This year was challenging, but 2021 is still full of reasons to celebrate. Despite the year's hardships, we moved forward with love and courage, serving others and growing together as people of Christ. Please take a moment to look back on a few reasons we should celebrate this year. 
In 2021, Bishop Susan joyfully ordained four new deacons into the church. The Rev. Nancy Jo Burnett, the Rev. Katherine Logan Gordon, and the Rev. Daniel James McMillan were ordained at St. Paul’s Cathedral on September 18. The Rev. Brian William Petersen was ordained at Holy Cross Episcopal Church in Oceanside on December 18. All four deacons are happily serving at congregations throughout the diocese.
The 48th Annual Convention in the Episcopal Diocese of San Diego kicked off with a phenomenal conversation between Presiding Bishop Michael Curry and Bishop Susan Brown Snook. The bishops dove deep into the nature of the Episcopal Church and how it moves through love into a pandemic fraught world. “The choice is ours—chaos or community. I believe that we must choose community and following in the way of Jesus—the way of love,” said Presiding Bishop Michael Curry.  
As Advent and the calendar year come to their conclusions, so does our Bishop’s Appeal. Our aim was to raise $50,000 to support our diocesan work of growing congregations, deepening our formation, reaching new people, and serving others. We are only $6,4000 away from reaching that goal! Please consider making a year-end gift and help us reach our target. Visit edsd.org/give for more information on how you can support the Bishop’s Appeal.
Throughout the year, people from all over the diocese joined together, online, for an exciting, new virtual learning and enrichment series called the Transformation Academy. Together we dove deeper into four diocesan priority areas: Peace & Justice, Evangelism, Discipleship, Leadership, and more.
 
Transformation Academy was offered over six months and featured national speakers and local leaders from our diocese discussing issues that transform the way we serve the Church's mission. Take a moment to look back on these fantastic presentations below.
 
 
 
 
 
 
In the Spring of 2021, The Episcopal Diocese of San Diego hosted the 11th annual Called to the Wall pilgrimage. Called to the Wall brings attention to current immigration issues. This year, the virtual liturgy focused on the plight of immigrant children, family separation, asylum seekers, and more. Enjoy the pilgrimage by clicking the video above.
In the Spring of 2021, the Episcopal Diocese of San Diego coordinated spiritual care services for thousands of unaccompanied minors that were housed at the San Diego Convention Center. In coordination with our ecumenical partners, leaders from around the diocese stepped forward to provide regular church services and spiritual care for thousands of children throughout Holy Week and beyond. Find out more from the video reflection above. 
This past summer, EDSD.org went through a dramatic makeover. It is faster, more user-friendly, and welcoming to a newcomer. We hope you've taken some time to poke around and let us know what you think.

Over the course of 16 months, the website team evaluated, redesigned, and enhanced the EDSD.org website to be more user-friendly. “Developing a diocesan website is tricky; you need to allow for the deep (insider) Episcopalians access to an amazing breadth of resources while maintaining a welcoming information layer for newcomers to learn about and feel encouraged by the organization. I know this new design will suit the needs of EDSD for years to come,” said Director of Communications Chris Tumilty.
In July, The Episcopal Diocese of San Diego returned to the streets for the SD Pride March.
Members from throughout the diocese took to the streets of Hillcrest to celebrate and march in the name of love. 

[KOGO Local News] “St. Paul’s Cathedral has been an open and affirming congregation as long it has been a cathedral, which goes back 40 years,” says the Very Rev. Penny Bridges, Dean of St. Paul’s Cathedral. “It was open and affirming in a quieter way until maybe 12 years ago when a situation arose when a well-known gay man died and needed to be buried, and St. Pauls’ stepped forward to do that. It sort of opened up our name to the LGBTQ community.” Read More
In most cases, the pandemic prevented us from doing the things we’d normally do in person, but, in this case, the downtime provided an opportunity to develop a new type of leadership group in the diocese. Throughout 2021, the Youth Leadership Council met to create new ministries, events, and avenues of evangelism for youth throughout the diocese. This new advisory group helps plan and host youth events while developing as mentors for younger participants. Find out more by clicking the video above.
This summer, members of our diocesan community--from Yuma to Coronado, Imperial Beach to Oceanside--produced a Virtual Vacation Bible School. People from all over the diocese came together to provide an outstanding, five-week series for families to use at home for Vacation Bible School. Explore God's love for us while experiencing stories, science, songs, and beautiful content developed by members of your diocesan community. Enjoy the VBS Finale by clicking the video above.
Throughout 2021, Agape House provided a dynamic response to the needs of students during COVID-19 Agape San Diego. The Lutheran-Episcopal Campus Ministry on the campus of San Diego State University opened a new Welcome Center to an enthusiastic response. Pop-up tents shaded guests while resting on bean bag chairs atop turf rugs between classes. This pop-up ministry in the parking lot of Agape House, the decades-old home of the ministry, offers a welcoming “Hello” from students and members of the Agape staff and a place to rest amid the crazy world. Dial-up agapesandiego.org for more information.
As we move into Christmas—celebrating the Good News of Christ’s birth—we can rest assured that the life-changing work of the church may look different this year, but the Love of Christ is alive, here, in the Episcopal Diocese of San Diego. God Bless You and Merry Christmas.