The Episcopal Diocese
of El Camino Real
B.V. Sargent House
154 Central Avenue
Salinas, CA 93901
Monday – Friday
8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Mailing Address
PO Box 689
Salinas, CA 93902
Phone: (831) 394-4465
Email: info@realepiscopal.org
Bishop Lucinda has recorded a Christmas Message for 2022. Click the photo to watch the video.
Dear Clergy and Wardens, Thank you for all that you are doing to prepare to greet guests and parish families during this holiday season. This promises to be a joyful time as people gather and share in the wonders of Christmas and the pleasures of being together. Because we are experiencing more times of being together, COVID, RSV and the flu are also more in evidence. In California, counties in…
Bishop Lucinda has recorded an Advent Message for 2022. Click the photo to watch the video.
Awakening to the news of the shooting at Club Q in Colorado Springs was painful and scary. Like probably many here, yesterday I checked to be sure that my young friend, Sarah, who is a part of the LGBTQ+ community in Colorado Springs had not been at Club Q that evening. Thankfully, she was not. Yet, after the relief of that moment, I was overwhelmed by the tragedy. People had…
July 19, 2022 Bishop Lucinda Ashby of the Episcopal Diocese of El Camino Real brokered a very fruitful conversation yesterday between Dr. Rose Cohen of Community Agroecology Network and Father Lawrence Robles from All Saints/Cristo Rey Church in Watsonville. At the end of the meeting, both parties agreed to a 90 day extension of the lease agreement between ASCR and Tierras Milperas as a path forward. They commit to establishing…
Presiding Bishop Michael Curry has issued a pastoral statement about the shooting at St. Stephens in Alabama. Please click the link to read in English Haga clic en el enlace para leer en español
Dear Beloved of El Camino Real, Just a few minutes ago, we learned of another tragic school shooting, this time in Texas. For those who oppose gun violence, this is another example of our failure as a society to protect our youngest and most vulnerable. For those who have school-age children and grandchildren, the tragedy is visceral, appalling and sickening. Those 18 children woke up this morning thinking about their…
Don't miss our joyous Great Vigil of Easter, which premieres on the diocesan YouTube channel Saturday, April 16, at 6:00 pm. Congregations across the Diocese of El Camino Real have joined together to create the Vigil, featuring fire and light, story and music, remembrance and hope. The multilingual service can be viewed with either English or Spanish sermons from Bishop Lucinda. Please note: The service will be preceded by a…
Are you looking for some outdoor fun for your child(ren) this summer? Look no further than Camp Saint Andrews, the official camp for the Diocese of El Camino Real happening from July 24 - July 30, 2022. Our traditional overnight camp in the Sierra Nevada Mountains is geared towards kids ages 8-15. Activities throughout the week include archery, swimming, fishing, arts & crafts, hikes to the lake, sports & games,…
Episcopal Relief & Development continues to work with Anglican and ecumenical partners to provide aid to people displaced by the crisis in Ukraine. International Program staff are in close contact with church and ecumenical partners including the ACT Alliance, The Convocation of Episcopal Churches in Europe, the Diocese of Europe, the Anglican Alliance and United Society of Partners in the Gospel. These organizations are coordinating immediate and long-term humanitarian responses…
In response to the Biden Administration’s announcement March 24 that the U.S. will admit 100,000 Ukrainians and others fleeing Russia, Episcopal Migration Ministries said it will help welcome and assist those refugees and others. “Another brutal conflict has caused much suffering in Ukraine and an exodus of families seeking safety in neighboring countries,” said Demetrio Alvero, operations director for Episcopal Migration Ministries (EMM). “With this welcome announcement today that the…
Bishop Lucinda Ashby's long-awaited Seating of the Bishop service was held at Trinity Episcopal Cathedral in downtown San Jose on January 9, 2022. Delayed four times by COVID and other reasons, the service was held two days shy of the second anniversary of her consecration as bishop (Jan. 11, 2020) and on the 18th anniversary of her deacon ordination! See more photos and a video clip at the diocesan Facebook…
Christmas is an open door Every year at Christmas, we listen to an old story; and each time, we are invited to hear it differently spoken in the language of our hearts. Christmas pageants and our readings on Christmas Eve tell of angels and shepherds and even three kings making their way to the place where Jesus was born. At its very essence, the story of Jesus’ birth is one…
November 23, 2021 As we approach Thanksgiving Day, the diocesan staff and I are reminded of our gratitude to you all for the countless ways in which we walk in faith this year. During this time, our shared journey causes us to reflect more deeply and live more fully. We are thankful to share this pilgrimage together along The Way of Love. I remember Thanksgivings in my own past, where…
A day does not go by without a news story about how the Delta variant of COVID-19 is causing a rise in the number of people contracting the virus and the subsequent increase in related deaths. We are not out of the woods yet. With this in mind, the diocese will continue to require congregations to follow strict COVID Protocols. Our protocols are essentially the same as those promulgated on…
Welcome to The Rev. Canon Martha Korienek, the new Canon to the Ordinary for the Episcopal Diocese of El Camino Real! Canon Martha will support Bishop Lucinda Ashby in the areas of transition ministry and leadership development; her duties will include guiding clergy and parish transitions, arranging and coordinating clergy education and retreats, adapting diocesan structures for the future, and more. She will also preside and preach regularly at parishes…
Bishop Lucinda Ashby released the following statement this week regarding COVID-19 protocols. For more information, visit the COVID resources page. Dear People of El Camino Real, As we progress along the path to recovery from the pandemic, there are predictable setbacks. Of late, counties in our state are re-mandating masks indoors and evaluating protocols. Our COVID protocols set on June 15 remain in place, as they are within current guidelines…
Bishop Lucinda Ashby and the leaders of the Episcopal Diocese of El Camino Real have acknowledged with sadness the recent increase in violence towards Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) people. In a statement of solidarity with the AAPI community released June 2, the leaders "utterly condemn all violent and discriminatory acts (physical, verbal and published) against the AAPI community, and call for justice and protection from such actions." The…
Bishop Lucinda Ashby sent the following message in response to the mass shooting today at the VTA light rail yard in downtown San Jose: Dear people of El Camino Real, Our hearts are broken yet again by today’s shooting at the Valley Transportation Authority light-rail yard in San Jose. We mourn the loss of nine lives and share in the grief suffered by their families and loved ones. VTA employees…
The 51st Earth Day is Thursday, April 22. You might consider a Creation Care based service, educational event or activity as a way of encouraging conversation about the stewardship of creation in your congregation. The Diocese of El Camino Real Creation Care team has compiled this list of resources and events to aid parishes plan events and services to commemorate this day. We hope you can use these resources to…
“Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death—even death on a cross.” (Philippians 2:5-8) Dear…
Don't miss our joyous Great Vigil of Easter, which premieres on the diocesan YouTube channel Saturday, April 3, at 6:00 pm. Congregations across the Diocese of El Camino Real have joined together to create the Vigil, featuring fire and light, story and music, remembrance and hope. The multilingual service can be viewed with either English or Spanish sermons from Bishop Lucinda. Please note: The service will be preceded by a…
Updated April 1: Bishop Lucinda Ashby and the diocesan staff have concluded "Tuesdays in Lent," a weekly noon prayer service streamed live on the diocesan YouTube page and featuring reflections by Bishop Lucinda and the staff. Each prayer is streamed live at the diocesan YouTube page at 12 pm noon, and it remains available for view on the page. Recent prayers include: March 9 -- reflection from Canon Brian Nordwick on…
Updated with new deadline: The diocesan Episcopal Church Women "Honored Woman’s Day" is scheduled for Saturday, April 24. The event will be held virtually, using Zoom video conference tool. At that time, we will honor a woman from each of our congregations in the Diocese of El Camino Real -- women who proclaim their faith through their lives and actions for their congregation, the diocese, and the community. The full…
We, the Episcopal Bishops of California, have watched the events of January 6th and following days with deep concern. As Christians we follow Jesus, who is the Way of Love. This weekend, when we remember the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., we call upon the leaders of our cities, states and country to stand firmly in the place of non-violence, truth-telling and mutual respect. To lead from the place of…
Dear people of El Camino Real, The unfolding of violence at our nation’s capitol today in Washington, D.C. has astonished some, outraged many others, and not surprised a few. While we see the news as it happens, and we remain appropriately attuned to the serious nature of the attempts to disrupt orderly transition in our democratic government, it is important that we remain focused and grounded in the gospel of…
Dear people of El Camino Real, As we go toward this late stage on our Advent pilgrimage, I am reminded that this has been a year of Advent. Despite our tendency to solve or fix, we have been called to walk the way of Mary and Joseph through uncertainty; and, during these nine months, each of us has made new discoveries about our relationship with God and our neighbor. During…
Who knew? Last year, when you and I met for the first time at convention, who knew of the year that was to come? Last year, I stood before you, pretending not to be nervous, as we discussed “A Call to Pilgrimage.” We did a lectio and had some round table discussions about the theme. I outlined a prescriptive way of approaching our journey as pilgrims: Travel Light Stay in…
November 6, 2020 Dear people of El Camino Real, This past Sunday, we celebrated the Feast of All Saints. The Feast commemorates the saints, both official and unofficial, who have been faithful followers of Jesus—humble servants and pilgrims along the way. How fitting that it came right before our country’s Election Day. Saints have emerged and lived throughout times of war and famine, peace and prosperity, fire, earthquake, and storm.…
People who are suffering due to the wildfires and the COVID-19 pandemic will benefit from emergency funds approved this week for the Diocese of El Camino Real. Episcopal Relief & Development will provide $10,000 in relief funds to aid those affected by wildfires in Monterey, Santa Cruz, and Santa Clara counties. An additional $5,000 will support people across the diocese who have been financially hurt by COVID-19. Grants are intended…
The Bishop’s COVID-19 Fund has been expanded in response to the needs of communities impacted by the River, Carmel, Dolan, and Lightning Complex fires in Monterey, Santa Cruz, and Santa Clara counties. Gifts made to the "Bishop's COVID-19 and Disaster Relief Fund" will be distributed to those impacted by either the fires or by the COVID-19 virus, based on urgency of need. To give online, visit the diocesan Donate page…
August 26, 2020 Dear People of El Camino Real, In this time of wildfire atop COVID, it may feel as though we are in the middle of the perfect chaotic storm—a place of upheaval, where we may cling to the side of our boat, wondering what will toss us about next … or what wind will blow that may send us into the depths. Fire rages and people are evacuated…
SEPTEMBER 11 UPDATE: People who are suffering due to the wildfires and the COVID-19 pandemic will benefit from emergency funds approved this week for the Diocese of El Camino Real. Episcopal Relief & Development will provide $10,000 in relief funds to aid those affected by wildfires in Monterey, Santa Cruz, and Santa Clara counties. An additional $5,000 will support people across the diocese who have been financially hurt by COVID-19. Grants are intended for…
Dear People of El Camino Real, As we approach this July 4th weekend, I marvel at our current place in the ongoing history of our country. We are in a time of contrasts, shaped by COVID-19 and Black Lives Matter. Some say we have been here before; others believe this is a new path toward the future. The issues raised are scriptural, theological, and have deep implications for how our…
“… and respect the dignity of Every Human Being?” “I will, with God’s help. (BCP p. 305)” Dear people of El Camino Real, The unrest, anger, and violence in our country these past few days have left people anxious and uncertain as to the safety of family members and friends in different cities and towns. Certainly, in our diocese, it is the same, as we stare into the brokenness of our…
Read Bishop Lucinda Ashby’s May 23 statement on the status of in-person worship, and a Pastoral Letter from the Episcopal Bishops of California (English & Spanish): Statement: “From the beginning of the pandemic, our Episcopal congregations have never “closed” or ceased in teaching, fellowship, prayer and service to our communities; we have simply continued our gatherings online and in homes. Our diocese is carefully monitoring directives from local governments and especially…
The following Pastoral Letter was issued by Bishop Lucinda Ashby on April 30, 2020 (scroll down for Spanish): Dear people of the Diocese of El Camino Real, I write to express to you my amazement at your leadership during COVID-19. As “Easter People,” you are walking with faith during uncertain times, seeking new opportunities, and “being church” in your homes and through use of technology. Thank you for sitting in this uncomfortable…
Bishop Lucinda Ashby wrote the following message in the April 22 edition of Real Episcopal: Dear people of the diocese, First, thank you for your responses to our Virtual Easter Sunday Service. It was good to see people in many, varied contexts, with different languages and a variety of uses of technology. The latter made it challenging for our Communications Director, Elrond Lawrence, to piece together, which he did masterfully. Thank you for a…
Dear Beloved People of God, Recently I’ve been receiving questions about our witness in this time of COVID-19, our shelter-at-home orders, and the ways in which we tend to spiritual and emotional needs of God’s people. I am grateful for these questions; they are both thoughtful and thought-provoking. Some of the questions articulated are ones I’ve been carrying with me as well. So, please read on. I appreciate the opportunity…
Bishop Lucinda Ashby delivers the latest message (below) from her home office between Zoom meetings. She continues a virtual visitation schedule with congregations, sharing online worship and coffee hours. “This is not business as usual, and we cannot carry on the way that we are accustomed,” she explains. “On the other hand, I am so grateful for the fact that we have technology that allows us to communicate in this…
Updated April 12 For the first time ever in its 40-year history, the Diocese of El Camino Real has joined together for a diocesan-wide Easter Sunday service, posted on the El Camino Real YouTube channel. The mosaic of the Easter Sunday service is presented in multiple cultures and languages from around the diocese. Bishop Lucinda is the preacher and presider with many participants. Two versions of the service are available,…
March 19, 2020: Speaking from her home via Zoom, Bishop Lucinda Ashby discusses how to carry on our pilgrimage during a pandemic, meeting virtually with clergy, and plans for an online Easter service. “It is a time of gift and a time of challenge … we weren’t trained for this, but we are equipped for it. Because we have this single thought: we love our neighbor and we love God.”
Dear friends, This time of pandemic calls for us to make unexpected changes in our personal lives, parish lives, and in the way we work as a diocese. Although much of our work will be conducted virtually, we will continue to connect with each other, transmit accurate information as we have it, and accept personal responsibility to keep ourselves and each other safe from harm. I have been in constant…
Bishop Lucinda Ashby released the following message to the diocese on March 5, with thoughts, resources, and practices regarding the Coronavirus. Dear Friends in Christ, This past Wednesday, I held an emergency meeting via Zoom with the Clergy of the Santa Clara Deanery. This meeting was to update each other, share insights and resources, and to seek opportunities for ways to “be church” during the Coronavirus crisis. Those who gathered have wisdom and experience…
“El Camino Real, meet your new bishop!” With that joyful cry, Presiding Bishop Michael Curry introduced the Rt. Rev. Lucinda Beth Ashby to a cheering crowd of nearly 850 at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church in Saratoga, California. Ashby was ordained and consecrated on Jan. 11 as the fourth bishop of the Diocese of El Camino Real, the second female bishop to succeed a female bishop in Episcopal Church history. The…
“The Hopes and Fears of all the Years are met in thee tonight.” This lyric from “Oh Little Town of Bethlehem” is one that brings into focus the depth of what lies inside the ancient Bible story, the manger scene at Bethlehem – and an invitation to reflect anew on the amazing, mysterious gift of Emmanuel, God with us. I’ve listened, as you probably have, to the versions of this…
“A Call to Pilgrimage” was the theme of the annual diocesan convention, held Nov. 1-2 at Sherwood Hall in Salinas, although the underlying theme was transition, as it marked the final convention for Bishop Mary Gray-Reeves. Friday’s events featured a beautiful afternoon Eucharist with a sermon from Bishop Mary (video available here). She began her sermon with the Serenity Prayer, followed by a passage from a Rupi Kaur poem: “You…
Everyone in the Episcopal Diocese of El Camino Real and the public is invited to a free art show on Sunday, October 6 from 3:00-6:00 pm at the Sargent House in downtown Salinas. The Monterey Deanery is hosting the event with the diocesan Arts Commission. Beginning at 5 pm, the deanery will host a special tribute reception to Bishop Mary … drinks and hors d’oeuvres will be served during the entire afternoon.…
All are invited to St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church in Gilroy for a vigil liturgy on Friday evening, August 2, at 7 pm. Bishop Mary will lead the vigil for the church congregation, the community, and all who are hurting as a result of the tragic shooting at the Gilroy Garlic Festival. Please come to pray, to heal, and to be healed. The vigil is expected to last approximately 30 minutes, followed by light…
“Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me.” Matthew 18:5 We, the bishops of the Episcopal Church in California, write to express our opposition to the inhumane conditions in which our government is holding migrant children. Our commitment to our Christian faith compels us to speak out for justice and care for the most vulnerable. The recent news stories of lawyers visiting detained children in an overcrowded facility…
The fourth bishop of the Diocese of El Camino Real has a name: the Rev. Canon Lucinda Ashby. Canon Lucinda, Canon to the Ordinary in the Diocese of Idaho, was elected bishop today at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church in Saratoga, in an election framed by the liturgy of the Eucharist and attended by a gathering of 350. She received the needed number of votes in the third ballot of voting.…
The Standing Committee is proud to announce the slate of candidates for the 4th bishop of The Diocese of El Camino Real. Read their biographies and Q&A answers here (in English and Spanish). Each candidate will submit a brief video introducing themselves, which will be posted to the website in the next few weeks. A seven-day petition period is currently open, during which additional candidates may come forward. Completed petitions and backup material must…
The Rev. Kathey Crowe, a deacon in the Diocese of El Camino Real, is featured in a recent Episcopal News Service story about the “startling” problem of food insecurity among college students. Episcopalians in college towns all over the United States are recognizing that many students have to choose between tuition and books or food, and they are trying to help. Their ministries, often done in partnership with the schools and local food banks,…
Nearly 100 diocesan clergy and lay leaders gathered on Saturday, January 12 for the Annual Leadership Summit, hosted by the Diocese of El Camino Real at St. Paul’s Salinas. Bishop Mary Gray-Reeves introduced the day’s featured speaker, the Rev. Kai Ryan, Canon to the Ordinary and Chief Operating Officer for the Diocese of Texas. The day’s theme was “Expanding Our Impact Through Relational Courage,” oriented around the cycles of noticing,…
This week the bishops of all six Episcopal dioceses in California issued the following message in cooperation with Episcopal Public Policy Network of California: In recent days, over 6,000 migrants have gathered at the California-Mexico border fence seeking appointments with American immigration officials to petition for asylum. With wait times projected to last for months, many are forced to live in shelters where food is scarce, and privacy is non-existent,…
The Rt. Rev. Rachel Treweek, bishop of the Diocese of Gloucester in England, our partner diocese across the pond, spent late November touring the Diocese of El Camino Real, learning about our community ministries and exchanging ideas with church leaders. Treweek and Julie Fay (diocesan worship officer and link officer between the two dioceses) began their multi-day California visit on November 28 in the San Luis Obispo Deanery, which included a visit to…
“You are beautiful.” Bishop Mary Gray-Reeves repeated this message again and again during her annual address during the 38th Convention of the Diocese of Camino Real on October 26th and 27th. Unveiling the newest annual theme, “Relational Courage” – a theme she borrowed from Jennifer Baskerville-Burroughs, Bishop of Indianapolis – she encouraged delegates, clergy, and all in attendance to reflect on how they arrived at the Episcopal Church, how the church has enriched them, and…
A sanctuary is a place of refuge or safety. What it would mean for the Diocese of El Camino Real to become a “Sanctuary Diocese?” The 2017 Diocesan Convention asked the Sanctuary Task Force to explore this question. Other dioceses have already declared themselves to be sanctuary dioceses. They have no single, precise definition for “Sanctuary Diocese.” Each diocese and, separately, each congregation must decide if and how they want…
This year’s 79th meeting of General Convention — the highest governing body of The Episcopal Church, meeting every three years and made up of the Church’s bishops and elected lay and ordained deputies from each diocese — is July 3 to 13 at the Austin Convention Center in downtown Austin, Texas. Our deputation, comprised of 8 deputies (4 clergy/4 lay) and 3 alternates (1 clergy/2 lay), are with Bishop Mary…
“Do good, do what is just, do what is kind, and you’ll be following Jesus.” – Presiding Bishop Michael Curry In mid-April, clergy from Latino congregations in the Diocese of El Camino Real gathered at the diocesan offices at Sargent House in Salinas for a meeting about immigration issues, actions and responses. The meeting was led by Rick and Margaret Baldwin, members of St. Mary’s by-the-Sea Episcopal Church in Pacific…
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