Resolution of the Chapter of the Cathedral Church of Saint Paul, San Diego

Resolution of the Chapter of the Cathedral Church of Saint Paul, San Diego

Declaring Support for Decisions of The Rt. Rev. Susan Brown Snook to Suspend or Otherwise Restrict In-person Worship

Whereas, in the current time in which authorities have instituted policies that restrict in-person gatherings in order to limit the spread of the virus that causes COVID-19, and our Bishop has prayerfully made the difficult decision to restrict in-person and/or indoor worship until such time as such worship is permitted and deemed to include acceptable safety measures, the Chapter of the Cathedral Church of Saint Paul wishes to demonstrate support for our Bishop’s decisions and to give thanks for her leadership.

Resolved: That the Chapter of the Cathedral Church of Saint Paul expresses its support and gratitude for decisions Bishop Susan has made to prohibit in-person, indoor worship and gatherings at churches during the present public health crisis, and further expresses its support for our Bishop as she faithfully and lovingly discerns best practices regarding policies aimed at trying to limit the spread of the virus that causes COVID-19.

Chapter Nominees

We have been blessed with seven wonderful nominees for Chapter class of 2020.  Because only five will be elected into Chapter we ask that you read each nominee's answers and pray for discernment.  We will hold our election at the annual meeting on January 26, 2020.   

_________________________

Jerry Coughlan

What brought you to St. Paul’s Cathedral and why did you stay? 
I attended St. Peters in Del Mar from 2001-2007, when we moved to downtown San Diego. St. Paul’s is close to our home. More importantly, I am impressed by the openness, inclusivity and numerous activities of the congregation. I especially remember attending a series of evening workshops about the then “possibility” of gay marriage, from which I learned a huge amount.

With what activities or ministries have you been involved and how? 
Listening Hearts at St. Peters;  EFM at St. Peter’s and St. Paul’s;  Acolyte at St. Paul’s;  Help Altar Guild at St. Paul’s;  Represented the Diocese of San Diego as Church Attorney and investigator in Canon Law matters involving alleged clergy misconduct; and Represented the Episcopal Church as Church Attorney in the Canon Law, Title IV, prosecution of Bishop Jon Bruno of the Diocese of Los Angeles.

What attributes and gifts do you bring to the ministry of Chapter (please include any pertinent educational, professional or community experience)? 
I have practiced trial law for 50 years which has included founding and running a law firm, representing businesses and individuals in their often extremely serious problems, serving on numerous bar association committees and making educational presentations. I also taught law as an adjunct professor at California Western School of Law and directed a trial training program for lawyers (NITA) in San Diego for nearly 10 years. I served for about 15 years as a board member and president of Defenders, Inc. which provides criminal defense for indigent defendants. Now I volunteer as a community mediator helping people resolve their problems and disputes. Thus, I bring trial experience, business experience, board and committee experience, education experience, Canon Law experience, mediation experience, and problem-solving background to the ministry of Chapter.

Why do you feel called to serve on Chapter? 
In “retirement”, I search for meaningful, worthwhile opportunities to give back to our community for the numerous blessings and good fortune I received. Chapter seems like such an opportunity.

_________________________

Martha L Curatolo

What brought you to the Cathedral and why did you stay?

In 2005 I was a Social Worker at St. Paul’s Villa and I became familiar for the very first time with the Episcopal Church. I often I visited the Cathedral but it wasn’t until 2011 that I made the commitment and decided to be received at Christ the King in Alpine where I live.  I stayed because the Episcopal Church fulfilled my spiritual needs.  After being raised Catholic and not going to church; I found that the Episcopal Church was what I was looking for and that couldn’t find in the Catholic Church.

With what activities or ministries have you been involved and how?  

In the past I have work on different Diocesan Ministries. I was a Co-chair for the Executive council and I am still working with the Diocese in two different ministries. The first one is the Diocesan Latino Ministry that meets once a month with the Bishop and members from other congregations. The second one is the Diocesan Pre Planning Work Group (PPWG) that works towards creating a Strategic Plan for our next 3-5 years. I volunteered at the General Convention in Salt Lake City and had the opportunity to talk with the PB Michael Curry.

At the Cathedral I volunteer with Women together, Cathedral’s Stephen’s Ministry, I serve in the Sacristy for the 10:30 and 1pm. Service. I am doing first communion preparation-Goodly Play on Sundays at 12pm. At the Dioceses and the Cathedral, I assist volunteering with hosting different activities and I have been the Cathedral’s Latino Liaison since 2012.

What attributes and gifts would you bring to the ministry of Chapter? Please include any pertinent educational, profession, or community experience. 

I would bring to the Chapter the skills and experience that I have acquired while working on different ministries and capacities at the Diocese and the Cathedral. I also would bring my personal perspective as a Latino congregant. I was a Chapter member before so I am familiar with the Chapter business and issues of the Cathedral. I believe that I can put to practice some of my professional community organizations skills that I have been using at work as a Social Worker and at the Latino Congregation.

Why do you feel called to serve on Chapter?

I was a Chapter member before and I would like to have once again the opportunity to bring my perspective of Latino congregant. I am committed to serve and Chapter provides that opportunity for me to offer my services. I would like to be connected to the Cathedral on ways that I can put to use my skills and experiences.

_________________________

Rockette Ewell

What brought you to St. Paul’s Cathedral and why did you stay? 
I came to San Diego from Cleveland, Ohio as a “trailing spouse” after my husband was offered a position at San Diego City College. We attended (and were married) at Trinity Cathedral in downtown Cleveland, a church located in the heart of the city’s struggling urban core with a focus on social justice, LGBT rights and community activism. My husband was raised in the Episcopal church, serving as an altar boy with his twin brother when he was young, and he really wanted to find an Episcopal church in San Diego that not only reflected his roots but had the same emphasis on social justice that we experienced in our worship in Cleveland. We had visited St. Paul’s for about six months when the moment came that made us know we were in the right place. That Sunday fell on Martin Luther King’s birthday weekend. The recessional was “Lift Every Voice and Sing.” As African Americans, we had no expectations that a white, upper middle-class congregation sitting in upscale Banker’s Hill would know what that song meant to people of color – much less add it to the service on such a significant weekend. We were moved to tears – and we knew we were home.

With what activities or ministries have you been involved and how? 
I am currently a lector, beginning earlier this year. I previously volunteered with the Women Together ministry beginning in early 2014 through last year, serving on the steering committee that helped plan and execute the program, as well as recording and tracking RSVPs for their monthly events.

What attributes and gifts do you bring to the ministry of Chapter (please include any pertinent educational, professional or community experience)? 
My background includes extensive volunteer leadership experience. I served as executive director of a nonprofit community development organization in Cleveland, so I have lived the challenges of leading a mission driven enterprise and balancing all the demands of fund development, staffing, board relationships and a million other things in service to mission – and believe I can share useful, constructive insights from that experience if elected to Chapter. I also serve on and have chaired nonprofit boards – again, experiences that I believe would allow me to make a value-added contribution if elected to Chapter.

Why do you feel called to serve on Chapter? 
For the past six months, I have been thinking about what I can do – what I’m called to do - at St. Paul’s beyond Sunday attendance and serving as one of the lectors – committing to use the gifts and talents I have been given in a more significant, fresh new way in service to God and to this church community. That reflection is what led me to this opportunity.

_________________________

Justin Lewis

What brought you to St. Paul’s Cathedral and why did you stay?

When my husband and I were looking for a church home, we visited several churches with friends and family hoping to find the right fit. When I lived in San Diego previously, I had attended the Cathedral from time to time, but living in North County, our search started a little closer to home. One Sunday at St. Paul’s, however, convinced us it was well worth the drive! We were attracted to the adult education opportunities, social justice outreach, amazing music and thoughtful preaching. After about five years of attending regularly, we’ve sought additional ways to participate in parish life.

With what activities or ministries have you been involved and how?

Early on during our time at St. Paul’s we attended the Christian Formation courses with Rev. Martinhauk. Although I’ve always been Episcopalian, the church was new to my husband, and we both wanted him to have a grounded foundation in the church if it was to be our church home. Since then I have served as a lector, and we are co-chairs of the Sesquicentennial Gala Committee. 

What attributes and gifts do you bring to the ministry of Chapter (please include any pertinent educational, professional or community experience)?

Professionally, after two decades in the private sector—earning an MBA from NYU and starting a software company with a school friend in 2001–I transitioned to academia. My role in Student Affairs at CSUSM has been to create pathways to higher education for our region’s students. It can be challenging work—navigating various regulations and bureaucracies—but is always rewarding. In this role, I have worked with several North County non-profits and municipal entities, and serve as a representative of the university on the Escondido Chamber of Commerce. I’m also currently editing my dissertation for my doctorate in Education from UCSD.

Why do you feel called to serve on Chapter?

I’m honored to be part of this process, and believe that this is a unique way that parishioners can express their faith by sharing their talents and passions. I believe that the cathedral offers us so much—education, music, outreach, preaching—that this is one small way to give back.

_________________________

Marshall Moore 

What brought you to St. Paul's Cathedral and why did you stay?

My wife, Erika, first found St. Paul's and introduced SPC to me after I moved here 5+ years ago. SPC fulfills every aspect of what I want in a church. More than an any other church I've been associated with, SPC comes the closest of truly walking the talk.

With what activities or ministries have you been involved and how?

Chronologically: Greeters, Vision for Mission, Human Resources Chair, Showers of Blessing, Cathedral Sound, Chapter class of 2019, People's Warden, Endowment Cmte., Finance Cmte., Realm team, Stewardship Commission, Peace & Justice member (former chair), Community Life Council, Nominating Cmte. Chair, Building & Grounds Cmte., Dean's Warden, 

What attributes and gifts do you bring to the ministry of Chapter (please include any pertinent educational, professional or community experience)?

I have a significant background in Human Resources, both in-house and as a consultant. I have an MBA in management and have many years of serving on vestries. 

Why do you feel called to serve on Chapter?

After moving to San Diego, a little over six years ago, my wife introduced me to St. Paul’s Cathedral, a place she had grown to love. When I first attended, I understood why. I have said in the past and in different settings that of all the Episcopal churches I have been involved with, SPC comes the closest to truly “walking the talk.” I knew I had found my new church home.

It has been my practice to get involved in any church I’ve been a member of, and it was no different here. What better way to meet others than to become a member of the Greeters. Thus, began my journey and I soon found myself as part of the “Vision for Mission” task force.

For the last three years I have had the pleasure of serving on Chapter. In my second year, I was elected by my fellow chapter members to serve as the People’s Warden. This past year, I have been honored to have been appointed as the Dean’s Warden. Serving as a Warden provides a wonderful opportunity to truly dig into the many aspects and complexities of the Cathedral.

A major rationale behind last year’s change in our By-laws, allowing for a Chapter member to serve for two consecutive terms, was for the Cathedral to benefit from the knowledge and understanding which had been gained during the first term. It would be my continued honor to be able to continue in service to St. Paul’s Cathedral.

_________________________

David Spencer

What brought you to St. Paul’s Cathedral and why did you stay?

In 2009 when my partner and I moved to San Diego, I was thinking about my spiritual life and where it should be headed. During this time, I was not attending church. I was raised Roman Catholic and was feeling quite alienated by the lack of support I received from the church as a gay man. I felt the Vatican, by no fault of its local clergy, was quite antiquated in its teachings and catechisms, and frankly quite judgmental towards certain parishioners. Counter to the teachings of Christ, I believed that “because of my sins” I was not fully accepted by the Catholic church. This and other factors left me feeling quite empty spiritually and not really into religion much. However, I wanted to keep my options open, as I thought somewhere in this world the true teachings of Christ of accepting everyone must be practiced, right? I remembered hearing about Bishop Gene Robinson and the growth the Episcopal Church was having towards accepting gay people. I looked up St. Paul’s online and decided to attend a service one Sunday. That particular day there was a gay priest talking about how he served in a clinic with patients suffering from AIDS during a time when they were considered to be social outcasts, and that no matter who we were, we were all accepted in the eyes of Christ, regardless of what others thought or incorrectly believed as “Christians.” I was moved, especially knowing friends who were afflicted with HIV and having a cousin who had perished from AIDS. As I looked around feeling quite emotional, I saw a diversity of people intently listening to the priest, nodding their heads in agreement. I will never forget that day. I thought to myself, “This is the way it’s supposed to be!”

Seven years went by, and although I still didn’t attend church, my now husband and I decided we wanted to have children. So, I went back to St. Paul’s regularly to see if this place was the real deal. All those years later, the same message was being preached – everyone is welcome here. We thought that St. Paul’s would be perfect for our daughter to be baptized as well as for her to learn what it would be like to live and practice as Christ would have wanted. My husband and I talked with Jeff Martinhauk and were immediately convinced that this was a special place for us. Our daughter was born May of 2017, and she was baptized by Dean Penny Bridges. Since then I have attended services regularly, and our 2-year-old daughter, Anya, asks to go to church every week! The true sense of family and belonging I feel at St. Paul’s keep me coming back on a regular basis.

With what activities or ministries have you been involved and how?

For over a year I have been a lector for the church, working with Craig Monsell and the group of lectors. Being a lector in the past has given me the comfort and confidence to read for St. Paul’s Cathedral. I feel that it is a way of contributing to the church and congregation. I have also indicated to Craig that I’d be interested in taking over his position once his three-year tenure has ended, as he is currently looking for someone to continue when he ends his tenure.

What attributes and gifts do you bring to the ministry of Chapter (please include any pertinent educational, professional or community experience)?

I hold a BA, MS, and MBA all from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, OH. I have extensive experience in biomedical research specializing in oncology, surgery, immunology and gastroenterology research. Additionally, I have merged my scientific background with the business world and have worked for contract research organizations where we have worked with treating patients in clinical trials for new drug development. I have worked in Project Finance and Business Development to help take on new projects, develop costing algorithms and proposals, present the company’s capabilities to its clients (mostly biotech and pharmaceutical companies), and pull through up-front deals through fully executed contracts.

I am proficient in presentation/speaking skills and Microsoft Office (Word, Power Point, Excel), among other software platforms. Given my experience in my professional life, I’d be happy to bring any of those talents to Chapter. As I mentioned in a previous question, I am currently a lector for St. Paul Cathedral.

Why do you feel called to serve on Chapter?

In April 2019, I left my career in the medical industry to focus more on my husband and 2-year-old daughter’s well-being and growth as a family. I was working over 60-hour weeks in an incredibly stressful atmosphere, to the point where I was missing out on family life as well as not taking care of myself. My husband, Suri, encouraged me to leave my job, as he felt I could bring so much more happiness to our family at home. He also encouraged me to take a break to focus on myself as well – mentally, physically, and spiritually. Since my time off I have been extremely happy and blessed to have the extra time with family. I have also been able to fulfill the physical and spiritual parts of my life. When I was approached to consider serving Chapter, I felt like it was perfect timing and a calling to not only serve my spiritual needs, but also for me to provide my services to the church. It is a way I can be fulfilled in a spiritual and organizational fashion, as well as feeling like a contributing member of St. Paul Cathedral, giving back to society in a truly meaningful way.

_________________________

John Will

What brought you to the Cathedral, and why did you stay?  

Tom & I were looking for a faith community that had good preaching, great music and good fellowship.  We were looking for that in the RC tradition but had been searching in vain.  We were invited to the November Requiem (2004) by a non-parishioner.  We found all we were looking for and more.  I stay because this is now my spiritual family.  We sometimes disagree like any family but I know this is my home where I am loved and am a member.

With what activities or ministries have you been involved and how?  

I have been the Archivist for about 12 years.  This has been a great honor to collect & protect parts of our spiritual life and preserve what I can for future generations.  I am Usher-in-charge on the 3rd Sunday of the month.  And, I help user on other occasions as needed.  This is a great opportunity to be of service to my community.  I also serve as Eucharistic Visitor.  This is a very humbling experience to bring the Eucharist to parishioners who are unable to attend services.  They are always so grateful.  And I am made so much richer for the experience.  I serve on several committees as well.  My hope is that I may contribute something and be able to provide an alternative viewpoint when needed.

What attributes and gifts would you bring to the ministry of Chapter? Please include any pertinent educational, professional, or community experience.  

The Chapter is the “board of directors” for the cathedral.  We are at a very important time in our history with the all the changes in buildings and programs.  I hope to be able to offer some help with my background and experience in contracts & grants, finance & budgets.

Why do you feel called to serve on Chapter?  

This is a critical time for our cathedral community.  I hope that I may offer some insights and experience as a previous chapter member.  I’m most interested in filling in for those who have left the chapter early.

Chapter Nominees

The Chapter Nominating Committee is pleased to announce this year's slate of candidates for election to the Cathedral Chapter. The election will be held at the Annual Meeting on January 28. The four candidates, each of whom is standing for a three-year term of office, are: Jim Greer, Clemente Guarneros, Elizabeth Fitzsimons, and Gerald Motto. Read on to get to know our candidates.


Elizabeth Fitzsimons has been a member of St. Paul’s since 2011, when she and her husband Tony Manolatos attended the Rev. Allisyn Thomas’s “What is an Episcopalian?” course. That year, Elizabeth was confirmed by Bishop James Mathes during the Easter Vigil. In service to the Cathedral, Elizabeth has volunteered as a greeter and with Women Together. Elizabeth and Tony’s children – twin sons Alexander and Nicholas and daughter Natalie – attend Godly Play and Cathedral Youth. Natalie frequently serves as an Acolyte. The children were baptized by the Rev. Laurel Mathewson in 2013.

Elizabeth is Vice President at the San Diego Regional Chamber, where she leads the Chamber’s marketing communications and events, and the leadership development programs offered by the Chamber’s affiliate, LEAD San Diego. Previously, Elizabeth was Senior Director of Marketing & Communications at Rady Children’s Hospital. Prior to Rady Children’s, Elizabeth worked at the County of San Diego in media and public relations and internal communications. She began her career as a journalist at The San Diego Union-Tribune. Elizabeth serves on the Board of Directors for the Jacobs & Cushman San Diego Food Bank, where she chairs the Development Committee. She also serves on the Board of Library Commissioners for the City of San Diego, and volunteers with Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America.

Elizabeth is a 2013 graduate of LEAD San Diego’s IMPACT program. She earned a bachelor’s degree in political science and Spanish from the University of Wisconsin and a master’s degree in journalism and public affairs from American University in Washington, D.C.

She and her family live in Del Cerro with their dog, Lucy, who has also been blessed at St. Paul’s.

My name is Clemente Leopoldo Guarneros Flores.

I am originally from Mexico City. I have been living in San Diego for the past 25 years. I am married and a father to 4 children. I am a professional embroidery graphic designer for several embroidery local companies and my own. My skills as a savvy embroidery designer have earned me a great reputation as a consultant, innovator, and go-to guy to get the job done. When I am not glued to the computer screen, I love spending time and taking care of my family, learning new graphic design skills, and assisting our church with care and devotion. I am currently working on starting a company and creating my own signature clothing line. A biblical passage that I keep closest to my heart is “Si Dios esta conmigo quien contra mi? - Romanos 8:13. I enjoy meeting and talking to people. If you see me around please stop and say hi. I would like to get to know you. I live on Delta street in San Diego, my email address is guarneroscl@hotmail.com.

Jim Greer

I was born an Episcopalian, grew up in Orange County and was educated in public schools in Southern California. On graduation from college, I moved to NYC to begin my career and lived and worked there for 32 years, less a 2.5 year break for military service. My late partner and I moved to San Diego 22 years ago and I’ve been an active member of St Paul’s since then.

I’m a former St Paul’s Chapter member and former Dean’s Warden. For many years I have served on various committees, been a Cathedral visitor, and participated in the small group Bible study. I’m an annual pledger and frequent contributor to various special fund raising efforts. I’ve served on the Executive Council of the San Diego Diocese and have been a deputy to a General Convention. I was previously active in parish and diocesan affairs in New York City where I served on vestries, chaired various parish and diocesan committees, attended, as deputy/delegate several diocesan conventions. I have been involved in organizational work and leadership roles for most of my life and therefore have a good working knowledge of organizational dynamics including leadership, motivation, fund raising, goal setting/problem solving, and I have a non-professional’s understanding of the significant legal, accounting and tax procedures and issues of 501c (3) entities.

I’m a Realtor by trade and in that capacity I have represented SPC and the diocese in both the purchase and sale of various properties. Additionally, have been engaged to represent several SPC and diocesan individuals in their personal property transactions.

Gerald (Jerry) Motto

Jerry was born in New Orleans, Louisiana to an Italian father and a French mother. He attended Catholic School for grades 1 through 9 and then attended public high school. He holds a BA degree from Southeaster Louisiana University. Jerry also holds a Masters in Education in School Administration from Azusa Pacific University. He taught middle school for 24 years and served one year as a Vice Principal.  He was an ordained minister for 10 years in the Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches. He served as a pastor in Cincinnati, OH; New Orleans, LA; and Riverside, CA. During these years, he was a passionate advocate for gay rights and had a ministry serving those with AIDS.

In 1987, Jerry joined St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in Colton, CA. He served on the Vestry and was an Acolyte. When he moved to Moreno Valley, CA in 1991, he transferred to St. George’s Episcopal Church in Riverside, CA. There he served on the Vestry for two terms. He was elected junior Warden for two years and appointed Senior Warden for one year. He also served as Assistant Treasurer and Building and Grounds Coordinator. He was an acolyte, Eucharist Minister, lector and served on several committees.

In February 2011, Jerry moved to San Diego and transferred his membership to St. Paul’s Cathedral. Since he has been here, he has served on the Greeter, Stewardship, Cathedral for the City committees. He also has been an acolyte, a lector, and a counter. For several years, he was the liaison for Refugee Net and coordinated the St. Paul’s shoe drive. He also coordinated the Cathedral’s booth at the Gay Pride Festival in 2016.

The sermons and music at St. Paul’s feed Jerry emotionally and spiritually. Most important of all are the loving and caring people here. Since many of his friends and family have died, the members of St. Paul’s have become his extended family. He and his husband, Jim, have been together for 40 years. St. Paul’s is one of the most important things in Jerry’s life. He considers it an honor and a privilege to be asked to serve on the Chapter. With God’s help, he will do his best to serve the members of St. Paul’s with grace and dignity.

Chapter update

Jen Jow reports:

CATHEDRAL COMMENTS, QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
This was a short month for me and only had a question and overheard comments from parishioners.

Q. Seems like we are always being asked to donate extra can’t there be any other way the cathedral can get money?
A. I am not sure if your comment was rhetorical or did you want an answer from me? There have been a few discussions regarding this subject for 2018 with executive staff and wardens. There are a few “Irons in the Fire” which involves several options that are being assessed. Details and work involvement is still being hashed out and once finalized it will be announced. If you have any ideas or suggestions your feedback is welcomed.

- Dean Penny’s last letter answered the details concerning the security and safety issues at the cathedral, glad for the explanation.

- We need to see more Chapter members (not the same usual ones) helping at events and involved in ministries. Maybe even after the 10:30am service helping with coffee hour.

- Do you think we will have yoga at the cathedral?

- Women’s Group in December was very interesting, I’m glad there’s something for us! Wonder if the men have something like this hmmm!

- Christmas Eve and Christmas Day Service was awesome, we are so lucky to have the Dean and Bishop in town for the services. Wonder if they get tired having to do some many services on Christmas Eve.

C. EVENTS CALENDAR
Every Tuesday 12:30pm - 1:30pm - Free Organ Recital – Cathedral
Tuesday - Jan 9 – 11:30am – 12:30pm - General Mtg – Guild Room
Tuesday - Jan 9 - 4:00pm -5:30pm - Outreach Mtg – Ministry Center
Sunday - Jan 14 – 12:00pm – 1:00pm - Newcomers Brunch – Great Hall

Thursday - Jan 18 through Jan 25 – Christian Unity Week (The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity is an international Christian ecumenical observance. It is an octave, that is, an observance lasting eight days.)

Submitted Very Respectfully,
Jennifer “Jen” Jow

People's Warden: December Update

Chapter Colleagues – notable updates, cathedral news and events

A.  LLC Comments, Questions and Answers
Q. Will there be any updates on what the next phase will be with Greystar? Demo date?
A. Mark Lester will be posting an update on the blog by the end of the month. Demo will commence sometime in 2019 but the start date can shift dependent upon the buyer. In my past career working with customers on new building projects (not as large as ours) was quite challenging, everyone was protective of their own little domain so seeing eye to eye was not an easy task. Read the blog and if you have more questions I am here to listen or feel free to reach out to other chapter members.

B. CATHEDRAL COMMENTS, QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
This month there has been no questions just heard a lot of chatter and rhetorical comments (not minimizing) or concerns in passing from the congregation. I believe that chapter and staff should be aware of the buzz.

• It seems that all we do is help the homeless and not fund other ministries.
• Are we a cathedral or a parish because it seems we just cater to the homeless and more are around campus?
• It seems scary during coffee hour, there is quite a few homeless folks lingering around.
• Why can I never find a sexton – there’s no toilet paper or paper towels in the bathrooms.
• Do we allow homeless people at our events, it seems they wander in and it’s ok?
• Attendance seems less.
• Wonder if I should let my kids eat the food, is it safe? (ref – clean hands touching or preparing)?
• Armed Forces Day Evensong was wonderful, they finally got someone young and energetic to deliver the sermon; reception was great too.
• Transgender forum was informative.
• Formation classes have been good.
• Don’t like lay people calling about my pledge.

C. Events

• Saturday – Dec 2 – December Nights at the Cathedral 5:00-9:00pm
• Sunday - Dec 3 – Advent Procession 5:00 – 6:30pm
• Tuesday – Dec 5, 12, 19 – Free Organ Recital 12:30 – 1:30pm
• Thursday – Dec 7 – Women Together 6:00 – 8:00pm
• Saturday – Dec 9 – Showers of Blessings - 6:30 -11:30 am
• Sunday – Dec 10 – Alternative Gift Expo – 9:00am – 2:00pm
• Saturday – Dec 16 – Las Posadas (bilingual service with a Eucharistic service and a traditional re-enactment of Mary and Joseph's search for shelter). A community meal with activities for children will follow. 5:00 – 6:00pm
• Sunday - Dec 24 – Family Service – 5:00 -6:00pm

Submitted Very Respectfully,
Jennifer “Jen” Jow
619-840-2327

People's Warden Report

NOVEMBER 7 , 2017
Chapter Colleagues – notable updates, cathedral news and events

A LLC Comments, Questions and Answers
General comments from parishioners:
- Thank you for the forum regarding the CCRP and giving us an update.
- Please keep us informed of any changes since this project has been going on for so long.
- I am not good with computers and don’t attend church every Sunday to know what’s happening so thank you for the forum.
- The presentation was good but I would like a hand out next time to make notes.


B. CATHEDRAL COMMENTS, QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Q. I heard that our server went down and we didn’t back up our system, I am not a tech whiz but shouldn’t there have been a backup or some type of IT service checking on our systesm? I heard from others that there was a lot of documents , pictures and historical stuff lost, what have we done to rectify that this situation so it doesn’t happen again.
A. I definitely am not a tech whiz, know enough to be dangerous lol. . Yes, the server crashed but no fault of any cathedral staff members. The situation is complex and way above my paygrade to explain all the details but I can give you a summary that may help you understand. When a sever is used there usually are multiple individual storage drives that houses system users data information saved (ie pictures , documents, events and calendars, templates) plus allows access for users off-site too. Initial problem was identified with slowness between programs and accessing documents which was reported to the contracted tech support service. They came out to trouble shoot and concluded it was a storage drive that crashed but all stuff was still saved; replaced drive with new one.

Several months later there was another issue with the server being very slow and hard to access saved documents; service call made found out now another drive was not working and it didn’t save all the information that was supposedly stored. The back-ups that was supposed to be saved to cloud didn’t happen either so the nightmare begins. Kathleen Burgess and the service technician spent hours trying to rectify the situation and the data couldn’t be recalled – system totally crashed. Cathedral staff spent many hours deciding on the next course of action and getting proposals on a new server. In the mean time everyone was issued a flash drive to store their data. A new server has been chosen and Kathleen will be facilitating the install, training, and ongoing service contract ( not using the old provider for new system). Hopefully, this explanation better helps you to understand the complexity of the situation. Thanks for asking!

Submitted Very Respectfully,
Jennifer “Jen” Jow 

People's Warden Report (October)

A. LLC Questions and Answers

Q. When are we (congregation) going to get an update on CCRP and timelines?

A. Dean Penny and a couple of LLC members delivered the current state of the project and next steps at the forum on Sunday October 8th at 9:00am.  You can see the slides here.

Q. Do the tenants get enough notice to find other living arrangements when demolition starts and how much notice would it be 60-90days?

A. The intent is 60- 90 days so tenants aren’t having to scramble to find somewhere to live and then try to come up with deposits for their new place. The cathedral and the LLC wouldn’t want to just boot someone out in 30days and say “ sorry about your luck” they want to give ample time so things go smoothly for all parties .

B. CATHEDRAL COMMENTS, QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Q. Has there been any discussion about how parking would be handled during demolition? Where would we park since it is so hard to find parking already?

A. This subject has been in multiple discussions and no finite answer as of yet. There certainly are a few options that has been entertain which is ask St Paul’s Senior Services if we could park in their lot – (33 spots) on Sunday’s; speak to Hornblower and ECS Safehaven who have a small lot which is located about ½ block south from cathedral and see if we could park there on Sunday’s Another idea that has been tossed around is to offer shuttle service from these areas so it isn’t such a long walk .During the weekday I believe that it will be everyone including staff has to go find it on the street (not 100%) on that.

Comments from parishioners re Homecoming

a. Had a great time at the “Homecoming “ brunch and didn’t mind donating $5.00 for food. Why don’t we ask for a donation for some events more often other churches do? Liked the set up family style and got to talk to people I really didn’t know.

b. Couldn’t really hear the video in the back but liked the set up and the enthusiasm of everyone at my table.

c. Is it possible to intermingle the choir and alter guild people into all the tables instead of having a designated table for them? Maybe reserve several seats at each table for them knowing that they have to disrobe and get there after everyones seated? It would be nice to get to know them too.

d. Great having hostesses positioned at the East and West doors to Great Hall to direct traffic; it took away not knowing what to do once inside.

e. I didn’t know about the brunch until someone at the South door exit handed me a booklet and asked if I was going.

f. The $5 donation was worth the food I received – the only negative was that the salad was mushy and not a lot of meatballs (…..Misa service.)

g. I didn’t get to speak to many ministry leaders because I had to leave at 12:30 but I liked the set-up of the event and the video was entertaining.

h. Thank you for including us Evensong service attenders.

Jen Jow.

People's Warden Update

A. LLC Questions and Answers

No questions this month!

B. Cathedral Parishioner Questions and Answers

Q. With all the transitions and new personnel what type of leader is Dean Penny? Is she a hands -on or hands -off type of manager and does she view feedback from the congregation important?

A. These are pretty loaded questions, I will give it my best and hopefully it will give you a better perspective. I have worked with her staff pretty closely on projects and events during the past few years and I have heard nothing but good leadership qualities that are exhibited from Dean Penny.

Her staff comments that she has respect, confidence, and trust in them to do their job and if situations or concerns arise they will get her involved. Dean Penny is not a micro-manager; she took her time in hiring the right candidates because she wants her team to be able to collaborate and work cohesively. She is a hands-on manager, wants to be informed on what’s going on without all the gritty details (readers digest version). In my opinion, she’s the admiral of the ship and needs to be kept informed but doesn’t need to know there is no toilet paper in the stalls lol.

My own experience with Dean Penny as a leader has been positive (I am not trying to score points here – lol) , she does not dictate how things should happen. She has given me latitude to make decisions but just run it by her if the change may be drastic so she isn’t blindsided. If I needed help on something I felt I could solicit her advice or direction and not feel intimidated or stupid about asking her a question.

With regards to feedback from the congregation, I know she welcomes it and is important to her, really how do you know what is working or not unless you are told. As you know, feedback can sometimes not be positive but necessary to hear and address so issues don’t fester and become worst .

Lastly, Dean Penny initiated a CAT Scan at the end of May to check the pulse of our congregation. Did you fill it out and submit your feedback? The data results would be discussed with staff , Senior Warden and People’s Warden sometime in July and reported back to the congregation at a given date.

C.  Update on Vision for Mission
There will be a meeting held sometime in July or August for updates and how we are aligning with specific goals and timelines.


D. July happenings at the Cathedral

Saturday – July 15: Meet to walk up to parade starting point – 9:00am

Saturday – July 15 : Inaugural Eucharist for diocese pride marchers in front of pride trolley on Normal Street by DMV 9:45am – 10:45am

Saturday – July 15: BBQ for Pride Marchers and Volunteers – 12:00pm – 2:00pm

Saturday – July 15: Pride Festivities, DJ and Dancing – 12:00pm – 7:00pm

Sunday – July 16: Pride Service- 8:00am service and 10:30 am service

Sunday, July 16: Serve Christ in our Neighbors, (series of 3events) 12:00pm – 2:00pm Write postcards to incarcerated people.

Saturday, July 22: Serve Christ in our Neighbors – 12:00pm – 2:00pm – Bag lunches and give out clothing.

Monday, July 31: Serve Christ in our Neighbors – 12:00pm – 2:00pm – Details to come.




Any questions don’t hesitate to contact me.


Very Respectfully,

Jennifer “Jen” Jow

Chapter Q & A

Jen Jow shares Chapter Question and Answers


 A LLC Questions and Answers
No questions this month!

B. Cathedral Sunday Bulletin and Announcement Questions
Update provided by Jeff M. – Communications Dept.
Q. Why has the outreach ministry section been left out of the announcements and the contact information? That was vital information because it was used as a resource guide, especially for those who didn’t use a computer or have access to one.
A. The old list of ministries on the back of Cathedral Life was very confusing to newcomers.
• There wasn’t room for an explanation of what the ministries did – how would a newcomer know which one to call?
• Some ministries listed were very active, and some rarely met at all
• Calling through staff ensures every call receives appropriate and pastoral follow-up without adding work for non-staff ministry leaders
• Growing number of ministries kept length difficult to manage
In short, there were lots of problems with that list.

We looked around at other churches and found almost uniformly that only staff were listed, and adopted that as our standard. We are working on a separate piece that will list all ministries and their non-staff leadership to be used as a time and talent resource for ensuring that people can find ministries that suit them. Our new Church Management System, Realm, will also provide tools for ensuring that church members can connect to ministry leaders when they need to.

It should start coming on-line in June with full rollout by the end of the year.It is a work in process!

 We will keep on making improvements, some of them liked and well received—others less so but may be necessary on a path to someplace hopefully calling us all into greater collaboration and work for our common mission.

People's Warden Reports

Jen Jow writes,

Quarterly update from chapter meetings held in April, May, and June. If you are interested in comprehensive chapter minutes it is available by request at the front office.

 HIGHLIGHTS

• The big take away in April’s meeting is chapter approved a “Safe Church Policy” which St Paul’s has never had before. The policy is very straight forward and provides the cathedral a guideline to follow. Many months and hours were dedicated to this project by several chapter members and Dean Penny. Details of this policy is available by request at the front office.

• Lay delegates to the Convention of Episcopal Diocese of San Diego in November,2017 (alphabetical order): Elizabeth Carey, Lisa Churchill, Susan Hubert, Mark Lester, Auggie Matt, Marshall Moore, Joan Reese. Alternates: Rob Donaldson, Bill Eadie, Vicki Hppenrath, Jen Jow, Susan Mcclure, Mark Patzman, John Will

• Update on Cathedral Campus Redevelopment Project (CCRP) by Dean's Warden Mark Lester.  

• New Audio Visual Equipment: Have you seen the new giant monitors located in the Great Hall? With the new equipment we can live stream and if events or services overflow we can seat people in the Great Hall and they can view/hear what is happening in the cathedral. The sound quality of PA system has greatly improved too.

• Relaunch of the Peace & Justice Ministry : email address peacejust@stpaulcathedral.org where people can send ideas for peace and justice-oriented activities. Marshall Moore is chair of this ministry and will monitor the email address and bring possible items to the attention of executive staff for consideration. See blog for more information

Quarterly Chapter Key points and updates was presented in staff reports.

Kathleen Burgess – Director of Adminstrative and Operations
➢ Security Grant: Environmental & Historic Preservation (EHP) document that was being reviewed by FEMA for our security Grant was final approved. The caveat came with special conditions, the sub-recipient will install all equipment so its installation does not damage or cause the removal of character-defining architectural features and can be easily removed in the future.

➢ ACS & Shelby (Church Software): Decided to go with a combination of two different company’s offerings, ACS Technology’s Realm for our membership and facilities management needs and Shelby Next Financials for financial products. Conversion will be in a few weeks.

➢ AUDIO Visual Project: The sextons, Bob and I have had some basic training on the new audio and visual system installed in the Great Hall. Thank you to volunteer Todd.

➢ Cathedral Floors: once the paperwork with the insurance company is settled (thank you to chancellor Andrew Brooks for looking over the documents), we will receive the funds from the insurance company and can begin the work of repairing the floors in the cathedral.

Jeff Martinhauk – Director of Congregational Life
➢ Easter Appeal : for the first time in recent history to all active household on record. We had soft numbers and the response was not encouraging, Easter Plate was soft too.

➢ Legacy Dinner planned for June 3 in the Great Hall. Invitations and cultivating new members (10 new to date) to the legacy society.

➢ CAT Scan Launched: Takes temperature of the overall health and vitality of the congregation, discovers where members would like to go in the future an identifies the critical success factors for improving organizational climates. This scan was done a few years back and it’s time again to take another pulse check. Overall data will be sorted and delivered in a diagnostic format for the staff and People’s Warden to review and evaluate sometime the first week of July.

➢ Cathedral Life and enews redesign launched in May.

➢ KPBS: 2 ad runs completed/ 2 more to run ( 1 in fall, 1 right before Advent)

➢ Greeters at 10:30am are now using a new scheduling (Ministry Scheduler Pro) which allows automated scheduling, replacements, and reminders. Also, gives me/cathedral visibility into how volunteers are being utilized, possibly migrate this tool to other ministries. Recruited 4 new greeters and need 3-4 more volunteers to have a good pool (allows for rotation).

➢ Pride planning: Off to a great start and plan to partner with Diocese this year and trying to include other parishes in the planning as much as possible. Not going to have a booth at the festival this year and try something new to by celebrating Pride at the cathedral. Plan to have a DJ , dancing, and other “fun’ stuff to catch people on their wary from the parade to the festival and let them know that St Paul’s welcomes them. Next meeting June 14 @6:00pm at the cathedral.

David Tremaine – Director of Outreach and Formation
➢ Outreach: St. Paul’s was again represented in the annual Earth Fair in Balboa park with a table sponsored by C4CC in collaboration with Simpler Living. Phil Petrie and Simpler living worked with the C4CC and the communications to come up with a clear message about our mission as it pertains to creation care.  See photos.

➢ Showers of Blessings: Celebrated its 2-year ministry anniversary by providing showers to 23 people, haircuts to 16 people and breakfast to 85 people, totally 105 plates of food. We have also spent the month of April continuing to collect clothing for distribution at showers of blessings and had several large donations which have helped keep our clothing supply well stocked.

➢ Formation: Lenten Book Discussion and weekly small group discussions. Overall, the turnout was very good (about 70 people per week), the group was positive and we were able to create a space where people could enter into deep and meaningful dialogue across faith boundaries. It was a joy to put together and a blessing to be a part of every week. In the summer I hope to continue that dialogue in some way, and work with our faith neighbors to continue to build on the foundation of fellowship which we developed in the last couple of months.

➢ May and June Forum series: Simpler Living on Creation Care and Earth Stewardship, focusing specifically on solutions to Climate Change. Peace and Violence in our culture and our faith.

➢ Children, Youth and Families: Podcast, the “Faith To Go” for parents to engage children of all ages in faith discussion at home, so far it is running relatively smoothly. Posted opening for a Director of CYF position which we are hoping to fill soon, is vital for the life of our community as a whole and especially for the life of the CYF community and the youth group.

Betsy Monsell, Finance Committee
➢ Cash position is very good for this time of year – staying in the black.

➢ Working with Kathleen Burgess to evaluate SDGE bill and identify where we could save more dollars during peak time usage. She has already reached out to SDGE and will have more details at next meeting.

Brooks Mason, Director of Liturgy and Music – nothing new to report

Dean Penny Bridges
➢ A full accounting of much of the action mentioned above. Additionally, Chris Wells has passed away and a memorial service was held at the cathedral at the end of May.

➢ Delighted to receive from Joanne Roberts a box of historic materials pertaining to the cathedral: news clippings, programs, and photographs of St. Paul’s activities in the 1940’s to 1970’s. Her parents were very active at St. Paul’s. She even had an old church sign which is now, along with the papers, in our archives office.

➢ Attended planning meetings at the LGBT Center for the San Diego March for Equality on June 11. Wayne Blizzard will be taking this over from me, but I have been the only faith leader present at the first two meetings, and it’s significant that Pride and the Center, the co-hosts, are including the faith community. St. Paul’s will be a sponsoring organization. This doesn’t carry any financial responsibility but we will recruit marchers.

June 11, Equality March: Clergy and parishioners had a procession from the cathedral to the starting point at Sixth and Juniper. I was called to officiate a blessing at the starting point prior to the event march. More pictures on our Flickr page.

A new Chapter Covenant

Dean Penny writes,

At the annual Chapter retreat in February, Chapter agreed to create a Covenant for how we will relate, as church leaders, to one another and to the wider community. We will hold ourselves and one another accountable to these standards of behavior. We invite all ministry groups of St. Paul's to adopt similar standards.

Meet your new People's Warden!

As your new "People's Warden" I was going to do a write up detailing who I am,  my credentials, and the ministries I participate in at St. Paul's. I felt this would give those who didn't know me a chance to learn more about me and why it is a honor and a privilege to serve this community.

I decided not to waste your time with boring details, but give you (the congregation) an opportunity to let me know you better. You are the foundation, heart and soul of this cathedral and in order for me to serve you best it is important to understand your needs and expectations. Open communication along with trust and respect for one another is my guide both personally and professionally.


You can look for me on some Sunday's after the 8am service by the greeter table, mingling with others in the courtyard, or headed to the forum. During the week there's a huge possibility that I am on campus attending a meeting, setting up for an event, or doing some type of volunteer work.

We are a large cathedral with lots of people gathering here daily, it can be quite overwhelming for those not used to all the hustle and bustle. I never knew that so much goes on here until after I started to serve on different ministries and volunteer to help with projects in the facilities and operations department.

I look forward to meeting and getting to know each of you better during this year and thank you for trusting me to serve you. . Please feel free to contact me at chapter@stpaulcathedral.org (routes to my personal email) or my cell 619.840.2327. Any feedback, questions, joys, and concerns are always welcomed.

Blessings and Peace,

Jen

Jennifer Jow
People's Warden and Outreach Chair

The Chapter Retreat

I agreed to write a blog about the recent Chapter Retreat that was held on the evening of Friday, Feb. 3 and all day Saturday, Feb. 4th. And it has taken me longer than I had planned, secondary to the depth of information that was imparted and what we were asked to reflect on. Being as I am a new member, Saturday evening was a time to meet all the members of the Chapter and that includes our treasurer, chancellor, etc. Actually, I knew most of them by recognition and some I have known for many years. I thought I knew what many did and then found out I really didn’t have an in-depth knowledge of the skills that so many of the Chapter members possess. I would say that St. Paul’s is lucky to have a such a variety of people representing many walks of life who want the best for St. Paul’s.

On Saturday, we heard in depth reports of our financial status, the campus building plans, the legal framework which we operate under, and what future hopes are. We also spent time reviewing our Baptismal Covenant and its origins including Old Testament and New Testament contributions. Our task is to come up with a Chapter Covenant that will spiritually guide our behavior in future chapter meetings and our interaction with our fellow parishioners and those outside of the Cathedral. I think that people left the retreat with a spiritual commitment.

After the retreat, a tour of St. Paul’s Plaza, a new facility in east Chula Vista was offered. Even though I had seen articles in the newspaper and live only 7 ½ miles from the Plaza, I was the only one that evidently had not taken the tour previously. At our first Chapter meeting the following Tuesday, I was asked how I liked the tour. They were surprised when I said it was a 90 minute tour. I am an Occupational Therapist that works with the elderly and I am not a spring chicken any more either. One of my professional interests is working with the elderly on accessibility so I wanted to see more than the usual tour plus I had many questions. The tour guide was knowledgeable and seemed to be pleased to accommodate my interests.

So, my overall impression of that weekend was I came away excited to be serving my fellow parishioners and finally being able to fulfill a desire I have had for several years of serving on the Chapter. I have been attending St. Paul’s since 1986, so I am able to see the progress we have made in serving so many needs and building the community we now have. I think the most important part in sustaining St. Paul’s is developing relationships with God as our guide within and outside of our community.

Susan McClure, Chapter Member 

St Paul's Cathedral Chapter Retreat, 2017

Meet Our 2017 Chapter Nominees!

The Annual Meeting is in a few weeks, so it’s time to meet our Chapter nominees. Read all about them below, and come to a meet-and-greet during coffee hour on both January 8 and 15. Then, please join us for the Annual Meeting in the Great Hall at 12:00 p.m. on January 22.

Martin Nace Hall
In 2005 I first visted St. Paul’s Cathedral at the invitation of my banker and good friend Deedra Hardman. I was moved when I heard the choir sing, when a woman presided over the Mass and when a gay priest delivered the sermon. I prayed about the invitation to participate fully in the worship “wherever I found myself on my spiritual journey” for several weeks and ultimately received my first communion at the altar of St. Paul’s. After more than 25 years of searching, I had found a sanctuary where the diversity of God’s human creation assembles to worship. I was confirmed by the Bishop in 2006.

For the past 10 years, I have been involved with various ministries in the Cathedral including: the “Fun” Committee/planning events like Home Coming picnic, Zydeco dinner, Soup Supper; the Stewardship Committee/planning nd hosting stewardship receptions, mailing letters; the Eucharistic Ministry/serving communion to shut-ins; the Cathedral Visitors Ministry/visiting parishioners in their nursing home or at hospital; Ashes to Go Ministry/dispersing Ashes on the streetcorners of downtown San Diego; St. Paul’s LGBT Pride Committee/planning the walk, checking into the parade at 6 am to hold our place in line, carrying the Episcopal flag in the parade.

The Strategic Goal on which I would most like to serve as Chapter Liaison is the Cathedral for the City. I have a passion for the mission of C4CC and have volunteered in these activities for some years now. It is very rewarding to see the faces and hear the expressions of the people you encounter on the streets of the city when you bring Christ’s message that “all are welcomed at St. Paul’s Cathedral”. In my life outside of the cathedral, I am the Director of Catering and Conference Services of a resort and have more than 25 years experience in the position with Hyatt Hotels, Noble House Hotels and Hilton Hotels. My duties include creating a marketing plan and budget that produces $8M in revenue annually. It is my responsibility to direct the sales and service efforts of a team of managers and to keep the team focused on sales and service goals. I am disciplined with respect to maintaining expenses and achieving a planned budget.

Around San Diego, I have been involved with the following boards and event committees:

• Cruise 4 Kids for the Teddy Ball and the Bunny Ball 
• San Diego Human Dignity Foundation’s events committee 
• SDGBA’s Charitable Foundation Scholarship Grant Committee 
• Mama’s Kitchen Board

Susan McClure
I enrolled my son as a Boy Chorister in 1986 and was recruited to assist with vestments and such. By 1989, I joined the Cathedral Choir and 2 other children had joined the Choristers/St. Cecelia Choir. With the choirs alternating services at that time, we were at the Cathedral almost the entire day on Sundays. My husband, Mark, became a Sunday School teacher in the early 90s and we transferred our membership to the Cathedral because we were there almost every day of the week. We have worshipped under 4 Deans and 3 Bishops. I don’t always agree with everything that might be most popular but that hasn’t interfered with making many good friends over the years. The St. Paul’s community has helped to raise our children and become our home.

I appreciate the diversity and programs. I have been involved in many different ministries over the years including:

• Cathedral Choir, Choristers and St. Cecelia Choir (  I have given the St. Cecelia Cross since 1994 to girls who have remained loyal to the choir through senior year of high school )
• Teen groups through 2002 
• As a career Occupational Therapist, I have an interest in disability awareness around the Cathedral campus including starting an awareness ministry in 2003 
• Early contributor of the Organ Restoration Fund and the Cathedral Lighting project 
• Assisting with St. George’s Day since 1987 
• Providing rides to others for Cathedral events 
• Regular attendee of Women Together 
• 2007-2009 involved with Diocean Refugee Network and the Sudanese population at St. Luke’s in North Park 
• Marriage Encounter and Cursillo 

I feel called to be a Chapter Liaison to either the Music or North Park projects. I would also like to ensure accessibility for the disabled throughout the campus.

Having considered Chapter service several times over the years, the timing just wasn’t right. Now, however, with child-rearing, parent-care and other full time obligations in the past, timing seems good to put energy into Chapter. I have a long history and involvement at St. Paul’s and accept people for themselves. Over the years I have learned that even if I don’t always agree on everything, my caring of my fellow parishioners and longtime friendships are what is really important. I respect the many people who have contributed their time and talents to make St. Paul’s the church it is. I also very much listen to what I feel are God’s messages to me and try to live my life accordingly.

Marshall Moore
I was introduced to St. Paul’s by my wife, who had preceded me to San Diego by a couple of years. The music, the liturgy and the space combine to make, for me, a remarkable spiritual experience. More importantly, of the several churches I’ve known, SPC is the first which truly “walks the talk” of forgiveness, acceptance and inclusion.

I was fortunate to have served on the Vision for Mission Committee. For the past two years I have chaired the HR committee. In that capacity, I led the efforts of several others in various hiring activities, the hiring of Jeff Martinhauk and Kathleen Burgess being the most significant. Additionally, I have served as a Greeter and been involved with the Showers of Blessing ministry. Most recently I have served on the Stewardship Committee. I feel most called to serve as Chapter Liaison to Outreach and Justice which is at the core of our faith and is where we “walk the talk”.

I have an appreciation for the inner workings, both issues and decision making, of churches having served on vestries of two other parishes (both small and large). I have an MBA so understand financial constraints and considerations. Service has always been at the heart of my religious experience. My childhood family was a critical part of a tiny parish so I learned the importance of service. There are exciting times ahead for SPC and I would hope that my experience and thoughtful consideration could help as we continue on this journey of faith.

Bruce Warren

I first came to SPC in 1961. For 20 years was married, raised two children in the church, then divorced and left the church. About 5 years ago I returned to the cathedral and found a different congregation. I felt welcomed.

During my early years at SPC, I was on the Building Committee and was involved in the early days of St. Paul’s Manor (now St. Paul’s Senior Services). More recently I have been involved as a committee member for Dorcas House, a docent, a Stephen Minister and a lector. My background and experience suggest that I would be a good fit serving a Chapter Liaison to Outreach and Justice, Cathedral Campus/Grounds, or Music/Arts. This experience includes land-use planning and entitlement and governmental regulations. I have served on many community planning groups and several non-profit boards.

I feel called to serve on Chapter because I enjoy the spiritual benefits of St. Paul’s and believe it would be good to be back in the system that keeps the cathedral working, working with and meeting new people and being of service.

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Dexter Semple (bio below)  is the diocesan representative to Chapter, and is not subject to election at the Annual Meeting.  He was elected by the diocesan convention in November, and his bio is listed for informational purposes only.

Dexter Semple
I immigrated to the US from Guyana at a young age. Two years ago I moved to San Diego and have been an active member of St. Luke’s since. There, I serve on the Vestry as well as on the Communications and Usher ministries. My appointment as a Diocesan representative to the Chapter will help to cement the growing relationship between St. Luke’s and St. Paul’s.