August 19, 2018
News
Cathedral Center rooftop patio hosts Asian-American Ministries luau
Episcopal Asiamerica Ministries of the Diocese of Los Angeles welcomed members and friends to a luau celebration, with lots of flowers, color and traditional food, on the roof of the Cathedral Center on Aug. 12. EAM is the local branch of an Episcopal Church-wide organization that promotes the work of Asian Episcopalians from Chinese, Filipino, Japanese, Korean and Vietnamese backgrounds. The Diocese of Los Angeles includes congregations that worship in all of the relevant languages, plus the Li Tim-Oi Center for Chinese ministry, based at Church of Our Saviour in San Gabriel.
Congregations invited to participate in 'Concert Across America to End Gun Violence'
Congregations across the country are encouraged to participate in the third annual Concert Across America to End Violence, which will be observed Sept. 20 - 30 this year. This national event uses music to remember all of those affected by gun violence, and to renew a commitment to preventing all forms of gun violence. Congregations can participate by including an appropriate choir anthem or hymn during the service, or feature the song for this year, "Shine," during a service or other event. "Shine" was written by two students who survived the Parkland, Florida shootings, and was sung at March for Our Lives in Washington, DC. Music and lyrics for "Shine," as well as additional information about Concert Across America, are available here.  A hymn about gun violence is available here. To learn more about gun violence prevention efforts in the Diocese of Los Angeles, contact Virginia Classick, co-chair of the bishop's task force, at vclassick@aol.com.
Bloy House to offer courses for lay leaders
Bloy House (Episcopal Theological School at Claremont) and the diocese’s office of Formation and Transition Ministry have announced two courses for lay leaders: Church Leadership, to begin in August; and Fresh Start for Laity, beginning in January.

The nature of church leadership
Church Leadership, a basic course in understanding the nature of leadership, especially within the context of a church community, will be led by the Rev. Robert Honeychurch on Wednesdays, 4 – 6 p.m. beginning Aug. 22 at Church of Our Saviour, San Gabriel. A special focus will be the function of leadership in the process of creating substantive and meaningful transformation in parish systems, and in the lives of parishioners. Reflection on leadership issues and images found in the Holy Scriptures, and their applicability to present-day experience, is a regular part of the course design. The course will strike a balance between the theoretical understanding of leadership theories and models, and their practical application in a congregational setting.

Fresh Start: Leadership in transition
The purpose of Fresh Start is to equip clergy and laity for leadership in critical periods of congregations life. Its content is based on three key principles: the theory of transition; the importance of relationship-building; and the need for self-care. Modules are clustered around these principles and the general area of leadership. The course is taught by Episcopal Church-trained clergy and lay facilitators, and will take place at Bloy House in Claremont on alternate Saturdays from Jan. 19 to May 11 (two of the dates are consecutive Saturdays). The $280 fee covers administrative costs, lunch during the Saturday classes, and coffee, tea and snacks throughout the day. Registration deadline is Jan. 5.

For specific schedules and information and to register for either course, visit bloyhouse.org or contact Tim Reed, assistant to the dean of Bloy House, at 909.621.2419 or bloyhouse@cst.edu.
Events & Announcements
Cursillo plans Grand Ultreya
Cursillo in the Diocese of Los Angeles will hold a Grand Ultreya, titled "Cursillo: It's More Than Just a Weekend," on Saturday, Aug. 25, 8:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. at the Cathedral Center of St. Paul, 840 Echo Park Avenue, Los Angeles. Keynote speaker will be the Rev. Dennis Gibbs, jail chaplain, director of Prism, the diocese's restorative justice ministry, and monk of the Community of Divine Love. Workshops will include: "Servant Community"; "Supporting Others on Our Walk Together"; and "Way of Life: Piety, Study and Action." The event also will include workshops, music, a group reunion and a bilingual (English-Spanish) Eucharist celebrated by the Very Rev. Canon Frank Alton, provost of the Cathedral Center. A continental breakfast and full lunch will be served, and refreshments will be available all day. Children are welcome, but no day care is provided. Registration will begin at 8:30 a.m., followed by the program at 9 a.m. Cost is $15 per person (payable at the door). For information or to register, send an email to Amy Clayton, amy.jpc@gmail.com (for English, or a text to Gabina Altamirano at 714.383.2975 (for Spanish); include name, congregation (and city), and number of people attending. More about Cursillo is here.
Labor Day Harvest at The Abundant Farm will promote good eating, interfaith relationships
For the third year in a row, people from diverse faith traditions will come together on Labor Day to promote community, generosity and tolerance by serving together on the Abundant Table Farm, an organic farm in Camarillo. Sponsored by Muslims, Mormons, Lutherans, Episcopalians and the Ventura County Interfaith Community, the Labor Day Harvest will take place on Monday, Sept. 3, 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. at the Abundant Table Farm located at 1012 W. Ventura Blvd. in Camarillo. People from all faiths and no faith are welcome to join in harvesting fresh vegetables for local food pantries and helping to tend the non-profit organic farm. Lunch and live music by the youth band Guys in Ties will follow the field work. The Abundant Table's intention is to join together as neighbors to create positive relationships through service, generosity and gratitude for the earth and its bounty, and to increase appreciation for farm workers. The event is free and open to all. Reservations are requested for planning purposes: click here. Participants are encouraged to bring hats, sunscreen, water, gardening gloves and a picnic blanket or lawn chair for the post-harvest festival. The suggested donation for lunch is $10. For more information or comment about the event, contact Nicole Janelle, executive director of The Abundant Table Farm, at  nicole@theabundanttable.org.
The world comes to Gardena at Holy Communion's international festival
Holy Communion Church, Gardena, invites the diocesan community to its International Cultural Festival 2018 on Saturday, Sept. 29, 11 a.m. - 6 p.m. The day's activities will include food, games, face painting, music, gifts, dancing and lots of fun. Tickets are $15 for adults (age 15 and above) and $5 for children 5 - 14 (children under 5 are free). For information, call 310.324-1441. Holy Communion Church is located at 1160 W. 141st Street, Gardena 90247.
Godly Play training is coming to St. Matthew's, Pacific Palisades, Oct. 5 - 7
St. Matthew's Church, located at 1031 Bienveneda Avenue Pacific Palisades 90272 will host a Core Godly Play Training Friday - Sunday, Oct. 5 - 7. The training sessions will convene at St. Matthew's Oct. 5 at 1 - 8:30 p.m. and continue Saturday, Oct. 6, 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. and on Sunday, Oct. 7, 12 4:30 p.m. Participants are asked to read the book Teaching Godly Play by Jerome Berryman and complete the written pre-training exercise (required for Core Training certification). Trainers are Caryl Menkhus Creswell and Di Pagel. Cost is $355. For more information and to register, click here. Include congregation address and all attendee information. Direct questions to Teresa Phares, Godly Play Foundation Registrar, at 931.636.3993 or registration@godlyplayfoundation.org.
Getty Museum exhibit features Christian, Jewish and Muslim illuminated texts
The J. Paul Getty Museum will feature the medieval art of illumination in sacred texts from the three Abrahamic religions - Judaism, Christianity, and Islam - in Art of Three Faiths: A Torah, a Bible, and a Quran, on view from now through February 3, 2019. The exhibit showcases spectacular examples ofa Christian Bible and a Quran alongside a newly acquired Torah, the Rothschild Pentateuch. "This landmark acquisition fulfills one of the Museum's longstanding goals of adding to our collection a Hebrew manuscript that can stand comparison in quality and importance to our finest illuminated manuscripts of other languages and faiths," explains Timothy Potts, director of the J. Paul Getty Museum. "It has taken 35 years, but the Rothschild Pentateuch fills this gap more brilliantly than we could ever have imagined. An amazingly rare and beautiful object, richly illuminated with all manner of real and imaginary animals, it also broadens greatly the narratives we are able to tell about life, culture and religion in the Middle Ages." For more about the exhibit, visit the Getty website here.  (Illustration: Decorated Text Page - Book of Exodus, from the Rothschild Pentateuch, France and/or Germany, 1296. Leaf: 10 7/8 x 8 1/4 in. (27.5 x 21 cm). Ms. 116 (2018.43), fol. 130.)
This week around the diocese
SUNDAY, AUGUST 19, 3 p.m.
Celebration of a New Ministry: Dawn Vukich
Faith Church
27802 El Lazo, Laguna Niguel
Information: 949.448.8114 or visit www.faithepiscopal.org
Bishop Suffragan Diane Jardine Bruce will install the Rev. Dawn Vukich as vicar of Faith Church. A reception will follow the service. All are invited.
FRIDAY, AUGUST 24, 5:30 - 9:30 p.m.
Seeds of Hope Friday Night Farming
Edendale Garden (at the Cathedral Center)
840 Echo Park Avenue, Los Angeles 90026
 The Seeds of Hope staff invites all to join them to work in the garden and its living labyrinth, making the space beautiful and productive. Farming work will be followed by dinner, music and fun.

SATURDAY, AUGUST 25, 4:30 p.m.
The Abundant Table's 'Feast in the Field'
McGraff Family Farm
1019 West Ventura Boulevard, Camarillo 93010
Information and tickets here https://www.eventbrite.com/e/feast-in-the-field-fundraising-dinner-tickets-46344050302
The Abundant Table, which supports health, wellness, sustainable farming and community building in Ventura County, invites all to this farm-to-fork dinner fundraiser supports the Farm's ecological justice, environmental stewardship and farm education programs for youth and their families. The event, which includes a silent auction, will begin at 4:30 p.m. with a three-course meal prepared by local chefs from Seasons Catering, featuring organic produce from The Abundant Table, ,local beef and pork from Watkins Cattle Co., and beer crafted by Topa Topa Brewing, along with local wine. Tickets are $90 for adults and $45 for those 6 - 12 years old.
This week in liturgy, art & music
For additional music, liturgy and arts listings, click here .
For recurring services (those that occur weekly, biweekly or monthly), click here .

SATURDAY, AUGUST 18, 7 - 8:30 p.m.
Evening Guided Labyrinth Walk
St. Columba's Episcopal Church
1251 Las Posas Road, Camarillo 93010
Information: 805.482.8831
 On the third Saturday of each month, St. Columba's Guided Labyrinth Walks. This month's theme: “Praying for Others.” Finger labyrinths will also be available for those who have difficulty walking. Set aside some time to walk with God. Guided Labyrinth Walks are designed so that all participants will feel comfortable, no matter their level of experience.
Opportunities
TRAVEL & PILGRIMAGE

A Journey to the Holy Land 
September 2 - 14, 2018 
Led by the Rev. Heather Mueller of St. Andrew's Church, Taft, California (in the Diocese of San Joaquin) and Canon Iyad Qumri of Qumri Pilgrimages. Accommodations at St. George's Retreat House, Jerusalem, and the Sisters of Nazareth Guest House in Nazareth. Featuring visits to Jerusalem, Nazareth, Bethlehem, Capernaum, the Sea of Galilee, Jericho, the Dead Sea, the Jordan River, and ministries of the Diocese of Jerusalem. A flyer is here. For information, contact Mueller at heathermaymueller@yahoo.com.

Discovering Sacred Beauty:
A Pilgrimage to Venice and Padua, Italy  
September 27 - October 7, 2018 
A contemplative 11-day journey through one of the most beautiful parts of Italy and the sacred places that have inspired people across the centuries. In Venice we will enjoy St. Mark's Basilica and Square, the Doge's palace and the Bridge of Sighs, a private water tour of the Grand Canal, the islands of Burano and St. Francis del Deserto among others, Benedictine Monastery of San Giorgio Maggiore, a private tour of the Jewish Ghetto, private gardens, and optional visits with artists, museums, La Fenice Opera House and the Guggenheim Museum. In nearby Padua, home of St. Anthony, and surrounding areas, we will enjoy private tours, gardens, and spiritual sites. Led by Christopher McCauley, spiritual director and host of international pilgrimages, and Frank Ramirez, veteran pilgrimage host; and guided by Anthony Coles, one of the most experienced guides to religious journeys in Italy. The pilgrimage will include time to pray, savor, and rest. A detailed itinerary and key information is available here. Early registration is strongly recommended.

Transformational Journey to Israel and Palestine
October 8 - 21, 2018 (optional extension to Jordan to Oct. 25)
Offered by All Saints, Pasadena. Though the itinerary includes traditional pilgrimage sites, there will be a strong agricultural, grassroots theme, including a day picking olives. Bethlehem will be the base for day trips to Jerusalem and Hebron. Nazareth will anchor day trips to the Sea of Galilee, including a sunset cruise, and sites near Capernaum where Jesus preached. For more information, click here; for reservations contact Randy and Doni Heyn-Lamb as soon as possible at allsaintsmem@yahoo.com

Interfaith Journey to Rome & Israel
October 15 - 27, 2018
Led by Chri Dekofsky and Rabbi Michael Lotker. Two days in Rome, including a tour of the Vatican and a papal audience, then to Israel with visits to Tel Aviv, Caesarea, the Galilee, Capernaum, Nazareth, Jerusalem, Masada and more. Full brochure is here. For information, contact Rabbi Lotker at 805.558.0578 or visit www.lotker.com.

Young Adult Pilgrimage to the Holy Lands
December 17 - 28, 2018
The 10 - 12- day trip is broken into two geographic areas. Half of the pilgrimage is spent in Nazareth, exploring the Galilee, Tiberias, the Mount of Transfiguration, the Via Mara and many other historic and biblical sites. The remainder of the trip is spent in Jerusalem at St. George's College. While in Jerusalem, the group explores the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, Dome of the Rock, Western Wall, Mount of Olives, the Judean Desert, and other exciting, fun places. Youth have an opportunity to touch every body of water in the region--swimming in the Galilee and Mediterranean, floating in the Dead Sea, or standing knee deep in the Jordan renewing their baptismal covenant. For young adults, 18-39 years old.. The estimated cost is $2,500 per person (a $500 deposit is required). This figure is subject to change as flight and ground costs fluctuate. For information, click here or contact Chris Tumilty, ctumilty@ladiocese.org.

Greek Isles & Italy Cruise with Dubrovnik
June 7 - 21, 2019
Imagine sailing on the same waters of historic seas that the ancient mariners navigated. This trip begins and ends with stays in two classic Italian cities Venice and Rome. Travelers will have the chance to experience the canals of Venice and the classical beauty of Rome. However, rather than a bus, they will cruise to ten classic ports laden with history, culture and religion Kotor, Dubrovnik, Argostoli, Santorini, Mykonos, Chania, Malta, Sicily and the Italian mainland ports of Naples, and Livorno (Pisa and Florence). The cost from Los Angeles starts at $4,599 (inclusive of $600 in port fees and taxes). For more information contact the Rev. Canon Jim Newman, 310.391.5522, 888.-802.722 (toll-free), or rector@stbedesla.org. A brochure may downloaded here.
EMPLOYMENT

DOWNEY: Lead Preschool Teacher, St. Mark's School. Requires a minimum of six (6) Early Childhood Education units; must be available to work full time (8:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. Monday-Friday) must pass a criminal background check (State, FBI, and Child Abuse Index); must have First Aid and CPR certificate, or ability to obtain such certificates. For information click here, or call 562.869.7213 or fax resume to 562.861.9523 or email to info@stmarksdowney.org.

EL MONTE: Physician's Assistant or Nurse Practitioner, Cleaver Family Wellness Clinic. Mid-level medical provider licensed to practice in California. Position requires 8 hours per week of clinical work on Fridays and 2 - 4 hours per with application information is here

LA VERNE: Interim musician, St. John's Church, for six to nine months beginning mid-September. Organist/pianist preferred. Responsible for Wednesday evening choir rehearsals, music at 10 a.m. services on Sundays, plus major holy days and special events. For more information, email to vicar@stjohnslaverne.org

PASADENA: Assistant Youth Minister at All Saints Church, a 4,000-member progressive Episcopal church. The AYM will share the transforming love of Jesus with the youth in a real and relevant way, participating in the creation, development and operation of programs that support the spiritual formation and overall well being of all youth (6th - 12th grade) in the parish; fostering their personal spiritual growth, ethical insight, age appropriate theological and interfaith awareness and community engagement of the youth; engaging in pastoral care of the youth and their families. 30 hours/week. A full job description with application instructions is here.

SOUTH PASADENA: Professional tenor section leader, St. James' Church. Choir seeks a professional tenor section leader. Applicants should have excellent sight-reading skills, feel comfortable singing Renaissance and traditional Anglican music with one voice on a part, and be a responsible, professional employee. Section leaders perform solo repertoire throughout the church year as well. Having a degree in music is encouraged, but not required. Section leaders sing every Sunday morning (excluding summer Sundays), one Wednesday rehearsal a month and services for Advent, Christmas, and Holy Week. Email to sarahdrabant@gmail.com for more information. 
VOLUNTEERS

CAMARILLO: Volunteers are needed for the 3rd Annual Interfaith Labor Day Harvest Monday, Sept. 3, 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. at the Abundant Table Farm in Camarillo (1012 W. Ventura Blvd of the 101 at Central). We will harvest produce for local food pantries and help tend a non-profit, organic farm, while also growing our appreciation for each other and farm workers who help feed our families every day. (Service hours are available for students). Registration is free and easy: click here. https://labordayharvest2018.eventbrite.com For more information, contact labordayharvest@gmail.com or call 805.312.1978.