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By Pat McCaughan

[The Episcopal News – March 16, 2022] Episcopalians across the Diocese of Los Angeles won’t just be waving palm branches and shouting Hosannas on Palm Sunday, they will also be able to officially receive consecrated wine during communion, Bishop Diocesan John Harvey Taylor announced to the March 10, 2022, regular meeting of Diocesan Council.

“The Bishop’s Commission on Liturgy and Music has devised a return to consecrated wine for use during communion. Beginning Palm Sunday, on the commission’s recommendation, we are authorizing four ways to serve consecrated wine, according to what your church prefers,” said Taylor, adding that a formal announcement would be emailed to all congregations the following day.

The four approved ways are: wine consecrated in a single flagon on the altar and then disbursed among smaller containers for consumption; clergy, with a gloved hand, dipping the wafer and administering it to the palm of communicants; parishioners bringing their own vessel for consumption from home, and the common cup. For public health reasons, the bishop is not authorizing the practice, increasingly common before the pandemic, of communicants dipping their own host in the wine.

Meeting attendees also approved a positive financial report from Canon Andy Tomat, diocesan treasurer, and heard presentations from four program groups of diocesan council, including Communications and Public Affairs; Ecumenical and Interreligious Life; Hispanic/Latinx Ministries; and Mission Congregations. Regular reports of mission were also received from Taylor and Canon to the Ordinary Melissa McCarthy, and diocesan bodies, such as the Standing Committee, the Corporation of the Diocese; the General Convention deputation and the Secretary of Convention’s office.

Read more here.

By Pat McCaughan

[The Episcopal News March 16, 2022] The Rev. Jana Milhon-Martin believes confession is a great way to unburden the soul – she just doesn’t think it always has to happen inside a church.

So Martin, director of the diocesan Center for Lay Chaplaincy (CLC), has created a pop-up “Confessions for All Humanity” experience, located, at least until the week of March 23, in San Gabriel, where the Blossom Market Hall donated space for a month.

The experience includes a confessional resembling a voting booth, Wednesday lunch and dinnertime listening stations, and a painted plywood wall. Whimsically or seriously, penitents may step inside the booth, commit their sins to CLC post-its, and fix them to the wall.

Some have already sought reconciliation: “Sometimes I treat my cat better than my husband.”

Or, “I miss my toxic friends.”

“I eat too much ice cream.”

The “Chaplaincy Now” pop-up confessional grew out of a larger initiative to make the ministry of listening, and the training for it, more widely available to the general public, Martin said. The center, funded through the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles and Trinity Church Wall Street Philanthropies, makes clinical pastoral education, formerly reserved for clergy, available to the laity.

Read more here.

By Pat McCaughan

[The Episcopal News – March 16, 2022] For Joie Zhang, 18, advocating for such global issues as climate change as a member of the presiding bishop’s delegation for the United Nations Committee on the Status of Women is both personal and pressing.

“I still remember vividly the eerie sounds of the 2011 Santa Ana winds, in which ferocious gales reached a record-breaking 167 miles per hour and eliminated electricity in my community for more than a week,” she said in a recent email to Episcopal News.

“I was only 7 years old then, but in the short decade since, the scale and severity of natural disasters has escalated exponentially around our globe,” added Zhang, a senior at Harvard Westlake High School in Los Angeles and a member of the Church of Our Saviour in San Gabriel’s Chinese Ministry.

“As part of Gen Z, I realize that it is up to my generation to spearhead advocacy for innovative solutions through our climate crisis,” she said. “I distinctly remember the sense of vulnerability my mother and I shared during December 2011 because my father was away on an international business trip when the natural disaster struck.”

Along with opportunities to write and share about their experiences, delegates from across The Episcopal Church will observe official plenary sessions and be invited to attend side and parallel events during the 66th annual meeting, held virtually March 14 – 25. Typically, the gathering draws thousands to the United Nations headquarters in New York, but is offered in a hybrid format this year because of the pandemic.

Read more here.

The Rev. Anne Gardner, a priest of the Diocese of Los Angeles and chaplain at Harvard-Westlake School in Studio City, is the author of And So I Walked: Reflections on Chance, Choice, and the Camino de Santiago, published on March 1 by Adelaide Books.

Gardner's book, her first, recounts her journey on the 500-mile Camino de Santiago de Compostela. Using the pilgrimage path as a backdrop, she weaves together her personal narrative of faith, family, and friendship with the physical, emotional, and spiritual challenges presented by the Camino.

Before joining the staff of Harvard-Westlake, Gardner worked at Harvard University and Philips Academy in Andover in her native Massachusetts. As a freelance writer she has contributed to The National Catholic Reporter, The Boston Globe, The Providence Journal, New England Tennis Magazine, and most recently to the Cognoscenti series on WBUR, Boston’s NPR affiliate. She now lives in California with her wife, Beth.

And So I Walked is available via Adelaide Books or on Amazon.

The Episcopal Church Women of Province VIII will offer a virtual "Leading with Heart" workshop at the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women Forum at 9 a.m. on Sunday, March 20.

Leading with Heart trains leaders in the circular model of listening, reconciliation, sharing and building consensus; processes intended to replace models of domination and control. More information about the ECW initiative is here.

Attendance at the workshop is free. Participants must register and create a profile; sign in; select "Already Registered? Click here to join an event” on the menu bar; select “Schedule” on the next menu bar; click on "Agenda" to see a calendar of all available events. Scroll to March 20 to find "Leading with Heart" and click the link to register for the workshop and receive the Zoom link.

For assistance, email [email protected]. For more details about the forum, visit the NGO CSW66 Forum information page. 

The Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) is the principal global intergovernmental body exclusively dedicated to the promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of women.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Five-week Lenten curriculum guides study of Bishop Curry's Love Is the Way

A five-week Lenten study guide of Bishop Michael Curry’s book Love is the Way: Holding Onto Hope in Troubling Times is now available.

Developed by One in the Spirit – the Diocese of Los Angeles' engagement across difference ministry – the curriculum is available in a downloadable PDF in both English and Spanish and is suitable for either group discussions or individual reflection.

The study guide includes reflections from:

The writers invite participants to explore differences that challenge us while encouraging reflection on the love that binds us together: God’s love and the reflection of that love in human lives.

To download the English curriculum, click here. The Spanish curriculum is here.

During Covid lockdown the Rev. Anthony Keller, deacon at St. George's Church, La Cañada, began an online diaconal ministry named The Flow in which he helps viewers embrace contemplative spirituality. During Lent, Keller is producing six videos under the title "The Way Of Our Cross," to be posted on Saturdays beginning March 5 and ending April 9. Each video will encompass one of six core teachings of Jesus, "affording people the opportunity to examine how well a teaching has been incorporated into daily living," says Keller. The videos can be accessed on The Flow website.

In addition to its summer sessions for children and teens, Camp Stevens will hold its annual series of Family Camps this year: Memorial Day, May 28 – 30; Harvest, Oct. 7 – 9; and Thanksgiving, Nov. 25 – 27.

"Family Camps are a great way to connect with your family and experience all Camp Stevens has to offer," says the announcement. "All you have to do is bring your family and we provide the rest. Cost covers your private room, food, and activities."

Weekend activities may include archery, climbing wall, garden tour or project, staff-led hikes, ice dye or tie-dye projects, swimming, campfire with s'mores, family-friendly trivia, culinary projects, visits with the camp's pigs and goats, family fun games, beer and wine tasting, or arts and crafts. More information about family camps, including cost, is here. For reservations, click here.

Camp Stevens also offers family retreats on specific dates: this spring's remaining available weekend is April 1 - 3. Individuals, families or groups are invited to stay in one of the camp lodges, visit the town of Julian, take hikes, tour the gardens and enjoy meals served in the camp dining hall or patio. For pricing and lodge availability, email Sam at [email protected] for pricing and lodge availability.

Summer camp registration is now open for children ages 8 to 15 for these sessions:

The camp recently posted on Instagram that spaces are filling up quickly. "Session 1 is wait-listed and Sessions 3 and 4 are nearing capacity as well. Session 2 (4th of July week) still has about 30 spots left. We’re so excited to see everyone again this summer!"

Teens 16 and up are invited to apply for Counselor Training (June 12 - 21). The camp also offers Wilderness Trips for teens up to age 17, featuring such activities as rock climbing and sea kayaking.

For information about all summer camps, visit the website here. Cost is on a tiered system, with each family choosing which rate to pay, according to its means. Fees for Adventure Sessions range from $625 to $795. Some camperships are available.

Covid-19 mitigation measures will be observed at all camp sessions until the staff, guided by camp nurses, the American Camping Association and public health officials, deem them no longer necessary: see the website for details.

[The Kaleidoscope Institute] Have you ever wondered if there’s a better way than majority rule to make group decisions? Have you wondered where God was in your group’s decisions? The Kaleidoscope Institute (KI) offers a three-hour online workshop on faith-based consensus, facilitated by the authors of Sacred Decisions: Consensus in Faith Communities, on Tuesday, March 22, 12 - 3 p.m.

In this workshop, there will be opportunities to discuss the rationale and process of faith-based consensus, and to practice using it in a small group.

The fee for this new workshop is as low as $1; additional donations are welcome. Participants' feedback on their experience will help KI staff refine and perfect this new curriculum. Registration is limited to 20 persons.

Click here to register.

By David Paulsen

[Episcopal News Service – March 15, 2022] Approval of The Episcopal Church’s triennial budget is one of the core responsibilities of General Convention, the church’s bicameral governing body. With less than four months until bishops and deputies meet July 7 – 14 at the 80th General Convention, church leaders are welcoming public input on the draft $101 million budget.

The biggest difference from past triennial budgets is that this budget will cover just two years. Because the pandemic forced postponement of the 80th General Convention from 2021 to 2022, Executive Council previously approved a single-year budget for 2022 and now is recommending the 2023-24 budget for consideration.

The proposed two-year budget is now under review by the Joint Standing Committee on Program, Budget and Finance. The committee, which met online in October and February, is accepting written feedback online through April 8. An online public hearing will be scheduled for early May, followed by an in-person committee meeting later in the month.

“We want the church to have an opportunity to give us feedback,” said the Rev. Mike Ehmer, the Program, Budget and Finance chair. “We will guarantee somebody from our committee will give you a personal response.”

Read more here.

[Episcopal Relief & Development - March 9, 2022] Episcopal Relief & Development is supporting Action by Churches Together (ACT Alliance) as it provides critical assistance to support people affected by violence in Ukraine. Working through ACT member Hungarian Interchurch Aid (HIA) and other local organizations, ACT Alliance is providing emergency assistance such as food, shelter, water and basic supplies to refugees and people displaced within Ukraine.

The UN Refugee Agency estimates that as of March 8, more than two million people have left Ukraine since Russian forces invaded the country, making this the fastest-growing refugee crisis since World War II. Damage to civilian infrastructure has left thousands without electricity or water. Homes have been damaged and destroyed, displacing hundreds of thousands within the country. People are fleeing to neighboring countries such as Poland, Hungary and Romania and their long-term destination is unclear.

On February 27, HIA set up a refugee support point on the Ukrainian side of the border at Beregsurány where volunteers are providing hot tea, sandwiches, refreshments, blankets and basic hygiene items for refugees, who often wait long hours to cross the border into Hungary. These refugees include many children and older adults. HIA is in contact with its network of churches and organizations, as well as local governments in Hungary, to coordinate cash assistance, shelter, food and medicine for people who have been displaced.

Read more here.

More reporting from Episcopal News Service is here.

Christ Church

6122 Pacific Coast Hwy., Redondo Beach

Each Friday during the season of Lent we will celebrate the Stations of the Cross when we say a meditation and prayer at each of the 14 stations around our sanctuary, remembering Jesus' journey from Pilate to his crucifixion and burial. Christ Church will alternate weekly with St. Andrew's Church, 1432 Engracia Ave, Torrance 90501 for this service.

Christ Episcopal Church

1127 N. San Antonio Avenue, Ontario

Information: [email protected]

Enjoy refreshment on the back patio and an evening of jazz with the BKG Trio.

St. Luke's Episcopal Church, Long Beach

Via Zoom: Register here

Information: [email protected]

Are you clear about the path moving forward? We seem to be approaching the end of a pandemic that has changed the world around us, and we all know the world isn’t and can’t be the same. So, what is next? What do I do? Perhaps you’re pondering these questions for home, family, job, and church. When we journey through the wilderness, sometimes we struggle to listen to the source that is there to guide us – the source that manifests through God, ourselves, and others. Listening for Spirit in Wilderness Times is a six-Monday Lenten program that seeks to ground us in the sacred art and spiritual practice of listening as we connect with the Spirit’s wisdom. Join one session or all. (Sessions began on March 7.) Facilitated by Canon Kay Lindahl, author of The Sacred Art of Listening and Practicing the Sacred Art of Listening. Spanish interpretation will be provided.

St. Andrew's Church

1432 Engracia Avenue, Torrance 90501

Each Friday during Lent we will celebrate the Stations of the Cross when we say a meditation and prayer at each of the 14 stations around our sanctuary, remembering Jesus' journey from Pilate to his crucifixion and burial. St. Andrew's will alternate weekly with Christ Church, 6122 Pacific Coast Hwy., Redondo Beach, for this service.

St. Matthew's Episcopal Church

1031 Bienveneda Avenue, Pacific Palisades

Tickets: MusicGuildOnline.org or 310.573.7422

Lauded by reviewers as an unmistakably creative force in the classical music industry, Malan’s critical acclaim culminated in the nomination of three Grammy® Awards, including “Best Instrumental Solo Album” for her debut disc Transfigured Bach. This program will feature music of Mozart, Liszt, Florence Price and Scarlatti. Masks are required for all audience members. All audience members must show proof of having been fully vaccinated. Proof of vaccine booster is not required at this time.

St Mary's Parish, Palms

3647 Watseka Avenue, Los Angeles

Schola Marialis under the direction of Sean Smith will sing the Responses by Philip Radcliffe (1905-1986), plainsong psalms and hymns, the hauntingly beautiful First Fauxbourdon Service by Philip Moore (b. 1943), and the soaring "Ego sum panis vivus" by Palestrina (c. 1525-1594). The church is well ventilated, and no reservations are required.

Christ Episcopal Church

1127 N. San Antonio Avenue, Ontario

Information: Mary Wise, [email protected]

St. John's Cathedral

514 W. Adams Blvd., Los Angeles 90007

In person and online: register here

An in-person interview and book signing with Anne Benvenuti, Ph.D., celebrates her new book, Kindred Spirits: One Animal Family. Benvenuti describes what she calls a global shift of consciousness in how humans relate to other animals. Following the program at the in-person event, Benvenuti will sign copies of Kindred Spirits: One Animal Family. To purchase the book in advance, click here. The Guibord Center, an interfaith organization founded by the late Rev. Gwynne Guibord, an Episcopal priest, works to increase understanding among Los Angeles' diverse faith communities. All of their programs are free; donations are gratefully accepted. Learn more here.

Additional events are listed on the diocesan calendar here.

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

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

St. James' Church, Newport Beach

3209 Via Lido, Newport Beach 92663

Reservations here or call 1.800.RED.CROSS (1.800.733.2767) or here or 949.675.0210 (St. James')

Sponsor code: stjamesnewport

St. John's Episcopal Church, Cardinal Gym

30382 Via Con Dios, Rancho Santa Margarita 92688

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

Sponsor code: St. John (note no "s")

Additional dates at this location are Sundays, June 26 and Oct. 23.

St. John's Episcopal Church

Vicenti Hall

4745 Wheeler Avenue, La Verne 91750

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

Sponsor code: STJOHNS

Additional dates at this location are: Sunday, May 29; and Sunday, July 24.

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

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

COVINA: Organist/Choirmaster, Holy Trinity Episcopal Church. Part time (6-12 hours per week). Holy Trinity Church in Covina seeks an organist/director of Music responsible for providing music in the Episcopal/Anglican tradition (music ancient, classical, contemporary, and multicultural). Send resume to the parish administrator via email at [email protected]. For a full job description, click here.

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

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

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

LOS ANGELES: Executive Director, Commission on Schools. The Diocese of Los Angeles and the Commission on Schools are seeking a lay or ordained person with school, preschool, and/or parish leadership experience to be a part of the diocesan staff beginning Summer 2022. Being an Episcopalian is not required but is preferable, and a non-Episcopalian must be willing to fully understand, articulate, and support the ministries of Episcopal schools and preschools. The position is 1000 hours per year, benefits eligible, with the work schedule to be determined by the needs of the position with respect to the school year and diocesan considerations. Please send a cover letter, resume, and a reference list to Canon Anilin Collado via email at [email protected] or by postal mail at 840 Echo Park Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90026 no later than March 31. A job description is here.

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

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

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

PASADENA: Associate for Giving & Stewardship, All Saints Church. The purpose of this position is to provide excellent stewardship of All Saints’ donors and to ensure accurate and timely processing of all income. This position reports to the Director of Giving & Stewardship. Full time (hybrid in-person and online). Full job description here.

PASADENA: Administrative Assistant for Pastoral Care, Health & Healing and Giving Office, All Saints Church. Full time with benefits. Performs routine administrative functions for Pastoral Care, such as drafting correspondence, scheduling appointments, organizing and maintaining paper and electronic files; write reports of prayer requests and pastoral care needs; handle phone and email, provide information, coordinate meetings and more. A complete job description is here.

OAKLAND: Director of Children and Youth Ministries, St. John’s Episcopal Church. The founding congregation of Confirm not Conform, St. John's prides itself on being welcoming, innovative and action focused. Its vision is to manifest God’s love through invitation, inclusion, faith and action and it is seeking ways to extend its relevance to the unchurched now and in the future. St. John's is seeking a Director of Children and Youth Ministries to lead its efforts in actively revolutionizing ministry for and with young people within the church and the larger community. St. John’s seeks a person who is passionate about social and environmental justice and equity, and who is excited to empower children, youth, and families to take action locally and beyond. The DCYM oversees the creation and delivery of a holistic formation program from birth through high school graduation and beyond, including intentional spiritual nourishment of the caring adults who walk alongside children and youth during these times. Full job description is here. Interested and qualified candidates should submit a resume and cover letter to Martha Whitesides, [email protected].

Additional job listings are here. Listings are free: send information to [email protected].

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

— Janet Kawamoto, editor