Love, laughter, applause, cheers, whistles and joy filled St. John’s Cathedral Dec. 13 as an historic “rainbow” gathering of about 200 Indigenous, Black, Hispanic and Chinese American and LGBTQ+ Episcopalians offered prayers, praise, well-wishes, music, dance and other gifts to celebrate retiring Bishop John Harvey Taylor and Canon Kathy O’Connor.
There were also thanksgivings for and pledges to continue Taylor’s legacy of staunch support of the ministries of People of Color throughout the diocese. Taylor, who reaches mandatory retirement age in 2026, is set to turn over leadership of the diocese to Bishop-elect Antonio Gallardo in July.
“Your message of love these past eight years has been incredible, a time of healing in our community in particular,” the Rev. Guy Leemhuis, President of the Los Angeles H. Belfield Hannibal chapter of the Union of Black Episcopalians, told Taylor and O’Connor.
“We’re fired up and ready to go,” as a result, he added. Leemhuis noted that diocesan financial support of Black ministries soared from $1,800 annually to $40,000 after Taylor’s July 8, 2017, consecration. The funds were used to upgrade electronic equipment at some historic Black churches, and to build and gather community with ongoing themed celebrations of: Martin Luther King, the Rev. Absalom Jones, The Episcopal Church’s first Black priest; the Rt. Rev. Barbara Harris, the first woman ordained a bishop in The Episcopal Church, Juneteenth, and Caribbean People’s Day along with Evensongs and a Lenten series focused on Black Lives Matter, he said.
“We were truly feeling like we were being seen,” Leemhuis told the gathering. “That’s what it’s all about … belonging. To have such support from our bishop, we’re fired up. We have work to do,” he said. “We want to talk about church planting, about what we can do together, the rainbow is bigger tonight than my LGBTQ+ brothers and sisters. I’m talking about the big rainbow. We thank you Bishop John and Kathy O’Connor.”
The Rev. Hsin-fen (Fennie) Chang, chair of the diocesan Program Group on Chinese Ministry, echoed the deepened sense of inclusion. “We could not have imagined all the support—spiritually, financially, and physically, from Bishop Taylor, including his presence at every single event of Chinese congregations gathering together.”
She highlighted the 2023 establishment of a companion relationship between the dioceses of L.A. and Taiwan, a partnership focused on mutual spiritual support, cultural exchange and collaborative ministry. The partnership has included a Taylor-led 2024 visit to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the Taiwan diocese, and hosting a reciprocal Taiwanese delegation to L.A. in 2025.
“Bishop Taylor started a spark” Chang said and promised future cultural and ministry exchanges and events. “Thank you, Bishop Taylor, you made our dream come true.”
The Rev. Carlos Ruvalcaba, chair of the Program Group on Hispanic Ministry, also offered thanksgivings. “You have been a guide to us,” he told Taylor and O’Connor. “You have made a profound impression, empowering our ministries and also celebrating the beauty of diversity. We carry a lot of lessons you have imparted and are truly honored to have you as our shepherd.”
Taylor facilitated deepening the “beloved community,” the Rev. Canon Susan Russell, diocesan Canon for Engagement Across Exchange told the gathering. “I never imagined that we in the Diocese of Los Angeles would become a place where a gathering like this was not only possible, but happening,” she said.
“I could have never imagined a world where we as The Episcopal Church were able to manifest to the rest of the country in desperate need of it what beloved community looks like. And what beloved community looks like is what is gathered here tonight.
“And what beloved community looks like, is a bishop who is willing to take risks in order to stand with the most vulnerable, whether it’s popular or not, whether it’s comfortable or not whether it helps Mission Share Fund pledges or not. But to stand with those of us who have historically been on the margins,” she said amid applause and cheers.
Taylor supported marriage equity before it was popular, and before he was bishop, and has become a local and national spokesperson for the rights of transgendered youth, she said.
Quoting Catholic nun Joan Chittister, Russell said, “We claim an inch of the planet as we’re working toward making the Garden of Eden grow green again.” She added: “We are a rainbow people, we are a garden people and we’re going to continue the struggle and we’re going to be better for it because of Bishop Taylor. (We) want you to know how much we love you and appreciate you and the church is a better place because of your willingness to serve.”
Taylor called the evening “spectacular,” thanking Episcopalians across the diocese, lay and clergy leaders and diocesan staff, and especially Canon to the Ordinary Melissa McCarthy, and echoed “We’re not done yet.”
The church is still struggling to get back to Jesus’ original vision of inclusion and unity,” Taylor said, a vision of “the dignity of every human being, a realm of hope in church life and civic life where there is no longer any hate based on how God has made a person.
“The Episcopal Church absolutely has indispensable work to do, in order to save our region, our city, our country at a time when the darkness gathers, but the light of Christ which Gabriel reminded us of, is lit and powerfully strong, and I see it in every face gathered here tonight,” he said.
“I know that each of you will come alongside Bishop-elect Antonio, who shares this vision, who participates in this vision, and I know you will be his friend and colleague in this work as he will be yours.”
Tributes in music, dancing, spoken word
The Rev. Canon Mary Crist, leader of the diocesan Program Group on Native American Ministry and coordinator of Indigenous Theological Education for The Episcopal Church, opened the celebration with Indigenous prayers in the four directions. “The trail is beautiful. Be still,” said Crist, an enrolled member of the Blackfeet Nation in Montana.
She was joined by Roselyn Smith, Rachel Fernandez, and Kathleen Ashelford, members of the First Women Gather Around the Fire Talking Circle, a group of about 30 women who meet regularly on the roof of St. Paul’s Commons in Echo Park. A similar online gathering draws more than 140 Indigenous women from across the country, Crist said.
Similarly, Canon Suzanne Edwards-Acton, chair of the diocesan Program Group on Black Ministry, welcomed “such beautiful diversity” not always seen at Episcopal Church events. She invited the gathering to “call in the ancestors” as the gala got underway, calling out names such as retired L.A. Suffragan Bishop Chet Talton, who died at age 84 on Nov. 20 and whose life will be celebrated at 11 a.m., Saturday, Dec. 27 at the cathedral.
Other names invoked included: retired priest the Rev. Canon Malcolm Boyd, former diocesan poet-in-residence; and other leaders of diocesan multicultural ministries and program groups, like the Rev. Butch Gamarra; the Rev. Cyprian Fields; the Rev. John Limo and the Rev. JoAnn Weeks, retired vicar of Grace Church in Moreno Valley, whose life will be celebrated at the church at 11 a.m., Wednesday, Dec. 17.
Canon Chas Cheatham and the Episcopal Chorale offered a medley of “Gloria in Excelsis, This Little Light of Mine, I Just Want to Praise You,” and an original musical skit highlighting Taylor’s love of Bruce Springsteen (“Born in the USA”), rock and roll music, and Dodger baseball, in thanksgiving for Taylor’s support.
Other musical presentations included, “O Come, Emmanuel” by the Rev. Guy Leemhuis and the Enchanted Forest band; “Ave Maria,” a piano duet by Gigi Kwok and Wayne Choo of St. Thomas, Hacienda Heights; an original piano composition, “Prelude and Trio, Op25, No.1” by Josephs Hu, of the Church of Our Saviour in San Gabriel; and several rousing performances by the youthful Orchestra Filarmonica Oaxaquena “Lost Rejuntados” band. Spoken word artist Sebastian Gonzalez performed also, as did a youthful praise dance group from the Ugandan Community Church at St. Mark’s Van Nuys.
Taylor and O’Connor were presented with gifts from each of the ministries, including a Native American ceremonial blanket; a keepsake plate bearing the words of 1 Corinthians 13, an icon of the Virgen de Guadalupe and an image of the Black Jesus, painted by the Rev. Warner Traynham, former rector of St. John’s, Los Angeles. The evening ended with everyone singing a rendition of the Beatles’ song, “All You Need is Love”.