Meet Your Vestry Slate 2025: Part 1 - Clyde and Myron

For next two weeks, we are pleased to introduce the candidates for our newest Vestry Class of 2028. Featured in this issue are two of the candidates, Clyde Beswick and Myron Castro. Come back next week for the final two! Members of the Vestry are elected to three-year terms, or until their successors are qualified and elected. Voting will take place at our annual meeting, to be held in our Historic Sanctuary (with an online option) on Sunday, Feb. 23, at 9 am. A parish potluck breakfast will be held in Cleaver Hall after the meeting. Your Vestry meets on the third Tuesday of every month. 

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Clyde Beswick

I grew up in the small town of Pennsburg, Pennsylvania. My childhood revolved around my school community and attending the Assembly of God church. As a teenager, I discovered a passion for city life during trips to Philadelphia, where I enjoyed concerts, museums, and baseball games. Thanks to my dad’s job with the railroad, train rides were free, making those escapes more accessible. Later I pursued my undergraduate degree at the University of Missouri, where I began shaping my future.

After two years working in Memphis, I divorced my first wife and relocated to NYC, where I built my career in advertising and marketing. While there I married my second wife and immersed myself in everything the city had to offer — opera, museums, dining, and travel. In 1983, I was transferred to my firm’s West Coast office and we moved to LA. By 1986, I’d co-founded an ad agency specializing in financial services clients. My life revolved around work and involvement in the contemporary art world. In 1996, after “coming out,” my world seemed to collapse, but it also led me to meet my now-husband, Jason.

During all those years, however, I rarely set foot in a church. The 21st century began for me with a realization: my life was missing a spiritual foundation. The first church I entered was All Saints in Beverly Hills, where I was welcomed by the growing gay community and the clergy. When I shared my past with the rector, she said, “It’s not important what you’ve done; it’s important that you are here now, and God’s Grace is for you.” Inspired by her words, I became deeply involved in the church community, contributing to the homeless meal ministry and the gay ministry. I completed the EFM program and joined Ellen Wekall in assisting with the diocesan prison chaplaincy efforts.

By 2010, I had opened an art gallery, moved to DTLA, and become active at St. John’s Cathedral. After closing the gallery in 2018 and relocating to Monterey Park, I searched for a church home nearby. Walking into COS, the first person I saw was Ellen. Since then, COS has been my spiritual home. I am thrilled to be part of this vibrant, growing community that exemplifies God’s love, serves others, and welcomes everyone.

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Myron Castro

I'm originally from Los Angeles but spent a significant portion of my childhood in the high desert of LA County. Growing up with a lot of independence and a vivid imagination, I was never bored. From an early age, I was fascinated by how machines and gadgets worked. By 15, I had transformed my parents' garage into my own workshop, where I spent countless hours building engines, welding, and experimenting with all sorts of creations. My passion for math and science, combined with my love for tinkering, led me to pursue a degree in Mechanical Engineering.

I met my wife during college, and we were married several years later at Church of the Saviour by Father Gary. I'm a proud father of three wonderful children, including twins, and we reside in Monrovia. I cherish spending time with my family outdoors, whether it's fishing, hiking, visiting national parks, or exploring museums and attending cultural events.

I firmly believe that strong community bonds rooted in faith and love are essential to overcoming many of the challenges we face today. I am delighted to be a part of the COS community and would be honored to serve as a Vestry member.