Beloved,

As we celebrate the 70th anniversary of D-Day on Saturday, my thoughts drift to my Uncle Sam who dropped into occupied France in the early morning hours on that fateful day. He was a simple man caught up in a titanic struggle that has shaped our world. I remember one evening when he sat with me and told me just a little bit of his experiences in the war. His humble summary was that he was not the kind of person who won wars. He always saw himself as a simple farm boy who stumbled onto the world's stage.

It is curious that this anniversary falls on the eve of the Feast of Pentecost. While the events were very different, both were world changing. And I would assert that God was very much present, both in Normandy on June 6th and in the Jerusalem of Pentecost. Both moments define our world -- D-Day for a season; Pentecost for eternity.

Both were moments when simple and common folk were caught up in extraordinary events. The Rt. Rev. Fred Borsch once said that God is always calling ordinary people to do the extraordinary. Indeed, that is the gift and grace of living the Christ-centered life. May we this day bless heroes of yesterday and ancient times. They call us to be attentive to the ways God empowers us now to be fully alive and to fully participate in the reign of God.

Open House at the Episcopal Church Center, Ocean Beach

Celebration of New Ministry at St. Andrew the Apostle, Encinitas

Clergy Conference at Vina de Lestonnac, Temecula

June 10 Clergy Day

Join us for a day of fellowship on Tuesday, June 10, 9 a.m. - 2 p.m. at St. John's, 760 First St., Chula Vista. We'll discuss different types of prayers, the writing and offering of prayers and how they enhance our worship. Please RSVP by Friday, June 6.

Diocesan Capital Campaign

The goal for the campaign to: create a clergy mentorship program, provide loans and grants to congregations, renovate the Episcopal Church Center and provide a steady income for the Bishop's Appeal is $2,500,000. To date, the amount raised is $2,218,326.77. Has your congregation participated yet? If you would like some assistance in sharing the campaign with your faith community and inviting involvement in this diocesan-wide effort, please contact Jerry Campbell, 760-583-9873.