January 6, 2023

Thanks to Your Generosity, Epiphany, Oak Park Sees The Light!

Another One Body & One Spirit Annual Appeal Story

On this Feast of the Epiphany, recalling the gifts of the Magi to the Christ child, a namesake congregation serving Agoura Hills, Oak Park, and Westlake Village is giving special thanks for current vitality directly sparked by a diocesan One Body & One Spirit Appeal grant received in 2020, during the height of the COVID pandemic. 

This $2,500 emergency grant was awarded in the initial phase of the diocesan Annual Appeal, which in 2022 raised $221,249 in 244 gifts from 174 donors, continuing to fund new grants to offset unbudgeted expenses in local congregations and institutions. New gifts are welcome and encouraged, and grant application information is available here.  

In the following reflection, the Rev. Jamie Barnett, vicar of the Church of the Epiphany, shares her appreciation for this gift and its far-reaching practical benefits.   

“Back in the early summer of 2020, before I came to The Church of the Epiphany, Oak Park, those in church leadership positions determined that they had a technological and financial emergency situation on their hands. They found themselves in critical need of assistance with tech equipment, expertise, and expenses to livestream and/or record their services during the pandemic. Creating community online would require a different set of tools and skills than those needed to create community in person. Suddenly video, lighting, and sound equipment, even a Zoom subscription became survival necessities for Epiphany. 

“The clergy and church leadership had done the best they could with what they had on hand before receiving an Appeal grant, but their initial attempts to bring church into the homes of their parishioners had what they called a “bootleg” feel and appearance. This was especially true before we were able to return to our sanctuaries to record, which meant “church” or some make-shift semblance of it had to be set up in the living rooms or guest bedrooms of clergy persons. (Remember that?) But the leadership at Epiphany was committed to serving and caring for the needs of their congregation, so they seized the opportunity to apply for the diocesan One Body & One Spirit Emergency Grant.

“With those funds the church purchased the much-needed equipment, which arrived near the time clergy were once again able to return to church, which enabled them to create enlivened and enriched recordings that offered parishioners for the first time in months a true touchstone; a glimpse of their beloved yet sorely missed sanctuary. One step closer to the life we all once knew and yearned to have once again. I believe that’s called priceless! 

“What a gift. And now I am the grateful beneficiary of that gift. Who can truly say if there would have even been a church left for me to serve were it not for that sustaining and lifegiving grant. Of course, we are now recovering from the effects of COVID and still searching for our ‘new normal,’ just like everyone else. But part of what is propelling us into the future is the fact that out of those humble and gracious beginnings that launched our ability to record, we now have high-quality digital production services and expertise which enable us to livestream our Sunday services and other events onto our website, Facebook, and YouTube. 

“Today, we are excited to say that more people than ever can join us, as together we discover anew where God is in our lives and in the world around us, whether they’re in person in Oak Park, up in Oakland, or all the way over in Oslo. All are welcome, thanks to the One Body & One Spirit grant from the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles.”

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.

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.