elected as clergy to serve until 2023
elected as lay to serve until 2023
elected as clergy to serve until 2024
elected as clergy to serve until 2021
elected as lay to serve until 2024
elected as lay to serve until 2023
elected clergy to serve until 2024
The Very. Rev. Penelope (Penny) Bridges
elected as lay to serve until 2024
Jesus said, “The greatest among you must become like the least, and the leader like one who serves.” It is a pleasure to recognize a true servant leader in the Episcopal Diocese of San Diego, Judy Brown.
Judy is one of the first people I met when I arrived in this diocese and started attending leadership meetings for our church. For the past two years, she has served as vice-president of Executive Council, and has led meetings with confidence and dedication, showing her commitment to the mission of the church. She has also served with distinction as chair of the Audit Committee, a member of the Finance Committee, and a member of the Healthy Church Work Group, ensuring that our diocese and congregations are strong in their ministries and finances.
In addition to her strong support of our diocesan ministries, Judy has served as a Deputy to General Convention, lending her voice to the major issues before our wider church in a ministry that is both time-consuming and exhilarating.
In her own parish, St. Alban’s El Cajon, Judy serves as treasurer and as an important and integral lay minister at Sunday worship services. She is truly a mainstay of that congregation. She is also a longtime Cursillista and supports the Cursillo Movement in our diocese with her many talents – not only financial and organizational, but also with her prayer, worship, and witness as an evangelist for Christ.
Thank you, Judy, for your dedicated ministry in our diocese, in the wider church, in your home church of St. Alban’s, and in the Cursillo Movement. Judy, it is an honor to award to you this Bishop’s Cross.
Jesus said, “Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” It is a pleasure to recognize someone who is truly a light in the Episcopal Diocese of San Diego, Lesslie Keller.
For the past 13 years, Lesslie has led Episcopal Community Services in our diocese. Her tenure has covered a time of major challenges in our society, especially for people on the margins. Over the last 13 years, the need for health and human services has ballooned. Under Lesslie’s tenure, ECS has grown from an organization whose finances and future were uncertain, to an agency with a $30 million annual budget and a strong network of supporters. It is now a major provider of social services in the South Bay area of San Diego. Servicing those on the margins is not only ECS’ call to mission but also Lesslie’s spiritual center—seeing and serving Christ in others.
Because of Lesslie’s vision and leadership, ECS has become a strong and stable organization that serves over 6,000 people each year. Its services range from early childhood education through the Head Start program to bilingual family counseling through Para Las Familias to treatment programs for substance abuse and long-term homelessness. During the pandemic, the food preparation staff at the Head Start programs quickly pivoted to a new mission of feeding Head Start families with food insecurity – one example of how Lesslie’s insight into the needs of our community lead her to action. Although Lesslie will be dearly missed at ECS, her amazing gifts of leadership, compassion, and service have allowed it to grow into an agency that is well positioned for the future tenure of its next leader. Her time at the helm of this inspiring agency has been truly transformational for ECS and for our diocese.
In addition to her leadership of ECS, Lesslie is a committed member of Christ Church Coronado and has also served as Bishop’s Warden at St. Paul’s Cathedral.
Lesslie, I am so grateful for your dedicated ministry in our diocese and for your leadership at Episcopal Community Services. It is an honor to award to you this Bishop’s Cross.
For years Christie has been instrumental in our children and family ministries, serving as a Godly Play teacher, VBS organizer, and the leader of the youth acolyte team. More recently, she joined our Grace-filled Reopening Options Task Force and helped us discover the joy of Drive-In church. Not only did she have the idea, she and her techie husband secured the needed equipment, helped us get everything installed, and now show-up every Sunday to ensure everything runs smoothly!
A few short weeks ago, September 24th, we lost a beloved member of our precious St. John’s family. Mark Higginbotham had a long-time association with the parish of St. John’s in Chula Vista. He had recently returned to the parish and, never one to do anything halfway, reintegrated into parish life almost immediately as he and his husband quietly began filling those volunteer needs wherever they found them. For Mark, this service was initially focused on hospitality and serving both on Altar Guild and at the altar as he supported our clergy as Verger and/or Acolyte.
However, Mark felt he had more to give and acknowledged a call to run for Vestry in January 2020. At our first meeting in February, he accepted a unanimous request to undertake the position of Junior Warden. Our property at that time was still facing many maintenance and repair issues, which he took on without hesitation, spending many hours a week on campus and also working from home. Mark got many required bids for numerous projects and then oversaw the projects once they were awarded to the winning contractor. His exceptional ability to negotiate with contractors saved St. John’s thousands of dollars!
Tragically, just as Mark was getting a good foothold on things, we were hit with the COVID-19 pandemic, though that didn’t slow him down at all! Better said, he became even more committed to following through with any and everything that was needed. When we gathered again for live services in our courtyard, Mark was once again there to serve wherever needed. The pandemic not withstanding, all our trees were thinned and trimmed, our buildings were power washed, gutters were cleaned, screened and painted. Our fountain was completely refurbished, major water mitigation problems repaired in our school courtyard and recently he was close to finalizing a contract to replace an outdated and non-functioning alarm system.
Mark also saw another vital need: Rev. Roger Haenke had only just been called in January as St. John’s new Priest-In-Charge—his first assignment in that capacity. Rev. Haenke had less than 3 months in his new position when the pandemic hit and Mark realized immediately what an overwhelming challenge that could be, so he was there to advise, support and—at times—to just listen.
Mark truly understood the meaning of service and his faith and love for all of us was nothing less than inspiring. His physical presence will be missed, but his spirit will be with us forever.
Ruth has given much of her gifts to St Lukes, along with her husband Martin, since they first visited us in 2017. Then she entered into a much more intense engagement with our ministries by becoming our first Operations and Enterprise Minister . . . right before the pandemic hit our shores. Ruth has stepped up to the occasion, taking care of our property as it continues to bless the homeless and those in recovery during this public health crisis. She has remained flexible and unflappable under complex, shifting, and uncertain times, and done so with energy, a positive attitude, and faithfulness. Now she is guiding a group of congregants in beginning a catering business to support their families. We are deeply grateful for Ruth and her willingness to dig into this position in such a powerful way when we needed her help most!
Charles "Craig" Noble has a heart for serving Jesus at Good Shepherd (Bonita), Cursillo, and in the Diocese. At Good Shepherd during COVID19 he applied his technical skills by both recording our worship services and helping to set up a WIFI system to do livestreaming. As Treasurer he keeps the church’s financial records in good order. In Cursillo he has worked on many weekends and has been a recent president of the Cursillo Secretariat. He is also a member of the board of directors of the Episcopal Cursillo Ministry of the Episcopal Church. In 2018 Craig was First Alternate Delegate to General Convention. Craig has worked tirelessly behind the scenes to make sure Good Shepherd and Cursillo are moving forward. He has a true servant heart and we recognize him for his outstanding service.
Senior Warden Skip Kirby has managed to covered all the operations of our church and campus bringing an extensive and comprehensive background in business, intel know-how, carpentry work, electrical management, horticulture, building and contract management that has literally saved hundreds if not thousands of dollars for our church. He is an absolutely hard and devoted worker in this community even serving as a lector and usher on Sundays. Skip's love for God and this community shine through all he does and radiates in all the activities he manages to do so well. He comes to church not only to worship God but to serve in the many ways we are community together. Skip has been a special gift to us and we are so grateful for all he continues to do and represent but most we are grateful for his spirit, his energy and for the joy in life that is so bright in him. It is an honor to present Skip with the Bishop's Servant Award.
Junior and senior warden for a total of four years. Gave sacrificially of his time talent and treasure to support All Saint's during a difficult time of transition and discernment. Served as vestry rep to All Saints Preschool And Offered his skills gained as a school administrator in support. Two children baptized as All Saints and one to come this year!
Julie Simons embodies a servant minister in so many different ways. She has a keen awareness of our people's needs, and she is an action-oriented person who is always willing to do whatever it takes to make things run smoothly. Often working in the background, away from the spotlight, Julie ensures that volunteers have what they need to do their tasks. One example is Julie's work with recycling. Unknown to many Julie collects our copious amount of cardboard, loads it into her truck and deposits it at the recycling center on a regular basis. This is just one example of the many ways she makes things run smoothly and seeks no recognition for it. Julie has a heart for service and we at St. Mark's are so grateful for all that she does, and who she is. We are very pleased that she will receive the bishop's servant ministry award for 2020. Thank you, Julie!
Ruben Rodriguez
John Will
The Rev. Tom Morelli
Marian Gaston
The Rev. Roger Haenke – 2023
The Rev. Brian Johnson – 2020
Barbara Peralta – 2023
Grecia Rivas – 2023
The Rev. Colin Mathewson – 2023
Darryl Peralta – 2023
Pete Casalegno – 2021
Louis Glosson (Butch) – 2020
The Rev. Colin Mathewson
The Rev. Hannah Wilder
The Rev. Gwynn Lynch
The Rev. Joe Dirbas
Pauline Getz
Hanh Tran
Louis Glosson (Butch)
Judy Brown
