The Rev. Cliff Haggenjos, Rector

St. John's, Roseville

Rev. Cliff has shown leadership to organize his parish to become involved with ministry to the homeless, especially students at Grant High School and the Gathering Inn, and he has been a role model to address the needs of God’s people in other areas in his community. This is his story.

Two passages of Scripture have been embedded on my heart and have given me the courage to serve our homeless in Placer County, collaborate in addressing intergenerational poverty and abuse in Del Paso Heights, participate in Kairos ministry as well as facilitate a prayer group and bible study at California State Prison, Sacramento, in Folsom. Ephesians 2:8-10 helped me understand that it is through the grace of God that I have been given the work that God has given me to do. Matthew 25:35-36 has led me to the hungry, thirsty, stranger, naked, sick and imprisoned. The courage to do this work comes from God, not from me. I have simply learned to listen and follow the Spirit's voice.

Shireen Miles, Immigrant Advocate

Trinity Cathedral, Sacramento

Shireen responded to a large group of migrants who were unexpectedly dropped off at offices of the Catholic Diocese in Sacramento. She mobilized resources to provide care and support for these families. Here is her story. 

When 36 confused migrants fleeing violence and economic devastation in their home countries—primarily Venezuela—were dropped off outside the Sacramento offices of the Catholic Diocese in June with only the clothes on their back, not even knowing where they were, it didn’t take courage for me and the other members of Sacramento Area Congregations Together’s 40+ faith communities to respond. Clergy and congregants of Trinity Cathedral stepped up immediately. The message of the gospel in Matthew 5, “I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me,”seemed to us to be the only appropriate response. It’s been a whirlwind of activity since then. Through these subsequent months, our team listened with lumps in our throats to the stories of their harrowing and dangerous pilgrimage through multiple countries as they sought relief. We tapped into local resources and the generosity of donors to find them clothing and lodging, arranged for volunteer immigration attorneys and English lessons, secured urgently needed medical and dental treatment, taught them how to get around their new city and found them odd jobs to tide them over before they get official work permits. We also shared their joy. We enjoyed delicious meals they prepared for us to share their own cuisine. I was honored to be asked to stand up and stood up as a witness at the marriage of one couple. It has been a humbling and inspiring reminder of how much we share as humans. When our guests express gratitude and ask how they can ever repay our hospitality, we simply remind them of the tenets of our faith and suggest that they can help others someday when they are flourishing.

The Rev. Daniel London, Rector

Christ Church, Eureka

Inspired by Betty Kwan Chinn, Rev. Daniel has addressed the role of Christ Church in the Chinese expulsion in Eureka in the late 19th century and engaged in a partnership between Christ Church, Eureka and Humboldt Asian & Pacific Islanders in Solidarity (HAPI). Here is his story.

I have been inspired by the courage of Betty Kwan Chinn, a Chinese philanthropist and

humanitarian in Humboldt County who suffered unimaginable persecution and torture in China during the Cultural Revolution when she was a seven-year-old girl. After escaping and emigrating to the United States, Betty responded to her own suffering by fearlessly providing food, showers, housing, and job training to thousands of people struggling in northern California, even though local community leaders initially ostracized her. Eventually, thanks to the advocacy and support of other local leaders like Pastor Dan Price, Betty and her work have been embraced and celebrated by the community and beyond, including President Barack Obama who awarded her the Presidential Citizens Medal in 2010. Pastor Dan Price’s wife, Dr. Karen Price, has recently published an outstanding book about Betty titled, The Gray Bird Sings: The Extraordinary Life of Betty Kwan Chinn (Arcata: The Press at Cal Poly Humboldt, 2023), in which she bravely tells the truth about the horrendous atrocities committed during the Cultural Revolution, a potentially dangerous undertaking since the regime responsible for the Cultural Revolution is still in power. The courage of Betty, Dan, and Karen have inspired me to tell the truth about the troubling history of the Chinese expulsion in Eureka and my own parish’s complicity in the expulsion in the late 19th century. Although some people have responded to this truth-telling with offense and with the frustrated sense that I am trying to make others feel guilty about the sins of past generations, I have felt motivated by Betty’s courage to remain steadfast in telling the truth about our history in order to also proclaim the dream of the beloved community, practice the way of love, and work towards repairing the breach. Ironically, the one person who has done the most to heal the social wounds of Humboldt County is a woman from China and it is her courageous work that has inspired a partnership between my parish (Christ Church Eureka) and the Humboldt Asian & Pacific Islanders in Solidarity (HAPI), a partnership that seeks to acknowledge the reality of the Chinese expulsion in Eureka and to start working together, courageously, towards healing and reconciliation.

The Rev. Amy Denney Zuniga, Rector

Grace, St. Helena

Rev. Amy has started and grown a Spanish Language Ministry in Napa Valley, including family worship. Here is her story.

The inspiration and courage for the latest iteration of the Spanish Language Ministry of the Episcopal Church of the Napa Valley has come from the children. Children are adept at “code switching,” moving fluidly between different languages and modes of understanding and expression. The children inspired our Bilingual Family Celebration, an informal, joy-filled Eucharist, which we celebrate monthly either at Grace in St. Helena or St. Mary’s in Napa. A presentation from the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd forms the core of our liturgy of the word, and children and adults together delight in engaging beautiful, handmade materials, deep questions, and the rich symbolism present in the sanctuaries themselves.  Our hope in creating this service was to bring our English and Spanish speaking congregations closer together. Both Grace and St. Mary’s have experienced a bilingual family celebration during the 10 AM Sunday service at Grace and the 5 PM Saturday Eucharist at St. Mary’s. While it takes courage to stretch out of our worship comfort zones, the children continue to lead the way. They walk into the center of the worship space and know they are right at home.

Daniel Moyer, Creation Care Leader

St. Alban's, Arcata

Daniel is a leader in the Creation Care effort at St. Albans. His knowledge of solar technology and his understanding of the impact of climate change on all peoples informs his work at St. Alban's and on the diocesan Commission on the Environment. Here is his story.

Embracing the Creation Care movement at my parish (Saint Alban's, Arcata, CA) has required courage, as it entails confronting established norms and advocating for a sustainable future. Not to mention getting up in front of people to talk! I’ve found that talking about being environmentally friendly often means challenging ingrained habits and promoting alternative, eco-conscious choices. By openly discussing environmentally friendly practices, our group has been able to inspire collective action and foster a sense of responsibility towards God's creation at Saint Alban's. I find courage in my fellow Creation Care Ministry team members and by knowing that our church community is adopting a greener lifestyle. Being a leader in the Creation Care Ministry took me out of my comfort zone and helped me to realize my determination to help the environment.

The Rev. John Heidel, Priest-in-Charge

Epiphany, Vacaville

As a new Priest-in-Charge at Church of the Epiphany, Rev. John spoke before the City Council in support of the local LGBTQIA+ community, referencing the diocesan statement on Commitment to Diversity. Here is his story.

One week after the Episcopal Diocese of Northern California’s Board of Trustees adopted a Commitment to Diversity, the statement publicly debuted at a City Council meeting in Vacaville.

Church of the Epiphany’s new priest-in-charge, The Rev. John Heidel, included the diversity statement in remarks he made Aug. 8 supporting the city’s issuing a Pride Month proclamation and flying the Rainbow Flag.

“We believe that all people are created in God’s image, and that we are created to be in community with one another,” Rev. Heidel told the council, quoting directly from the statement. “Therefore, we know we are most fully the Church God desires us to be when we actively work to include all.”

Rev. Heidel and several members of Epiphany spoke or wrote to the council in response to an effort by self-identified conservative Christians to persuade the city to stop issuing Pride proclamations and flying the Rainbow Flag.

He said he did so for three reasons. “One is that it’s important to be in front advocating for social issues that The Episcopal Church has a stance on,” he said. “If not us, then who?”

The second is that he felt it was his duty as a “shepherd,” since some of Epiphany’s members are part of the LGBTQIA+ community. “People I care about who go to my church care about this,” he said. “It’s relevant to us.”

The third reason is that when he contacted the Bishop’s Office, “The diocese said they would give me a written statement to deliver – and they sent me the link to the diversity statement.”

The Rev. Heidel acknowledges being nervous about speaking in front of the council, adding that was one focus of his prayers. Before getting out of his vehicle in the parking lot, he recognized that he needed “a little bit of courage, a little bit of prayer, and for the Lord to guide me.” Later he shared, “Prayer and centering on God....Yes, I get that I possibly will be persecuted (for speaking up), but it's the right thing to do. Prayer gave me strength. After a good 10 minutes (of prayer) the fear was removed. That's what gave me strength." (Karen Nolan, author)

Alexandra Stephens

Refugee Resettlement Leader

All Saints', Redding

Alexandra co-founded Redding Refugee Sponsor Circle, an interfaith group in Redding, to address the needs of refugees. Here is her story.

I’m Alex Stephens from All Saints’ in Redding, one of the founders of an interfaith group focused on local refugee resettlement. Almost exactly two years ago, a member of my church, Bill Rich, planted the seeds of our mission when he presented a workshop examining the global issue of migration and displacement. Our small group was horrified by the images we saw and the stories we heard; recalling that Jesus, Mary, and Joseph were refugees in Egypt, we asked ourselves what we could do. It was then that Bob Wohlsen, who had been attending our meetings, mentioned that groups all over the country were beginning to form sponsor circles – community partnerships designed to welcome and resettle newcomers fleeing from danger and persecution in their own homelands. We looked into this option, and with God’s help, what began as a small group of 8 grew within a few months to a sponsor circle of 44 community members coming from a variety of faith backgrounds. Since our founding, we’ve successfully assisted 23 newcomers from Ukraine and the Middle East in finding housing, medical care, education, transportation, and friends in Redding -- and we are planning to keep the momentum going by welcoming a new family later this year. Although my fellow group members and I have put in some long hours and suffered some sleepless nights, we’ve also witnessed miracles and experienced mountaintop moments of joy in our work – and we derive strength from knowing we can lean on one another and on our faith when times get tough. The Holy Spirit is busy in this group! Another source of inspiration is scripture, particularly this passage from John 16:23-24 : “Very truly I tell you, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name…. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.” Beyond the many hours of planning and hard work, It takes courage to reach out of your comfort zone to create a sponsor circle, but there is no greater joy or inspiration than encountering Christ in the people we serve.