United Thank Offering (UTO) grant information is now available. Grants are due to UTO Coordinator Jamie Wood, jamiewood2@cox.net by Saturday, February 1. Grants must be submitted electronically. For more information about these grants, visit the UTO Grants Page. All questions should be directed to Jamie Wood: 619-225-1987.

Dorcas House kids await you!

Dorcas House Visit

The next trip to Dorcas House, a foster home in Tijuana, Mexico is planned for Saturday, January 25. Meet at 10:30 a.m. in the St. Paul's Cathedral parking lot. $25 cash and passports are required. Spanish is not required; just love and good cheer. We will return to the Cathedral around 6 p.m. To reserve your spot, contact Suzanne Warren, 619-437-8700.

Unlock Your Heart & Imagination

Do you ever feel stuck in your creative process? Join Mr. Jamie Coats, director of the Friends of Society of St. John the Evangelist, for this two-hour workshop on Monday, February 3, 12 p.m. - 2 p.m. at St. Paul's Cathedral, 2728 Sixth Ave., San Diego. Mr. Coats specializes in helping monks, nuns, individuals and organizations think outside the box and restart their creative juices. Learn more about Mr. Coats. Bring your own lunch or order one ahead of time for $5. RSVP to Hannah Wilder by January 27. 

Leadership Academy

Leading an Episcopal church is no easy task. Juggling finances, communications, outreach, discipleship and mission can be taxing. Attend this one-day conference about everything you need to know to be an effective leader. Saturday, March 15 at St. Bartholomew's, 16275 Pomerado Rd., Poway, $15 in advance. $20 at the door. Scholarships are available. Please contact Canon Julie Young for scholarship information. Visit the diocesan website for workshop specifics and to register.

Come enjoy a day of rest and renewal with meditations led by the Rev. Maryanne Lacey interspersed with quiet times for contemplative prayer, journaling and walking the labyrinth. Coffee and gathering at 9 a.m. Program 10:30 a.m. - 12 p.m. Eucharist at 12 p.m. followed by lunch and optional silent reflection. Saturday, March 15 at St. David's, 5050 Milton St., San Diego. Bring a salad or dessert to share. RSVP to Janet Allen Shaw, 619-823-2304.

Registration is open for Convention until Saturday, February 15. All are encouraged to attend. The presiding bishop will be with us to bless and dedicate the Episcopal Church Center in Ocean Beach, and will preach and preside at the Eucharist on Saturday, February 21 at 9 a.m. REGISTER HERE Questions? Contact Bobbi Hoff, 619-481-5454.

Enjoy the luxurious atmosphere of the newly renovated DoubleTree Hilton at a group rate when you book a room for Diocesan Convention using this link. Book by Friday, January 24 to receive the reduced rate.

Serve the diocese by running for one of these open positions, which are voted on at Diocesan Convention. Anyone can run. Open positions include: Deputies to General Convention, Disciplinary Board, Secretary of Convention and Foundation Trustee. For position descriptions and nomination information, visit the diocesan website.

Please bring your congregation's banner and banner stand to Convention. These will grace the sanctuary of St. Paul's Cathedral as we worship together. RSVP to the Rev. Canon Brooks Mason if you plan to bring your banner and stand. (And every congregation should!)

All singers are welcome to participate in the 40th Convention by singing in the choir during the festive Eucharist on Saturday, February 22. Contact Canon Martin Green to RSVP and for rehearsal information.

St. Paul's Cathedral in the lead with 50

As this convention celebrates our 40th anniversary, all congregations are invited to take part by creating prayer flags. About ten congregations have responded - thank you! Of those, St. Paul's Cathedral has provided just over 50 flags, and are currently in the lead. Winner of this friendly competition will receive bragging rights. To participate, contact Ann Wilson, 858-232-4762.

Campaign Kick-Off Countdown

The Build the Serving Church capital campaign will kick-off on the first evening of our 40th Annual Diocesan Convention on Friday, February 21. 

Only 35 days away!

The Rev. Gary Hall

Take time for yourself this spring with a weekend retreat for adults at Camp Stevens. Retreats include: A reflective weekend led by the Rt. Rev. Gary Hall, dean of the National Cathedral in Washington D.C., and formerly rector of All Saints', Pasadena (Feb. 28-March 1); a rejuvenating women's retreat (March 28-30); a weekend gardening workshop, where you can spend time outdoors, and learn from Camp Stevens's resident garden-farm director on its 3+ acres of gardens (May 16-18).

Seeds of Hope

Is your church hoping to start a garden? Join Camp Stevens for part one of two workshops about building a successful garden. Our first workshop will focus on building your garden's foundation within the community. Topics will include strategies for planning and working in small groups that encourage participation and consensus building. Saturday, March 15, 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. $10. For more information on these, and other programs, visit www.campstevens.org.

MLK Interfaith Day of Service 

Join the Diocesan Service Coalition and members of other faith traditions as they cleanup Balboa Park. Meet at Morley Field at 9 a.m. for registration. When you check in, please list your affiliation as "The Episcopal Diocese of San Diego." We'd like to know how many Episcopalians turn up. Help clean up until 11:30 a.m. Honor the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. and make it a day on, not a day off. For more information, click here.

Water to Wine, ECS' annual fundraiser, falls on Valentine's Day this year. Attending is a great way to celebrate the day all about love and friendship, with an elegant and romantic evening benefitting children, adults, and families facing challenges related to poverty, homelessness and mental illness. The evening will include a reception, live and silent auctions, dinner and dancing in Estancia's expanded and renovated ballroom. This year's honorees are past presidents of the ECS board: David Bagley, Anne Dick, Rex Downing,  and Clare Friedman. Friday, February 14 at the Estancia Hotel, 6 p.m. - 10 p.m. $250 per person. For more information, visit the website.

ECS thanks the following congregations for support during the Christmas season: The Bishop's School; Christ Church, Coronado; Cursillo chapters; St. David's, Clairemont; St. Dunstan's, San Carlos; St. Peter's, Del Mar; St. Philip's, Lemon Grove; All Saints', San Diego; All Souls', Point Loma; Good Samaritan, UTC; Good Shepherd, Bonita; St. Alban's, El Cajon; St. Andrew's, La Mesa; St. Andrew's, Pacific Beach; St. Bartholomew's, Poway; St. Columba's, Santee; St. James, La Jolla; St. John's, Chula Vista; St. John's, Fallbrook; St. Luke's, San Diego; St. Mark's, City Heights; St. Paul's Cathedral; St. Thomas, Temecula; and St. Timothy's, Rancho Penasquitos.

All diocesan youth are welcome! High School: Jan 24-26 and Junior High: Jan 31-Feb 2. The retreats will include time on the challenge ropes course, team-building, a bonfire with s'mores and singing concluding with Holy Eucharist together on Sunday morning. The weekend will be full of fun and challenging activities and plenty of time for just enjoying God's creation and hanging out with your peers from all over San Diego. Cost: $186 (some scholarships may be available). RSVP by: High School - Sunday, January 19; Middle School - Sunday January 25. For more information, contact the Rev. Mike Stone or Mr. Tim Trussell-Smith. 

Imagine the most energetic worship service of your life. Now imagine that twice a day. Throw in workshops, parties, and celebrations of culture from Hawaii to Holland, Dominican Republic to Denver, and all across the Episcopal world. Now imagine it with 2,000 teens. That's EYE! Learn more. Please share this news with the youth of your congregation. Registration deadline is March 1. Questions? Contact Keren Rodriguez, 619-481-5455.

A new e-newsletter debuted this month: Youth Buzz. It's choc-full of information about youth events, including profiles of diocesan people, tidbits from Camp Stevens staff and other exciting news. This is one email you won't want to miss. Sign up here.

These free half-hour organ concerts feature talented organists from all over San Diego. Every Tuesday at St. Paul's Cathedral, 2728 Sixth Ave., San Diego at 12:30 p.m. Free and open to all.

Returning to St. Margaret's following his outstanding performance in 2009, Ken Cowan is among America's finest organists. He is lauded for his dazzling artistry, impeccable technique and imaginative programming. Welcome him back as we celebrate the 15th anniversary of the Quimby Pipe Organ. Gala champagne reception following. Tuesday, January 28, 7 p.m. Free. 

Ken Cowan plays St. John the Divine, NYC

The Venice Baroque Orchestra comes to St. James as part of its US tour, which includes Disney Hall and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. The orchestra is recognized as one of the premier ensembles devoted to period instrument performance. Tuesday, February 11 at 7 p.m. at St. James by-the-Sea, 743 Prospect St., La Jolla. 

They're back! Grammy Award-winning Chanticleer is a cappella singing at its best. Audiences worldwide have been delighted by this brilliant chorus of 12 illustrious male voices because of their sublime sound and unrivaled technique. Sunday, March 30 at 4 p.m. at St. James by-the-Sea, 743 Prospect St., La Jolla. 

Keep a unique memento of St. Paul's Cathedral's history by purchasing one of the old chapel pews. Soon the remaining pews will be sent to a consignment shop. For $300 you can bring one into your home, garden or place of business. Contact Canon Christine Spalding, 619-298-7261.

The best Scottish party of the year! Burns' poetry, piping in the haggis, single malt whiskey and Scottish country dancing and swirling kilts. St. Mark's invites you to attend its annual Robert Burns night this Saturday, January 18, 6 p.m. - 9 p.m. at 4227 Fairmount Blvd., San Diego. Tickets are $30 and include dinner and entertainment. All proceeds benefit outreach ministries. For more information, contact Heather Nunnery Smith.

See the inspirational documentary, "Rafea: Solar Mama," about a Bedouin woman who leaves her home and family in Jordan to join 30 other illiterate women who are training to become solar engineers. Tickets are $8. Friday, January 24 at 6:15 p.m. in the Cathedral parking lot on the corner of Sixth Avenue and Olive Street. We'll walk over to Balboa Park where the movie will be shown. For more information, contact Phil Petrie, 619-298-0464.

Thousands of gently used items at great prices. First Choice Night will be Friday, February 7, 5:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. Admission is $10 with advance purchase or $15 at the door and price plus 20 percent gives you first pick of the sale with complimentary wine and cheese - all on Friday night only. Free admission on Saturday and Sunday. Main sale day: Saturday, February 8, 9 a.m. - 2 p.m. Half-price afternoon: Sunday, February 9, 12 p.m. - 3 p.m. So large it takes two buildings! At the corner of Eads and Silverado in La Jolla. Last year's sale raised over $40,000 to benefit charities and ministries at St. James, throughout San Diego and worldwide. Shop for a good cause. Contact Nan Thomas, 858-395-2322.

St. Alban's, El Cajon welcomes you every Wednesday evening during Lent, beginning on March 12 from 6:15 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. for a light Lenten meal, conversation around the book, True Prayer, An Invitation to Christian Spirituality by Father Kenneth Leech, and Compline prayer to end the evening. Call the church, 619-444-8212, to RSVP.