The
Episcopal News Update
A weekly newsletter serving the Diocese of Los Angeles
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The Rev. Anne Sawyer named interim dean and priest-in-charge of L.A.’s St. John’s Cathedral
by Bob Williams
[The Episcopal News – February 22, 2023] The Rev. Anne Sawyer — a former rector of New York City’s St. Mark’s Church in the Bowery and co-founder of Imago Dei Middle School in Tucson, Ariz. — will serve as interim dean and priest-in-charge of St. John’s Cathedral, Los Angeles, by appointment of Bishop John Harvey Taylor and under a vestry agreement ratified Feb. 19.
“Dean Sawyer is an institution builder, a prophet of justice, and a gifted pastor,” Taylor said. “She will bring experience and new vision to bear as our cathedral lives further into its destiny as a spiritual, cultural, and civic hub in the heart of our diocese and the city of Los Angeles. My diocesan colleagues and I look forward to walking with her, her fellow leaders, and the faithful cathedral congregation in the months ahead.”
"It is my great pleasure to welcome our new dean-in-charge, the Rev. Anne Sawyer, to our beloved cathedral,” Erik Knutzen, senior warden of St. John’s. “We are thrilled to have such a distinguished and experienced leader join our community.”
“I am truly grateful for the call to serve as interim dean and priest-in-charge of St. John’s Cathedral,” said Sawyer, whose ministry there is scheduled to begin mid-March. “I am excited to work with the good people of St. John’s as we live fully into their next phase of ministry and development in the heart of downtown L.A., and into our relationships with God through love.”
Read more here.
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Service in Beaumont remembers Absalom Jones, challenges worshippers to be ‘prophets of resistance’
By Pat McCaughan
[The Episcopal News – February 22, 2023] The Rev. Stacey Forte-Dupré challenged worshippers at the Feb. 19 first annual Absalom Jones service at St. Stephen’s Church in Beaumont to be “prophets of resistance” amid an appreciative chorus of “Amens” and “Hallelujahs.”
Prayer, prophecy, and praise are ways to honor God while offering nonviolent resistance to disrupt the domination, power, and oppression in the world today, she said.
“Absalom Jones is an example of a nonviolent way of resistance. His life and ministry offer us an example of prayer as resistance,” said Forte-Dupré, who planned the service and served as preacher. She is part of the Inland Empire Deanery 7 collaborative ministry triad.
In addition to St. Stephen’s, the triad also includes St. Alban’s Church in Yucaipa and Trinity Church in Redlands. The Very Rev. Bill Dunn, along with the Rev. Cecilia Schroder and Forte-Dupré, share ministry and resources in all three locations. Dunn serves as dean of Deanery 7 and as Trinity’s priest-in-charge; Schroder is primarily assigned to St. Alban’s and Forte-Dupré’s main parish is St. Stephen’s.
Dunn welcomed worshippers to the gathering, including nationally known gospel singer and music minister Sandy Beamon and the Praise Team, and praise dancer Charisma Ballard. Others from across the diocesan community in attendance included: Suzanne Edwards-Acton, co-chair of the Program Group on Black Ministries; and Lacy Mason, a parishioner at St. Peter’s, Rialto, who sang “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” often called the Black national anthem.
Read more here.
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CPE for Lay Chaplaincy to begin spring training sessions
Training for lay chaplains will be offered beginning March 11 by the Center for Lay Chaplaincy (CFLC), a ministry of the diocese led by the Rev. Jana Milhon-Martin.
During a 12-week, in-person training, CPE trainees use case studies, drawn from their own ministry sites, to deepen their self-awareness and interpersonal insight. Along with a small cohort of lay colleagues, trainees examine the meaning they make of their pastoral care and learn to respond to the spiritual needs of others – and develop and deepen their own self-awareness.
Lay CPE cohorts are forming now. Online information sessions are scheduled on the third Thursday of every month: the next meeting is March 16. To learn more and sign up, visit the CFLC website here and select "CPE for everyone."
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The Rev. Paul Robert Elder
June 17, 1937 - February 16, 2023
The Rev. Paul Elder, deacon at St. Aidan's Church, Malibu, and passionate advocate for the poor and homeless, died Feb. 16. He was 86 and had been suffering from cancer. He was active at St. Aidan's until mid-December of 2022.
Survivors include his wife, Barbara Ann Elder, to whom he was married on Feb. 24, 1958; their sons David and Mark; and many grandchildren. Another son, John, died several years ago from leukemia.
A memorial service will be held at 3 p.m. on Thursday, March 2 at Agoura Hills Recreation & Event Center, 29900 Ladyface Court, Agoura Hills 91301. The Rev. Joyce Stickney, rector of St. Aidan's Church, will officiate at the service, which will be followed by a tea reception.
At St. Aidan's, in addition to his liturgical duties, Elder administered The Deacon's Fund to advocate for and directly assist the poor, needy and homeless of the Malibu area. He also was instrumental in forming the ecumenical and community-supported Malibu Task Force on Homelessness, which raised more than $500,000 to hire two full-time social workers, providing housing and support services. Elder and others at St. Aidan's also launched Project Homeward Bound, which identifies homeless people who are willing to rejoin their families, but need financial and logistical assistance.
In addition to his work at St. Aidan's and in the Malibu community, he also was a campus minister at UCLA through St. Alban's Church, Westwood.
Read more here.
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Mimi Alexander Simson
October 20, 1925 - January 5, 2023
Mimi Simson, retired college professor and widow of the Rev. Canon Everett Simson, former dean of St. Paul's Cathedral, Los Angeles, and rector of St. Luke's Church, Monrovia, died Jan. 5 in Medford, Oregon. She was 97.
Survivors include her four children, Michael, Alexander Craig, Shelley and John); daughters-in-law Andrea Aucoin and Suzanne Simson and son-in-law Michael Iskowitz; grandchildren Tom, Caitlin, Jake, Matthew, Chloe, Nicole, Kai, Mike and Olivia and great-grandson Brandon; her sister, Lyn; and several nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews.
No services have been announced.
Simson — described in a memorial Facebook post from her family as "smart, funny, generous, and kind," was a sociology, anthropology and gerontology professor at Mount St. Mary's College (now University), a Catholic college primarily serving women in Los Angeles. She held two master's degrees and wrote a graduate dissertation on access to family planning services for poor women.
Read more here.
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Cathedral service will celebrate Bishop Barbara Harris
St. John's Cathedral invites the diocesan community to a special service celebrating the life and ministry of the Rt. Rev. Barbara Clementine Harris, late bishop suffragan of the Diocese of Massachusetts and first woman bishop in the Anglican Communion.
The service, to be held at 3 p.m. on Saturday, March 11, is sponsored by the H. Belfield Hannibal chapter of the Union of Black Episcopalians (UBE) and the Program Group on Black Ministry of the Diocese of Los Angeles. Bishop John Harvey Taylor will be the celebrant; the Rev. Canon Lynn Collins, first vice president of the church-wide UBE, will preach.
A video invitation to the service is here.
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Diocesan service commemorating Absalom Jones set for Feb. 26
The Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles Program Group on Black Ministry and The H. Belfield Hannibal Chapter of the Union of Black Episcopalians invite the diocesan community to an Absalom Jones Celebration Evensong Service at 4 p.m. on Sunday, Feb 26 at Holy Faith Church, Inglewood.
The celebration commemorates the life and witness of Absalom Jones, the first African-American priest in the Episcopal Church, who gained his freedom in the post-Revolutionary War era. Jones, who contributed greatly to one of the first free Black communities in the United States, is remembered on the Episcopal Church's calendar on Feb. 13. A biography is here.
The Rev. Margaret McCauley, deacon at St. John's Cathedral, will preach; the Rev. Joseph Oloimooja will preside. A soul food reception will follow the service.
A video invitation to the service is here. Holy Faith Church is located at 260 N. Locust Street, Inglewood 90301.
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Event at St. Mary's, Laguna Beach, will celebrate Black history, art
St. Mary's Episcopal Church, Laguna Beach, will host a free cultural events on Friday, Feb. 24, 6 - 8 p.m., to celebrate African American art, music and literature, sponsored by the local nonprofit organization We All Matter.
The event, titled Expression Through Celebration, will celebrate the 97th anniversary of the first African American/Black history commemorations (starting with a week-long observance in 1926).
Multiethnic art will be on display. Laguna Beach resident and saxophonist Reggie will host the music, featuring a 70s – 90s Motown lineup. Donations will be taken at the door, and light refreshments will be served.
The celebration will be held in the parish hall at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church, 428 Park Avenue, Laguna Beach.
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The Bishop's Blog is online here. | |
Retirement celebration for the Rev. Jeannie Martz at Trinity Church, Orange
February 20, 2023
After spending nearly half an adulthood helping raise her sons, Jamie and Ian, Jeannie Martz, then living with her family near Chicago, had a bracing vision of helping raise hungry hearts heavenward — and doing so in a church where gender was no longer a bar to top leadership.
Read more here.
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Visiting St. Peter’s, Rialto – in person
February 20, 2023
As I prepared to visit St. Peter’s Episcopal Church – Rialto, CA on Sunday, I planned to say that it was good to be back after over two years. Good thing I checked first. As it turned out, my October 2020 visitation was a Zoom morning prayer service conducted by the then-bishop in charge, the Rt. Rev. Samuel Azariah. During those pandemic days, I’d gotten no closer to Rialto than our family room in Pasadena.
Read more here.
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Desert Spirituality for Men
By the Rev. Canon Brad Karelius
[Anglican Theological Review – November 2022] Brad Karelius, an Episcopal priest and professor, has provided us with two distinct enterprises in this brief volume. Each is valuable in its own way. The first two-thirds of the book are generous memoirs honoring important relationships in the author’s life. Some are intimate as within in his family, and others are inanimate desert landscapes and Iron Curtain adventures. Most are formal and informal relationships ranging from spiritual directors to what the Celtic tradition would call “soul friends.” The memoir section is generous because Karelius allows us to see only the rough topography of his life but not the details. His focus is on others and the difference they have made in his life. In this sense, the book is more about chemistry than accomplishments, receiving rather than giv ing. The effect is to keep the stories grounded in his personal experiences of others with out the reliance on personal pronouns that characterize so many personal reflections.
Read more here.
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'Inspiring Voices' at St. Edmund's, San Marino, will focus on spirituality in cinema
As part of its continuing speaker series, "Inspiring Voices," St. Edmund’s Church, San Marino, will host Jeanette Reedy Solano, author of Religion and Film: The Basics, on Thursday, March 2.
In her book, Solano explores movie themes that shed light on faith, redemption, and contemporary lifestyle issues. A filmmaker, critic, and associate professor at Cal State Fullerton, Solano will focus her talk on the 2020 award-winning film Minari, as outlined in her book. In the acclaimed drama, a Korean American family struggles in their new life as farmers in a rugged area of Arkansas. Clips of the film will be shown to help enhance the discussion.
Inspiring Voices was launched in 2022 by the Rev. Jenifer Chatfield, rector of St. Edmund's. It is aimed at sharing “the healing power of stories.”
The March 2 event will begin with a reception at 6:30 p.m. followed by the program at 7 p.m. All are welcome. St. Edmund’s Episcopal Church is located at 1175 San Gabriel Blvd., San Marino.
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SAVE THE DATE
2023 Episcopal Night at Dodger Stadium set
The Diocese of Los Angeles will once again descend on Echo Park for Episcopal Night at Dodger Stadium on Friday, Sept. 1 for a games against the Atlanta Braves, according to the Rev. Canon Greg Larkin (AKA "Canon Baseball"). Tickets may be ordered through each congregation's coordinator; more information will be available after Easter. For now, please save the date.
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Singers invited to join St. Luke's, Monrovia, for annual Women's Evensong Invitational
After a three-year interruption due to the Covid pandemic, St. Luke's, Monrovia, will welcome experienced female singers from congregations around the diocese to take part in its annual Women's Evensong Invitational in Lent on Sunday, March 19. Singers will be asked to join a 2:30 rehearsals for the 4 p.m. service.
Singers may also attend rehearsals on the preceding Sundays, March 5 and March 12, at 12:30 p.m. Music will be available in PDF form ahead of time. Sight reading ability and advance preparation are essential, as there is little rehearsal time. In addition to an anthem, the choir will sing two canticles, the psalm (Anglican chant), two hymns, Preces and Responses and "Phos Hilaron."
All are invited to attend the Evensong, which will be followed by a wine and cheese reception.
To participate, contact Kent Bennett, St. Luke's music director, at stlukesdirector@aol.com. An information sheet is here.
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'Under My Roof': A Lenten invitation to discern the welcoming of refugees
As Lent approaches, Interfaith Refugee and Immigration Service (IRIS), the Diocese of Los Angeles' migration ministry, invites Episcopalians to a three-session Zoom series on welcoming refugees.
“Lent beckons us to take especially seriously Bishop Taylor’s Convention call to imagine a world where everyone belongs, everyone is free and safe, everyone has an equal and a blessed place,” said Troy Elder, IRIS’s executive director. “This series will help congregations prayerfully reflect on how God might be calling them to join in Christ’s work in welcoming our newest neighbors.
Occurring on three Wednesdays in Lent — March 1, 15, and 29 at 5 p.m — the series is designed to equip congregations to engage directly in IRIS’s life-saving work of refugee resettlement. It will feature testimonials from around the diocese from those who have housed refugees, whether on a church campus or in a private home, and will explain the different types and levels of engagement that are possible.
To register, email Ruben Tomasian, IRIS’s manager for Capacity Building and Community Outreach, at rtomasian@ladiocese.org.
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Episcopal Church-sponsored 'Concert for the Human Family' coming to the Southland
The Concert for the Human Family, a traveling series funded and organized by the office of Presiding Bishop Michael Curry, will come to the Diocese of Los Angeles in two performances: 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 25 at St. Cross Church, Hermosa Beach; and at 7 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 26 at St. Patrick's Church, Thousand Oaks.
The concert, with the theme of racial reconciliation brings together Grammy-nominated composer Kory Caudill and Wordsmith, a Baltimore-based songwriter, artist and performer, to explore the idea of Beloved Community through music and spoken word.
"The Concert for the Human Family is an inspiring collaboration between musicians and church leaders who believe in the power of music and storytelling to foster Beloved Community," according to the event announcement. "Experience genre-crossing original music that bridges jazz, hip-hop, rock and bluegrass, performed by a performed by a multi-cultural, award-winning team of recording artists, led by Kory Caudill and Wordsmith. Guided by their music and friendship, they invite concertgoers into an exploration of Beloved Community and the power of racial reconciliation through relationship."
Tickets are $20 ($15 for students), and may be purchased here for the Hermosa Beach performance and here for the Thousand Oaks performance. The concert will also be held on Feb. 24 at St. Dunstan's Episcopal Church in San Diego (information is here).
Video resources for the Concert for the Human family include a concert reel; a video showcase; and a behind-the-scenes video series.
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James K.A. Smith to deliver Stern Lecture at Pacific Palisades parish
The Parish of Saint Matthew, Pacific Palisades, has announced that James K. A. Smith will deliver the 2023 Stern Lecture, to be held at St. Matthew’s on Friday evening, March 3, and Saturday morning, March 4. Smith will also serve as guest preacher at the 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. services on Sunday, March 5.
Smith is professor of philosophy at Calvin University He serves as editor-in-chief of Image journal, a quarterly devoted to “art, mystery, and faith,” and is author of On the Road with Saint Augustine: A Real-World Spirituality for Restless Hearts. Smith’s lecture will explore the ways in which Augustine is surprisingly dialed into the challenges and opportunities of the present moment. Trained as a philosopher with a focus on contemporary French thought, Smith is an award-winning author and widely traveled speaker, and has emerged as a thought leader with a unique gift of translation, building bridges between society and the church.
Lecture schedule is:
Session One: Friday, March 3, 7:30 p.m.
A Spirituality for Wanderers and Wayfarers: Augustine & Monica on Route 66
Session Two: Saturday, March 4, 9 a.m.
The Art of Testimony: Augustine the Storyteller
Session Three: Saturday, March 4, 10:30 a.m.
Ambition, Anxiety and Friendship: Augustine Our Contemporary
There will be a short break between the Saturday morning sessions, and a light lunch with be offered for registered participants on Saturday at noon. The event will be held at St. Matthew's Church, located at 1031 Bienveneda Avenue in Pacific Palisades. The Stern Lecture is free of charge; however advance online registration is required (click here or visit The Parish of St. Matthew website.
The Stern Lecture was established in 1986 by W. Eugene Stern in memory of his wife, Libby Naffziger Stern, and is dedicated to bringing international scholars to the Parish of St. Matthew for lectures and preaching opportunities. For more information, email connect@stmatthews.com or call the church office at 310.454.1358.
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All are invited to inaugural Shepherd's Cup Golf Classic on April 24 at Industry Hills Golf Club
Tournament will benefit diocese's capital campaign
[The Episcopal News – February 1, 2023] The first-ever Shepherd's Cup Golf Classic and Dinner will be held on Monday, April 24 at the Industry Hills Golf Club and Pacific Palms Resort in the City of Industry, one of the most distinctive golf facilities on the West Coast and home to several professional golf tournaments.
Proceeds from the event will benefit the Generation to Generation capital campaign supporting the mission and ministries of the Diocese of Los Angeles.
The golf tournament is open to foursomes and individuals; prizes will be awarded to the winners. Registration for a foursome is $800; for an individual, $225. Early-bird registration for a foursome is $800; for an individual, $225. (Prices will rise after March 1.) Registration includes green fees, use of putting greens and the driving range, golf bag drop-off service, a golf cart, golfer grab bag, and the evening reception and banquet. The tournament will begin at 11 a.m.
Read more here.
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How is God calling you? The Commission on Ministry will help with discernment at March 4 workshop
The Commission on Ministry (COM) of the Diocese of Los Angeles will hold a one-day Discernment Information Gathering (DIG) workshop for church members who wish to explore what answering a call to ministry - lay or ordained - can mean in their lives.
The in-person workshop will be held on Saturday, March 4, 9:30 a.m. - 3 p.m. at St. Paul's Commons, 840 Echo Park Ave, Los Angeles.
"We’re often surprised that God calls us ... all of us," according to the commission's announcement. "Today’s world pulls us in so many directions that it's sometimes hard to discern. Have you been wondering where God is calling you in your life, your work, your church and beyond?"
The day will include defining discernment, group discernment exercises, and an explanation of the orders of ministry. It will also include breakout sessions led by experts from around the diocese on the Ordination Process, Opportunities for Lay Leaders, Sponsoring Clergy Responsibilities, Spiritual Direction, Bi-vocational Ministry, Education Pathways, Chaplaincy, and Congregational Discernment.
Cost is $20 per person, which includes lunch. Registration is required; click here. For information, contact Cameron Johnson, cjohnson@stcross.org or 310.415.0288.
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Registration is open for summer sessions at Camp Stevens
Camp Stevens, the diocese's facility in Julian, California, opened registration for its summer camp sessions on Feb. 1
The summer schedule is:
- Adventure Session 1: July 9 – July 14
- Adventure Session 2: July 16 – July 21
- Adventure Session 3: July 23 – July 28
- Adventure Session 4: July 30 – August 4
- International Odyssey: August 6 – 12
Teen Wilderness Trips will also be available:
- Sea Kayaking 1: July 10 – 14
- On the Road: July 23 – 28
- Sea Kayaking 2: August 7 – 11
Camp Stevens uses tiered pricing, and encourages families that are able to pay at the top tier to help make camp available to as many children as possible. Camperships are available: application forms may be filled out after the camper is registered.
To register, click here. Families registering for the first time will need to create an account; returning families will need to update their passwords.
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Bloy House announces new spring formation classes open to clergy and laity
Bloy House, the Episcopal Theological School at Los Angeles, has announced several continuing education and formation classes for laity and clergy.
The fee for formation classes is $25. Click here for more information and to register.
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TUESDAYS, MARCH 7, 14, 21, and 28, 7 – 8:30 p.m.
The Spiritual Journey: A Lenten Exploration
Facilitated by the Rev. Elizabeth Rechter
This Lent, Bloy House will offer an interactive, contemplative experience that invites participants into a deep exploration of their personal spiritual lives in a safe, small-group setting. It will be a time to reconnect with God in body, mind and spirit to see more clearly the path that is beckoning you. Exploring together the topics of prayer, the sacred in the daily, images of God and theological assumptions that guide us, and our own experiences of God. Facilitated by the Rev. Elizabeth Rechter, Stillpoint’s director since 2015. Stillpoint, The Center for Christian Spirituality, an institution of the Diocese of Los Angeles, has been offering programs for spiritual exploration & formation for nearly 40 years.
Coming in April/May
Registration and details will be announced soon.
SATURDAY, APRIL 29
21st Century Ministry in Multicultural Contexts:
Enjoying our Colorful Tapestry
Ministry - lay or ordained- in our diocese is a multicultural experience. How do we gain skills and insight, not only to understand others' languages and cultures, but to be open to transformative friendships? One day workshop, facilitated by the Rev. Carlos Ruvalcaba and the Rev. Melissa Campbell-Langdell. Note: class will be hybrid in-person and Zoom.
SATURDAYS, APRIL 29, MAY 6, 13
Deacons: Who, What, Why
Three two-hour sessions will offer a glimpse into the life and history of the diaconate. Facilitated by the Rev. Dennis Sheridan.
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New 'By Your Side' training session to begin in March
By Susan Brown
Since 2011, the mission of By Your Side has been to support people in times of change and difficulty, particularly in health crisis, and to be at their bedside at the end of their lives as needed. We train volunteer community members to be a compassionate presence.
While we continue to develop teams of people to serve in hospital settings, since 2013 we've also trained residents and neighbors of our ECS communities to be even more present with one another. Residents have companioned their peers having difficulty with changes in their lives, with challenging diagnoses, sometimes with increasing frailty, and notably with adjusting to life in our Courtyards memory care. Staff have had the opportunity to deepen their understanding of what it means to really be “with” the residents they support, and residents, staff, and members of the larger communities all gain tools for taking care of themselves while being there for others.
The pandemic brought all of us to an acute awareness of life’s fragility, realizing that what is most important is connection. As we move back into greater physical closeness, we take with us a renewed commitment to being with one another, no matter what.
Please join us in this exploration. Our next training will be hybrid (in-person and Zoom). There is no obligation to volunteer at the completion of the training.
The next 10-hour, five-week course will be held at the Canterbury in Rancho Palos Verdes on Tuesday evenings, 6:30 - 8:30 p.m., from March 7 to April 4.
To enroll, email sbrown@ecsbyyourside.org or call 818.822.6044 for more information. Enrollment is limited to 30 people. A fee of $70 (which includes all materials) is due by the second class. Scholarships are available. CE (12 hours) for nurses is available for an added $30 under California Board of Registered Nursing Provider Number CEP 16239.
Susan Brown is administrator of By Your Side, a ministry of Episcopal Communities & Services.
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Episcopal Church announces delegates, invites churchwide participation in 67th UN Commission on the Status of Women
[The Episcopal Church – February 22, 2023] Returning in person for the first time since the pandemic began in 2020, The Episcopal Church and Anglican partners will advocate for global issues that impact women and girls in all their diversity at the 67th session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (UNCSW) in New York City, March 6 - 17.
A presiding bishop’s delegation of nine women will represent the church in person and virtually at the conference. All Episcopalians and Anglicans are invited to register online for events that include the following:
- Monday, Feb. 27, 4-5:30 p.m. ET (virtual): “Welcome to CSW67: Meet the Presiding Bishop’s Delegation,” a meet-and-greet, Q&A session
- Monday, March 6, 12:10-1 p.m. ET (hybrid): “UNCSW67 Opening Eucharist” for all participants, hosted by the presiding bishop’s delegation
- Friday, March 17, 12:10-1 p.m. ET (hybrid): “UNCSW67 Closing Eucharist”
- Thursday, March 23, 4-5:30 p.m. ET (virtual): “Taking It Back Home: Report Back from the Presiding Bishop’s Delegation,” Q&A session
This year’s conference theme — ”innovation and technological change, and education in the digital age for achieving gender equality and the empowerment of rural women and girls” — is timely, considering how the world has evolved since the pandemic began, noted Lynnaia Main, The Episcopal Church’s representative to the United Nations.
Read more here.
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Global South archbishops reject Welby’s leadership role, vow to ‘re-set’ Anglican Communion
By David Paulsen
[Episcopal News Service – February 20, 2023] Conservative archbishops who lead 10 of the Anglican Communion’s 42 provinces issued a letter Feb. 20 rejecting the continuation of the archbishop of Canterbury’s historic leadership role in the worldwide communion, part of what the archbishops called a structural “re-set” over the Church of England’s decision to allow blessings of same-sex unions.
The archbishops, through an alliance that calls itself the Global South Fellowship of Anglican Churches, mostly from Africa and Asia, said they can no longer recognize Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby as the “first among equals,” citing their conservative interpretations of Bible passages that they say forbid homosexuality.
With Welby “no longer the ‘leader’ of the Communion,” they said, they will “expeditiously meet, consult and work with other orthodox primates in the Anglican Church across the nations to re-set the Communion on its biblical foundation.”The 10 archbishops who signed the statement were joined by two archbishops from breakaway provinces that are not recognized as part of the Anglican Communion, the Anglican Church in North America and the Anglican Church in Brazil. Their endorsement reflects a large slice, but not the entire swath, of Global South leadership. The leaders of at least 10 other Global South provinces did not sign the statement and are no longer listed as full members of the Global South Fellowship on its website.
Read more here.
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Episcopal ACC members return from Ghana with stories of engaging with Anglicans around world
By David Paulsen
[Episcopal News Service – February 21, 2023] The three Episcopal members of the recently concluded 18th Anglican Consultative Council returned to their home dioceses this week encouraged by their experiences developing closer relations with Anglicans around the world through their shared mission in Christ.
About 110 members from 39 Anglican provinces attended the Feb. 12-19 meeting in Accra, Ghana, for prayer, worship and discussions of the operations, ministries and mission of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The communion is made up of autonomous, yet interdependent churches that all have historic roots in the Church of England.
The Episcopal Church was represented by Maryland Bishop Eugene Sutton, the Rev. Ranjit Mathews, the Diocese of Connecticut’s canon for mission, advocacy, racial justice and reconciliation, and Annette Buchanan, a lay leader in the Diocese of New Jersey and former president of the Union of Black Episcopalians.
In a joint Zoom interview with Episcopal News Service on Feb. 17, Sutton, Mathews and Buchanan discussed some of the week’s highlights, as well as notable actions taken by ACC-18 and their expectations for The Episcopal Church’s future engagement with other Anglican provinces.
Read more here.
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Probe questions integrity of Florida’s second bishop election, citing anti-LGBTQ+ discrimination
By David Paulsen
[Episcopal News Service – February 20, 2023] A churchwide panel has concluded that exclusionary policies in Diocese of Florida limited which clergy and lay leaders were eligible to vote on a new bishop and “cast doubt on the integrity of the election process” — placing part of the blame on a pattern of anti-LGBTQ+ discrimination that spanned outgoing Bishop John Howard’s nearly 20 years leading the Jacksonville-based diocese.
The conclusions are outlined in a 33-page report and 153 additional pages of supporting exhibits that were compiled by The Episcopal Church’s Court of Review after it investigated five objections to the diocese’s Nov. 19 election of the Rev. Charlie Holt as bishop coadjutor. It was the second such election – both won by Holt and both disputed – to determine who will succeed Howard when he retires later this year.
The 14-member panel of the Court of Review declined to affirm three of those objections, saying there was no evidence that the outcome of Florida’s second election was affected by how the delegates present were counted, the timing of the election or the diocese’s decision to hire Holt after his previous election as bishop coadjutor in May was invalidated.
Read more here.
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Provinces invited to name saints for inclusion on new worldwide Anglican Communion calendar
Reports received by ACC-18 also include study of ‘virtual’ Eucharist
By David Paulsen
[Episcopal News Service – February 17, 2023] Does your local Episcopal church celebrate the feast day of Hannah Grier Coome on Feb. 9 or Rota Waitoa on May 22? Likely not, since those church saints are venerated by the Anglican provinces of Canada and Aotearoa, respectively, and are not included on The Episcopal Church’s official calendar of saints.
Episcopalians, however, in addition to celebrating their own saints, will be able to learn about and celebrate historical religious figures from across the Anglican Communion under a plan endorsed this week by the Anglican Consultative Council. All 42 Anglican provinces, including The Episcopal Church, will be invited to submit names and biographies to be included in a worldwide Anglican Communion calendar.
At the 18th ACC meeting, taking place Feb. 12-19 in Accra, Ghana, members also accepted a report scrutinizing localized experiments with “virtual” Eucharist during the pandemic, and they discussed the Anglican Communion’s commitments to fighting climate change and raising up Indigenous voices.
Read more here.
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New study confirms ICU chaplains offer more than prayers
By Kathryn Post
[Religion News Service – February 17, 2023] It’s hard to forget your first time in the ICU.
Strangers obscured by masks and gowns, beds surrounded by wires, constant beeping — it can feel like you’ve stumbled into a warped, disorienting alternate universe.
It’s true for patients — and it’s true for their loved ones.
For decades, hospital chaplains have offered hope and solace to patients and family alike as they navigate the trauma of being in the intensive care unit. But the impact of those efforts is often intangible, hard to measure and generally anecdotal.
But thanks to a new study of ICU patients’ family members and loved ones, data now confirms what many chaplains already know: Proactive, enhanced spiritual care leads to better spiritual and psychological outcomes.
Read more here.
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SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2 - 4 p.m.
Film Screening and Q&A: Blurring the Color Line
All Saints Church
132 N. Euclid Avenue, Pasadena
(Online and in person: email rjm.ascpas@gmail.com for online link)
Featuring a Q&A with filmmaker Crystal Kwok. In Blurring the Color Line, Kwok "unpacks the history behind her grandmother’s family, who were neighborhood grocery store owners in the Black community of Augusta, Georgia during the Jim Crow era" and "serves to disrupt racial narratives and bridge divides." Presented by the Racial Justice Ministry and AAPI and Friends Community of All Saints Church. Free: all are invited.
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2 p.m.
Young Artist Showcase: Beethoven and His Contemporaries
St. Mark's in-the-Valley Episcopal Church
2901 Nojoqui Avenue, Los Olivos
Information and tickets here
Featuring top talent from Santa Barbara County private teaching studios.
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 6 - 8 p.m.
The Guibord Center: Screening of Hebridean Treasure,
with John Philip Newell
The Los Angeles Baha'i Center
5755 Obama Blvd., Los Angeles 90016
Information here
Register here
“Hebridean Treasure: Lost & Found” is a film version of a live-stage dance, music, and song performance by some of Scotland's most talented young artists in which the acclaimed writer John Philip Newell tells the story of Celtic spirituality and its love of Earth through the lens of the Western Isles of Scotland. It includes the pathos of the "Highland Clearances" in which tens of thousands of Scots were cleared from their ancestral lands, an injustice that has been perpetrated repeatedly against Native peoples throughout the world. All events at The Guibord Center are free and open to the public. Earth and Soul will request a free-will offering to help them complete the product. Free parking on-site and hospitality will be available.
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 1, 7 p.m.
Piano Recital: Conor Hanick
St. Mark's in-the-Valley Episcopal Church
2901 Nojoqui Avenue, Los Olivos
Information and tickets here
Hanick will perform works by Berg, Galina Ustvolskaya, Ligeti, and Beethoven on a Steinway Concert Grand Model D — which measures nine feet – courtesy of the Music Academy of the West in Santa Barbara. Hanick also will present a master class at St. Mark's on Tuesday, Feb. 28, 5 p.m. (Selected students from the area will participate; free and open to the public.) Recital tickets are $20 (free for students).
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THURSDAY, MARCH 2, 6 - 7:30 p.m.
Jump In & Dig Deeper: Episcopal Church 101 Classes (first session)
All Saints Church
132 N. Euclid Avenue, Pasadena 91101
Register here
Information: Thomas Diaz, tdiaz@allsaints-pas.org
Episcopal Church 101 is a series of presentations, discussions and small group meetings designed for anyone wanting to go deeper into the history, theology and core values of the Episcopal Church. The five-session hybrid (in person and online) course will be held on Thursday evenings March 2, 9, 16, 23 & 30. The program will conclude with the opportunity to receive the sacramental rite of Confirmation when Bishop Gene Robinson visits All Saints on Sunday, April 16.
SATURDAY, MARCH 4, 5 – 7 p.m.
Escuela para Ministerios en Español
All Saints Church (Seminar Room)
132 N. Euclid Avenue, Pasadena 91101
Register here
Information: Alfredo Feregrino, 626.583.2713 or aferegrino@allsaints-pas.org
Alfredo Feregrino leads. All Saints Church, Pasadena, offers Escuela para Ministerios en Español in partnership with the Diocese of Oregon. Dates are: Saturdays: March 4, 18, and April 1 (every other week). The program, taught entirely in Spanish, consists of five modules of formation that will be conducted throughout the liturgical year – and you can join at any time during any module. This program is offered for anyone interested in learning and engaging in an immersive Spanish Theological experience. The five modules are 1. Theology and Spirituality, 2. Theological Reflection, 3. Sacred Scriptures: Hebrew Bible and New Testament, 4. Church History and Anglican-Episcopal Tradition, and 5. Sacraments and Liturgy. Sacraments and Liturgy will be the module for Spring 2023. See the syllabus here.
SUNDAY, MARCH 5 at 5 p.m.
Choral Evensong
All Saints’ Episcopal Church
504 N. Camden Drive, Beverly Hills 90210
Information: 310.275.0123 or info@allsaintsbh.org or here www.allsaintsbh.org
All Saints’ Choir will perform "Pilgrims’ Hymn" by Stephen Paulus; Preces & Responses by Gerre Hancock; Magnificat and Nunc dimittis (Mt. St. Alban) by David Hogan; and The Beatitudes by Arvo Pärt. A reception will follow.
SUNDAY, MARCH 5, 6 p.m.
Classical Sundays at Six: Colburn Youth Orchestra
St. James in-the-City Episcopal Church
3903 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles 90010
Information: 213.388.3015 or here
Conducted by Maxim Eshkenazy. Free. Livestream and on demand at GreatMusicLA.org.
MONDAY, MARCH 6, 6 p.m.
Homeless Memorial
All Saints Church
132 N. Euclid Avenue, Pasadena 91101
Each year, thousands of homeless people die on the streets of our nation due to illness, exposure or violence, many from Pasadena, without the dignity and respect they deserve. Please join us Monday, March 6, at 6:00 p.m. in the Church, as we honor and acknowledge their lives and membership in the human family. For more information and/or to provide the name of someone you know who has lost their life on the streets (so they can be acknowledged in the service), contact Melissa Hayes at 626.583.2725 or mhayes@allsaints-pas.org.
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SUNDAY, MARCH 12, 4:15 p.m.
Solemn Evensong
St. James in-the-City Episcopal Church
3903 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles 90010
Information: 213.388.3015 or here
Choir of St. James’, James Buonemani, director. Free. Livestream and on demand at GreatMusicLA.org.
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 15, 7:30 - 8:30 p.m.
Taizé Service
All Saints’ Episcopal Church
504 N. Camden Drive, Beverly Hills 90210
Begun many years ago at the ecumenical French monastic community called Taizé,these services, with candlelight and singing of chants, are a wonderful way to refresh in the midst of a busy week.
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SUNDAY, MARCH 19, 4 p.m.
Women's Evensong Invitational
St. Luke's Episcopal Church
122 South California Avenue, Monrovia 91016
Sung by the women of St. Luke's Choir and invited guests. Directed by Kent B. Jones. (See item in "Events and Announcements" for more information.) A reception will follow the service.
SUNDAY, MARCH 19, 5 p.m.
Chamber Music Concert IV: Clavierübung III
All Saints’ Episcopal Church
504 N. Camden Drive, Beverly Hills 90210
Information: 310.275.0123 or info@allsaintsbh.org or here
All Saints' own Collin Boothby, in his first solo recital at the church, presents Clavierübung III, Johann Sebastian Bach’s monumental organ mass, bookended by the famous "St. Anne" Prelude and Fugue in E-flat. Some of Bach’s finest chorale preludes are included in the collection, which contains pairs for each tune, representing Luther’s large and small catechisms. Tickets: $20 (students & seniors $10). Admission free with Music Guild donor season pass.
SUNDAY, MARCH 19, 6 p.m.
International Laureates Organ Series: Jonathan Ryan
St. James in-the-City Episcopal Church
3903 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles 90010
Information: 213.388.3015 or here
Free. Livestream and on demand at GreatMusicLA.org.
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Additional events are listed on the diocesan calendar here. Calendar information may be emailed to news@ladiocese.org. | |
The Holy Land
April 12 - 22, 2023
Members of the Diocese of Los Angeles community are invited to join members of St. James’ in-the-City Episcopal Church for a pilgrimage to the Holy Land in April 2023. We hope you will consider coming along on this exciting and soulful adventure. Walk the footsteps of Jesus during an 11-day pilgrimage to the Holy Lands and Jordan, with Pastor Jim Boline of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church and the Rev. Dr. Kate Cress of St. James in-the-City Episcopal Church. Itinerary is here. Click here to register.
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Turkey: Footsteps of Paul
April 14 - 29, 2023
Scheduled for the week after Easter, this tour will be led by the Rev. Canon George Woodward, vicar of St. Paul's Anglican Church, San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, and former rector of St. Edmund's Church, San Marino. The itinerary will follow the travels of St. Paul of Tarsus, with stops in Istanbul, Antioch, Tarsus, Cappadocia, Lystra, Konya, Antalya, Perge, Ephesus and Kusadasi. Canon Woodward lived in Turkey for two years and is personally familiar with all the tour destinations. The tour cost of $3365 per person (double occupancy) will include tour guide and manager, deluxe hotels, daily breakfast, some lunches and dinners, coach transportation and entrance tickets. (The main tour group will depart from Mexico City; pilgrims from other areas will fly directly to Istanbul.) Operated by St. Cecilia Tours. For detailed information and to register, click here. Photo: Hagia Sophia, Istanbul
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EMPLOYMENT
Listings may be sent to news@ladiocese.org. There is no charge.
GLENDORA: Organist. Grace Episcopal Church is seeking a professionally trained church organist to be a part of our strong and vital music ministry. The organist will be expected to play for one Sunday service and one choir rehearsal per week, feast days, and for festive concerts. We offer a traditional Rite II service at 10 a.m. on Sundays. The preferred style of music is classical sacred music, ranging from Palestrina to Rutter. The pipe organ is by Manuel Rosales, built in 1977, with a new console in 1980, and substantial reconditioning work in 2016. The organ has two manuals and 26 ranks. The organist will work directly under our choirmaster/director of music in a collaborative manner. Salary: $18,000. Weddings and funerals will provide additional compensation. A full job description is here. Send resume to the Rev. Susan Scranton via email at grace@graceglendora.org or by postal mail at 555 E. Mountain View Avenue, Glendora 91741.
LOS ANGELES: Administrative Assistant, St. Philip's Episcopal Church. Part time (no more than 15 hours/week). On site as much as possible. Wage: $18/hour. Requires English and Spanish. Full job description here. Contact: Marc Nesbit, senior warden, at bx94860@yahoo.com or the Rev. Thomas Quijada-Discavage at tdiscavage@ladiocese.org.
LOS ANGELES: Coordinator for Refugee Housing, Interfaith Refugee & Immigration Service (IRIS). Identify and secure safe, affordable, appropriately furnished housing that meets the Cooperative Agreement for refugee clients. Conduct home visits for safety evaluation and housing orientation with newly arrived refugee clients. This position manages home furnishing donations and coordinates donation drives and deliveries. This position reports to the Resettlement Supervisor. Position will be based out of the IRIS office located at 3621 Brunswick Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90039. The job also entails traveling to and from client appointments, airport pick-up, home visits and other community events, trainings and meetings. Full job description / application instructions here.
PASADENA: Director of Giving, Development and Economic Justice, All Saints Church. The director reports to the rector and will provide leadership, strategic direction, management and coordination of all fundraising and fund development efforts for All Saints Church. The director will stimulate and sustain an attitude of generosity throughout the institution and lead the community in articulating a theology of giving and faithful engagement with economic systems in our personal and corporate lives. Full job description here. Submit cover letter and resume to Samantha Kramer, skramer@allsaints-pas.org.
SAN MARINO: Parish Administrator. St. Edmund's Episcopal Church is looking for a full-time parish administrator to manage our office and assist in the success of our various ministries and operations. The administrator likes people, is organized, is a collaborative team-player, but also able to work independently, is open to new ideas, a self-starter, professional, available and flexible and is able to multi-task.A full job description is here.
SOUTH PASADENA: Parish Administrator. St. James’ Church is seeking a Parish Administrator. A full-time, exempt position, the parish administrator supports the overall work process of the church office, works with the priest-in-charge and parish accounting manager, and provides general supervision to the office volunteers and contractors. Prior experience as a church/parish administrator in one or more churches is preferred (experience in an Episcopal parish a plus). Social media (at a minimum, Facebook, Instagram, and Mailchimp) and database skills are important. Must possess excellent interpersonal and communication skills. For more information, please contact the Rev. Michelle Baker-Wright at mbaker-wright@sjcsp.org or 626.799.9194.
THOUSAND OAKS: Head of School. St. Patrick's Day School seeks a skilled educator whose leadership is distinguished by a warm, welcoming, and inclusive personal manner, exceptional verbal and written communication skills, a commitment to values-based education and spiritual development, and a love for young children. They will bring the skills, initiative, and drive to help further realize a compelling and sustainable vision for the future of the school. Position information and application instructions are here.
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 nwhitson@stpatricksdayschool.org.
UPLAND: Music Director and Organist. St. Mark’s Episcopal Church seeks a part-time Music Director and Organist who can bring gifts, creativity, faithfulness, and joy to our community. The Music Director is central to our shared ministry and life together as a Parish. Sunday worship responsibilities include playing one hymn at the conclusion of our 8 a.m. service, rehearsing with singers and other musicians, and accompanying worship at our 10 a.m. service. Practices for our choir, handbells, and band have been held in the late afternoon and evening one or two days per week. We have a 2-manual tracker pipe organ, E.& G.G. Hook and Hastings, Boston, 1873, Opus 734. We also have an Eric Herz harpsichord, Kawai spinet piano, handbells and chimes. The salary range is $18,000 to $26,000 per year, depending upon experience and scope of responsibilities. Weddings and funerals will provide additional compensation. A full position description is here. Cover letter, resume, references, and links to musical performance recordings should be sent to our selection committee, in care of juniorwarden@stmarks-upland.org.
WESTCHESTER: Parish Administrator, Holy Nativity Episcopal Church. Part-time. Good communication skills, computer skills, and organization skills required. $20/hour at 15 hours per week (over 3-4 days per week. Contact: The Rev. Michael Foley, holynativityrector@gmail.com or 310.670.4777.
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Episcopal Church Center
LOCATION NEGOTIABLE / NEW YORK, NY: Editor/Reporter. Episcopal News Service is seeking a full time Editor/Reporter to join its team and help to embolden the church's primary source of news and ministry of storytelling. Full job description here.
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The Episcopal News Update is published on Wednesday afternoons. News items, job listings, calendar items, questions and comments may be sent to editor@ladiocese.org. Weekly deadline is Tuesday at 12 p.m. Photos are welcome: please include them as email attachments (rather than embedded in a document). To subscribe, click here.
— Janet Kawamoto, editor
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