At our upbeat annual meeting Tuesday evening at St. Paul’s Commons, Echo Park, members were reminded that we can always bank on the Episcopal Community Federal Credit Union.
Bank on, and bank at. These days, at the heartiest little church credit union in town, it’s not just about individual and institutional loans but also, as a two-year tech modernization drive finishes up, a range of services such as on-line and mobile banking, automatic bill pay, a return to access to Citibank ATMs, gap insurance for car loans, and even (this was the headline as far as I was concerned) mortgage lending. You can read all about it at the credit union’s all-new website.
As a member and former trustee, I have the deepest possible respect for current credit union leadership, both volunteer and staff. Those reporting to members included our chair of 17 years, Dan Valdez; vice chair Jennifer Goodman Miramontes, my friend from St John Chrysostom Church days; CEO Johnny Lee; and supervisory committee member and former CEO Urla Gomes. Dan’s been on the board for 22 years all together. Urla has served for three decades, retired last year, and yet continues as part of the credit union’s team of internal auditors. Johnny has expanded our palette of services thanks to his continued leadership in a consortium of small credit unions.
We now have 1,150 members, down from when Chair Valdez was first aboard. He says it’s mainly because the diocese’s membership is smaller. Nevertheless we signed up 90 this year. Board members plan a round of visits to our missions and parishes to reintroduce the credit union to recently arrived Episco-Pals.
The credit union began as an economic justice ministry to those who couldn’t get bank loans. In the year that’s finishing up, our pride and joy is 64 booked loans totaling nearly $1.1 million, 70% of them diversity loans. Dan also presented certificates of appreciation to those who helped a record 141 of our neighbors with their taxes this year — just another service of the little credit union with a giant heart. The annual meeting included delicious canapés and everybody’s favorite, the annual raffle of gift cards and tote bags. If only for the festive annual meeting alone, I don’t know why everyone doesn’t want to join!
