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[The Episcopal News – April 20, 2022] Brother Ambrose Cristobal SSF and Brother Antonio SSF, Franciscan monks who have been resident sextons at St. Paul's Commons in Echo Park for several years, will relocate to their order's San Damiano Friary in the Mission district of San Francisco in the first week of May, Bishop John Harvey Taylor announced recently.

The Society of St. Francis, an Episcopal Church order, "has faced some serious challenges recently, even beyond those posed for the whole world by Covid," Brother Damien Joseph SSF wrote to Taylor when informing him of the brothers' impending move. "It is clear that one of our greatest needs as a community is to be together. This recognition led us to conclude a brief work in NYC, and now brings us to a decision, at least for the moment, to conclude our time in the Diocese of Los Angeles."

Since 2018 Brother Ambrose and Brother Antonio have provided hospitality and security at St. Paul’s Commons, the administrative and ministry hub of the Diocese of Los Angeles. Ambrose took charge of the office's front desk just as the Covid-mandated lockdown began in 2020, greeting visitors and answering phones. Antonio's special mission was to care for the plants in the rooftop space, which functions as an outdoor meeting space for retreat center and other guests. He also provided "friendship and companionship" to members of the staff, especially the building maintenance and management crew, he said – a ministry that reflects his Franciscan vows. Both looked after the property, making rounds of the Commons to make sure doors were locked and spaces secure.

"It has been our blessing and privilege to host Brothers Ambrose and Antonio these recent years," said Taylor. "Their cheerful, prayerful presence has comforted our little (during the pandemic, especially little) Echo Park family. Ambrose is the soul of hospitality at reception (and my daily delight when coming and going). We understand perfectly the need the Franciscan community has to be together after the events of recent months. And yet we will miss them, and miss having the Society of St. Francis as part of the incarnated life of the diocese."

Read more here.

The Episcopal News Update will be on hiatus the first week in May (issue date May 8; usual publication date May 4). Publication will resume for the May 15 issue (publication May 11). As always, announcements and calendar items may be emailed to [email protected].

The Gathering - a space for Asian Pacific American spirituality - invites the diocesan community to an Easter journey celebrating Asian American/Pacific Islander (AAPI) voices. "AAPI Alive!" is a 50-day devotional guide beginning on Easter Sunday and ending on the Feast of Pentecost, celebrating the Resurrection and this season of new life through the beauty and strength of AAPI voices. The Gathering, a ministry of the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles, hopes that these offerings of prose and poetry, photographs, spoken word, visual art, vocals, and musical performance will connect readers to a celebration of the risen Christ and one another.

AAPI Alive! is available here. For ideas on how to use AAPI Alive! in church groups, send an email to [email protected].

"During this pandemic, the AAPI community has suffered a surge of hate and violence because of what we look like each day in the mirror," said the Rev. Peter Huang of The Gathering. "Fear and anxiety have risen and for many of us, historical and personal trauma have brought us to tears and to our knees. Through this devotional guide, we desire to enter into the Resurrection that brings us healing and celebrates who God created us to be – a diverse, vibrant, thriving community.

"We invite you to make space in your day to receive these offerings of insight, joy, and beauty. May they bring healing and hope to you."

The devotional guide is funded by a grant from Becoming Beloved Community – whose mission is to bring racial reconciliation to The Episcopal Church and its community – and from generous supporting churches and individuals.

For the first time since 2019, Bloy House will host its annual graduation ceremony in person. The May 14 service will be the first to be held at the school’s new campus at the ELCA Southwest California Synod headquarters in Glendale. The ceremony begins at 11 a.m. in the Trinity Room upstairs and will follow with luncheon in the courtyard.

Bishop John Harvey Taylor will preach and preside at the Eucharist, which will use the proper honoring Frances Perkins, a ground-breaking Episcopalian who served in the cabinet of President Franklin Roosevelt.

Bloy House welcomes family, friends, and alumni who would like to join the festivities. For reservations, contact Tim Reed at [email protected].

To register for the "Calling All Servant Leaders" workshop, click here.

The Gathering – a Space for Asian Pacific Spirituality – invites all to an afternoon celebration of Asian American/Pacific Islander Heritage Month with fellowship, food, and music on Saturday, May 7, 3 – 5 p.m. on the rooftop at St. Paul's Commons, 840 Echo Park Avenue, Los Angeles 90026.

The event will feature conversations with contributors to "AAPI Alive!," an Eastertide devotional guide celebrating AAPI voices and perspectives on Easter.

All are invited to attend and free secure parking is available. For information or reservations, email to [email protected]. More about AAPI Alive is here.

By Your Side Vigil Companions, which trains volunteers to be a compassionate presence in the lives of those nearing the end of life, will begin new courses in May and June.

Graduates of the program, which is offered by Episcopal Communities and Services, serve in many ways, according to program coordinator Susan Brown. "The mission of By Your Side since 2011 has been to be supportive of people in palliative care and to be at their bedside at the end of their lives as needed," she said. "The pandemic brought all of us to an acute awareness of life’s fragility, and of the immense value of being companioned. In adapting to the reality of COVID, we redefined being “present” to include presence at the bedside and presence without proximity, realizing that what is most important is connection."

The first new five-week online and hybrid training program will begin on May 19 and continue on Thursday evenings, 6:30-8:30 p.m., until June 16. The second class, on Tuesday afternoons, 2 - 4 p.m., will begin on Tuesday, June 21 and conclude on July 19.

There is no obligation to volunteer at the completion of the training.

To enroll, contact Susan Brown at [email protected], or phone 818.822.6044 for more information. Enrollment is limited to 30 people in each class. A fee of $70 (which includes all materials) is due by the second class. Scholarships are available. CE (12 hrs.) for nurses is available for an added $30 under California Board of Registered Nursing Provider Number CEP 16239.

The African American Heritage Club of Laguna Woods will hold its second annual Juneteenth Celebration on Saturday, June 25 at the Laguna Woods Village Clubhouse 5, 24262 Punta Alta, Laguna Woods 92637, beginning at 4 p.m.

The celebration is sponsored by the African American Heritage Club. Allan Williams, a bishop's committee member and lay leader at St. George's Church, Laguna Hills, is among the organizers of the celebration, which will begin with a meet-and-greet at 4 p.m., and continue with a show, live entertainment, finger food and dancing until 10 p.m. Formal attire is requested. Tickets are $30. For more information and tickets, contact Williams at 845.399.0279 or [email protected].

Juneteenth commemorates the Emancipation Proclamation, which was issued on Jan. 1, 1863 by U.S. President Abraham Lincoln, freeing more than three million slaves living in Confederate states. Many enslaved people in Texas didn't get the news until Confederate armies surrendered near the end of May 1865 and Union soldiers, led by General Gordon Granger, arrived in Galveston, Texas on June 19, 1865.

The day on which the slaves learned of their freedom has become an annual celebration throughout the United States. Through the perseverance of Opal Lee, "grandmother" of the movement, President Joe Biden signed a bill in 2021 making Juneteenth a federal holiday. The Diocese of Los Angeles, at its 2021 convention, established the holiday as a diocesan observance.

Launching of the new Fred and Barbara Borsch Writing Workshop will be among highlights of NYA’s 39th annual Scholarship Benefit, a reception set for 5 – 6:45 p.m. on Saturday, May 14 at St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church in Pacific Palisades.

All are welcome to share in this gathering that will recognize some 25 NYA students who have applied for more than $90,000 in scholarships to be awarded in the coming academic year. Under the theme “Opening Doors to a Bright Future,” the benefit also will salute NYA’s Class of 2022. Its members have so far received multiple acceptances to some 35 universities including UC Berkeley, UCLA, UC Irvine, UC San Diego, USC, Fordham, Loyola Marymount, the University of Connecticut, Williams College, and the Cal-State campuses. Most NYA high school seniors are the first in their families to attend college.

Tickets, priced at $125 each, may be purchased through the NYA website or by check (address above). Benefit guests are asked to note that this year’s event has been planned in the format of a catered reception and abbreviated program recognizing health considerations as the pandemic slows. The program also will be livestreamed via NYA’s Facebook and YouTube accounts.

Read more about the Borsch Writing Workshop here.

Join the Rev. Canon Susan Russell (Diocese of Los Angeles canon for Engagement Across Difference and clergy staff, All Saints Church, Pasadena) and Rabbi Heather Miller (Keeping It Sacred) for the last of three discussions of women clergy in their respective religious traditions, Jewish and Episcopalian, at 5 p.m. on Monday, April 25. (The first sessions were held on April 11 and 18.) The sessions, held in honor of the 50th ordination anniversary of Rabbi Sally J. Priesand (June 3) will cover where women clergy have been, where they are and where they are going. This program will be held via Zoom and is free, though donations to Keeping It Sacred or All Saints Church are welcome. Register here.

Please note the following links to public health information in the counties across the diocese, and to California state safety measures here.

[Episcopal Relief & Development – February 28, 2022] Episcopal Relief & Development is mobilizing with Anglican agencies and other partners in order to provide humanitarian assistance to people fleeing the violence in Ukraine. 

Working through the Action by Churches Together Alliance (ACT Alliance), Episcopal Relief & Development will provide cash, blankets, hygiene supplies and other needed assistance.

Donations to Episcopal Relief & Development’s International Disaster Response Fund will provide humanitarian assistance for the crisis in Ukraine.

For more information, contact Linda Allport, Diocese of Los Angeles ministry partner for Episcopal Relief & Development, at [email protected].

Features blog posts, commentary from Bishop John Harvey Taylor: @edlabishop. The blog may also be read here. 

A new series on Twitter (@ladiocese) and Instagram (#episcopaldioceseoflosangeles) – invites audience responses to questions related to Episcopal Church parish life.

Providing insights into issues of policing in local and national contexts, the Bishop’s Commission on Gospel Justice and Community Care invites all in the diocese to follow its Facebook page and engage in daily posts on topics including countering racism and providing mental health-care options for intervention rather than arrest.

Additional diocesan social media feeds to follow and share include the diocesan Facebook page and YouTube channel and The Episcopal News's Facebook page and Twitter (@EpiscoNews_LA).

At the convention, the Diocese of Los Angeles will be represented by its bishop and by four clergy and four lay deputies. In coming months The Episcopal News will include stories about the bishop's and deputies' specific interests, committee assignments and more. During the convention, The News will report daily from Baltimore. Learn more about General Convention here.

Churches consider alternate Good Friday liturgies, Bible translations over concerns of anti-Jewish interpretations (April 12, 2022)

General Convention to consider endorsing 5-part plan to eliminate threat of nuclear war (April 7, 2022)

Toward GC80: Episcopal Church General Convention daily preachers, presiders announced (April 6, 2022)

Middle East resolutions focus on boycotts, apartheid, antisemitism, ‘Christian Zionism’ (April 4, 2022)

Input sought on $101 million 2023-24 church budget; General Convention also to consider process changes (March 15, 2022)

General Convention committee discusses clergy pension assistance as online hearings get underway (February 18, 2022)

Deputies of Color organize for change in Episcopal Church, society ahead of General Convention (September 24, 2021)

More General Convention-related stories from ENS are here.

By Egan Millard

[Episcopal News Service – San Juan, Puerto Rico – April 20, 2022] The Executive Council of The Episcopal Church kicked off its April 20-23 meeting in San Juan, Puerto Rico, its last meeting under its current makeup. The body’s mandate is to implement the policies of General Convention, which convenes July 7-14 in Baltimore, Maryland, where new members will be elected.

The meeting opened with an address from Presiding Bishop Michael Curry, who discussed the results of the recent national poll commissioned by his office and what they mean for the future of the church.

The results of the poll, conducted by Ipsos, were released in March and indicate wide discrepancies between how Christians view themselves and how they are viewed by non-Christians. Curry, referencing the safety signs throughout the London Underground, urged council members to “mind the gap.”

“I think our British cousins are right about this,” Curry remarked. “It’s not just an intellectual exercise. [It means,] pay attention to it. And then navigate so that you transcend the gap and get on the train.”

In this case, the gap is illustrated by the characteristics that Christians associate with themselves – “giving,” “compassionate,” “loving” and “respectful” – versus the traits that non-Christians associate with Christians: “hypocritical,” “judgmental,” “self-righteous” and “arrogant.”

“This could be a moment of despair,” Curry said, “or actually, as President [of the House of Deputies, the Rev. Gay Clark] Jennings may have intimated, a moment of hope. Because in this problem is embedded a possibility. In what looks like something to throw up our hands may actually be something to open our hands.”

Read more here.

[Episcopal News Service – April 20, 2022] The Anglican Church of Canada announced on April 20 the resignation of National Indigenous Archbishop Mark MacDonald amid sexual misconduct allegations against the prominent church leader.

Archbishop Linda Nicholls, primate of the Anglican Church of Canada, called it “devastating news” in a pastoral letter that said MacDonald had acknowledged the misconduct. The letter didn’t elaborate on the nature of the misconduct. “The sense of betrayal is deep and profound when leaders fail to live up to the standards we expect and the boundaries we set,” Nicholls said.

Nicholls reportedly told the Anglican Journal that the misconduct did not involve allegations of criminal behavior.

MacDonald, 68, previously served in The Episcopal Church as bishop of Alaska from 1997 until 2007, when he became archbishop in Canada. Early in his tenure in Canada, he also briefly took on the second role as bishop serving The Episcopal Church’s Navajoland Area Mission.

Read more here.

By David Paulsen

[Episcopal News Service – April 19, 2022] As Russia ramps up the latest phase of its attack on Ukraine nearly two months into the unprovoked war, Episcopal congregations are showing their support for Ukraine in a variety of ways, from making Ukrainian-style Easter eggs known as pysanky to raising money for Episcopal Relief & Development and other agencies responding to the crisis.

Numerous congregations have hosted prayer services and vigils in recent weeks. On April 3, Trinity Episcopal Church in Grand Ledge, Michigan, hosted a vigil “for peace and for the safety and well-being of the people of Ukraine.” Dozens of people attended. St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church in Wheeling, West Virginia, presented “A Concert for Ukraine” on April 5.

Also in West Virginia, Christ Episcopal Church in Bluefield organized an interfaith vigil March 27 in a downtown square for the people of Ukraine. “The scope of the tragedy is almost unbelievable,” the Rev. Lou Hays said in an interview with WVNS-TV.

Read more here.

By Egan Millard

[Episcopal News Service – April 19, 2022] Integrity USA, the nonprofit organization that has advocated for full LGBTQ+ inclusion within The Episcopal Church since 1974, is now officially defunct, having effectively ceased its ministry over the last four years amid controversy over its mission and management.

In late March, Integrity USA (also known as Integrity Inc.) withdrew from The Consultation, a consortium of progressive Episcopal organizations that it had been a member of since 1985. Integrity USA “is now in the post-dissolution winding-up phase,” the organization’s last president, Ronnie Ward, wrote to Consultation convener Laura Russell.

Integrity USA’s status as a nonprofit corporation in Illinois was voluntarily dissolved in January. While some local chapters continue to maintain a presence, the national network has been dormant since 2018, when General Convention approved a resolution granting full churchwide access to same-sex marriage rites.

In a press release announcing Integrity’s withdrawal from The Consultation, Ward said that “some members of Integrity have formed a new organization, Integrity Americas, with the intention to focus on the full inclusion of LGBTQI+ persons in the Episcopal Church, particularly those in Province IX.”

Read more here.

[CDSP – March 31, 2022] The board of trustees of the Church Divinity School of the Pacific (CDSP) announced March 31 that the Rt. Rev. Kirk Stevan Smith, Ph.D., retired Bishop of the Diocese of Arizona, will serve as interim president and dean of the seminary, effective June 6, 2022.

Bishop Smith’s appointment follows the announcement in January that the Very Rev. W. Mark Richardson would retire as president and dean of CDSP at the end of the current academic year.

Read more here. Bishop Smith is a former rector of St. James in-the-City Episcopal Church, Los Angeles.

More reporting from Episcopal News Service is here.

St. Mary's Church in Palms

3647 Watseka Avenue, Los Angeles

St. Mary's Schola Marialis, under the direction of Sean Smith, will sing the Responses by Bernard Rose (1916-1996), Anglican chant psalms, the Evening Service in G by Herbert Sumsion (1899-1995), and the glorious "Surrexit pastor bonus" by Jean Lheritier (c. 1480 - after 1551). Evensong is held on the fourth Sunday of each month at St. Mary's. The church is well ventilated, and no reservations are required.

St. Matthew's Episcopal Church

1031 Bienveneda Avenue, Pacific Palisades

Information and tickets here or 310.573.7422

The Chamber Orchestra of St. Matthew's, under the direction of Dwayne S. Milburn, will present music of Haydn, Aaron Copland, William Grant Still, and Ethan Helm, who with Owen Broder will be a featured soloist in his own composition, Dream Walk Through Istanbul. Also on the program are Quiet City by Aaron Copeland; Out of the Silence by William Grant; and Symphony No. 88 by Franz Joseph Haydn. Masks are encouraged for all audience members. All audience members must show proof of having been fully vaccinated. Proof of vaccine booster is not required at this time.

St. Wilfrid of York Episcopal Church

18631 Chapel Lane, Huntington Beach

Information here

Tickets here

Haydn composed his Lord Nelson Mass during a time of storms and stress, when the world was scary, the future was murky, and music served both to reflect and to relieve the anxieties of the day. In this work, we find some of Haydn's most tempestuous music, and some of his sunniest. The Lord Nelson is considered one of Haydn's greatest achievements, and the Orange County Women’s Chorus is excited to partner with Men in Blaque to present it with full orchestra and some of our favorites soloists. Tickets ($35 general admission; $30 senior (65+); $15 student) must be purchased in advance online.

Proof of vaccination required for entrance.

St. James' in-the-City Episcopal Church

3903 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles 90010

Information here

Tickets here

All Saints’ Church

504 N. Camden Drive, Beverly Hills 90210

Information: 310.275.01, ext.112 or www.allsaintsbh.org

All Saints’ Choir and Orchestra perform Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's Solemn Vespers, K. 339 and Coronation Mass, K. 317. The Vesperae solennes de confessore (Solemn Vespers for a Confessor) was written in 1780, and intended originally for liturgical use at Salzburg Cathedral — it was also his final work for the cathedral, and written just before his opera Idomeneo. Comprised of six movements with alternating sections for chorus and soloists, it is especially well known for its beautiful "Laudate Dominum" for solo soprano. The Mass in C Major was completed in 1779 in Salzburg, and was first performed in liturgical context. The mass appears to have acquired the nickname "Krönungsmesse" ("Coronation Mass") at the Imperial Court in Vienna in the early 19th century, after becoming the preferred music for royal and imperial coronations as well as services of thanksgiving. Tickets: $25 adults / $15 students & seniors. Admission free with Music Guild donor season pass.

St. James' in-the-City Episcopal Church

3903 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles 90010

Information here

Tickets here

Choir of Saint James offers the uniquely Anglican service of Evensong in the style of the great English Cathedrals on the second Sunday of the month at 4:30 p.m.. Freewill offering. Ticket required to attend.

St. James' in-the-City Episcopal Church

3903 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles 90010

Information here

Tickets here

Jeremy Filsell is the newly-appointed organist and director of music at St. Thomas Church, Fifth Avenue, where in April 2019 he assumed leadership of the world-renowned music program and its deeply-admired Choir of Men and Boys, following in the footsteps of illustrious predecessors Gerre Hancock, John Scott, and Daniel Hyde. Read more about this artist here. Ticket required to attend.

St. James' in-the-City Episcopal Church

3903 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles 90010

Information here

Tickets here

Roger Wilkie, violin; John Walz, cello and Edith Orloff, piano, perform Beethoven's Piano Trio in D Major, Op. 70, No. 1, "Ghost" and Smetana's Piano Trio in G Minor, Op. 15. Ticket required to attend.

All Saints’ Church

504 N. Camden Drive, Beverly Hills 90210

Information: 310.275.01, ext.112 or www.allsaintsbh.org

Featuring the Tesserae Baroque Ensemble. The phrase “The Myth of Venice” is used by historians to describe a kind of “Venetian Exceptionalism”; in this formulation, art, architecture, and (of course) music was used to glorify the Republic. In a concert featuring cornetts, sackbuts, strings, and singers, Tesserae brings to life the grandiose polychoral music from the late Renaissance and the early Baroque – the Golden Age of Venetian music – as well as other non-Venetian works inspired by this rich musical tradition. This program includes Venetian music by Andrea and Giovanni Gabrieli and Monteverdi, as well as works in the polychoral style by Diego Ortiz and Hieronymous Praetorius. Tickets: $30, $ 25 seniors and SCEMS, $10 students. Admission free with Music Guild donor season pass.

All Saints’ Church

504 N. Camden Drive, Beverly Hills 90210

Information: 310.275.01, ext.112 or www.allsaintsbh.org

Sung by All Saints’ Choir Schola: Missa Ascendens Christus in altum and Ascendens Christus in altum (motet) by Thomas Luis de Victoria

Center for Spiritual Development

Meeting via Zoom and/or in person (as allowed by health codes). Register here

Part two of an introduction to desert spirituality through the lives and teachings of the desert fathers and mothers, sponsored by the Orange County-based Center for Spiritual Development. "Little known outside of academic circles, the desert ammas/mothers share spiritual medicine for our anxious, frenzied world: silence, solitude, and stillness. We will meet Amma Syncletica of Alexandria and Amma Mary the Harlot (of Egypt). Their earthy wisdom awakens in us renewed awareness that God’s love has always surrounded us." Led by the Rev. Brad Karelius, who has been a priest in the Diocese of Los Angeles for 50 years. For 45 years he was associate professor of philosophy at Saddleback Community College. He is author of The Spirit in the Desert (2009), Encounters with the World’s Religions (2015) and Desert Spirit Places: The Sacred Southwest (2019). When registering, mark your preference for Zoom or in-person. Cost: $20 per person.

Additional events are listed on the diocesan calendar here. For more about Holy Week and Easter services in the Diocese of Los Angeles, click here.

Donors may save up to 15 minutes by completing pre-donation reading and answering health history questions here, rather than filling out forms on the day of donation.

Reservations are required. All donors and staff will be screened before entering the facilities.

St. John's Episcopal Church

Vicenti Hall

4745 Wheeler Avenue, La Verne 91750

Reservations here or call 1.800.RED.CROSS (1.800.733.2767)

Sponsor code: STJOHNS

Additional date at this location is Sunday, July 24.

Will your church host blood drives in coming months? Send the information to [email protected] for inclusion in the calendar. Please include the date, times, location and sponsor code.

Listings may be sent to [email protected]. There is no charge.

BEVERLY HILLS: Controller, All Saints Episcopal Church. The controller is responsible for all facets of financial management and operations, including accounting, financial reporting, budgeting, cash flow management, insurance, and human resources. The controller is a key member of the senior management staff and reports to the priest-in-charge. The controller also works collaboratively with the vestry, treasurer, volunteer groups, committees, and program staff. A full job description is here.

FILLMORE/VENTURA: Community Engagement and Development Coordinator, The Abundant Table, a non-profit, organic certified farm and BIPOC- and women-led worker collective in Ventura County, California that seeks to transform our food system towards justice, liberation, and increased health for all people, while caring for the land and all who tend the land. Community Engagement and Development Coordinator will be responsible to oversee and coordinate the TAT community engagement and development processes, including management; fundraising; community engagement, coordination and development. 30 hours/week; salary and benefits $32,864.Full job description here.

JULIAN: Camp staff and counselors, Camp Stevens. Working a summer job at Camp Stevens isn't your average position. Our summer team is a collection of adventure creating, critical-thinking, empathy giving, game playing, dishwashing, luggage moving, camper inspiring life-changers. Summer Staff and Counselors complete the summer with experience and training in public speaking, child supervision, time management, scheduling and planning, group and team building, leadership styles, communication, restorative justice, trauma-informed care, diversity, equity and inclusion, anti-racism, feedback, food sanitation and handling, facility maintenance, trail work, outdoor skills, astronomy, health and safety management, and collaboration. Positions are open for Summer 2022. Counselors must be at least 16; staff must be at least 18. Compensation varies. Apply for Counselor Training here. Apply for staff positions here.

LOS ANGELES (ECHO PARK): Credit Union CEO/Manager, Episcopal Community Federal Credit Union. To provide strategic, vision, leadership, and management in all functional areas. Plan, direct and control credit union activities in accordance with credit union plans, policies, directives and activities as established by the Board of Directors. Responsible for ensuring financial stability and member satisfaction commensurate with the best interest of members, staff and credit union. A full job description is here. For more information and to apply, click here.

LOS ANGELES: Coordinator for Capacity Building, Outreach and Volunteers, Interfaith Refugee and Immigration Service. IRIS is a program of the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles and the Southern California based affiliate office of Episcopal Migration Ministries (EMM). IRIS offers refugee resettlement assistance, intensive case management and immigration legal services to the low-income refugee and immigrant community of the greater Los Angeles region. The Coordinator for Capacity Building, Outreach and Volunteers will work across IRIS’ departments to build comprehensive community capacity and engagement to support IRIS’ efforts to support refugee and immigrant integration throughout the greater Los Angeles region. This position is responsible for: recruiting, training and supervising volunteers and co-sponsors; tracking and maintaining data; working with IRIS staff, donors and partners to coordinate donations of household goods; coordinating IRIS community engagement efforts including education and outreach to program partners, faith groups, educational institutions, and other community partners; and develop and distribute materials to engage local stakeholders around resettlement service activities that positively impact refugee and immigrant communities in the region. Full job description here.

LOS ANGELES: Preferred Communities Afghan Intensive Refugee Case Manager, IRIS (Interfaith Refugee & Immigration Service). Responsible for coordinating medical and/or mental health services and provide case management to individuals with refugee and asylum status who have significant physical and/or mental health conditions. The PC Afghan Intensive Case Manager will be part of a specialized team within IRIS that focuses on intensive case manager for the agency’s most vulnerable clients. The position will work to promote self-sufficiency and goal attainment for clients, through connections to ongoing programming and mainstream supports, in compliance with IRIS programs and contract guidelines. This position reports to the Refugee Program Supervisor and IRIS executive director. Full job description and application instructions here.

LOS ANGELES: Executive Director, Commission on Schools. The Diocese of Los Angeles and the Commission on Schools are seeking a lay or ordained person with school, preschool, and/or parish leadership experience to be a part of the diocesan staff beginning Summer 2022. Being an Episcopalian is not required but is preferable, and a non-Episcopalian must be willing to fully understand, articulate, and support the ministries of Episcopal schools and preschools. The position is 1000 hours per year, benefits eligible, with the work schedule to be determined by the needs of the position with respect to the school year and diocesan considerations. Please send a cover letter, resume, and a reference list to Canon Anilin Collado via email at [email protected] or by postal mail at 840 Echo Park Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90026 no later than April 30. A job description is here.

LOS ANGELES: Seminary Dean and President, Bloy House. The Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles is recruiting an individual to serve as dean and president of Bloy House, the Episcopal Theological School of Los Angeles. Over its 50-year history, Bloy House has trained generations of lay leaders, priests, and deacons, moving flexibly with the needs of the diocese and the changing realities of academic seminaries. Our vision is that Bloy House will now put greater emphasis on lay formation and will provide an integrating hub for the many excellent existing, but disparate, formation programs in the diocese, as well as visioning new initiatives and expanded constituencies. A full job description is here.

LOS ANGELES: Preschool Director, St. James' Episcopal School. The preschool director oversees the Grammercy Place Preschool and is the supervisor for the St. Andrew’s Place preschool site director. The preschool director is responsible for curriculum, evaluation, professional development and parent and family engagement and communications for both preschool campuses. Website is here. Full job description here.

PACIFIC PALISADES: Live Stream Manager. St. Matthew's Parish is an inspiring house of worship situated in beautiful Pacific Palisades, Los Angeles. The Director of Program Ministry seeks a part-time Live Stream Manager who is an experienced audio/visual consultant to partner with our ministry team to broadcast our live Sunday morning worship service and special services. A full job description is here. Please email your resume to [email protected]. Learn more about St. Matthew's here.

PACIFIC PALISADES: General Maintenance Worker, St. Matthew's Church and School. St. Matthew's is a vibrant community that includes both a Church and a School situated in beautiful Pacific Palisades, Los Angeles. The Director of Facilities and Operations seeks a full time maintenance staff member with maintenance experience. This is a "hands-on" position and the ideal candidate will have repair maintenance and event setup experience, great people skills and a history of providing the highest level of customer service. A full job description is here. Please email resume to [email protected].

THOUSAND OAKS: Assistant Principal, St. Patrick's Episcopal Day School. Duties include helping with admissions, development, parent relations, student supervision, and program development. Candidate must have a college degree, a teaching credential, and a minimum of five years working in a school. Administrative experience is desirable. If interested, please send resume to [email protected].

WOODLAND HILLS: Receiving Supervisor, West Valley Food Pantry. The Receiving Supervisor is responsible for coordinating the daily staging and oversight of a drive-through food delivery operation. Empathy and kindness to the clients should be part of this individual’s makeup. The Receiving Supervisor is the Food Pantry’s liaison with donating markets, and should cultivate excellent communication with the market's managers. Relationships with our volunteers is paramount, and a positive demeanor is a necessity. The Receiving Supervisor is responsible for accepting, tracking and inventory of all incoming deliveries and donations, in cooperation with the Warehouse Assistant. Full job description here.

The Episcopal News Update is published on Wednesday afternoons. News items, job listings, calendar items, questions and comments may be sent to [email protected]. Weekly deadline is Tuesday at 12 p.m. Photos are welcome: please include them as attachments (rather than embedded in a document). To subscribe, click here.

— Janet Kawamoto, editor