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November 19, 2024

St. Matthew's, Pacific Palisades, to launch residency program for youth ministers in training


[Episcopal News Service – November 18, 2024] The Parish of St. Matthew in Pacific Palisades, California, is announcing the creation of a Young Adult Residency Program, a one-year professional development program for young adults discerning a call to work with children and youth in a religious setting.


Designed to function as an apprenticeship in youth ministry, the program will offer practical, hands-on experience working with children and youth in parish, school, and camp settings. The program aims to equip the next generation of youth ministers, religious educators, camp directors, and clergy with the skills and experience necessary to engage and shape the children and youth of the 21st Century.


Residents will first and foremost support the children and youth programs of the parish, including Sunday morning children’s activities, planning of youth retreats, and annual Confirmation classes. In collaboration with St. Matthew’s Parish School, the parish’s elementary and middle school, Residents will help facilitate community service opportunities, assist with student chapel services, and receive student teaching experience. Finally, Residents will receive an immersive experience with St. Matthew’s Day Camp, the parish’s summer camp program, learning valuable skills in camp administration, leadership development, outdoor education, volunteer coordination, and program culture.


Read more


More information here or via Josh Chamberlain, the Residency Program Coordinator.

Forma annual conference invites all to 'Come Away Together'


The Forma Annual Conference, "Come Away Together / Retirémonos Juntos," will be held online and in-person Jan. 27 - 30, 2025. Forma, "A Ministry of Lifelong Learning at Virginia Theological Seminary" is the network for Christian Formation for the Episcopal Church and beyond.


Forma's annual conference brings together Christian formation practitioners for an intentional time of networking, learning, and inspiration. There are two ways to participate in 2025: through Zoom or by traveling to an on-site retreat to experience the conference in community. Either way, our plenaries, worship, and workshops will be highly engaging and interactive. Our theme, Come Away Together (Retirémonos Juntos), comes from Mark 6:31-32: “‘Come away to a deserted place all by yourselves and rest a while.’ …And they went away in the boat to a deserted place by themselves.” (NRSVA) This year we will offer live Spanish interpretation for the entire conference. Registration will open on October 15th. Visit the website to learn more and subscribe to the Forma newsletter to receive an email when registration opens. Questions may be directed to Sarah Bentley Allred at admin@forma.church.


Seminary of the Southwest announces full scholarship packages for ministry training


Seminary of the Southwest will offer full scholarship packages to the entire annual cohort of full-time residential master of divinity and diploma of Anglican studies students beginning with the 2025 - 26 academic year.


These scholarships will assist students by fully financing tuition, on-campus rent, health insurance through the Episcopal Church Medical Trust, books, and childcare. Made possible by the generous, expanded support of the Episcopal Foundation of Texas, this new approach will replace the previous award process that was based on demonstrated financial need.

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This Week

CPG_logo_tn image

CPG recommends webinar series for financial, retirement management


[Church Pension Group] Need help getting started with a retirement savings plan? Interested in learning money musts for managing your finances? Fidelity is presenting a series of webinars especially created to help with smart strategies for a more secure retirement. The Church Pension Group recommends these webinars for clergy and lay employees of Episcopal churches.


The webinars will be tailored to your needs as an Episcopal Church Retirement Savings Plan (RSVP) or The Episcopal Church Lay Employees’ Defined Contribution Retirement Plan (Lay DC) participant. Remaining workshop titles, dates and times are:


Thursday, November 21, 9 a.m. PT

Five Money Musts


Thursday, December 19, 2024, 9 a.m. PT

Invest Confidently for Your Future


Click on the workshop names to register.

Reminders

Episcopal Church releases 2023 Parochial Report

[The Episcopal Church – November 8 2024] The Episcopal Church’s newly released 2023 Parochial Report indicates a slowing of congregational closures and a recovery of average Sunday attendance after declines during the COVID-19 pandemic. And while overall membership during the past decade has steadily dropped, the year-to-year rate appears to be stabilizing.


Total income and expenses for The Episcopal Church have steadily increased since 2016, with income exceeding expenses each year, including in 2023. Even so, the impact of inflation means that a dollar in 2019 would cost $1.19 to buy in 2023, which contributes to a slow erosion of churchwide buying power. Stock market gains also skew the ability to analyze current trends and project future income.


These and other facts were shared during a presentation of the report to the Executive Council during its Nov. 7-9 meeting in New Brunswick, New Jersey. The Parochial Report is the oldest, most continuous gathering of data by The Episcopal Church. The data is published on the General Convention website, along with a summary and analysis.

The report offers the following snapshot of The Episcopal Church in 2023:


  • Total congregations: 6,754
  • Total members: 1,547,779
  • Total average Sunday attendance: 410,912
  • Total income: $2.5 billion
  • Total expenses: $2.4 billion
  • Total “plate and pledge” funds: $1.4 billion

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Seeking Episcopal young adult input in ‘Toward a New Generation of Leaders’ survey  

 

The Episcopal Church’s Department of Faith Formation is seeking survey participants ages 18-32 as part of a three-year, partially grant-funded project to identify the gifts and challenges of Gen Z ministry within the church and enhance program development. The survey—available online here—is open until Dec. 2.

 

The first phase of data collection, which surveyed parish leaders and Episcopal camp counselors, resulted in these initial findings.

 

Young adults currently or recently engaged in Episcopal Church activities, particularly those involved with Faith Formation’s youth ministriesyoung adult and campus ministriesEpiscopal Service Corps, and Young Adult Service Corps, are encouraged to respond to this newest survey. Participants will be asked for their impressions, experiences, and recommendations for ministries.

A Sign for You: Episcopal Advent and Christmas Resources



[The Episcopal Church] In Luke’s telling of the Christmas story, startled shepherds are the first to hear that good news of great joy given to all people. Since then, through generations and generations, across the world, we keep sharing this Good News, receiving signs from God that, in the coming of Jesus Christ, we have received the greatest gift of all.


The Episcopal Church wants to help you and your congregation share that Good News with each other and your neighborhoods, especially this Advent and Christmas. Find our free resources based on invitation, the Way of Love, racial reconciliation, faith formation, and more here.


Resources include a customizable Advent and Christmas video; an Advent curriculum, “Journeying the Way of Love”; an Advent calendar to accompany the curriculum; bulletin inserts; a special Advent calendar for children and families; and more. Resources are available in English, Spanish and French.

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The Episcopal Church’s Young Adult Service Corps invites 2025 applicants


[The Episcopal Church — October 29, 2024] Seeking Episcopalians ages 21 to 35 interested in international mission engagement, the church’s Young Adult Service Corps (YASC) is accepting applications for 2025 placements. The deadline to apply online is Jan. 31.


For more than two decades, YASC participants have served in areas of administration/communication, agriculture, community development, education, health care, parish ministry/chaplaincy, social services, youth work, and more, while participating in the daily life and ministry of churches, cathedrals, and dioceses around the Anglican Communion. Learn more in this new “Discover YASC” video.

 

Alumni repeatedly share about the deep, life-changing impact of their year of growth and service. Episcopal Diocese of California Bishop Austin Rios, the first YASC alumnus to be elected a bishop, credits YASC with introducing him to the larger Anglican Communion and opening his heart to multilingual ministry spaces.

 

While serving as rector of St. Paul’s Within the Walls Episcopal Church in Rome, Italy, Rios hosted six YASC members from five dioceses across The Episcopal Church. Of those, three are now clergy and one should be ordained next year.


Read more

Contact Elizabeth Boe with questions.

WCC releases 2025 Week of Prayer for Christian Unity resources


[World Council of Churches— October 10, 2024] At least once a year, Christians are reminded of Jesus’ prayer for his disciples that “they may be one so that the world may believe” (see John 17.21). Hearts are touched and Christians come together to pray for their unity. Congregations and parishes all over the world exchange preachers or arrange special ecumenical celebrations and prayer services.


Traditionally, the week of prayer is celebrated between Jan. 18 and 25, between the feasts of St. Peter and St. Paul. In the southern hemisphere, where January is a vacation time, churches often find other days to celebrate it; for example, around Pentecost, which is also a symbolic date for unity.

Read more and access the resources here.

Coaching available for GFS Outreach Grant applications


Brainstorming and application support is available via Zoom for the GFS Outreach Grant for programs benefiting girls and young women. This significant grant fund is available to any church in the Diocese of Los Angeles.


To schedule an appointment on Zoom to brainstorm program ideas and ask questions about the application process, please email grants@gfscalifornia.org. Applications are due on Feb. 15, 2025.

TENS 2024 stewardship materials now online


The Diocese of Los Angeles has renewed its membership in TENS: the Episcopal Network for Stewardship, which offers stewardship resources, teaching and training opportunities. 

 

The diocese's membership provides access to TENS materials for all its congregations. To log on, visit the website, select "Annual Pledge Campaign" from the navigation bar and "Walk in Love" from the dropdown menu. The password for 2024 is Ephesians5:2. (Note: the password is case sensitive and there are no spaces. No user name is required.) Materials are available in English and Spanish and in MS Word and PDF versions.

 

The theme for the year is Walk in Love, "a celebration of the joy and gratitude we have for God and our community that lead us to share our stories, our journeys, and our gifts," according to TENS. "Our resources are making a special effort to lift up diverse voices as we share the stories that inspire us to share our wealth, works, and wisdom with our ministry."

Links

Diocese of Los Angeles


Diocesan Calendar


Diocesan Convention


Episcopal Community Federal Credit Union customer service email: customerservice@episcopalcredit.org


The Episcopal News

Contact: Janet Kawamoto, editor

213.482.2040, ext. 251

editor@ladiocese.org


The Angelus

The Rev. Canon Pat McCaughan, editor

revpatmccaughan@aol.com

Office of Formation & Transition Ministry


TENS website | Log-in page

2024 Password: Ephesians5:2


Diocesan Investment Trust


Affordable Housing Information and Resources

From the Rev. Michael Bell, director of housing and business development for Episcopal Communities & Services.

Selected links from items previously published in the Resource Roundup are below for your reference.


FROM THE DIOCESE


Reserve St. Paul’s Commons retreat, event space

Canon Anilin Collado, retreat center manager, is available to assist with all reservations and pricing schedules; she may be reached by email at retreat@ladiocese.org or phone at 213.482.2040, ext. 250. Full information, including photos and capacity of event spaces, is available online.


The official Episcopal Church LGBTQIA+ Pride logo


Future Focused: Technology integration at your Episcopal Credit Union

Information about new services being offered by Episcopal Community Federal Credit Union, based at St. Paul's Commons.


Bishop’s Commission on Liturgy & Music

Contact: The Rev. Canon Susan Russell, srussell@ladiocese.org


Episcopal Enterprises guide to sharing church space


Insurance requirements for independent contractors


Gun violence prevention toolkit


Safe Church, Safe Communities training

For information about Diocese of Los Angeles requirements, contact Canon Anilin Collado, missioner for Human Resources, at acollado@ladiocese.org or 213.482.2040, ext. 250. Related information: Who should take Safe Church training?


Checks to the diocese must be made out to “The Protestant Episcopal Church” or “Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles.”


Mileage rate: The current IRS mileage rate (as of January 1, 2024) is 67 cents per mile.

FROM THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH

'Beloved Community' resources

Responding to racism, police brutality, and community trauma


General Resources

Episcopal Racial Reconciliation Resources, including sections on how to ACT, PRAY and LEARN:


Police Reform


Racial Justice Action and Prayer


A Year of Prayers to End Racism

Scriptures related to justice, lament, and solidarity, to assist with preparing a liturgy, finding direction and encouragement, or calling communities to work for justice:

  • Exodus 22:21-23
  • Micah 6:8
  • Isaiah 58:6-12
  • Isaiah 61
  • Psalms 10, 13, 89, and 103
  • Luke 4:16-21
  • Ephesians 6:12-20
  • Hebrews 13:1-3
  • Hebrews 13:1-3

CURRICULA


Exploring the four orders of ministry: video, discussion guide


EPF Lay Preacher Training Curriculum: information here


Women's Lectionary by Wilda C. Gafney: weekly study (register here)


Christian Nationalism study guide

A three-week study guide to The Psychology of Christian Nationalism: Why People Are Drawn In and How to Talk Across the Divide by Pamela Cooper-White, from the Engagement Across Difference Ministry of the Diocese of Los Angeles.


Bearing Witness

A free video-based study program that shares the stories of people living in Palestine and Israel and the remarkable ministries of the Diocese of Jerusalem. From American Friends of the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem (AFEDJ).


Love God, Love God’s World 

A nine-session, film-based curriculum, ideal for Episcopalians anywhere on the journey with creation care and environmental ministry. From the Creation Care ministry of The Episcopal Church.

U.S. GOVERNMENT RESOURCES


FEMA security guide for churches


Allied Against Hate: A Toolkit for Faith Communities


Protecting Places of Worship: Six Steps to Enhance Security Against Targeted Violence (Fact Sheet)


Protecting Houses of Worship: Perimeter Security Considerations (Infographic)


First Responders Toolbox: Tips to Engage Religious Communities to Protect Places of Worship

Employment Opportunities

Listings for clergy employment in the Diocese of Los Angeles are here. (Scroll down the page.)


Listings for lay employment are here.

Resource Roundup, a weekly publication for clergy, wardens, church office staff and lay leaders of the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles, is emailed on Tuesdays (alternate weeks from mid-June to mid-August). Items for inclusion may be sent to Mostyn Trudinger-Smith, at mtrudinger-smith@ladiocese.org by noon on Mondays.