Deadly blast at Anglican hospital in Gaza was ‘crime against humanity,’ archbishop says
By David Paulsen
[Episcopal News Service – October 18, 2023] Anglican Archbishop Hosam Naoum on Oct. 18 decried the blast that killed hundreds at the Al Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza as a “crime against humanity,” and he called for warring parties on both sides of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to bring an end to the violence plaguing the Holy Land.
Naoum, who leads the Anglican province that includes the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem, said many Palestinians had come to the Anglican-run hospital seeking a safe haven from the hostilities around them, and groups were gathered in the courtyard singing songs calling for peace. Soon after, the courtyard was decimated by an apparent airstrike, with Palestinian and Israeli officials now trading blame.
“We stand as churches united together in condemning this dreadful and devastating massacre,” Naoum said in a news conference that was livestreamed on Facebook. He was joined by other heads of the 13 Christian denominations in the Holy Land, known as the patriarchs. “We regard this as a crime against humanity and we call upon all sides, that this war must come to an end.”
Ahli is one of 22 hospitals in northern Gaza that have been struggling to remain open and respond to the growing humanitarian crisis. The Palestinian territory, which has been under an Israeli blockade since 2007, now faces renewed Israeli airstrikes and Israel’s impending military attack on Hamas, the militant group that controls Gaza. Israel declared war on Hamas after it waged a surprise land, sea and air attack on Israeli soil Oct. 7, massacring hundreds of Israeli civilians. As many as 200 more were taken hostage by Hamas, which the United States has labeled a terrorist organization.
Read more here.
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Prayers for the Ahli Arab Episcopal/Anglican hospital in Gaza
by John Harvey Taylor
[The Bishop's Blog – October 17, 2023] News reports, supplemented by word from friends in the region, say that many hundreds died today, including refugees sheltering inside, when a rocket struck Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza City. The Episcopal News Service has not yet reported a casualty figure.
Initial media reports blamed Israel. An Israeli official has blamed an errant rocket fired by a Hamas ally. Ten other hospitals in Gaza City report damage since Israeli strikes began after Hamas’ Oct. 7 terrorist attack on Israel, which killed 1,300, many of them noncombatants, including children. This is the third time in less than a week that Ahli Hospital has been damaged by rocket attacks.
As global events unfold, it is hard to know what to do besides pray. But for us Episcopalians, as well as for our Jewish and Arab siblings, friends, and neighbors, the war in Israel and Palestine is a local story. Referred to as al-Ahli in some reports, Ahli Arab Hospital is part of the The Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem, under the leadership of Archbishop Hosam Naoum. Those who have been lost or injured need our prayers, and the hospital will need our financial donations urgently in the weeks and months ahead. These can be made by visiting the American Friends of the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem website. Please consider making a recurring gift.
Read more here. The Rt. Rev. John Harvey Taylor is bishop of the Diocese of Los Angeles.
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Order of St John, supporter of healthcare in Holy Land, meets in LA as war begins in Gaza
By Pat McCaughan
[The Episcopal News – October 18, 2023] Several hundred members of the Order of St John, which supports community healthcare in Israel-Palestine, began an Oct. 7 celebration of their humanitarian mission with a moment of silence and prayers for peace and healing as news emerged of the Hamas surprise attack that had killed hundreds of Israelis.
“When we went to bed last night, we did not know we would turn on the news today to the news that is unfolding in the land that belongs to Almighty God,” said the Rev. Russell Levenson Jr., sub-prelate of the order, and rector of St. Martin’s Episcopal Church in Houston.
“Almighty God, whose love and grace and mercy surround us on every side, look down on this your human family and especially those in the land we call holy this day. Be with the grieving. Be with the wounded and be with the recovering. Be with the frightened and worried. Be especially with those who tend and care and try to restore health and civility. And we pray for peace. We pray for peace,” said Levenson, who also served as preacher at the service of investiture and rededication, held at All Saints’ Church in Beverly Hills.
According to a statement on the St John’s Hospital website, “Amid hostilities, our Gazan hospital has sustained considerable collateral damage. It is non-operational and remains under severe strain.” The main hospital, which is located in East Jerusalem, is down to its most minimal service level because it is not possible for patients or staff to get there safely, according to a person who was briefed on the matter, but is not authorized to speak on behalf of the hospital or the Order of St John.
Read more here.
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By Your Side training for end-of-life and crisis companions to begin Nov. 20
By Your Side online training sessions for Fall 2023 will begin on Nov. 20 and continue through Dec. 18, meeting on Mondays via Zoom from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
Since 2011, the mission of By Your Side has been to support people in times of change and difficulty, particularly in health crisis, and to have trained volunteers at their bedsides at the end of their lives as needed. More than 500 volunteers have been trained to be such a compassionate presence.
By Your Side, a ministry of Episcopal Communities & Services, an institution of the Diocese of Los Angeles, continues to develop teams of people to serve in hospital and long-term care settings, especially in ECS communities. Team members have had the opportunity to deepen their understanding of what it means to really be “with” the people they support; those having difficulty with changes in their lives, with challenging diagnoses or increasing frailty. In the larger community, individuals and spiritual care teams strengthen their understanding of what being together through the end of life can really look like. Volunteers gain tools for taking care of themselves while being present for others.
All interested persons are invited to join By Your Side in this exploration. There is no obligation to volunteer at the end of the training. A fee of $70 (which includes all materials) is due by the second class. Scholarships are available. CE (12 hours) for nurses is available for an added $30 under California Board of Registered Nursing Provider CEP 16239.
For further information and to register for training sessions, contact Susan Brown at sbrown@ecsbyyourside.org or 818.822.6044.
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Diocesan staff to observe autumn, winter holidays
Diocesan offices at St. Paul's Commons and elsewhere will close for several holidays and events in November and December.
Offices will be closed on Friday, Nov. 10 as staff members assist with Diocesan Convention, meeting at the Riverside Convention Center Nov. 10 - 11. (Friday is also the observance of Veterans' Day.)
Offices will be closed Thursday and Friday, Nov. 23 -24 for the Thanksgiving holiday.
In December, offices will be closed on Friday, Dec. 22 for Christmas Eve and Monday, Dec. 25 for Christmas Day, as well as Friday, Dec. 29 for New Year's Eve and Monday, Jan. 1 for New Year's Day.
The Episcopal News Update will be on hiatus for Thanksgiving week (issue date Nov. 26) and for Dec. 24 and 31. Announcements of January events should be submitted by early December so save-the-date notices can be included before the Christmas-New Year hiatus.
Each issue of the Update is emailed on Wednesday and dated for the following Sunday. Weekly deadline is Tuesday at 12 p.m.
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Pre-convention deanery assemblies begin this weekend
Online deanery assemblies preceding the 2023 meeting of Diocesan Convention will begin this weekend.
Each of the diocese's 10 deaneries is assigned to one of the gatherings. Individual deanery assemblies will follow the joint sessions. The Zoom link for all three meetings is here. Although the meetings will be geared to specific deaneries, any delegate or interested church member may attend any of the three meetings. Spanish translation will be provided.
Assembly dates are:
Deaneries 3, 4 & 5
Saturday, October 21, 10 a.m.
Deaneries 6, 7 & 8
Sunday, October 22, 3 p.m.
Deaneries 1, 2, 9 & 10
Saturday, October 28, 10 a.m.
Diocesan Convention will be held Friday and Saturday, Nov. 10 - 11, at the Riverside Convention Center.
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Churchwide ethnic ministries missioners to join Diocesan Convention panel on best practices
By EN Staff
A panel focused on best practices for launching and advancing multicultural ministries in local congregations is set for Diocesan Convention, with speakers including denomination-wide leaders from The Episcopal Church’s Department of Ethnic Ministries joined by the convener of Chinese ministries in the Diocese of Los Angeles.
Set for the afternoon of Friday, Nov. 10, the panel will be moderated by Bishop John Harvey Taylor and include the Rev. Ronald Byrd Sr., missioner for African Descent Ministries across The Episcopal Church; the Rev. Fennie Hsin-Fen Chang, vicar of St. Thomas, Hacienda Heights, and convenor of the Chinese ministries in the Diocese of Los Angeles; the Rev. Bradley Hauff, The Episcopal Church’s missioner for Indigenous Ministries; and the Rev. Albert Rodriguez, consultant to The Episcopal Church’s Office of Latino/Hispanic Ministries.
The panel has been organized in consultation with the Rev. Canon Anthony Guillen, director of The Episcopal Church’s Department of Ethnic Ministries whose ministry has included serving as rector of All Saints, Oxnard.
Read more here.
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Four resolutions proposed for consideration at Diocesan Convention
Four resolutions have been proposed for consideration by the upcoming meeting of Diocesan Convention Nov 10 - 11.
Lay and clergy delegates will be asked to vote on the following measures (click on the titles for full texts and explanations):
Proposed Resolution Regarding Establishing Holy Family Sunday
Resolved, that the One Hundred Twenty-eighth Annual Meeting of the Church in the Diocese of Los Angeles dedicate the First Sunday in Advent (or another Sunday in Advent if it is more appropriate) as Holy Family Adoption Services Sunday, and that congregations and individuals be encouraged to support Holy Family Services' life-saving work on that day through prayer and a special offering that will help this important work of finding caring homes for children.
Proposed Resolution Regarding Commemorating The Philadelphia Eleven in the Church Calendar
Resolved, that the One Hundred Twenty-eighth Annual Convention of the Diocese of Los Angeles submit the following resolution to the 81st General Convention of the Episcopal Church meeting in 2024: Resolved, the House of ________________ concurring, that the 81st General Convention include and enter The Philadelphia Eleven to the Lesser Feasts & Fasts Calendar of the Church Year to be celebrated on July 29. [The Philadelphia Eleven were women deacons who were ordained to the priesthood in The Episcopal Church before General Convention had authorized women to serve as priests. Their ordinations were later regularized.]
Proposed Resolution Regarding the 80th Anniversary Programs Honoring Florence Li Tim-Oi
Resolved, that the 128th Convention of the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles adopts the 80th General Convention’s Resolution D079: 80th Anniversary Programs Honoring Florence Li Tim-Oi. [The Bishop of Hong Kong ordained Li, a deaconess, to the priesthood in 1944 because she was the only person available to celebrate Eucharist for Anglican refugees in Macau during wartime.]
Proposed Resolution Regarding the Companion Relationship with the Diocese of Taiwan
Resolved, that the 128th Convention of the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles accepts the invitation of the Diocese of Taiwan to form a Companion Relationship, beginning September 2024 and continuing until September 2027, or until terminated by mutual consent, in accordance with the guidelines of the Episcopal Church.
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Pre-convention workshop titles, presenters announced
Delegates and visitors to Diocesan Convention will have several opportunities to attend workshops on topics of interest to church leaders and members.
All workshops will be held on Friday morning, Nov. 10 at the Riverside Convention Center.
Topics, presenters, meeting times and rooms (on the lower concourse) are:
9 - 10:15 a.m.
Leadership Development Training for Clergy
Commission on Ministry
Meeting Room 1
9 - 9:50 a.m.
Risk Management for Congregations
Jack Rutledge, Church Insurance Company
The Rev. Susan Stanton, CFO, Diocese of Los Angeles
Meeting Room 2
10 - 10:50 a.m.
How We Put Our Love in Action in the LGBTQ+ Community
Bishop's Commission on LGBTQ+ Ministries
Meeting Room 2
10:30 - 12 p.m.
Discernment Committee Training
Commission on Ministry
Meeting Room 1
11 - 11:50 a.m.
Affordable Housing on Church Property
The Rev. Michael Bell, director of Housing & Business Development, Episcopal Communities & Services
Meeting Room 2
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High schoolers invited to volunteer at Diocesan Convention
The Program Group on Youth & Young Adult Ministries welcomes middle school and high school (grades 8 – 12) and college-age young people to serve as convention volunteers. The youth and young adult volunteers handle many logistical tasks while they learn about how their church and diocese are governed. Some will be be acolytes at the Saturday morning Eucharist.
Volunteers will arrive in Riverside on Thursday night for training, and work at the convention on Nov. 10 and 11. (Nov. 10 is a holiday at many schools, in observance of Veterans Day, Nov. 11.) Meals, lodging and adult supervision will be provided.
For more information and to register, visit the youth page on the convention website, or contact Gabe Vasquez-Reyes at gvazquez-reyes@ladiocese.org; registraton deadline is Monday, Nov. 6.
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A special invitation for spouses and partners of clergy in the diocese
Happy Fall!
Diocesan Convention is coming to the Riverside Convention Center on Friday and Saturday, Nov. 10 and 11. Please mark your calendars to attend part or all of the convention, as you are able.
Clergy Spouses and Partners will have our own meeting space in the Convention Center where we can be together to catch up with one another, visit, or just have some quiet time.
On Saturday, Nov. 11, all clergy spouses are invited to a private lunch in our spouses’ room where the Rev. Canon Melissa McCarthy, canon to the ordinary, will join us for lunch and conversation!
Refreshments and snacks will be available in our space throughout the two days, and I encourage clergy spouses to come by. In addition, the wonderful Exhibit Hall will be open, and the vendors and exhibitors are looking forward to seeing us.
If you plan to attend Convention and the Spouses and Partners Luncheon, please let me know via email or text at mizkoc@gmail.com or 714-315-1033 so I can plan properly.
See you in Riverside!
Blessings.
Canon Kathy O’Connor
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Getting to 12%: a message from the Assessment Review Committee
By The Assessment Review Committee
[The Episcopal News – October 11, 2023] In 2024, the Diocese of Los Angeles will begin to enforce assessments on parishes for the Mission Share Fund, as voted on at the 1997 special diocesan convention. This shift is from the expectation that each parish will give 12% of normal operating income (NOI) to enforcing the required giving level.
In recent years parishes have contributed to the MSF on a voluntary basis, with 12% contributions expected and 15% encouraged. Because many parishes have not met that threshold, the diocese has struggled to maintain the staff, structures and services required to support the ministries of its congregations.
Read more here.
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Nominations open for diocesan offices
Nominations are open for candidates for diocesan offices to be elected at the convention on Nov. 10 - 11.
Open offices include:
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Canterbury Irvine (one, clergy or lay, for a one-year term)
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Canterbury USC (one clergy or one lay for a one-year term)
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Corporation of the Diocese (two lay for a three-year term; one lay for a two-year term; two lay for a one-year term)
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Commission on Ministry (one clergy and one lay, each for a three-year term)
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Diocesan Council (one clergy and one lay, each for a three-year term)
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Diocesan Investment Trust (one, lay or clergy, for a four-year term)
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Hillsides Trustee (one, lay or clergy, for a three-year term)
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Standing Committee (one clergy and one lay, each for a four-year term)
Full information about open offices, including nomination forms and submission instructions, may be found on the convention website here.
Photo: Canon Patti Jo McKay, judge of elections
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Planning underway for 2023 Diocesan Convention, 'Love in Action'
[The Episcopal News – October 3, 2023] "Love in Action: For Healing, Housing & Hope" will be the theme for the 128th meeting of Diocesan Convention, a two-day hybrid event on Friday and Saturday, Nov. 10 and 11, at the Riverside Convention Center, 3637 5th Street, Riverside.
Clergy and lay delegates are encouraged to attend in person, but may participate by Zoom if desired: information for remote access, including a participation guide and a link to register in advance (required) is here.
Visitors are always welcome to observe convention business and explore the exhibit hall.
According to Canon Steve Nishibayashi, secretary of convention, a series of workshops featuring diocesan ministries living out the theme of Convention will precede the Friday business session, which will begin at 1 p.m. (See related story in this section.)
Friday's agenda includes the annual bishop's address, delivered by the Rt. Rev. John Harvey Taylor. The afternoon agenda also will include a panel discussion featuring leaders of The Episcopal Church’s Ethnic Ministries department comprising African Descent Ministries, Asiamerica Ministries, Indigenous Ministries, and Latino Ministries. Speakers will offer practical guidance and insights in their respective areas of expertise. The panel is coordinated by the Rev. Canon Anthony Guillén, The Episcopal Church’s missioner for Latino/Hispanic ministries and director of the Ethnic Ministries team. Guillén is well known from his many years of ministry in the Diocese of Los Angeles, including as a former rector of All Saints/Todos los Santos, Oxnard. More information about the panel is here.
Read more here. This story is updated often with additional information.
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California Endowment President Robert Ross to deliver Diocesan Convention’s Margaret Parker Lecture Nov. 11
[The Episcopal News – October 3, 2023] Focusing on the nexus of philanthropy and social and racial justice, California Endowment President/CEO Robert Ross – a physician and parishioner of St. Mark’s Episcopal Church in Altadena – will deliver Diocesan Convention’s eighth biennial Margaret Parker Lecture, slated for 11 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 11, at Diocesan Convention in Riverside.
A leader in implementing the Affordable Care Act in California, Ross also chaired the Los Angeles County Task Force on Alternatives to Incarceration, “developing a strategic roadmap for the county to reform the criminal justice system in support of health-focused strategies to reduce incarceration in 2021,” his California Endowment biography notes.
Read more here.
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The Guibord Center gala
October 16, 2023
My scrapbook from Thursday evening’s gala friends dinner at St. John's Cathedral in Los Angeles hosted by The Guibord Center - Religion Inside Out, an interfaith organization founded by the late Rev. Dr. Gwynne Guibord and now captained by her partner in life and ministry, Dr. Lo Sprague. As always, Lo made 200 of us feel like we were in her living room. The Guibord Center’s work is rooted in relationship as an antidote to misapprehension and doctrinal certitude as well as a catalyst for unleashing a transformative and unifying spirituality.
Read more here.
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Visiting St. Francis' Church, Simi Valley
October 16, 2023
As at most of our missions and parishes in the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles, those who attend St. Francis of Assisi Episcopal Church in Simi Valley don’t agree on everything — but they do agree on going deep in spiritual practice and doing service in Christ’s name. Featured in a recent Los Angeles Times article, the exquisite St. Francis labyrinth is a love magnet for the whole neighborhood, as is its celebrated biblical garden.
Read more here.
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Mary Dianne Bly Dybvig
May 18, 1944 – October 3, 2023
Mary Dybvig, 79, wife of the Rev. Ronald Dybvig, died at home surrounded by family on Tuesday, October 3, 2023.
With her husband, a Lutheran pastor, Mary Dybvig was a co-founder of Emmanuel Lutheran Church, which now shares facilities and services with St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Santa Paula. Ronald Dybvig was pastor to both congregations before his retirement.
In addition to her husband of 57 years, Mary Dybvig is survived by their daughter, Shannon Dybvig; their son, Nathan (Nicole) Dybvig; and granddaughters Ember Dybvig and Brynn Dybvig; brothers Mark (Cat) Bly and David (Cheryl) Bly; and sister Ruth (Jerry) Casanova. She was predeceased by her brother Ronald Bly in 2021, and her best friend Pat Barrett in 2022.
A private memorial service will be held at a later date.
An obituary is here.
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The Reverend
John Richard Phalen
June 14, 1936 - October 5, 2023
The Rev. John Richard Phalen, priest of the diocese of Los Angeles, died Oct. 5. He was 87.
Phalen was an interim priest at several congregations of the diocese, and in recent years has often served at St. Gabriel's Church, Monterey Park, founded in 1983 as a ministry to Chinese Episcopalians.
Service arrangements are pending.
Phalen was born on June 14, 1936 in Eden, New York. He earned a bachelor of arts degree in 1958 from Union College in Schenectady, New York, and a master of divinity from Berkeley Divinity School at Yale in 1962. He also studied at General Seminary, the University of California, and San Francisco Theological School.
He was ordained to the diaconate in 1962 and to the priesthood the following year.
In addition to his lifelong interest in theological education and his work as an interim priest and a U.S. Air Force chaplain (1964 - 1967), Phalen was the author of several plays, screenplays and published poems.
He was married in 2000 to Sherry Tao Sha, a native of China. The couple had two children.
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Help Ramallah orphanage replace furnace through LA - Jerusalem companion diocese ties
Contributions especially welcome amid current tensions
Amid suffering and tensions escalated by the Oct. 7 Hamas attack against Israel, support for charitable projects in the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem is doubly appreciated. Concrete initiatives include replacement of the 57-year-old furnace at Ramallah’s Arab Evangelical-Episcopal Home and School.
Donors are invited to join Bishop John Harvey Taylor and others in the Diocese of Los Angeles in contributing via this secure link on L.A.’s diocesan website to assist the $60,000 furnace replacement project, increasingly important as fall weather gives way to winter cold.
Fundraising efforts – highlighted by the Rev. Fadi Diab, rector of St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church in Ramallah, and his wife, Ruba Gammoh, during their visit to the United States this past summer – have succeeded in raising nearly $20,000 toward the effort, with additional gifts from congregations and individuals requested to meet the goal.
Read more here.
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Christian Formation opportunities | |
Bloy House adds to Fall classes for laity, clergy
[The Episcopal News – September 11, 2023] Bloy House, the Episcopal Theological School at Los Angeles, is offering online formation classes for lay people and clergy. Both are required for the new lay ministry licensing program recently established by the Diocese of Los Angeles.
The fee for formation classes is $25. Click here for more information and to register.
Episcopal Identity
Wednesdays, October 25, November 1, 8, and 15; 7 - 8:30 p.m.
How would you describe the modern Episcopal Church - its theology, its worship and community, its history, its organization, and what you love about it - to a friend who has never experienced it? A deeper dive than a confirmation class, even cradle Episcopalians will learn something new about our church. Facilitated by the Very Rev. Gary Hall, president of Bloy House, and Linda Allport, dean. This class is required for all licensed lay ministries, except Eucharistic minister, where it is recommended. It will be offered again in the Spring.
Anti-Racism
Tuesdays, November 28, Dec 5, 12, and 19; 7 - 8:30 p.m.
In accordance with a resolution of the 2000 General Convention that “the lay and ordained leadership of the Episcopal Church, including all ordained persons, professional staff, and those elected or appointed to positions of leadership on committees, commissions, agencies, and boards be required to take anti-racism training and receive certification of such training” the diocese now requires that every licensed lay minister complete training in understanding systems of oppression and how they affect the Episcopal Church and society in general. Facilitated by Suzanne Edwards-Action, MAPM, founder of My Work To Do. This class is required for all licensed lay ministries. It will be offered again in the Spring.
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Parishioners bow heads, drop, cover and hold on. Churches could be key for quake survival, expert says
[Los Angeles Times - October 16, 2023] Text messages began to circulate about five minutes after an earthquake warning sounded for celebrants at St. James’ Episcopal Church in South Pasadena on Sunday morning.
About 80 congregants, clergy and choir members lay in the pews and covered their heads as a simulated earthquake hit the sanctuary. After about 20 seconds, parishioners rose and exited the church, heading to a designated meeting spot in the adjacent open parking lot.
Most church members texted designated cohort leaders, letting them know they were safe and outside the building.
Some parishioners did not respond, though. And others who gathered in the parking lot stood directly in the path of a telephone pole and overheard power lines, which could have caused severe bodily harm had Sunday’s drill been a powerful earthquake.
Seismologist Lucy Jones, California’s earthquake expert and the chief architect of Sunday’s drill, took note of the final tally. Six of seven cohorts responded that their parishioners were safe and no one was hurt or lost.
Read more here. A Disaster Resilience Plan for the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles, produced by the Dr. Lucy Jones Center for Science and Society, is here.
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Los Angeles diocese set to develop affordable housing on 25% of church-owned land
By Lynette Wilson
[Episcopal News Service – October 18, 2023] Lack of affordable housing has long dominated the conversation at St. Michael’s Episcopal Church in Anaheim, California, and has figured into the pastoral care provided by the Rev. Juan Jimenez in the 23 years he’s served the congregation as vicar.
“These are poor people who mostly work in the service industry, in hotels, and they need a place to live,” he told Episcopal News Service during a late-summer conversation in his office.
St. Michael’s Church is in a quiet, primarily single-family residential neighborhood about two miles from Disneyland. Jimenez serves families mostly of Mexican and some from Central American descent. He has watched families leave the area because they cannot find affordable housing, particularly post-pandemic, as Sunday attendance has decreased from 400 to about 160.
St. Michael’s, along with its partner church, St. James’ in Newport Beach, is working with Habitat for Humanity to build 24 affordable 1,500-square-foot townhouses at a projected cost of $10 million.
“You have to take care of your neighbor, or what are you doing,” Jimenez said. “Not only am I trying to meet their spiritual needs, but also their material needs. I live, every day, the housing situation.”
Read more here.
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Former ACNA congregation, priests prepare to be received by Episcopal Diocese of Indianapolis
By David Paulsen
[Episcopal News Service – October 13, 2023] A year ago, a congregation in Indianapolis, Indiana, known as “The Table” voted to leave the Anglican Church in North America, or ACNA, and pursue affiliation with The Episcopal Church. Now, The Table is in the final stages of that process, with the Episcopal Diocese of Indianapolis poised for possible reception of the congregation and its three priests by the end of the year.
“They’re pretty fantastic folks,” Indianapolis Bishop Jennifer Baskerville-Burrows told Episcopal News Service in a phone interview. “One of the things that I appreciate about them … is their deep commitment to discipleship and formation – the things we long for in our churches.”
Baskerville-Burrows and diocesan staff worked with the presiding bishop’s office to ensure they were following the proper canonical process for receiving The Table into The Episcopal Church – while also being sensitive to the pain some Episcopalians still feel over ACNA’s roots as a schismatic movement.
Read more here.
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Standing commission calls for churchwide input as it eyes changes to Title IV disciplinary canons
By David Paulsen
[Episcopal News Service – October 12, 2023] The standing commission tasked with considering and recommending revisions to The Episcopal Church’s clergy discipline canons released an update Oct. 12 calling for churchwide input as it discusses a range of Title IV concerns.
The Standing Commission on Structure, Governance, Constitution and Canons’ work during an in-person meeting Oct. 9-11 followed parallel calls by the church’s presiding bishop and House of Deputies president for a new examination of those Title IV disciplinary canons amid growing scrutiny of several cases involving bishops.
“The issues we face arise in part because of the language and structure of Title IV,” the standing commission said in its update. “They arise as well from the manner in which the church implements these canons, the tension between transparency to build trust and confidentiality to protect participants, and the culture of the wider church.”
The standing commission added that the goals of its deliberations are to ensure rules that “work well in practice to protect people from misconduct; resolve complaints fairly, promptly, and efficiently; and screen out meritless claims.”
Read more here.
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Prayers and other resources offered in response to violence in Israel and Palestine
Episcopal Church and Anglican leaders continue to share prayers and statements calling for an end to the violence impacting Israelis and Palestinians.
Below is a partial list of statements and resources.
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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
Information here Zoom Meeting ID: 912 3096 9532; Passcode: 080100.
Worship bulletins here
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.
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Through NOVEMBER 11 (hours vary)
37th Brass Rubbing Medieval Arts Center
St. Luke’s Episcopal Church
525 E. 7th Street, Long Beach 90813
Information and hours here (scroll down the page)
Reservations: brass.rubbing.lb@gmail.com or Gail Mutke, 562.439.9496.
Visitors may choose from more than 100 reproduction-engraved plates of brass to do a rubbing, transferring the design to paper. A trained instructor will provide rag paper, metallic waxes, and instructions for visitors to create their masterpiece. Hangers are provided for the finished artwork. Workshops, afternoon tea and more are available by appointment.
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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 18, 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.
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FRIDAY - SUNDAY, OCTOBER 20 - 22
Earthen Plaster Workshop
Camp Stevens
1108 Banner Road (Hwy 78), Julian
Information/Registration here
In this hands-on workshop, you will learn how to restore an earthen building with beautiful clay finish plaster and add artful sculpture. Facilitated by natural building artisan Autumn Flower Creek. This is a great opportunity to build community with like-minded individuals and learn more about natural building. Registration includes two nights of shared lodging and meals (Friday dinner through Sunday lunch). Fees are on a sliding scale; visit website for more information.
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 21, 2 - 4 p.m.
60th Anniversary Service
St. Thomas' Episcopal Church
15694 Tetley Street, Hacienda Heights
Information here
All are welcome to join this celebration event with music, drama, prayer, and a special message from Bishop Diocesan John Harvey Taylor. A complimentary reception in the parish hall and on the patio will follow the service.
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 21, 7:30 p.m.
Jouyssance Early Music Ensemble: William Byrd and Thomas Weelkes
St. Bede’s Episcopal Church
3590 Grand View Blvd., Mar Vista (Los Angeles)
Tickets here
Featuring music by William Byrd and Thomas Weelkes, two giants of the English Renaissance, who died 400 years ago this year. Come hear beautiful motets and often hilarious madrigals by these two masters, as well as Byrd's beloved Mass for Four Voices. Tickets at $25 available in advance or at the door ($20 seniors or SCEMS members; $10 students with current ID).
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 22, 3 - 6 p.m.
Oktoberfest
Holy Trinity Episcopal Church
100 N. Third Avenue, Covina 91723
Enjoy German music, bratwurst, soft pretzels and delicious beverages, and get ready to dance. Dirndls and lederhosen optional, the Chicken Dance is not! Co-hosted by area churches and synagogues supporting ACTION Food Pantry. Donations accepted in support of scholarships for area youth, as well as canned goods for the food bank.
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 22, 4 p.m.
Jouyssance Early Music Ensemble: William Byrd and Thomas Weelkes
Church of the Angels
1100 Avenue 64, Pasadena
Tickets here
Featuring music by William Byrd and Thomas Weelkes, two giants of the English Renaissance, who died 400 years ago this year. Come hear beautiful motets and often hilarious madrigals by these two masters, as well as Byrd's beloved Mass for Four Voices. Tickets at $25 available in advance or at the door ($20 seniors or SCEMS members; $10 students with current ID).
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 22, 6 p.m.
Classical Sundays at Six:
Michele Zukovsky, clarinet, & The Capitol Ensemble
St. James in-the-City Episcopal Church
3903 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles 90010
Information here
Phillip Levy & MAYa Magub, violin; Michael Larco, viola; and Michael Kaufman, cello. Selections include Mozart's String Quartet in E-flat Major, K. 428 and Clarinet Quintet in A Major, K. 581. At age 18, Michele Zukovsky became the Los Angeles Philharmonic's principal clarinetist, and went on to become its longest-serving female woodwind player. Read more about this artist here.
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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 26, 12 – 2 p.m.
SAGES Lunch & Speaker Series
All Saints' Episcopal Church
504 N. Camden Drive, Beverly Hills
Reservations: Gflores@alllsaintsbh.org
Bill Lincoln. Member of All Saints’ and former Vestry Member and Treasurer, our own Bill Lincoln joined the Los Angeles Arboretum Foundation Board of Trustees in 2014 and served as President for four years. His business acumen as an entertainment industry finance professional has found wide expression and has resulted in the expansion of Arboretum income opportunities and a steady financial picture. Bill has always shared his talents very generously, and we are grateful and excited to hear about his experiences at the L.A. Arboretum and Botanical Gardens, and elsewhere. Suggested donation: $15. SAGES is All Saints' fellowship ministry for mature adults. We gather two Thursdays a month for lunch, friendship, prayer and engaging presentations.
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 29, 4 & 6 p.m.
All Souls Requiem & Celebration of El Dia de los Muertos
Holy Trinity Episcopal Church
100 N. Third Avenue, Covina 91723
A Solemn Requiem for All Souls will be sung at 4 p.m. The parish choir, directed by Garrett John Law, will perform the Missa Pro Defunctis by Cristobal de Morales. A celebration of El Dia de los Muertos will follow in the memorial garden with presentations by Ballet Folklorico International, directed by Lucia Parra. The celebration begins at 6 p.m.
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 29, 4 – 5 p.m.
Choir Concert: Vivaldi’s Gloria in D
St. Clement’s by-the-Sea Episcopal Church
202 Avenida Aragon, San Clemente 92762
Join us for a thrilling musical journey! Experience the spirited beauty of Vivaldi's Gloria in D in the historic sanctuary of St. Clement’s, performed by our very talented chancel choir and accompanied by chamber orchestra and soloists. Revel in the splendor of Mozart's "Laudate Dominum" and "Ave Verum Corpus," Handel's majestic "The Trumpet Shall Sound," and the alluring “Autumn” movement of Vivaldi's Four Seasons. Don't miss this hour-long program of lovely music on an autumn afternoon. A reception follows the concert. Free, with a free-will offering accepted. All are welcome.
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 29, 4 p.m.
Is Religion Dying? The Future of Christianity & the Church
Camarillo United Methodist Church
291 Anacapa Drive, Camarillo
Information/Registration here
Is religion dying? Long a question for European nations, at the end of the first quarter of the 21st century, it becomes an issue of growing significance for the United States. Join Camarillo United Methodist Church, Mount Cross Lutheran Church and St. Columba’s Episcopal Church as these three congregations present an interdenominational symposium featuring Colleen Windham-Hughes, Ph.D., M.Div, associate vice president of Mission & Identity at Cal-Lutheran University, speaking on the state of Christianity and the future of the church. Tickets for the event, which includes dinner, are $20 per person. Advance registration is required; follow link above.
SUNDAY OCTOBER 29, 4 p.m.
Seraphour: Spirit and Light
Church of the Epiphany
5450 Churchwood Drive, Oak Park 91377
Information here or music@tcote.org or 818.991.4797
From the Renaissance to present day with music from the old and new world, the women of Seraphour celebrate Spirit and Light. With works by Sungji Hong paired with Taverner and a new setting of “Veni Creator,” this program offers a sublime window into the eternal and divine. Come and experience the ensemble that Fanfare calls “meltingly beautiful.” There will be a simple reception after the concert to greet the artists.
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 29, 6 p.m.
Classical Sundays at Six: Thomas Ospital, organ
St. James in-the-City Episcopal Church
3903 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles 90010
Information here
International Laureates Organ Series. Titulaire of the grand organ at Saint-Eustache Church in Paris and professor of Organ Interpretation and Harmony at the Paris National Conservatory of Music (CNSMDP), Thomas Ospital is a young artist who has quickly earned a place amongst the world’s finest concert organists. Read more about this artist here.
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SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 10 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Dia de Los Muertos / Day of the Dead
St. Paul's Episcopal Church
242 E. Alvarado Street, Pomona 91767
Enjoy music, art, community and food, plus cultural presentations by Gloria Arjoa and music by Luna Beltran. Free entry. Sponsored by Uncommon Good, UNAM Los Angeles and St. Paul's Church.
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 4 p.m.
Choral Evensong for All Saints
Trinity Episcopal Church
419 S. Fourth Street, Redlands 92374
Music selections to be performed by Ensemble XXI include: "All the Ends of the Earth" by William Boyce; "The Beatitudes" by Bob Chilcott; "Like as a River in My Soul" by Ti Osiek; "Rejoice in the Lord" and Preces, Responses and Blessing by Jeffrey H. Rickard (Trinity's director of music); "Beati Quorum Via" and Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis in C by Charles Villers Stanford; "Artist of My Soul" by Rick Vale; Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis in C by Stanford; and "Ye Holy Angels Bright" by John Darwall. The select voices of Ensemble XXI specialize in unaccompanied sacred and secular choral repertoire. A free-will offering will be taken.
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 4:15 p.m.
Solemn Evensong for All Saints Sunday
St. James in-the-City Episcopal Church
3903 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles 90010
Information here
The Choir of Saint James, directed by Canon James Buonemani, will sing Responses by Bernard Rose; Collegium Regale Canticles by Herbert Howells; "O Quam Gloriosum" by Philip Moore; Second Eve by Ola Gjeilo.
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 5 p.m.
Choral Evensong
All Saints Episcopal Church
504 North Camden Drive, Beverly Hills 90210
Information here or 310.275.0123 or info@allsaintsbh.org
All Saints’ Choir & Parish Choir perform "We Remember Them" by Tarik O’Regan; Preces & Responses by Bernard Rose; Magnificat & Nunc dimittis in A Minor by T. Tertius Noble; "The Souls of the Righteous" (U.S. premiere) by Craig Phillips (music director at All Saints'). A reception will follow the service.
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 7 p.m.
Sacred Chant Concert
St. James Episcopal Church
3209 Via Lido, Newport Beach 92663
Information: info@stjamesnewport.org
November is the month where we celebrate the Feast of All Saints—saints who are living and those who are now with God. We designed this spiritual evening with Gregorian chant, on Nov. 5th at 7 p.m., for you to come and quietly listen and reflect to the timeless, music, written with the sole purpose of praising God, as we remember both the living and dead. The Chant Schola will be directed by Mr. Matt Gray, whose background and experience in chant and early music few can rival. Suggested donation for this event is $25. Tickets are available via EventBrite or at the door. Parking is available in the church lot across 32nd Street and in metered parking around the church.
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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 12 – 2 p.m.
SAGES Lunch & Speaker Series
All Saints' Episcopal Church
504 N. Camden Drive, Beverly Hills
Reservations: Gflores@alllsaintsbh.org
Geoff Rusack, son of the late Los Angeles Bishop Robert Rusack and Janice Rusack. Geoff is a long-time friend of All Saints’ Beverly Hills and St. Matthew’s Pacific Palisades. He and his wife, Alison Wrigley Rusack, own Rusack Vinyards in the Santa Ynez Valley,and oversee the Wrigley family interests in the Catalina Island Company. A lawyer, a wine maker, a surfer, a native Los Angeleno, Geoff is a very accomplished and delightful guy—he will talk with us about wine growing on Catalina Island, as well as the interesting history and restoration that has taken place to date. Suggested donation: $15. SAGES is All Saints' fellowship ministry for mature adults. We gather two Thursdays a month for lunch, friendship, prayer and engaging presentations.
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 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, NOVEMBER 10, 8 p.m.
Chamber Music Concert
St. Matthew's Episcopal Church
1031 Bienveneda Avenue, Pacific Palisades
Information/Tickets here or 310.573.7422
Featured on the program will be Samuel Barber’s Knoxville: Summer of 1915; Benjamin Britten’s Nocturne for Tenor, 7 Obbligato Instruments, Strings and Timpani; and Ralph Vaughan Williams’s Charterhouse Suite for String Orchestra. Soprano Holly Sedillos and tenor Jon Lee Keenan will be the featured vocalists. Tickets are $45 or Music Guild Season pass. A free pre-concert lecture by Music Guild president Tom Neenan begins at 7:10 p.m.
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 6 p.m.
Classical Sundays at Six: The Debussy Trio & Friends
St. James in-the-City Episcopal Church
3903 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles 90010
Information here
A world-renowned harpist, Marcia Dickstein has been enticing new audiences to harp in chamber music and solo with orchestra, and inspiring composers to write new works for harp in classical and jazz genres, for many years. Founder/artistic director of The Debussy Trio, she has performed worldwide, in the United States, Canada, Europe, Scandinavia, and Japan, over NPR radio, PBS, and numerous TV channels. Read more about the artists here.
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 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.
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SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 5 p.m.
Tesserae: Il Pastor Fido
All Saints Episcopal Church
504 North Camden Drive, Beverly Hills 90210
Information here or 310.275.0123 or info@allsaintsbh.org
First published in 1590, Guarini’s pastoral tragicomedy was not only a highly popular literary work. It also became a primary source of texts for composers of madrigals and monodies throughout the late Renaissance and early Baroque periods. Featuring complex webs of love affairs and a vivid mythological-pastoral setting, the poem inspired some of the most harmonically adventurous and dramatic musical settings of the period, including Caccini’s famous "Amirilli, mia bella." The program will also feature works by Monteverdi, Rossi, Marenzio and others.
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 6 p.m.
Classical Sundays at Six: Althea Waites, piano
St. James in-the-City Episcopal Church
3903 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles 90010
Information here https://stjla.org/greatmusic/
Selections include: "Fantasy and Fugue in C Major," K. 394, by W.A. Mozart; "Flamenco and Fugal Dance" by Margaret Bonds; Three-Fours (Waltz Suite), Opus 71 by Samuel Coleridge-Taylor; "Momentum" by Tania Leon; Sonata in A Minor, D. 784 by Franz Schubert. Internationally acclaimed pianist Althea Waites has concertized extensively throughout the United States, Europe and Asia as a soloist, chamber musician, and collaborative artist. Read more about this artist here.
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Events to be included in the online diocesan calendar and in the Update may be emailed to editor@ladiocese.org. | |
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.
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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.
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EMPLOYMENT
Listings may be sent to news@ladiocese.org. There is no charge.
CORONA DEL MAR: Director of Music. Saint Michael and All Angels Episcopal Church seeks a director of music to help us create inspiring and transformative liturgical experiences in the English Cathedral tradition. The successful candidate will be an outstanding musician, choral director, and organist, with a track record in cathedral music or a similar setting. At present, the position is part-time with hopes of increasing the position to full-time in the next couple of years. A full job description and application information can be found here.
PASADENA: Childcare staff. All Saints Church is seeking two part-time employees to care for groups of five to 20 children on-site during Sunday services (8 a.m. - 1 p.m.). Hours will vary during other days of the week, usually focused around afternoons and evenings depending on program status and family needs. Total hours per week are a minimum of 5 on Sunday, and will not exceed a total of 8 hours per week. A full job description is here.
SANTA MONICA: Music Director. St. Augustine by-the-Sea, an inclusive and progressive Episcopal Church, is seeking a creative and dynamic music director to lead its music program. An organist and adult choir are in place. The music director will select choral offerings and help plan music and manage the church's music program, rehearsing and directing the choir. Full job description is here. Compensation: $25,000+. Starts Summer 2023 (negotiable). Send resume and references to the Rev. Nathan Rugh, rector, at nate@saint-augustine.org.
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: administrator@stpauls.org.
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The Episcopal News Update is published on Wednesday afternoons. News items, job listings, calendar items, questions and comments may be sent to editor@ladiocese.org. Weekly deadline is Tuesday at 12 p.m. Photos are welcome: please include them as email attachments (rather than embedded in a document). To subscribe, click here.
— Janet Kawamoto, editor
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