A letter and call to Action from the COP28 Faith Pavilion

Dear partners and friends,

The COP28 Faith Pavilion has issued a Call to Action urging summit negotiators to reach more ambitious commitments, that reflect the values of justice, interconnectedness and compassion for those most affected. Faith communities at COP28 expressed concern about the scale and urgency needed to hold global temperature to the ceiling of 1.5° C, and call on negotiators and policymakers to:

  • Prioritize a just transition to a green economy
  • Adopt the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty
  • Prioritize the protection of species and ecosystems in climate negotiations
  • Provide new and sustained funding and new forms of access to the Green Climate Fund
  • Extend and diversify funding for a just and inclusive access to the Loss and Damage Fund

Bishop Marc Andrus, Episcopal Diocese of California, said: “The Loss and Damage Fund is welcome news, but we are no way near reaching the agreements needed to stay at a target of 1.5° C. Inclusive access to Loss and Damage, commitment to the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty and new forms of access for the Green Climate Fund are all crucial commitments that we want to see realised at COP28. The message from faith communities is clear: we will be holding negotiators to account and reminding them to act with their conscience to ensure the protection of planet, and all those that call it home.”

Dr. Iyad Abumoghli, Director of the Faith for Earth Coalition of UNEP, said: “As stewards of this Earth, this Call to Action invites all hearts and minds to unite in action. Let our convictions transcend boundaries, inspiring collective responsibility for climate protection. Together, we can chart a path of sustainable change guided by compassion and shared commitment.”

Khushwant Singh, Head of Secretariat, International Partnership on Religion and Sustainable Development (PaRD), said: “The Faith Pavilion, featuring over 300 speakers from all over the world, sparks transformative paradigm shifts, evokes actions, virtues and wisdom needed to safeguarding the well-being of all sentient beings, and protecting nature and the whole of Mother Earth. Values such as inclusivity, humbleness, honesty, far-sightedness, and altruism are crucial, particularly amongst decision makers.”

Rabbi Yonatan Neril, Founder of the Interfaith Center for Sustainable Development, said: “Faith leaders are united with climate scientists and activists to say: now is not the time to deny the science. Now that the talks are in the negotiations phase, faith communities are actively pushing to ensure the needs of the poorest and the planet are placed at the heart of the agreements we desperately need.”

The full Call to Action can be viewed here

We would request you to support the Call to Action by singing up here (as an individual and/or organization)

Please feel free to approach your media contacts based on this mail to inform them about the work of the Faith Pavilion and the Call to Action.

About the COP28 Faith Pavilion  

The Faith Pavilion will be hosted by the Muslim Council of Elders in collaboration with the COP28 Presidency, United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP), and a coalition of faith partners including the Interfaith Center for Sustainable Development, the Episcopal Diocese of California, the Partnership on Religion and Development, Peace Department, and over 70 faith-based organisations. The Pavilion will host more than 70 sessions with religious figures, scientists, and political leaders, as well as encouraging intergenerational dialogue involving young faith leaders and indigenous peoples.

https://faithatcop28.com/

About UNEP Faith for Earth Initiative

The UN Environment Program’s Faith for Earth Initiative promotes faith leadership, faith-based organizations and communities as custodians of far-reaching, value-based perspectives on environmental sustainability.

About the Muslim Council of Elders 

The Muslim Council of Elders is an independent international organization that aims to promote peace within Muslim communities and between Muslim communities and non-Muslim communities. The Council – chaired by His Eminence the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Ahmed Al-Tayeb – unites Muslim scholars, experts, and dignitaries internationally recognized for their wisdom, understanding of justice, independence, and moderation.

About the Interfaith Center for Sustainable Development 

The Interfaith Center for Sustainable Development connects religion and ecology and galvanizes faith communities’ action and teaching on environmental sustainability.

About The Episcopal Diocese of California

The Episcopal Diocese of California, also known as the Episcopal Church in the Bay Area, serves a diverse community of faith encompassing the greater San Francisco Bay Area.

About the International Partnership on Religion and Sustainable Development (PaRD) 

The International Partnership on Religion and Sustainable Development (PaRD) convenes governments, multilateral entities, academia and religious actors to amplify contributions to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

About COP28

COP28 is being be held at Expo City Dubai from 30 Nov. to 12 Dec. 2023. More than 70,000 participants – including heads of state, government officials, industry leaders and climate experts – will come to the UAE to help deliver a vital blueprint for action to safeguard the planet.

Facts on the scale and breadth of the faith movement active in communities globally

  • Six billion people (84% of the world’s population) have a faith, religion or values system
  • More than 1.5 million projects globally to address climate change are run by faith groups
  • Faith groups own and are responsible for more than 8% of the Earth’s habitable land
  • Faith groups own and are responsible for more than 5% of all commercial forests on the planet
  • More than 4 in 10 health services (40%) in some countries are operated by faith groups
  • Half of schools worldwide (50%) are owned or operated by faith groups – rising to 64% of schools in sub-Saharan Africa
  • 10% of the world’s financial institutions are faith-related, making faith institutions the world’s third largest investor.  Research shows that “faith-aligned” impact investment capital is valued at $5 trillion worldwide

Thank you!

Faith for Climate: A Call to Action

Inspired by the Interfaith Statement signed by Pope Francis, Ahmed El-Tayeb, the Grand Imam of Al Azhar, and around 30 religious leaders and representatives from a range of traditions, launched on December 3, the Faith Pavilion at COP28 puts forth this Call to Action.

We come from different faiths, religions, and spiritual backgrounds. We come from the North and the South, from the East and the West. We represent different communities, united in our longing for a more sustainable and inclusive world.

Though we come from varied traditions, we understand that the climate crisis is fundamentally a human crisis. Human actions, distorted by vices such as greed and selfishness, have brought humanity and the planet to the brink of disaster. By cultivating healthy values, which are taught and practiced in our traditions, we can find balance, and heal our common life, and protect Mother Earth.

Our common values inspire and unite us in our efforts to combat the human-made climate crisis and to nurture the sacredness and well-being of all life on Earth. Love for our world and for each other, and awareness of our interconnectedness, underpin our understanding and our commitment to urgent action.

Every sector of human endeavor – government, multilateral entities, business, health care systems, educational, cultural and artistic institutions – all contribute to the good effort needed now to bring about balance and healing. The religions of the world do not own spiritual values, but they make them the center of their lives. The religious communities bring to the work of climate action and advocacy, among other contributions, their values. This call to action expresses several areas of climate justice that are urgent. No less urgent is the call for us to change our thinking and replace our unhealthy values with those that lead to an integrated, balanced life, a life shared with all people and species.

We call for transformation rooted in shared and unifying values

Spiritual and religious communities account for the vast majority of the world’s population. Our commitment to the well-being of the planet, and of present and future generations, is fundamentally an ethical pact. If our actions are motivated by greed, indifference, and apathy towards one another and the Earth, overconsumption will continue to harm our sole life-support system. 

As communities dedicated to addressing environmental destruction and climate change, we take part in negotiations, policy-making, advocacy, and public mobilizations. In these, we affirm that actions and activities rooted in shared values of compassion, love, modesty, interconnectedness and justice are vital to achieve genuine, enduring change.

We are aware of our responsibility for the common good, and in good will we remind parties of their responsibility to make this COP28 a conference that is rooted in the ambition of limiting global warming to 1.5C and to equity.

These shared values may be expressed in different policies and proposals at different times. At COP28, we have an opportunity to make significant progress on the thematic foci, by day, of the COP, such as: finance, loss and damage, adaptation, mitigation, gender equity, youth, children, education and skills, and nature, land use, and oceans. 

We appreciate the progress already made at COP28, but are aware of much left to be agreed.

We call for world and local leaders and policy makers to:

  • Prioritize a just transition to a green economy
  • Adopt the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty 
  • Prioritize the protection of species and ecosystems in climate negotiations
  • Provide new and sustained funding and new forms of access to the Green Climate Fund
  • Extend and diversify funding for a just and inclusive access to the Loss and Damage Fund

Why do we prioritize these areas of action? 

A just transition to a green economy is one which respects the dignity and value of each human being. This transition must put at the center the needs of the most vulnerable, who currently suffer the inequalities of a model of progress based on consumption and growth. Until 2030 our transition towards a green economy must involve halving its CO2-levels. No one should be excluded from the benefits that flow from the development of a greener economy. The logic of our current economic model needs to be replaced in order to shift from progress to development for all. The transition to sustainability must be equitable for all. 

Reducing greenhouse gas emissions is insufficient; we must urgently stop the expansion of fossil fuel production. The Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty (FFNPT) unequivocally calls for a phase-down and eventual cessation of fossil fuel production. We encourage faith communities worldwide to become part of the FFNPT. All parties to the Paris Agreement are urged to agree to a binding and universal phase-out of coal, oil and gas within a COP28 decision so that our energy systems become renewable and more just.

We believe that protecting species and ecosystems is vital, both for the welfare of human communities and animals and because of the inherent value they hold. Our traditions respect and value the life of the world for its own sake, not solely for the enhancement and protection of humanity. 

Promises have been made to support the people and nations who are most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, yet have done the least to cause it. Funding the Green Climate Fund (GCF) and the Loss and Damage Fund to support adaptation and mitigation aligns with our commitment to honesty and truth – spiritual values that underpin collective promises. While fully funding the GCF is crucial, we also support a simultaneous assessment of the GCF in terms of access to the Fund, creating innovative funding structures that better meet the needs of the phase of the climate crisis today.

We call for effective global governance to tackle climate change and a positive vision

The climate crisis transcends national and regional boundaries and affects the whole of humanity. More effective global collaboration and governance is vital to meet the scale of this challenge. Such collaboration should include strengthening commitments from member states and multilateral bodies to the well-being of the planet, not just to their own domestic interests. Additionally, enforceable mechanisms to ensure that commitments made will be kept should be put in place. 

Our vision is that the well-being of humans, animals, and nature will be the central indicator of progress, rather than a sole focus on linear economic growth. A binding Holistic Well-being Index could assess development and prosperity in this way. The creation of this index requires a paradigm shift towards cyclic thinking, and an interdisciplinary, global approach, which also considers the wisdom of our traditions.

Since all people depend on our shared world to live and flourish, people from all segments of society should have a voice in decisions about its future. When the rich tapestry of humanity has the opportunity to participate in policy-making, the results will be better informed and more widely owned.

We honor Indigenous Peoples

We seek to honor Indigenous Peoples, who, despite at times unimaginable oppression and violence, have upheld world views that recognize the interconnectedness of the Earth we all share. We are deeply grateful for their courage and their continued resilience. Their wisdom replenishes our commitment, and we pledge to stand alongside them as allies, in unwavering solidarity.

We call for responsibility and recommitment

A sustainable future, in which all people live with dignity, is possible if we commit to consuming and producing less, especially in countries which are responsible for high levels of CO? emissions.

To decisively reduce emissions, we advocate for a conscientious review of global and individual priorities along a commitment to reduce the carbon footprint at all levels, including the public sector, industry, businesses and digital services, military, aviation, aeronautics, and in our own private lives.

True change also demands accountability and responsibility for actions taken or not taken. Therefore, we advocate for the establishment of neutral, objective, and forceful accountability measures which hold complicit nations and institutions to account for harmful action, delay or inaction. 

We also acknowledge the unfortunate complicity of people acting in the name of religion in empire-building and colonialism over many centuries and into the modern era. These activities have brought us perilously close to ecological collapse. Consequently, our own religious communities require healing, spiritual awakening and recommitment to our core values and ideals.

Each of our traditions embraces dynamic processes of transformation and restoration. Rituals of lament, sorrow, repentance, recommitment, and renewal, can guide us all – religious and secular, civil society and government – as we chart a path forward.

Our hope for COP28 and beyond

This interfaith call to action is extended as an expression of hope rooted in reality. We call attention to the extreme urgency of this moment. The climate science community has pointed out how quickly Earth’s systems have reached tipping points. We know that at COP28, ambitious action is needed to hold to the ceiling of 1.5° C that may protect life today and in the future.

Therefore we add our energy, our prayers and our action to the voices of all the different sectors, to call together for ambitious advocacy, action and agreement on climate change at COP28 and beyond.

We invite individuals and organizations to sign onto this Call to Action!

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1Liv58ja4dlMlnMRC-GjQ7HP1drO_2MQD_RJvNkR6jnY/viewform?edit_requested=true

Diocese of California elects the Rev. Austin K. Rios as its ninth bishop

Diocese of California elects the Rev. Austin K. Rios as its ninth bishop

leer en español

Rios will be the diocese’s first Latino bishop

 

[Dec. 2, 2023- SAN FRANCISCO] The Episcopal Diocese of California elected the Rev. Austin K. Rios as its ninth bishop during a special convention on Saturday, December 2, 2023, at Grace Cathedral in San Francisco.

“God has blessed our diocese with so many resources and the gift of proximity to and influence upon the ideas, trends, and possibilities for the future of our world,” Rios said in an address to the diocese shortly after being elected. “We as a connected network of congregations called DioCal have the chance to bless the larger church and the world through our witness that a multicultural, multigenerational, multi-faceted, and multilingual community is where our greatest strength and possibility as a people are found,” he added.

Born in Texas, Bishop-elect Rios calls Rome, North Carolina, Wisconsin, Texas, and Louisiana home. He is of Mexican-American heritage on his father’s side and of Scotch and English descent on his mother’s side. Bishop-elect Rios is the first Latino elected bishop in the Diocese of California. He learned to speak Spanish and Italian as an adult and is fluent in both languages. Rios currently lives in Rome, Italy, where he serves as rector of St Paul’s Within the Walls Episcopal Church, a multilingual and multicultural community that hosts an outreach center for refugees. Pending the required consent from the wider Episcopal Church, the bishop-elect will be ordained and consecrated on Saturday, May 4, 2024, and will serve as bishop coadjutor with Bishop Marc Handley Andrus until July 2024, when Bishop Andrus will retire. At that time, Rios will succeed Andrus as bishop diocesan. 

Addressing the electing convention, Bishop Andrus offered prayers for the Bishop-elect and words of hope that Rios and the diocese will “fan with prayer the living ember of our faith,” taking what is best from the past and moving forward with urgency to address the needs of the present moment.

Rios was elected on the second ballot with 95 votes in the clergy order and 135 votes in the lay order. The other nominees were the Rev. Phil Brochard, Rector of All Souls’ Episcopal Parish in Berkeley, California, and the Rev. Canon Augusta Anne Anderson, Canon to the Ordinary and Chief of Staff in the Diocese of Western North Carolina.

“We are deeply grateful for God’s grace and love and the prayerful discernment of our diocesan family that brought us to this moment,” said the Rev. Dr. Mauricio Wilson, president of the diocesan standing committee, the senior governing body that oversaw the election process. 

Bishop-elect Rios earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Davidson College in Davidson, North Carolina, and a Master of Divinity degree from The Episcopal Theological Seminary of the Southwest in Austin, Texas.  He was ordained a priest in 2005. He is married to Maleah Rios and has one child.

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The Episcopal Diocese of California serves a diverse community of faith encompassing the greater San Francisco Bay Area. With approximately 18,000 baptized members, the diocese has 72 active congregations in six counties. More information about the Diocese of California can be found at diocal.org.

 


 

La Diócesis de California Elige al Reverendo Austin K. Rios el Noveno Obispo

 

Rios será el primer obispo Latino de la diócesis

 

[Dic. 2 de diciembre de 2023 – SAN FRANCISCO] La Diócesis Episcopal de California eligió al Reverendo Austin K. Ríos como su noveno obispo durante una convención especial el sábado 2 de diciembre de 2023 en la Catedral de la Gracia en San Francisco.

“Dios ha bendecido a nuestra diócesis con tantos recursos y con el don de la proximidad e influencia sobre las ideas, tendencias y posibilidades para el futuro de nuestro mundo”, dijo Ríos en un discurso a la diócesis poco después de ser elegido. “Nosotros, como red conectada de congregaciones llamada DioCal, tenemos la oportunidad de bendecir a la iglesia en general y al mundo a través de nuestro testimonio de que una comunidad multicultural, multigeneracional, multifacética y multilingüe es donde se encuentra nuestra mayor fortaleza y posibilidad como pueblo ”, añadió.

Nacido en Texas, el obispo-electo Ríos considera su hogar en Roma, Carolina del Norte, Wisconsin, Texas y Luisiana. Es de ascendencia mexicano-estadounidense por parte de su padre y de ascendencia escocesa e inglesa por parte de su madre. El obispo electo Ríos es el primer obispo latino electo en la Diócesis de California. Aprendió a hablar español e italiano cuando era adulto y habla ambos idiomas con fluidez.

Ríos vive actualmente en Roma, Italia, donde, durante los últimos 11 años, se ha desempeñado como rector de la Iglesia Episcopal San Pablo Dentro de los Muros, una comunidad multilingüe y multicultural que alberga un centro de asistencia para refugiados. A la espera del consentimiento requerido de la Iglesia Episcopal en general, el obispo electo será ordenado y consagrado el sábado 4 de mayo de 2024 y servirá como obispo coadjutor con el obispo Marc Handley Andrus hasta julio de 2024, cuando el obispo Andrus se jubilará. En ese momento, Ríos sucederá a Andrus como obispo diocesano.

Al dirigirse a la convención electoral, el obispo Andrus ofreció oraciones por el obispo-electo y palabras de esperanza de que Ríos y la diócesis “avivarán con oración las brasas vivas de nuestra fe”, tomando lo mejor del pasado y avanzando con urgencia para abordar las necesidades del momento presente.

Ríos fue elegido en la segunda ronda de votación con 95  votos del clero y 135 votos de los delegados laicos. Para la elección era necesaria una mayoría de votos tanto del clero como de los laicos en la misma ronda. Los otros nominados fueron el Reverendo Phil Brochard, Rector de la parroquia Episcopal de Todos Santos en Berkeley, California, y la Reverenda Canóniga Augusta Anne Anderson, Canóniga del Ordinario y Jefa de Personal de la diócesis de Carolina del Norte Occidental.

“Estamos profundamente agradecidos por la gracia y el amor de Dios y el discernimiento en oración de nuestra familia diocesana que nos trajo a este momento”, dijo el Reverendo Dr. Mauricio Wilson, Presidente del Comité Permanente diocesano, el órgano de gobierno superior que supervisó el proceso de elección. 

El obispo-electo Ríos se graduó con BA de Davidson College en Davidson, Carolina del Norte, y un Master en Divinidad del Seminario Teológico Episcopal del Suroeste en Austin, Texas. Fue ordenado sacerdote en 2005. Está casado con Maleah Ríos y tiene un crío.

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La Diócesis Episcopal de California sirve una comunidad de fe diversa, que incluye el área metropolitana de la Bahía de San Francisco. Con aproximadamente 18,000 miembros bautizados, la diócesis  tiene 72 congregaciones activas en seis condados. Se puede encontrar más información sobre la Diócesis de California en diocal.org.

Letter from the Standing Committee to the Diocese

Letter from the Standing Committee to the Diocese

Standing Committee 2023-2024

The Rev. Dr. Mauricio Wilson
President, Class of 2024
Sean McConnell
Vice-President, Class of 2025
The Rev. Jane Stratford
Secretary, Class of 2026

Robyn Amos
Lay Order, Class of 2024
The Ven. Carolyn Bolton
Clergy Order, Class of 2025
Warren Wong
Lay Order, Class of 2026
Gretchen Lintner
Lay Order, Class of 2027
The Rev. Audrey Miskelley
Clergy Order, Class of 2027

November 13, 2023

To our siblings in Christ in the Diocese of California:

We would like to thank everyone who came to the Meet & Greets to hear from the slate of nominees for the ninth Bishop of California. Hearing directly from the nominees is essential in discerning who will be our next bishop. Doing so prayerfully, in a posture of openness to the guidance of the Holy Spirit, draws on the best traditions of what our Presiding Bishop calls “the Episcopal branch of the Jesus Movement.”

In this spiritual process that is grounded in our relationship with Christ, we are accountable to God and to one another. We all want a fair election characterized by trust and integrity, so we ask every clergy and lay delegate to continue to pray, listen, and learn. In the context of your congregation, pray with one another, listen to one another, and engage with all of the materials submitted by the nominees and found at diocalbishopsearch.org.

It is the Standing Committee’s ministry to help shepherd the diocese through this process and ensure its integrity. We are aware that surveys and other tools have been developed to assist in this discernment. While we understand the desire to create tools for the community’s use, the Standing Committee has not approved any of these, nor were we notified in advance of their inclusion in this discernment process. Though there is no canonical prohibition for the use of such instruments of information gathering, we do caution that if they are to be used, it is done in such a way that maintains the sense of equity and Spirit-led discernment. In particular, there should be no sense of bias toward any of our nominees or exclusion of any constituency of our faith communities.

We, the members of the Standing Committee, invite you to rely on the tools of local, spiritual discernment, namely prayer and conversation. Know that we are praying for you as we continue to pray that God will guide us through the power of the Holy Spirit to elect the ninth bishop of California.

In the name of the one who redeems us all.
The Standing Committee of the Diocese of California

Bishop Search & Transition Update: Nomination by Petition Period Has Concluded, Additional Information About the Nominees Available

Bishop Search & Transition Update: Nomination by Petition Period Has Concluded, Additional Information About the Nominees Available

The Bishop Search & Transition process in the Diocese of California has reached another milestone with the conclusion of the nomination by petition period. According to the Standing Committee, no petitions were received. As a result, the three nominees included in the preliminary slate advanced to the final slate. These are the Rev. Canon Augusta Anne Anderson; the Rev. Phil Brochard; and the Rev. Austin Keith Rios.

With this step, the Bishop Search and Transition website now makes available a summary of experience, as well as materials the nominees submitted with their original application including their resumes and their responses to essay questions. This is in addition to the slate information on the Bishop Search & Transition website.

This information invites a time of discernment about the nominees and about the call for the 9th Bishop of the Diocese of California. The Standing Committee and the co-chairs of the Bishop Search & Transition Committee request prayer and mutual listening during this important and reflective season. Prayers are especially requested for Bishop Marc Handley Andrus and Dr. Sheila Andrus as they walk with the diocese through a time of personal and common transition.

Diocese of California Announces Preliminary Slate  of Finalists For Election of Its Ninth Bishop

Diocese of California Announces Preliminary Slate of Finalists For Election of Its Ninth Bishop

NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 22, 2023

Contact: Stephanie Martin Taylor
Canon for Communications
Diocese of California
stephaniem@diocal.org

(San Francisco, California) The Standing Committee of the Episcopal Diocese of California announces that, after receiving the recommendations of the Bishop Search & Transition Committee, it has approved a preliminary slate for the 9th Bishop of the Diocese of California. 

  • The Reverend Canon Augusta Anne Anderson
  • The Reverend Austin K. Rios
  • The Reverend Phil Brochard

More information about the finalists is available on the Bishop Search & Transition website, including photographs and video messages. 

According to its President Warren Wong, “the Standing Committee was honored to accept the preliminary Slate of Nominees from the Bishop Search and Transition Committee. We commend the committee members for prayerfully screening, vetting, and developing an inclusive pool of finalists, all of whom we feel are called to this Episcopate. The Diocese now enters a time of discernment when the clergy, lay leaders, and diocesan community will call a new shepherd to be bishop coadjutor of the Diocese of California at the Electing Convention on December 2, 2023.”

A ten-day petition period has begun effective today, during which time anyone may submit the names of additional nominees according to the rules and materials posted on the Bishop & Transition website. The nomination by petition will conclude on October 2, 2023.

The publication of a preliminary slate is a major milestone in the Bishop Search and Transition process that began following the announcement that Bishop Marc Handley Andrus, who has served the Diocese of California since 2006, will retire in July of 2024. Formed in October 2022, the Bishop Search and Transition committee submitted the proposed preliminary slate to the Standing Committee for approval.

On October 27, the Standing Committee will announce the final slate. The people of the Diocese of California will then have an opportunity to meet the finalists at a series of Meet & Greet events November 2–5 at various locations in the diocese, to be announced publicly in October. A special electing convention is scheduled for December 2, 2023 to elect the bishop coadjutor who, subject to obtaining consent from the wider church, will become the 9th bishop of California when the Rt. Rev. Dr. Marc Handley Andrus retires as bishop diocesan in July 2024. A service of ordination and consecration will take place at Grace Cathedral on May 4, 2024.  

The people in the Diocese of California appreciate prayer for discernment and for support in the care of Bishop Andrus and Dr. Sheila Andrus for the remainder of the bishop search and transition process.

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