Nina Bacas

St. Bartholomew’s, Poway

Nominee’s Bio: The Rev. Nina Bacas is in her third year serving as rector of St. Bartholomew’s, Poway. Although she is a third-generation native San Diegan, she was raised up as a priest in the Diocese of Virginia, her husband’s home diocese. A graduate of Virginia Theological Seminary, Nina served in four churches in the Metro DC area while she and her husband were raising their four children. It was her very first church call that formed her love for church sustainability: After a large breakaway group split from the church, resulting in on-going litigation, Nina and a core team of clergy and laypeople were tasked with rebuilding the remnant congregation. Through this healing, collaborative experience of renewal, church vitality became her passion. In her leadership role at St. Bart’s, Nina has been committed to nurturing the health of not only her own congregation but also other congregations, diocesan programs, and organizations. She has been personally involved in a broad array of ministries, including military, border, LGBTQ+, and refugee support, and seeks to extend this support by serving our bishop and diocese on Executive Council.