My scrapbook from today’s EfM Education for Ministry graduation ceremony at St. Paul’s Commons, Echo Park. We honored 21 students from ten Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles missions and parishes, plus two on-line cohorts, who completed a rigorous four-year program in scripture, church history and doctrine, and Christian ethics.

Diocesan EfM supervisor these six years, Gary Leonard of All Saints Episcopal Church, Pasadena, saw to every detail, assisted by veteran mentor Wayne Kempe. Graduate Allen Stout of the Episcopal Church of the Messiah – Santa Ana, CA preached a wise, bracing sermon. Joyce Dery, also from Messiah, played organ. I was along to celebrate Holy Eucharist and give thanks, as I anointed each graduate, for these evangelists who have equipped themselves with a toolkit for making the living Christ and his saving love and justice manifest to our neighbors.

Read more about EfM here .