faith and leadership for years to come.

SUPPORT THESE YOUTH

And please keep them in your prayers.

For more than 40 years, St. Mark’s Episcopal Church in City Heights has been home for my family; My wife and I raised a child and a grandchild there, though we moved from City Heights back in 1985. We once lived just two blocks away and walked to church together on Christmas Eve. Today, rush-hour traffic can turn evenings into an hour-long drive, but fortunately, Saturday and Sunday are not rush hour. We’re invested in this community and hopeful about its future.

So, when I heard about the Congregational Vitality program and about the objectives, I was eager to participate. Our small church has been pretty stable over the years, and the vestries have consistently wanted to double the size of the core, and this seemed like a great opportunity. But over the years of efforts, we haven’t doubled the core as we wanted.

The Consortium for Congregational Vitality (CCV) is a program that brought together congregations from across the diocese who shared a common dream: to deepen our ministries and better connect with the people around us. Over three months, we gathered every week online to learn from diocesan staff and one another. We reflected on the changing needs of our communities and explored practical ways to strengthen discipleship, evangelism, and communications. CCV gave us space to ask meaningful questions about who we are as churches, how we share our stories, and how we can more faithfully invite others into the life and love of Christ.

Our vestry (small, mighty, and all-overworked) decided to split the segments. I chose Communications, in part because I’ve seen some miracles come as a result.

I have been on the business side of things for as long as I’ve been at St Marks, and on my working side have gone through a number of CEOs and charismatic leaders (I’m not one of them…). The book Chris Tumilty chose for the program, “Stories that Stick” by Kindra Hall, turned out to be fantastic. It uncovered missing pieces in my thinking. After reading the first session snippet, I got a full copy from Amazon. I recognized some methods our business leaders had used to rally the troops in good times and challenging times, but I’d never put it all together.

While reading Hall’s book about the power of story, it brought a whole new sense of communication that I’m still pondering. Jesus was a master storyteller. Who doesn’t know the story of the Prodigal Son and the story of the Good Samaritan? How can my story–OUR STORIES–share the Good News of Christ and invite people to church?

What shocked me is the effort and thought that goes into communicating stories for different purposes. It is a revelation that I am still digesting. And I’m not sure I like all the implications. I’m not personally interested in social media, even though I am deeply involved with computers and the internet for many hours daily. But I’ve seen people come to us that way; at the very least, I have to support the people that have that bent with resources, as I mull it over… I believe all of our congregational additions over the past decade have, in fact, started with social media. That’s a sobering thought from someone who ignores Facebook.

We have one dedicated member in St. Paul, Minnesota, who participates via Zoom most of the year, and when it’s freezing in the Midwest, he spends time with us in sunny San Diego. We have members who have moved far away, and members who have disability and other challenges, who we see every Sunday remotely. As the treasurer, I see the results of our newsletters and the ongoing support it generates. These digital communications avenues are not just important to our church; they are how our community connects.

CCV taught me that communication in the church is not ultimately about technology, marketing, or keeping up with trends. It is about people. It is about helping others feel seen, connected, welcomed, and remembered. And it is doing the hard work of examining my own story of faith and sharing it with others. Whether it is through a Sunday Zoom, a newsletter, a shared story, or the simple act of invitation, church communications help carry relationships across distance, disability, grief, and change.

I entered the program hoping to help our church grow, but I left with something more: a deeper understanding that sharing the Good News has always been rooted in each of our stories. Rooted in our community, and in the courage to keep reaching out to our neighbors with love.

As Dean Penny Bridges prepares to retire after more than a decade of leadership, St. Paul’s Episcopal Cathedral reflects on a transformative season of renewed visibility, growth, and public engagement in the heart of San Diego. Since arriving as dean in 2014, Dean Penny has helped modernize cathedral systems, expand digital ministry, strengthen interfaith relationships, and position St. Paul’s as both a spiritual home and a civic gathering place for the wider community.

Under her leadership, the cathedral became widely recognized for its “Light Up the Cathedral” ministry, launched in 2015 with a public rainbow illumination tied to San Diego Pride. The project transformed the cathedral’s exterior into a visible public witness of welcome, solidarity, and prayer. Through its lighting displays, the cathedral has stood alongside San Diego’s LGBTQ+ community and many others during moments of celebration and civic significance across the city.

Dean Penny has also helped oversee significant growth and development on the cathedral campus, including major property redevelopment initiatives designed to support the cathedral’s long-term ministry and presence in Bankers Hill. Alongside these efforts, she has continued investing deeply in the cathedral’s nationally recognized music program. Most recently, the cathedral celebrated the opening of the new Music Center, further strengthening St. Paul’s commitment to sacred music, concerts, chorister formation, and the arts as central to the cathedral’s ministry and outreach.

Bishop Susan Brown Snook said, “Dean Penny has helped St. Paul’s Cathedral become a visible example of God’s love in the heart of San Diego. Her ministry has been marked by creativity, compassion, and a deep commitment to public witness. Through seasons of challenge and change, she has led with grace and vision, strengthening the cathedral’s role as a place where all people know they are welcomed and beloved.” 

Throughout her tenure, Dean Penny has consistently emphasized that a cathedral should serve not only the church, but the whole city around it.

When something truly horrific happens, we often ask ourselves, ”But what can I do?” The desire to help is there, but the capacity for practical assistance is lost. We search for the right words, the right response, or an action that feels large enough to match the weight of grief unfolding right in front of us. But standing in Lindbergh Park on Tuesday evening with thousands of neighbors gathered to mourn the shooting at the Islamic Center of San Diego, Bishop Susan Brown Snook reminded me that the first and most important thing we can do is simply show up.

The park was full of people long before the vigil began. Clergy in collars and stoles stood beside imams, rabbis, pastors, and community leaders. Families gathered with their young children. And the eerie sound of thousands of people in silence–only the sniffles of grief carried. Many had the distinct look of tears being held back by the thinnest of layers.

Just 30 hours earlier, the Islamic Center of San Diego, a stone’s throw from where I stood, was the site of devastating violence. Two heavily armed teenagers (children!) opened fire during a busy day at the mosque and school campus. In the chaos, staff and neighbors rushed to protect children and families, which likely saved dozens of lives.

As the news spread, the grief across San Diego became deeply personal to our city. The three victims were identified as Amin Abdullah, a security guard and father of eight; Mansour Kaziha, a 78-year-old mosque elder; and Nader Awad, a longtime neighbor and community member. During the vigil, speaker after speaker described them not simply as victims, but as heroes. 

Abdullah confronted the shooters and warned others inside the campus– protecting more than 100 children attending programs at the Islamic school. Mansour Kaziha, known affectionately as “Abu Ezz,” was a longtime caretaker and leader at the mosque who had managed the mosque store for nearly 40 years. He was remembered for his warm smile and his deep devotion to the community and children of the Islamic School. Kaziha was the first person to call 911 after gunfire erupted outside the mosque. 

Nader Awad lived directly across the street from the Islamic Center. When he heard the gunfire, he did not hide from the danger; he ran toward it. Awad was shot and killed after leaving the safety of his home to help those in need. Both Kaziha and Awad stayed outside the building and helped draw the shooters away from the entrances where children were escaping.

The weight of their sacrifice filled the park. In moments like these, our presence matters.

That was at the heart of Bishop Susan’s remarks during the vigil. Addressing the Muslim and interfaith community gathered there, she acknowledged something many in San Diego already know to be true: the Islamic Center has consistently shown up for others. They have stood beside neighbors in moments of pain, injustice, fear, and uncertainty. They show up for justice and immigration rallies. They feed their neighbors. And now, in their own moment of grief, the wider community was there to stand beside them.

She said, in part, “…for those who are suffering and for those who are mistreated by our society, we are here today to show up for you.”

The phrase stayed with me all night: “show up for you.”

In a world motivated by outrage cycles and the demonizing of Muslims, “showing up” can sound small. But standing there among thousands of people from different faiths and backgrounds, it felt anything but passive. It felt deeply real. It felt like the world broke open, and Jesus’ ministry leaked through. 

Because showing up means refusing to let people suffer alone.

It means physically placing ourselves beside neighbors who feel afraid, isolated, or targeted. It means saying, with our presence, “Your safety matters to us. Your dignity matters to us. Your grief matters to us. We will not leave you to carry this alone.”

At the vigil, the victims were described as martyrs. They pursued the holiest calling: to put another person before themselves. And it cost their lives. They embodied something profound: every person is made in the image of God and deserves protection from violence.

I can’t ignore how familiar this story is. Again and again, Jesus shows up for suffering people. He shows up for outsiders. He shows up among the sick and excluded. He shows up in places marked by fear, grief, and division. 

And there it is again–something transformative about showing up.

I thought about that while listening to speakers throughout the evening. There was sorrow, yes, there was outrage, yes, but there was tenderness. Community members embraced one another. Strangers checked in on strangers. People smiled at young children pushing through the crowd for a better view. A soft togetherness had taken over the park.  

As the vigil began, Bishop Susan reflected on Jesus’ words: “Blessed are the peacemakers. Blessed are those who mourn. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness.” Peacemaking is not abstract. Mourning is not abstract. Righteousness is not abstract. They require us to move toward people. And moving toward one another may be one of the most important acts available to us right now. It says we belong to one another whether we like it or not.

As I looked around the park, I realized that nobody at the vigil believed it would solve the problems in our society. The gathering could not undo the violence. One evening could not heal the wounds. But that does not make showing up meaningless. In fact, it may make it even more important, because we are shaped by the countless moments when people decide to show up for each other.

Standing there, surrounded by prayers and grief, I was reminded that in painful moments, there is a way forward, and it starts with showing up.

We are Easter people, bearing the promise that no grief, no conflict, nothing is beyond the liberating power of God.

As we prepare to turn from our joyful Alleluias to the daily work of making the Good News known in Pentecost, we are grateful to everyone across the diocese who has responded with generosity to the Bishop’s Easter Appeal. Your financial gifts allow our congregations and ministries to carry the Good News to our neighbors every day by investing in:

• Our Mission Real Estate program, which is helping over a dozen congregations discern how to follow in the footsteps of St. Luke’s Episcopal Church to meet the needs of their neighborhoods;
• The pilot of our Consortium for Congregational Vitality, which helped three congregations build the tools to live more deeply into God’s mission in their communities; and
• The first year of Comunidad de Luz, where women and children stranded in our border region can find a path of empowerment toward an independent, dignified, and self-sufficient life in Tijuana.

Behind every one of these ministries are real people and real stories of transformation. They are congregations imagining new ways to welcome their neighbors. They are church leaders learning how to share the story of Jesus with greater clarity and confidence. They are families at the border discovering safety, stability, and hope after seasons of uncertainty and fear. Your generosity becomes part of those stories. It becomes meals shared, relationships built, prayers offered, and communities strengthened in the name of Christ.

This work is possible because the Diocese responds together. Across congregations large and small, Episcopalians throughout our region continue to demonstrate what courageous love looks like in action. In a world often shaped by division, scarcity, and exhaustion, your gifts proclaim that resurrection hope is alive and that the Church has Good News worth sharing. Thank you for helping make that witness possible.

If you haven’t done so yet, please make a gift now to join others from across the Diocese in responding to the needs of our neighbors and joyfully celebrating the work of The Church.

GIVE TODAY

A few years back…okay, more than a few years, it was 2009 actually…I decided that I needed to return to a fairly regular church life after a significant personal crisis.  Funny how those mid-life shake-ups can bring us back to God, right? Anyway, I started going pretty regularly to services on Sunday. My goal was to put me into proper communion with God, but I definitely was not there for all that touchy-feely stuff like the Peace or hugging or coffee hours. I felt I was good…just me and God. I believed that I didn’t really need all the community stuff and, in fact, I actively avoided it.  Fast forward a couple of years, and my friend (and EfM program mentor) Christine asked me if I was interested in getting to know a bit more about my faith (i.e., Education for Ministry or EfM). I didn’t know anything about EfM, so she gave me her elevator pitch.  I figured if I was going to take this Christianity thing seriously, I should probably actually read through the Bible and get to know a bit more about what I was professing as a newly re-energized Christian, so I signed up. That was 2011.

Fifteen years later, the EfM experience has helped me grow and live into my faith while deepening my relationship with the Trinity…which is great, but it’s not all there is to tell. Perhaps more importantly, to actively living out that faith, EfM gently coaxed me into understanding how foundational community is to a full and mutually nurturing spirituality, because it’s not just developing a personal relationship with God/Jesus/Holy Spirit but doing so within the context of community. As a gay Navy Officer, I spent most of my adult life building up very high and strong walls to keep the various communities in my life separate because some of them didn’t get along very well together. Joining a very intimate small group where we honestly shared the stories of our lives (Spiritual Autobiographies), revealed our fears, and expressed our doubts while integrating study of Scripture, church history, and theology/ethics/spirituality was scary. Yet opening myself up to be part of the group and, equally if not more importantly, allowing the group into my life has been one of the most challenging and positive things that I’ve done…and I like to flatter myself that I’ve been able to contribute back a bit too.

So, if all Christians are called to live out their faith in daily life, we need a solid grounding in the basics of that faith in order to put that faith into action…and most of us probably stopped really studying and investigating those concepts when we stopped going to Sunday school around 5^th or 6^th grade.

EfM is a small group adult formation program developed 50 years ago by the Episcopal seminary at the University of the South (Sewanee). In each EfM seminar, you’ll experience community by praying, studying, worshiping, reflecting, and discovering our unique way of walking in the world through faith. Through these five core practices, we build community right from the start. EfMers gather together, read, and reflect on one of five years of academic focus: Hebrew Scripture, Christian Scripture, church history, Christian ethics and spirituality, or a “Wide Angle” seminar study. By having members in multiple years simultaneously, we are able to explore the common themes throughout the faith journey. We experience the multiple voices of the spirit through each other’s experiences.

In addition to the academic focus, EfM teaches a spiritual discipline called Theological Reflection. It is the heart of EfM — it is what makes EfM not just a Bible study. Using everyday experiences, we connect our heart and head with what we observe going on in the modern world. Theological Reflection is the bridge between the Bible and our lives. It is a technique that enables our faith to impact our lives. It is an intentional, disciplined conversation — we are putting things into conversation with God and others. As the former Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, notes in his book Being Disciples, “A disciple is, as we have seen, simply a learner; and this, ultimately, is what the disciple learns: how to be a place in the world where the act of God can come alive.” (emphasis added). Through the lens of faith in theological reflection, we see the movement of God in our lives, which leads us to grow and transform into more well-rounded disciples of Christ.

If you have questions, want more information, or just want to talk a bit about the EfM programs, feel free to contact me at efm.edsd@outlook.com.

#WearOrange, Sunday – June 7

Thousands of our American brothers and sisters will wear orange at events throughout the month of June to support National Gun Violence Awareness Month and honor survivors and victims of gun violence. Let us take time as a faith community to pray for those who have lost their lives to gun violence and those who have survived and/or have been traumatized by the epidemic of gun violence in our country. May our prayers lead us to commitment and actions to reduce this epidemic. We invite you to join the Diocesan Gun Safety Working Group and Wear Orange for Weekend Services on Saturday and Sunday, June 6^th and 7^th. Learn more about Wear Orange Sunday and what you can do to support gun violence prevention at the national Wear Orange website (https://wearorange.org/), Bishop’s United Against Gun Violence website (https://bishopsagainstgunviolence.org/), and Episcopal Peace Fellowship website (https://www.episcopalpeacefellowship.net/liturgicalaction/).

Why Wear Orange? 
On January 21st, 2013, Hadiya Pendleton, a 15-year-old high school student from the south side of Chicago, marched in President Obama’s 2nd inaugural parade. One week later, after finishing final exams, Hadiya was shot and killed a mile from the Obamas’ Hyde Park home. Hadiya’s friends asked their classmates to commemorate Hadiya’s life – and the lives of hundreds claimed by Chicago’s gun violence each year – by wearing orange. They chose orange because hunters wear the color in the woods to protect themselves and others. Now, many in the gun violence prevention community choose to wear orange in memory of those we have lost, and as a symbol of standing against gun violence and in favor of reasonable gun sale and ownership regulations. On June 7th, let’s honor the more than 38,000 Americans who were killed with guns and more than 26,000 injured last year, and in particular remember and pray for the 101 persons killed and 79 injured by gun violence in San Diego and the greater Episcopal Diocese of San Diego area this past year. Join in and Wear Orange and bring awareness to the epidemic of Gun Violence. Please contact Paul.j.conry@gmail.com if interested in receiving a packet of gun safety informational brochures and orange ribbons to help observe Wear Orange Sunday.

On Tuesday afternoons at UC San Diego’s Price Center West, something sacred continues to take shape. Students hustling between classes, toting backpacks, laptops, half-full coffee cups, and the weight of deadlines and expectations, arrive at Agape San Diego because they heard there was free pizza. A few wander in cautiously, curious about what this gathering might be. And more and more stop because they recognize a familiar, friendly face.

Over a simple slice of pizza, conversations begin–classes, roommates, family, films, or the exhaustion of trying to keep pace in a world that rarely slows down. But often, the conversations deepen into something more. They become moments of trust, connection, and belonging. They turn into reminders that the love of Jesus Christ is often experienced first through presence.

That spirit of presence is the heart of Agape San Diego, a campus ministry that has served San Diego State University for 75 years and recently expanded its outreach to the University of California, San Diego. Thanks to the support of the Episcopal Diocese of San Diego, the ELCA, and sustaining donors, Agape’s mission field has grown from roughly 40,000 students, faculty, and staff to more than 100,000 people across both campuses. Despite the rapid expansion, the ministry remains grounded in something deeply relational and profoundly simple: slowing down long enough to truly see people.

“We cannot gather until we first connect,” shared campus minister Greg Tuttle, reflecting on the ministry’s approach to pastoral care and relationship-building. Greg shares that week after week, students quietly reveal the burdens they have been carrying alone. Some speak about loneliness. Others wrestle with anxiety, faith, identity, family struggles, or the pressure to succeed. Often, Greg says, students share things they have held inside for months or years before finally feeling safe enough to say them out loud.

That trust has transformed Agape’s role on campus. In only its first year at UC San Diego, university leaders and interfaith partners invited Agape staff to help lead and manage the Center for Ethics and Spirituality, recognizing the ministry’s consistent hospitality, reliability, and care for student wellbeing. It is a remarkable partnership rooted not in institutional power or visibility, but in trust faithfully earned through kindness and collaboration.

In an environment shaped by intense academic pressure, political tension, loneliness, and a constant need to perform, Agape offers something radically different: a place where people are welcomed without needing to prove (or do) anything. Greg shared that one graduate assistant studying mechanical engineering captured that difference in a simple observation: “You’re different from ‘nice.’ You’re kind.”

Today, “niceness” can remain surface-level. Kindness is real presence. Agape takes the time to slow down and truly see students and staff. It creates room for listening instead of fixing. In many ways, that spirit reflects the ministry of Jesus, who so often met people around tables, along roadsides, and in ordinary moments of human encounter.

The Rev. Paul Klitzke, Rector of Good Samaritan Episcopal Church, has witnessed that spirit firsthand since arriving a little over a year ago. Located near the UCSD campus, the congregation has long felt connected to student life, and Paul quickly recognized Agape as a ministry rooted not in performance, but in accompaniment.

Over the past year, he has regularly joined Greg Tuttle and Pastor Darin Johnson on campus, watching the rhythms of the ministry unfold naturally week after week. 

Paul said, “This well-established ministry of presence has been beautiful to witness. Returning students share their joys, relax, and enjoy conversation together. Those new to the space often arrive with curiosity and questions. All are welcomed and encouraged simply to be themselves. The variety of conversations is part of the joy of the ministry. Some weeks, we hear deeply personal stories or sit with someone seeking advice or support. Other times, conversations turn toward spiritual questions, ranging from sharing different faith traditions to exploring scripture together.”

For many students, the message of welcome is what matters.

“Many students are seeking a faith community where they can be fully included and authentically themselves,” Paul reflected. “Our presence on campus is an incredible opportunity to share that message of God’s love and belonging.”

The Rev. Darin Johnson, ELCA, said, “Pastoral care for students and staff is our top priority. I am continually in awe before the eager trust of strangers quickly sharing their innermost struggles, longings, and joys–often things that they tell us they have carried for months or years but not shared with anyone else until we pay attention to them. We have students that we just met joining us for this weekend’s retreat at Camp Stevens–for most, this will be their first ever retreat and first visit to a church camp, first time in wilderness, and many were not even raised in the church.”

College campuses are filled with opportunity, but they can also be isolating places. Students spend years striving for grades, internships, scholarships, research opportunities, and future careers. College life can become transactional, and students’ personal value becomes tied to productivity.

Agape intentionally interrupts that cycle.

At first glance, the ministry can appear remarkably simple. Pizza is served. Sparkling water is shared. But within that simplicity, relationships begin to take root. What starts as a free meal often becomes a community; strangers become familiar faces; familiar faces become friends.

But what happens beyond the ministry of presence? How is the life and ministry of Jesus shared with students?

We know that students’ lives are busy, and while they may have every desire to engage regularly with church, sometimes it just doesn’t fit into the breakneck schedule of campus life. So, Agape offers gatherings shaped by the rhythms of the church year: Epiphany Cake celebrations, Shrove Tuesday pancakes with The Rev. Dr. Mark Hargreaves of St. James in La Jolla, Ashes to Go on Library Walk, and retreats at Camp Stevens–students begin to discover something they did not fully realize they were missing: a connection to church without expectation.

At Agape, Jesus is not shared as an argument or transaction. It is lived through welcome, compassion, listening, and authentic community.

That spirit is not unique to UC San Diego; it is the same at San Diego State University, where Agape continues its longstanding ministry among students and faculty. 

Again and again, students describe Agape gatherings as anchors in their week–places where peace, friendship, and hope feel possible amid the pressure and fragmentation of modern campus life. One student reflected on discovering common ground across religious traditions. Another shared that hearing diverse voices in community strengthened her own faith. Others simply describe the relief of entering a space where they do not need to perform or pretend.

Greg recently recalled a parishioner quietly sharing through joyful tears after church, “I wish I had something like this when I was at UCSD.” The comment lingered because it captured something larger than nostalgia. It revealed a deep hunger for authentic community, for spaces where students can be fully known and gently reminded that they are loved by God. 

And week after week, that is exactly what Agape offers: a place where students encounter the love of God through the simple, transformative power of belonging. 

To find out more about Agape San Diego and its continuing ministry to college students, visit: www.agapesandiego.org

This article is based on reflections provided by:

Rev. Darin Johnson, ELCA pastor serving as the Executive Director of Agape San Diego
The Rev. Paul Klitzke, Rector of Good Samaritan Episcopal in University City
Greg Tuttle, Assisting Campus Minister with Agape San Diego

One of my favorite days of the year in our diocese took place on April 25– Leadership Academy. I love it not because it is a day of learning (although I love that, too!), but because it is a day of connection. Leadership Academy brings together people from across our diocese, people drawn to workshops that will support and engage their congregations in the important work of being the Church. 

This year, participants from 23 of the congregations in our diocese chose to spend their Saturday worshipping and learning with their diocesan community.

Connections looked like so many things that day. They were found in worship, during the joy-filled hymns, thoughtful prayers, and uplifting sermon preached by Canon to the Ordinary for Mission, Jason Evans. In this diocesan Year of Evangelism, he called us to listen for where God is calling our congregations and us, and then to leave our comfortable pews and partner with God in the world. Equal parts challenge and connection, and laced with more than a few laughs, Jason’s words set the tone for our work that day.

There were connections in the workshops too – between the content and between the people! In the Discipleship Track, Odesma Dalrimple and Amy Reams from St. Luke’s facilitated a Story Circles workshop. This rich formation program was created by Mark Yaconelli and Melissa Wiginton as part of the Austin Story Project. Intimate groups of four or five participants built a circle, shared stories with one another, listened for threads of connection, and then heard a story from Jesus’ life. In a world that can feel isolating, sharing our stories is an opportunity to build a community of belovedness.

David Jay, our EDSD Director of Development, offered a workshop on year-round giving. He provided simple tools to support congregations in transitioning from a yearly stewardship drive to a congregational culture of gratitude where gifts come from the heart and support ministry in the church and in the world. With humor and practical applications, David helped participants make connections between their ministries and God’s vision of abundance for all people.

Robert Vivar, led a Know Your Rights workshop, helping congregations explore how they can connect and support their immigrant neighbors. With engaging visuals, clear, fact-based guidance, and a foundation of faithfulness, connections that felt like hope were palpable among the participants.

And these are just a few highlights from the 11 workshops offered that day, a day that ended with a community reflection back in the Sanctuary of Good Samaritan Episcopal Church. Participants were invited to reflect on three prompts to close our day together. Their takeaways were written on colorful Post-it notes and placed on communal flipchart pages. The prompts?

What did you learn today?

What do you wonder about?

What do you commit to do when you get home?

Below are a few that I noticed as I transcribed them. I hope that they bless you, just as the gathered community of faithful EDSD disciples so richly blessed me. 

LEARN

“I learned the importance of incorporating how can I/we pray for you being asked in each small group I gather.”

“I learned the difference between discipleship & Evangelism – AND – I can do both!”

“I learned how to ask good questions – what possibilities do you see here?”

“I learned the types of communications to non-church members.”

WONDER

“I wonder if I can start a small group?”

“I wonder what is the story of transformation I’m called to tell – and how do I open myself to being transformed?”

“I wonder what else we are doing in our churches that can help each other?”

“I wonder what opportunities my church community will find in our neighborhood to share the good news and support others?”

COMMIT

“I commit to supporting year-round gratitude in our messaging and our living.”

“I commit to practicing asking someone to join me in a church activity/worship until I am comfortable doing it for real.”

“I commit to storytelling as a spiritual practice.”

“I commit to being brave – sharing stories – listening deeply – *grow*”

If you would like to know more about Leadership Academy and other opportunities for learning in community in our diocese, please contact Charlette Preslar, cpreslar@edsd.org.

EfM has changed the way I understand my faith, my church, and even how I see God at work in everyday life.

As I prepare to complete the four-year EfM Classic program this June, I find myself deeply grateful for the journey—and honestly, a bit amazed at how transformative it has been. I began EfM when I was still relatively new to the Episcopal Church, coming from an Evangelical background. I knew I had found a spiritual home, but EfM gave me the space to explore why. In those early days, I often found myself saying my mind was “blown”—and in many ways, it still is.
EfM has strengthened my foundation in both the Old and New Testaments, while also teaching me how to think more critically and faithfully about Scripture. I also enjoyed how Year Three brought Christian history to life in a way that gave context to everything—helping me understand not just what we believe, but how those beliefs were shaped over time.

One of the greatest gifts of EfM has been community. Our group brings together a wide range of perspectives, and that diversity has not only challenged me, but truly shaped how I see the world and my faith. There is something powerful about being in a space where curiosity is encouraged, questions are welcomed, and growth is expected.

I have also had the privilege of serving as a mentor since my second year. That journey has stretched me in ways I didn’t anticipate. It hasn’t always been easy, but it has been deeply rewarding. Watching others grow while continuing to grow myself has been one of the most meaningful parts of this experience.
And then there is Theological Reflection—arguably the most challenging and most transformative practice in EfM. Through it, I have learned to see God in all things, not just in the obvious or expected places. Participating in the reflections of others has been just as powerful, offering insight into how each person encounters and understands God in their own life.

EfM has also played a significant role in my ongoing discernment. It has helped me listen more closely, think more deeply, and remain open to where the Holy Spirit may be leading me next.

I encourage everyone to consider participating in EfM. Our new Wide Angle is a great way to “get your feet wet” if you aren’t ready to jump into the four-year Classic. EfM is not just a program; it is an invitation—an invitation to grow, to question, to listen, and ultimately, to be transformed. If you would like to learn more, please don’t hesitate to reach out! (email: csmccormk@gmail.com) We’d love for you to join us!