Bishop John Harvey Taylor, Dean Sylvia Sweeney and members of the Bloy House board of trustees joined Bishop Guy Erwin to sign a lease agreement for Bloy House - formally known as Episcopal School of Theology at Claremont - to move into offices at ELCA's Lutheran Center in Glendale. Named for Francis Eric Bloy, third bishop of the Diocese of Los Angeles, the seminary was founded in the late 1950s as a weekend program for people who wanted to study theology but who were working full time and could not attend a residential seminary. It has been resident at the Claremont School of Theology since 1970. 

The two bishops began discussing the collaboration last spring. Canon to the Ordinary Melissa McCarthy, Dean Sweeney, and Bloy House vice chair Steve Nishibayashi soon joined in the planning process. 

"From the very beginning, from the warm hospitality evinced by Bishop Erwin and all his colleagues, we knew the Holy Spirit was guiding us," Taylor said. "Next year marks the 20th anniversary of the Episcopal-Lutheran concordat. I can think of no better way to celebrate than to join hands in helping form the lay and ordained leaders whom both our denominations will need if we are to embrace our pluralistic destiny in the 21st century." 

The concordat, "Called to Common Mission," adopted in 1999, established The Episcopal Church and ELCA as full-communion partners. 

"[Bloy House] will be welcome partners in theological education," said Bishop Guy, "and I hope their presence will be a stimulus for the development of a multicultural, inter-denominational theological education center in our synod that benefits our church and our partner churches." 

"This agreement marks the beginning of what Bishop John, the Board of Trustees, and I believe will be an exciting and enriching next chapter for Bloy House," Sweeney said. "We pray that many Episcopalians and Lutherans will find a spiritual home on our new shared campus. In an age when relationships and partnerships stand at the heart of our hope for the future of our world, this is a partnership of passionate Christians committed to lifelong formation for Christian people. I know this partnership will bear much fruit for years to come."

"Having been involved in the gestation of this project, today felt to this retired pediatrician like the birthing of a baby, whose potential is unknown and limitless and remains to be nourished and enjoyed," said Canon Steven Nishibayashi, chair of the Bloy House board, who also attended the signing, which took place during a brief service of worship and welcome. 

"Bloy House plans to be in our new offices on July 1, 2020 following a couple of transitional weeks of moving," Sweeney said. "We hope that many in the diocese will lend a hand in helping make that move as smooth and swift as possible. 

The transition to a new location became necessary when the Methodist-affiliated Claremont School of Theology, where Bloy House has been resident for nearly 50 years, announced that it will move to the campus of Williamette University in Salem, Oregon. 

Many clergy of the Diocese of Los Angeles, including Bishop Taylor and Bishop Suffragan Diane Jardine Bruce, are graduates of Bloy House. Other alumni serve in dioceses throughout the Episcopal Church. 

Also made possible by the full communion relationship between the ELCA and The Episcopal Church was the installation of an Episcopal priest, the Rev. Julie Morris, as the new pastor of Mount Cross Lutheran Church in Camarillo on Sunday, November 3 (below) under special license from Bishops Erwin and Taylor.