Rachel Ambasing

St. Matthew’s, National City

Nominee’s Bio:I’m a second-generation Igorot-Filipina and Chinese American, born and formed in South Bay San Diego. Much of my spiritual life has been shaped by both clergy and lay leaders from St. Matthew's, National City, where I grew up attending with my family, and where I currently have the pleasure of serving as Pastoral Director. In my late 20s, I attended Academy of Art University in San Francisco where I studied writing and design for multimedia, art history, and interned as a Fashion Marketing assistant. There, I developed skills such as graphic design, web design, event coordination, trend-tracking and feeling out the zeitgeist – skills that, oddly enough, fit in well with the demands of modern-day ministry. I enjoy reading, stargazing, and moderate-length walks on the beach. I believe deeply in the power of the Holy Spirit working through all God’s people, lay and ordained, and I dream of co-creating brave spaces for folks to explore, develop, and share their unique and God-given voices, creativity and talents.

Nominee’s Statement in Favor of Their Candidacy: I attended General Convention for the first time as an alternate this past July. Early in the process of preparing for convention, our delegation met with then-President of the House of Deputies Gay Jennings, who, in speaking to the importance of General Convention, said “How we do business is just as important as the business we do.” Since then, I have had a new zeal for learning about church polity, and in seeing how they may or may not align in the Episcopal Church’s journey on The Way of Love.

While most of my ministry and congregational experience has been the the South Bay area of San Diego, I’ve also been able to taste the richness of diversity in our diocese from my involvement with our diocesan Cursillo community, including serving on the Cursillo Secretariat and as Rectora in Fall 2019; as well as serving on Executive Council and diocesan Finance and Evangelism committees for 2022. In the past year I’ve also been able to learn more about our wider church through my work as a Story Curator for the Mutual Ministry Initiative under Virginia Theological Seminary’s Lifelong Learning.

I seem to have a talent for being able to read long reports from various committees without getting bored, and a knack for knowing exactly how much caffeine I need to stay engaged during long legislative sessions. Most importantly than any of the above: I have a great appreciation and a grounded hope for the Episcopal Church (although this is an appreciation and hope developed after a healthy amount of personal reckoning) and a deep love for her people.