San Diego Makes its Mark at GC

The Diocese of San Diego made its mark on the 77th General Convention of the Episcopal Church. Carroll Levien, St. Dunstan's, San Diego, received the Distinguished Woman Award from Episcopal Church Women for outstanding work in our diocese.

Polly Getz, St. Bartholomew's, Poway, served as the parliamentarian for the sixth consecutive General Convention. She was elected to the nominating committee for the next presiding bishop.

Bishop Mathes participated in the work of the Program, Budget and Finance Committee. In his blog post, he calls it "an exercise in the stewardship of community...holy work." The 2012-15 budget is balanced and reflects a $30,000 surplus. The bishops approved a 19% diocesan asking for the Church, which will drop to 15% in 2015. Article from Episcopal News Service.

Bishop Mathes was elected president of Province VIII, which entails chairing provincial collaboration and resource-sharing. He will organize our province as a regional branch of the Episcopal Church.

Jacqueline Bray, St. Paul's Cathedral, San Diego, received wide recognition for the video she produced with Agape House, the campus ministry at San Diego State University. The video won first place in a video contest and was shown to the entire convention.

Father Andrew Green, St. Paul, Palm Springs, served on the Committee on Structure which produced Resolution C059 regarding re-imagining the Episcopal Church in time for the next General Convention in Salt Lake City in 2015. This resolution envisions a creative task force released to have conversations with the church and make concrete proposals. It passed both houses of the Episcopal legislature unanimously. Andrew was a part of the sub-committee which drafted the resolution.

Father Paul Carmona, St. Mark's, City Heights was a member of the Prayer Book, Liturgy and Church Music Committee and helped draft Resolution A049, which authorized the resources for same-sex blessings. They also created a Service at the Loss of a Beloved Animal. Father Carmona served on the steering committee for the Deputies of Color, and was a liaison to the Latino Caucus.

The Rev. Canon Allisyn Thomas, St. Paul's Cathedral, served as chair of our deputation, and as secretary of the Constitution Committee, and the Rev. Michael Russell served on the National and International Concerns Committee.

Thanks to all our deputies for their hard work and dedication to our Episcopal Church!

More resources:

• Read a fine wrap-up article by Matthew Davies of Episcopal News Service (ENS) 
• Search dozens of new stories about specific resolutions and events from ENS here.
• Videos on Diocesan Facebook page 
• The Lead at Episcopal Café 
• Twitter ( hashtag #gc77)

The San Diego Deputation

Meet the Deputies, Part 3

San Diego is represented at GC2012 by our Bishop, and our Deputies, 4 each from the clergy and the laity. We asked the members of the delegation to tell us a little about themselves and to finish the following sentence: "My hope for GC2012 is...." .  We'll be sharing the responses with you over the week.  Here's group 3:

Jacqueline Bray is the Campus Ministry Assistant at the Agape House, the Episcopal Lutheran Campus Ministry at San Diego State.


 This General Convention, I hope that we can be reminded of the importance of ministry to others. To fearlessly love all peoples in the church would greatly benefit us in creating a sustainable church.

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The Rev. Michael Russell, Rector, All Souls Point Loma

My wish for GC 2012: that we will be nimble and adaptive in moving our Church into the future.

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Pauline Getz is an attorney and entrepreneur.   She has also been Vice Chancellor to the Bishop of the diocese for twenty years. She is also standing for election as Vice President of the House of Deputies.

My biggest hope for GC2012 is that we discovera new way of doing so many things. We cannot do what we have always done and try to figure out how to do it with less money. We need to discern what our mission truly is and how best to strive to fulfill it and live into it. We need to find the courage to step out and try. And we need to strive to be the kind of people we keep telling others they should be. 

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Dick Goodlake is a Retired Lieutenant Colonel U.S. Marine Corps and Senior System Engineer, Hughes Aircraft Company. First Vice President of the Diocesan Council in 2011.

My hope for GC2012: To be ready to serve where needed as an Alternate, returning better equipped to support our great Diocese.

Meet the Deputies, part 2.

San Diego is represented at GC2012 by our Bishop, and our Deputies, 4 each from the clergy and the laity. We asked the members of the delegation to tell us a little about themselves and to finish the following sentence: "My hope for GC2012 is...." .  We'll be sharing the responses with you over the week.  Here's group 2:

The Rev. Paul Carmona is part-time Associate Rector at St. Mark's in City Heights, San Diego and teaches humanities, philosophy, and religious studies at Cuyamaca College in El Cajon.

My biggest hope for GC 2012: It is my hope that this General Convention will make significant advances toward transforming the Episcopal Church into a truly mission-oriented church that effectively proclaims the Good News to the diverse peoples among whom we live--and particularly to those who are somehow forgotten or ignored by us, owing to their ethnicity, culture, socio-economic status, disability, sexual orientation, etc.

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Suzanne Foucault: Organization development consultant

  My hope for GC2012: that all of our deliberations that might appear to be about matters of budget and governance, will be in the context of the Mission of the Church - to proclaim the Gospel, and to serve those in need.

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The Rev. Bill Zettinger is Deacon at St Bartholomew's

My biggest hope for GC2012 is moving forward so all can receive communion at the table. Not just the baptized!

Meet the Deputies, part 1

San Diego is represented at GC2012 by our Bishop, and our Deputies, 4 each from the clergy and the laity. We asked the members of the delegation to tell us a little about themselves and to finish the following sentence: "My hope for GC2012 is...." .  We'll be sharing the responses with you over the next week. Here's the first group:



The Right Rev. James Mathes, Bishop of the Diocese of San Diego

My hope for GC2012 is that we make courageous decisions to transform our church structures and budget so that we will be the missional church of the 21st century that we are called to be.

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The Rev. Canon Allisyn Thomas, Sub-Dean, St Paul's Cathedral, and Chair of the Deputation


My biggest hope for GC2012 is by the grace of God, we are generous in spirit towards one another, allow for creativity in our thinking and acting, and willing to to see beyond what is and instead focus on what can be. Towards that end, I hope we will come out of GC2012 a more inclusive church, focused on mission and being better disciples of Jesus Christ.

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The Rev. Andrew Green, rector of St. Paul in the Desert in Palm Springs.

My greatest hope for GC2012 is that we will have a consensus around being the Episcopal Church that can worship Christ while caring for the world and one another.