Francisco Rebollar was at Holy Faith Episcopal Church in Inglewood with his family on Sunday morning for two reasons, at least. We were blessing the parish’s beautifully refurbished rectory in the name of the its longtime late treasurer, Bruce Lee, and Francisco, who is a building contractor, and his team had done the work. We also asked the blessing of our God in Christ on Francisco, his spouse, Patricia, and their sons, Javier and Evan, who lost their Altadena home in the wildfires.
Javier, 9, loves Legos, and his room had been full of his creations. His dad told me he asked if they could try to find at least one Lego as a keepsake, but Francisco told him it wouldn’t be safe. Hundreds and hundreds of our neighbors are experiencing such poignancy. Javier will, of course, make new Lego masterpieces. For now, it’s so sad to think about those who lost everything — all the victims, and especially school-age children. I give thanks for all of our congregational families for welcoming the houseless home Sunday after Sunday.
I was along at Holy Faith to preside and preach at a bilingual service (the link to my sermon, “Shock and Awe,” is in the comments below) and mediate as the Holy Spirit confirmed five young people in The Episcopal Church, including Joanna and Joseph, Jr., the younger children of the Holy Faith priest in charge, the Rev. Joseph Oloimooja, and his priest spouse, Edith. Edith is in Kenya with their three elder children, helping care for her and Joseph’s ailing mothers.
A joyful, upbeat priest and a former seminary teacher who loves to bring the gospel alive, Fr. Joseph has been priest in charge for two years. It looks like he and his folks are in it for the long haul. Mr. Lee, the late treasurer, left his house to the parish. Under Fr. Joseph’s leadership, the parish used the proceeds to restore the rectory and undertake other improvements, some for the sake of students and staff at the Slauson Learning Center, Holy Faith’s tenant these 41 years.
The parish is well known for its diversity, tradition of justice work, and liturgical innovation. It will host a “know your rights” worship on Feb. 22 for immigrant workers and their families, who are under assault by the federal government. Longtime music director Gabriel Gonzales and his band mixed jazz improvisation with traditional hymns and songs. Irene E. Cowley saw to every detail of the service and the rectory blessing. We had blessings galore in church and at lunch in the parish hall — for birthdays, for healing, for children who care for elderly parents and elderly parents who cared for children, for military service, for the gift of longevity, and (in one case) for being a proud grandfather of nine.
It was a blessing to see the Revs. Canon Warner R Traynham and Jamesetta Hammons, who assist at Holy Faith, as well as the devoted senior warden, Wendy Perlera, a social worker who also served as my chaplain, and junior warden Norma Gulden. Retired senior warden Janet Franklin, a member of the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles Commission on Ministry, was also aboard.
