On February 19, 2026, EDSD became aware of a mother and her three children, ages 5, 16, and 18, who were taken into the U.S. immigration system in Soldotna, Alaska. The mother and the 5 and 16-year-olds were quickly flown thousands of miles south to San Diego and deported to Tijuana, Mexico. The rapid sequence of events left the family and friends disoriented and frightened. The mother was separated from her 18-year-old son, who remains detained. What followed is a powerful story of connection across dioceses, borders, and ministries–a reminder of how faith communities can respond when vulnerable people suddenly find themselves bereft.

The family’s deportation sparked vigils in Alaska, but for the mother and children, the most immediate needs were simple and urgent: where would they sleep, and how would they navigate an unfamiliar city?

Rev. Paige Blair-Hubert, rector of St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in Del Mar, contacted The Rev. Michael Burke, rector of St. Mary’s Episcopal Church in Anchorage, after seeing his social media post about the family. Rev. Paige then reached out to Robert Vivar, the EDSD Migration Missioner, who found the family and offered support.

Burke and Blair-Hubert share more than professional ties; they went through the ordination process together. St. Mary’s Anchorage was Rev. Paige’s sponsoring parish for ordination and remains the congregation where her stepmother worships. Their connection made communication direct and immediate.

Within hours of the family’s arrival in Tijuana, arrangements were made for them to be received at Comunidad de Luz, a shelter for migrant women and children supported in part by the Episcopal Diocese of San Diego. The shelter provides temporary housing, meals, and access to educational and vocational resources in a structured and stable setting.

The family only stayed at Comunidad de Luz for a few hours, but it gave them the time to connect with their attorney and continue on to join extended family members farther south in Mexico. During their brief stay, they were provided food, shelter, and assistance with the next steps.

Robert Vivar, EDSD Migration Missioner and Interim Executive Director of Comunidad de Luz, said, “While we didn’t host this family for long, we were happy to provide a welcome to a country that feels foreign. When you get deported, it is like being a fish out of water–even your home country feels strange. Comunidad de Luz was honored to welcome them. We want to make people feel welcome. We are here to show that people care and to give comfort.”   

While the mother and two younger children were settling into safety, their 18-year-old son remained detained in Alaska. A Spanish-speaking priest visited him to reassure him that his family was safe and receiving care.

Rev. Paige said, “That together we could be the Body of Christ and work to offer grace to this dear family… it gives me hope.”

The response drew appreciation from church leaders in Alaska as well. Bishop Mark Lattime contacted Bishop Susan Brown Snook to express gratitude for the assistance provided. In an email to Comunidad de Luz leadership, Bishop Susan shared, “Bishop Lattime said that in the difficulty they are facing, the fact that there was someone available who could immediately find them, help them, and show the face of Christ to them means the world.” She added that the diocese remains available if additional support is needed and expressed gratitude for those involved in receiving the family.

We are called to care for the vulnerable–the widow, the orphan, and the foreigner. Jesus identifies, over and over, with those on the margins–telling his followers that whenever they welcome the stranger, feed the hungry, or clothe the naked, they welcome him.

For Episcopalians, this is not abstract theology. It is a lived practice.

The Episcopal Diocese of San Diego and Comunidad de Luz continue to serve as a place of refuge for migrant women and children who arrive in Tijuana with limited resources and limited options. In this case, clergy relationships spanning across the globe enabled a rapid response during a moment of uncertainty.

The family’s time at the shelter was brief, but it provided stability during a critical transition.

Visit www.comunidaddeluz.org to learn more about Comunidad de Luz or support this vital ministry.

On April 25, you are invited to join us at Good Samaritan Episcopal Church in San Diego for Leadership Academy, a day dedicated to learning for both clergy and lay leaders within our diocese. This time spent learning in community facilitates congregational growth and connection within our diocesan community. New and experienced leaders come together to explore new ideas and develop skills that will impact their ministries in the year ahead. One of the most remarkable blessings of our diocese is the depth of wisdom and talent within its leaders. Leadership Academy celebrates and builds upon that shared strength, highlighting voices from different congregations and communities in our diocesan life. 

The day begins with Morning Prayer in the sanctuary. With a message shared by Canon Jason Evans, shared prayers and hymns, we will ground ourselves in worship to prepare for a day of learning. Throughout the day, there will be opportunities to connect with friends and colleagues from across the diocese, deepening the relationships that support our shared ministry. The day closes with a time of reflection, centering God in all that we do and marking our commitment to serve with Courageous Love. 

Leadership Academy offers the chance to choose, à la carte, from three tracks, each designed to inspire and equip participants for leadership in diverse contexts. 

Register for Leadership Academy

EVANGELISM 

In this the Year of Evangelism, this track is the anchor of our day. Facilitated by Canon Jason Evans, EDSD Canon to the Ordinary for Mission, participants can choose to engage with one workshop in this track or the entire series. Either way, they will leave prepared to engage evangelism in their congregation with depened understanding, and renewed focus. 

Gather 

In this workshop, we will explore practices that help congregations move from simply being friendly to intentionally welcoming. Together, we’ll reflect on how invitation is a core act of evangelism and how hospitality can become a visible sign of God’s grace in our communities. Participants will leave with concrete tools for cultivating belonging—from first-time guest experiences to pathways into deeper participation. 

Transform 

This session centers on discipleship that not only deepens faith but leads us to share it with others. We’ll explore rhythms of prayer, Scripture, and fellowship that form us into people who can clearly and confidently articulate the hope we have in Christ. Participants will learn how spiritual growth and evangelism belong together—so that as we are transformed by the Gospel, we are also equipped to invite others into that same transforming grace. 

Send 

The Send workshop invites congregations to rediscover their identity as a people who are sent into the world for the sake of others. We will explore how to discern where God is already at work in our neighborhoods and how to join that work with courage and humility. Participants will leave with practical frameworks for mobilizing lay leadership and cultivating a culture of everyday mission. 

DISCIPLESHIP 

Discipleship in the Episcopal Church is defined as the lifelong journey of following Jesus, rooted in the baptismal covenant and seeking to serve Christ in all people. In the Episcopal Diocese of San Diego discipleship is the scaffolding of our shared life together. Designed for engagement as single workshops, participants in this track will nurture their own spiritual growth and return home with new skills to share with the congregations that they serve.  

Story Circles- using stories to connect to self, each other and Christ 

Using the method of congregational storytelling developed by The Austin Story Project, we’ll practice small group storytelling to connect more deeply to ourselves, to each other, and to Christ. This workshop is facilitated by Odesma Dalrimple and Amy Reams of St. Luke’s North Park and has an extended time frame of 9:45 am – 11:30 am. 

A Culture of Connection – Building Intentional and Faithful Small Groups, Inside and Outside the Church Walls  

Facilitated by the Reverend Paul Klitzke of Good Samaritan Episcopal Church and Charlette Preslar, EDSD Director of Formation and member of Christ Episcopal Church, Coronado. 

Discipleship for Leaders 

Leaders often know that our personal discipleship matters; that we can’t lead people where we aren’t going ourselves. But in the busyness and pressure of church leadership, sometimes attending to your own discipleship can start to feel like just one more separate task on the to-do list. In this session, we’ll explore and experiment with ways to reconnect your ministry work *with* following Jesus, making space for renewed joy and wholeness as we lead and are led by the Spirit’s guiding. Facilitated by The Reverend Canon Beth Scriven, EDSD Canon to the Ordinary for Leadership. 

FOUNDATIONS 

The Foundations Track offers key workshops to support the day-to-day life of congregations. Great for vestry leadership, communications committees, and advocacy groups, these workshops engage participants in practical ways.  

Three Keys for a Strong Foundation of Giving 

Giving is one of the core spiritual practices we can help members of our congregations develop. Too often, our discomfort talking about money and lack of clarity about ministry goals keep us from supporting people in building that practice. In this session, we’ll look at why it’s important to invite everyone into giving, explore how to plan a year-round approach to cultivating financial support and stewarding people’s generosity, and how to get over the barriers to asking we put in our own way. This workshop is facilitated by David Jay, EDSD Director of Development and member of Good Samaritan Episcopal Church. 

Channels of Communication: Who We’re Talking to and When 

This training explores how the marketing funnel helps churches communicate with clarity, intention, and compassion by understanding who we are talking to and when. Not every message is meant for every person at the same moment — a first-time visitor searching online is in a very different place than a longtime member discerning how to serve. Together, we’ll walk through the stages of awareness, consideration, engagement, and discipleship, and connect each phase to practical communication channels like search, social media, email, and personal invitation. Facilitated by Chris Tumilty, EDSD Director of Communications and member of Resurrection Episcopal Church. 

Know Your Rights Workshop
Whether you have questions about the difference between public and private spaces, how to share legal information, creating family preparedness toolkits, or navigating a caregiver’s authorization when asked, this workshop is filled with helpful tools and information. Join Robert Vivar, EDSD Migration Missioner, to better understand your rights and the risks of caring for immigrants. 

Registration for Leadership Academy is now open. Please use the button below to register before April 16, 2026. 

Register for Leadership Academy

When Interfaith Shelter Network approached St. Bart’s about hosting the winter rotational shelter after many years, I wasn’t sure. Personally, I had never served at a church that hosted a shelter. While St. Bart’s was experienced with the rotational shelter, it was with the old parish hall – now long gone. How would we do this with what we have now? Do we have enough space? What about shower facilities, all those meals, and overnight chaperones?

When God calls us forward to be Christ’s hands and feet in the world, it sometimes means we will need to step out in faith, knowing that our needs will be provided. With this confidence and reassurance from our Facilities Manager, Mike Jewett, St. Bart’s said, “Yes, we will be hosts!”

As the two-week period approached, Mike and others went to work transforming our Multi-Purpose Room into a partitioned shelter. Using PVC piping, tablecloths, tarps, and banners, private sleeping areas were created in one morning. Next, Mike retrofitted our handicapped bathroom stalls into shower spaces. A social worker called his temporary modifications “ingenious!” Now with the infrastructure in place, what about the 14 days of meals and overnight chaperones? We sent the invitation out to our congregation and neighboring ones. We soon discovered that helpers came from all over!

Providers of dinners, continental breakfasts, bag lunches, and overnight chaperones included those from St. Bart’s and from other faith communities. We give thanks to the 15 volunteers from our church and to the kind parishioners from Grace San Marcos, Trinity Escondido, St. Tim’s, St. Mark’s, Temple Adat Shalom, and Poway Community Church. Together, we made it happen.

St Bart’s housed 5-10 guests for two weeks with hard work, ingenuity, and a lot of good friends. It was a joy to work together to support our sisters and brothers experiencing situational homelessness. We found the hospitality and fellowship to be generous and life-giving. The blessings flowed both ways as we were able to hear the guests’ stories and to join them in prayer for the granting of their needs.  One guest left us a card which read, “Thank you so much for all the genuine kindness you and all of the volunteers have shown me. I am forever grateful! May God bless all of you!!” 

St. Bart’s restarted the rotational shelter on campus with faith, and like our guest, we ended it with deep gratitude to all. With friends at our side, the Interfaith Shelter Network can count on St. Bart’s to sign up every winter.

Today is Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent, the season of repentance and preparation for the gift of Easter. On this day, Christians pray litanies of repentance and receive ashy crosses on their foreheads with the sobering words: “Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” On this day, we receive a jarring reminder that we are mortals, not gods. 

Today, our Christian faith challenges the falsehood our culture tells us: that we can do anything, be anything, achieve anything our heart desires. As St. Augustine of Hippo declared, original sin is possible because of an original lie: we tell ourselves, “We can exist on our own without God, that we can do everything on our own.” In the end, however, our faith reminds us that our lives are held by God’s hands alone. The gift of God’s abundant life is free for the asking, but we must be prepared and willing to receive it.

In the Bible, the word used for “repent” is not a word that means “feel sorry or remorseful.” Jesus uses the Greek word “metanoia,” which literally means “to get a new mind from above.” William Temple, who was Archbishop of Canterbury from 1942 to 1944, said, “We have lowered the term “repentance” into meaning something not very different from remorse…. Repentance does not merely mean giving up a bad habit; it is concerned with the mind: Get a new mind. To repent is to adopt God’s viewpoint instead of your own.” When we repent, we ask God to give us God’s mind, God’s way of seeing things, and God’s strength and courage to act with love in the world, as Jesus did and as Jesus commands us to do. When we repent, we enter a new life, a converted life, when we answer God’s call to walk in love, as Christ loved us. 

My friends, I look at our world today, and I see too many ways we have lost the eyes, the mind, and the heart of God. Instead of seeing Jesus in “the least of these” (where Jesus told us we would find him in Matthew 25), our society has chosen to terrify, oppress, and imprison the most vulnerable people in our world. Refugees, asylum seekers, children, US citizens whose skin color or language makes them look like migrants, and people who have suffered the ravages of poverty, oppression, and war elsewhere, are afraid to leave home, even to seek food or medical care. US citizens exercising their rights to monitor and protest have been killed. People have been denied due process and the right to representation. They are kept for indefinite periods of time. These are the beloved children of God, created in God’s image, and I can only imagine God’s fury at such mistreatment. 

When someone asked Jesus, “Who is my neighbor?” hoping to limit the scope of God’s command, Jesus told a story about an ancient enemy, a Samaritan, acting as a neighbor (Luke 10:25-37). The implication is clear. There is no one who is not a neighbor. There is no one whom we can choose to revile and oppress. Every person is beloved in the sight of God. And we are commanded to love them too. 

Let me be clear, oppression and violence are sinful in the sight of the God whose primary commandments to us were to love God, and to love our neighbor as we love ourselves. 

In Presiding Bishop Sean Rowe’s Ash Wednesday message, he invites us to notice how easily our hearts can harden in a world shaped by fear, division, and the pursuit of power. Drawing on the story of Pharaoh, he contrasts the small, constricted imagination of domination with God’s expansive imagination of liberation and love. He reminds us that Lent is a shared opportunity for conversion—for turning again toward God through prayer, fasting, and repentance—so that new and contrite hearts might be formed within us. Even in a season marked by violence and polarization, he calls us to bear witness together, trusting that God is still at work, reshaping our hearts and renewing our common life. He also invites Episcopalians across the Church to gather for prayer on Palm Sunday, March 29, at 8 p.m. Eastern via Zoom—and I hope you will consider joining him. It will be a chance to pause, pray, and enter Holy Week together, asking God to soften our hearts and strengthen our courage as we seek to love our neighbors and make Christ known in the world.

 As I pray this year for God’s eyes, God’s mind, and God’s way of understanding the world, the reading from Isaiah (Isaiah 58:1-12) appointed for Ash Wednesday compels my attention. Through the prophet, God invites the people to look beyond private acts of devotion and toward the wider life we share together. Isaiah reminds us that faith is not only about personal repentance, but about how we care for one another as a community. He paints a picture of the kind of fasting God desires–not empty ritual, but lives shaped by compassion: loosening the bonds of injustice, sharing bread with the hungry, welcoming the homeless, and tending to those in need. And with this call comes a promise: when we live this way, our light will break forth like the dawn, healing will spring up quickly, and when we cry out, God will answer, “Here I am.” 

On Ash Wednesday, God calls us to a holy Lent, “by self-examination and repentance; by prayer, fasting, and self-denial; and by reading and meditating on God’s holy Word” (Book of Common Prayer, p. 265). Let us begin this season on Ash Wednesday by confessing our limitations, our dustiness, and remembering that the God who created the universe is the one who calls us to metanoia: to seeing the world with God’s eyes. Let us spend this season of Lent praying and asking God for a new mind of mercy, compassion, and justice to descend on our land.

Let us pray:

…to grant us true repentance and his Holy Spirit, that those things may please him which we do on this day, and that the rest of our life hereafter may be pure and holy, so that at the last we may come to his eternal joy; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (BCP, p. 209)

Today, it isn’t uncommon to see ashes being distributed on sidewalks, at train stations, or at bus stops. We know it as Ashes to Go, and although no one knows exactly who started this trend, the Episcopal public imposition of ashes originated in an urban ministry in the late 2000s. Clergy asked how to offer Ash Wednesday to people whose workdays and commutes made traditional services inaccessible. Around 2007–2008, priests in the Episcopal Diocese of Chicago began offering ashes in public spaces as an extension of longstanding street-level outreach. 

Interestingly, as far back as the third and fourth centuries, Ash Wednesday was a public expression of repentance at the start of Lent. In the beginning of Christianity, repentance was not quiet or private. It was unmistakably visible.

The Church had formal systems of public penance for serious sins such as adultery. Those seeking reconciliation were set apart from the community, dressed in mourning garments–sackcloth–and covered with ashes as they began the long process of repentance that could last throughout Lent. These penitents stood at the doors of churches, asking for the prayers of those entering for worship. 

Historians summarize Ambrose of Milan’s description of sinners as dressing in sackcloth and ashes, begging the prayers of the faithful. Repentance was not just spiritual–it was physical and social. Historians such as Eusebius of Caesarea document how penitents publicly mourned before the Church, revealing a Christianity that understood conversion as something enacted with the whole body.

At this time, ashes were not for everyone. They marked a specific group—those who had visibly fallen and were now visibly returning. But, over time, something shifted.

By the sixth century, Lent was increasingly standardized across Western Christianity, and the entry into this season became more clearly defined. What had once been a rite reserved for public penitents took on a broader meaning. The Church began to recognize that repentance was a calling for us all.

By the tenth and eleventh centuries, Ash Wednesday was a liturgical practice. The ashes once imposed only on penitents were now offered to the entire congregation. This marked a decisive turning point: repentance became corporate rather than selective.

In the medieval period (1100 AD), another layer of symbolism was added. The ashes were made from the previous year’s Palm Sunday branches, creating a powerful theological loop. The palms that once celebrated Christ’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem were burned and returned as ash—glory burned to dust; celebration reshaped into humility.

Ash Wednesday teaches with symbols what words alone cannot–human achievement fades, life is fragile, and that returning to God is always necessary.

By the twelfth century, Ash Wednesday had evolved into what we recognize today—not a day of exclusion, but of inclusion–a mark of shared humanity. The ashes no longer separate sinner from saint. Instead, they level us all.

Today, the imposition of ashes is celebrated in services across the Church. It also shows up in very ordinary places—on college quads, along busy walkways, and in the middle of packed schedules. 

In EDSD, Ash Wednesday is offered in churches and in public life. Churches hold Ash Wednesday services across the diocese, throughout the day, and Ashes to Go meets people right where they are. At San Diego State University and at University of California San Diego, Agape San Diego campus ministries imposes ashes throughout the afternoon. Students stop for a brief pause in the middle of classes to remember that “you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” For students navigating questions about who they are and where they’re headed, this simple moment becomes a tangible reminder: “You are of God, and you are loved.”

Luca Delaney, a sophomore at SDSU and regular attendee at Agape gatherings, said,

“Getting to administer ashes to Rev. Deacon Jen last year felt super special. It felt so right–to be a part of this tradition that people have been doing for hundreds of years. Receiving ashes has always been something very special to me, but getting to take part in a tradition that people have been doing for hundreds of years, I feel closer to Christians who came before me, and I love that feeling. Getting to be on the other side of that was even better. It felt so right, it felt like another sign to follow the path that God has been setting before me.”

Whether you find yourself in a church or on a street corner this Ash Wednesday, know that you are beloved and greater than your human wrappings. We are but dust, and to dust we shall return, and that is profoundly beautiful and comforting. 

What happens when 30 children from across our diocese spend a weekend at Camp Stevens? Joy gets louder, friendships form fast, and God shows up everywhere they look. From January 17–19, these 30 children gathered for the 3rd annual Children’s Camp–PRAISE– for a weekend rooted in joy and community. Campers in grades 3–6 came together from many different churches and explored what it means to praise God by noticing God in the world around them.

Our time together was guided by Psalm 105, which calls God’s people to remember, shout praise, and tell the stories of God’s goodness. Based on a wonderful lectionary for children called God’s Word, My Voice by Lyn Zill Briggs, the Psalm is anchored by a repeated chorus: 

“Don’t forget what God has done. Tell the stories of God’s goodness.” 

Throughout the weekend, campers returned to the heart of this message again and again. 

Through worship, storytelling, music, art, games, dancing, and small group conversations, campers reflected on where they see God at work in nature, each other, and themselves–discovering that God is not far away or difficult to find. Instead, God meets us wherever we are—on the hiking trails of Camp Stevens, around a campfire, in shared laughter, and in moments of quiet reflection. 

Throughout the weekend, hands-on activities helped bring PRAISE to life in playful and meaningful ways. Campers participated in a scavenger hunt to create nature banners, gathering leaves, sticks, and found objects to proclaim God’s goodness through the beauty of creation. During candle dipping, campers crafted candles of all shapes, each with a wooden base. As each candle took shape, they reflected on how we carry God’s light with us and share it with others. Laughter and movement filled the camp during games like Capture the Star and Gaga Ball. Campers played in the treehouse, journeyed through the labyrinth, and explored the names of God with watercolor sunsets and a praise poem. Perhaps the favorite activity was creating PROCLAIM Pins—over 300 decorated clothespins that campers swapped, shared, and secretly placed on one another. This simple activity became a joyful expression of encouragement and connection, reminding campers that praise can be shared quietly, creatively, with only a word or two, and often when we least expect it.

One of the most sacred moments of the weekend was a sunset hike that culminated in worship at the peak. As the sun began to dip below the horizon, campers sang, prayed, and reflected together, surrounded by creation. This worship was followed by a taco dinner that led to a glowstick dance party. The evening was a powerful reminder that praise is not confined to buildings or schedules—God met us on a mountain, at a table with good food, and a room of dancing glowsticks. 

As the weekend came to a close, campers left Camp Stevens carrying new friendships, meaningful memories, and a deeper relationship with God. PRAISE Children’s Camp was a living expression of Psalm 105—a joyful reminder to remember what God has done, to share those stories boldly, and to praise God with glad hearts.

“Don’t forget what God has done! Tell the stories of God’s goodness!”

Psalm 105

From God’s Word, My Voice by Lyn Zill Briggs

We’ll thank you, God, whenever we pray.

We’ll let everyone know what good you have done.

We’ll sing songs of praise when we tell each other the stories.

We are glad we turned our hearts toward you.

We always turn toward you and your strength,

And look for your face wherever we are.

“Don’t forget what God has done.”

“Tell the stories of God’s goodness.”

You are part of God’s family–

Children of Abraham and children of Jacob.

Everyone who wants to know God or comes to know God should live happy lives.

Go find God; you don’t have to look very hard.

God’s face is in the faces of those he loves.

Look at them with God’s eyes and you’ll see God’s face.

“Don’t forget what God has done.”

“Tell the stories of God’s goodness.”

You never forget the promise you made to your people,

The promise you made for thousands of generations of families.

The promise you made with Abraham,

And then again with Isaac, and again with Jacob.

It’s an everlasting promise with God’s people.

“Don’t forget what God has done.”

“Tell the stories of God’s goodness. Alleluia!”

The invitation is simple: come, breathe, pray, and reflect together. On Thursday, January 29, a group of Episcopalians from across the Diocese of San Diego gathered for something you won’t see on the news–intentional stillness in community. We are called to courageous love, and this brief offering became a clear expression of courageous love in action: choosing presence over panic, prayer over polarization, and compassion over fear.

Many of us are carrying a heaviness tied to recent events surrounding immigration enforcement, violence, and the anxiety that follows uncertainty and aggressive tactics. I am tired of scrolling, tired of arguing, tired of feeling powerless. Thursday’s Zoom call did not pretend to erase those realities–it acknowledged them honestly while asking a different question: How do we remain grounded as Christians when the world around us feels so unbalanced? 

Courageous love does not ask us to ignore pain or injustice; it asks us to face them without surrendering our Christian identity. For those twenty minutes on Zoom, the answer was not louder speech but deeper listening–to God, to one another, and to the quiet movements of grace that often go unnoticed when fear dominates the conversation.

The structure was intentionally modest. Participants joined from their homes, workplaces, and cars, some with cameras on, others choosing the comfort of anonymity. There was scripture, prayer, silence, and a brief reflection from the Rev. Paul Klitzke that connected lived experience with spiritual practice. Resources were shared–not as directives, but as invitations–offering pathways for those who wanted to engage through prayer, pastoral support, or informed civic awareness.

The tone was neither urgent nor passive. It was steady. It created space for people to feel their feelings without being consumed by them. In many ways, this steadiness is what courageous love looks like in daily life: not dramatic or performative, but faithful, intentional, and rooted in Christ.

For me, taking the time to pause often feels unproductive or even indulgent. Everything in my human-ness wants to react with righteous indignation. (Appropriately so at times.) But spiritually, I don’t operate the same way. Prayer and reflection are not retreats from responsibility; they are the foundations. When prayer and communal discernment come first, my actions are more likely to emerge from clarity, empathy, and a deeper sense of purpose. Courageous love insists that our spiritual lives matter–that courage is sustained not by adrenaline but by rootedness in God’s presence.

What came out of this first (of three) Courageous Love in Action Zoom was a gentle centering–a reorientation toward love, courage, and compassion–even when circumstances feel chaotic. The world didn’t rebalance. Headlines did not change. Policies didn’t shift. But something within me did. There was a collective exhale, a reminder that balance is not the absence of turmoil but the presence of grounding practices that keep us oriented toward hope.

Twenty minutes on a Zoom will not fix the world. But twenty minutes intentionally spent in community can change how we move within it. This is what courageous love looks like–deciding to follow Christ in times of turmoil, and intentionally seeking out a lived practice.

So what is Courageous Love in Action? It is a steady, compassionate, and intentional action that reminds us that even in uncertain times, we are not alone. Courageous Love in Action is knowing we are never without the capacity to love boldly and faithfully–to risk loving others as we love God, as we love our own families and friends.

The EDSD Courageous Love in Action webpage offers tangible ways to move from reflection to faithful response.  These curated resources include guided prayers, nonviolent presence training opportunities, information on immigration accompaniment, and suggestions for congregations and individuals seeking to stay spiritually grounded while remaining thoughtfully engaged. These tools are not political statements; they are invitations to live out compassion with intention. These accessible, faith-based resources create a series of small, consistent practices that shape how we show up for one another and for our neighbors.

Join us on Thursday, February 5 and February 12 for the two remaining Zoom calls. These short opportunities to spend time together helps.

Not comfortable, but faithful–On Sunday evening at 4 pm, I stood in Cesar Chavez Park with close to 1,500 people as those words were spoken. My head was bowed, and I was listening – listening for words of inspiration and connection.

When we truly follow Jesus, we are “not comfortable, but faithful.”

If you listen to Faith to Go, you know I am a person whose primary prayer practice is taking the time to stop and notice God in each person, each moment, each day – this God sighting was electric. Over the last few months, as I have supported the communities that we serve and watched the news of the world, I have worked to moderate my own emotions. But after the escalating violence in Minnesota, including the killing of Alex Pretti on Saturday, I had spent over 24 hours deeply feeling more emotions than I thought I could hold in my body. I arrived to walk both in solidarity and searching for comfort. God, in this moment, showed up not to comfort me, but to remind me that following Jesus is never comfortable.

Over the next two hours, I walked with the gathered community through the streets of Barrio Logan. We stopped four times to mark and pray over areas where the local community had been traumatized by Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Our interfaith community included babies in strollers and in their mothers’ arms, children held by the hand or aloft on a parent’s shoulders, and preteens and teens carrying colorful signs that mirrored their hopes, worries, and frustrations. There were veterans, teachers, women carrying candles and photos of family members who had been taken, and clergy and lay leaders from many of our EDSD congregations. 

And because my words do not seem enough to capture the experience, below are a few reflections from those people I shared a moment with in the crowd.

I felt God’s presence most deeply during the moments of absolute silence following prayers at various stops along our walk. As we stood by Perkins Elementary School, a place of recent nearby immigrant arrests, the Apostle Paul’s words: “Bear one another’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” (Gal 6:2) came to me and became my prayer of that moment. – Thérèse Carmona, St. Mark’s Episcopal Church – City Heights 

It is popular these days to talk about embodiment and “incarnational” ministries, but often these discussions are about how these practices are healing for either us or others. But walking through Barrio Logan, I was re-convinced that this is another area of “both/ and.” When we show up physically, in our bodies, to places that are being affected by practices and policies we recognize as unjust, it is good for us — and others. I felt this primarily in the strange gift it was to be convicted of the brutality of some of ICE’s recent tactics by physically standing in the places where they have taken place: outside a school, outside of Fr. Joe’s villages. I connected with the news I had been reading in a way that was memorable and strengthening. At the same time, even as I wondered if our collective gathering meant anything to anyone besides the marchers, a family gathered on their balcony shouted, “Thank you! Thank you!” Somehow, our walk was strengthening or encouraging to them, too. I want to be clear: I was not “100 percent” present. I was distracted by a two year old and tired from a day at the church. But still, a bodily presence brought gifts I could not have anticipated, for me and others. – The Reverend Laurel Mathewson, St. Luke’s Episcopal Church – North Park

I marched because I don’t like what is happening right now, and my mom asked me to go with her. There were a lot of people at the protest, so I felt better because more people can overthrow the bad stuff. – Nicky, age 12 – St. Paul’s Episcopal Cathedral – San Diego 

Although this faith walk was planned and organized a few weeks ago, the timing was of God in that it took place the day after the killing of Alex Pretti. There was such a juxtaposition of the joy of seeing old friends and fellow justice seekers with the profound sadness over the tragedy that is unfolding.  I came away with a sense of hope that the cumulative impact of the many who are praying, standing up and speaking out will bring peace and change.  And I recognize that whatever the outcome, I needed to participate for the sake of my soul.- Julie Young – Christ Episcopal Church – Coronado

I went because I felt God’s undeniable call and clarity that prayer and witness are part of our vocation as the Church. To see so many people of all backgrounds and traditions praying and walking together for peace, justice, and mercy was a sign of hope and strength in the midst of our collective pain and grief.   As a mother, stopping to pray in front of the elementary school where children and parents have suffered harm was the hardest part of the faith walk for me, but perhaps it was also the most important because this reality so clearly urges us to pray and imagine another way- the way of Jesus -who beckons the little children to himself in love. – The Reverend Rebecca Hanson – St. Dunstan’s Episcopal Church – San Diego

I have seen people gathered in support of our immigrant brothers and sisters in the news and on YouTube. But only by being part of it made me aware of the power of prayerful people in procession. I ended the evening a little weary but extremely grateful for the opportunity I was given and I expect it to deepen my awareness and my prayers in the coming weeks. – The Reverend Dr. Richard Vevia – St. Alban’s Episcopal Church – El Cajon

Sunday’s walk was a living reflection of the parable of the Good Samaritan—walking with neighbors from across San Diego to let our immigrant brothers and sisters know that they are beloved members of our community. God came in the form of people who stopped on the street, honked their horns in unity, and waved from their windows and balconies as the voices of diverse faith leaders called for compassion, mercy, and justice. – Jessica Ripper – Good Samaritan Episcopal Church – UTC

At stop four of our walk, the reflection was offered by Rabbi Michael. We were gathered outside Father Joe’s Village, a place where many migrant families had sought refuge. In his reflection, Rabbi Michael said, “-a prayer for justice is sacrilege if it is not backed up with action.”

If you, like those of us who walked on Sunday, are looking for ways to move from comfort to faithfulness, I invite you to join your diocesan community on Zoom this Thursday evening at 6:00 PM. This 30-minute call will be filled with prayer and practices to lean into our commitment to Courageous Love–to walk with the most vulnerable in immigration court, to financially support the ministries that are truly God’s hands and feet in this world, to use our words and actions advocate for change that reflects the Gospel. 

To be Courageous Love in Action. 

Dear People of the Episcopal Diocese of San Diego, 

Thank you all for your prayers and tender care. Some of you know that I had surgery this past Thursday, and it went very well. I have just been released from the hospital and am resting at home.  Your prayers, your ministries, and your support mean more to me than words can express. 

I write now to you about a matter that deeply wounds our national conscience and calls forth our faithful response. 

In recent weeks across our country, there has been a shocking escalation of violence involving U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials. In Minneapolis, multiple people—including U.S. citizens and bystanders—have been shot and killed during federal immigration enforcement actions and protests. Most recently, 37-year-old Alex Pretti, a Veteran’s Administration ICU nurse devoted to serving others, was killed by federal agents —the second fatal shooting in that city within weeks. Prior to that, Renee Good, another U.S. citizen, was fatally shot by an ICE agent during a raid, sparking widespread outrage and grief. These incidents are occurring within a pattern of aggressive enforcement actions that have seen federal agents open fire on civilians and detain U.S. citizens and others in troubling circumstances.  

We hold these realities before God with sorrow and righteous indignation. Scripture reminds us that the measure of our humanity is found in how we treat the “stranger”—the foreigner, the vulnerable, the powerless (Leviticus 19:33–34; Matthew 25:35). When national policy and public practice risk dehumanizing our neighbors—especially those already living in fear—the Church must speak, pray, and act with clarity and compassion. 

I know that within our Diocese, many are already living out this calling in concrete ways: 

• Walking with Vulnerable Neighbors. Through EDSD’s Migration Ministry, congregations and volunteers offer accompaniment, legal support connections, pastoral care, and hospitality to migrants and their families as they navigate complex systems and fearsome uncertainties. 
• Advocacy for Just Policy. We have prayed with and supported those advocating for humane immigration policy at local, state, and federal levels, reminding our civic leaders that human dignity must never be sacrificed for fear or political expediency. 
• Clergy and Lay Formation. Our ongoing formation efforts help equip the faithful to address immigration realities in their communities with theological grounding and compassionate presence.

You can learn more about these ministries and how to get involved at the EDSD’s Migration Ministry page: https://edsd.org/migration-ministry/. 

Due to my current health issues, I cannot be present at vigils and marches, but know that I am with those of you who are standing for justice in prayer. In this moment, I invite us all—individuals, congregations, and ministries—to renew our commitment to: 

1. Prayerful Presence—Join in sustained intercession for victims of violence and their families, for law enforcement charged with public safety, and for policymakers entrusted with governing with justice and mercy. 
2. Nonviolent Witness—Uphold and participate in peaceful, faith-rooted public witness calling for accountability, restraint, and structural reform that honors human life. 
3. Pastoral Support—Reach out to immigrant communities fearful of enforcement actions with pastoral care, practical support, hospitality, and accompaniment. 
4. Civic Engagement—Advocate for policies that protect the dignity and rights of all — immigrants, citizens, and residents alike—and that seek justice through accountability, transparency, and respect for human life. 
5. Financial Aid—Bishop of Minnesota, the Rt. Rev. Craig Loya, has asked for donations to Casa Maria, an Episcopal nonprofit that is organizing groceries and other aid to immigrant families in Minneapolis. 

In the coming days, my office will be announcing new opportunities to learn how best to engage in these ways. Until then, be reminded that our faith calls us not merely to lament suffering but to be agents of God’s peace and justice in a troubled world. As followers of Christ, we are called to stand with the vulnerable, to speak truth to power, and to embody the reconciling love of Jesus in every place where fear threatens to eclipse compassion. 

May the God of mercy and justice uphold you, strengthen you, and guide our shared witness in the days ahead. 

Blessings, 

Bishop Susan Brown Snook

One of Bishop Susan Brown Snook’s first projects after she was consecrated our Bishop in 2019 was to start work on a strategic plan. After a major pivot because of COVID, the 5-year Courageous Love plan was launched in mid-2020. That plan centered on four key areas: Evangelism, Discipleship, and Church Growth; Leadership and Congregational Development; Service and Advocacy; and Stewardship. Those four areas informed the work of the Bishop, the Bishop’s staff, and the Executive Council for the past five years. The plan emerged from the hopes and commitments of Episcopalians across the diocese who longed to grow the Church, deepen discipleship, and strengthen our shared ministry in a rapidly changing world. 

Across the diocese, congregations have expanded their reach through renewed evangelism, service, and formation, while leadership development has helped equip lay and ordained ministers for the work of the Church. From new ministry expressions and revitalized congregations to deeper commitments to justice, compassion, and stewardship, the fruits of these past five years offer a strong foundation for what comes next. And, it’s time for our next plan!

As part of the Strategic Planning Team’s efforts in listening to lay and clergy members from across the diocese, a Landscape survey was conducted by HolyCow! Consulting. Many thanks to those who took the time to share their thoughts with us. There were 198 responses from clergy and laity across the diocese. The survey results were presented to the Executive Council and the Strategic Planning Team at the Executive Council retreat. The results are very encouraging! 

The top three priorities of those who answered the survey are: 

• Equip clergy and other leaders in congregations with strategies that enable them to reach new members. 

• Take a leadership role in working with churches that are struggling. 

• Equip congregations to be more effective in addressing problems affecting their surrounding communities. 

Our results showed high levels of satisfaction and energy, with an emphasis on leadership, collegiality, and a shared vision.  

We are very grateful for those who took the time to answer, and we acknowledge that 198 is not a huge response rate. There is still much listening to be done! The Strategic Planning team is beginning its work now. Look for updates from them in the future, and look for additional ways to share your thoughts about the future of our diocese.  

Our next strategic planning effort is being chaired by Ms. Mae Chao (St. Brigid’s, Oceanside) and Ms. Lori Thiel (St. James, La Jolla), with the consulting assistance of Mr. Carsten Hennings, associate professor of management at Point Loma Nazarene University. The rest of the team is comprised of Bishop Susan, Ms. Danielle Beabout (St. Thomas, Temecula), the Rev. Paige Blair-Hubert (St. Peter’s, Del Mar), the Rev. Paul Carmona, the Rev. Kate Flexer (St. Francis, Pauma Valley), Ms. Ana Garcia (St. Matthew’s, National City), the Rev. Richard Hogue (St. Paul’s Cathedral), the Rev. Paul Klitzke (Good Samaritan, San Diego), Mr. George Lynch (St. Margaret’s, Palm Desert), the Rev. Brian Petersen (St. Brigid’s, Oceanside), and Mr. Ray Tackett (St. Paul’s, Palm Springs).