Jun 1, 2023 | #DidYouKnow, #FunFacts
In 2020, our general convention voted to make Juneteenth a feast day in the Diocese of California. Shortly after, it became an official federal holiday. You can all about it in an article by Episcopal News Service from when this momentous occasion took place.
The liturgies that have been created in our diocese for Juneteenth each year following this decision are available for you to read or use in your own dioceses and congregations.
May 31, 2023 | #DidYouKnow, #Stories
We are pleased to announce the launch of the All Saints Thrift Shop in San Leandro, California. The shop features jewelry, artwork, kitchenware, collectibles and antiques, books, crafting fabric, religious art, and more. The shop is currently open BY APPOINTMENT ONLY, Monday-Thursday, 10am-2pm, with limited appointments each day. Payment by cash, check, credit card, or Paypal. If you’d like to make a 20-min appointment (starting in June) to visit the shop, please email rector@saintsalive.net.
The mission of All Saints Thrift Shop is fourfold: 1) to reuse, repurpose, and recycle goods in order to keep things out of the landfill, 2) to provide our community with reasonably priced, quality merchandise, 3) to connect with our community, and 4) to raise funds to support the mission and ministry of All Saints Episcopal Church.
May 26, 2023 | #DidYouKnow, #Stories
Story and photos by the Rev. Canon Debbie Low-Skinner
On a cold, gray, blustery Saturday morning on May 20, the 128th Commencement of the Church Divinity School of the Pacific took place in the school courtyard. Interim Dean, the Rt. Rev. Dr. Kirk Smith, presided over the proceedings.
He also introduced the Commencement Speaker, the Rev. Canon Dr. Chuck Robertson, who was receiving an honorary doctorate. Robertson was Smith’s Canon to the Ordinary when Smith was Bishop of Arizona. Currently, Robertson is Canon to the Presiding Bishop Michael Curry, who was away on May 20, leading the consecraon of the Rt. Rev. Mahew Heyd as Bishop Coadjutor of the Diocese of New York.
Other honorary doctorates were awarded to:
- Priest, liturgist, and organist the Rev. Mary Morrison, formerly of the Diocese of El Camino Real.
- Dr. Esther Mombo, professor of St. Paul’s University in Limuru, Kenya. She is a founding member of the Tamar Campaign in Kenya, which seeks to acknowledge the existence of gender-based violence in society and empower churches to address this issue. She is also the coordinator of the East African Region for the Circle of Concerned African Women Theologians.
Master of Divinity degrees were awarded to twelve graduates, including DioCal’s:
- Annalise Deal (wife of the Rev. Kevin Deal, Vicar of St. John the Evangelist Church in SF’s Mission District and a postulant for Holy Orders).
- The Rev. Dr. Mees Tielens, who completed two years of field educaon at St. Anna’s Church in Anoch and received the Episcopal Church Foundaon Award for Preaching.
Also receiving an MDiv is the Rev. Angela Furlong of the Diocese of Maryland. She completed a year of field educaon at St. Augusne’s Church, a historic African American parish in Oakland, and led Morning Prayer and preached monthly at Christ Church Sei Ko Kai, a historic Japanese American church in San Francisco. Furlong also received the Rev. Dr. Fran Toy Prize for Mulcultural Ministry at a Field Ed Site.
Photos include Bp. Smith on stage; CDSP faculty; those receiving their honorary doctorates; the Rev. Dr. Ruth Meyers receiving a special award for her 12 years’ service as academic dean; the Class of 2023 MDiv graduates; those DioCal persons receiving their MDivs; the Rev. Angela Furlong with the Rev. Dr. Fran Toy and the Rt. Rev. Kirk Smith; and the Rev. Cn. Debbie Low-Skinner with Dr. Jenny Te Paa-Daniel, a noted Maori theologian who had served for 23 years as dean of Te Rau Kahikatea seminary at St. John’s Theological College in Auckland, New Zealand.
May 26, 2023 | #DidYouKnow, #Stories
Story and photos by the Caren Miles
On Sunday, May 21, more than 50 youth and their adults walked, took BART, and rode ferries and cable cars to meet up at Grace Cathedral for our first (hopefully annual) Youth Pilgrimage. Donning bright orange DioCal Youth Ministry hats, they made their way from Berkeley, Walnut Creek, Pleasant Hill, Oakland, Fremont, and San Carlos. Once at the cathedral, they played games, ate pizza, met new friends, and participated in the evening service.
For further information about Diocesan Youth Ministry (or to purchase your own DioCal Youth Ministry hat), please contact Caren Miles at carenm@diocal.org.
May 26, 2023 | #DidYouKnow, #Stories
Story and photos by Pamela Stevens
Fr. Javier Torres, vicar at Holy Trinity/Santísima Trinidad in Richmond, invited fellow Spanishspeaking Episcopalians in the Diocese of California to discern leadership in their communities, including what it means to them to engage in sustainable leadership.
As part of increasing solidarity among Spanish-speaking Episcopalians in the Diocese of California, Fr. Torres organized this retreat-style gathering on April 22 and welcomed Fr. Samuel Borbón, Associate Missioner for The Episcopal Church Latino/Hispanic Ministries to facilitate discussions about leadership in The Episcopal Church, Latinamente.
Those gathered shared prayers, song, and a meal to initiate their discussions around fundraising, congregational leadership, and wider diocesan or denominational participation. The group addressed linguistic translation, translation challenges, and cultural differences not only with normative Anglo culture but also within the diversity of Hispanic/Latiné communities.
At the end of their time together, Fr. Borbón facilitated the group’s agreement on five key guideposts for leadership. These are evangelism, sustainability, programming, unity, and leadership development. Each community committed to further define and apply these ideas in their congregations, and to meet again as a shared community to follow up on progress together.
Photos from April 22 gathering | Fotos de la reunión del 22 de abril
Liderazgo Latinamente: Comunidades Hispanohablantes en la Diócesis de California se reúnen en Richmond con el Misionero Asociado de Ministerios Latinos/Hispanos de la Iglesia Episcopal Para Discernir Metas de Liderazgo
Artículo y fotos por Pamela Stevens
El Padre Javier Torres, vicario de Holy Trinity/Santísima Trinidad en Richmond, invitó a otros episcopales hispanohablantes en la Diócesis de California a discernir lo que es el liderazgo en sus comunidades, incluido lo que significa para ellos participar en un liderazgo sostenible.
Como parte de la creciente solidaridad entre los episcopales de habla hispana en la Diócesis de California, el Padre Torres organizó esta reunión en el estilo de un retiro el 22 de abril y dio la bienvenida al P. Samuel Borbón, Misionero Asociado de Ministerios Latinos/Hispanos de la Iglesia Episcopal para facilitar las discusiones sobre el liderazgo en la Iglesia Episcopal, Latinamente.
Los reunidos compartieron oraciones, canciones y una comida para iniciar sus discusiones sobre la recaudación de fondos, el liderazgo congregacional y una participación diocesana o denominacional más amplia. El grupo abordó la traducción lingüística, los desafíos de la traducción y las diferencias culturales no solo con la cultura Anglo normativa sino también dentro de la diversidad de las comunidades hispanas/latinas.
Al final de su tiempo juntos, el P. Borbón facilitó al grupo el acuerdo de cinco hitos clave para el liderazgo. Estos son evangelismo, sustentabilidad, programación, unidad y desarrollo de liderazgo. Cada comunidad se comprometió a definir más y aplicar estas ideas como guías en sus congregaciones y reunirse nuevamente como una comunidad compartida para dar seguimiento al progreso juntos.
May 25, 2023 | #DidYouKnow, #News&Events, #Stories
We’re pleased to announce that Elaine Vallecillo-Miller has been tapped to serve as interim head of the Diocese of California’s Disaster Preparedness and Response Team. Elaine graciously agreed to take on this important role following the departure of the Rev. Jane McDougle, who recently stepped down to enjoy her well-deserved retirement after serving vicar of Holy Innocents, San Francisco. The committee is tremendously grateful for Jane’s many years of dedicated service to disaster planning and response, which included advising the diocesan COVID-19 Response team through the most challenging years of the pandemic.
Elaine Vallecillo-Miller represents the South Alameda Deanery on the Executive Council, is a longtime member of the Diocesan Disaster Preparedness and Response Committee, serves as a liaison between the Red Cross and St. James, Fremont, and acts as St. James’ congregational disaster coordinator.
Elaine continues to hone her disaster preparedness knowledge and skills through various training courses. She is currently taking classes offered by SF Card, a nonprofit offering disaster planning education and consulting services to faith-based organizations.
A time-sensitive request from Elaine for clergy, lay leaders, and church administrators:
If your congregation has a disaster coordinator, please ask them to reach out to her; she would like to organize a meeting for them soon:
- Email: evallecillomiller@yahoo.com;
- (cell) 510-432-8851
- (home) 510-793-5344 (calls are screened through caller-id)
