The pastor who started St. Philip the Apostle Episcopal Church in Scotts Valley three-and-a-half decades ago has returned to the North County after 17 years away, and has taken up a flock in Ben Lomond.
Martin Yabroff, 66, says all are welcome at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, which is among the redwoods and features wooden pews, a compact pipe organ, stained-glass windows and new LED bulbs in the chandeliers.
“This is a church that has a history of serving the community,” he said, noting it even helped found the grassroots nonprofit Valley Churches United. “But it has kind of been without steady leadership for the past few years, so I’m excited to see how we can strengthen and grow this congregation.”
Yabroff, who grew up in Los Gatos, was ordained 35 years ago this week in Pacific Grove, at St. Mary’s by the Sea Episcopal Church.
He recalls how he came up to Scotts Valley to start St. Philip’s with six families, no land and no building.
“We started in the backroom of a medical clinic,” he said, describing their progression through the 1980s and 90s. “For many years we rented the Scotts Valley City Council Chambers.”
City Manager August Caires was very welcoming, and it was nice to have Sunday service in the rustic building that had a high ceiling and a fireplace in the corner, he remembers.
“Then we outgrew that and bought the property on Scotts Valley Drive, which was originally the Star Motel,” he said. “And then it was Star Lodge Hospital, which was an alcohol and drug rehab.”
Recently, it was used as a month-long shelter for homeless people, part of an initiative run by faith-based organizations.
In 2004, Yabroff left to be the dean of the Episcopal Cathedral in South Bend, Indiana.
He was there for three years before taking over pastoring duties of St. Andrew Episcopal Church in Tacoma, Washington.
“Yes, it is a coincidence that they’re both called St. Andrew’s,” he said. “I was there 14 years and retired from full-time parish ministry. But I’m not done yet.”
His daughter and her two children live in Santa Cruz, so he bought a house in Felton and offered his services part-time at the Ben Lomond St. Andrew’s.
“I’m particularly excited that in the San Lorenzo Valley this is one of the few churches that is very welcoming and inclusive and progressive—where people are welcome regardless of their faith or sexual orientation or political views,” he said. “It is truly a welcoming congregation; whether you have a strong Christian faith or are spiritual-seeking, you are welcome to share in the services and the sacrament. That’s nothing against the other more conservative churches. But I think there’s a place for a very welcoming and inclusive church in Ben Lomond.”
St. Andrew’s is looking forward to hosting its “Kirking of the Tartans” event Nov. 19, a custom where parishioners bring scraps of fabric to church and receive blessings, based around a Scottish tradition that emerged during a period of repression.
And last Sunday, people showed up at the rustic building consecrated in 1901 with their pets for an outdoor service. The “Blessing of the Animals” was in celebration of the feast of St. Francis of Assisi, days before World Animal Day.
“He led a reform movement to get back to the basics of praising God and creation and being in harmony with animals and nature,” Yabroff said of mystic Italian Catholic friar, who founded the Franciscans. “On Sunday, we were affirming not only our care for animals, but our stewardship of all creation.”
St. Andrew’s used to attract 80 or 90 believers to worship each Sunday, decades ago; these days, a typical Sunday sees around 20 or so attend.
Yabroff agrees that Trumpism has permeated many Christian denominations across America, with prominent figures embracing a form of “Christian nationalism.”
In fact, it’s a phenomenon his wife’s been studying.
“It’s very sad that that’s happening,” he said. “You’re not seeing that in the Episcopal Church.”
Yabroff says his focus will be on building bridges with people from all walks of life.
His arrival in Santa Cruz County offered up another pleasant surprise.
During his first week here, Yabroff was reading the Press Benner, when he came across the article about the 70th Anniversary of Darrell and Sue Yeaney.
He’d known Darrell as the chaplain at UCSC from back when he was studying philosophy there.
Both had left the community for life elsewhere; both were now back in town.
Yabroff decided to look him up.
“We had lost touch,” he said. “It was just wonderful to get reacquainted and to share our stories.”
