Anti-Racism Covenant Website is Now Available
Racial justice and reconciliation are integral to the mission of our church. Christians affirm that all people are created in the image of God and are beloved by God. In our Episcopal baptismal covenant, we promise to love our neighbor as ourselves and to respect the dignity of every human being. 

This covenant  was crafted by the Rt. Rev. Deon K. Johnson, Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Missouri. The Diocese of San Diego's Advocacy Committee contributed significantly to the covenant by providing helpful perspective and additions from a southwestern perspective, and t he Rev. Carlos Garcia, our diocese's Latino Missioner, was honored to provide t he Spanish translation for the covenant.

Bishop Johnson began writing the document a few weeks after George Floyd was killed while in police custody in Minneapolis. "Everybody was issuing statements (including me), but I wanted to go beyond a statement. I was looking for concrete and tangible ways to transform the church," Johnson said, "The laments acknowledge where we've fallen short in the past. Then we make a covenant to start again."

"I hope it can help us actually transform the Church into a place where white supremacy and racism have no home," Johnson said.

Bishop Susan Brown Snook is a proud co-sponsor of this covenant. Join Bishop Susan, the Diocesan Advocacy Committee, and hundreds of others throughout the Diocese of San Diego that have also signed this  anti-racism covenant . 

The covenant laments the sin of racism that has affected our country throughout its history, and also suggests action steps that we can all take to work toward justice.  Signing the covenant  allows individuals and congregations to select and work on particular appropriate steps in our context. For instance, a congregation may choose to engage in Sacred Ground or other programs that educate people about issues of race; join a community group addressing a particular issue; expand its worship practices, and so on. 
Becoming Beloved Community Now

Racial justice and healing leaders and practitioners across The Episcopal Church will gather to build community, craft strategy, and equip each other for action during a series of Becoming Beloved Community NOW online gatherings at 4-6 p.m. EDT on July 28-30.  Read More
Vacation Bible School - LIVE at 3pm on Sundays
During this unprecedented season of prevention, many members of our diocesan family have made collaborative steps toward producing VBS for our congregations and other ecumenical partners. Using Rocky Railway from Group , we’ll explore Jesus’ role in our lives. Join us for the videos of songs, skits, scripture, and prayers led by church leaders from across our diocese. Starting July 12th, these 20-30 minute videos will premiere each Sunday afternoon at 3pm. This year's VBS is a great way for families to explore faith together, and continue the conversation during dinner and into the night. 
Cyber Security: Stay Protected
During this period when it seems like we spend most of our time on-line, it's helpful to review some best practices for cyber security. Please click here  for a helpful checklist of things to keep in mind when accessing cyber vulnerabilities. For those congregations insured with Church Insurance Company of Vermont, there is cyber coverage for certain events. 

This is a good time to review exactly what would be covered in the event that you lose data or connectivity due to cyber sabotage. Jack Rutledge, the CICVA representative for our area, is happy to talk with policy holders about any specific questions.
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  [email protected]  or Executive Assistant to the Bishop, Keren Mondaca, at  [email protected] .
United Thank Offering Grant Opportunities
   
The United Thank Offering (UTO) Board is pleased to announce the availability of their 2021 United Thank Offering Annual Grants. For 2021, the focus is Recovering with Love and Gratitude: An Episcopal Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic in Local Contexts.
 
The United Thank Offering will accept applications in two categories, Sustaining Ministries and Innovative Ministries, at two different funding levels through two granting cycles. The criteria for each category are different. Applicants must demonstrate concisely how the project directly supports the recovery effort. More here.
  
Episcopal Ministry Network
Are you involved in detention visitation ministry? Have you engaged in advocacy for alternatives to detention? Are you a lay or clergy leader interested in exploring what a ministry in this area might look like in your congregation or diocese?  Please join us . To protect the meeting from trolls and robots, and to manage meeting capacity to allow for fruitful conversation, we request that you  register . We will review your registration and approve you.

Initial Organizing Meeting: Discerning an Episcopal Ministry Network on Asylum:   Join us for an initial organizing meeting onMonday, July 20, 12PM ET. To protect the meeting from trolls and robots, and to manage meeting capacity to allow for fruitful conversation, we request that you  register . We will review your registration and approve you.
Education for Ministry Summer 2020
Every baptized Christian is called to ministry. What is yours? Education for Ministry (EfM) is a program of the School of Theology at the University of the South (Sewanee) that provides the foundational education to assist you in discerning and carrying out your ministry. Like the mustard seed (Luke 13:18-19), we need fertile soil to grow. EfM is that fertile soil and we are the mustard seeds. Learning scriptures, church history, and theology is the light shining on the soil, warming it so the seed will sprout.  Read More or Register Here
San Diego Offers COVID19 Grant Opportunity
The Small Business Stimulus Grant Program is funded by Board of Supervisors allocated federal CARES Act funding. The goal of the Small Business Stimulus Grant Program is to provide a lifeline grant to many local small businesses to get them open, keep them open, and help prevent more from going out of business. The County of San Diego’s Small Business Stimulus Grant Funding is to provide economic assistance to help businesses and nonprofit entities impacted by COVID-19 . Financial assistance will be allocated to eligible, qualified small businesses and nonprofit entities with final award recommendations made by individual district offices based on the availability of funds, program guidelines, and the submission of all required information and supporting documentation. More here.
Public Statement of our Commitment
The Rev. Brenda Sol, rector of St. Andrew’s in Encinitas, and other clergy colleagues in our diocese created a statement of our commitment to our baptismal covenant and Jesus’ call to us during this time of twin pandemics of COVID-19 and racial injustice. 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.
Photography is Light Captured: Learn the art here!
Kaleidoscope Institute to host "Fear Not"
Each summer,  Kaleidoscope Institute  hosts a two-week training event to provide church leaders time to come together in sabbath to learn gracious leadership skills to help facilitate inclusive small group meetings and dialogue sessions.
This year the theme of the Summer Institute is Fear Not: Living grace, truth and diversity in a divided and frightened world. Based on the Rev. Eric Law’s latest book, this event will take place online and provide church leaders the opportunity to experience conversations with amazing people including:
  • Presiding Bishop Michael Curry - Becoming Beloved Community in a Divided World
  • John T. Wood, Jr. - Re-introducing Non-Violence in Race and Politics
  • Greg Boyle - The Power of Radical Kinship
  • Kelly Brown Douglas - Truth Across the Color Line
  • Becca Stevens - Creative Malcontent: Revolution Nature of Women’s Creativity
  • Alexia Salvatierra - Strangers, family and the body of Christ - responding to the immigration crisis with integrity 
  • Jihad Turk - Muslim and Christian Standing Together
  • Rudy Rasmus - A Touch that Transforms Lives, Churches and Communities
  • Marcia Patton and Doug Avilesbernal - Radical Inclusion Across Generations
Checklist to Resume In-Person Worship
Due to a spike in Covid-19 cases, in-person worship is suspended in our diocese. Please continue to pray and prepare for when we can gather together again. 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 .  
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 week .  More Here
COVID-19 Resources
Episcopal Diocese of San Diego
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.