CST Alum Rev. Tanya Lopez to Receive “Disciple of the Year” Award
CST congratulates alum Rev. Tanya Lopez for receiving the “Disciple of the Year” award from the Pacific Southwest Region of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), which will be presented during an annual MLK Jr. Celebration on Sunday, January 25, 2026 at 4:00 pm PT at the Disciples Ministry Center in Fullerton (115 E. Wilshire Avenue, Fullerton, CA 92832).
About the award:
“An award to honor the legacy of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was established by the Pacific Southwest Region (PSWR) in 1974. Each year since that time, one or more members of a Disciple congregation in the PSWR have been recognized for their efforts on behalf of justice and peace, either in their local community or through organizations and initiatives serving these causes beyond the congregation and surrounding communities, nationally and globally.”
About the recipient:
“This year’s recipient will be Rev. Tanya Lopez, Senior Pastor of Downey Memorial Christian Church. Rev. Lopez has been involved in church leadership at the congregational, regional, and general levels. She is also currently serving as the First Vice-Moderator of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in the Pacific Southwest Region.
She is a proud first-generation bilingual daughter of immigrants and sees herself as a bridge to help bring communities and generations together. She believes faith and justice cannot be separate. And that passion for justice is part of all she does in her work both in and outside of the church. She has been active across Los Angeles County with various immigrant rights organizations and community organizing groups as she continues to live into her call of being an active participant in co-creating the Kindom of God for all.
She has a background in Psychology and Education. She earned her BA in Psychology from Cal State Fullerton and her Master of Divinity from Claremont School of Theology. She was ordained into Christian Ministry in 2022.
She and her husband, Rev. Al Lopez, are the proud parents of two wonderful girls and love spending time with their two feisty dogs.”
Fellow Disciples minister and former CST classmate Rev. Julie Davis shared the following about Lopez’s recognition:
“Tanya’s dedication to her church and community, and her unwavering stance in the face of injustice, are inspiring all of us to stand up and stand out. During our time at CST, Tanya modeled how to be a pastor who attends both to the individual and the collective: she sees each person with tenderness and wisdom and confronts oppressive systems with clarity and resolve.”
Learn more about the event and award by reading the announcement here.