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By Pat McCaughan

[The Episcopal News — September 23, 2020] A projected 35% reduction in income and a $1.2 million budget deficit will make 2021 a year “to face up to reality (but) … not a time for the church of the risen Christ in the Diocese of Los Angeles to recede” from its vital ministries to others, Bishop Diocesan John Harvey Taylor told a Sept. 17 online meeting of Diocesan Council.

Taylor asked council members to take a message back to their deaneries and congregations that the budget shortfall is the result of a lack of revenue, and not excessive diocesan spending.

Attempting to balance the budget by cutting vital ministries, diocesan staff, or support to mission congregations is “not the Christ-like way to proceed into an unknowable future,” Taylor added. Especially during a time “in which the only answer to the world’s polarization and selfishness and impatience with difference and prejudice and commitment to unjust outcomes — the only response is the unity of Christ.”

Read more here.

[The Episcopal News] Diocesan Convention 2020, themed "Servants of the Spirit," will be a one-day meeting held online on Saturday, Nov. 14 due to the Covid pandemic, Secretary of Convention Steven Nishibayashi told Diocesan Council at its meeting on Sept. 17. Convention will resume on Sunday, Nov. 15, with a virtual Eucharist open to the entire diocese, he said.

"The agenda will include addresses from the bishop diocesan, bishop suffragan and canon to the ordinary, as well as elections for offices and a change to the diocesan canons defining Mission Centers," Nishibayashi wrote in his monthly "Convention Notes" newsletter to clergy, delegates, lay leaders and church staff members.

"Worship liturgies will be interspersed throughout the day as will opportunities to visit the virtual Exhibit Hall and accommodate the need for bio breaks."

The virtual Exhibit Hall is already available here. It is being updated weekly, and will stay online through the end of 2020.

Bishop John Harvey Taylor will preside at the convention Eucharist, to be held online on Sunday, Nov. 15, so that all in the diocese may attend and parochial clergy may take the day off. Like the recent all-diocese service, the convention Eucharist will be livestreamed on Facebook and the diocese's YouTube channel.

During the Saturday business session, registered delegates and clergy will be able to vote on candidates for office and other matters by logging onto a secure website using their phones, computers or other devices, says Samantha Wylie, convention coordinator. Information about viewing the convention proceedings will be published in the Episcopal News Update in coming weeks.

Workshops that have been held at convention for the past few years will be offered throughout the year on a monthly basis. The workshop schedule will be posted on the convention webpage and listed in the Update as plans are finalized.

Lay and clergy members who are interested in running for diocesan office will find all election materials on the convention website here.

Because of the shortened convention schedule this year, the annual deanery pre-convention meetings will be especially important. Meeting arrangements will be handled by each deanery, led by its dean and president; all will be held online. One or more members of the diocesan staff will attend each meeting.

Scheduled meetings are:

Saturday, October 31, 10 a.m.

Saturday, October 17, 11 a.m.

Saturday, October 17, 10 a.m.

Saturday, October 24, 10 a.m.

Sunday, October 11, 3 p.m.

Saturday, October 10, 10 a.m.

Sunday, October 18, 3 p.m.

Saturday, October 24, 9 a.m.

A list of deaneries and their member congregations is here.

By Pat McCaughan

[Episcopal News] – John Brunson says the overarching concerns of the Diocesan Investment Trust are both spiritual and financial, and always framed by the mission of the diocese and the question: “Are we doing the right thing — for the diocese, but also for humankind?”

Brunson, 60, a financial services professional, was elected to the DIT at the 2018 convention of the Diocese of Los Angeles, and is half-way through a four-year term. The DIT is an investment trust fund, established in 1949 to protect and help grow investments from churches, schools and institutions of the Episcopal Dioceses of Los Angeles and San Diego.

The funds invested are typically gifts, donations, bequests and additional income received by congregations and other diocesan entities which might not be needed for their annual operating budget. The DIT, working with financial services professionals at Wilshire Consulting, oversees how those funds are invested.

Read more here.

The story above is part of a series about the councils, boards and committees for which Diocesan Convention will elect members during the 2020 virtual convention on Nov. 14. Those interested in running for any of these offices will find nomination information and forms at the convention website here.

Bishop John Harvey Taylor ordained two women to the Sacred Order of Deacons on Sept. 19 in a socially-distanced and livestreamed service at St. Paul's Commons. The rite may be viewed on demand on the diocese's Facebook page and YouTube channel. Pictured above are Archdeacon Charleen Crean, Deacon Dominique Nicolette Piper, Bishop John Harvey Taylor, Deacon Christie Ann Mossman, and Deacon Dennis Gibbs, preacher. Photo: Thomas Quijada-Discavage

[The Camarillo Acorn - September 11, 2020] Over the past few months, [the Rev. Julie Morris] has stepped out of her comfort zone. Along with church member Jacquanna Davis, Morris helped organize one of the first Black Lives Matter protests in Camarillo, which drew around 150 people to the sidewalk in front of City Hall. Morris has since attended several other local protests against racism.

Read more here. Photo: Michael Coons/Acorn Newspapers

Video and presentations are available from four recent Diocese of Los Angeles stewardship webinars, including one presented on Sept. 12. Click the links below or visit the Stewardship web page here.

September 12 stewardship webinar (video here)

Presented by Davey Gerhard, executive director of TENS (The Episcopal Network for Stewardship)

August 1 stewardship webinar (video here)

Presented by Davey Gerhard, executive director of TENS (The Episcopal Network for Stewardship)

   •   Powerpoint (English)

   •   Powerpoint (Spanish)

July 11 stewardship webinar (video here)

June 6 stewardship conference (video here)

[The Episcopal News - September 16, 2020] All Southland Episcopal congregations and neighboring houses of worship are encouraged to invite local law enforcement officers to join in conversations – via Zoom forums, virtual coffee hours, or in small, socially distanced groups outdoors – to mark national “Faith & Blue Weekend,” Oct. 9 - 12.

A protégé of the late Coretta Scott King, Pastor Markel Hutchins of Atlanta, is leading the Faith & Blue Weekend’s mission of engaging groups of racially and culturally diverse participants in balanced, respectful dialogue convened by neighborhood houses of worship to strengthen local relationships. Full details and registration information are online here.

Read more here.

Girls’ Friendly Society Meeting - USA will hold a virtual World Day of Prayer 2020 on Saturday, Sept. 26, 11 a.m. - 12 p.m. (PDT), followed by a virtual coffee hour until 1 p.m. GFS-USA will host both the service and the coffee hour via Zoom. The service has been prepared by GFS in South Sudan. Aiyana Harris, 15, a GFS member from St. Mark's Church, Upland, will represent the Diocese of Los Angeles as a reader.

To join in the GFS World Day of Prayer Service, use this link. An event flyer is here.

Author and theologian Kelly Brown Douglas will speak at "Reimagine Justice," a virtual fundraiser for Prism Restorative Justice, on Sunday, Oct. 4, 5 - 6:30 p.m. Douglas (pictured at left), author of Stand Your Ground: Black Bodies and the Justice of God, dean of Episcopal Divinity School at Union Theological Seminary, canon theologian at Washington National Cathedral and theologian-in-residence at Trinity Wall Street, will engage in a conversation moderated by the Rev. Mike Kinman, rector of All Saints Church, Pasadena. Suggested ticket price is $60, but any donation is welcome. For tickets, click here. All proceeds will benefit Prism, which provides chaplaincy services for the incarcerated in Los Angeles County jails.

"Trauma & (Un)Truths" is a series of webinars examining systems of oppression in church and society, presented by New Community, the Diocese of Los Angeles' multicultural ministry, and Bishop Suffragan Diane M. Jardine Bruce. The first of four webinars, held on Aug. 22, introduced three topics that will be covered more extensively in the following sessions (see dates and topics below). A video of that introductory session is available here; copies of the presentations are posted here. All are invited to join the remaining webinars. There is no charge, but advance registration is required: click on the registration links below. More information about the sessions is here.

Register here.

Register here.

Saturday, October 17, 1 – 3 p.m. (note time)

Register here.

Spanish-language interpretation will be provided for all webinars, which will be conducted via Zoom. For additional information, contact Bishop Bruce at [email protected].

The Daughters of the King of the Diocese of Los Angeles will hold its Fall Assembly 2020, titled "Into the Future ... By the Grace of God!" Online on Saturday, Oct. 24, 8:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. The program, which will explore the question "Lord, what will you have us do?" from the DOK prayer, will include Morning Prayer, special guest speakers, election of new diocesan officers, and adoption of revised bylaws. To register, click here. For additional information, contact Kimberly Corner, [email protected].

The Daughters of the King is an order of lay and ordained women in the Episcopal Church and other denominations who live according to a rule of life and a rule of service. To learn more about the churchwide order, click here. For more about the Diocese of Los Angeles DOK, click here.

The churchwide Order of the Daughters of the King is currently engaged in "The Nehemiah Prayer Vigil: 52 Days of Prayer to Bring Peace and Healing to Our Nation," which began Sept. 1 and will continue through Oct. 22. The vigil was developed by Sharon Lundgren, a DOK member based in Georgia. After reading the Book of Nehemiah, she was inspired to create a practice in which DOK members, who have taken vows to regularly engage in intercessory prayer, might appeal to God "for help in healing the woundedness within our country," according to an announcement from the order. All are invited to participate; to find out how, click here.

The Center for Spirituality, based at Christ Episcopal Church, Ontario, will participate in "Dreaming an Ecological Civilization: An Exploration of Spirituality in Action," a conversation with theologians John B. Cobb Jr. and the Rev. Matthew Fox, on Saturday, Sept. 26 at 10 a.m.

"Join us for an exploration of different paths toward a common goal. We face climate change, massive species extinction, melting of the polar ice caps, increasingly severe weather, violence, economic inequality, political repression, and the debilitating effects of consumer culture. We are learning about the interconnectedness of everything on our planet and how our actions affect the entire earth. At the same tine we are learning about our embededness in, and responsibilities to, the local communities where we live. We find ourselves. hoping for, and wanting to work toward, a world of nurturing communities that are good for people, animals, and the earth. A world of beloved communities. How might religious and spiritual leaders help us realize this hope? What visions are needed? What forms of religious experience are needed? How did we get so off track in the first place? We will hear two different voices on this topic and how we can take different paths to arrive at the same destination: Love for our planet."

To participate via YouTube, click here. For more about the Ontario Center for Spirituality and its coming events, click here.

By Your Side Vigil Companions, a program of Episcopal Communities & Services that trains volunteers to be a compassionate presence for those nearing the end of life, has announced its Fall 2020 training schedule.

"This year has brought all of us to an acute awareness of life’s fragility, and of the immense value of being companioned," says the course announcement. "Our mission, which has always been to be supportive of people in palliative care and to be at the bedside at the end of their lives as needed, has had to adapt to the realities of COVID. We‘ve needed to ask: “How can we practice presence without proximity?” Over the past 6 months, we have thought and “visioned” and experimented."

This fall's training will take place in two 10-hour sessions over five weeks via ZOOM. The first session will be on Thursday afternoons, Sept. 24 - Oct. 22, 3 - 5 p.m. The second will be on Monday evenings, Nov. 2 - 30, 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. The November training will have a special focus on the needs of staff at PIH Good Samaritan Hospital, but will be open to everyone.

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 additional $30 under California Board of Registered Nursing Provider Number CEP 16239. For additional information and to register, contact Susan Brown of Episcopal Communities and Services at [email protected], or phone 818.822.6044. Enrollment is limited to 30 people. Deadlines to enroll are Sept. 22 for the first course and Oct. 30 for the second.

Bishop John Harvey Taylor recently announced that The Bishop’s Gala (previously known as the Bishop's Dinner) will be held on Saturday, Nov. 7 and will feature the Most Rev. Michael Curry, presiding bishop of The Episcopal Church. "Bishop Curry will be the guest of the Diocese of Los Angeles, pointing his listeners along the Way of Love just four days after the historic 2020 elections," said the invitation, referencing Curry's initiative for prayer and service.

The socially distanced program, featuring a reception and the presiding bishop’s address, will take place in the White House East Room replica of the Nixon Library in Yorba Linda. If the event can only be held digitally due to the pandemic, the address will be open for ticketed participants only. Proceeds will benefit Bloy House: The Episcopal Theological School at Los Angeles. Reservation information will be announced soon.

The Southwestern Association of Episcopal Schools (SAES) and National Association of Episcopal Schools (NAES) will present a webinar titled "Whose School Is It Anyway?" on Thursday, Oct. 8, at 12 p.m. PDT. Leading a church with a school comes with a completely different set of blessings and challenges. This joint NAES/SAES webinar will offer church leaders some best practices for creating a healthy church/school relationship as well as how to support and nurture the head of school. To participate, register here.

"My Work to Do," an online affinity group designed to help white men and women build stamina for discussing racism, systemic injustice, racial healing, reconciliation, and justice in their everyday lives, is planning new sessions and invites members of the Diocese of Los Angeles to participate. "We invite those feeling lost or overwhelmed into the conversation," says Canon Suzanne Edwards-Acton, project founder, "especially white people who might not have a local anti-racism program or accessible discussion happening in their lives." The initial program is a five-week session, with one 1.5-hour online meeting per week at which participants will discuss such topics as housing discrimination, implicit bias, whiteness as a function, and systems of white supremacy — and where to go from here. To learn more and to register for upcoming sessions, visit the website here. For more resources see “Countering Racism, Building Community” here.

Blood supplies are critically low, and congregations in the Diocese of Los Angeles have stepped up to help replenish them. Currently scheduled blood drives are listed below.

Grace Episcopal Church

555 E. Mountain View Avenue, Glendora 91741

Sponsor code: GECG

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

By David Paulsen

[Episcopal News Service — September 22, 2020] Presiding Bishop Michael Curry’s latest book, Love Is the Way, was released on Sept. 22, and like his 2018 book, The Power of Love, it emphasizes Christian teachings, particularly Jesus’ command to love one’s neighbor, as a powerful force for unity and healing in a troubled world.

Whereas the earlier book was a collection of notable sermons, including the one Curry preached at the royal wedding in May 2018, Love Is the Way takes a more autobiographical approach to the lessons of his faith. Curry illustrates core Christian beliefs and applies them to today’s social context by mining personal stories, from his early childhood in Buffalo, New York, to his work as a parish priest in Baltimore, Maryland, to his time as bishop of the Diocese of North Carolina.

Read more here.

[September 10, 2020] The Episcopal Church, in collaboration with a coalition of interfaith partners led by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), will offer a virtual webinar on “Good Trouble for a Healthy Planet” on Thursday, Sept. 24, 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. EDT (7 - 10 a.m. PDT). It will address the impact of human activity on the planet and the urgent need for action to obtain sustainable and resilient communities globally and develop strategies for moving forward to address climate change.

Convening on the anniversary of the 2019 interfaith-based consultation to address the climate emergency, "Climate Emergency: Faith-based Organizations Raising Ambition - Leaving No One Behind” - this second interfaith consultation will feature opening and closing plenaries, as well as concurrent workshops that will run from 10:30am-11:30am EDT. Presentations will be supported by web-based materials and social media tools to be used throughout the day by participating organizations.

Registration deadline is Sept. 22. Read more here.

[The Episcopal Church - September 10, 2020] Registration is now open for the New Community 2020 Virtual Conference, hosted by The Episcopal Church Department of Ethnic Ministries, October 30-31. The theme is "Weaving Our Diversity and Forming Life-Giving Relationships for the New Reality."

This gathering of Asian, Black, Latino/Hispanic and Indigenous clergy and lay leaders provides a safe place to explore mission in ethnic ministries, share resources and best practices, hopes and dreams, needs and concerns, gifts and ministries, suffering and joy.

The conference will include plenary sessions and workshops addressing current issues as well as ethnic-specific meetings, inter-ethnic and cross-cultural conversations.

Read more here.

[The Episcopal Church Office of Public Affairs - September 9, 2020] The Episcopal Church Offices of Church Planting and Redevelopment, and Ethnic Ministries are partnering to offer a Virtual Genesis-Koinonia Gathering Oct. 1 – Nov. 5. The annual conference is designed to inspire, mentor, and support new community leaders as they plan and plant their ministries, and to connect with and thank the diocesan leaders who support and oversee new missional initiatives.

The theme of this year’s Gathering is “What would be possible if…?” The training sessions offered during this four-week period include these topics: shared leadership models, bi-vocational church planting, working with a mission team, and facilitating transformative conversations, and more.

Read more here (in English and Spanish).

[The Episcopal Church Office of Public Affairs - August 24, 2020] Episcopalians are invited to join churches around the world in celebrating the Season of Creation; a time for people of faith to renew their relationship with God and all creation through celebration, prayer, and action. The Season’s roots rise from the Orthodox Christian tradition; the World Council of Churches was instrumental in making the special time a season, extending the celebration from September 1 until St. Francis Day, October 4. The Episcopal Church Office of Creation Care offers Season of Creation and St. Francis Day resources to help plan.

"The Season of Creation invites us to think deeply about our ecological, economic, and political ways of living, and to work towards justice and right relationship with God's Creation,” says the Rev. Melanie Mullen, director of Reconciliation, Justice, and Creation Care, “We are thrilled to participate in this global effort."

Read more here.

St. James in-the-City Church, Los Angeles

Live-streamed and on demand here

Church of the Epiphany

2808 Altura St. Los Angeles 90031

L.A. Care's Boyle Heights Family Resource Center is partnering with Seeds of Hope to host a walk-up food distribution event. Boxes of assorted groceries will be provided on a first-come, first-served basis while supplies last.

St. Thomas the Apostle Episcopal Church

7501 Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles 90046

Information: 323.876.2102 or here

St. Thomas' Church will welcome all to join in the annual blessing of the animals. To ensure the safety of all participants, the event will be held outside of the church in the open air, with social distancing precautions in place. All participants will be required to wear face coverings, and accompanying pets must be properly restrained. In addition to the blessing, Chef Scott May will provide affordable grab-and-go lunches and baked treats, Centennial merchandise will be on display and available for purchase, and further donations to the Parish will be accepted. All are welcome, with or without pets!

Online Sunday and weekday worship services in the Diocese of Los Angeles are listed here. (The URL was recently changed because of updates to the website.) To add a congregation's services, send information to [email protected].

September 2022

Join Bishop Guy Erwin of the ELCA and Canon Jim Newman of the Episcopal Church for a 13-day journey across central Europe to Oberammergau, Germany. The day-long Oberammergau Passion Play is produced every decade and is a four-century “thank you” to God for saving the people of this picturesque Bavarian Alpine village. Experience this spiritual event and look at the culture and religion of Poland (Warsaw, Krakow, Auschwitz and Czestochowa), Hungary (Budapest), Czech Republic (Bratislava), Austria (Vienna & the Salzkammergut) and Germany (Oberammergau & Munich). Cost is $4,899 from Los Angeles including $450 taxes/airline surcharges.) Information: Jim Newman, 3590 Grand View Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90066; 310.391.5522 or 888.802.6722; [email protected]. A full itinerary is here. (Please note the date change. The Passion Play was postponed for two years due to the coronavirus pandemic.)

Current job listings in the Diocese of Los Angeles are here. Listings are free: send information to [email protected]. Applications for jobs must be sent to the contact included in the listing.