October 2024
Brian Tucker
From the Rev. Brian Tucker
Get Ready to Shake Out!
Dear Friends and Colleagues,
This month, five congregations of the Diocese of Los Angeles are participating in The Great California Shakeout. This annual statewide earthquake drill is the capstone event for the 2024 cohort of the Connected Communities Resilience Program created by Dr. Lucy Jones for the diocese.
The program is helping our congregations to understand the risks facing their particular communities,— whether from earthquakes, extreme heat, flooding or wildfires— and then to create a disaster-resilience program. For several months, lay and clergy from St. Mark’s in Upland, St. John’s of Corona, Trinity in Santa Barbara, St. George’s in Laguna Hills, and Prince of Peace, Woodland Hills, have been collaborating in this project.
The resulting disaster resilience plans are tailored to the particular needs of each parish community. They might include reducing earthquake vulnerability in church facilities as well as in homes; ensuring first-aid kits, water, and other emergency supplies are available; training programs for congregations; assessing structural issues; and establishing cooling centers or evacuation sites for intense heat waves or wildfires. Crucially, disaster resilience plans include a communication plan to connect with members of the congregation, especially those who are most vulnerable.
The five participating congregations will exercise their disaster resilience plans as part of The Great California Shakeout. These communities will be conducting earthquake awareness events, holding drills in conjunctions with a Sunday service, or activating and testing their emergency communications plans. The Great Shakeout itself is scheduled for October 17, though events will occur through the week in our parishes.
Thanks are again due to Dr. Jones for her work in establishing this program for the Diocese. Her guide for developing a disaster resilience plan is: The Climate Connections Program—A Disaster Resilience Plan for the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles. It can be found at www.drlucyjonescenter.org. Helpful resources for earthquake preparedness, including flyers and planning guides in multiple languages, as well as information about The Great California Shakeout, are available here.
Blessings,
Brian+
The Rev. Brian Tucker is leading community preparedness and disaster resiliency efforts in the diocese. He is associate rector at Prince of Peace Episcopal Church in Woodland Hills.
Angelus Links
Clergy: Office of Formation and Transitions Ministry
The next issue of Angelus will be electronically transmitted and published in November 2024.
Please email news and connections items to Angelus editor, the Rev. Canon Pat McCaughan, at: revpatmccaughan@aol.com by October 22.
Angelus is a joint project of the Office of Clergy Formation and Transition Ministry and the Office of Communication of the Diocese of Los Angeles.
213.482.2040, ext. 251
The Rev. Canon Pat McCaughan, editor
revpatmccaughan@aol.com
949.892.0525
Reminders
TENS: The Episcopal Network for Stewardship
The Diocese of Los Angeles maintains a membership in TENS, so all congregations may access its stewardship resources. The log-in for 2024 is Ephesians5:2 (note: case sensitive, no spaces). The website is here.
“The theme for the year is Walk in Love, a celebration of the joy and gratitude we have for God and our community that lead us to share our stories, our journeys, and our gifts. Our resources are making a special effort to lift up diverse voices as we share the stories that inspire us to share our wealth, works, and wisdom with our ministry.” — TENS
URGENT CALL: Update Clergy Supply List with Office of Formation and Transition Ministry
We are in great need of more assistance with Sunday supply and interim positions. If you are available to assist with supply, long term supply, transition ministry, etc., please email Tom Quijada-Discavage at tdiscavage@ladiocese.org to make sure you are on our list. Please consider helping us out!
Grants available for deacons in financial need
The Fund for the Diaconate provides vital financial assistance for deacons and those in diaconal formation who have insufficient funds for their needs. Most deacons in The Episcopal Church serve as non-stipendiary ministry leaders, and lack church pensions to draw upon in times of crisis. Grants are available for ongoing support, declared emergencies, medical expenses, and diaconal formation. Applications are accepted at any time. More information is here.
Connections
MICHELLE BAKER-WRIGHT began serving as pastoral care associate at St. Cross, Hermosa Beach on Oct. 1. She has been ordained for 14 years and has a Ph.D. in Liturgical Studies/Sacramental Theology. She will also focus on liturgics and formation. She previously served at St. James’ Church, South Pasadena.
PAUL DANIELS has been named dean of Bloy House, the Episcopal Theological School at Los Angeles. He is rector of the Westside’s St. Mary in Palms parish and a Ph.D. student in systematic theology at Fordham University. In his new post, Daniels will be based at St. Paul’s Commons, the diocese’s Echo Park headquarters, to which Bloy House has relocated. He succeeds Canon Linda Allport, who on June 30 retired as dean. Concurrently, the Very Rev. Gary Hall has retired as president, having held that office since 2020.
ADAM DAWKINS will be installed as rector of St. Alban’s Church in Westwood (Los Angeles) at 10:30 a.m., Saturday, Oct. 26. The diocesan community is invited to attend.
SHERYL KUJAWA HOLBROOK was nominated and confirmed as 14th Historiographer of The Episcopal Church by the 81st General Convention of The Episcopal Church.
TIM RICH has been called as priest-in-charge at All Saints, Pasadena, beginning mid-August.
Requiescant in pace
The Reverend Nancy Sinclair
March 23, 1945 – August 26, 2024
[The Episcopal News] A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m., Saturday, Oct. 28, for the Rev. Nancy Sinclair at St. Wilfrid’s Church, Huntington Beach. Sinclair, 79, retired vicar of St. Theodore of Canterbury Church, Seal Beach, died Aug. 26. She passed away peacefully in her sleep, surrounded by her family members and loved ones.
Survivors include her husband, Donald, to whom she was married in 1967; her daughters Amy, Molly and Emily; sons Douglas and Noah; and eight grandchildren. Another son, Randy, predeceased her.
Sinclair served at St. Theodore’s Church for eight years before retiring, when she returned to her former church home, St. Wilfrid’s in Huntington Beach, where the then-rector, the late Rev. Canon Charles Sacquety, had been her mentor as she explored her calling to ordained ministry.
Congregational Openings
October 2024
Clergy are encouraged to request that their name be placed on an “interest list” if they would like to be considered for:
a) positions, regardless of the progress of the congregation in determining their process, or their readiness to receive names;
b) placement by the bishop in mission congregations or where an appointment is otherwise applicable.
Contact the Rev. Canon Tom Quijada-Discavage at tdiscavage@ladiocese.org or via phone at: 213.482.2040.
Open positions:
ACTIVE (Rectors)
Receiving names/Soon to post
Whittier, St. Matthias Parish / Half-time Rector
St. Matthias seeks a rector who is loving, prayerful and a leader with strong, collaborative administrative skills. We will wholeheartedly welcome a minister with abilities and passion to educate us through preaching and Christian Education that enhances our spiritual formation and continued community growth. We seek leadership in discerning effective ways to attract and welcome individuals and families through our St. Matthias commitment to warmly welcome everyone who comes through our doors. We also seek a priest with a pastoral heart to support us in caring for those in crisis, sickness, and other needs. We have a very active core of lay persons eager to collaborate with and support our rector in all the ministries that carry us to the living out of our motto, “Doing the loving thing.”
Parish profile may be found here.
Parish OTM and other documents can be found here.
For more information, please contact the Rev. Canon Thomas Quijada-Discavage directly at the email below or by phone at 323-350-7675. All interested appplicants should respond with: a letter of introduction/interest, a current CV/resume, and an updated OTM to: tdiscavage@ladiocese.org
ACTIVE (Associate/Curate/Other Positions)
OXNARD, All Saints’ ~ Todos los Santos / Associate Priest for Children’s and Youth Ministry (part time)
This person should be ordained or about to be ordained as a priest, conversant in Spanish and English and ready to learn and support our children’s, youth, and family ministries. Flexible scheduling is available. Please be in direct contact with the Rev. Melissa Campbell-Langdell, rector, with any questions and paperwork, if interested, at: revmelissalangdell@gmail.com. For more info, click here.
SAN CLEMENTE, St. Clement by-the-Sea. Assistant Priest, part-time.
Ministry to include preaching once per month, help with pastoral care, and faith formation. Ideal for a shared ministry with another congregation or a retired clergyperson. Please be in contact with the Rev. Patrick Crerar with any questions and paperwork if interested at: FrPatrick@scbythesea.org or 949-492-3401.
OPEN
Receiving names/developing profile
Inglewood, Holy Faith Parish
Redlands, Trinity Parish
Redondo Beach, Christ Church Parish–St. Andrew’s, Torrance / Rector
Westchester, Holy Nativity Parish
OPEN
No longer receiving names/Interviewing candidate
Lompoc, St. Mary’s Parish / Rector
MISSION & OTHER POSITION APPOINTMENTS
Mission congregation positions, some of them part time, for which the Formation and Transition Ministry office is presently receiving names for the bishop’s consideration.
Big Bear, St. Columba / Spirit of Peace Mission
Gardena, Holy Communion Mission
La Verne, St. John’s Mission
Lake Arrowhead, St. Richard of Chichester Mission
Moreno Valley, Grace Mission
Needles, St. John’s Mission
Rancho Santa Margarita, St. John Chrysostom Mission
Rialto, St. Peter’s Mission
Wilmington, St. John’s / Holy Child (PIC) Mission
Yucca Valley, St. Joseph of Arimathea Mission
NON-ACTIVE
Parish congregations that will at some point be searching for clergy leadership, but are now working with supply clergy, a long-term interim or priest in charge:
Arcadia, Parish Church of the Transfiguration
Beverly Hills, All Saints’ Parish
Downey, St. Mark’s Parish
Fullerton, Emmanuel Parish
Fullerton, St. Andrew’s Parish
Garden Grove, St. Anselm’s
Lancaster, St. Paul’s Parish
Los Angeles, Church of Christ the Good Shepherd
Los Angeles, St. John’s Cathedral
Los Angeles, St. Philip’s Parish
Los Angeles (Melrose), Trinity Parish
Los Olivos, St. Mark’s Parish
Monterey Park, St. Gabriel’s Parish
Ojai, St. Andrew’s Parish
Pasadena, St. Barnabas’ Parish
Pomona, St. Paul’s Parish
Santa Maria, St. Peter’s Parish
Van Nuys, St. Mark’s Parish
OTHER OPENINGS
WITHIN THE DIOCESE
LOS ANGELES: Episcopalian Hospital Chaplain, PIH Health Good Samaritan Hospital, 1225 Wilshire Boulevard. Full time, salaried. Reporting to one of our department supervisors or managers, this position provides spiritual support to patients, their loved ones, and staff in our hospitals. This chaplain serves people of all belief systems (religious and non-religious), and provides or arranges special rites and rituals as requested by patients and/or surrogates. Full job description and information here.
OUTSIDE THE DIOCESE
A list of postings from the wider Episcopal Church is here.