As part of the amazing Neighborhood Youth Association team, site director Sonia Hernandez has been helping children of immigrant families on the west side of Los Angeles make it to four-year colleges and universities for over 20 years. Two have gone on to get their PhDs. NYA’s spring gala, when those matriculating are introduced, their proud families seated at the front tables, is always a highlight of the year.
After a December 2024 reorganization under the leadership of the CEO, Canon Bob Williams, NYA is based at St. Bede’s Episcopal Church in Mar Vista, guest of the Rev. Jennifer Wagner Pavia, the rector, and her fellow parish leaders. Bishops, deacons, and priests working in that part of the city, aka deanery III Clericus, had a chance to hear from Sonia on Thursday at our monthly meeting hosted by St. Bede’s and the dean, the Very Rev. Canon Ian Elliott Davies. Our parishes in Pacific Palisades and Santa Monica, St. Matthews and St. Augustine’s, are among NYA’s strongest supporters.
High school students get support in academics and social and leadership skills as well as help filling out those monumental college applications. Sonia told me 26 students are enrolled this fall at St. Bede’s. She’s busy launching satellite programs at Christ the Good Shepherd Episcopal Church in Leimert Park and Holy Faith Episcopal Church in Inglewood. Read more here: https://diocesela.org/…/st-bedes-church-welcomes…/
Our meeting included a tasty lunch hosted by St. Bede’s, plenty of fellowship, and Dean Davies’ monthly reading recommendations, including a new book by Jane Williams. I took the liberty of appending a brief anecdote about the brief flirtation of her spouse, former archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, with the idea of becoming a beekeeper.
We thanked Standing Committee president the Rev. Dr. Kate Cress and Search Committee cochair the Rev. KC Robertson for their leadership during the bishop search. Jennifer filled us in on life at her busy parish. The Rev. Daniel Tamm talked about creation care issues and events. We raised a glass to the Rt. Rev. Franklin Brookhart, retired bishop of Montana, who lives in the neighborhood and is a beloved Sunday visitor at our missions and parishes. For a brisk 70-minute meeting, it was a rich glimpse indeed of the abundant life of the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles.
