2024

Retired CTO Debbie Low-Skinner’s Report, October 2023 – June 2024

Submitted by: CTO Debbie Low-Skinner, Retired

Submitted to: the 175th Diocesan Convention

There is much to report and reflect on, these past nine months, as the Diocese went through many changes and prepared for the election of our Ninth Diocesan Bishop of California.

MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENTS

1. As a member of the Committee on Dispatch of Business, I participated in the logistical and liturgical planning for both the 174rd Diocesan Convention on Oct 27-28 and the Special Electing Convention on Dec. 2nd. I attended three of the five candidate Meet & Greets held in-person and via Zoom on Nov 2-5 and also a special in-person meet & greet with Diocesan Staff on Nov 6th.  I gave a tour of Diocesan House to the candidates on Nov. 6th.  At the Electing Convention, on the official 2nd ballot, the Rev. Austin Keith Rios was elected as our Bishop Coadjutor.  He began transition work in DioCal in March, was consecrated Bishop at Grace Cathedral on May 4th, and was installed/enthroned at Grace Cathedral on Aug. 11th.

2. For the search of the new Canon for Racial, Social, and Environmental Justice (CRSEJ), I revised the job description, posted the open position on LinkedIn, Episcopal News Service, and DioCal News. We received 21 applications, which were evaluated by the selection committee I gathered of eight (mostly persons of color) from around the Diocese.  In early December, I presented the names of the committee’s three semi-finalists to Bishop Andrus and Bishop-Elect Rios, who then conducted interviews of the each semi-finalist.  In the end, The Very Rev. Eric Metoyer (who was then the San Francisco Regional Dean and previously served on DioCal staff in 2012-2020 as Associate for Congregational Ministries) was called to be the CRSEJ.  He began working once a week in Feb 2024 and became full-time on Sept 1, 2024.  He will be officially installed as Canon at Grace Cathedral on Oct 10th.  His position is funded for three years by the Expanding Horizons endowment.

3. I continued as Program Manager of Vital & Thriving (V+T), conducted monthly status meetings with the Rev. Dr. Scot Sherman, and approved payment of the Center for Church Innovation (CCI) monthly invoices. With V+T now in its third year, this congregational development initiative signed up 6 new church participants last December as members of Cohort 3.  Currently, there are 8 churches in the Pilot Cohort, which started in Dec 2021, and 7 churches in Cohort 2, which started in Dec 2022.  This consultation and coaching effort is funded by the Expanding Horizons endowment and is conducted by The Rev. Dr. Scot Sherman, his CCI staff, and DioCal’s Canon Amy Cook.  Because of the amount of work required for the V&T self-study, the typical cohort participant tends to be a well-resourced parish (which has a bigger pool of potential volunteers) rather than the missions.

4. After weeks of review/negotiation of a Letter of Intent (LOI) and Memoranda of Agreement (MOA) from the Clayton Community Church (CCC), Holy Spirt Church in Concord and the Diocese entered into a formal contract to sell the St. John’s in Clayton campus to its current tenant, CCC. This purchase continues to be in escrow, as CCC awaits a buyer to make a bid for its parcel of undeveloped land in Clayton.  (The St. John’s congregation merged in 2022 with St. Michael and All Angels congregation in Concord to form Holy Spirit Church in Concord.  Holy Spirit operates preschools on their Concord and Clayton campuses.  Sadly, the Clayton preschool closed this fall due to low registrations.)

5. Regarding the closed Holy Innocents, Corte Madeira (HICM) campus, I drafted/issued/publicized a request for proposal (RFP) regarding HICM’s adoption/re-use. The RFP was distributed to all DioCal congregations and institutions via the DioCal News and via a special appeal made to the the Marin Deanery churches.  Only three formal proposals (all from the Marin Deanery) were received by the Feb 29th  No proposals wanted to use the actual campus, which was considered too expensive to refurbish for a new use.  All proposals described how they would use the proceeds, if HICM were sold.  In the meanwhile, I reached out and had three discussions with James Rizzo (an HICM neighbor for over 20 years, an architect, and the Vice President of the Corte Madeira Planning Commission) regarding the possibility of the City being interested in building affordable/workforce housing on the HICM campus; to date there has been no follow-up proposals.  Finally, after much consideration and discussion by the newly-formed Proposition Disposition Committee of the Executive Council (EC), it was recommended and approved by the EC in June 2024 to sell HICM.  At present, nearly all the contents in the HICM have been cleared out and the campus is ready for sale.

6. In January-May, I participated on the Property Disposition Committee, as they got established and organized and then determined their mission, policies, and procedures for handling unused or underused church properties. I provided them historical background and other information with regards to the on-going development efforts of the Brentwood and HICM properties.  Also I provided procedures used by the Dioceses of Long Island and Massachusetts for handling lease or sale of entire (or portions of) unused church properties.

7. After years during which the mission subsidy amounts were unchanged, I evaluated and re-allocated these for the 2024 budget year. While the total budget remained unchanged at $320k, the allocations were increased for certain missions based on their needs and changes in mission focus. 

8. In my position of oversight over the missions, Canon Denise and I held bi-monthly Vicars’ Meetings via Zoom. Attendance tended to be less than desired (about 8-12), because all vicars work part-time and most have secular jobs.

9. I created a roster of Latin/Hispanic congregations and clergy (i.e., those fluent in Spanish and serving in Latin/Hispanic congregations, those who are offering regular Spanish/English services, and those clergy who are fluent enough to preside in Spanish).

10. Starting in January, I resumed as Chair of the DioCal Asian/Pacific Islander Commission (APIC). (This was a post I previously held in 2017-2020.  Thereafter, the APIC went into hiatus during the pandemic.)  I updated the directory of APIC member churches and clergy. Via Zoom, the APIC regathered to reconnect on Feb 28 and met on April 10 to discuss our farewell gift to Bishop Andrus.  In total, $15K was collected by the four APIC churches and individual members for the Andrus Camp Scholarship Fund for Children at the Bishop’s Ranch and St. Dorothy’s Rest.  The checks were handed by me to Bishop Andrus, when he and Bishop Rios made their visitation to Christ Church Sei Ko Kai on May 5th.

11. I supplied as preacher/presided at four churches, for most of these I supplied multiple times.  When I supplied at St. Paul’s in Burlingame on July 21st, the Sa Paula Tonga Congregation threw me a special retirement luncheon (complete with a roast pig) after their 1pm Tongan-language Eucharist.  This was their way of thanking for me for many years of supporting their ministry and providing grant money for their four postulants’ seminary costs in my positions as Canon to the Ordinary (2021-24), APIC Chair (2017-20), and Asian Ministry Coordinator for Province VIII (2016-18).

12. For the 81st General Convention held on June 21-28 in Louisville, I served as clergy alternate deputy and attended all pre-convention deputation meetings and all legislative sessions during the Convention. I attended the March 1-3 Deputies of Color Meeting and attended the AAPI caucus sessions.  I served as alternate deputy during the Province VIII Synod meetings held via Zoom on May 10th and 17th.

13. In accordance with General Convention Resolution 2022-D079, Warren Wong organized and conducted planning meetings for a special Evensong that was held at Grace Cathedral on Jan 25th to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the priestly ordination of Florence Li Tim-Oi, who was the Anglican Communion’s first woman priest. The planning committee included Warren; myself; The Rev. Dr. Paula Nesbitt, The Rev. Ada Wong-Nagata of the Diocese of Los Angeles, The Rev. Cn. Bruce Woodcock, Episcopal Asia & the Pacific Partnership Officer; The Rev. Christina Rees, Executive Director of the Florence Li Tim-Oi Foundation in London; and The Rev. Pamela Tang of the Diocese of New York and the Episcopal Asiamerican Ministry (EAM) Interim Director.  (The Diocese of NY provided $2500 each in grant money for this project to the Dioceses of California, Los Angeles, and New York.)  At the January 25th Evensong, Bishop Andrus was Officiant, The Rev. Dr. Ruth Meyers was Homilist, and The Rev. Dr. Fran Toy, The Rev. Merry Chan Ong, and myself were assisting clergy.    

14. In celebration of the 50th anniversary of women’s priestly ordination in the Episcopal Church, I attended the special Grace Cathedral Evensong held on July 28th and participated in a special Holy Eucharist held at Church of the Resurrection in Pleasant Hill on August 4th. In concert with this anniversary, the DioCal Women’s Clericus is re-forming itself and put together a revised and updated contact list of all women clergy.  The Clericus held in-person meetings on July 10th at Trinity Church, Walnut Creek (with Bishop Austin & Maleah Rios as special guests), and on September 25th at the Bishop’s Ranch (with the new Canon to the Ordinary, The Rev. Cn. Sierra Reyes, as special guest). 

15. With Canon Denise Obando, we held monthly ReSTART/ReSET meetings for newly ordained clergy and clergy with new calls. (ReSTART/ReSET replaced the Fresher Start orientations). Speakers/topics included:  myself talking about Diocesan Staff organization chart and Regional Deans; Canon Michele and Sarah Crawford talking about church financial forms/ procedures/Paychex; The Ven. Gary England talking about Human Resources considerations; Canon Christopher Hays talking about the functions of Executive Council and Standing Committee; and The Very Rev. Eric Metoyer talking about the upcoming 81st General Convention.

16. Other activities:

a. I continued to submit frequent written articles/photos in the DioCal News & Events and Clergy Connect spotlighting various diocesan events which I attended and whenever I supplied at various churches. Diocesan events included the annual Absalom Jones celebration, Juneteenth celebration, celebrations of new ministries, and December/June ordinations.  These articles highlighted the “good news” of good things happening in the Diocese and at our churches, especially at our mission congregations.

b. As needed, I submitted to the Diocesan newsletter and Clergy Connect newsletter the latest COVID and vaccination recommendations.

c. As I did for Advent 2022-Last Pentecost 2023, I set up Bishop Andrus’ visitation schedule for Advent 2023-June 2024.

d. As needed and upon request, I provided advice to Vocations Officer, Dr. Travis Stevens, regarding whatever vocations concerns or questions. In addition, I calligraphed each ordinand’s name in their gift Bible.  At the December ordinations, there were 8 transitional deacons, one vocational deacon, and two priests.  At the June ordinations, there were two transitional deacons and seven priests.

e. As needed and upon request, I provided advice and recommendations to Transitions Officer, Canon Denise Obando. These past nine months, there were 12 churches in transition.  I also maintained a monthly status list of churches in transition for Bishop Andrus, Canon Denise, and The Rev. Cn. Michele Racusin.

f. As member of Grace Cathedral and as member of the Diocesan Staff, I served as presider/preacher at Grace Cathedral once a month at the Wednesday noon Eucharist and/or as assisting clergy at the 11am Sunday Choral Eucharist. I also served as assisting clergy at Christmas Eve, Ash Wednesday, Chrism Mass, Good Friday, Easter, and the December and June diocesan ordination services.

g. I updated the on-boarding procedures for DioHouse new hires (which I had originally drafted in June 2021).  I also created an organization chart and directory of DioHouse staff with their emails, office phones, and mobile phones.  (I provided these materials, ethnic ministry directories, Bay Area maps, status charts, etc. to Bishop Rios to help with his on-boarding during March-June.)

h. I approved/signed off on four petitions for Episcopal approval of re-marriages after divorce.

i. As Vice Chair of the Board of the San Francisco Interfaith Council (SFIC), I participated in the new Five-Year Strategic Planning effort, interviewed nominees for four open Board positions, and helped draft/approve the 2025 budget. On November 23rd, I participated in the Annual Interfaith Thanksgiving Day service held at the Presidio Chapel.  Upon my retirement as CTO in June, I resigned my SFIC position to make space for the Rev. Mesrop Ash (Parish Priest of St. John’s Armenian Apostolic Church) to succeed me as Chair of the Board.

j. Representing the Diocese, I attended

i. Nov 19, 2023 —The special 160th Anniversary Holy Eucharist of Trinity Episcopal Cathedral in San Jose.

ii. Nov 21, 2023 — The SFIC’s Annual Thanksgiving Interfaith Prayer Breakfast (which was attended by Mayor Breed, various top City officials, Rep./Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi, and heads of various faith communities. Bishop Andrus received a special certificate of recognition.)

iii. May 9, 2024 — Stanford Canterbury/University Lutheran Church Joint Ascension Day Evensong held in-person at Stanford Memorial Church.

iv. May 18, 2024 — Church Divinity School of the Pacific Commencement (which may be the last one held in-person, as CDSP goes to a hybrid/on-line model in Fall 2024).

    There is much to report and reflect on, these past nine months, as the Diocese went through many changes and prepared for the election of our Ninth Diocesan Bishop of California.

    MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENTS

    1. As a member of the Committee on Dispatch of Business, I participated in the logistical and liturgical planning for both the 173rd Diocesan Convention on Oct 27-28 and the Special Electing Convention on Dec. 2nd. I attended three of the five candidate Meet & Greets held in-person and via Zoom on Nov 2-5 and also a special in-person meet & greet with Diocesan Staff on Nov 6th.  I gave a tour of Diocesan House to the candidates on Nov. 6th.  At the Electing Convention, on the official 2nd ballot, the Rev. Austin Keith Rios was elected as our Bishop Coadjutor.  He began transition work in DioCal in March, was consecrated Bishop at Grace Cathedral on May 4th, and was installed/enthroned at Grace Cathedral on Aug. 11th.

    2. For the search of the new Canon for Racial, Social, and Environmental Justice (CRSEJ), I revised the job description, posted the open position on LinkedIn, Episcopal News Service, and DioCal News. We received 21 applications, which were evaluated by the selection committee I gathered of eight (mostly persons of color) from around the Diocese.  In early December, I presented the names of the committee’s three semi-finalists to Bishop Andrus and Bishop-Elect Rios, who then conducted interviews of the each semi-finalist.  In the end, The Very Rev. Eric Metoyer (who was then the San Francisco Regional Dean and previously served on DioCal staff in 2012-2020 as Associate for Congregational Ministries) was called to be the CRSEJ.  He began working once a week in Feb 2024 and became full-time on Sept 1, 2024.  He will be officially installed as Canon at Grace Cathedral on Oct 10th.  His position is funded for three years by the Expanding Horizons endowment.

    3. I continued as Program Manager of Vital & Thriving (V+T), conducted monthly status meetings with the Rev. Dr. Scot Sherman, and approved payment of the Center for Church Innovation (CCI) monthly invoices. With V+T now in its third year, this congregational development initiative signed up 6 new church participants last December as members of Cohort 3.  Currently, there are 8 churches in the Pilot Cohort, which started in Dec 2021, and 7 churches in Cohort 2, which started in Dec 2022.  This consultation and coaching effort is funded by the Expanding Horizons endowment and is conducted by The Rev. Dr. Scot Sherman, his CCI staff, and DioCal’s Canon Amy Cook.  Because of the amount of work required for the V&T self-study, the typical cohort participant tends to be a well-resourced parish (which has a bigger pool of potential volunteers) rather than the missions.

    4. After weeks of review/negotiation of a Letter of Intent (LOI) and Memoranda of Agreement (MOA) from the Clayton Community Church (CCC), Holy Spirt Church in Concord and the Diocese entered into a formal contract to sell the St. John’s in Clayton campus to its current tenant, CCC. This purchase continues to be in escrow, as CCC awaits a buyer to make a bid for its parcel of undeveloped land in Clayton.  (The St. John’s congregation merged in 2022 with St. Michael and All Angels congregation in Concord to form Holy Spirit Church in Concord.  Holy Spirit operates preschools on their Concord and Clayton campuses.  Sadly, the Clayton preschool closed this fall due to low registrations.)

    5. Regarding the closed Holy Innocents, Corte Madeira (HICM) campus, I drafted/issued/publicized a request for proposal (RFP) regarding HICM’s adoption/re-use. The RFP was distributed to all DioCal congregations and institutions via the DioCal News and via a special appeal made to the the Marin Deanery churches.  Only three formal proposals (all from the Marin Deanery) were received by the Feb 29th  No proposals wanted to use the actual campus, which was considered too expensive to refurbish for a new use.  All proposals described how they would use the proceeds, if HICM were sold.  In the meanwhile, I reached out and had three discussions with James Rizzo (an HICM neighbor for over 20 years, an architect, and the Vice President of the Corte Madeira Planning Commission) regarding the possibility of the City being interested in building affordable/workforce housing on the HICM campus; to date there has been no follow-up proposals.  Finally, after much consideration and discussion by the newly-formed Proposition Disposition Committee of the Executive Council (EC), it was recommended and approved by the EC in June 2024 to sell HICM.  At present, nearly all the contents in the HICM have been cleared out and the campus is ready for sale.

    6. In January-May, I participated on the Property Disposition Committee, as they got established and organized and then determined their mission, policies, and procedures for handling unused or underused church properties. I provided them historical background and other information with regards to the on-going development efforts of the Brentwood and HICM properties.  Also I provided procedures used by the Dioceses of Long Island and Massachusetts for handling lease or sale of entire (or portions of) unused church properties.

    7. After years during which the mission subsidy amounts were unchanged, I evaluated and re-allocated these for the 2024 budget year. While the total budget remained unchanged at $320k, the allocations were increased for certain missions based on their needs and changes in mission focus.

    8. In my position of oversight over the missions, Canon Denise and I held bi-monthly Vicars’ Meetings via Zoom. Attendance tended to be less than desired (about 8-12), because all vicars work part-time and most have secular jobs.

    9. I created a roster of Latin/Hispanic congregations and clergy (i.e., those fluent in Spanish and serving in Latin/Hispanic congregations, those who are offering regular Spanish/English services, and those clergy who are fluent enough to preside in Spanish).

    10. Starting in January, I resumed as Chair of the DioCal Asian/Pacific Islander Commission (APIC). (This was a post I previously held in 2017-2020.  Thereafter, the APIC went into hiatus during the pandemic.)  I updated the directory of APIC member churches and clergy. Via Zoom, the APIC regathered to reconnect on Feb 28 and met on April 10 to discuss our farewell gift to Bishop Andrus.  In total, $15K was collected by the four APIC churches and individual members for the Andrus Camp Scholarship Fund for Children at the Bishop’s Ranch and St. Dorothy’s Rest.  The checks were handed by me to Bishop Andrus, when he and Bishop Rios made their visitation to Christ Church Sei Ko Kai on May 5th.

    11. I supplied as preacher/presided at four churches, for most of these I supplied multiple times. When I supplied at St. Paul’s in Burlingame on July 21st, the Sa Paula Tonga Congregation threw me a special retirement luncheon (complete with a roast pig) after their 1pm Tongan-language Eucharist.  This was their way of thanking for me for many years of supporting their ministry and providing grant money for their four postulants’ seminary costs in my positions as Canon to the Ordinary (2021-24), APIC Chair (2017-20), and Asian Ministry Coordinator for Province VIII (2016-18).

    12. For the 81st General Convention held on June 21-28 in Louisville, I served as clergy alternate deputy and attended all pre-convention deputation meetings and all legislative sessions during the Convention. I attended the March 1-3 Deputies of Color Meeting and attended the AAPI caucus sessions.  I served as alternate deputy during the Province VIII Synod meetings held via Zoom on May 10th and 17th.

    13. In accordance with General Convention Resolution 2022-D079, Warren Wong organized and conducted planning meetings for a special Evensong that was held at Grace Cathedral on Jan 25th to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the priestly ordination of Florence Li Tim-Oi, who was the Anglican Communion’s first woman priest. The planning committee included Warren; myself; The Rev. Dr. Paula Nesbitt, The Rev. Ada Wong-Nagata of the Diocese of Los Angeles, The Rev. Cn. Bruce Woodcock, Episcopal Asia & the Pacific Partnership Officer; The Rev. Christina Rees, Executive Director of the Florence Li Tim-Oi Foundation in London; and The Rev. Pamela Tang of the Diocese of New York and the Episcopal Asiamerican Ministry (EAM) Interim Director.  (The Diocese of NY provided $2500 each in grant money for this project to the Dioceses of California, Los Angeles, and New York.)  At the January 25th Evensong, Bishop Andrus was Officiant, The Rev. Dr. Ruth Meyers was Homilist, and The Rev. Dr. Fran Toy, The Rev. Merry Chan Ong, and myself were assisting clergy.

    14. In celebration of the 50th anniversary of women’s priestly ordination in the Episcopal Church, I attended the special Grace Cathedral Evensong held on July 28th and participated in a special Holy Eucharist held at Church of the Resurrection in Pleasant Hill on August 4th. In concert with this anniversary, the DioCal Women’s Clericus is re-forming itself and put together a revised and updated contact list of all women clergy.  The Clericus held in-person meetings on July 10th at Trinity Church, Walnut Creek (with Bishop Austin & Maleah Rios as special guests), and on September 25th at the Bishop’s Ranch (with the new Canon to the Ordinary, The Rev. Cn. Sierra Reyes, as special guest).

    15. With Canon Denise Obando, we held monthly ReSTART/ReSET meetings for newly ordained clergy and clergy with new calls. (ReSTART/ReSET replaced the Fresher Start orientations). Speakers/topics included:  myself talking about Diocesan Staff organization chart and Regional Deans; Canon Michele and Sarah Crawford talking about church financial forms/ procedures/Paychex; The Ven. Gary England talking about Human Resources considerations; Canon Christopher Hays talking about the functions of Executive Council and Standing Committee; and The Very Rev. Eric Metoyer talking about the upcoming 81st General Convention.

    16. Other activities:

    a. I continued to submit frequent written articles/photos in the DioCal News & Events and Clergy Connect spotlighting various diocesan events which I attended and whenever I supplied at various churches. Diocesan events including the annual Absalom Jones celebration, Juneteenth clelbration, celebrations of new ministries, and the December/June ordinations. These areticles highlited teh «good news» of good things happening in the Diocese and at our churches, especially our mission congregations.

    b. As needed, I submitted to the Diocesan newsletter and Clergy Connect newsletter the latest COVID and vaccination recommendations.

    c. As I did for Advent 2022-Last Pentecost 2023, I set up Bishop Andrus’ visitation schedule for Advent 2023-June 2024.

    d. As needed and upon request, I provided advice to Vocations Officer, Dr. Travis Stevens, regarding whatever vocations concerns or questions. In addition, I calligraphed each ordinand’s name in their gift Bible.  At the December ordinations, there were 8 transitional deacons, one vocational deacon, and two priests.  At the June ordinations, there were two transitional deacons and seven priests.

    e. As needed and upon request, I provided advice and recommendations to Transitions Officer, Canon Denise Obando. These past nine months, there were 12 churches in transition.  I also maintained a monthly status list of churches in transition for Bishop Andrus, Canon Denise, and The Rev. Cn. Michele Racusin.

    f. As member of Grace Cathedral and as member of the Diocesan Staff, I served as presider/preacher at Grace Cathedral once a month at the Wednesday noon Eucharist and/or as assisting clergy at the 11am Sunday Choral Eucharist. I also served as assisting clergy at Christmas Eve, Ash Wednesday, Chrism Mass, Good Friday, Easter, and the December and June diocesan ordination services.

    g. I updated the on-boarding procedures for DioHouse new hires (which I had originally drafted in June 2021). I also created an organization chart and directory of DioHouse staff with their emails, office phones, and mobile phones.  (I provided these materials, ethnic ministry directories, Bay Area maps, status charts, etc. to Bishop Rios to help with his on-boarding during March-June.)

    h. I approved/signed off on four petitions for Episcopal approval of re-marriages after divorce.

    i. As Vice Chair of the Board of the San Francisco Interfaith Council (SFIC), I participated in the new Five-Year Strategic Planning effort, interviewed nominees for four open Board positions, and helped draft/approve the 2025 budget. On November 3rd, I participated in the Annual Interfaith Thanksgiving Day service held at the Presidio Chapel.  Upon my retirement as CTO in June, I resigned my SFIC position to make space for the Rev. Mesrop Ash (Parish Priest of St. John’s Armenian Apostolic Church) to succeed me as Chair of the Board.

    j. Representing the Diocese, I attended

    i. Nov 19, 2023 —The special 160th Anniversary Holy Eucharist of Trinity Episcopal Cathedral in San Jose.

    ii. Nov 21, 2023 — The SFIC’s Annual Thanksgiving Interfaith Prayer Breakfast (which was attended by Mayor Breed, various top City officials, Rep./Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi, and heads of various faith communities. Bishop Andrus received a special certificate of recognition.)

    iii. May 9, 2024 — Stanford Canterbury/University Lutheran Church Joint Ascension Day Evensong held in-person at Stanford Memorial Church.

    iv. May 18, 2024 — Church Divinity School of the Pacific Commencement (which may be the last one held in-person, as CDSP goes to a hybrid/on-line model in Fall 2024).