The Rev. Cal Payne-Taylor

Curate

cal@ccla.us

About Rev. Cal
Cal is a lifelong Episcopalian from New England who moved to the Bay Area in 2015 to pursue a graduate degree in medieval European history at UC Berkeley. After relocating to California, Cal quickly became involved in lay ministry at All Souls Episcopal Parish in Berkeley, and began actively discerning towards the priesthood with that community in 2016. In 2017-2018, Cal completed a year of national service with AmeriCorps as the Interfaith Relations Coordinator at Habitat for Humanity, Greater San Francisco. He began seminary in 2021 at Church Divinity School of the Pacific in Berkeley, where he also served as the campus gardener and koi pond fish whisperer. Cal’s ministry centers on creation care and the collective liberation of the human family, and he is passionate about building community through gardening and restoring native species. His spirituality has been shaped by his study of medieval mysticism, theological writings, and poetry. Cal’s pastoral ministry is also deeply informed by an internship in 2023 as a hospital chaplain in a Level I Trauma Center in Lexington, KY, where he offered care in the midst of crisis.

I am a Curate at CCLA, meaning that I am a newly ordained priest who is being mentored by the Rector while also practicing the full spectrum of ministry as a parish priest. This includes offering pastoral care, preaching and teaching, celebrating the sacraments, deepening interfaith partnerships, and supporting the life of the parish and Ventana School in all the ways I can.

Fun Fact about Rev. Cal: I’m really into kayaking on the Bay, yoga and social dancing of all kinds, and baking sourdough bread (not at the same time).

When I was five, I was pretty sure I would be a priest when I grew up. As a child, I often played "Holy Communion" with my toys.

If we had an office talent show, I'd wow everyone with my karaoke skills by singing “Let it Go” from the movie Frozen.