I have always known myself to be an encourager, helping people recognize the hope and love of God in their lives, as He had shown me. During seminary and later in a hospital residency Clinical Pastoral Education clarified that call for me. I discovered I was at ease talking to new people, offering prayer and support with Christ as our mutual friend. Eventually, that led to a 14-year career as a hospice chaplain before I retired in 2020.

An example of this ministry was David, a 35 yr old man with advanced MS. We met regularly as he declined. Through conversation, reading, and prayer, David let me lead him over a bridge from one who was on the outside looking in, to one who I baptized into the Kingdom before he died.

Many of the bridges I built in hospice held no transformations or epiphanies. What was clear was that comfort and peace were found in the prayers I said as chaplain and deacon. Regardless of the setting or circumstances, I represent the church and God’s love in times of deep need. It is evangelism at its core and service to Him in the purest form.

I continue to reach out to those in my parish as friend and deacon to serve and build bridges as the Lord leads me. In the last few years, with so much change, I found that people are rightfully looking to their faith to be the anchor in their lives. It is from that bridge of the Gospel words I speak, that we have a solid place to stand to consider the sermon message and how it connects to us.

Service as a deacon is all about being flexible. It means being available and trusting Christ to show me how to help. For example, what began as helping a parishioner organize became much more. She decided to move into an assisted living facility. Initially, we talked, laughed, prayed, ate, and worked hard to accomplish the task. Others came in for different parts and together the move was made. When she died months later, that pastoral care became her legacy of peace to her son as we helped to clear out the apartment.

Sometimes service is brief and on point; sometimes, it’s more. An unexpected outcome of this pastoral care was the development of a brochure of useful information needed for families that I produced based on this and several similar experiences.

Setting the table at the altar is like the Gospel bridge; it prepares us all for what God is saying and doing. Surprisingly, coffee hour is part of that equation as well. Here is where those first fruits of the Eucharist, come up, as we break bread. In community, people are open to sharing what’s on their minds. It may be routine or it may be where they are hoping to find God in the midst of day-to-day life, their life. One of my biggest blessings is to validate where God is in their lives and to confirm His action and theirs.

Prayer has been the common thread to my bridge building and service. Whether in a small group, leading devotions, or saying healing prayers, I have listened to God too. I am humbled by his blessings on my life and ministry. My diaconate has sustained me through my husband Alan’s long illness and death in 2014 and my own cancer in 2018. I learn every day about the woman God created me to be and choose to grow towards that vision.

At St. Paul’s, I am part of a team. I am blessed by Fr. Robert Lewis and Fr. Paul Gambling, rector and assisting clergy at St. Paul’s-Yuma, who value my experience, opinion, and contributions. They are both excellent teachers, and I continue to learn from them. Staff meetings include the usual as well as mutual prayer and pastoral care as needed. I continue to learn to step back, listen, trust and accept His Love. I am deeply blessed to continue to serve at St. Paul’s.

On Sunday, September 18, 2022, 52 young people from 7 congregations gathered for an afternoon of fun and games celebrating the kick-off of the youth ministry program year. The article below was written by Nicholas Alcorn, a member of the EDSD Youth Leadership Council and of St. Dunstan’s Episcopal Church.

The Youth Group Games was a fun-filled event that brought in youth from various places across the Episcopal Diocese of San Diego to help us kick off this school year’s youth-centered programming! As we began the journey of putting together this event, we were looking forward to the possibility of having an entire school year of activities where we could all enjoy each other’s company, as we have not always been able to do in recent times.

From the start of the event, all participants were put into teams, in which they got to play everything from life-size “Hungry, Hungry Hippos” with bowls and scooter boards to an obstacle course with pool noodles, inner tubes, and a giant inflatable hot dog. A huge beach ball also made an appearance (yes, it was awesome). The competitive games were all in good fun, as there were very few moments when you didn’t hear cheering, laughing, or a combination of the two. Later, we had a refreshing ice cream break to cope with the heat, as we talked about our four main exciting events for this year: Youth at Convention, The Good News Festival, the Epiphany Retreat at Camp Stevens, and Nightwatch at St. Paul’s Cathedral. Then, we finished our afternoon together by throwing colored powder in the air and all over each other, in true Color Run fashion, as we all laughed and basked in the freedom of that moment. We left with more than a trace of the colorful fun that we had, as well as the friendships and connections that we had made or rekindled in those few hours.

This event has been a reminder to me and multiple others of the important place that Diocesan Youth Events hold in our lives, especially in connecting us with people who live in different places, which would keep us from getting to know them otherwise. With most of the people I meet here, I mainly get to see them at these events due to our busy schedules, so I always look forward to reconnecting and getting to know some new cool people (which also happens at every event). This event and the others that are planned by the youth on the Youth Leadership Council are always a great time to see fellow middle- and high-schoolers who come from a lot of different places. Every time we get together, I experience something new.

To be connected to diocesan youth ministry offerings, please email Charlette Preslar, diocesan youth ministry missioner, cpreslar@edsd.org.

2022-2023 Youth Ministry Offerings
November 12, 2022 – Youth at Convention
December 10, 2022 – The Good News Festival
February 3-5, 2023 – Epiphany Retreat at Camp Stevens
March 4-5, 2023 – Nightwatch at St. Paul’s Cathedral
May 28, 2023 – Pentecost Coastal Celebration

As the autumn season begins, many church—and personal—schedules begin to fill up. Days grow shorter and the list of to-do’s only increase as we inch towards forthcoming holidays. Costumes to be made, goodies to bake, presents to be purchased and so on. Considering the busy-ness of the next few months as we approach Advent, here are a few tips to help your congregation prepare for the Good News Festival on December 10.

Pray – The Good News Festival provides each of us an opportunity to share Jesus’ good news with those in our pews and in our neighborhoods. Adding the Good News Festival prayer to weekly worship or printing copies for folks to take home as a reminder to pray for the festival will kindle our excitement and inspire us to invite others through the Spirit’s prompting.

Promote – The diocese has prepared a variety of materials for you to use in promoting the Good News Festival. Just visit theGoodNewsFestival.com and download everything you need. You can promote the event on your website, social media, and e-newsletter. You can also put material in your bulletins and make frequent announcements during your service.

Invite – As we shared recently, a critical component to the festival’s success—and an opportunity to start conversations with those that might visit your church in the future—is invitation. Encourage your members to pray for and invite their co-workers, neighbors, family members, and more to join us at the Good News Festival.

Plan – Start planning your travel to and from the Good News Festival now. Part of the excitement of this event is the opportunity for your congregants to enjoy this experience together. That can begin before you get to the festival. Set up carpools. Determine how long it will take you to get from point A to the Town & Country Resort. Establish a time to meet. Where you will gather? Ensure that you have a set time to meet everyone at the end of the service to travel home.

Don’t let the growing list of commitments this fall crowd out this important event for our diocese. Make a plan and prepare as we invite our congregations and those in our communities to celebrate God’s goodness at The Good News Festival this December.

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The Good News Festival Events

Friday, December 9, 2022

7:00 – 9:00 pm – The Bishop’s Dinner

A dinner event with music, community, and an opportunity to learn more about the ambitious mission and vision of the Episcopal Diocese of San Diego. Registration coming soon!

 

Saturday, December 10, 2022

The Good News Workshops

11:30 – 12:10 pm – Land Acknowledgement & The Church

This workshop will address the historical and present-day relationship between the Kumeyaay and the Episcopal Church. The workshop will include truth-telling regarding the harm that colonization and faith-based boarding schools placed on our indigenous neighbors. The session will emphasize the importance of the creating of a sustainable Land Acknowledgement and related actions. The Episcopal Church’s work toward racial reconciliation, healing and justice is guided by the long-term commitment to Becoming Beloved Community (BBC). Embracing the opportunity to cultivate a meaningful and supportive relationship with indigenous communities is in keeping with our commitment to BBC.

12:20 – 1:00 pm – How to Try

The Rev. Lorenzo Lebrija (Director of TryTank–a lab for church growth and innovation) has developed a straightforward framework for experiments in new ministry. With three straightforward steps, this framework can have a lasting impact on any church that uses it.

1:00 – 2:00 pm – Faith and LGBTQ+ Rights

Fernando Lopez (SD Pride Executive Director) and Colby Martin (author of Unclobbered) discuss faith and sexuality. Within the Church there is a wide range of theological and doctrinal viewpoints. We recognize that good, faithful people hold differing opinions on these issues, but EDSD affirms LGBTQ+ inclusion and marriage equality.

1:00 – 1:40 pm Affordable Housing and Faith Communities

Elizabeth Fitzsimmons (ECS) and Dinora Reyna-Gutierrez (SDOP) engage in creative discussion about how faith communities can begin work on one of the most pressing issues in Southern California–affordable housing.

1:40 – 2:30 pm – Broder, Migration and Jesus

Bishop Silvestre Romero (Diocese of Guatemala), Robert Vivar (Via Int.), and others discuss migration from Central America through Mexico to the US border and how creative new ministries can impact the lives of these travelers.

1:50 – 2:30 pm – Creation Crisis and Care

Bishop David Rice (Diocese of San Joaquin), and others discuss our use of the riches of creation, jeopardizing the future of humanity and the Earth itself.

2:15 – 3:15 pm – Evangelism in the 21^st Century

The Rev. Canon Stephanie Spellers (Canon to the Presiding Bishop for Evangelism, Reconciliation, and Creation Care) will lead us through the ins-and-outs of sharing the Good News of Christ in the 21st Century.

2:40 – 3:20 pm – Starting New Faith Communities in San Diego

Dan & Jeya So, Jen Guerra, and Seth David Clark discuss the successes, hardships, and hurdles involved in starting a new faith community in San Diego.

3:30 – 4:10 pm – Food Security and Faith Communities

Jerusalem Greer (Officer for Evangelism) and Kathy Wilder (Executive Director of Camp Stevens) discuss food insecurity and our faith communities. In 2020, 13.8 million households were food insecure at some time during the year.

6:30 – 8:45 pm – The Good News Festival (Revival Service)

An energetic evening with friends, families, and neighbors. With messages from the Presiding Bishop Michael Curry and The Rev. Dr. William Barber, this is a night you won’t forget.

Shortly after the resurrection, Jesus was walking down a long road when he ran into two strangers. These strangers did not recognize Jesus. How could they? Jesus had died, been buried, and, just hours earlier, risen from the dead. The stunning story of Christ’s death had spread, and these two travelers did not yet believe the tale of the empty tomb.

When Jesus inquired about what the two strangers were discussing, they were astonished that he’d not heard. “Have you not been in Jerusalem? Have you not heard what happened?” The strangers told the tale of Christ’s crucifixion and the unbelievable story they’d heard about his tomb being found empty three days later. 

The two travelers and Jesus continued on their journey to Emmaus. The day became late, and having enjoyed the conversation; the strangers invited Jesus to join them for the evening. 

The three sat to dine on a simple meal. Jesus, the invited guest, took the bread, gave thanks, and broke it. The travelers’ eyes were instantly opened to the reality of the resurrection. Jesus was revealed to them–resurrected! They immediately returned to Jerusalem to declare the truth. The good news was spreading. 

This year, on November 11-12, we will join together for our annual Diocesan Convention at St. Bartholomew’s in Poway. We are very excited to welcome you to this year’s in-person gathering. We are looking forward to this annual meeting, where we will celebrate our opportunity to share the good news of Christ with the world.

Stay up-to-date with all the most recent Convention information or register as a visitor at www.conventionedsd.org.

Pre Convention Meetings (Save the Date)

Tuesday, Nov. 1, 2022 – 6:30 pm

Budget Hearing

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89638316644?pwd=RkFNWEhTTkN0WkdQZFFpRE5UT3ZQQT0

Meeting ID: 896 3831 6644

Passcode: 876826

Saturday, Nov. 5, 2022 – 10:00 am

Budget Hearing

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89201542174?pwd=dkdOYkk4dlpGYnpxRGdjRGU3SGFBZz09

Meeting ID: 892 0154 2174

Passcode: 360316

Diocesan Convention Roadmap

Friday, November 11 (Virtual)

Friday afternoon and evening sessions will be held virtually. All visitors, deputies, and interested parties are welcome to participate.

3:00 – 4:00 Resolutions and Canons Hearing

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85330409961?pwd=eCtZV1VzN1plRVd3RzZ3N0FIMFNnQT09

Meeting ID: 853 3040 9961

Passcode: 215132

4:00 – 5:00 Budget Hearing

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87330603885?pwd=UGhsWnN0VG1jYVVNRlZvQTNsWlJjQT09&from=addon

Meeting ID: 873 3060 3885

Passcode: 157296

5:15-6:30 Keynote Discussion: “Welcome Home”

A panel discussion on the work of the Mission Real Estate Taskforce and the Episcopal Diocese of San Diego.

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84215510350?pwd=VnlKQ1hOajVtY3lDWmllVi8xdkp6UT09

Meeting ID: 842 1551 0350

Passcode: 289811

 

Saturday, November 12 (In-person)

Saturday, November 12, we will meet at St. Bartholomew’s in Poway for a full day of business and worship.

7:00 am – Check-in opens

8:30 am – Opening Eucharist

12:00 pm – Lunch

4:30 pm – Close of Business   

 

Run for Elected Leadership Position

Every year, at Diocesan Convention, we elect people to positions of leadership. Nominations are open for General Convention Deputation, Executive Council, and more. Please consider joining the leadership of the Episcopal Diocese of San Diego by running for one of these elected positions at Diocesan Convention. Find the nomination form here.

GENERAL CONVENTION DEPUTATION

Every three years, each diocese in the Episcopal Church elects four clergy members, four lay people, and alternates to represent the diocese at General Convention. You can read reports from our most recent deputation in the EDSD News here.

SECRETARY OF CONVENTION

The Secretary takes minutes of the proceedings of the Convention, certifies Deputies to General Convention, cause to be prepared and posted Journals of Convention, and other duties as listed in the Canons of the Episcopal Diocese of San Diego. The records, books, and Journals of the Secretary shall be open at all times to the inspection of the Ecclesiastical Authority, of the Standing Committee, of the Convention, and any Committee or Commission thereof. The Secretary is elected for a one-year term and may be re-elected.

In addition, the Secretary of Convention records the minutes and resolutions of the monthly Diocesan Executive Council meetings

DISCIPLINARY BOARD

The Disciplinary Board hears cases regarding the discipline of clergy as specified in accordance with Title IV of the Constitution and Canons of The Episcopal Church. Members of the Court are elected for staggered three-year terms and may be re-elected for multiple terms. The Disciplinary Board will meet as needed.

EXECUTIVE COUNCIL

The Diocesan Executive Council serves as the Board of Directors of the Corporation of the Episcopal Diocese of San Diego. It is the legally constituted governing body of the diocese.

In accordance with California State Law and Diocesan Canons, DEC has fiduciary responsibility for the assets of the diocese. Responsible for implementing, maintaining, and revising the Strategic Plan as necessary or appropriate.  Develops and recommends to convention the annual budget.

Diocesan Executive Council normally meets virtually the first Saturday of the month from 9:00 – 11:00 a.m. Meeting dates are subject to change because of calendar conflicts.

STANDING COMMITTEE

The Standing Committee of the Diocese consists of four clergy who are voting members of Convention and four Lay members who are communicants of the Church and who are at least 18 years of age. Members are elected by Diocesan Convention for staggered terms of four years. The Standing Committee acts as the ecclesiastical authority when the bishop is absent or incapacitated. The powers, functions, and duties of the Standing Committee shall be those prescribed by the Constitution and· Canons of The Episcopal Church, and by the Constitution and Canons of this Diocese. Upon expiration of the member’s term, no person shall be eligible to serve as a member of the Standing Committee for a period of one year.

Standing Committee currently meets virtually on the third Tuesday of each month, at 12:00pm.

Proposed Changes to the Constitution and Canons of the Episcopal Diocese of San Diego

The deadline for receiving proposed changes to the Constitution and Canons was August 11. These submissions were received in a timely and proper fashion.

 

RESOLUTION 22-01 

Title: Amend Canons to exempt Named Institutions from Consent Requirement (Title III.5.05) 

Proposed By: Committee on Constitution and Canons 

Name, Address, Phone Number of Delegate: Pauline Getz, Vice Chancellor and Committee Chair, 2083 Sunset Cliffs Blvd. San Diego 92017 

Date:  August 10, 2022 

RESOLVED, that Title III.5.05 of the Canons of the Episcopal Diocese of San Diego be amended to read in full as follows: 

5.05 Property May Not be Alienated Without Consent. With the exception of The Bishops’ School and Episcopal Community Services, no Institution shall not alienate or encumber real property belonging to it or acquire, except by gift, devise or bequest any real property subject to an existing encumbrance or assume an existing encumbrance in connection with any acquisition without first obtaining the written consents of the Bishop and the Standing Committee. 

EXPLANATION:  The purpose of this amendment is to exempt The Bishop’s School and Episcopal Community Services from the requirement of obtaining the prior consent of Bishop and Standing Committee. Each of those Institutions is a large corporate entity with an independent Board of Directors (other than the Bishop as Chair), capable of making these decisions for themselves and in light of their respective missions and visions.  

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RESOLUTION 22-02 Title II.3.13 

Title: Amend APP Canon 

Proposed By: Committee on Constitution and Canons 

Name, Address, Phone Number of Delegate: Pauline Getz, Vice Chancellor and Committee Chair, 2083 Sunset Cliffs Blvd. San Diego, CA 92017

Date: July 29, 2022 

RESOLVED, that Title II.3.13 of the Canons of the Episcopal Diocese of San Diego be amended to read in full as follows: 

3.13 Action Plan Parish. This Canon is intended to address the exceptional case of a Parish whose continued viability as a self-sustaining entity appears to be in jeopardy, such that some degree of diocesan partnership, oversight or intervention is needed as a means of restoring the health of the congregation. Except under unusual circumstances (see Canon 3.13.03), such action is not intended to derogate from the traditional right and responsibility of Parishes in the Episcopal Church to govern themselves. Rather, in those cases herein, whether on the initiatives of the Parish, and in such cases, it shall be the duty and obligation of all parties, working together, to strive to accomplish the speedy end, or substantial amelioration, of the conditions that led to the declaration of Action Plan Parish, and to restore the congregation to spiritual and temporal health and viability as a self-sustaining entity. The designation of a congregation as an Action Plan Parish shall continue for a period of four years. A Parish (hereinafter a “congregation” or “Parish”) may be declared to be an Action Plan Parish as set forth herein when any one or more of the following conditions exists:  

(a) The congregation refuses or neglects to assemble to elect a Vestry, as provided in these Canons, or fails to send representation and to participate in the Conventions of this Diocese; or  

(b) The congregation fails to call and elect a Rector after a reasonable period of time, as determined by the Bishop; or  

(c) The congregation willfully fails to comply with the provisions of Canon 1.7 of The Episcopal Church “Of Business Methods in Church Affairs” or has engaged in improper or unethical business practices; or  

(d) The congregation qualifies for forfeiture of parochial privileges pursuant to Article XIV of the Constitution of the Diocese; or  

(e) The congregation fails or refuses to make and pay its Mission Share Pledge for a period of two years or more; or 

(f) The congregation fails or is unable to support a level of clergy staff and lay engagement to ensure that the congregation’s needs for Worship, Education, Pastoral Care and Outreach Ministries are adequately met. For the purposes of this section, it is considered that the inability to provide for the services of a clergy person for at least 1/2 time (to include any mandated pension and/or insurance benefits), equates to a failure of such support; or 

(g) The congregation fails to pay in full the insurance premiums for general liability coverage, including coverage for sexual misconduct, in an amount set by the Corporation Executive Council of the Diocese, and with an insurance company approved by the Corporation Executive Council; or  

(h) If financial reports reveal an invasion of the endowment funds or other practices that are evidence of existing or probable future financial instability sufficient, in the judgment of the Bishop and Standing Committee, to warrant action under this Canon.— ; or 

(i) [NEW] Failure to complete and file parochial reports per diocesan and Episcopal Church policy; or 

(j) [NEW] Failure to complete and file audit reports per diocesan policy; or  

(k) [NEW] Failure to cooperate with any inquiry, made in connection with this Canon, by the Ecclesiastical Authority or its designee, including the failure or refusal to provide full and accurate information on the state of the Parish and its affairs; or  

(l) [NEW] The congregation takes action (whether by the Vestry or the Rector, or both) which is designed to affect a separation of the Parish from The Episcopal Church or the Episcopal Diocese of San Diego, or otherwise acts in violation of the Canons of The Episcopal Church or these Canons; or 

(M) [NEW] When the congregation is found to be in a state of continued conflict by the Bishop in consultation with the Standing Committee.  

The specific condition(s) found to exist shall be delineated in writing by letter from the Bishop to the Clergy person in Charge, the Vestry and the congregation promptly after the designation declaration as an Action Plan Parish.  

3.13.01 Action under this Canon may be initiated by any of the following:

(a) The Rector or upon the affirmative vote of two-thirds of the members of the Vestry/Bishop’s Committee of any such congregation; or  

(b) The Bishop; or  

(c) The Standing Committee upon the affirmative vote of two-thirds of its members.  

3.13.02 When action has been initiated hereunder, the Bishop shall appoint a committee of three (3) lay leaders, two of whom are not members of the congregation, and one chosen from the Vestry, to investigate, and work with the Vestry and Clergy person in Charge, to seek to ameliorate the conditions which led to the action, and to report quarterly to the Bishop. This Action Plan Parish Committee shall, working together with the Clergy person in Charge, and the Vestry, as soon as possible, identify immediate corrective steps that should be implemented, and no later than one year after the committee’s formation, submit to the Bishop a detailed written plan for restoration of Parish status, to include specific goals and objectives that the plan is designed to meet. The APP Committee shall serve for up to four (4) years period to aid in the restoration of the congregation to Parish status or, failing adequate progress in this regard, to confer with the Bishop about possible other actions as described below, including conversion to Mission status. The congregational shall, with assistance from the APP Committee, submit monthly operational reports to the Bishop. The Bishop shall have the further right to have the books and records of the congregation audited.  

3.13.03 If the conditions specified in the Bishop’s letter, referred to above, persist beyond two years from the date of designation declaration, and the APP Committee, after consulting with the PIC and Vestry, reports that adequate progress is not being made to ameliorate these conditions, the Bishop, with the consent of the Standing Committee may impose additional requirements upon the congregation. Any one or more of the following may be required:  

(a) That the Vestry be disbanded, and that the Bishop shall appoint six or more adult communicants, plus one member of the APP Committee, to serve as a Bishop’s Committee in place of the Vestry;  

(b)  Designation of the Rector as Priest in Charge, or in the absence of a Rector, to appoint a Priest in Charge;  

(c) Conveyance of title to real property to the Diocese;  

(d)  In the event that the congregation is incorporated, direct that the corporation be dissolved; or  

(e) Such other actions as may be deemed necessary to restore health to the congregation.  

In the event that the Bishop (with Standing Committee consent) does elect to take any or all of the actions described herein, the effective ecclesiastical status of the church may be deemed that of a Mission, in accordance with the Canons.  

3.13.04 At any time after the first 24 months and prior to the expiration of the four-year period since being declared an Action Plan Parish, the congregation may be restored to full and regular Parish status. Such action may be taken by the Bishop, with the consent of the Standing Committee, either upon the Bishop’s own initiative, or on petition of the Vestry of Bishop’s Committee of the Action Plan Parish. The decision to restore to Parish status shall be based upon a finding that the congregation has successfully addressed or substantially ameliorated the conditions that led to the declaration of Action Plan Status. Alternatively, after two years, but within the four-year period, the Bishop may take action to either: a) designate that the congregation shall thenceforth be a Mission of the Diocese; or b) extend the congregations status as an Action Plan Parish for an additional period not to exceed three years. An action under a) above, shall be based on a finding by the Bishop in consultation with the Standing Committee and the Action Plan Parish Committee that the congregation has not made adequate progress toward ameliorating the conditions that led to its Action Plan Parish status; and, an action under b) above, shall be based upon a finding that some progress has been made, but additional steps are required to be accomplished before Parish status can be renewed. In this case, these ‘additional steps’ shall be set out in writing. In the case of action under either a) or b), consultation with the Clergy-person in charge and Vestry, and consent of the Standing Committee is required, and any congregation so affected, can, by majority vote of its members attending a properly noticed membership meeting, challenge said action by petitioning the next Diocesan Convention, such petition to be filed with the Secretary of Convention at least 30 days before the date of the Convention. If a congregation remains in APP status for more than 7 years, action shall may be taken by the Bishop (with consent of the Standing Committee), within 60 days, to either restore that congregation to Parish status, or have it converted to Mission status. In such events:  

(i) If the congregation is restored to Parish status, and if the Bishop has previously appointed or designated a Priest in Charge, that Priest shall forthwith resign, and the Vestry shall call a Rector in accordance with the Parishes By-Laws and these Canons. The Priest in Charge is not barred from being called as Rector; and  

(ii) If the congregation is converted to Mission status, and such action is not revoked by vote at Convention, the congregation and the Diocese should take the necessary steps to immediately organize itself as a Mission in accordance with these Canons.  

3.13.05 It shall be the responsibility of all parties, including the lay and clergy leadership of the Action Plan Parish, the Office of the Bishop and the Action Plan Parish committee, to labor to restore the congregation to a greater degree of health, presenting all challenges and opportunities to be addressed in an open, honest manner, in a climate of respect and charity, and for the greater good of the Church’s witness to its Lord.  

EXPLANATION:  These changes correct some inconsistencies in names of leadership bodies, correct typographical errors, and expand the circumstances that may lead to a parish being declared an Action Plan Parish.  

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RESOLUTION 22-03 Title IV.2.04 

Title: Raise Limit on Approval for Unbudgeted Items 

Proposed By: Committee on Constitution and Canons 

Name, Address, Phone Number of Delegate: Pauline Getz, Vice Chancellor and Committee Chair, 2083 Sunset Cliffs Blvd., San Diego, CA 92107

Date: July 29, 2022 

RESOLVED, that Title IV.2.04 of the Canons of the Episcopal Diocese of San Diego be amended to read in full as follows: 

2.04 Payments to be Authorized by Diocesan Executive Council. No payments in excess of ten thousand dollars ($10,000.00) which have not been specifically provided for by the Convention in the Annual Budget, shall be made without authorization of the Diocesan Executive Council. 

EXPLANATION:  This Canon has not been reviewed in a number of years. The increase is to make the number more practical. 

 

For five days in late May of this year, I had the privilege of gathering with other seminarians at the annual Preaching in Excellence conference hosted by the Episcopal Preaching Foundation (EPF). For 35 years, the EPF has been educating Episcopal seminarians and clergy on the benefits of great preaching. Four of my fellow Sewanee seminarians and I took a journey into the ins and outs of preaching excellence in the Episcopal Church. Leaders and preaching experts from across the Church took time from their busy schedules to share stories and lessons on how best to convey the word of God to church members and seekers alike.  

Each day, I had the opportunity to listen to plenary speakers and participate in several small group breakout sessions where we practiced preaching. During these sessions, I learned new ways to engage God’s words in a safe and affirming space.  

“Then enliven my imagination, my thought, and my speech to proclaim your Word with clarity and power to all who yearn for your presence, ” said the Reverend William J. Eakins (EPF website).  

Preachers have the unique opportunity to break open God’s word to those yearning for God’s presence and love in their lives. The Preaching Excellence Program (PEP) through the EPF offers preachers the chance to improve their skills so that they may share God’s message of love and hope to believers and non-believers searching for God in this world. 

I loved the Preaching in Excellence Conference! It offered me a unique experience to gather with my colleagues from across the Church, colleagues I might not have otherwise met. Sitting in the middle of the beautiful grounds of the Roslyn Retreat Center just outside of Richmond, VA, my colleagues and I delighted in feeling like camp goers because we were staying in cabins. We laughed together and bonded over our experience of seminary and excitement and fear for the future. During those evenings on our screened-in porches, we reflected on the day and all we had learned. We shared our hopes and desires to integrate what we were learning into our preaching. 

Each day, we gathered for Morning Prayer and Eucharist and heard outstanding sermons from leaders in the Episcopal Church. Then we engaged in workshops, heard funny stories about preaching bloopers, and were taught how to engage our congregants in person and online. Arguably, the best part of the conference was the opportunity to preach in a small group. 

All participants of the conference divided into small groups with priests who are top preachers in the church at the helm. Every small group member preached, and we shared thoughtful and constructive feedback in a safe and loving environment. It was a fantastic opportunity that I am so grateful to have experienced. 

I made excellent memories and new friends because of the Preaching in Excellence Conference. And I am a better and more confident preacher because of the Preaching in Excellence Conference.  

There are two Preaching in Excellence conferences. PEP-I is for seminarians, and PEP-II is for ordained clergy who would like to hone their preaching techniques and skills. 

To learn more about the Episcopal Preaching Foundation and the PEP conferences, visit their website at http://www.preachingfoundation.org/conference-parish-clergy/.  

One of the interesting aspects of working in a diocesan office is an awareness of the trends across congregations in various locales. Of course, each congregation is unique in many ways, but we are each part of the same tradition, in the same diocese. Because of that, trends become quickly apparent. One of those emerges just before Labor Day every year when congregations begin to ramp up their engagement with the diocesan offices to plan and promote fall programming. 

As you go about the work of planning fall worship, formation opportunities, stewardship campaigns, and more, I know that there is a nagging sensation in the back of many minds: 

Who will show up? 

Month after month—and then, year after year—our congregants grew accustomed to a relationship with their church that was more distanced than before due to the COVID-19 pandemic. One of the practices many of us lost during this extended season was the art of invitation. What many congregations share with me is that even as we have opened our doors once again, we are each a little reluctant to invite others to join us. And there is only one thing that will change this. Practice. 

Invitation requires practice, and the diocese is providing you a grand opportunity to practice in the Good News Festival on Saturday, December 10 at the Town & Country Resort. 

Not a fan of inviting people to church? No problem—this isn’t church, but the good news of Jesus will be shared. 

Your friends are from other Christian traditions? Great! They’ll get to see the best of Episcopal tradition but can go to their church on Sunday. 

Your friends don’t go to church? Don’t worry! This event is about good news, not guilt or fear tactics.  

The truth is that the last few years have been tough for many, both in our pews and in our neighborhoods. We all need a reason to celebrate, and the Good News Festival intends to be just that—a celebration. I am inviting you to come celebrate with us, and I am encouraging you to invite others. 

The Good News Festival could be an incredible tool for your congregations. Imagine: someone who has never attended your church before is invited to the Festival by a member. They have a great time! What are the chances they’ll be more curious about your church? Interested in attending? Learning about our tradition? It is our hope that those not yet a part of your church would discover it through the Good News Festival. 

Here are a few tips to help you invite others. As you practice inviting others to the Good News Festival, you will begin to find it easier, less intimidating, and before you know it, you might even be ready to invite someone to church with you (gasp!). I have six recommendations for you: plan, prepare, be curious, ask, follow through and follow up.  

Plan 

Make a list of those you would like to invite. This may not feel natural to some but for many of us it easier for us to accomplish something if we have a list. If you find the practice intimidating, start with a small number. 

Prepare 

Visit TheGoodNewsFestival.com, download, and print as much promotional material as you need based on your list. It is much easier to invite someone to something if you have something in your hand. This will also serve as a physical reminder to your invitee.  

Be Curious 

Before you invite someone to the Good News Festival, show an interest in their life. Say hi, ask them how they’re doing and follow up on something you know about them. You may even discover something about them that might connect with the themes of the festival—a workshop, the music, a speaker, the marketplace, etc. You’ll now be prepared to invite them the next time you see them. 

Ask 

The next time you see the person, you’re now ready to invite them. Follow up on something you learned about them that might connect with the Festival, hand them a flyer, and let them know that you would like them to join you. Be light. Be casual. Be genuine.  

Follow Through 

Follow through means, checking in before the Festival to see if your guest is ready to confirm. Offer to go with them. Pick them up if you’re driving. If you are attending with others from your congregation, introduce your guest to others from your church.  

Follow Up 

The last step is one of the most important. We will all go home the evening of December 10 inspired but likely tired too! If you’re feeling brave, invite your friend to church the next morning. In any case, follow up with your friend afterward. Ask them about their experience. Ask them if they are left with questions or curiosities. You don’t need to have answers to all their questions, but your continued interest in them will make a difference. It demonstrates that you are genuinely seeking the good news of what God is up to in the hearts of all we meet.  

If we each used the Good News Festival as an opportunity to rekindle the art of invitation, I wonder what difference it would make in our fall programming a year from now. When we ask the question of each other, “who will show up?” maybe the response will be, “who did we invite?” 

At the end of The Episcopal Church’s 2022 General Convention, the House of Bishops issued a final statement “naming the climate crisis as the overarching issue that affects all the other issues of social justice.”  

Last fall, several dozen interfaith participants and I rallied outside the County Building in San Diego, calling for considerations in the Climate Plan that would ensure a healthier environment.  Hand delivering our concerns gave me a sense of fulfilling that vocation referenced by the Bishops:

“We, God’s faithful, are called to share the hope that will empower change. Many of God’s people – especially our children – are in despair as they observe the frightening shifts in our environmental narrative. The risen Christ continues to send us out to proclaim the Gospel to the whole of Creation (Mark 16:15). Like Mary, we go out to all proclaiming God’s love in deed and word. It is our work to lead the way for change, to model good stewardship, and to move forward with courage and purpose.”

During this Season of Creation, I want to encourage you to advocate for meaningful city, state, and federal policy change, “fundamentally transforming our way of life … from one centered on self to one centered on the flourishing of the whole creation…. [I]n these ways …we can follow Jesus’ call to ‘preach good news to the creation.’ (Mark 16: 15)”  Here are three easy ways you can advocate for God’s Creation:

1. What does The Episcopal Church call us to do? 

We can take action as Jesus’s disciples may have done had they lived in these times. TEC Office of Government Relations provides a plethora of resources to make our voices heard in Congress and to share what we learn and the results of our legislative contacts with others in our congregations: https://www.episcopalchurch.org/ministries/office-government-relations/advocacy-resources/ 

2. How can we invite our neighbors to become empowered? 

• Get out the vote.  Interfaith Power and Light Faith Climate Justice Voter: https://www.faithclimatejusticevoter.org/ 
• Remind folks about their right – and responsibility – to vote. Write letters to voters: https://votefwd.org/
• Cultivate informed neighbors. Civic Engagement for families: https://www.icivics.org/family
• Take it a step further. Civity engages people to build community: https://www.civity.org/ 

3. Pray for the work and the common good. 

Almighty God our heavenly Father, you declare your glory and show forth your handiwork in the heavens and on the earth: Deliver us in our various occupations from the service of self alone, that we may do the work you give us to do in truth and beauty and for the common good; for the sake of him who came among us as one who serves, your Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen.

As a deacon, I am one who serves. And pastoral care has been a big part of that. Currently, I have been seeing parishioners on a one-on-one basis for coffee. I hear about spiritual journeys, and I always marvel at how God brings people from sometimes radically different backgrounds into our church. For me, this is the beauty of being Episcopalian. We can be so different and yet still come together in and through the one cup and the one bread.

As a deacon, I am a witness to the Holy Spirit’s gathering of people and the narratives the spirit works within to make that happen. This makes being a deacon a sacred order, for I am a witness to the private challenges that God is working in with other people.

Then there is the grunt work!

I serve as a deacon at St. Andrew’s on Tuesday nights. At 5:30, you can often see me slinging tables and chairs in preparation for our Hunger Suppers. This “mundane” part of the job is actually energizing–I am embodying service by doing something for someone else. Working alongside volunteers makes me feel connected to something larger than me, perhaps even beyond my understanding. I feel like I am a part of a group doing the physical work of servanthood.

I am also able to hear—some not even members of St. Andrew’s—about people’s lives. Discussions about the pandemic and how it is specifically affecting them, stories of excitement concerning a daughter’s upcoming baptism, to expressing gratitude for being given a chance to serve are small glimpses into our shared experience. Stories like these help me realize the importance of service and community in building our church together.

As I am experiencing it, the diaconate is an identity that speaks to the lonely, frequently people on the margins, saying to them, “I see you!” And “I am here for you!” But to say it, and for people to feel I mean it. Being a deacon gives me opportunities to demonstrate that I am reliable and constant. And that if they choose, I can bring those stories back to the church.

Worshipping as a deacon allows me to proclaim the gospel as well as preach it. And what better feeling is there when you’re preaching? I feel like the Holy Spirit, and I are one—it’s like surfing the most beautifully clear wave into shore. In my experience, preaching externalizes the ineffable.

Finally, as a deacon, I have been given opportunities to help others see God working in their lives. Lived relationships are primary in continuing a Christ-centered discussion amid antagonism, difference, and straight-jacketed theologies. Listening is the first step toward leading people to the wide-open and unconditional love of Jesus.

Servant leadership is the deacon’s role, and it is my privilege as a deacon to live into those specific life forms.

As summer heat recedes and autumn breezes begin to cool, we are drawn into this annual time of harvest and hope. “What a timely opportunity to connect with the presence of God through the unique beauty of our local chaparral and to deepen our relationship with the place that we all call home!” said the Rev. Brian Petersen.

From September 4 to October 2, The Episcopal Diocese of San Diego will celebrate the Season of Creation, offering our thanks to God for the gifts of Nature. Here are three simple ways you can celebrate the Season of Creation with the rest of the diocese:

1. Take a Contemplative Walk 

Find time to take a walk or gather a group from your congregation to pray for and enjoy your bioregion, whether ocean beach, desert sand, or a strand of trees in the forest. 

Or join St Bart’s in an Earth Examen Contemplative Nature Walk.

Earth Examen engages us in a reflection of God’s presence and goodness in our local ecology. Guided through a series of experiential mediations, participants can learn more about our unique local ecosystems in the beautiful Blue Sky Ecological Reserve in Poway at 11:30 am. The walk will be self-paced and open to anyone able to walk comfortably on unpaved trails. Bring your brown bag lunch to enjoy halfway through the walk. For more information, please contact Rev. Brian Petersen at curate@stbartschurch.org

2. Pray in Community for God’s Creation

Prayer is deeply foundational for our faith. While prayer still requires action, the act of prayer is powerful in itself. Take the time to pray. And remember that we are stronger together; we are empowered when we worship in our churches and small faith groups. 

These Episcopal liturgical resources offer suggestions: https://www.diocesewma.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/SeasonOfCreationLiturgicalGuide2022-MADioceses2.pdf

Celebrate with members of other faith traditions! 

From our creation care partner, the Interfaith Coalition for Earth Justice: “This summer, we have witnessed stifling heat in Europe, flooding in South Korea and India, and massive wildfires and drought in California.  Climate change is here and now – and getting worse. As persons of faith we are called to own this problem and move to act. Join us on Wednesday, September 21, for Listening to Creation, An Interfaith Service: Moving from Lamentation to Stewardship to Joy.”  Gathering at 5:00 pm at La Jolla Shores Beach for a BYO picnic and beach chairs, the service will begin at 6:00 pm and conclude by 6:45.  All of our faith traditions call us to attentiveness and deep listening.  

3. Get inspired!

One way to find inspiration is at St. Paul’s Cathedral’s Faith Forum on September 25 with The Rev. Margaret Bullitt-Jonas, Episcopal priest, Missioner for Creation Care for the Episcopal Diocese of Western Massachusetts, climate activist, and co-author of Rooted and Rising: Voices of Courage in a Time of Climate Crisis. The morning Faith Forum presentation (live and virtual), Spiritual Resilience in a Time of Climate Emergency, will invite us to reflect on climate anxiety and how we can stay spiritually strong in almost unimaginable challenges that press upon us. To learn more about her work, go to revivingcreation.org

But that’s not all– there’s more! 

To find out what else is happening in the Episcopal Diocese of San Diego and elsewhere during the Season of Creation, click: 2022 Season of Creation. If your congregation is interested in creation care resources or participating in a season of creation offering, please contact Dian Lopez Hughes at dianelopezhughes@gmail.com.

The first day of the Lambeth Conference was a retreat for bishops in the hallowed halls of Canterbury Cathedral. That morning I sat jet-lagged in the cathedral, waiting for worship to begin, feeling apprehensive about how the various long-running conflicts in the Anglican Communion would affect our time together. Then the organ began to play a grand, familiar tune, and I stood with 650 other bishops and began to sing “The Church’s One Foundation is Jesus Christ Her Lord.” But somehow, I found that I couldn’t sing. I was tearing up, thinking of all the times I had sung that hymn, as a child, as a priest, in churches I’ve loved, in your churches as your bishop. I thought of that same hymn being sung in other churches all over the world, to the same tune, praising the same Lord, and I wept to be part of a worldwide communion of faith that is built on our great cornerstone, Jesus Christ. As our theme scripture for the conference, 1 Peter, says:

See, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious, and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame…. But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people, in order that you may proclaim the excellence of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. 1 Peter 2:6, 9-10.

For me, that moment brought home to me my great love not only for the Christ we follow, but for the sprawling, imperfect, squabbling family we call the Anglican Communion, some 85 million people all over the world. Despite all its faults, despite the ill-advised way this conference almost fell apart over sexuality conflicts (which I’ve described to you previously), I love this family of faith, and I believe in its power to proclaim the gospel to a hurting, struggling world.

Most of the Lambeth Conference takes place on the campus of the University of Kent in England, but its spiritual home is Canterbury Cathedral, revered in literature and history. In 597, St. Augustine landed in Kent and established his headquarters in Canterbury, having been sent by Pope Gregory to evangelize the English. Augustine found Christianity already here before him (the nearby St. Martin’s Church was already in use as a Christian church, and is the oldest parish church in continuous use in Britain), yet Canterbury Cathedral is still considered the home church of English Christianity. Archbishop Thomas Becket was martyred here in 1170 after King Henry II famously cried, “Who will rid me of this meddlesome priest?” The cathedral became a destination for pilgrimages honoring Becket’s martyrdom, and one such fictional pilgrimage became the setting for Geoffrey Chaucer’s classic work of English literature, “The Canterbury Tales.”

For Episcopalians like us, Canterbury is part of a distant, sometimes quaint, but often treasured history. The Church of England was transplanted to the American continent, like many other parts of the world, through British colonialism. When the United States became independent of Great Britain, we effectively originated the Anglican Communion by continuing Anglican

Christianity in a new country, not swearing allegiance to England’s king, but creating our own structures to govern our new American church in the Anglican tradition. Other Anglican churches throughout the world are also self-governed, but maintain “bonds of affection” with the Archbishop of Canterbury, who is the head of the Church of England and therefore the head of the Anglican Communion. Our worldwide Anglican Communion is not one church (unlike the Roman Catholic Church, which has a unified form of governance), but a family of churches that are both autonomous and interdependent. We are the third largest family of churches in the world, behind the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches, and the autonomy and interdependence of our churches causes tensions at times, such as the 24-year struggle over human sexuality that has drawn so much attention since Lambeth 1998. (Please see my recent letter about how that struggle played out at this year’s conference.)

It’s unfortunate that our Anglican disagreements take so much time and energy, because this year’s conference addressed mission imperatives for God’s church, and I came away feeling inspired and empowered for Christ’s ministry. The mismanaged process of issuing “Calls” nevertheless resulted in some powerful documents calling our churches to take essential actions on God’s mission. Take a look at the Call document – it has numerous important inspirations for ministry, and would make a terrific basis for study in a church (or diocese) discerning new mission. (It is not yet in final form; bishops at the conference gave input that will be taken into account in finalizing the Calls.) I am particularly interested in supporting initiatives inspired by the Discipleship, Mission and Evangelism, Creation Care, and Reconciliation portions of the document.

But even more than that, I came away inspired by the stories and experiences of our siblings in faith throughout the world. So many of our Anglican brothers and sisters live in places of poverty, where their lives are threatened by war, like the South Sudanese bishop I met who became a refugee from war three days after his consecration, and is now a bishop in exile in a refugee camp. Others are persecuted religious minorities, like my small-group member from Bangladesh, who works to maintain good relationships with the non-Christian authorities to protect his people. Others live in places of natural disasters or long-term deprivation due to climate change. One of the most touching moments came on the last full day of the conference, as leaders read statements of support for various suffering areas of the world – please read the Statements of Support here. Our own Presiding Bishop Michael Curry read a statement of support for victims of gun violence in the US. Besides the written statements linked, others were read about local situations by bishops from Mexico, Brazil, Iran, Afghanistan, Central America, Papua New Guinea, South Sudan, Kenya, and the Philippines. We Episcopalians are truly part of a worldwide family of faith, connected through Christ to difficult situations in almost every country of the world.

We are connected to them, not only in their suffering, but in their joy. The faith in Christ is palpable. This is a community of people who know, deep in their bones, that they are beloved, that Christ lived and died for them, that Christ’s will for them and this world is wholeness and reconciliation – all the peoples of the world gathered as one, in a kingdom of God on earth, as it is in heaven. This Anglican Communion, in all our differences, is still a community of siblings in love and partners in mission.

In his closing sermon, Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby challenged us (paraphrased from his sermon, as I took notes the best I could):

The kingdom of God breaks down our theological barriers and overrules our frontiers and theological border guards. We set out as a revolutionary movement that is God’s church in Christ….God dares us to join a whole new way of being, and the Holy Spirit gives us the power to take up the dare. What we gain is not what the world tells us we should want. What the world values is not what God values. Following God guides us to riches beyond treasure, treasure in heaven, a world that looks more like the kingdom. A kingdom where people do not suffer because of where they were born, because of the scandal of poverty, where people are not persecuted because of their faith or ethnicity or sexuality. In this kingdom, we are … called again to conversion of life. Called to pray daily to God: I trust you. Hear my heart crying out to you. Whatever happens, I trust that in some wonderful and mysterious way you will feed me for eternity, with a wafer and wine over which a prayer has been said, so that in the host I see a crucified God.

This conversion expands our world. We have met with people from all corners of the globe, from contexts and experiences totally alien to ours. We have found the antidote to fear, in John: perfect love casts out fear. God’s promises will be fulfilled. We will see abundance out of barrenness, riches out of poverty. God’s promise releases us to be radical, bold, revolutionary. It challenges us today to have courage, have faith in God, be brave enough to defy the world by loving one another without ceasing.

Do not fear. Take heart. Take courage. It is the Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.

Amen, my siblings in Christ. Amen to the courage of faith, Amen to our Anglican siblings who have so much to help us learn. Amen to Christ, who leads us into mission in God’s beloved world. Thanks be to God.