You meet the most amazing people around the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles, including the Rev. Michael S. Bell, director of spiritual care at PIH Health Good Samaritan Hospital, who met me for lunch today for a rich conversation about the ministry we share; the Rev. Norma Yanira Guerra and diocesan Altar Guild director Marjorie Cooley as Norma prepared to celebrate Holy Eucharist at our recently recommenced 11:30 a.m. Thursday service at St. Paul’s Commons, Echo Park (please join us!); the Rev. Christopher Potter, who brought the Rev. Canons Melissa McCarthy and Thomas Quijada-Discavage and me up to date on his ministry as vicar at St John Chrysostom Church in Rancho Santa Margarita; ecumenical partner Fr. Alexei Smith of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles at the annual meeting of the AJC – American Jewish Committee-LA – at SLS Hotel, where regional director Richard S. Hirschhaut, also pictured, put AJC’s strong support for reproductive freedom in the context of the vein of Jewish tradition favoring women’s physical and psychological health; and the Rt. Rev. Sabu Cherian, bishop of Kerala in the Church Of South India, visiting our diocese this weekend to look in on St. Peter’s Church (CSI), worshipping at St. Thomas Episcopal Church, Hacienda Heights, CA thanks to the hospitality of the Rev. Dr. Fennie Hsin-Fen Chang, the vicar, and her fellow mission leaders. St. Peter’s is one of the 18 congregations around the U.S. affiliated with Bishop Sabu’s diocese.
