TOMORROW at 5pm Evensong & Benediction accompanied by 16 singers from the LASchola will take place. All are invited!This Saturday at 5pm, a choir of sixteen voices from the LA Schola singing ensemble, as well as St. Thomas organist/choirmaster, Jeffrey Parola, will accompany a Choral Evensong & Benediction at St. Thomas. This rare and beautiful service will feature works by Anton Bruckner (1824-1896), Charles Villiers Stanford (1852-1924), Robert Stone (1516-1613), Thomas Attwood Walmisley (1814-1856), and others.

Afterwards, please join us for a wine and light refreshment reception in the Large Parish Hall. This will be a wonderful opportunity to meet the many fine musicians who will participate in this stunning service.

Walter S. Johnson was born on December 18, 1938 to Walter H. Johnson and Mary E. Johnson in Wilmington, Delaware. Walter is the oldest of three children. The other children are James and Florence.


Walter's Mother and Father weren't religious parents, but his blessed grandmother was very religious and Baptist. She made sure that her grandchildren where in church every Sunday morning. This was the foundation of his faith.

He attend # 29 elementary, Bancroft junior high, Howard
High school there. After graduation from High school 1956, he enlisted into the National Guard for six months of army service.

(1958)
After his army service was completed, he returned home and was employed by Alfred I. DuPont Laboratory at Chestnut Run, in Wilmington as a Lab Technician for four years. He also worked in retail for few years as well, which he also very much enjoyed doing. He loved coming in contact with the public, which was a big help for him in his change as the person he always wanted to be. Another change took place in his life, the need to change religion. This happened when his family decided to move out of the city, and into the suburb. He became a member of The Community Presbyterian Church, and became very involved in the church. He also became the youngest Elder in the church and sang in the choir.

(1968)
Walter moved to New York after four years working for the DuPont's, which was a turning point for him coming out as a gay man. This stay was for about two years working sales in the beautiful city. He met some wonderful people and they are still very close to him, and he also fell in love with a very gorgeous man. They made plans to move to the U.S. Virgin Island together.

(1989)
Then off to U.S. St. Thomas Virgin Islands and at this time he was employed by the Govt. of Virgin Islands in the Dept. Finance as a bookkeeper.

(1991)
Off again for another adventure, and this time to Los Angeles where he began working for American Title Insurance Company as a PR man.

(1993)
Walter made another giant step in my life, along with falling in and out love. He decided to take an adventure and stretch his wings a little more, and travel abroad. This time to London, England and East Africa for about a month.

(1995)
After being in Los Angeles for about two years, he realized there was something missing in his life. Church! He hadn't been in any church since moving from home in 1968. So he went out looking for a church home and found St, Thomas the Apostle Hollywood when Fr. Carroll Barbour was Rector.

(1996)
Walter was confirm into the Episcopal Church at St. Augustus by the Sea. Then he began his new religious journey has an Episcopalian, He became an acolyte, Lay Eucharistic Minister, member of the Commission on Black Ministry, Aids Walk, Gay Pride Parade, a representative for the Los Angles Diocese Commission Black Ministry in South Carolina Conference and many other actives with in the church.

(2004)
Fr. Carol Barbour asks Walter if he would like to study for the Diaconate. He attend Claremont School of Theology, and on December 2, 2006 he was ordain a Deacon in the Episcopal Church Diocese of Los Angeles. He is very blessed to be the Deacon in his home Parish, St. Thomas the Apostle. His ministry is to assist the Rector, read the Gospel each Sunday, care for the sick and lonely, Daily Office, Holy Rosary, and the homeless in our community.