Bishop Susan makes Call to Prayer for our Capitol
As I write, the US Capitol is on lockdown, Vice President Pence has been rushed from the Senate floor to safety, Capitol buildings have been evacuated, and protesters have breached police barricades at the Capitol. These violent threats to the peaceful transition of power threaten the peace and security of our nation, as well as the 244-year tradition of democracy in the United States.

As Christians, we take a baptismal vow to “strive for justice and peace among all people, and respect the dignity of every human being” (Book of Common Prayer, p. 305). The traditions of democracy in America are intended to respect every person’s dignity, and the tradition of justice and the continuation of that respect for all depends on the peaceful transfer of power. Violent threats to the peace of this nation and our governing officials violate the cause of peace and justice that we believe in as Americans and as Christians.

I call on all Episcopalians in our diocese to enter into a deep practice of prayer for our country and for the peaceful transfer of power over the next two weeks. Let this season of Epiphany be a time for us to consider our own calls to peace and justice, and to pray for the Holy Spirit to bring resolution to our conflicts and healing to our divided nation. As we pray for God’s light to shine into this crisis of division, I offer these prayers from our Book of Common Prayer for your personal use as we pray and strive for justice and peace.
PB Curry’s Word to the Church: Who shall we be?
La versión en inglés de este comunicado se publicó anteriormente y puede encontrarse aquí.

And now in the name of our loving, liberating, and life-giving God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.

In another time of national crisis, another time of danger for our nation, in 1865 on March the fourth, Abraham Lincoln concluded his second inaugural address with these words:

With malice toward none; with charity for all; with firmness in the right, as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in; to bind up the nation’s wounds; to care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow, and his orphan—to do all which may achieve and cherish a just, and a lasting peace, among ourselves, and with all nations.

Lincoln knew in that moment, in the moment of a national crisis, a moment of great danger, that such a moment was a moment of decision, when a nation, when a people must decide who shall we be? What kind of nation, what kind of people shall we be? A hundred years later, Martin Luther King faced the same reality. Who shall we be? The civil rights movement was waning. The great victories that had been won had been won. And yet now questions of poverty and economic despair and disparities raised an awesome specter on the nation. We were at war. Read More
New Missioners for Peace & Justice in EDSD
We are excited to announce a new part-time Missioner position for the Diocese! The Rev. D Rebecca Dinovo and Deann Rios will jointly serve as our Missioners for Peace & Justice. Rev. Rebecca will continue to serve as Associate for Community Life at St. James La Jolla, while Deann will also continue with her work as Community Engagement & Volunteer Coordinator for Episcopal Community Services.

In their roles as Missioners for Peace & Justice, Rebecca and Deann will work together to support, expand, create, and implement peace and justice opportunities within our churches, Diocese, and communities. With a primary focus on advocacy, policy, personal transformation, and systemic change and as a means of better loving our neighbors, they will support and initiate activities that engage groups and individuals of all ages in spiritual, educational, and action-oriented efforts to increase shalom and justice in our communities. Initial issues of focus will include racial justice, creation care, civil discourse, border ministry and immigration, ecumenical and interfaith partnerships, gun violence prevention, food insecurity/feeding programs, and homelessness/housing. Read More
Happy Epiphany: Youth Epiphany Pageant
The EDSD Youth Collaborative Epiphany Pageant is a ten-minute video that continues the light-hearted look at the saga of the Holy Family. There’s an addition of King Herod and other familiar faces, culminating in our Bishop, Canon to the Ordinary, and Cathedral Dean as our three Magnificent Magi. It concludes with a gentle presentation of the Holy Innocents.

Altogether, more than a third of our congregations participated in these short films, reminding us that we are capable of wonderful things. Both exciting, funny, touching, kind-hearted videos can be downloaded from edsd.org/pageant to be embedded in your Epiphany services.

The completed pageant is available at edsd.org/pageant for download or the Diocesan Youtube channel for use in your worship services or posts for your congregation to enjoy. 
New Grant Procedures 
The Diocese is implementing a new procedure for grants to congregations. Previously, grant requests were received in June/July and decision-making as to which grants would be awarded was made prior to diocesan convention. After the approval of the budget at convention, funds were dispersed early the next year. This means that seven or eight months had transpired between the grant request and receiving the funds. Things can change a lot in seven months (and oh, don’t we know that now!) and plans would often have changed, key people might have moved on, etc.  

This year, the approved budget includes $119,000 for Missional Congregational Development Grants to be awarded in February/March 2021. The Missional Congregational Development Grants take the place of Congregational Operating Grants, Fearless Love Grants and Multicultural Grants. The Executive Council voted to have the following priorities for grants in the coming year: racial reconciliation, community engagement, and outreach/multiculturalism. These are not the only possibilities, just priorities.  


Applications are due by January 31, 2021. After your request is received you will have a consultant assigned to review it with you.  

If you have questions, please contact the Rev. Canon Gwynn Lynch at glynch@edsd.org
RenewalWorks for Lent: Where is God Calling Us to Grow?
What is RenewalWorks and how can it help your church? 
Through an anonymous online evaluation of each parishioner, and a series of guided workshop discussions with our staff, the RenewalWorks process helps churches (and the individuals in them) refocus on spiritual growth and identify ways that God is calling them to grow. The methodology has been tailored to the Episcopal tradition, adapting over 10 years of research that has uncovered key characteristics of flourishing congregations. It will inspire your congregation and leadership to rediscover who Jesus is, and what it means to follow him. 
 
How does it work? 
The RenewalWorks process begins with an anonymous, confidential, online survey (we call it the Episcopal Spiritual Life Inventory) taken by congregants, exploring that individual’s spiritual life. Individual responses are combined and viewed as a group, providing a snapshot of the spiritual vitality of the congregation based on research from more than 1,800 churches (of all denominations) and almost 500,000 congregants. 
 
When can you participate? 
Although you could launch RenewalWorks at any time, several congregations in EDSD are planning to participate in RenewalWorks during this upcoming season of Lent. This project is perfectly suited to the reflective spirit of this season and would provide an opportunity for us to seek God's direction together, even as we remain socially distanced. 
 
Contact Canon Christian Gillette at cgillette@edsd.org as soon as possible for more information on how your congregation can participate in this exciting discovery and discernment process during the upcoming season of Lent. 
New 'Tell Me Something Good' Website
Tell Me Something Good, a new web series from The Episcopal Church, highlights positive stories from around the church through conversations with a variety of guests. New episodes of Tell Me Something Good will be released every two weeks. Episode 1 is available for viewing on The Episcopal Church website here, on Facebook here, and on Instagram TV, @theepiscopalchurch.

Hosted by Jerusalem Greer, Episcopal Church staff officer for evangelism and the Rev. Marcus Halley, dean of formation of the Episcopal Church in Connecticut, Tell Me Something Good seeks, names and celebrates Jesus’ loving presence in the stories of people from all over the church, and invites everyone to MORE! Read More
Christian and Muslim Awareness Event
You are invited to attend this first virtual event designed to meet and learn about your Muslim neighbors on Thursday, January 14 at 7 pm.
Many people don’t know the most basic facts about Islam. The overwhelming majority of the world’s 1.5 billion Muslims share the same values that are common to humanity everywhere – and long for a peaceful and prosperous life for their families.

Together the Reverend Joe Dirbas and Salaam want to bring Muslims and non-Muslims together.

“I would encourage all those interested in learning more to attend this session. Come with an open heart and an open mind and together we will learn to love and respect each other,” said Dirbas.

Fun Epiphany Proclamation
County Grant Funds Available
Your church may qualify for a share of about $4 million from the County Housing and Community Development Services’ Community Development Block Grant (CDBG).

The funds are available for projects in the following areas:

  • Public services such as grocery delivery, food pantries, rent or mortgage assistance programs, diagnostic testing and health care job training.

  • Construction or rehabilitation of testing or treatment community facilities.

  • Acquire or rehabilitate housing related to isolation and quarantine.

All activities must benefit residents in the unincorporated areas of the region, as well as the cities of Coronado, Del Mar, Imperial Beach, Lemon Grove, Poway and Solana Beach. More Here.
Amendments to Congregational By-Laws
A number of congregations are concerned about how to hold annual meetings as required by their by-laws, including whether virtual meetings would be required. The Standing Committee is required to approve any amendments to congregational By-Laws. Below, we are offering a template for By-Law amendments that could be approved by the Bishop and Standing Committee under a streamlined process.
 
This process is based on the changes made to the diocesan canons to accommodate complications of the pandemic. These changes hinge on a Declaration of Extraordinary Circumstances, which includes the Coronavirus Pandemic. Once the Declaration is in effect, the Bishop and Executive Council have significant latitude in modifying our methods of doing business, which could include granting a “waiver, relaxation or other adjustments of the mandates of bylaws or other governing documents that would be applicable to a congregation.” 
 
Accordingly, we are offering this template to congregations to use if they wish. If your Bylaws do not allow for virtual annual meetings, you may either work these into your Bylaws or adopt them as an addendum to the Bylaws. 
 
If your Vestry or Bishop’s Committee votes to incorporate the Amendment below into its By-Laws, you MUST apply for the Bishop’s approval under the streamlined process that has been approved.

Job Opportunities at St. Luke's & St. Matthew's
St Luke's/RefugeeNet Hiring a Development Associate
St. Luke's and RefugeeNet are partnering to share a full-time Development Associate who will manage our annual fundraising efforts. Click here for the position description and please apply by sending a cover letter and resume to the Rev. Colin Matthewson at colin@stlukesnorthpark.org by January 31.

St Matthew's Hiring a Children, Youth, and Family Minister
St. Matthew's is hiring a 15-hour/week Children, Youth, and Family Minister to coordinate and oversee all aspects of Sunday morning Christian formation and worship for ages 0-18, and support parents in their at-home Christian formation activities. Click here for the position description and please apply by sending a cover letter and resume to the Rev. Colin Matthewson colin@stmatthewsnatlcity.org by January 31.
Building Intentional Small Groups 
The purpose of an intentional faith-based small group is to build trusting relationships with God and one another. When we meet each other for conversation, practice, and prayer, we learn how to love. Call it a small group, discipleship circle, neighborhood group, life group or cell gathering – whatever the name, a small group provides space for prayerful support and accountability as we seek to live the Jesus Way.

Your small group may be a new discipleship group or you may decide to add a new level of intention to a circle like the vestry, Bible study, youth group, altar guild, choir, or chapters of the Episcopal Church Women, the Brotherhood of St. Andrew, or Daughters of the King. The goal is to open the door for God to works on us, in us, and through us, in powerful ways in the context of a small, intentional, dedicated group of disciples. 

In order to help encourage this kind of discipleship, The Episcopal Church has created a comprehensive small group guide, entitled "Building an Intentional Small Group Ministry." This resource, as well as others, can be found at DiscipleshipEDSD.org

If you would like to know more about small group discipleship, or would like assistance starting a small group ministry in your congregation please email Canon Christian Gillette at cgillette@edsd.org
Beware of Phishing Attempts
If you receive a suspicious email from an address that seems to be Bishop Susan, but it is not from an @edsd.org email account, it is a phishing attempt. Bishop Susan will never email you asking for funds or financial support by way of gift cards. Nor will the bishop's emails be filled with grammatical errors. Every official email from the Episcopal Diocese of San Diego comes from an @edsd.org email address.
Phishing is a cyber attack that uses disguised email as a weapon. The goal is to trick the email recipient into believing that the message is something they want or need — a request from their bank, for instance, or a note from someone in their company — and to click a link or download an attachment.
Faith to Go: Your weekly formation resources
A Weekly, On The Go Resource for Parents and Non-Parents Alike

Hosted by the Faith To Go team in the Episcopal Diocese of San Diego, David Tremaine and Charlette Preslar. Joined each week by a special guest, the Faith To Go team highlights themes from the Sunday Gospel reading for you to take into your faith discussions and reflections throughout the weekMore Here
EDSD.org Under Construction
404 Error: Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.

EDSD.org is going through some changes. You may find that your bookmarked or saved links are now broken, or that information you're used to finding has been moved.

Please be patient as we work to update EDSD.org to better serve you into the future. If you have questions or come across a broken link, please email Director of Communications, Chris Tumilty. Thank you for your help while we work to better our digital presence.
Resources for Emotional Support
The coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak is changing life for all of us. You may feel anxious, stressed, worried, sad, bored, depressed, lonely or frustrated in these circumstances.

You’re not alone!

Find resources to connect with real people that can help, here.
Grants Available to Churches
Our diocese is pleased to offer a grants program to support you in enhancing online and outdoor worship. Grants of $250 to $750 will be provided to help cover the cost of sound and online equipment, and may be used to cover purchases dating back to March 15, 2020. To apply for a grant, please click here.

In addition to our technology grants, please remember that we have raised funds under our “For Such A Time As This” campaign to help those who are suffering from the economic downturn. I am happy to help your congregation start a feeding program, support your members who have lost jobs, or otherwise relieve suffering that you know about. To apply for a grant, please send me an email describing the need and the amount you are requesting. I am eager to help.
TENS Offers Resources for Virtual Stewardship
The Episcopal Network For Stewardship (TENS) provides virtual stewardship materials that are free to all congregations in the Episcopal Diocese of San Diego via our diocesan TENS membership. This year, TENS is providing resources that help congregations with virtual stewardship campaigns. 
 
TENS member resources are available to all congregations in the Episcopal Diocese of San Diego via the diocesan membership. For login information, contact Director of Communications, Chris Tumilty at ctumilty@edsd.org or Executive Assistant to the Bishop, Keren Mondaca, at kmondaca@edsd.org.
Public Statement of our Commitment
Any church in our diocese is welcome to use this statement, for instance as a clergy-vestry joint statement, or as an ongoing statement in your bulletin.
As part of the Jesus Movement and the Episcopal Diocese of San Diego, we pledge to love our neighbors and protect the most vulnerable among us, remembering our baptismal vows to “strive for justice and peace among all people, and respect the dignity of every human being.” We live these pledges out by actively engaging in dismantling racism. For many of us, this will mean learning more about our racial identity, listening to those who have experienced racial prejudice, speaking out against racism, and showing up alongside those in our community working to change unjust systems in our society. We also live out this pledge at worship during this pandemic, by wearing face-coverings, respecting distancing guidelines, foregoing the common cup and refraining from congregational singing.
How to Design a New Church Logo
Checklist to Resume In-Person Worship
Due to a spike in Covid-19 cases, indoor worship is suspended in our diocese. Both the bishop and the state of California have issued guidelines for in-person worship. A congregational checklist that consolidates and simplifies these guidelines can be found here.

Some counties have also issued separate guidelines and requirements, so please check your local county guidelines. Please note that San Diego County requires that a Reopening Plan be posted in a public place. The template for the plan can be found here. 
COVID-19 Resources
The Episcopal Diocese of San Diego is here to support you through this difficult time. The sudden impact of COVID-19 on our community-life does not mean we need to give up community. Find a list of resources that can help here: including a bulletin for Morning Prayer, resources for online giving for your congregation, help in setting up video meetings, Faith at Home resources, and more.
If you have or need any type of resource that is not listed here, please email Christian Gillette, Canon for Evangelism and Discipleship with your materials or request. 
Diocesan Staff: Working Remotely
holy trinity building
Due to COVID-19 the Diocesan Staff will be working remotely. You can find contact information for each of the staff members here. Feel free, as always, to call Bishop Susan, Canon Gwynn, Canon Christian, Rev. Kirby, or Chris for any reason. Please email the other members of the Diocesan Staff as their cell phone numbers are not listed.