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May 28, 2023

Historically Black St. Barnabas' Episcopal Church, Pasadena, to celebrate 100th anniversary

[The Episcopal News – May 24, 2023] Bishop Diocesan John Harvey Taylor and a phalanx of parishioners, civic leaders and friends will be present as St. Barnabas' Church, Pasadena, celebrates its 100th anniversary as a historically Black congregation of the Diocese of Los Angeles on Sunday, June 11, 10 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

The celebration, themed "St. Barnabas 100 – Still We Rise!" will include a program, featuring commemorations from dignitaries and testimonials from church members. Event chair Marco White says that the homecoming event will be held with "love, St. Barnabas style," with a luncheon barbecue, peach cobbler, music and the "beautifulest" centennial birthday cake.

Expected to attend are U.S. House of Representatives member Judy Chu, Pasadena Councilmember Justin Jones and California Assembly Member Chris Holden.

“St. Barnabas, Pasadena was founded in the early 1900s because of the Jim Crow era,” said the Rev. V.R. Marianne Zahn, priest-in-charge. “Black Americans fled the South and its racial segregation as part of the Great Migration, settling in the Los Angeles area with hopes of finding favorable economic opportunities and social acceptance. Not all religious institutions, however, were welcoming.

"All Saints Episcopal Church in Pasadena would not allow Black parishioners to attend services at that time,” she said. All Saints, now a bastion of inclusion, has worked with St. Barnabas in recent years to mend their relationship's racist beginnings.

Committed to their faith, a small group of Black Episcopalians held a meeting at the Pasadena home of Georgia Weatherton on South Fair Oaks Avenue on June 16, 1909, to organize a mission they called the St. Barnabas Guild. The members supported the fledgling ministry through food sales. By 1911, their weekly services were held in the Grand Army Hall on Colorado Street.

Read more here.

LGBTQ solidarity ‘GLEAMs’ at diocesan garden party; ‘darkness will never overcome the light,’ bishop says   

By Bob Williams

[The Episcopal News – May 24, 2023] The light of Christ outshines the “considerable challenge that we face when red-blue polarities are growing deeper and more profound all the time,” Bishop John Harvey Taylor told those gathered for the May 21 annual GLEAM garden party affirming the Episcopal Diocese of L.A.’s LGBTQ+ members and ministries.

“Our faith is that the darkness will never overcome the light,” Taylor said, borrowing a metaphor from the afternoon’s cloudy shadows and occasional raindrops that dappled the lawn of the episcopal residence in Pasadena, to which he and his spouse, Canon Kathy O’Connor, welcomed the 80 guests on hand.

Noting that GLEAM – an acronym for “Gathering LGBTQ Episcopalians in Active Ministry” – is at work against a backdrop of recent expressions of transphobia and corporations dialing back prior LGBTQ solidarity, Taylor pointed to the Dodgers’ exclusion – since reversed – of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence from the stadium’s Pride Night in Chavez Ravine.

The Very Rev. Christopher Montella, chair of the Bishop’s Commission on LGBTQ Ministry, and the Rev. Canon Susan Russell, diocesan canon for engagement across difference, also underscored the timeliness of this year’s solidarity and ongoing advocacy.

“I think it was particularly important that we gathered this year both to celebrate how far we’ve come and to organize for how much work there is yet to do,” said Russell, who also, at the denominational level of The Episcopal Church, chairs its Task Force on LGBTQ Inclusion – a General Convention interim body, serving a five-year term through 2027.

Read more here.

Juneteenth service will celebrate freedom from slavery, honor Black heritage

The Diocese of Los Angeles will present its second annual Juneteenth celebration at 3 p.m. on Saturday, June 17 at St. John's Cathedral, Los Angeles.

The Rev. Stacey Forte Dupré will the the preacher for the service, which is sponsored by the Program Group on Black Ministry and the H. Belfield Hannibal Chapter of the Union of Black Episcopalians. The Adrian Dunn Singers will perform spirituals and gospel music and the Rev. Lester McKenzie, a native of South Africa and rector of St. Mary's Church, Laguna Beach, will provide African drumming and song. 

Other service participants will include Deacons Dominique Piper, Margaret McCauley and Jamesetta Glosson Hammons, and Canon Suzanne Edwards Acton and the Rev. George Okusi, co-chairs of the program group. 

All are welcome to attend. Suggested dress for attendees is festal white or African patterns. The cathedral is located at 514 W. Adams Blvd., Los Angeles 90007

Juneteenth, which the U.S. Congress declared a federal holiday in 2021, commemorates the day in 1865 when enslaved people in Texas were finally informed that the Emancipation Proclamation – signed two years earlier by President Abraham Lincoln – had ended slavery in the Confederate states. Sometimes called "Second Independence Day," Juneteenth is a symbolic date of freedom for African Americans and a time of reflection, learning, self- assessment, and healing. The Diocese of Los Angeles passed a resolution at its 2021 convention adding Juneteenth to its liturgical calendar as a feast day.

This story appears on The Episcopal News website here.

Former Presiding Bishop Jefferts Schori will join Episcopal contingent for LA Pride Parade June 11

Former Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori will join members of the Diocese of Los Angeles to march in the historic L.A. Pride Parade in Hollywood on Sunday, June 11, beginning at 11 a.m. 

According to the Rev. Christopher Montella, chair of GLEAM, the diocese's LGBTQ+ ministry, the marchers will demonstrate the diocese's commitment to "stand up to injustice, model God's unconditional love for all people and celebrate the beautiful diversity that makes the LGBTQIA+ community so essential and vital to the Episcopal experience."

Participants will gather at the staging area at 10 a.m. Montella notes that participants must be at the staging area and checked in before the parade steps off, and may not join the contingent along the parade route. To participate, email [email protected]; parade details including staging location, parking and other guidelines will be sent in response. 

"This work is as critical as it has always been," says Montella, "and we look forward to showing up on parade day to do the work of proclaiming God's inclusive love for absolutely everyone."

This story appears on The Episcopal News website here.

Late writer-priest Malcolm Boyd’s 100th birthday to be marked with Eucharist, lunch at St. Paul's Commons 

[The Episcopal News – May 24, 2023] The Rev. Canon Malcolm Boyd – champion of civil rights and freedom rider, openly gay priest, and author of more than 30 books including the 1965 bestseller Are You Running with Me, Jesus? – will be remembered on what would have been his 100th birthday – Thursday, June 8 – with 11:30 a.m. Holy Eucharist followed by lunch at St. Paul’s Commons, 840 Echo Park Ave., Los Angeles

All are welcome for the service, at which Bishop John Harvey Taylor will preside. Lazarus Chapel, where Boyd’s ashes are interred, will be open for prayer and reflection.

Lunch, with a celebratory cake, will be served in the Jonathan Daniels Room where an open mic will be available for anyone wishing to share a brief recollection. A free-will offering of $10 is requested per lunch. Inquiries about the celebration may be directed to diocesan Canon for Common Life Bob Williams, [email protected].

As diocesan writer-priest in residence, Boyd was based at St. Paul’s Commons (then the Cathedral Center) from 1996 until his death on Feb. 27, 2015, at age 91. He served in this role at the invitation of then Bishop Fred Borsch and Canon Kristi Wallace, first executive director of the Echo Park complex.

Read more here.

ECW of Province VIII announces 'Opening Our Hearts' annual retreat 

Episcopal Church Women of Province VIII will hold its in-person annual retreat and business meeting, "Opening Our Hearts," June 23 – 25 at the Wasatch Center at the Episcopal Church Center of Utah in Salt Lake City. Participants will include delegates from Province VIII, plus representatives from United Thank Offering, Church Periodicals Club, Girls Friendly Society, Daughters of the King and other ministries who will offer guidance, resources, and inspiration.

Two interactive sessions will focus on Leading With Heart, a circular leadership model developed by Province VIII ECW, collaborating with Episcopal women from across the country. All participants will receive resources and ongoing support through the Leading with Heart webpage.

Local presenters include St. Elizabeth’s Art Empowers Youth program and the Good Shepherd Ogden Youth Impact Program. The full agenda is posted here.

All Episcopal Church Women in Province VIII are welcome and invited to attend. Early-bird registration (click here) is $175 per person for both days and includes dinner on Friday and lunch and dinner on Saturday. Cost is $200 after June 6. Accommodations are at The Plaza Hotel; special rates through the Episcopal Diocese of Utah are $95 per night for two people, $105 for three to four people). Reserve rooms at 801.606.2410

For additional information contact Christine Budzowski at [email protected]

Environment, racial justice among topics for Immaculate Heart Community’s ‘Lunch & Learn’ lecture series at St. Paul’s Commons 

A June 9 program on environmental care and a July 14 presentation titled “Reparations: A Discussion on Addressing Racial Justice” will be hosted at St. Paul’s Commons, Echo Park, by the Immaculate Heart Community.

A longtime L.A.-based ecumenical Christian order including laypersons and clergy, Immaculate Heart Community relocated its offices to St. Paul’s Commons earlier this year, welcomed by Bishop John Harvey Taylor to share in opportunities for collaboration with the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles.

“The synergies between the ministries of the Immaculate Heart Community and the diocese are remarkable and deeply inspiring,” said diocesan Canon for Common Life Bob Williams, who helps facilitate shared initiatives. “We look forward to a long and meaningful association together in shared service and education.”  

Immaculate Heart Community President Sherry Purcell and Pam Hope, development officer, invite all in the diocese to join the 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. Friday Lunch and Learn programs in the series, which is named in honor of Marisa Antonini. There is no charge to participate, but free-will donations are appreciated. Reservations may be placed with Hope at [email protected].

Read more here.

Summer schedule for diocesan offices, Episcopal News Update

Diocesan offices at St. Paul's Commons will be closed on Monday, May 29 in observance of Memorial Day. Most offices will reopen on Tuesday, May 30.

Offices also will be closed on Monday, June 19 for Juneteenth and Tuesday, July 4, for Independence Day.

The Episcopal News Update will begin its biweekly summer schedule in June. Issues will be published for June 11 and 25; July 9 and 23; and Aug. 6 before the regular weekly schedule resumes Aug. 20. (Publication is on the preceding Wednesday.) Please send submissions to [email protected] by 12 p.m. on Tuesday for each week's issue.

The Bishop's Blog

The Bishop's Blog is online here.

Hedab Tarifi, pioneer for women and Palestine

May 22, 2023

When Hedab Tarifi, born in Gaza, was becoming a U.S. citizen, an official asked her to pick a country of origin. When she said Palestine, he told her she had to pick Egypt, Jordan, or some other Arab country. Refusing to perjure herself as her first official act as a citizen, she stuck to her principles while using her extensive political contacts to circumvent the lower-level functionary — who had evidently been indulging his own bias, not following the rules. 

Read more here.

Visiting St. Stephen’s Church, Santa Clarita

May 22, 2023

Pessimism about Episcopal future meets more than its match at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church Santa Clarita, Ca, where I visited Sunday. The friendly, diverse congregation numbered about 140. In-person and remote attendance often exceeds pre-pandemic numbers. Since the Very Rev. Christopher Montella — energetic, visionary, well-organized, and bursting with community-nurturing love — arrived as rector in the spring of 2019, pledges have nearly doubled.

Read more here.

People

Ordination of deacons is June 10

Bishop John Harvey Taylor will ordain Timothy Gardner Hamlin, Joshua Hing Shing Wong, Melvin Maximiano Soriano and Jonathan Timothy Stoner to the Sacred Order of Deacons at 10 a.m. on Saturday, June 10 at St. John’s Cathedral.

The prayers and presence of the diocesan community are invited. Parking will be available in AAA Lot 2 on West 27th Street (behind the Bank of America building).

Photo: Douglas S. Santo

This week

CFLC/Prism's online 'Exploring Chaplaincy' series slated for May

CFLC (Center for Lay Chaplaincy) and Prism, the diocese's restorative justice ministry, invite the diocesan community to a Zoom series titled "Exploring Chaplaincy," to be held at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesdays in May.

The programs, which began May 3, are exploring the work of chaplains who bring spiritual care to many diverse and challenging contexts. Remaining dates and topics are:

• May 24: Port Chaplaincy, with Deacon Joey De Leon, interim executive director, and Julia Cooper, interim director of the Seattle Seafarers Center, which supports men and women working at sea.

• May 31: CFLC and Prism: Clergy and lay chaplaincy ministries in the Diocese of Los Angeles.

For information and to register, click here.

St. Francis' Church, Palos Verdes, to host annual antiques show and sale

St. Francis' Church will host the 52nd annual Palos Verdes Antiques Show and Sale on Thursday and Friday, June 1 - 2, 11 a.m. – 6 p.m., and Saturday, June 3, 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. The popular three-day event features top dealers from Northern and Southern California and Arizona who will display and sell a dazzling array of 18th, 19th and early 20th-century furniture, silver, prints, jewelry, china, pottery, rugs, Asian antiques, vintage Americana and more. In addition, the show will feature the Harvest Cupboard with tasty homemade offerings and Garden Gazebo with plants and ornaments, plus patio luncheons and English afternoon tea. Comedian Lynn Chichi will perform “Chichi’s Table Talk” on Friday at 3 p.m. during afternoon tea. Admission is $10 with return privileges and parking is free. Proceeds support the mission and outreach of St. Francis Church. For information, call 310.375.4617 or visit the website. The church is located at 2200 Via Rosa, Palos Verdes Estates. 

Reservations now open for Santa Ynez Valley Summer Classic on June 24

St. Mark's in-the-Valley Church, Los Olives, invites all to the 2023 Santa Ynez Valley Summer Classic, to be held at the church on June 24, 5:30 - 8:30 p.m. This lively outdoor event gathering offers guests a chance to dine, sip, and support service projects benefitting the Santa Ynez Valley and the larger Santa Barbara County region. 

Participants will start the evening with appetizers, a glass of local wine, and live entertainment by Dewey Roberts, followed by a silent auction items with a wide variety of lifestyle packages and items from local businesses and a hand-crafted dinner by AR Catering, with tasting with Rob & Hammer’s SLO Stills.

Individual tickets are $250; tables for up to 10 guests may be reserved for $2,500. For tickets, click here or call 805.448.7070.

By Your Side Vigil Companions offers new partnerships, training

[The Episcopal News – May 3, 2023] Since 2011, the mission of By Your Side Vigil Companions, a program of Episcopal Communities and Services, 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 have trained almost 500 people," says Susan Brown, executive director of By Your Side. "The pandemic brought all of us to an acute awareness of life’s fragility; what is most important is connection. It also gave us a renewed commitment to companion one another in even wider and more creative ways."

By Your Side has formed three new programs: an institutional partnership with Keck Medical Center of USC (five Wednesday evenings, beginning June 14); a collaboration with the diocese's Instituto Liderazgo and its director, the Rev. Carlos Ruvalcaba to create A Su Lado, a Spanish-language By Your Side training (which began in mid-May); and an in-person By Your Side training – the first one since March 2020 – to be held at St. Luke the Physician Episcopal Church in Monrovia (five Saturday mornings, beginning May 27). 

Read more here. 

Seeds of Hope offers help to those seeking food assistance

Seeds of Hope, the food justice ministry of the Diocese of Los Angeles, is working with CalFresh Food, the statewide food program that helps Californians buy more groceries when money's tight, and the L.A. County Department of Public Social Services to help qualified Angelenos receive food assistance.

Seeds of Hope staff members are ready to support individuals and lead sign-up events at congregations. They will walk new applicants through the process to make registration quick and easy. Assistance is available in English and Spanish. (Applicants may also begin the process here.)  

To learn more or to host a support session, contact Erica Nieves of Seeds of Hope at [email protected].

SAVE THE DATE

2023 Episcopal Night at Dodger Stadium set

The Diocese of Los Angeles will once again descend on Echo Park for Episcopal Night at Dodger Stadium on Friday, Sept. 1 for a games against the Atlanta Braves, according to the Rev. Canon Greg Larkin (AKA "Canon Baseball"). Tickets may be ordered through each congregation's coordinator; more information will be available soon. For now, please save the date.

From the wider church

Arizona Episcopal church on the US-Mexico border destroyed by fire

By Melodie Woerman

[Episcopal News Service – May 23, 2023] A late morning fire destroyed St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church in Douglas, Arizona, on May 22. A church-owned house next door also was destroyed. First Presbyterian Church, next door to the church house, also suffered severe fire damage. No one was injured. The cause of the blazes that hit both buildings remains under investigation, Arizona Bishop Jennifer Reddall told Episcopal News Service on May 23.

The fire at St. Stephen’s was discovered at about 11 a.m. on May 22, with flames visible both in the church and the church house. Minutes later observers noticed that the Presbyterian church also was on fire. The co-minister of First Presbyterian, the Rev. Peggy Christiansen, told a Tucson TV station that the two fires appear to have begun separately. “As the day went on, we were told [our] fire did not start from the Episcopal church. But rather, it was an independent fire. Somehow our fire started inside our church, and theirs started in theirs,” she said.

In a May 23 email to the diocese, Reddall said local police and fire officials and representatives from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, began investigating the evening of the fire.

Douglas is a town of about 16,000 people located on the U.S.-Mexican border. The town’s mayor, Donald Huish, on May 23 told a Tucson TV station that the origin of the two fires “does look suspicious.”

Read more here.

Diocese of Florida appeals to standing committees, bishops to give consent for Bishop-elect Charlie Holt

By David Paulsen

[Episcopal News Service –May 23, 2023] The Diocese of Florida has just crossed the halfway mark of the canonical 120-day period for its campaign to secure churchwide consents for the Rev. Charlie Holt to become its next bishop. In other bishop elections, The Episcopal Church’s consent process nearly always ends in the ordination of the bishop, but Florida faces unusually strong opposition, due to questions about the election’s fairness and Holt’s fitness to serve.

The Jacksonville-based diocese has until July 20 to persuade a majority of the church’s 106 bishops with jurisdiction and a majority of the church’s 110 diocesan standing committees to give their consent to Holt’s ordination as bishop coadjutor, or his election will be negated. And though the current vote tallies are not publicly available, Florida leaders say they still have work to do in achieving majorities.

So far, “there’s definitely more ‘nos’ than ‘yeses,'” the Rev. Joe Gibbes, Florida Standing Committee president, said on May 23 in an interview with Episcopal News Service. He declined to provide specific numbers.

Read more here.

NJ Congregation that posted Pride flags now concerned for community’s safety after welcome sign vandalized

By Shireen Korkzan

[Episcopal News Service – May 23, 2023] Each year in commemoration of June’s Pride Month, Church of the Redeemer in Morristown, New Jersey, displays Pride flags on its property. 

This year, the Rev. Cynthia Black, the church’s rector, told Episcopal News Service they put the flags up on May 19, earlier than usual, in honor of a lesbian parishioner who recently died from COVID-19. The next day, on the morning of the parishioner’s funeral, the church’s “all are welcome” sign was found split in two.

“Clearly, across our country, a rise in anti-LGBTQ sentiment, whether it’s in places like Florida — or what I hope is a small minority of people in local towns near Morristown — it’s real and all it takes is for one person doing something like this,” Black said. “The intent is to intimidate and to remind those of us who are gay and lesbian that they are there and they can hurt us.”

Church of the Redeemer’s welcome sign, which cost the church $15,000 to install in 2015, invites people of all backgrounds – gay, straight, conservative, liberal, single, married, divorced, etc. — to worship. Black said a representative with the company that built the church’s sign told her that someone would’ve needed to use a lot of force to break the sign in the way they did because it was made from hard plastic. 

Read more here.

Hawai’i Episcopalians, interfaith partners push US Navy to speed up closure of WWII-era fuel storage facility

By Lynette Wilson

[Episcopal News Service – May 23, 2023] Hawai’i Episcopalians and interfaith partners are stepping up their campaign to push the U.S. Navy to accelerate its timeline to defuel and permanently close a World War II-era underground storage facility that sits on Red Hill 100 feet above one of Oahu’s main aquifers.

“They [the Navy] are talking about taking until summer 2024 to defuel and then 2027 to shut down completely,” said the Rev. Jenn Latham, associate rector at Holy Nativity Episcopal Church and co-chair of the Diocese of Hawai’i’s Environmental Justice and Creation Care Task Force.

For those living on Hawai’i’s largest island and who depend on the aquifer for their water needs, its closure is urgent.

“Water is necessary for life; we all need it. For the island of Oahu to continue to sustain human, animal and plant life we need clean water,” Latham said.

Working alongside Hawaii Interfaith Power and Light, Episcopalians and others have embarked on a national letter-writing campaign addressed to President Joe Biden and Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III. The letters call for the creation of a civilian task force, additional oversight and transparency, and an immediate “mission critical and emergency” declaration.

Read more here.

Bishops United Against Gun Violence gathers in DC to learn ways to curtail gun violence by dismantling systemic racism

By Shireen Korkzan

[Episcopal News Service – Washington, D.C. – May 19, 2023] Bishops at the front lines of The Episcopal Church’s advocacy for gun control in the United States convened this week in Washington, D.C., to learn from and build relationships with local advocates working to curtail gun violence and racism during a two-day gathering.

The May 17-18 gathering was hosted by Bishops United Against Gun Violence, a network of more than 100 Episcopal Church bishops working to diminish gun violence. Several bishops and gun control advocates assembled at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church on Capitol Hill to listen to experts on community-based and data-driven methods to eradicate gun violence. The experts consisted of heads of various gun control advocacy nonprofit organizations, faith leaders and a public health scholar.

Ten bishops met with legislators on Capitol Hill to discuss gun violence on May 16 and May 17.

“I have seen cities where folks who are Black and brown are [much] more likely to be killed by a gunshot than people who happen to be white. So, there’s an intersection of racism and gun violence,” Michigan Bishop Bonnie Perry told Episcopal News Service. “For me, how we combat [racism and gun violence] as people of faith and as a bishop, that is how we can put gospel values into the world. This is how we make a difference in our world. It’s how our communities of faith show how much we care.”

Read more here.

Registration open for churchwide ‘All About Love’ festival in July

[The Episcopal Church – April 12, 2023] Episcopalians everywhere are invited to register to join a churchwide festival of worship, learning, community, and action July 9-12 at the Baltimore (Maryland) Convention Center.

“It’s All About Love: A Festival for the Jesus Movement” will open at 7 p.m. Sunday, July 9, with a revival worship service featuring Episcopal Church Presiding Bishop Michael Curry. It closes at noon on Wednesday, July 12, following a festival Eucharist preached by House of Deputies President Julia Ayala Harris. The Rev. Mariama White-Hammond will preach on July 10.

Kwok Pui Lan, dean’s professor of systematic theology at Candler School of Theology, will speak during the July 10 morning plenary on racial reconciliation; Sarah Augustine, co-founder and director of the Coalition to Dismantle the Doctrine of Discovery, will speak July 11 on racial reconciliation and becoming Beloved Community. Author and speaker Brian McLaren will join Curry for a morning plenary July 12 on the future of evangelism. View the schedule online.

Worship will be led by Live Hymnal and friends from across The Episcopal Church, and a special prayer space will be curated by Lilly Lewin of Free-Range Worship.

“It’s All About Love” will feature three “tents” – evangelism, creation care, and racial justice – that will host evening revival worship services, as well as daytime workshops, panels, practice opportunities, and other ways to engage.

Olufemi Gonsalves, a member of St. James in-the-City Church, Los Angeles, will present a workshop titled "All About Love: Bell Hooks, Pauli Murray, and Love as a Tool for Reconciliation." The workshop's theme is 'reflect, connect, and sing in the key of love.' 

Read more here.

Calendar

THURSDAY, MAY 25, 7:30 p.m.

Candlelight Vigil: Remember Their Names

St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church

4400 Barranca Parkway, Irvine 92604

Information: Kathy Cartelli, [email protected]

On the 3rd anniversary of George Floyd’s death, join us for a candlelight vigil in memory of those who suffered a violent death due to the color of their skin, their faith, their gender identity, their cultural heritage or because of whom they chose to love. The service will include lighting of the candles, opening comments, reading of victims' names, closing with a song of hope.

SATURDAY, MAY 27, 4 p.m.

Conversations with LCAD President Steve Brittan

St. Mary's Episcopal Church

428 Park Avenue, Laguna Beach

Reservations: [email protected] or 949.494.3542

Enjoy a free afternoon with the president of Laguna College of Art and Design (LCAD), Steve Brittan. The afternoon will begin with wine, cheese, and fellowship. Conversations will be focused on art and spirituality, how art and creativity can address global issues, and more. All are welcome to attend. Please reserve your place; email the total number of guests to [email protected]. 

SATURDAY, MAY 27, 4 p.m.

Memorial Day Weekend Organ Recital

St. Martin in-the-Fields Episcopal Church 

7136 Winnetka Avenue, Winnetka 91306

Information: 818.348.1419 or here 

Christian D. Stendel, St. Martin's organist, will perform music by Copland, Bach, Brahms, Barber, Elgar, Howells, William Lloyd Webber, and Widor. There is no charge, but donations will be gratefully accepted.

SUNDAY, MAY 28, 6 p.m.

Classical Sundays at Six: Finn Sagal, baritone & Wendy Caldwell, piano

St. James in-the-City Episcopal Church

3903 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles 90010

Information: 213.388.3015 or here

Free. Livestream and on demand at GreatMusicLA.org.

FRIDAY, JUNE 2, 8 p.m.

Chamber Orchestra and Choir Concert

St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church

1031 Bienveneda Avenue, Pacific Palisades

Information here or 310.573.7422.

The Chamber Orchestra at St. Matthew’s and Choir of St. Matthew’s Church, under the direction of Dwayne S. Milburn, will present premieres of two commissioned works: Hymn To Life, a three-movement cantata by San Francisco-based composer David Conte; and Hermitage for Steel Drum and Orchestra by Dante De Silva, featuring steel drum virtuoso Tyler Hunt. Other selections include Sinfonietta, Op. 5 by Sergei Prokofiev and Flos campi, a tone poem by Ralph Vaughan Williams, with solo violist David Sage. A pre-concert presentation, “Liner Notes with Tom Neenan,” begins at 7:10 p.m. and is free and open to the public. Concert tickets: $35.

SATURDAY, JUNE 3, 2 p.m.

Memorial service: Canon Jenny Ladefoged

St. Michael & All Angels Episcopal Church

3646 Coldwater Canyon Avenue, Studio City (Los Angeles) 91604

Information: Lise Friedman at [email protected]

The service will be followed by interment of her ashes in the memorial garden. "We'll finish in the Ministry Center with a celebration of her life featuring candy, marmalade, bread, cheese, and wine in a box," according to her daughter, Lise Friedman. Ladefoged died on March 13, 2021 in Nashville, where she had lived in retirement. An obituary is here.

SATURDAY, JUNE 3, 8 p.m.

Jouyssance Early Music Ensemble: 'Hidden Voices'

St. Bede's Episcopal Church

3590 Grand View Blvd., Los Angeles (Mar Vista)

Information: 213.533.9922 or [email protected]

Tickets here

A program of Renaissance and early Baroque music – some recently discovered – by women and composers of color, including sumptuous motets by 16th century composer-theorist Vicente Lusitano, first composer of African heritage to be published, as well as music by Mexican composers Juan de Lienas, Juan García de Zéspedes and Antonio de Salazar. Of particular interest is a work with text, and possibly music, by Juana Inés de la Cruz, the 17th century writer who has been called “The Shakespeare of Mexico” and a “proto-feminist.” Filling out the program will be a selection of sacred and secular music by women who were cloistered Italian nuns, such as Raphaela Aleotti, her sister Vittoria Aleotti, Sulpitia Cesis, Isabella Leonarda and Chiara Margharita Cozzolani. Tickets: $25 ($20 Seniors/SCEMS members; $10 for students with current school ID.) As part of its educational outreach program, and funded in part by the Colburn Foundation, Jouyssance offers free admission to members of the American Choral Directors Association, as well as their students. 

SUNDAY, JUNE 4, 3 p.m.

The Orange County Women’s Chorus: Look, Be, Leap!

St. Wilfrid of York Episcopal Church

18631 Chapel Lane, Huntington Beach

Information/Tickets here

The OCWC has been “causing treble” for a quarter century and invites the community to join the celebration. The program includes songs about friendship, courage, struggle, and the joy and power of raising voices together, and will feature the premiere performance of OCWC's newest commissioned work, “In the Forest,” by Bay Area composer Ruth Huber. Tickets: $30 (Seniors 65+; $25. Students (with ID): $15.) Founded in 1997, the Orange County Women’s Chorus, directed by Eliza Rubenstein, is now one of the region’s top amateur ensembles. The chorus was named a 2014 Outstanding Arts Organization by Arts Orange County; was a prizewinner in July 2015 at the International Musical Eisteddfod in Llangollen, Wales; and participated in the Carnegie Hall premiere of Kirke Mechem’s Songs of the Slave in New York City in June 2017. The chorus made its own Carnegie Hall debut in June 2022 in a spotlight performance and joined a mass choir performance of Haydn’s Lord Nelson Mass under Rubenstein’s direction.

SUNDAY, JUNE 4, 4 p.m.

Jouyssance Early Music Ensemble: 'Hidden Voices'

St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, 122 S. California Avenue, Monrovia

Information: 213.533.9922 or [email protected]

Tickets here

A program of Renaissance and early Baroque music – some recently discovered – by women and composers of color, including sumptuous motets by 16th century composer-theorist Vicente Lusitano, first composer of African heritage to be published, as well as music by Mexican composers Juan de Lienas, Juan García de Zéspedes and Antonio de Salazar. Of particular interest is a work with text, and possibly music, by Juana Inés de la Cruz, the 17th century writer who has been called “The Shakespeare of Mexico” and a “proto-feminist.” Filling out the program will be a selection of sacred and secular music by women who were cloistered Italian nuns, such as Raphaela Aleotti, her sister Vittoria Aleotti, Sulpitia Cesis, Isabella Leonarda and Chiara Margharita Cozzolani. Tickets: $25 ($20 Seniors/SCEMS members; $10 for students with current school ID.) As part of its educational outreach program, and funded in part by the Colburn Foundation, Jouyssance offers free admission to members of the American Choral Directors Association, as well as their students.

SUNDAY, JUNE 4, 5 p.m.

Messiah's Round-up at the Ranch

Tustin Ranch Golf Club

12442 Tustin Ranch Road, Tustin 92782

Information: 714.543.9389

Join Church of the Messiah (Santa Ana) for some darn good grub and a festive auction. This event calls for your Sunday boots, your favorite cowboy or cowgirl hat, maybe a bandana and a fancy belt buckle. (You can leave your horse at home, but maybe we can find a hitching post for your Mustang.) Tickets: $70. 

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

A Pentecost 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, invites all to this monthly candlelit service of music, meditation and prayer. Taizé services will be held in-person or online throughout the year. Online services available here.

Additional events are listed on the diocesan calendar here. Calendar information may be emailed to [email protected].

VOLUNTEER

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 [email protected].

EMPLOYMENT

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

CONTINUING LISTINGS

ARCADIA: Office Manager. Arcadia Episcopal Preschool is opening the position of Office Manager, effective June 15, 2023. The position is a 20 hour per week responsibility and requires a person with bookkeeping experience who is familiar with computer skills, Quick Books and ADP. Duties include management of accounts payable, payroll for 9 or 10 staff members, collection and recording of tuition, close association with the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles, and preparation of financial reports for the vestry of the Church of the Transfiguration. The benefits for health and insurance are administrated by the diocese. Wage depends on qualifications and starts at $25,000 annually. Interested applicants should contact Senior Warden Melody James at [email protected]. A detailed list of responsibilities will be available to applicants. The church and preschool address is 1881 South First Avenue, Arcadia, California 91006. Full job description here.

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 [email protected] or by postal mail at 555 E. Mountain View Avenue, Glendora 91741.

LOS ANGELES: Receptionist/Administrative Support, Diocese of Los Angeles (St. Paul's Commons). This position is unique and very important to the ministry of the diocese, being the first face and voice of communication representing the bishops and staff and the ministries that take place at St. Paul’s Commons. Duties and Responsibilities: Greet and welcome guests with grace and hospitality on the phone and in person; direct guests to their destinations; assist with bookings/calendared events at St. Paul’s Commons; invoicing; database management. A job description is here. Send applications to Canon Anilin Collado, Human Resources manager, at [email protected] or call 213.482.2040, ext. 250. Application deadline is May 31, 2023.

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 [email protected] or the Rev. Thomas Quijada-Discavage at [email protected].

SAN GABRIEL: Three part-time music positions. Church of Our Saviour is hiring an Interim Children’s Choir Director for grades 2-5 (2-3 hours/week), an Alto Soloist/Section Leader (4 hours/week) and a Director of Music (almost half-time). To send a resumé, or for further information, contact Dr. Paul Kilian at [email protected].

SANTA ANA: Bookkeeper, Episcopal Church of the Messiah. The bookkeeper will be responsible for maintaining the day to day accounting functions, accruals, and financial statements. This position reports directly to the rector and works closely with the treasurer. The position is subject to an annual performance evaluation. This position is part-time at 15 hours per week, with the ability to have a customized work schedule approved during Messiah’s regular office hours of 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Monday through Friday. Compensation will range from $18 to $20 per hour based on experience and skills. Benefits are not offered. A full job description is here. Send your résumé and a letter about yourself to the Rev. Abel E. Lopez, rector, [email protected]. Word or PDF documents only, please.

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

TUSTIN: Sexton. St. Paul's Episcopal Church. 25 hours/week. The sexton serves to maintain a high standard of cleanliness and readiness of Church facilities to enable the work and ministry of the congregation and to create a pleasant atmosphere for members, guests, and staff. Job description here. Contact: [email protected].

OUTSIDE THE DIOCESE

PALM SPRINGS: Parish Administrator, St. Paul in the Desert Episcopal Church (Diocese of San Diego). The parish administrator serves as the central contact and hub for all church staff, parishioners, volunteers, visitors, vendors, and community partners. The parish administrator must be well-organized, able to work independently and collaboratively, and be flexible in responding to the changing needs of the parish. The parish administrator reports to the co-rectors and manages two other staff members: a sexton and assistant sexton. The parish administrator also works with the co-rectors in managing a team of office volunteers who will assist in the broad scope of this key role as the parish grows into a program-sized church. Hours: Full time, Monday - Friday (occasional weekends); depending on applicants the job may be split up into two part-time positions. A full job description is here.

DALLAS, TEXAS: Director of Children and Family Ministry, Saint Michael and All Angels Church. Full time. Full job description is here. All resumes and inquiries can be directed to [email protected] by August 4, 2023.

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 email attachments (rather than embedded in a document). To subscribe, click here.

— Janet Kawamoto, editor