Joe Lopez

St. John’s, Indio

Nominee’s Bio: I was born and lived my entire life in California, initially raised to worship in the Roman Catholic tradition. In adulthood, I found a more inclusive tradition at St. Thomas the Apostle Episcopal Church in Hollywood. While there my sense of community expanded and I listened to the call to get involved first as an acolyte, then in Stewardship, followed by many years on the Vestry and in the role of Treasurer for over 10 years. That trend continued when my husband and I relocated to Westlake Village and we found a new home at St. Aidan’s in Malibu. Again, for the next 10 years, I was elected to the Vestry, took on the role of Treasurer and participated in several discernment committees for others seeking the priesthood or diaconate. In 2015 we moved to Rancho Mirage, in the Coachella Valley, and I became a member of St. John the Evangelist in Indio. Over those many years, I have been a member of the Vestry, Acolyte, Lay Reader, Lay Eucharistic Minister, Treasurer and since July 2024 accepted the role of Parish Administrator for St. John the Evangelist to continue my faith journey.

Nominee’s Statement in Favor of Their Candidacy: I come from a 45-year career in banking where I held many roles in leadership, either managing operational, administrative or technical teams. I integrated that broad operational & management experience into my church life to carryout parish initiatives or discern answers to parish issues. At St John’s in Indio, I have been given the opportunity to reconnect with my Hispanic roots by serving at the altar and in roles previously held at other parishes. My natural motivation is to solve problems, seek out improvements, participate in parish life, and use the skills and experience I’ve gained over my vocational career to benefit my Christian community. Serving Jesus to me means actively participating in our community, either locally or more broadly by serving the needs of our local communities & its members. Currently, I am a member of the EDSD Finance Committee, Budget Committee, Property Committee and was elected in 2024 to a 1-year term on the Executive Council. If re-elected I will continue to draw from my experience in governance & operations, from my decade’s long career in banking to help the council ensure we prioritize diocesan initiatives according to the needs of our members and allocate resources accordingly.