Courageous Love: A Five-Year Journey of Transformation in the Diocese of San Diego
In 2020, after a year steeped in prayer, listening, discernment, and courageous visioning, the Episcopal Diocese of San Diego launched an ambitious five-year strategic plan. Designed to help us share God’s love in a rapidly changing world, this plan didn’t begin with a bishop’s directive—it rose from the ground up. Even before the election of The Rt. Rev. Dr. Susan Brown Snook as our bishop, a grassroots movement of faithful Episcopalians across the diocese came together to dream, to hope, and to commit to God’s call.
Seven strategic priorities emerged from that movement: church growth, discipleship, evangelism, service, advocacy, leadership, and stewardship. Each of these areas was paired with bold goals and measurable objectives—our way of staying grounded in action and accountability. Now, as we approach the final year of this transformative journey, we are witnessing the fruits of that faithful labor.
Growing the Church
One of our earliest commitments was to fulfill Jesus’ Great Commission by growing the Church—numerically and spiritually. We set a bold goal: to establish 30 new missional expressions, plant five to eight new churches, and grow existing congregations by 20%.
We are well on our way. Two new congregations—one in Oceanside and one in Ocean Beach—welcomed over 50 people each for Easter services this year. New church plants are already in the works in Menifee and the South Bay. In 2024 alone, more than 25% of our congregations experienced growth rates above 10%. Three congregation redevelopment projects are thriving beyond expectations, and 15% of our churches are actively ministering to military families. Meanwhile, campus ministry has expanded from serving one college to three, now reaching students weekly at UCSD, SDSU, and CSUSM.
Deepening Discipleship
Our strategic plan called for every congregation to offer robust discipleship programming and initiate small groups to help people grow in faith. We’ve seen a powerful renewal in this area.
The reimagined Leadership Academy returned in 2025 with 107 participants from 27 congregations. The Faith to Go in Lent series brought together 40 leaders—lay and ordained—from across 32 congregations for daily scripture reflection, offered both online and in print. Diocesan discipleship resources now reach hundreds of households each week, and our Faith to Go podcast has been played over 87,000 times since 2020.
Formation leaders have been equipped with new resources, training, and peer support, fostering greater confidence and deeper spiritual engagement. Our diocesan commitment to lifelong faith formation is also evident in our new lay licenses—for Eucharistic Visitors, Preachers, Evangelists, and Catechists—empowering local leaders for ministry.
Children and youth are also thriving. From VBS programs and diocesan confirmations to retreats, camps, and service trips, engagement is strong. In 2024, 36 children from nine congregations attended our second annual children’s camp, while 62 youth from 14 churches joined a retreat at Camp Stevens. Youth Leadership Council members even voted at diocesan convention for the first time. A new Missioner for Children and Youth is leading us forward with vision and energy.
Proclaiming the Good News
Evangelism is central to our identity. We’ve trained over 100 people—representing more than 75% of our congregations—in evangelism practices. The 2022 Good News Festival brought together more than 1,500 participants, including 100 youth, many of whom were attending a church event for the first time.
Our Communications Department supports nearly 75% of congregations and maintains or develops websites for 14 churches across the diocese. These digital tools are helping us reach new people and share the Good News in fresh, compelling ways.
Serving with Compassion
We have embraced Christ’s call to love our neighbors through tangible service. Half of our congregations have supported migrants, refugees, and asylum seekers. Twenty-six churches have organized community-wide service projects, and fourteen operate food pantries, collections, or gardens. Over a third of our congregations are engaged in interfaith or ecumenical partnerships, strengthening the bonds of shared mission.
Advocating for Justice
Our commitment to justice, peace, and creation care has only deepened. In 2025, we celebrated the opening of the Comunidad de Luz shelter for women and children in Tijuana, a partnership that now provides dignity and safety to migrant families at the border. This collaboration, involving the Anglican Church in Tijuana, Via International, the Pacifica Synod of the ELCA, and Vida Joven, is a powerful witness to shared ministry.
More than half of our congregations are involved in creation care. Nine congregations planted trees through a diocesan initiative. Eighteen congregations are part of our LGBTQIA+ Inclusion Taskforce. The Gun Safety Working Group now includes representatives from 21 churches. Sacred Ground circles and anti-racism trainings continue to foster deep transformation—more than 60 people have participated in these life-changing conversations.
Workshops like Knowing Yourself and LARK have helped leaders minister from a place of self-awareness and liberation, with dozens of congregations participating.
Forming Transformational Leaders
Raising up new leaders—both lay and ordained—has been at the heart of this five-year plan. Since 2021, eight priests and six vocational deacons have been ordained. Another 20 people are currently in discernment or formation for ordained ministry. Meanwhile, 75 laypeople have received diocesan licenses for active ministry in their congregations. We are witnessing a new generation of leaders answering God’s call.
Stewarding God’s Gifts
Our diocesan community has embraced stewardship with faith and courage. Twenty congregations participated in stewardship workshops, and in 2023 we launched Courageous Love, a $2.5 million fundraising campaign that has already funded church plants, campus ministries, and evangelism and service projects in congregations.
We are also preparing for the future through real estate. In 2024, we broke ground on our first mission-driven housing development: 75 affordable homes at St. Luke’s in North Park. Three more projects are in development, and a dozen congregations are exploring how to use their property for affordable housing, preschools, or nonprofit space. Solar panels are now installed at more than a dozen churches, demonstrating our commitment to sustainability.
When the 2024 floods hit the South Bay, diocesan disaster preparedness efforts paid off. We were able to offer immediate assistance to six families—evidence that stewardship extends beyond budgets and buildings into real-time compassion.
As we enter the final year of our strategic plan, our diocesan community stands strong—growing, serving, advocating, leading, and proclaiming the love of Christ. Bishop Susan Brown Snook and the Diocesan Executive Council are discerning what the next five years will bring. What new dreams might God be placing in our hearts? What challenges and opportunities await?
This summer, the people of the diocese will be welcome to participate in regional listening sessions and share their hopes and priorities for what the Diocese should focus on over the next five years. The Leadership and Congregational Development Committee is spearheading the new strategic plan effort with the assistance of Diocesan Executive Council.
Whatever comes, we know this: The Holy Spirit continues to move through the people of the Episcopal Diocese of San Diego. Together, we remain committed to joyful, Spirit-led transformation—trusting that the One who began this good work in us will bring it to completion.