One Church, Many Voices on Pajaro Street
On a quiet block in central Salinas, Saint Paul San Pablo Episcopal Church has gathered Episcopalians and neighbors for more than a century and a half. Founded in the city on August 10, 1873, the parish was the area's first Episcopal congregation, tracing its story to the same season of American independence that shaped the wider Episcopal Church. The current building went up in 1954, and the parish's identity expanded greatly in 2018 when the long-running Hispanic Mission of San Pablo merged into the congregation. Today the church lives under a bilingual name and a single bilingual roof, with the motto one church, many voices, one Spirit.
Sunday in Two Languages
Worship is the heart of parish life and is offered twice each Sunday. At 9:00 AM the English-speaking congregation gathers for the Holy Eucharist. At noon the service is celebrated in Spanish, and almost every Sunday the two congregations share coffee and conversation in the parish hall afterwards. The space is large enough to host community celebrations and is also available to rent for private events; the office can be reached at (831) 424-7331.
Throughout the year the calendar follows the rhythms of the Episcopal liturgical year with several services that draw both English and Spanish speakers: the Blessing of the Animals, the Thanksgiving Mass, Las Posadas, Christmas Eve, the Day of the Three Kings, Palm Sunday, and Easter. The church also celebrates quinceañeras and wedding anniversaries, and welcomes baptisms for children and adults during Sunday services (a birth certificate is requested). Confirmation classes are offered in both English and Spanish, and weddings can be scheduled through the priest at least six months in advance.
Feed the Hungry: The Work That Takes Over the Week
Food is central to Saint Paul San Pablo's sense of mission. Hunger Relief, run in partnership with Nancy's Project, takes place every Wednesday afternoon at 1:30 PM. On the last Sunday of each month, at 2:00 PM, the Community Food Pantry sets up in partnership with the Monterey Food Bank. A Monterey Food Bank food truck visits the campus about once a month, and seasonal fundraisers such as a chicken BBQ help keep the work going. The parish pairs these offerings with a bilingual Bible study and prayer group that meets seasonally, and a standing lunchtime concert series, the First Fridays Concerts, on the first Friday of every month at noon.
The Thrift Store and Recovery Meetings
Across the week the campus also becomes a hub for recovery and reuse. The Celestial Thrift Store, which raises funds for parish outreach, is open Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM, with closures around the holidays. Two recovery fellowships use the parish hall as well: an English-language AA group and a Spanish-language Al-Anon group meet weekly, and can be reached through the number listed in the church's partner programs directory, (831) 424-9874.
Children, Youth, and the Parish Hall
Sunday School meets every Sunday during the noon Spanish-language service, and the Youth Group gathers every other Friday at 5:45 PM in Room 7. The parish hall, which hosts the weekly Coffee Hour Fellowship, fundraisers, and the First Fridays Concerts, is also available for rent to families planning a quinceañera, a private celebration, or a community gathering. The bulletin, El Apóstol, is published in Spanish and is available online through the church's newsletter archive.
Clergy, Staff, and Leadership
Since 2019 the parish has been led by the Reverend Alejandra Trillos, whose bilingual and bicultural background helped formalize the unity of the two congregations. She is assisted by the Reverend Rachel, a deacon. Yesenia serves as Parish Administrator, and Juan as Sexton. The vestry - the elected lay board - includes Senior Warden Maria A., Junior Warden Jaime P., Treasurer Dave M., and members Leonel O., Carmen R., Maureen T., and Antonia F. Vestry meetings are open to church members for public comment and are held on the third Thursday of every month.
A Congregation of Two Cultures, One Spirit
What distinguishes Saint Paul San Pablo is the way it has folded two traditions - one English-speaking and rooted in the 1873 founding, the other born from the Hispanic Mission of San Pablo - into a single Episcopal congregation. The parish's stated mission is to welcome everyone with joy, to celebrate faith, to serve with love, and to bring hope and healing as one community guided by Christ, addressing food insecurity, fostering unity across cultures, and embodying both spiritual and social transformation. The Joshua 1:9 call to be strong and courageous runs through both the English and Spanish welcome pages, and the Matthew 25:35-36 words about feeding the hungry and welcoming the stranger hang at the heart of the ministry page. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM, and the door at 1071 Pajaro Street is open to all.