Terence Ellsworth Lynberg
September 19, 1938 – February 2, 2013
The Rev. Canon Dr. Terence E. Lynberg, former archdeacon of the Diocese of Los Angeles, died on February 2 at home in San Diego. He was 74.
He is survived by his brother Roger, sister-in-law Susan, nephew Nicholas and niece Alexandria. A private family service will follow at a later date.
Born Sept. 19, 1938 in Los Angeles to Mary Elizabeth Jaksich Lynberg and Ellsworth John Lynberg, Terry Lynberg attended 32nd Street School, adjacent to the University of Southern California where he received a bachelor’s degree in 1960. He earned a theology degree from the Episcopal Theological School in Cambridge, Massachusetts in 1964. He studied at Harvard University and ETS in 1984 as a Proctor Fellow, and in 1989 received an ecumenical fellowship in residence at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome. He returned to USC to earn a doctorate in education in 2003.
Lynberg was ordained as a deacon in September of 1964 by Bishop F. Eric Bloy of Los Angeles, who also ordained him to the priesthood in March of 1965. He began his career in 1964 as a curate at All Saints, Pasadena, concurrently serving as a chaplain at Cal Tech.
The U.S. Navy commissioned Lynberg as a lieutenant, and he served as a chaplain from 1967 to 1971. At various times during his ministry, he was a chaplain at the University of California at San Diego, USC and UCLA, where he helped to establish the Canterbury program and was a director of the University Religious Conference.
He was vicar of St. David’s Church, San Diego from 1968 to 1970 and an associate at All Souls’ Church, San Diego from 1970 to 1971.
Returning to the Diocese of Los Angeles, Lynberg served as archdeacon from 1980 to 1989, overseeing mission churches, including 12 new congregations established during his tenure. He became rector of Holy Trinity Church, Alhambra, in 1990, where he served until 1994.
In the 1990s he was director of Episcopal Charities and Community Services in the Diocese of San Diego, retiring in 1998. He began a new career as an adjunct faculty member in communications at San Diego Mesa College and Mira Costa College. He also taught in U.S. Navy College Afloat program through Central Texas College, teaching summer courses on nine Navy vessels, including the USS Abraham Lincoln, the USS Constellation, the USS Essex and the USS Bonhomme Richard. Beginning in 2002, he assisted at St. Paul’s Cathedral in San Diego.
Lynberg was a member of Delta Chi Fraternity, Blue Key Honorary Society at USC, Trojan Knights and the American Educational Resource Association.
In addition to his duties as archdeacon, Lynberg was chair of the diocese’s Commission on AIDS Ministry and a member of the State Legislative Advisory Committee on AIDS legislation in the 1980s, as well as a trustee of the Church Extension Society.