A message from the Rev. Canon Sierra Reyes, Canon to the Ordinary
The Diocese of California is delighted to share news of a significant new venture: the Standing Committee and Bishop’s endorsement of St. Lucy’s, East Bay, a unique specialized mission. This exciting development embodies our hope to cultivate diverse and dynamic expressions of faith that resonate with the evolving spiritual landscape of our communities.
What is a Specialized Mission?
Within the Episcopal Diocese of California, a specialized mission is a new congregation established with the specific purpose of ministering to a particular group of people or to address a unique missional need. This canonical framework provides the flexibility for innovative church planting and outreach efforts.
St. Lucy’s aims to build a community of faith for those who have become disenchanted from organized religion or are exploring faith for the very first time. Emily Hansen Curran, the church planter of St. Lucy’s, articulates her profound conviction: “It is my deep belief that there are people out there who have left the more conservative traditions of Christianity and who are looking for what could be next or how they could possibly have faith again.”
Bishop Austin K. Rios emphasized how this new mission highlights the creativity that can be found in our canonical structure: “Our governance structure within the Diocese of California is designed to be both robust and adaptable, creating fertile ground for the emergence of ‘fresh expressions’ of faith like St. Lucy’s. This new mission powerfully demonstrates our commitment to meeting all people where they are, inviting them into the transformative love of God.”
St. Lucy’s will cultivate a worship experience, emphasizing mystery, shared leadership, and a formational journey that offers opportunities for both learning and profound transformation. The mission plans to hold its services at St. Paul’s, Oakland on Sunday evenings, a thoughtful timing chosen to avoid any interference with existing congregations and to specifically welcome a demographic often not reached by current church offerings. As Emily Hansen Curran highlights, the goal is “to offer a church community and worshiping experience very different from what is currently on offer by any Episcopal churches in the area in the hopes of speaking to a different demographic.”
We invite all members of the Diocese of California to hold Emily Hansen Curran, the leadership team, and the entire community of St. Lucy’s in your prayers as they embark on this vital new ministry.
For more information about this exciting new community, please visit the St. Lucy’s website: https://www.stlucyschurch.org/
Should you have any questions regarding the missions of the Diocese of California, please contact Canon to the Ordinary, J. Sierra Reyes, at [email protected].
