February 16, 2024

Episcopal chaplain Ann Noble leads a Sunday service at the Los Angeles County women's jail in Lynwood. Photo below shows cross designed and painted by one of the service attendees. File photo

Sunday services in L.A. County jails aided by One Body & One Spirit Appeal grant

Worship services in L.A. County jails will be strengthened and expanded thanks to a $5,000 grant from the diocesan One Body & One Spirit Appeal fund.

"We are so grateful to receive this One Body & One Spirit emergency grant to help us regularly staff Sunday worship services in all Los Angeles County Jail facilities," said Sharon Crandall, jail ministry chaplain who is director of the diocese's PRISM restorative justice outreach.

"For the past couple of years we have been providing weekly worship services at the Forensic InPatient Stepdown Unit (FIP Stepdown Unit) at the women's jail in Lynwood," Crandall said. "Our regular presence there has strengthened our relationship with staff, deputies and the women we serve. With this generous grant we hope to be able to staff a regular worship service at the men’s FIP Stepdown Unit at Twin Towers and the LGBTQ+ Unit at Men’s Central Jail. We have served these areas only periodically since the pandemic."

Crandall notes the importance of the FIP Stepdown Units funded by the county to provide heightened care for those suffering mental illness while incarcerated. A recent Los Angeles Times article on the program at Twin Towers is here.

Crandall also points to the importance of an Episcopal presence in L.A. County jails: "Anchored in our deep liturgical faith and our reliance on scripture, we lovingly welcome all people to join us in worship and community." This accepting approach of meeting individuals at any place they find themselves on their spiritual journeys is a priority for PRISM and a value that is appreciated by both the incarcerated and staff on site, she said.

The Appeal grant was awarded through the diocesan Center for Lay Chaplaincy of which the PRISM ministries are part. The center works to "bring the transforming resources of Clinical Pastoral Education to anyone who needs them."

Crandall and her colleagues at the Center encourage others to consider donating to the Appeal to bring support to other ministries of the diocese.

Launched as an emergency appeal during COVID, the Annual Appeal isn’t just for emergencies anymore. It’s for anything a church or institution needs that isn’t covered by the budget. Every dollar received goes back out the door in a grant. Since 2020, the Corporation of the Diocese has made 70 grants to 56 congregations, institutions, and ministries.

Application deadline for the next grant cycle is May 1, 2024, for awards to be made in June. Details are here.

Thank you for your support of the One Body & One Spirit Annual Appeal – and for making a donation today by clicking the button above.

Please join the 235 donors who, to date, have raised $337,612 in 409 gifts to the 2022-24 Annual Appeal, through which the Corporation of the Diocese makes grants to congregations and institutions seeking to meet unbudgeted expenses. Click here to make a gift or download a grant application packet.

Your support of the diocesan One Body & One Spirit Annual Appeal directly assists congregations working to meet unforeseen, unbudgeted expenses – from repairing a roof to sheltering unhoused neighbors – or any aspect of the corporate life of your church or institution.

Congregations seeking Annual Appeal grants are encouraged to review the application and FAQ information available via the “donate” link below.

To all donors, thank you! And to all who are considering a gift, please follow the link to contribute today.

Please join in giving generously to the 

One Body & One Spirit Annual Appeal.