Name: Joseph Chouinard - Elected, 4 year term
Church affiliation: St. James' Episcopal Church, Paso Robles

1) What can I contribute?
I am humbled to have served as an appointed member of the Standing Committee in 2004 and hope that I can continue to contribute through my experience as a small business owner and member of the laity both my communication and problem solving skills. I will do my best to act with honesty and integrity if selected to fulfill this position of trust within the Diocese.

2) Church activities
At the Parish level, I have served as a lay eucharistic minister, usher, lay reader, vestry member, and senior warden during a search process between rectors. I have served on the evangelism committee, finance committee, worship committee, columbarium committee, and building and grounds.

At the Diocesan level I have served on the Department of Intercultural Evangelism and Mission (as a member and recording secretary for three years), as a Deanery Delegate, and currently serve on the Standing Committee. On the Standing Committee, I serve as the liaison to DIEM. I am also a graduate of the Education for Ministry program (EFM) offered through the University of the South and sponsored by this Diocese.

3) What major issues face the church today?
I believe the Diocese of El Camino Real is at a crossroad in its life, struggling to define and rediscover what its mission is, and who it serves. The tensions that we currently experience are good and healthy because they exhibit how much the laity and clergy care for each other and growing is often painful. I believe we will benefit from this experience as long as we can push forward with trust in the Holy Spirit and the inherent goodness in each of us. I have confidence that through constant, caring communication we will find the direction in which Jesus calls us to be disciples in mission. Together We Can.

Name: Meryl Dun - Elected, 1 year term
Church Affiliation: All Saints, Carmel

1) What can I contribute
A lifetime of experience as, initially, a DRE. I was also a clergy wife for 40 years and a Bishop's daughter-in-law. My father-in-law was The Rt. Rev. Angus Dun, Bishop of Washington, D.C. from l944-62. I have learned to see many sides of issues that come up in the course of Diocesan business.

2) Church Activities:
Member of DIEM, Delegate to Convention, Convener for Deanery, Clerk of the Vestry, Former Jr. Warden, Coordinater of Volunteer Parish Secretaries at All Saints, principal Parish Secretary. Received the Bishop's Cross in 2003.

3) What major issues face the church today?
Divisiveness over major issues, such as the Bishop of New Hampshire. We need to learn to work together for the good of the church. We need to stop our declining membership. We need better and more loving and Christian communication. We need to look to a glorious future and build on that rather than dwell on the past. We need to find a common purpose for our Diocese and work to make it great.

Name: Tom Olcott
Church affiliation: St. Stephen's Gilroy

1) What can I contribute?
My experienced is based on many years as the Bioastronautics Program Manager for Lockheed Missiles and Space Co. Followed by 12 years of active involvement in congregational, deanery and diocesan activities. A moderate perspective and willingness and ability to listen. A desire to see the Diocese of El Camino Real prosper and to be a model of effectiveness in proclaiming the gospel of our Lord.

2) Church activities:
Past and present Senior Warden; Frequent vestry member; Past Junior Warden; Director of St. Stephen's Resource Center (Our out reach into the homeless and disadvantaged community of Gilroy); Acolyte father; Schedule and train Sunday Servers; Chalice bearer; Lay Eucharistic Minister; Stewardship chairman; Ten year Delegate; Past Member of Diocesan Council; Administrator for New Beginnings, the Diocesan Middle School retreat for the Youth and Education Ministry.

3) What major issues face the church today?
In the Diocese of El Camino Real 1) Maintaining a strong program base in the face of declining budgets. 2) Congregational revitalization. 3) Developing a Diocesan organizational structure that is clear and effective.

Name: George S. Lockwood
Church Affiliation: St. Dunstan's, Carmel Valley

What I can contribute:
Experience in the church. A vision of a viable and healthy diocese responding to God’s call.

Church Activities:
Include serving on Bishop’s Committees and Vestries; on Diocesan Councils and Standing Committees; in General Conventions and on our national Executive Council; on bishop calling committees; as Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Church Divinity School of the Pacific and in other areas of theological education; and on various commissions, committees and task forces at all levels. I am presently involved with my parish in providing 600 children at St. Andre’s School in Hinche, Haiti, with superior education, and have frequently visited them to assist.

What Major Issues Face the Church Today?
At this juncture, the Diocese of El Camino Real is faced doing a better job doing God’s work than we have over our past 24 years. As we prepare for our next bishop, and then as we call, wel-come and integrate this person into our common pilgrimage, we must be a healthy and vigorous body of people ready to move into God’s preferred future. We must create a positive environment to nurture our emerging renaissance in lay ministry.

God has provided us with abundant human talent and financial resources in our unique geographic area. Our challenge is to harness our plentiful re-sources to build a bright future. God calls us to a wide diversity of ministries within our boarders and beyond. A call by God is a terrible thing to waste.

Name: Graciela Velazquez - Elected, 2 year term
Church Affiliation:

Nominated from the floor of convention.