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).  

In April 2026, communicators from across The Episcopal Church will gather in San Diego for the Episcopal Communicators Conference. They will arrive from large dioceses and small parishes, from cathedrals and campus ministries, from urban neighborhoods and rural towns. Some will be full-time professionals. Others will be administrators or volunteers who carry communications alongside dozens of other responsibilities. What unites them is a shared vocation: to help the Church tell the truth about what God is already doing in the world.

Last year was my first Episcopal Communicators Conference. Again and again, I had conversations with people who understood exactly what it feels like to do this work for the Church–to care deeply about the people we serve, to work with limited time and resources, and still to show up fighting for every inch of ‘digital ground’ on the Church’s behalf. The shared pride of the stories being told and the genuine curiosity about how others were running campaigns or reaching their neighbors; the generous exchange of tools, ideas, and hard-won lessons, all felt oddly familiar to my own heart for the work. By the end of the conference, what I carried home wasn’t just practical skills but a sense of belonging to a community that knows both the joy and the weight of telling the Church’s story well.

EDSD is hosting this year, and I couldn’t be happier. Our diocese sits at the edge of borders and cultures, where stories of migration, resilience, and hope are woven into daily life. It is a place where the Church is growing and learning to be present without pretending to have easy answers. Welcoming communicators from across the Church into our context invites them into a living classroom for what faithful storytelling looks like.

This year’s conference is not a marketing expo. It is not about clever slogans or flashy campaigns. A dedicated team of communications professionals has carefully crafted the offerings to showcase and improve the ways our Church bears witness. In a time when many people feel disconnected from institutions, how the Church communicates is inseparable from how the Church loves. Words, images, stories, and presence all shape whether our neighbors feel welcomed or ignored, seen or overlooked.

What makes this conference different from many professional gatherings is its grounding in vocation. Everyone in the room understands that they are not just managing information. We are shaping how people encounter God. 

This matters for congregations of every size. Many of the churches I work with are not struggling because they lack faithful people or meaningful ministries. They are struggling because their neighbors do not know their stories. This year’s conference will help you learn how to tell stories clearly and honestly–where people begin to see themselves in those stories. Like when a neighbor hears their privately held beliefs shared online, or when a new seeker notices that this church might be a place where their questions are welcome.

That is what communication is. When we write a story about a baptism, when we share a photo of neighbors serving one another, when we livestream a service for someone who cannot be present, we are not just distributing information. We are participating in the Church’s ancient calling to bear witness.

All of this rests on a simple theological truth: Christianity, at its heart, is a story; the story of a God who loves the world enough to enter it, to dwell among us, and to draw us into a new way of being. The Gospel of John names this mystery by calling Jesus the Word made flesh. This is the story of a God who does not remain silent or distant. God chooses to be known, to be heard, to be seen.

The Episcopal Communicators Conference exists to help churches do this work with skill and care. Participants leave with new tools and a deeper sense of why their work matters. They come home with language that feels human instead of institutional, with ways to invite people into worship without pressure, and with practical systems that save time and reduce burnout. For many communicators, it is the first time they realize they are not alone in this work, that others are wrestling with the same challenges and discovering faithful ways forward.

A communicator’s work is not peripheral. It is pastoral. It is evangelical. It is sacramental (in its own way), using ordinary tools to reveal extraordinary grace.

Those who come to the Episcopal Communicators Conference will return to their congregations better equipped to do just that. They will return with new skills and a renewed confidence that their work is part of God’s own movement in the world. They will help their churches become more visible, more welcoming, and more alive in the neighborhoods they serve.

In a time when so many are searching for meaning, belonging, and hope, the Church’s ability to communicate well is not a luxury. It is courageous love. 

Join us in San Diego, April 14-17, 2026, to learn how to tell God’s story with clarity, beauty, and courage. To find out more about the Episcopal Communicators Conference coming to San Diego this April, visit https://episcopal-communicators.wildapricot.org/conference. Financial aid is available.

The Diocese of San Diego is glad to announce the call of a new Canon to the Ordinary for Leadership Development: The Rev. Beth Scriven, who comes to us from the Diocese of Indianapolis. In her new role, Canon Beth will take on many duties currently under the care of Canon Gwynn Lynch, who plans to retire as of April 1. These duties include consulting with congregations on congregational development, vestry support, conflict resolution, leadership development, and clergy transitions. She will also serve as the staff liaison to the Commission on Ministry, the diocesan liturgist, and the primary organizer for diocesan convention and several other diocesan events. Canon Beth will join the executive team of diocesan staff, which also includes Canon Jason Evans, the Canon to the Ordinary for Mission, and The Rev. Canon Jeff Martinhauk, the Canon for Finance. All three Canons will report directly to the Bishop. Canon Beth plans to start her new role as of Feb. 23, allowing time for overlap with Canon Gwynn before the latter’s retirement. Bishop Susan Brown Snook said, “We are excited to welcome The Rev. Beth Scriven to our diocese, and we will be glad to put her gifts to work here in our diocese, supporting our congregations and their ministries.”

The Rev. Beth Scriven was ordained a priest in 2008, after attending Seabury-Western Theological Seminary and Smith College. Since that time, Beth has served as an interim rector, parish associate, college chaplain, and church plant vicar, ministering in small, medium, and large congregations and in times of both stability and transition. In each setting, the heart of her ministry has been to accompany individuals and groups through discerning who God is inviting them to be as disciples of Jesus, called to love and serve a hurting world, and how to live that out in ways that will bring joy and life for today as well as for the next 5-50 years. She brings training and experience in Commission on Ministry work, preventing sexual abuse and harassment, and the College for Congregational Development, and served as a Deputy to General Convention from the Diocese of Missouri in 2018-2021, including being elected as the deputation chair in 2021. She sees her ministry specialties as relational leadership, discernment, leadership development, preaching, and conflict resolution.

Beth is a born and bred Midwesterner, raised in the Cleveland area by two public school educators, but eager now to get to know the beautiful and varied geography of our southern California and Arizona region. She grew up deeply engaged in church, Girl Scout camp, public education, and the Cleveland tradition of loyalty to local teams, no matter the heartbreak. In her life outside church, she loves cooking for people, listening to the Indigo Girls, repeatedly watching Heartstopper, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and The West Wing, and laughing at anything and everything.

Beth writes, “I look forward to getting to know the people and congregations of EDSD over the coming months and joining you in living out your vision of Courageous Love.”

Across the diocese, congregations are already practicing evangelism in ways they may not always recognize as evangelism. Churches are showing up at neighborhood events, farmers’ markets, and marches. Volunteers are offering water, prayer boards, meals, music, and conversation. Clergy and lay leaders are listening to stories of grief, hope, and longing in their neighborhoods. Youth and young adults are asking big questions about faith and justice. 

These are holy things–meant to be shared.  

At Diocesan Convention in November 2025, Bishop Susan announced the theme: The Year of Evangelism for 2026. This is not a single diocesan campaign. It invites congregations to ask simple but profound questions:

Where is God already at work among us? How are we being invited to share that story? What would it look like for all of us to take faithful risks?

Sharing faith with courage often requires support and practice. During the Year of Evangelism, formation opportunities in EDSD, such as the Leadership Academy and the Episcopal Communicators Conference, will help clergy and lay leaders grow in confidence and clarity. 

To begin this shared work, the Year of Evangelism will open with an invitation to listen deeply. On Wednesday, January 21, the Episcopal Diocese of San Diego will welcome The Rev. Stephanie Spellers for a diocesan gathering centered on her book Church Tomorrow?, hosted by EDSD and St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in Del Mar. Drawing on conversations with Millennials and Gen Z adults who identify as “Nones” and “Dones,” Rev. Spellers invites us to reflect honestly about how younger generations are experiencing meaning, belonging, and the sacred. What could their witness teach us about the future of Christian community? (Register for this event here). 

At Leadership Academy this Spring, one of the three tracks focuses on Evangelism and offers encouraging, practical ways for anyone who wants to grow more confident in sharing their faith. Following along the pathway of Gather, Transform, and Send, this track explores evangelism as something lived–a posture of openness, hospitality, and attentiveness to God’s work. In these three interconnected classes, participants will reflect on how we invite others into the life of the Church, deepen our own discipleship, and go forth to share God’s love in ways that feel genuine and faithful.

Leadership Academy is designed as a supportive learning space, and the Evangelism track is no exception. These sessions are especially well-suited for clergy and lay leaders who want encouragement, language, and practical tools for naming faith with greater ease. You do not need prior experience—only a willingness to listen, learn, and try something new. Whether you are curious about evangelism or have been quietly practicing it for years, this track offers a chance to grow alongside others, gain a fresh perspective, and leave feeling equipped and hopeful.

The Episcopal Communicators Conference, coming to San Diego in April, offers a powerful opportunity to grow in sharing the Good News with clarity, creativity, and care. At its heart, the conference is about helping the Church tell its story well—learning how to articulate faith in ways that are faithful, compelling, and grounded in real life. Through workshops, labs, and shared conversations, participants gain practical tools for storytelling, digital ministry, visual communication, and evangelism shaped by relationship rather than rhetoric. For anyone seeking to communicate the Gospel with greater confidence and imagination, the conference provides both skill-building and encouragement, reminding us that sharing good news is not about perfection, but about presence, honesty, and hope. (Register for the Episcopal Communicators Conference here).

Evangelism does not look the same in every community. And it is not meant to. Throughout 2026, evangelism across EDSD will grow in diverse and creative ways. Through congregational storytelling and testimony shared in worship, newsletters, and online spaces; neighborhood-based ministries rooted in presence, service, and relationship; storytelling that meets people where they already are; invitation seasons that encourage congregations to welcome friends, neighbors, and family; and partnerships and collaborations that reflect God’s work beyond church walls we will walk together to share the good news of Christ already at work in our diocese.  

How will you live into the Year of Evangelism?

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overtake it. John 1:1-5

One of the most beautiful sights of Christmas is light shining in darkness: the Christmas tree lighting up a dark room; Christmas decorations on houses shining brilliant colors into the street; the candles of Christmas Eve illumining a dark church as the congregation sings “Silent Night.” The familiar Christmas story in Luke’s gospel that we hear each Christmas Eve tells us that a heavenly host of angels lit up the night sky to proclaim the good news of Christ’s birth. And the Christmas story that opens John’s gospel, above, begins with the proclamation that Christ’s light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

Our world today is full of darkness. From gun violence to fears of immigrants who seek a new life but may not be allowed to find it here, to people living without homes, to continued conflict in our country and in our world, human beings suffer in our world. I hear many people expressing fear about our future and about whether the stable, prosperous world in which many of us grew up can survive.

Christmas comes to remind us that light shines in the darkness. Christmas is a gift, not a gift tied up in red bows and tinsel, but an everlasting gift of God’s love to us. Christmas tells us that God has come into the world as a small, poor, vulnerable infant who will live and die as one of us. Christmas tells us that God’s love was so great that the poor and vulnerable infant would grow up and give his life for the love of humankind. Christmas tells us that Christ’s light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

The light of Christmas shines all over our diocese. In so many ways, our people light up this world through worship, evangelism, and service. I see the light of Christmas in many congregations that serve the hungry and those without homes. The light of Christmas shines through diocesan organizations like Episcopal Community Services, which is preparing to open a new 50-bed facility to house those who struggle with substance abuse and homelessness. It shines through Community of Light, our migrant shelter in Tijuana; through our Faith Accompaniment project for migrants at the courthouse; and through our many other ministries with migrants and refugees. It shines in each congregation that celebrates the coming of Christ this Christmas. It shines in the ways we share God’s love with others and proclaim the God of love and peace. In Christ’s name, Episcopalians in our diocese shine God’s light every day.

This Christmas Day, I pray that the light of Christ shines in each of our hearts, and that as the people of Christ, we may always shine that light into this dark world, transforming it with God’s love.

Blessed Christmas,

Bishop Susan Brown Snook

As the holiday season unfolds around us, with twinkling lights, joyous carols, and bustling festivities, many of us carry a quieter reality. For some, the holidays can feel like a long and dark season—a time when grief, loneliness, or struggles weigh heavier against the backdrop of celebration. For those who find the holiday season difficult, Blue Christmas services are a tender and reflective gathering where we bring pain, struggles, and hopes, finding solace in the promise of Christ. A Blue Christmas service acknowledges that not all hearts are merry and bright this time of year. It is a service of lament and healing that offers comfort and peace to those burdened by life’s many challenges.

The season of Advent is all about the expectation of coming joy, but for many, this waiting feels inauthentic. Perhaps they are grieving the loss of a loved one, facing the reality of a difficult diagnosis, or experiencing economic struggles. Maybe they are overwhelmed by the weight of the world’s injustices or isolated from loved ones. Blue Christmas provides a time to bring these realities to the altar, to name the weight we carry, and to lay them before God.

For me, sitting in a quiet sanctuary, surrounded by others who are also carrying burdens, I feel relief. The holiday season can be especially taxing emotionally, financially, and, at times, physically. This is the power of Blue Christmas; it is church for the weary, a place where the light of Christ shines warmly, even in the darkest night.

The Rev. Nina Bacas, Rector of St. Bartholomew’s in Poway, said, “Not everyone can find joy at Christmas time. It’s difficult terrain for those who have suffered from loss, mental health crises, addiction, or other hardships. In response, the church invites all to come to the Blue Christmas Eucharist, where there is no need to mask feelings for the sake of social norms. Blue Christmas is a safe, peaceful space to experience Christ’s healing, acceptance, and love as we remember our losses and release our burdens to God.”

The readings, prayers, and hymns of a Blue Christmas reorient us toward the heart of the Christmas message. As we light candles in the darkness, we remember that Jesus came into a world much like ours—filled with suffering, division, and longing—and brought light, peace, and love. This service reminds us that God is not distant from our struggles but walks with us in them, offering healing and renewal.

For our neighbors, our parishioners, and even ourselves, Blue Christmas is a gift. It reminds us that even on the longest night, the light of Christ is never extinguished. It assures us that our pain is seen, our struggles matter, and our hope is secure in the Christ who came to live among us.

You can attend a Blue Christmas service in the Episcopal Diocese of San Diego here:

All Souls’ Episcopal Church
1475 Catalina Blvd, San Diego, CA 92107
Sunday, December 21 at 3:00 PM — a light reception following the service

St. Bartholomew’s Episcopal Church
16275 Pomerado Rd, Poway, CA 92064
Thursday, December 18 at 12:00 PM (Chapel)

Church of St Paul in the Desert
125 W El Alameda, Palm Springs, CA 92262
Sunday, December 21 at 6:00 PM

St Dunstan’s Episcopal Church
6556 Park Ridge Blvd, San Diego, CA 92120
Wednesday, November 17 at 4:00 PM

St. John’s Episcopal Church
434 Iowa St, Fallbrook, CA 92028
Tuesday, December 16 at 6:00 PM

St. Peter’s Episcopal Church
334 14th St, Del Mar, CA 92014
Monday, December 15 at 7:00 PM

St Mary’s-in-the-Valley Episcopal Church (w/First Congregational Church)
1010 12th St, Ramona, CA 92065
Friday, December 19, 7:00–8:00 PM (at First Congregational Church, 404 Eighth St, Ramona)

St. James by-the-Sea Episcopal Church
743 Prospect St, La Jolla, CA 92037
Wednesday, December 17 at 12:00 PM

St. Timothy’s Episcopal Church (Rancho Peñasquitos)
10125 Azuaga St, San Diego, CA 92129
Thursday, December 18 at 11:00 AM
A daytime Blue Christmas service for those unable to attend in the evening.

Grace Episcopal Church (San Marcos)
1020 Rose Ranch Rd, San Marcos, CA 92068
Tuesday, December 16 from 5:00–6:00 PM