Among recipients of grants from the Diocese of Los Angeles’ “One Body & One Spirit” emergency fund are St. Margaret’s Church, South Gate, and the Jubilee Consortium. Above left: Bishop Diane M. Jardine Bruce, Rector Eduardo Bresciani and lay leaders prepare for Eucharist at St. Margaret’s. Above right: The 2021-22 class of Jubilee Year interns gathers for a photo at St. Stephen’s Church, Hollywood, where the program is based.
[The Episcopal News] Gratitude abounds for ways in which the impact of COVID-19 was eased by the diocesan One Body & One Spirit Emergency Appeal, which raised $295,221.91 to fund 37 grants to hard-hit congregations and other ministries.
Thanksgiving extends to donors who made a total of 630 gifts to date and to the Corporation of the Diocese, together with the Special Committee on Incorporation of Parishes and Admission of Missions, for managing a comprehensive, transparent application process requiring review of detailed financial information. This process will be replicated as the emergency fund transitions, later this month, into a diocesan annual appeal initiative.
“I give thanks for each donor and all the ways in which the One Body & One Spirit Emergency Appeal has brought us together in meeting needs across the diocese,” said Bishop John Harvey Taylor. “To the glory of God, we have demonstrated that when one family member is in need, other members assist. This caring generosity, together with the financially transparent grant application process, will serve us well as we implement the diocese’s new annual appeal employing these same best practices.”
Expressions of appreciation from grant recipients are found in video messages here.
Grants, ranging from $1,840 to $7,500 from June 2020 to October 2021, were awarded as follows:
- Anaheim, St. Michael’s: $6,000 to support contract employees and outstanding bills after significant decline in income due to loss of facility use, and after many members lost jobs in the local hospitality industry amid the pandemic.
- Claremont, St. Ambrose: $1,840 to aid in transitioning worship to online services.
- Downey, St. Mark’s: $7,500 to assist operations and digital ministry amid revenue shortfalls.
- El Segundo, St. Michael the Archangel: $7,500 to install a fire alarm in an additional room that will expand the children’s center to double capacity.
- Garden Grove, St. Anselm of Canterbury: $7,500 for sanctuary repair including termite damage, roofing, and a door.
- Gardena, Holy Communion: $6,040 toward reopening costs including repairs and technology upgrades.
- Gardena, Holy Communion: $3,500 to offset cost of additional repairs and technology upgrades.
- Glendale, Bloy House, the Episcopal Theological School at Los Angeles: $7,500, for technology upgrades for online instruction opportunities beyond the pandemic.
- Glendale, La Magdalena: $7,500 for technology upgrades for online services and ministry.
Inglewood, Holy Faith: $7,500 to maintain part-time staff – office manager, sexton and musicians – who are paid through 1099s ineligible for coverage in the congregation’s Paycheck Protection Program application. - Julian, Camp Stevens: $7,500 to pay health benefits for reduced staff.
- La Verne, St. John’s: $6,200 for kitchen appliance repairs.
- Laguna Niguel, Faith: $2,500 to provide technology for online services.
- Lake Arrowhead, St. Richard’s: $7,500 for technology upgrades for online services and ministry.
- Lancaster, St. Paul’s: $5,000, to upgrade limited internet and wi-fi services to offer online worship.
- Long Beach, St. Thomas of Canterbury: $5,000 to assist with payroll and pension payments, social media upgrades, and meeting diocesan guidelines for reopening buildings.
- Los Angeles (Atwater Village), IRIS (Interfaith Refugee and Immigration Services): $7,500 to assist refugee families and service programs.
- Los Angeles (Crenshaw/Leimert Park), Christ the Good Shepherd: $7,500 for plant and parking lot repairs.
- Los Angeles (Downtown), St. John’s Cathedral: $7,500 for technology upgrades for livestreaming.
- Los Angeles (Echo Park), St. Athanasius: $3,000 to assist with technology for online services.
- Los Angeles (Highland Park), All Saints: $7,500 to help offset a significant loss in income from COVID-19, and costs of urgent repairs to its roof and building to maintain revenue from current tenants.
- Los Angeles (Highland Park): $7,500 directed to the parish hall and sanctuary repair projects.
- Los Angeles (Hollywood), Jubilee Consortium: $7,500 to assist food programs and urban intern support.
- Los Angeles (Hollywood), St. Stephen’s: $7,023 to upgrade technical equipment to provide online services and ministry.
- Los Angeles (Wilshire Center/Koreatown), St. James in the City: $7,500 matching opportunity to assist Koreatown street ministry to the unhoused.
- Monterey Park, St. Gabriel’s: $5,000 to help sustain its ministry in transition to online services.
- Oak Park, Epiphany: $2,500 to help facilitate online services.
- Ontario, Christ Church: $7,500 to assist development of a vacant portion of its campus to improve outdoor space and accommodate new safety protocols.
- Placentia, Blessed Sacrament: $7,500 toward its preschool’s increased cleaning costs and staffing support.
- Pomona, St. Paul’s: $7,500 to offset losses from its inability to book weddings and events.
- San Pedro, St. Peter’s: $5,000 to offset a loss of income from a lack of in-person meetings.
- South Gate, St. Margaret’s: $4,000 to cover one month of operating expenses after significant deficits due to the pandemic.
- Van Nuys, St. Mark’s: $7,500 for digital ministry start-up costs.
- Venice, Neighborhood Youth Association: $7,500 for an air filtration system for elementary school classrooms.
- Winnetka, St. Martin in-the-Fields: $7,500 for ground and plumbing repairs to make its school building accessible and functional for children.
- Winnetka, St. Martin in-the-Fields: $7,500 for maintenance to the heating/cooling system in preschool rooms to provide needed air filtration and heating/air conditioning.
- Yucaipa, St. Albans: $4,500 directed to health insurance premiums.