View as Webpage

SUBSCRIBE TO THE UPDATE

March 10, 2024

SeedsofHope_Staff_md image

As leadership changes, Seeds of Hope expands food justice ministry


[The Episcopal News – µarch 6, 2024] Steve Trapasso had just finished a food giveaway and cooking demonstration, turning fresh vegetables into nutritious cauliflower soup for residents of West Hollywood apartments, and was headed back to the Seeds of Hope storage hub.


“Every Tuesday we have three distributions in West Hollywood, and at nine different sites throughout the month” as part of their contract with the city and with the West Hollywood Community Housing Corporation, a senior living agency, said Trapasso, who in January succeeded Tim Alderson as executive director of Seeds of Hope, the diocesan food justice ministry.


“We give away about 20 pounds of produce to each person each time they come to a distribution.”


Since Seeds of Hope began in 2013, the ministry has grown to provide over 8 million servings, or 1.6 million pounds of fresh fruits and vegetables annually to more than 180,000 households at 64 sites in collaboration with 25 partner organizations.


“This is all accomplished by a staff of four,” and a full-time student intern, said Alderson, who created the ministry at the request of then-Bishop J. Jon Bruno, and who retired in December 2023. “Seeds of Hope relies heavily on volunteers, who can sign up for opportunities at seedsofhopela.org/volunteer.” The agency raises its funding through grants from a number of sources.


Read more here.

DEADLINE: MARCH 11

Register now for Discernment Information Gathering (DIG) on March 16


From the Commission on Ministry


How is God calling you? We’re often surprised that God calls us … all of us. 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? 


We invite you to the Discernment Information Gathering (DIG) on Saturday, March 16, 9:30 a.m. - 3 p.m. at St. Paul’s Commons, 840 Echo Park Avenue, Los Angeles. The cost is $25 per person, which includes lunch. (Financial assistance is available). Register here by March 11.


The Commission on Ministry knew there was a hunger in the diocese for a different way to look at discernment for lay leadership and ordained ministry. We knew that there must be a way to recognize and capture the energy of discernment. With that in mind, we developed the Discernment Information Gathering (DIG) to help people recognize what discernment is, why it’s important, and what options there are for lay and ordained leadership. We want you to “dig” deep!


At the DIG, you’ll learn about “what is discernment?”, the different orders of ministry, and participate in a discernment exercise. We offer breakout sessions on Chaplaincy, Spiritual Direction, and Opportunities for Lay Leaders. There’s a session titled Education Pathways to provide information about seminary options and classes offered by Bloy House. We also include a workshop for sponsoring clergy to help them recognize and realize their responsibilities to parishioner discernment and development, and a session to train congregational discernment committees. New sessions added this year include EfM (Education for Ministry), which is a great first step for discernment, as well as a session that pertains to the new lay licensing program we have in the diocese. Last but not least is a session that outlines the ordination process for priests and deacons. Some sessions are available in both Spanish and English, and there will be Spanish-language interpretation for the morning plenary session.


The Discernment Information Gathering is hosted by the Commission on Ministry, which is in itself a group focused specifically on discernment, and we want everyone who is interested to be fully versed in the offerings we have in the diocese. We hope you will join us to learn more about how God is calling you on your own discernment journey and how you might accompany others on theirs. For more information, contact Cameron Johnson at cjohnson@stcross.org.

Don't forget to change the clocks this Sunday


Daylight Saving Time begins on Sunday, March 10 at 2 a.m. - and we all lose an hour of sleep.


Don't forget to set your clocks ahead one hour on Saturday night - or, as Yoda warns, late to church you will be.

The Commission's Corner

Lenten reflections from the Bishop's Commission on Gospel Justice & Community Care

The Bishop's Commission on Gospel Justice and Community Care is offering weekly reflections during Lent to support a Gospel perspective for reducing the incarceration rates of marginalized persons and the decriminalization of behaviors that are better addressed through compassion and health-focused strategies.

Seeking healing in the face of brokenness


By Alene Campbell-Langdell


Whenever a serpent bit someone, that person would look at the serpent of bronze and live. Numbers 21:9


God did not send the son into the world to condemn the world… John 3:17

There is a legend that says St. Patrick rounded up all the snakes in Ireland and drove them out, and that is why there are no snakes on the island. I’m sometimes surprised that God’s response to the people’s need for safety from the poisonous snakes in Numbers doesn’t look more like St. Patrick's. Why not get rid of the snakes? Perhaps they are serving an ecological purpose. Or perhaps God simply loves the snakes as part of creation.


Regardless of the reason, the answer God gives to Moses seems strange: if you take the time to stop and really look at the snake, you’ll live. It reminds me of Sister Patricia Terry’s reflection in this column two weeks ago and her challenge to us to truly see our neighbors. 


We have been taught to believe as a society that our safety depends on certain people being condemned—being punished or put behind bars. We have been taught that our safety depends on other people being taken out of society. Yet, if Jesus’ death on the cross is to represent all of us, he must represent all of us—even the parts of us or society that feel poisonous. 


Reflection: What would it mean in our daily lives to see the brokenness in our society, name it, and then seek healing rather than punishment?  


The Rev. Alene Campbell-Langdell, ASW, is a bi-vocational priest who serves as a supply priest in various churches throughout the diocese. Her weekday job is as a crisis clinician working with adolescents. 

The Bishop's Blog (click here for additional entries)

HofB_Feng-Chang_030124_md image

House of Bishops, midway

March 1, 2024


About 145 Episcopal bishops have reached the midpoint of our week-long spring retreat at Camp Allen, outside Houston. We’re talking about a lot of things. Gun violence and theological education. Climate change, human migration, and the Gaza and Ukraine wars. Changes in process for bishops accused of misconduct. Much to talk about — and yet no explicit retreat theme except to listen, reflect, and discern.

Read more here.

Samir-KathyHabiby_022624_2_md image

A visit with Samir and Kathy Habiby

February 26, 2024


The Rev. Canon Samir Habiby was 15 and attending school in Cairo in 1948 when his home town of Haifa, in the north of British Mandate Palestine, became part of the new state of Israel. Most of its Arab residents fled or were driven out. Samir’s father was a judge, and the family had extensive property in and around Haifa. These 76 years later, among his many preoccupations, Samir is in charge of the family’s lawsuit to get it back. At 90, he’s energetic enough that he might just pull it off.

Read more here.

Requiescant in pace

EllenMurasaki-Wekall_tn image

The Reverend

Ellen Speyer Murasaki-Wekall

January 30, 1925 - March 4, 2024


The Rev. Ellen Speyer Murasaki-Wekall, Ph.D., priest of the Diocese of Los Angeles, and counselor and spiritual advisor to dozens of its clergy and lay leaders, died March 4. She was 99.


Survivors include her son, Kiyoshi Murasaki; grandchildren Christopher, Maria and Daniel Bueno, children of her daughter Erika Murasaki Bueno, who died in 2005; and four stepchildren and their families. Murasaki-Wekall also was predeceased by her second and third husbands, Jack Murasaki and Gene Wekall.


Service arrangements are pending.


Wekall, a psychotherapist, served on the Commission on Ministry for many years before and after her own ordination, helping her fellow commissioners and a succession of bishops, from Robert C. Rusack to John Harvey Taylor, understand and evaluate the psychological health of candidates for Holy Orders. She was director of the diocese’s chaplaincy program at Los Angeles County jails and hospitals, a ministry now carried out by The Center for Lay Chaplaincy/PRISM. She also served on Diocesan Council, was president of Deanery 8, and was elected a deputy or alternate deputy to several meetings of General Convention.


Read more here.

Events & Announcements

IRIS invites diocesan community to online discussion of refugee ministry

 

[IRIS – Feb. 27, 2024] In the spirit of Lent, Interfaith Refugee and Immigration Service (IRIS) warmly invites our Episcopal family to “Under My Roof," a reflective Zoom gathering as we explore the sacred journey of welcoming refugees into our community. Join us for two workshops, on March 8 and 15 at 10 a.m., for information on how to help lighten the path for those seeking refuge, guided by the spirit of Lenten renewal.

 

These workshops motivate and empower our congregations for the mission of refugee resettlement, which is the foundation of IRIS's life-saving work. We will explore the various ways and levels to which we may collaborate, engage, and participate to support newly arrived families and welcome them under our roofs, literally or figuratively.

 

To register, click here or email Ruben Tomasian, IRIS’s Capacity Building and Community Outreach manager, at rtomasian@ladiocese.org

By Your Side training to begin April 15 in Palos Verdes


By Your Side will offer a training session on Mondays, April 15 - May 13, 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. at The Canterbury, 5801 Crestridge Road, Rancho Palos Verdes.

         

Since 2011, the mission of By Your Side - a program of Episcopal Communities & Services (ECS), a diocesan institution - has been to support people in times of change and difficulty, particularly in health crisis, and to be at their bedsides at the end of their lives as needed. More than 500 volunteers have been trained to be a compassionate presence.


“We continue to develop teams of people to serve in hospital and long-term care settings, especially in our ECS communities,” says Susan Brown, By Your Side administrator. “There, team members have had the opportunity to deepen their understanding of what it means to really be ‘with’ the residents they support, and residents become even more aware of the needs of neighbors having difficulty with changes in their lives, with challenging diagnoses or increasing frailty.”


For further information and to register, contact Brown at sbrown@ecsforseniors.org or 626.403.5424. A fee of $70 (which includes all materials) is due by the second class. CE credit(12 hours) for nurses is available for an added $30 under California Board of Registered Nursing Provider CEP 16239. There is no obligation to volunteer after the training.

ShepherdsCup_2023_39_md image

Shepherd's Cup Golf Classic slated for April 29 at Industry Hills club


[The Episcopal News – Feb. 21, 2024] The Diocese of Los Angeles' second annual Shepherd’s Cup Golf Classic and Dinner will be held on Monday, April 29 at the Industry Hills Golf Club and Pacific Palms Resort in the City of Industry. The day will begin with fellowship and registration at 9 a.m.; golfers will take to the course at 11 a.m.

 

The fundraising event, which supports the mission and ministries of the diocese, will include the golf tournament, a banquet dinner, and live and silent auctions. Sponsorship opportunities are available. 


Registration includes green fee, use of putting greens and driving range, golf bag drop-off service, golf cart, grab bag, and the dinner banquet, which will feature tournament prizes, the auctions, an opportunity drawing, and special guest speaker Bishop John Harvey Taylor.


Read more here.

Good Friday Offering, special online concert to support Middle East ministries


[The Episcopal Church – Feb. 14, 2024] As The Episcopal Church’s Good Friday Offering prepares to mark 102 years, Presiding Bishop Michael Curry invites the whole church to an afternoon of sacred music and collective giving to support siblings in Jerusalem and the Middle East.


Recorded at Christ and St. Luke’s Church, Norfolk, in the Episcopal Diocese of Southern Virginia, the concert will air online at 12 p.m. (3 p.m. ET) Friday, March 29 on The Episcopal Church’s Facebook page and website. Viewers will have the opportunity to make donations during the event to go toward the offering, also frequently gathered by churches during Good Friday services.


The Good Friday Offering was first gathered in 1922 as an intentional response of The Episcopal Church to support Anglican ministries in the Province of Jerusalem and the Middle East that were impacted by the devastation of World War I, the Spanish flu pandemic, and social and political unrest affecting Armenian Christians, among others throughout that region.


Read more here.

ecw_logo_tn image

ECW will convene Wisdom Circle March 7 to plan for future ministries


Episcopal Church Women-Los Angeles President Christine Budzowski will convene an online Wisdom Circle for members to consider how ECW can best support and encourage ministries throughout the Diocese of Los Angeles. The meeting will be held via Zoom on Thursday, March 7, 7 - 8:30 p.m.


ECW-LA asks that each deanery appoint a representative. In addition, each congregation is encouraged to send a representative to the online meeting, whether or not it has an active ECW chapter. All women members of congregations in the diocese are automatically members of ECW.


ECW is an umbrella organization supporting United Thank Offering (UTO), Daughters of the King (DOK), Girls Friendly Society (GFS), Church Periodical Club (CPC), and other diocesan organizations. It also offers grants for specific purposes as determined by the group. 


"If you have an interest in any of these organizations, please plan to attend," said Budzowski as she announced the event.

 

The Wisdom Circle will use the “Leading With Heart” program developed by Province VIII ECW and presented recently at the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women and The Parliament of World Religions. More information about Leading With Heart is available here.


Register here to receive the Zoom link. Questions may be directed to Budzowski at christine@trinitywebconsulting.com or by text message to 310.948.0056.

Artist-educator Katie Wolf to lead Lenten retreat on 'Crossing Thresholds'


Immaculate Heart Community, headquartered at St. Paul's Commons, invites the diocesan community to its Spring Lent Retreat 2024: "Crossing Thresholds: Spring from Lent to Easter" with artist and educator Katie Wolf, MFA, BFA, as its leader March 8 - 10.


The retreat will be held in person at St. Paul's Commons, 840 Echo Park Avenue, Los Angeles 90026, and will also be offered on Zoom. The schedule is as follows:

  

Friday, March 8, 5 - 7 p.m.

Saturday, March 9, 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. 

Sunday, March 10, 9 a.m. - 12 p.m. Note: Daylight Saving Time begins on March 10.

 

Wolf and members of the Immaculate Heart Community will help participants:


  • Ponder insights from the threshold that Jesus crossed, from what we celebrate in the journey of Lent to resurrection at Easter which inspires us and gives us hope
  • Explore in the context of “thresholds” what it means to move from one experience to another, to cross into new ways of being, what it means to end one thing and begin another, and ultimately what it means in the possibility that each new threshold offers
  • Experience a variety of ways to explore thresholds with scripture, nature, poetry, music and journaling. Wolf will lead several simple creative activities. No previous art experience is required. 

 

In addition to her extensive art practice in a variety of media, Wolf has taught art at St. Ignatius College Prep in San Francisco for 40 years. A biography is on her website.

 

Suggested donations from $50 to $100 are appreciated. Limited accommodations are available at additional cost at the St. Paul's Commons retreat center; for reservations, call 213.482.2040. For information or to register for the retreat, contact Christine Monroe, IHC vice president, at 530.409.6697 or cmonroe@ihworks.org

Climate Change group offers Lenten program on 'Climate + Faith'


The Bishop’s Commission on Climate Change, through its Education Subcommittee, will offer a "Love and Act" online Lenten study program of reading, reflection, prayer and practice using the SALT Project's "Climate + Faith."


The program will be held on Zoom beginning at 11 a.m. on Thursday, Feb. 22 at 11 a.m. Sessions will continue each remaining Thursday in Lent: March 7, 14, 21 and 28.


In these sessions, designed as devotionals, participants will use this short booklet that includes weekly reflections, suggested activities and spiritual practices, and links to videos and enrichment resources.


The program will be led by Rev. Josh Paget of St. Cross Episcopal Church in Hermosa Beach, assisted by Education Subcommittee co-chairs Kate Varley Alonso and Paula Walker.


To register, click here. Download the Climate + Faith resource here. There is a $10 charge, but assistance is available (via the registration form) for anyone needing financial help. No one will be turned away for lack of funds. 

Download the New Camino flyer here. An Episcopal News story about the seminar (with registration links) is here.

Camp Stevens summer camp registration open


Registration is open for summer sessions for children at Camp Stevens, the diocesan facility in Julian, California.


Camp sessions will be held the following weeks:


  • Session 1: June 23 – June 28, ages 8-15
  • Session 2: July 7 – July 12, ages 8-15
  • Session 3: July 14 – July 19, ages 8-15
  • Session 4: July 21 – July 26, ages 8-15
  • Session 5 (International Odyssey): July 28 – August 3, ages 12-17


"At Camp Stevens, our program isn’t built around crafts and activities: it’s built around people," camp staffers wrote on Facebook. "Each member of the group brings unique skills, experiences, and perspectives that shape a one-of-a-kind experience each week.


"The job of our staff is to facilitate creative outdoor play that builds belonging and fosters connection. On a given day, an adventure group might tackle a team building challenge, paint watercolors out by the pond, explore off trail and find a clearing to build forts in, hop in the pool at free time, visit with the camp farm animals, and watch shooting stars as they drift off to sleep. As our returning campers and staff have shared: there’s always more to see and explore but what makes it really special are the people you’re there with." 


For full information and registration, visit the website. Counselor Training, for campers age 16 and up who would like to be considered for summer camp counseling positions, will be held June 16 - 21. Information and application forms are here.

Lenten series connects spirituality to nature


Each Monday in Lent Payton Hoegh, a postulant for Holy Orders and member of St. Stephen's Episcopal Church, Hollywood, and the All Wanderers spiritual community, will lead a series of online meditations "to nurture mindful reflection and community during this sacred season of attention to Spirit's call."


The weekly gatherings will be "a space for stillness, curiosity and rich conversation centered around The Center for Spirituality in Nature's Monday Notes from Nature," says Hoegh when announcing the series. Each session will begin at 9 a.m. with a slow reading of the Monday Note from Nature and guided centering practice. Participants will be invited to engage both the natural world and the text from each week in purposeful reflection while stepping outside, looking out the window, or contemplating the note's accompanying picture. "It will be a time of deep, purposeful reflection and meaningful discussion engaging themes of the season of Lent," says Hoegh.


Information and registration for the full series or individual weeks is here.

From the wider church

Episcopal delegates to UN Commission on the Status of Women are ready to begin their work

3 from Diocese of LA to join presiding bishop's delegation


By Melodie Woerman


[Episcopal News Service – March 4, 2024] The 10 women who will represent Presiding Bishop Michael Curry at the 68th meeting of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women are set to begin their work on March 11.


“It’s wonderful to have this group of wise sages and people who are really committed to the work of the church and the work of women’s empowerment,” said the Rev. David Copley, the church’s director of global partnerships and mission personnel, in a March 4 video presentation that highlighted the breadth of ministry the delegates represent.


The Commission on the Status of Women will meet March 11-22 with sessions taking place in New York. Participants will include representatives of U.N. member states, U.N. entities and accredited nongovernmental organizations from across the globe, including The Episcopal Church.


Read more here.

House of Bishops gathers in Texas for fellowship, ‘future of the church’ discussions


By Shireen Korkzan


[Episcopal News Service — Navasota, Texas – March 4, 2024] The House of Bishops is gathering Feb. 28 – March 4 here at Camp Allen in Navasota, Texas, for its spring retreat centered on the theme “Grounded in Worship and Work,” particularly as it relates to fellowship with one another and within the church. 


For Taiwan Bishop Lennon Chang, reconnecting with fellow bishops in person presents a “great learning opportunity.” 


“I focus on unity, and I think that’s the most important thing for bishops, to get together as one body,” he told Episcopal News Service as interpreted from Mandarin by the Rev. Fennie Chang, vicar of St. Thomas Episcopal Church in Hacienda Heights, California, and the Rev. Katherine Feng, an Episcopal priest based in the Diocese of Los Angeles, who served as his interpreters. “It’s good to learn more about formation and discipleship training, because it’s important to help build up more followers of Jesus.”


Read more here.


MLK_2023_Curry-13_md image

Presiding Bishop Michael Curry recovering at home following surgery to insert a pacemaker


[Episcopal News Service – March 4, 2024] Presiding Bishop Michael Curry is recovering at home in Raleigh, North Carolina, after doctors successfully surgically inserted a pacemaker as part of ongoing treatment of atrial fibrillation, or an irregular heartbeat, the church’s Office of Public Affairs said in a March 4 update.


Curry underwent the surgery on March 1 and remained hospitalized overnight. He was released to recover at home on March 2. Doctors are recommending he “continue tending to light-duty work tasks until released to travel and increase his duties,” the update said.


Curry, who turns 71 in March, is in the final year of his nine-year term as presiding bishop. He has spent much of the past year facing a series of health crises and treatments recommended by doctors, and he was not able to attend the House of Bishops meeting last week at Camp Allen in the Diocese of Texas. Former Michigan Bishop Wendell Gibbs chaired the meeting.


Read more here.

For more churchwide stories, visit Episcopal News Service here.

Calendar

THURSDAYS, 7 p.m.

Episcopal Students of UCLA

St. Alban's Episcopal Church

580 Hilgard Avenue, Los Angeles

Information: episcopalstudentsucla@gmail.com

We are a group of Christians, looking to further our relationship with God and strengthen our bonds in Christian community. Meeting in the library at St. Alban's Episcopal Church (right near campus), we are a welcoming community whose goal is to live out the truth of the gospel through spiritual growth, community experience, and service. 


FRIDAYS, 6 - 7 p.m.

Vigil for Peace

St. Michael and All Angels Episcopal Church 

3233 Pacific View Drive, Corona Del Mar, 92625

Join us every Friday in the St. Michael’s sanctuary and on Zoom as we pray for peace in our community and around the world. Log-in information here (see "Weekly Worship"), or join on Facebook Live.

THURSDAY, MARCH 7, 7 - 8 p.m.

Taizé Service

Thursday, March 7, 7 - 8 p.m.

St. Mary's Episcopal Church

428 Park Avenue, Laguna Beach 92651 

Join us the first Thursday of every month for a prayerful service, including prayer, meditative music, readings, silence, and healing. All faith traditions are always welcome.


FRIDAY, MARCH 8, 6 p.m.

South Bay Stations of the Cross

St. Andrew's Episcopal Church

1432 Engracia Avenue, Torrance 90501

Information here

Join fellow Episcopalians to walk The Stations of the Cross each Friday during Lent, hosted each week by one of the churches in the South Bay.


FRIDAY, MARCH 8, 7 p.m.

Stations of the Cross / Via Crucis

St. Paul’s Episcopal Church

242 E. Alvarado Street, Pomona 91767

Information: Sandra Martinez-Moore, 714.328.2212 or Sanlvlee@gmail.com

Led in Spanish and English by Sandra Martinez-Moore and the Daughters of the King. Continues on Fridays in Lent (before Holy Week).


FRIDAY, MARCH 8, 8 p.m.

Chamber Orchestra and Hye-Jin Kim, violinist 

St. Matthew's Episcopal Church

1031 Bienveneda Avenue, Pacific Palisades

Tickets and information here or 310.573.7422

Hye-Jin Kim will be heard in the lyrical Violin Concerto by Gian-Carlo Menotti. The world premiere of “Tamit and Moar," by New York composer and saxophonist Ethan Helm will feature the composer on soprano saxophone. “Tamit and Moar" honors two central deities, “Grandfather Sun” and “Grandmother Moon,” of the creation myths of the Tongva indigenous peoples of Southern California. Music of Florence Price fill out the program. Dwayne S. Milburn conducts. Tickets are $45 or Music Guild Season pass. A free pre-concert lecture offered by Music Guild president Tom Neenan begins at 7:10 p.m. prior to each concert.


SATURDAY, MARCH 9, 9 a.m. - 1 p.m.

Women's Quiet Day: ‘Making Room for God’

St. Paul's Episcopal Church

1221 Wass Street, Tustin 92780

Information

Reservations: email administrator@stpauls.org

A $30 fee includes materials and lunch.


SATURDAY MARCH 9, 10 a.m.

Panel Discussion: Palestine and Israel

Holy Faith Episcopal Church

260 N. Locust Street, Inglewood 90301

Reservations

Information: 310.674.7700

A panel discussion on the roots of the current conflict, the experiences of Christians and Muslims in Gaza, and how people of faith can respond. With guests Laila al Marayati, MD, USC OB/GYN and founder of KINDER USA, a medical charity serving children in Gaza and Lebanon; Estee Chandler, founder of Jewish Voice for Peace's L.A. chapter, actress and co-host of KPFK's Middle East in Focus; and Randy Heyn-Lamb, RN, part of the Sabeel Palestinian Liberation Theology movement and the Episcopal Palestine/Israel Network. Light refreshments will be served.


SUNDAY, MARCH 10, 4:15 p.m.

Solemn Evensong

St. James in-the-City Episcopal Church

3903 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles 90010

Information here

The Choir of Saint James performs Responses by Scott Perkins (world premiere); Merton Canticles by Ēriks Ešenvalds; "Like as the hart" by Herbert Howells; and "Salve Regina" by Cristóbal de Morales.


TUESDAY, MARCH 12, 7 – 8 p.m.

A Lenten Taizé

St. Luke’s Episcopal Church

525 E. 7th Street, Long Beach 90813

Information: 562-436-4047

St. Luke’s invites all to this quiet hour of prayer, chant and renewal. Taizé services will be held online throughout the year. Online services available here or by joining this Zoom link, or by logging onto Zoom with meeting ID 864 4405 5548; password is 525.


TUESDAY, MARCH 12, 7 p.m.

Malcolm Boyd Documentary Screening: Disturber of the Peace

St. Augustine by-the Sea Episcopal Church

1227 Fourth Street, Santa Monica

Information

A rare preview screening of Disturber of the Peace, a documentary-in-progress on the life and witness of the Rev. Canon Malcolm Boyd, pioneering gay priest, activist and author of the 1966 international bestseller Are You Running With Me, Jesus? and many other books. Filmmaker Andrew Thomas will be present for a Q&A session afterward.


WEDNESDAY, MARCH 13, 7 - 9 p.m.

Virtual Lenten Teaching Series Journey:

‘Growing’ and Groovin’ through Lent with Curtis Mayfield’

Church of the Advent, Los Angeles (conducted online)

Information/Registration

Led by the Rev. Vanessa Mackenzie and the Rev. Kelvin Sauls, these Zoom sessions explore Lenten themes through the songs of Curtis Mayfield (1942–1999), “American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and record producer, and one of the most influential musicians behind soul and politically conscious African-American music” (Wikipedia). The March 13 session is titled “Movin’ On Up.” The series will continue with “We’ve Got To Have Peace” (March 20) and “People Become Ready” (March 27). 

THURSDAY, MARCH 14, 7 p.m.

Taizé Service

St. Andrew's Episcopal Church

1432 Engracia Avenue, Torrance 90501

Our candlelit evenings of music, meditation, and prayer return for another season! Join us at St. Andrew's on the second Thursday of each month to experience this powerful, spiritual service.


FRIDAY, MARCH 15, 6 p.m.

South Bay Stations of the Cross

Christ Episcopal Church

408 S. Broadway, Redondo Beach 90277

Information here

Join fellow Episcopalians to walk The Stations of the Cross each Friday during Lent, hosted each week by one of the churches in the South Bay.


FRIDAY, MARCH 15, 6 p.m.

Dinner and Movie: The Need to Grow

St. Paul's Episcopal Church

1221 Wass Street, Tustin 92780

Information www.stpauls.org

Reservations: email administrator@stpauls.org

The Need to Grow is a documentary film about cutting-edge solutions to climate change and what individuals can do to help.


FRIDAY, MARCH 15, 7 p.m.

Stations of the Cross / Via Crucis

St. Paul’s Episcopal Church

242 E. Alvarado Street, Pomona 91767

Information: Sandra Martinez-Moore, 714.328.2212 or Sanlvlee@gmail.com

Led in Spanish and English by Sandra Martinez-Moore and the Daughters of the King. Continues on Fridays in Lent (before Holy Week).


SATURDAY, MARCH 16, 10:30 a.m.

Celebration of Life: The Rev. Karen Sue Chavez

St. John Chrysostom Church

30382 Vía Con Dios, Rancho Santa Margarita 92688

Chavez, 75, died on Feb. 23 after a short illness. Survivors include her husband, Louis Chavez, and their adult children. The Rev. Canon John Saville will be the homilist. He is the retired rector of St. John’s Church, Corona, where Chavez served as a deacon for many years. A reception will follow the service. 


SATURDAY, MARCH 16, 11 a.m.

Memorial Service: Canon Thomas Foster

All Saints’ Church

504 N. Camden Drive, Beverly Hills 90210

A reception will follow the service. Foster, director of music at All Saints’ Church from 1976 to 2003, died Jan. 27 in Plano, Texas, where he and his wife, Carol Foster, lived in retirement. An obituary is here. Memorial donations to the All Saints’ Music Guild, which Foster founded during his tenure, will be gratefully received. 


SATURDAY, MARCH 16, 2 p.m.

Documentary Screening: The Philadelphia Eleven

St. George's Episcopal Church

23802 Avenida de la Carlota, Laguna Hills 92653

Registration

Information: The Rev. Canon Pat McCaughan, vicar, revpatmccaughan@aol.com

A screening of the award-winning documentary – a celebration of the 11 women who shattered a stained-glass ceiling in 1974 when they became the first women priests in the Episcopal Church – will be followed by a panel discussion with the Rt. Rev. Katharine Jefferts Schori, first woman to serve as presiding bishop of The Episcopal Church, and the Rev. Canon Victoria Hatch, first woman to be ordained a priest in the Diocese of Los Angeles. The Rev. Canon Nancy Wittig, one of the Philadelphia Eleven, will join the conversation via Zoom.


SATURDAY, MARCH 16, 2 p.m.

Documentary Screening: The Philadelphia Eleven

All Saints Episcopal Church

132 N. Euclid Avenue, Pasadena 

Registration: Debbie Daniels, ddaniels@allsaints-pas.org

An opportunity for reflection and conversation will follow screening of the award-winning documentary – a celebration of the 11 women who shattered a stained-glass ceiling in 1974 when they became the first women priests in the Episcopal Church. A festive reception will follow. All are welcome; registration is requested.


SUNDAY, MARCH 17, 6 p.m.

Classical Sundays at Six: International Laureates Organ Series

St. James in-the-City Episcopal Church

3903 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles 90010

Information here

Nicole Keller, organ, is in demand as a concert artist, adjudicator, and clinician. She has concertized in the States and abroad in venues such as St. Patrick Cathedral, New York; Cathédrale Notre-Dame, Paris; Dom St. Stephan, Passau; St. Patrick Cathedral, Armagh, Northern Ireland; and The Kazakh National University for the Arts, Astana, Kazakhstan. She specializes in eclectic programs suited to instrument and audience with a desire to expand the listener’s horizons, pairing familiar sounds and genres with less familiar ones. Read more about this artist here.


SUNDAY, MARCH 17, 7 p.m.

A Service of Contemplation and Prayer in the Style of Taizé

Church of the Epiphany

5450 Churchwood Drive, Oak Park 91377

Information here or music@tcote.org or 818.991.4797

In the 1940s, a monastic community in Taizé, France, created a new form of prayer service that was designed to be ecumenical and nondenominational. Brief, easy songs are repeated to create a meditative atmosphere and are interspersed with readings and silence to encourage contemplation. Led by the Parish Choir, this quiet, reflective service is patterned on the worship practices at Taizé. This service offers worshipers the opportunity to enter into a prayerful experience of God.


WEDNESDAY, MARCH 20, 7:30 p.m.

A Service in the style of Taizé

All Saints Episcopal Church

504 North Camden Drive, Beverly Hills 90210

Information here or 310.275.0123 or info@allsaintsbh.org

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.


WEDNESDAY, MARCH 20, 7 - 9 p.m.

Virtual Lenten Teaching Series Journey:

‘Growing’ and Groovin’ through Lent with Curtis Mayfield’

Church of the Advent, Los Angeles (conducted online)

Information/Registration

Led by the Rev. Vanessa Mackenzie and the Rev. Kelvin Sauls, these Zoom sessions explore Lenten themes through the songs of Curtis Mayfield (1942–1999), “American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and record producer, and one of the most influential musicians behind soul and politically conscious African-American music” (Wikipedia). The March 20 session is titled “We’ve Got To Have Peace.” The series will conclude with “People Become Ready” (March 27). 


WEDNESDAY, MARCH 20, 7 – 8:30 p.m.

The Welcome Table: A Christian Spiritual Gathering for the LGBTQ+ Community and Our Allies

Saint Stephen’s Episcopal Church

24901 Orchard Village Road, Santa Clarita 91355

Information: 661.259.7307 or here

The Welcome Table is a monthly experience created by and for the LGBTQ+ community. Gather with us as we eat, pray, sing, discuss, share communion, celebrate diversity and explore our faith community as our true, authentic selves. Come as you are; this place is for you.

THURSDAY, MARCH 21, 6:30 p.m.

Center for Lay Chaplaincy/PRISM Information Session

Via Zoom: Register here.

Learn about CFLC/PRISM by attending our monthly info sessions. If you are curious about spiritual care, eager to volunteer, considering joining a training cohort, or simply have general inquiries, this session provides the perfect starting point to address your interests and questions.


FRIDAY - SATURDAY, MARCH 22 - 23

New Camino

St. Paul’s Commons

840 Echo Park Avenue, Los Angeles 90027

Registration with lodging

Registration without lodging

A dynamic two-day seminar specifically designed for dioceses and congregations wanting to explore new ways to shore up existing Spanish-speaking ministry, as well as learn how to engage with the English-dominant, later-generation Latinos. A key focus of New Camino is to challenge and debunk the stereotypes and preconceived notions about today’s Latino communities, particularly regarding ministry and worship. Cost is $300 with lodging; $160 without. Read more here.


FRIDAY, MARCH 22, 6 p.m.

South Bay Stations of the Cross

St. Cross Church

1818 Monterey Blvd., Hermosa Beach 90254

Information here

Join fellow Episcopalians to walk The Stations of the Cross each Friday during Lent, hosted each week by one of the churches in the South Bay.


FRIDAY, MARCH 22, 7 p.m.

Stations of the Cross / Via Crucis

St. Paul’s Episcopal Church

242 E. Alvarado Street, Pomona 91767

Information: Sandra Martinez-Moore, 714.328.2212 or Sanlvlee@gmail.com

Led in Spanish and English by Sandra Martinez-Moore and the Daughters of the King.


SATURDAY, MARCH 23, 2 p.m.

Memorial Service: Marty Coleman

All Saints Church

132 N. Euclid Avenue, Pasadena

The Rev. Mike Kinman, rector, will preside at the service for Coleman, a longtime peace and justice advocate who died Jan. 29 at age 92. A reception in All Saints’ learning center will follow the service.


SATURDAY, MARCH 23, 7 p.m.

SUNDAY, MARCH 24, 3 p.m.

Orange County Women’s Chorus: Arms

St. Wilfrid of York Episcopal Church

18631 Chapel Lane, Huntington Beach, CA 92646

Information/Tickets

A memorial to the more than 40,000 Americans killed by guns every year, and a contemplation on how we find peace amid the violence. You’ll hear songs that ask hard questions, songs that preserve the names and the voices of those we’ve lost, and songs that imagine a world in which the arms that kill are conquered by the arms that embrace. Join us for this unique musical meditation on pain, healing, and love. This is a program you will not forget. The themes and texts of this program will be difficult for children. Tickets: $30 (seniors $25; Students with ID: $18). 


SUNDAY, MARCH 24, 4:15 p.m.

Classical Sundays at Six: ICantori of Walla Walla University

St. James in-the-City Episcopal Church

3903 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles 90010

Information here

Conducted by Kraig Scott, ICantori will perform Responses by Margaret Burk and Truro Canticles by Gabriel Jackson. Icantori (Italian: “the singers”) is the select choir of Walla Walla University, an auditioned group chosen from the 1,500-member student body, enjoys a history of touring that began in 1929. Read more about the artists here.

TUESDAY, MARCH 26, 7 – 8 p.m.

A Holy Week Taizé

St. Luke’s Episcopal Church

525 E. 7th Street, Long Beach 90813

Information: 562-436-4047

St. Luke’s invites all to this quiet hour of prayer, chant and renewal. Taizé services will be held online throughout the year. Online services available here or by joining on this Zoom link or Meeting ID: 864 4405 5548, Password 525


WEDNESDAY, MARCH 27, 7 - 9 p.m.

Virtual Lenten Teaching Series Journey:

‘Growing’ and Groovin’ through Lent with Curtis Mayfield’

Church of the Advent, Los Angeles (conducted online)

Information/Registration

Led by the Rev. Vanessa Mackenzie and the Rev. Kelvin Sauls, these Zoom sessions explore Lenten themes through the songs of Curtis Mayfield (1942–1999), “American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and record producer, and one of the most influential musicians behind soul and politically conscious African-American music” (Wikipedia). The series concludes March 26 with “People Become Ready.” 


WEDNESDAY, MARCH 27, 7 - 8 p.m.

Tenebrae: A Service of Darkness

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 yearly Holy Week Tenebrae service. Follow the Passion of Christ in darkness and candlelight, music and scripture. This service is led by the choir of the Mutual Ministry, and joined by strings, oboe, and organ under the direction of music director, Kevin Wood. Online service is also available here.


THURSDAY, MARCH 28, 12 p.m.

Maundy Thursday Foot Washing Service

Christ Episcopal Church

408 S. Broadway, Redondo Beach 90277

Information here


THURSDAY, MARCH 28, 7:30 p.m.

Missa Mystica on Maundy Thursday

All Saints Episcopal Church

504 North Camden Drive, Beverly Hills 90210

Information here or 310.275.0123 or info@allsaintsbh.org

All Saints’ Choir will sing Missa Brevis by G.P. Palestrina; "Peace is my last gift" by Craig Phillips (All Saints' music director); "Ubi caritas" by Maurice Duruflé; "Adoro te devote," arr. Ian Schipper. 


FRIDAY, MARCH 29, 12:10 p.m.

Good Friday Service

All Saints Episcopal Church

504 North Camden Drive, Beverly Hills 90210

Information here or 310.275.0123 or info@allsaintsbh.org

All Saints’ Choir will sing The Passion According to St. John by Craig Phillips (All Saints' music director) and Reproaches by Tomás Luis de Victoria. 


FRIDAY, MARCH 29, 7 p.m.

Good Friday Liturgy and Veneration of the Cross

Christ Episcopal Church

408 S. Broadway, Redondo Beach 90277

Information here


SATURDAY, MARCH 30, 7 p.m.

The Great Vigil of Easter

Christ Episcopal Church

408 S. Broadway, Redondo Beach 90277

Information here


SATURDAY, MARCH 30, 8 p.m.

Great Vigil of Easter

All Saints Episcopal Church

504 North Camden Drive, Beverly Hills 90210

Information here or 310.275.0123 or info@allsaintsbh.org

All Saints’ Choir and Brass Quintet perform "The Lord is risen indeed" by Craig Phillips (All Saints' music director) and "Now is the hour of darkness past" by Daniel Pinkham.


TUESDAY, APRIL 2, 7 p.m.

John Holiday, countertenor & Kevin Miller, piano

St. Mark's in-the-Valley Episcopal Church

2901 Nojoqui Avenue, Los Olivos

Tickets and information here

SATURDAY, APRIL 6, 10 a.m.

Easter Week Eucharist and Wildflower Walk

Desert Journeys Joshua Tree

67321 Sullivan Road, Twentynine Palms 92277

Eucharist and BBQ at Desert Journeys Guest House, plus a short wildflower walk in the desert if you wish. The event will be led by the Rev. Canon David Caffrey, founder and host.


SUNDAY, APRIL 7, 6 p.m.

Classical Sundays at Six: International Laureates Organ Series

St. James in-the-City Episcopal Church

3903 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles 90010

Information here

Adam Brakel has been hailed as “an absolute organ prodigy” by National Public Radio and “one of the most talented organists in the world” by the Chicago Tribune. Read more about this artist here.

Events to be included in the online diocesan calendar and the Update may be emailed to editor@ladiocese.org.

Opportunities

VOLUNTEER

Immigration & Refugee ministry

IRIS (Interfaith Refugee & Immigration Service)

3621 Brunswick Ave. Los Angeles 90039


In this new year, support is needed more than ever for newly arrived refugee and immigrant neighbors. Community members can volunteer with IRIS in many ways, from one-off or short-term opportunities, such as greeting newcomers at the airport, to donation coordination, transportation, translation, and more. For those interested in even deeper client connections, don't hesitate to ask about mentorship opportunities. Proficiency in Spanish, Arabic, Farsi (and other languages) is desirable, but not required, for some volunteer positions. A background check will be conducted for volunteers working directly with clients. Contact Ruben Tomasian at rtomasian@ladiocese.org. IRIS, a non-profit organization, is a ministry of the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles, and an affiliate of Episcopal Migration Ministries. Through refugee resettlement, immigration legal services, and organized community involvement, IRIS helps immigrants and refugees reach self-sufficiency. Check the website for more information. 

OurSaviourCenter_FoodBank image

Food Pantry

Our Saviour Center

4368 Santa Anita Avenue, El Monte


With lower pandemic numbers and everyone back at school and work our Food Pantry is in need of volunteers. Lend a hand on Tuesdays and Thursdays and the second and fourth Saturdays of each month from 8 a.m. until 12 p.m., rain or shine, to help us help the neediest families in our community. Volunteers should be age 16 and up. Street parking is available on Santa Anita, McGirk and Lambert avenues. Please wear a mask. All activities are outdoors; dress appropriately and wear close-toed shoes. For information or to sign up (not required), email info@our-center.org.

PILGRIMAGES, RETREATS & TRAVEL

June 9 - 14, 2024

Aquinas At Orvieto, Italy:

Deepen Your Own Spiritual Journey as Mystic and Prophet


Join Matthew Fox, Meshi Chavez and Claudia Picardi for a five-day workshop at the ancient monastery of St. Ludovico in St. Thomas Aquinas’ hometown. Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274) was a mystic and prophet and one of the greatest geniuses in Western history. Courageous and controversial in his day, he brought science (from Aristotle) into the Christian West. His writings reveal an amazing mind and mystical heart. Matthew Fox, a member of the Dominican order, is a preeminent theologian and internationally acclaimed scholar of Western spirituality. He has written extensively on the wisdom of Aquinas and has translated for the first time in English some of his works. Discover Aquinas where he lived and worked, and experience monastic hospitality during this five-day retreat. More information is here.

ItalyPilgrimage_2024 image

October 7 – 17, 2024

Italy Pilgrimage


Join the Rev. Steve De Muth and the Rev. Barrett Van Buren for an 11-day pilgrimage across Italy. We will visit Venice, Florence, Assisi, and Rome. The tour price includes roundtrip airfare from Los Angeles, first class/select hotels, most meals, professional tour director, comprehensive sightseeing, all hotel service charges and local taxes, porterage and entrance fees. Cost is $4,549 per person from Los Angeles including $520 taxes/airline surcharges. For information, contact Steve De Muth, 100 N. Third Ave., Covina, CA 91723 or 626.967.3939 or padresteve@holytrinitycovina.com. A full itinerary is here.

EMPLOYMENT


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

LAGUNA HILLS: Choir Section Leaders. St. George's Church is seeking Baritone/Bass and Soprano section leaders immediately; an Alto position will be available the first week in April. The choir rehearses on Sundays at 8:45 a.m., followed by the service at 10 a.m. All standard “high holy days” are required. Above-average reading skills are required, as well as the ability to solo, to blend chorally while anchoring your section, and serving as a “go-to” for your fellow members. For information or to apply, contact Emett Loera, director of the music ministry, at emett.loera30@gmail.com.

LAGUNA HILLS: Church Administrator, St. George’s Episcopal Church. Part time (18 hours/week). Seeking a responsible, proactive individual who is responsible for managing the daily activities of the Church, through working with staff and volunteers, managing the church’s schedule of events and keeping accurate records. The individual will work with the vicar, staff, volunteers and the community to support the goals and objectives of the church. Bilingual (Spanish/English) is a plus. Job description is here. To apply, contact Chuck Day at mickoday@yahoo.com.

LOS ANGELES: Episcopal Hospital Chaplain, PIH Health Good Samaritan Hospital, 1225 Wilshire Boulevard. Full time, salaried. Reporting to one of our department supervisors or managers, this position provides spiritual support to patients, their loved ones, and staff in our hospitals. This chaplain serves people of all belief systems (religious and non-religious), and provides or arranges special rites and rituals as requested by patients and/or surrogates. Full job description and information here.

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