January 15, 2023

Staff profile

Inclusion warrior, liturgy expert, advocate and mediator: the Rev. Canon Susan Russell keeps the conversation going

By Pat McCaughan

[The Episcopal News – January 11, 2023] The Rev. Canon Susan Russell, diocesan Canon for Engagement Across Difference – once “a suburban housewife and soccer mom with the boat slip and French doors and Junior League life” and now a globally recognized lesbian priest activist – has starred in a documentary about her odd friendship with a Mormon filmmaker, preached truth to power on a hill overlooking Canterbury Cathedral, led diocese-wide conversations about racial reconciliation and Christian nationalism, and earned the nickname ‘Queen of the Sound Bite’ in her quest for equity and full inclusion in The Episcopal Church.

The journey continues for Russell, a lifelong Episcopalian, whose early experiences with her beloved late younger brother Bill helped to undergird her current diocesan role. “We grew up disagreeing about absolutely everything our entire life,” she says. “He was doing NRA and I was doing ERA.

“As adults; nothing changed. We agreed about almost nothing other than we loved each other and would always be there for each other. For me, the idea of engaging across difference was just how I was raised.”

Engagement “is such a key piece of Bishop [John Harvey] Taylor’s vision for the work we want to do together,” she said, “that we center our hope in Christ around bridging differences being the via media. My job is to create and disseminate curriculum and opportunities for engagement and to amplify voices where that’s already happening.”

Read more here.

Coming this weekend

Join Presiding Bishop Michael Curry for ‘Power of Love’ MLK Service Jan. 15 at Christ the Good Shepherd Church, L.A.

[The Episcopal News – January 3, 2023] The Most. Rev. Michael Curry – whose prophetic leadership as presiding bishop of The Episcopal Church spans 16 nations – will visit Los Angeles on Martin Luther King Jr. weekend to keynote a Jan. 15 “Power of Love” service set for 3 p.m. at Christ the Good Shepherd Episcopal Church, 3303 W. Vernon Avenue, Leimert Park (Los Angeles) (pictured below).

The Rt. Rev. John Harvey Taylor, bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles, will welcome Curry to the service planned to highlight King’s insight that “Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into a friend.” The theme also echoes Curry’s longstanding international focus on “The Way of Love.”

“Bishop Curry’s is the most important voice in 21st century Christianity. Dr. King was our great prophet of justice in the 20th century,” Taylor said in announcing the service. “On behalf of the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. planning team, I extend thanks to Christ the Good Shepherd Church for their hospitality. But we can’t guarantee that the roof will stay on!”

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass will attend and offer greetings amplifying Dr. King’s vision of “building beloved community.” Music will be provided by the Episcopal Chorale Society during the liturgy planned by the diocesan Program Group on Communications and the MLK service planning group.

All are invited to attend the 90-minute service. To assist with seating configuration, advance registration (at https://bit.ly/MLK-service_011523) is requested, but tickets are not needed for admission. The service will be livestreamed via the diocesan Facebook page and YouTube channel.

A dynamic voice for justice and peace, Curry is chief pastor of the Episcopal Church. He began his nine-year term in 2015 after being elected The Episcopal Church’s first African American presiding bishop. Biographical information is here.

This article appears on the Episcopal News website here.

Presiding Bishop Curry to ordain five to priesthood in rites on Jan. 14 at St. John's Cathedral

Presiding Bishop Michael Curry, acting on behalf of Bishop Diocesan John Harvey Taylor, will ordain five to the priesthood at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 14 at St. John's Cathedral.

The five ordinands are the Rev. Timothy Paul Hartley, the Rev. Ryan Michael Macias, the Rev. C. Susanne Wright-Nava, the Rev. Stacey Forte Dupré, and the Rev. Brian Joseph Tucker. The preacher will be the Rev. Canon Julie Morris, former director of The Abundant Table, a farm ministry she founded in 2004 as part of her campus ministry at Cal State Channel Islands. (The Abundant Table ministry closed late in 2022.)

The prayers and presence of the diocesan community are invited. As with all events at the cathedral, proof of full vaccination against Covid-19 is required for attendees. The service also will be livestreamed on the cathedral's Facebook page and YouTube channel.

The presiding bishop will preach at a liturgy commemorating the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King on Sunday, Jan. 15 at Christ the Good Shepherd Church, Los Angeles. The service is open to the public; reservations are requested for planning purposes. See the article above or here for more information.

The Bishop's Blog

The Bishop's Blog is online here.

Daily prayer: Southern California rainstorms

January 10, 2023

Gracious God, watch over those at risk from rain, flooding, and dangerous traffic conditions all over the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles today, and especially those traumatized by the deadly mudslides five years ago in Montecito. While praying for relief from these storms for the sake of those in danger, in Anglican fashion, earnestly hoping not to annoy you with the particularity of our prayer, we beseech you to send such moderate rainfall in the weeks and months ahead that the drought will finally be eased. Read more here.

Visitation: All Saints/Todos los Santos, Highland Park

January 9, 2023

The Rev. Otto Vasquez was a member, senior warden, postulant for Holy Orders, and finally priest, all out of Iglesia Episcopal De Todos Los Santos in Highland Park, where he’s now priest in charge. A bishop sees to the pastoral needs of deacons and priests, including making sure they don’t overdo it. And yet I think it’s fair to say that Fr. Otto, who also runs a small contracting business, has fallen through the cracks. Laboring in love is for him both vocation and avocation. Read more here.

Author Judith Favor will lead Stillpoint's Epiphany Quiet Day Jan. 21

Stillpoint: The Center for Christian Ministry will present "Indwelling Spirit: Upwelling Action - An Epiphany Quiet Day with Judith Favor," to be held online Saturday, Jan. 21, 9:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. 

The program will center on contemplative writing, through which "we will listen for ‘the still, small voice’ of the Inner Guide and record what we hear," according to the event announcement. "We will collect an array of epiphanies and conduct a variety of inner dialogues with others, self and society."

Judith Favor is a seasoned spiritual companion, contemplative writing guide and working author. Retired from pastoral ministry in the UCC and educational ministry at the Claremont School of Theology, she enjoys an active life of Quaker service, community engagement at Pilgrim Place and the joys of great-grandmotherhood.

Fee for the program is $70 per person. A a limited number of “no cost” options are also available. For more information and to register, click here.

Bloy House announces new spring formation classes open to clergy and laity

Bloy House, the Episcopal Theological School at Claremont, has announced its Spring 2023 slate of continuing education formation classes for laity and clergy.

Classes beginning in January and February (to be conducted via Zoom) are:

THURSDAYS, JANUARY 12, 19, 26 and FEBRUARY 2, 7 – 8:30 p.m.

Episcopal Identity

Facilitated by Bloy House President Gary Hall and Dean Linda Allport

How would you describe the Episcopal Church - its theology, its worship and community, its history, and what you love about it - to a friend who has never experienced it? Would you like to know more about this beautiful and welcoming church that we minister in and share together? We will discuss the Book of Common Prayer and worship, the history of the church and its relationship to the Anglican Communion, our authority structure and model of decision making, Episcopal theology and spirituality, and our place and mission in the modern world. We will interactively engage with the topics and each other, leaving with a better understanding of our faith. Class fee: $25. Register here.

MONDAYS, FEBRUARY 6, 13, 20 & 27, 7 – 8:30 p.m.

Reading Ruth: The Politics of Identity, Location, and Change

Facilitated by the Rev. Dr. Mary Tororeiy

The book of Ruth is a kind of a Cinderella story. The thing with Cinderella stories is that they have a beautiful ending, something that gives the reader a welcome sigh of relief, a Hollywood ending. But what about the real story? The story before the end? A famine. Migration. Death. Nothingness. A return. Navigating these changes involves negotiating identities, location, and change. No Old Testament book does it better than the story of Ruth. We will examine the story of Ruth whose foreign-ness reshapes the nature of identity in post-exilic Israel. Using the tools of context and authorial intentions, we will carefully read and re-evaluate the narrative by studying its literary function within the Israelite politics of identity and change. Class fee: $25. Register here.

More classes (details to be announced):

MARCH (dates to be announced)

Lenten Spirituality Class

Facilitated by the Rev. Elizabeth Rechter of Stillpoint.

SATURDAY, APRIL 29

Multi-cultural ministry workshop (title to be announced)

Ministry - lay or ordained- in our diocese is becoming a multi-cultural experience. How do we gain skills and insight, not only to understand others' languages and cultures, but to be open to transformative friendships? A one-day workshop, facilitated by the Rev. Carlos Ruvalcaba and the Rev. Melissa Campbell-Langdell.

ALTERNATE SATURDAYS, 1 - 4 p.m. (click here for dates)

Advanced Preaching

Instructor: The Rev. Dr. Sylvia Sweeney

This class is designed as a practicum to help preachers of all levels improve their preaching skills. Students will develop their homiletical skills through practicing new approaches to preaching and receiving feedback from a supportive peer group. Topics to be covered include developing skills in the art of narrative preaching and storytelling, preaching in a digital context, honing the core message of one’s sermon, preaching as leadership, and connecting head and heart in preaching. This class is especially appropriate for individuals who have gained significant preaching and pastoral experience since their introduction to homiletics. Combination in-person and Zoom. Audit fee: $250. Register here.

ALTERNATE SATURDAYS, mornings (click here for dates)

Episcopal History and Polity

Instructor: The Rev. Dr. Sheryl Kujawa-Holbrook

The purpose of this course is to give students a working knowledge of the history (histories), ethos, and cultures of the Episcopal Church: an appreciation of both the highlights and the challenges of our Anglican North American heritage; and, the ability to apply these insights as religious leaders to pastoral and teaching contexts. The course will survey the more generally acknowledged sources and major issues of Episcopal History and discuss the evolution of ministry and congregational life. The course intentionally includes the generally acknowledged figures and sources in the western North American tradition, as well as those outside the traditional canon, such as women, people of color, people from the “majority” world, and the LGBTQi community. Audit fee: $250. Register here.

New 'By Your Side' training sessions to begin in January, 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 trainings will be hybrid (in-person and Zoom). There is no obligation to volunteer at the completion of the training.

Enroll in either of the next 10-hour, 5 week courses. The first will be at MonteCedro in Altadena from Jan. 24 to Feb. 21, Tuesday evenings, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. The second will be at the Canterbury in Rancho Palos Verdes from March 7 to April 4, also Tuesday evenings, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.

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.

From the wider church

Diocese of New York establishes credit union to expand community access to financial services

By David Paulsen

[Episcopal News Service – January 11, 2023] St. James’ Episcopal Church in the Bronx borough of New York serves about 500 people through its parish food pantry. Low-income households, like those receiving the pantry’s assistance, also typically use banks less than the general population. Soon, they and others with ties to the Diocese of New York will have access to a range of financial services through a new entity called the New York Episcopal Federal Credit Union.

The credit union, a diocesan start-up ministry, received its federal charter in November. Now, its volunteer board is finalizing plans to launch operations and welcome its first members later this year.

Across the United States, federally insured credit unions function as member cooperatives – an alternative to for-profit banks. “The existing banking system is for the benefit of banking shareholders,” said the Rev. Matt Oprendek, priest-in-charge at St. James’, who is on the credit union’s inaugural board of trustees and has served as co-chair of the diocese’s credit union task force. “Our target is not just to provide an alternative to middle class folks who may not want to work with a bank,” he said. The Episcopal credit union hopes “to reach the people who don’t use banks at all.”

Read more here.

Rome’s Anglican Centre promotes ecumenism in the Eternal City and beyond

By Lynette Wilson

[Episcopal News Service – January 10, 2023] Every Tuesday, the Anglican Centre in Rome hosts a midday Eucharist in the Chapel of St. Augustine of Canterbury followed by a lively luncheon on its premises in the Doria Pamphilj Palace in Roman College Square, just steps from the Pantheon in the heart of the Italian capital’s historic center.

Founded in 1966 after a meeting between Pope Paul VI and then Archbishop of Canterbury Michael Ramsey, the Anglican Centre serves as the Anglican Communion’s representation in Rome. Today, its director is a liaison between Pope Francis and Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, and it serves as a space for ecumenical encounters and dialogue.

“Since Vatican II, when the center was founded, thanks to visionary and generous benefactors at the time, it has been important that the Anglican Communion has the equivalent of an embassy in the Eternal City,” the Rt. Rev. Michael Burrows, chair of the center’s board of trustees, told Episcopal News Service during a mid-December visit to the center. “This is a place of networking, a place of hospitality, a place of study, a place where all sorts of conversations take place, as befits the sense of the diplomatic, as well as the ecclesiastical nature of Rome.”

Read more here.

Church of England publishes report on historic links to slave trade, announces £100m program in response

[Church of England – January 10, 2023] Church Commissioners for England has published a full report into its historic links to transatlantic chattel slavery and announced a new funding commitment of £100m in response to its findings

The report follows an interim announcement in June 2022, which reported for the first time, and with great dismay, that the Church Commissioners’ endowment had historic links to transatlantic chattel slavery*. The endowment traces its origins partly to Queen Anne’s Bounty, a fund established in 1704.

In response to the findings, the Church Commissioners’ Board has committed itself to trying to address some of the past wrongs by investing in a better future. It will seek to do this through committing £100 million of funding, delivered over the next nine years commencing in 2023, to a programme of investment, research and engagement. This will comprise: 

• Establishing a new impact investment fund to invest for a better and fairer future for all, particularly for communities affected by historic slavery. 

• Growth in the impact fund will also enable grant funding for projects focused on improving opportunities for communities adversely impacted by historic slavery.

• Further research, including into the Church Commissioners' history, supporting dioceses, cathedrals and parishes to research and address their historic links with slavery, and sharing best practice with other organizations researching their slavery legacies. As an immediate action, Lambeth Palace Library is hosting an exhibition with items from its archives that have links to historic transatlantic chattel slavery.

• The Church Commissioners will also continue to use its voice as a responsible investor to address and combat modern slavery and human rights violations, and to seek to address injustice and inequalities.

Read more here. Photo from the Diocese of Southwark

Congress’ new class has much higher percentage of Christians than American public

By Adelle M. Banks

[Religion News Service – January 5, 2023] The religious makeup of the new Congress bucks the trends seen in American religious life, a new report finds.

The Pew Research Center says the Senate and House members are “largely untouched” by the continuing decrease in the portion of Americans who identify as Christian and the comparable increase in the share of those who say they do not have a religious affiliation.

Christians comprise 88% of the voting members of the 118th Congress who are expected to be sworn in this week (week of Jan. 3), a number that has not changed much since the 1970s, when 91% of members said they were affiliated with that faith.

The American population, on the other hand, has seen a drop in those identifying as Christians, from 78% in 2007 to 63% currently. Close to 3 in 10 Americans (29%) say they are religiously unaffiliated — atheist, agnostic or “nothing in particular” — a far larger portion than 16% in 2007.

Read more here.

Calendar

THURSDAY, JANUARY 12, 7 - 8 p.m.

An Epiphany Taizé

St. Andrew's Episcopal Church

1432 Engracia Avenue, Torrance 90501

Information: 310.540.1722

The mutual ministry of St. Andrew's and Christ Church, Redondo Beach, invite all to this candlelit service of music, meditation and prayer. Taizé services will be held in-person or online throughout the year. Online services available here or via Zoom code 911 2340 9275, password 2020

SATURDAY, JANUARY 14, 10 a.m.

Ordination to the Priesthood

St. John's Episcopal Cathedral

514 W. Adams Blvd., Los Angeles 90007

Presiding Bishop Michael Curry will preside at the ordination of the Rev. Timothy Paul Hartley, the Rev. Ryan Michael Macias, the Rev. C. Susanne Wright-Nava, the Rev. Stacey Forte-Dupré, and the Rev. Brian Joseph Tucker at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 14 at St. John's Cathedral. The prayers and presence of the diocesan community are invited. As with all events at the cathedral, proof of full vaccination against Covid-19 is required for attendees.

SATURDAY, JANUARY 14, 6 p.m. 

The Bishop's Dinner 2023

St. John's Episcopal Cathedral

514 W. Adams Blvd., Los Angeles 90007

Presiding Bishop Michael Curry will be the guest of honor and keynote speaker at the 2023 Bishop’s Dinner, with proceeds benefiting diocesan ministries. A reception will begin at 6 p.m., followed at 7 p.m. by dinner and the program. Business attire. Complimentary valet parking. Tickets to the dinner are sold out; to be placed on a waiting list, contact Canon Kathy O’Connor, dinner coordinator, at koconnor@ladiocese.org.

SUNDAY, JANUARY 15, 3 p.m.

Martin Luther King Jr. Commemoration

with Presiding Bishop Michael Curry

Christ the Good Shepherd Episcopal Church

3303 W. Vernon Avenue, Los Angeles 90008

Curry, well known for his compelling preaching, will deliver a homily at a diocese-wide liturgy commemorating King's life and ministry. Read more here.

SUNDAY, JANUARY 15, 4 p.m.

Evensong

St. Luke's Episcopal Church

122 South California Avenue, Monrovia 91016

Sung by St. Luke's Choir, directed by Kent B. Jones. Evensong, or Evening Prayer, is a centuries-old, uniquely Anglican service created from the sevenfold monastic cycle of prayer, combining the offices of Vespers and Compline. It is a beautiful, reflective service, largely set to music. The St. Luke's Choir, along with guest singers, will sing Evensong in a setting with an excellent pipe organ and exceptional acoustics. Oboist Nathaniel Moore will join the choir for the anthem. Music selections: "O Gladsome Light" by Louis Bourgeois; Preces and Responses by Alan Knight; Hymn 616, "Es flog ein kleins Waldvögelein"; Psalm 115, setting by Kent Bennett Jones; "Magnificat" (with the congregation) by William Crotch; "Nunc Dimittis" (with the congregation) by John Blow; "Entry of the Three Kings" by John Gardner; Hymn 28, "Bromley." A wine and cheese reception will follow the service. Please note that the choir and congregation will be wearing masks.

SUNDAY, JANUARY 15, 6 p.m.

Classical Sundays at Six

St. James in-the-City Episcopal Church

3903 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles 90010

Information: 213.388.3015 or here

“International Laureates Organ Series,” Damin Spritzer, organ. Free. Live-stream and on demand at GreatMusicLA.org.

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 18, 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.

SATURDAY, JANUARY 21, 9:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.

Indwelling Spirit: Upwelling Action - An Epiphany Quiet Day with Judith Favor

Online. Register here

Stillpoint: The Center for Christian Ministry. The program will center on contemplative writing, through which "we will listen for ‘the still, small voice’ of the Inner Guide and record what we hear," according to the event announcement. "We will collect an array of epiphanies and conduct a variety of inner dialogues with others, self and society." Judith Favor is a seasoned spiritual companion, contemplative writing guide and working author. Retired from pastoral ministry in the UCC and educational ministry at the Claremont School of Theology, she enjoys an active life of Quaker service, community engagement at Pilgrim Place and the joys of great-grandmotherhood. Fee for the program is $70 per person. A a limited number of “no cost” options are also available.

SUNDAY, JANUARY 29, 5 p.m.

Chamber Music Concert III: From Vivaldi to Ravel

All Saints’ Episcopal Church

504 N. Camden Drive, Beverly Hills 90210

Information: 310.275.0123 or info@allsaintsbh.org or here

Featuring Camille King, soprano, with Janet Strauss, violin; Leif Woodward, cello; Paul Baker, harp and harpsichord, performing early music works by Samuel Ebart and Antonio Vivaldi, as well as Gabriel Fauré’s "Impromptu in D-flat," and "Five Greek Folk Songs" by Maurice Ravel. Tickets: $20 (students and seniors $10). Admission free with Music Guild donor season pass.

SUNDAY, JANUARY 29, 6 p.m.

Classical Sundays at Six: Los Angeles Virtuosi Orchestra

St. James in-the-City Episcopal Church

3903 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles 90010

Information: 213.388.3015 or here

Conducted by Carlo Ponti. Free. Live-stream and on demand at GreatMusicLA.org.

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 5 p.m.

Choral Evensong for Epiphany

All Saints’ Episcopal Church

504 N. Camden Drive, Beverly Hills 90210

Information: 310.275.0123 or info@allsaintsbh.org or here

All Saints’ Choir sings "Hail, gladdening light!" by Charles Wood; Preces & Responses (St.

David’, Roswell) by Craig Phillips; Magnificat and Nunc dimittis (St. Luke’s, San Antonio) by Craig Phillips; and "Dazzling as the sun" by Gwyneth Walker. A reception will follow the service. 

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 6 p.m.

Classical Sundays at Six: Crossroads School Emmi Chamber Orchestra 

St. James in-the-City Episcopal Church

3903 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles 90010

Information: 213.388.3015 or here

Free. Live-stream and on demand at GreatMusicLA.org.

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 8 p.m.

Quasi una fantasia: David Kaplan, pianist

St. Matthew's Episcopal Church

1031 Bienveneda Avenue, Pacific Palisades 90272-2314

Information here

Hailed by critics as “excellent and adventurous” and possessing “grace and fire” at the keyboard, David Kaplan has performed solo recitals and joined forces with orchestras in some of the most prestigious venues in the world. The title of his program, “Quasi una Fantasia,” borrows Beethoven’s own title for the Moonlight sonata and will feature music of Couperin, Janacek’s Sonata for Piano (1905), Brahms’s Fantasies, op. 116, and a world premiere by composer and cellist Andrea Casarrubios. A graduate of UCLA and Yale University, Kaplan currently serves as assistant professor of piano at UCLA. Tickets: $35. Pre-concert "Liner Notes with Tom Neenan" will precede the concert. All in attendance will need to show proof of full vaccination at least two weeks prior to the concert and will be required to wear a mask.

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 8 p.m.

Golden Bridge Consort

504 N. Camden Drive, Beverly Hills 90210

Information: 310.275.0123 or info@allsaintsbh.org or here

The Golden Bridge ensemble, led by Suzi Digby, OBE, features the finest professional singers in California. Their eighth annual concert will explore the relationship between the English and American choral traditions, and Renaissance works juxtaposed with newly commissioned compositions.

Tickets available at the door, Music Guild members admitted free with season pass. A reception will follow the concert. 

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 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. Live-stream and on demand at GreatMusicLA.org.

Additional events are listed on the diocesan calendar here. Calendar information may be emailed to news@ladiocese.org.

PILGRIMAGE AND TRAVEL

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.

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

Holy Week and Easter in the Holy Land

March 22 - April 2, 2024

A 12-day trip sponsored by St. George's Church, Laguna Hills, and St. Mark's Church, Upland, and led by the Rev. Canon Pat Mccaughan and the Very Rev. Keith Yamamoto. Local guides: Canon Iyad Qumri and Rami Qumri. Accommodations at St. George's Cathedral Guest House, Jerusalem and the Sisters of Nazareth retreat house in Nazareth. Highlights: Palm Sunday mass at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher and traditional procession; Shepherd's Field and Bethlehem; the Sea of Galilee and Jordan River; Jacob's Well; Maundy Thursday worship in the Garden of Gethsemane; Good Friday and Easter Vigil at Calvary and the Church of the Holy Sepulcher; Easter Day at St. George's Episcopal Cathedral; final day at Emmaus Nicopolis. Full itinerary is here. For information, contact the Rev. Canon Pat Mccaughan, revpatmccaughan@aol.com.

EMPLOYMENT

Listings may be sent to news@ladiocese.org. There is no charge.

ALTADENA: Interim Preschool Director. Saint Mark’s School seeks an inspiring and innovative Interim Preschool Director for the 22/23 school year who will ensure the continued excellence and distinction of our program for children ages 2 year, 9 months through 5 years old. The Interim Preschool Director will take a leadership role in all areas that support the school’s core mission, including managing the day-to-day operations of the preschool, providing mentorship to the preschool faculty and staff, and ensuring the preschool program provides the highest quality learning experience and environment for the growth and development of children. Full job description here. Qualified candidates should submit a cover letter and current resume to Kelly Mancuso, assistant head of school, at kellym@saint-marks.org. Date posted: Aug. 20, 2022. Date available: immediately.

BUENA PARK: Administrative Assistant, St. Joseph's Episcopal Church. 15 hours/week. Small parish seeks experienced and cheerful person to handle customary reception and business office tasks. Send resume and letter of interest to stjosephs8300@gmail.com

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.

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: 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: General Maintenance Worker, St. Matthew's Church and School. St. Matthew's is a vibrant community that includes both a church and a achool 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 HR@stmatthews.com.

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.

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 mnager, 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 with a non-AGO flat foot-pedal system that is 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.

OUTSIDE THE DIOCESE

DALLAS, TEXAS: Director of Youth Ministry. Saint Michael and All Angels Church is seeking a leader and committed follower of Jesus Christ to provide adaptive leadership and oversight to the Youth Ministry (6th-12th grade) to build faith, form disciples of Jesus Christ, make a difference in the world and equip parents to disciple their children. Full job description here. All resumes and inquiries may be directed to martha.whitesides@ministryarchitects.com.

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