You meet the most amazing people around the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles, including Dr. Anne Willoughby of New York, a candidate for taking vows with our St. Paul’s Commons neighbors the Immaculate Heart Community, preparing decorations for IHD’s annual assembly…
— the Rev. Canon Preston Hannibal, ordained in our diocese by Bishop Robert Rusack. Preston, who lives in Washington, D.C., is a leading expert on Episcopal education and my former colleague on the governing board of the National Association of Episcopal Schools. We talked about the death in January of his beloved spouse of 47 years, fellow educator Sandi, and the legacy he shares with his late father, another of our legendary Los Angeles priests and the namesake of the Union of Black Episcopalians H. Belfield Hannibal Chapter…
— friends and colleagues at two events last week in Rancho Cucamonga, where our diocese was named community partner of the year by National Community Renaissance, our partner in building affordable housing at our missions and parishes. Luminaries include National CORE’s energetic cofounder, Jeff Burum; board member former Rep. Alan Mollohan (D-WV) and his spouse, Barbara; Suzanne Sproul of St. Mark’s in Upland and former OC Register editor William Diepenbrock, with whom I worked in Nixon library days (both these former journalists now use their writing gifts on behalf of affordable housing); and of course the Rev. Michael S. Bell, who works tirelessly on housing with our parishes and missions, and Canon Kathy Hannigan O’Connor…
— the Rev. Robert W. Lee IV of North Carolina, pastor and memoirist, who was in town for Bloy House-sponsored speaking appearances hosted by the Rev. Jenifer Chatfield at St. Edmund’s I San Marino and the Rev. Canon Kelli Grace Kurtz at All Saints in Riverside…
— at our quarterly meeting, my affordable housing heroes at Episcopal Communities & Services, Sharon Pewtress, James Rothrock, the Rev. Tim Hartley, and Cathy May, ECS board chair…
— and all the beloveds, including Canon Janet Wylie, at the Evensong service the Rev. John Watson organized Sunday evening at St. Athanasius Episcopal Church, Echo Park to mark the 30th anniversary of the dedication of the Cathedral Center of St. Paul, now St. Paul’s Commons, Echo Park. An anniversary choir offered glorious music, Rabbi Susan Goldberg of our neighbors at Nefesh offered a moving opening reflection, John presided, and I preached.
