Friday: Arrivals and exhibit hall
Bishop John Harvey Taylor and Canon Melissa McCarthy make their way through the crowd at the reception on Nov. 8 at Diocesan Convention. Photo: Mostyn Trudinger-Smith
Sharon Crandall, executive director, staffs the PRISM booth at Diocesan Convention. PRISM is the diocese’s jail chaplaincy program. Photo: Janet Kawamoto
Canon Janet Wylie, former secretary of convention and diocesan staff member, consults with convention staffer Evan Gillette. Photo: Janet Kawamoto
Kathryn Nishibayashi – seminarian, deputy to General Convention, delegate from St. Mary’s Church (Mariposa), Los Angeles, and self-described church nerd – assists with registration. Photo: Janet Kawamoto
Alan Herendich and Canon Martha Estes, delegate and alternate, respectively, from St. Columba’s, Big Bear Lake, meet with Christine Budzowski at convention. Photo: Janet Kawamoto
Canon Janet Wylie, retired secretary of convention, confers with Native Americans staffing the booth representing the First Women Gather Around the Fire Talking Circle. Photo: Janet Kawamoto
Members of St. Joseph’s Church, Buena Park, sell handmade soaps and similar items at their exhibit hall booth. Photo: Janet Kawamoto
Hilda Sarkesian of IRIS (Interfaith Refugee & Immigration Service) greets Rachel Nyback, rector of St. Cross Church, Hermosa Beach, as colleagues Ruben Tomasian (partially hidden at left) and Troy Elder, IRIS executive director, look on.
Standing ready to answer questions at the Episcopal Community Federal Credit Union booth are Johnny Lee, executive director, and Dan Valdez, chair of the board of directors. Photo: Janet Kawamoto
Camp Stevens staff members are ready to welcome all comers to the diocesan facility in Julian, California. Camp Stevens holds camp sessions for children, teens, adults and families, and provides conference center facilities. Photo: Janet Kawamoto
Randy Oglesby, delegate, and Canon Ian Davies, rector of St. Thomas’ Church, Hollywood confer at the convention reception Nov. 8. Photo: Mostyn Trudinger-Smith
Volunteers Marisa Ortega and Honour Tuttle-Harry of St. Andrew’s Church, Fullerton, staff a registration table. Photo: Janet Kawamoto
Deacon Margaret McCauley and Rand Reasoner, longtime rector of Prince of Peace Church, Woodland Hills, meet on Friday evening at convention. Photo: Janet Kawamoto
Hilda Sarkisians of IRIS staffs the agency’s booth in the exhibit hall at Diocesan Convention. IRIS – the Interfaith Refugee & Immigration Service – is a ministry of the Diocese of Los Angeles. Photo: Janet Kawamoto
George Okusi, rector of St. John the Divine Church, Costa Mesa, and the Rev. Joseph Oloimooja, rector of Holy Faith Church, Inglewood, enjoy the reception before the convention banquet. Photo: Janet Kawamoto
A Native American-styled doll draws visitors to the First Women Gather Around the Fire Talking Circle booth in the exhibit hall at Diocesan Convention in November 2024. Photo: Janet Kawamoto
Sixth Day Pet Food Pantry, which addresses food insecurity for area pets, is a ministry of St. Joseph’s Church, Buena Park. Photo: Janet Kawamoto
A small exhibitor shows off healthy-cooking books at the Seeds of Hope table at Diocesan Convention. Seeds of Hope is the food justice ministry of the Diocese of Los Angeles. Photo: Janet Kawamoto
Mary Mendenhall and Kate Varley Alonso of the Bishop’s Commission on Climate Change answer questions at their exhibit hall table. The commission was launched after the 2023 convention. Photo: Mostyn Trudinger-Smith
Blue is the color at the Daughters of the King (DOK) table in the exhibit hall at Diocesan Convention. DOK is a prayer ministry for women in The Episcopal Church. Photo: Mostyn Trudinger-Smith
Convention banquet, new honorary canons, and “The Philadelphia 11” screening
Canon Melissa McCarthy and Bishop John Harvey Taylor pose with Canon Marjorie Cooley, head of the diocesan Altar Guild and member of the convention planning team. Photo: Janet Kawamoto
Canon Melissa McCarthy and Bishop John Harvey Taylor present Kay Sylvester, new canon of the diocese. Sylvester is rector of St. Paul’s Church, Tustin, and a member of the diocese’s Liturgy and Music Commission and leader of the convention worship planning team. Photo: Janet Kawamoto
John Watson, priest-in-charge of Church of the Epiphany, Los Angeles, accepts the certificate naming his colleague Richard Estrada a canon of the diocese. Photo: Janet Kawamoto
Convention Coordinator Samantha Wylie invites attendees at the convention banquet to a nearby hall to view the documentary “The Philadelphia 11.” Photo: Janet Kawamoto
After the Friday night convention banquet attendees, including Bishop John Harvey Taylor and Canon Kathy O’Connor, watch “The Philadelphia 11.” Photo: Janet Kawamoto
Convention Eucharist
Ministers at the Eucharist were, from left: Felicia Gaddis, St. John’s Cathedral; Carrie Sunderland, All Saints, Riverside; Heather Kelly, St. John’s Cathedral; Michelle Fiemer, All Saints Riverside; the Rev. Karen James, Church of the Epiphany, Oak Park; Arlene Thompson, St. Luke’s, Long Beach; the Rev. Canon Joanne Leslie; the Rev. Norma Guerra; the Rev. Canon Melissa McCarthy; the Rev. Carter Heyward; the Rev. Sun-Hwan Spriggs, St. Paul’s, Tustin; and the Rev. Canon Kay Sylvester, rector of St. Paul’s, Tustin. Photo: Janet Kawamoto
The Eucharist procession enters the convention hall. All participants in the service were women, in honor of the 50th anniversary of women priests in The Episcopal Church. Photo: Mostyn Trudinger-Smith
Eucharist altar party members Canon Kay Sylvester, Canon Joanne Leslie, Norma Guerra and Canon Melissa McCarthy join in a hymn. Photo: Janet Kawamoto
The Rev. Karen James of Church of the Epiphany, Oak Park, holds the book as Sun-Hwan Spriggs of St. Paul’s, Tustin, reads the gospel. Photo: Mostyn Trudinger-Smith
Norma Guerra, associate for formation and vocations for the diocese, issues a call in her sermon for Episcopalians to stand beside marginalized communities. Photo: Janet Kawamoto
Carter Heyward and acolyte Felicia Gaddis exchange the Peace. Photo: Mostyn Trudinger-Smith
Verger Arlene Thompson of St. Luke’s, Long Beach, and Michelle Fiemer of All Saints, Riverside, lead members of the diocesan Altar Guild into the convention hall for the Eucharist. Photo: Janet Kawamoto
Carter Heyward, one of the Philadelphia 11 ordained in 1974, prepares to celebrate at the convention Eucharist. Photo: Janet Kawamoto
Canon Joanne Leslie, deacon, prepares the table for Eucharist. Photo: Mostyn Trudinger-Smith
Michelle Baker-Wright plays flute on hymns during the convention Eucharist on Saturday, Nov. 9. Photo: Janet Kawamoto
Altar Build members bring bread and wine to communion stations during the convention Eucharist. Photo: Janet Kawamoto
Canon Kay Sylvester, Canon Melissa McCarthy and Carter Heyward receive communion at the convention Eucharist. Photo: Mostyn Trudinger-Smith
Lay eucharistic ministers were among those offering the sacrament during the convention Eucharist. Photo: Janet Kawamoto
Verger Arlene Thompson of St. Luke’s, Long Beach, leads the procession out of the convention hall after the Eucharist. Photo: Janet Kawamoto
Canon Susan Russell (All Saints, Pasadena and diocesan staff), Andrea McMillin (All Saints, Beverly Hills), Anne Sawyer (St. John’s Cathedral), Patti Angelo (St. Cross, Hermosa Beach), are among the women clergy who joined the procession at the beginning of the convention Eucharist honoring the 50th anniversary of women in the priesthood. Photo: Janet Kawamoto
The first lesson was from the Book of Exodus (1:15 – 21); the story of the Hebrew midwives who refused Pharaoh’s order to kill male children of their people at birth. Photo: Mostyn Trudinger-Smith
Sun-Hwan Spriggs of St. Paul’s, Tustin, reads the Gospel lesson at the convention Eucharist. Photo: Mostyn Trudinger-Smith
Readers lead the Prayers of the People. Photo: Janet Kawamoto
Carter Heyward greets acolyte Carrie Sunderland of All Saints, Riverside, during the Peace at the convention Eucharist. Photo: Mostyn Trudinger-Smith
Canon Melissa McCarthy gives instructions during the convention Eucharist. Photo: Mostyn Trudinger-Smith
Canon Kay Sylvester and Canon Joanne Leslie prepare the altar for Eucharist at Diocesan Convention. Photo: Mostyn Trudinger-Smith
Carter Heyward presides at the convention Eucharist, assisted by Canon Joanne Leslie. Heyward later gave the keynote address. Photo: Mostyn Trudinger-Smith
Altar Guild member bring bread and wine to communion stations during the convention Eucharist. Photo: Janet Kawamoto
Lay eucharistic ministers listen to the prayer of consecration during the convention Eucharist. Photo: Janet Kawamoto
Stefanie Wilson Brown and Greg Brown and their sons get comfortable on the floor during the convention Eucharist. Photo: Janet Kawamoto
Carter Heyward receives communion from Deacon Joanne Leslie during the convention Eucharist. Photo: Mostyn Trudinger-Smith
Canon Kay Sylvester, with (from left) Heather Kelly, Michelle Fiemer, Deacon Karen James, and Felicia Gaddis process out of the convention hall at the end of Eucharist. Photo: Janet Kawamoto
Some 60 of the women clergy of the Diocese of Los Angeles gather after the convention Eucharist for a photo with celebrant (and later keynote speaker) Carter Heyward, one of the first women ordained to the priesthood in The Episcopal Church. The Eucharist and the convention celebrated the 50th anniversary of that 1974 event. Photo: Janet Kawamoto
Convention Business: Admission of St. Andrew’s Church, Irvine, as a parish of the diocese
Members of St. Andrew’s Church, Irvine, celebrate as convention votes to affirm their move from mission to parish status. Photo: Mostyn Trudinger-Smith
Canon Steven Nishibayashi, secretary of convention, makes opening announcements and declares a quorum at Diocesan Convention on Nov. 9. Photo: Mostyn Trudinger-Smith
Members of St. Andrew’s, Irvine, celebrate as the convention votes to approve their move from mission to parish status. Photo: Janet Kawamoto
Members of St. Andrew’s, Irvine sporting matching t-shirts, listen as Peter Browning, their rector, recounts the congregation’s journey from mission to parish status. Photo: Janet Kawamoto
Peter Browning, rector of St. Andrew’s, Irvine, thanks Bishop Taylor and the diocesan staff for supporting his congregation through the process. Photo: Mostyn Trudinger-Smith
Young members of St. Andrew’s, Irvine, join in the celebration. Members of St. Andrew’s Church, Irvine, celebrate the the convention affirms their congregation’s move from mission to parish status. Photo: Mostyn Trudinger-Smith
Members of St. Andrew’s Church, Irvine, celebrate the convention’s vote to approve their move from mission to parish status. Photo: Janet Kawamoto
Canon Kelli Grace Kurtz, representing the Program Group on Mission Congregations, presents St. Andrew’s Church for approval of their move from mission to parish status. Photo: Mostyn Trudinger-Smith
The Rev. Canon Gary Hall, chair of the Program Group on Missions, expresses his support for the application of St. Andrew’s Church, Irvine, to move to parish status. Photo: Janet Kawamoto
Parishioners of St. Andrew’s, Irvine enter the convention hall celebrating their move from mission to parish status. Photo: Janet Kawamoto
The senior warden of St. Andrew’s, Irvine, speaks at the convention as the congregation transitions to parish status. Photo: Mostyn Trudinger-Smith
Jubilant members of St. Andrew’s Church, Irvine exit the convention hall after delegates voted to confirm their congregation’s move from mission to parish status. Photo: Janet Kawamoto
Convention business
Canon to the Ordinary Melissa McCarthy, Bishop John Harvey Taylor, and Chancellor Richard Zevnick react to a comment from the convention floor. Photo: Janet Kawamoto
Delegates at the convention represented some 130 mission and parish congregations of the Diocese of Los Angeles. Photo: Janet Kawamoto
Delegates and clergy cast votes electronically during Diocesan Convention. Photo: Janet Kawamoto
A youth volunteer collects donations for Episcopal Relief & Development (formerly known as the “Presiding Bishop’s Fund for World Relief.” Photo: Janet Kawamoto
A youth volunteer collects donations during noonday prayer at Diocesan Convention for Episcopal Relief & Development.
Convention Coordinator Samantha Wylie, left, and Canon Clare Bangao of the diocesan staff keep a watchful eye on convention proceedings. Photo: Janet Kawamoto
Bishop John Harvey Taylor delivers the Bishop’s Address on Nov. 9 during Diocesan Convention, calls Episcoplians to be “chaplains to a culture in crisis.”
A youth volunteer collects a donation from a delegate for Episcopal Relief & Development in one of the traditional red buckets known as “Parkers.” Photo: Janet Kawamoto
Youth volunteers pose with the red “Parker” buckets that are traditionally passed around at Diocesan Convention to raise funds for Episcopal Relief & Development. Parkers are named after the later Rev. Canon Richard I.S. Parker, longtime rector of St. Cross Church, Hermosa Beach and a champion of the relief agency, formerly known as the Presiding Bishop’s Fund for World Relief. Photo: Janet Kawamoto
Susan Russell, canon for engagement for the diocese, and a longtime activist for the ministry of women and LGBTQ+ Christians, introduces keynote speaker Carter Heyward at Diocesan Convention. Photo: Mostyn Trudinger-Smith
Canon Melissa McCarthy gives delegates some instructions from the dais. Photo: Janet Kawamoto
Canon Ann Seitz presents the report of the Committee on Resolutions. The convention adopted a resolution renewing the diocese’s companion relationship with the Diocese of Jerusalem. Photo: Mostyn Trudinger-Smith
Convention Eucharist preacher Norma Guerra and keynote speaker Carter Heyward lifted up the ministry of women and all Episcopalians in their addresses. Photo: Janet Kawamoto
Deputies from the Diocese of Los Angeles reported to convention about actions taken by General Convention, meeting in Louisville, Kentucky, in June 2024. From left: Deputies Hsin-Fen (Fennie) Chang, Andy Tomat (partly hidden), Kathryn Nishibayashi, Cameron Johnson, Thomas Diaz, Kelli-Grace Kurtz and Alan Herendich. Photo: Janet Kawamoto
Carter Heyward delivers the keynote address during the convention. Photo: Mostyn Trudinger-Smith
Canon Melissa McCarthy assists and Bishop John Harvey Taylor presides from the dais. Photo: Janet Kawamoto
Randy Heyn-Lamb of All Saints Church, Pasadena, speaks in favor of a resolution renewing the diocese’s longstanding companion relationship with the Diocese of Los Angeles. Delegates voted unanimously to renew. Photo: Mostyn Trudinger-Smith
Laura Siriani, archdeacon of the diocese, dismisses delegates at the end of convention. Photo: Janet Kawamoto