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 A commitment to end racism
A letter to the Episcopal Church from Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori and House of Bishops President Gay Jennings
On June 17, nine members of Mother Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina, were murdered by a white racist during their weekly bible study. Just a few days later at General Convention in Salt Lake City, we committed ourselves to stand in solidarity with the AME Church as they respond with acts of forgiveness,  reconciliation, and justice (Resolution A302. Now our sisters and brothers in the African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church have asked us to make that solidarity visible by participating in "Confession, Repentance, and Commitment to End Racism Sunday" on Sunday, September 6. We ask all Episcopal congregations to join this ecumenical effort with prayer and action.
The full text of the letter and links to liturgical and other resources are here.
Episcopal bishops to teach free
online course on gun violence prevention Eugene Taylor Sutton, bishop of the diocese of Maryland and Ian Douglas, bishop of the Diocese of Connecticut will teach an online course on a practical response to gun violence. The class, which is open to all, will be offered Sept. 14 - 28. Bishops Sutton and Douglas, outspoken advocates of deterring gun violence, are gifted thinkers and theologians in the Episcopal Church and serve as bishops in places that see their share of gun violence. The course, which is intended to spur thought, conversation, and action around the issue of gun violence, will offer wisdom and insight from the bishops' years of ministry and advocacy for greater awareness and involvement of Christians in this controversial issue. Read more here.
 Offices to close for Labor Day Diocesan offices at the Cathedral Center will be closed on Monday, Sept. 7, in observance of Labor Day. Most offices will reopen on Tuesday, Sept. 8.
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 Events & announcements ...
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 Info session for Young Adult Pilgrimage to the Holy Land planned for Sept. 19 A general information and Q & A session will be held at the Cathedral Center on Saturday, Sept. 19, 11 - 1 p.m. for all people interested in joining the Christmas 2015 Young Adult Pilgrimage to the Holy Lands. The pilgrimage will be held Dec. 16 - 28, and is open to people 18 - 40 years of age. For information, contact Chris Tumilty, 213.482.2040 or ctumilty@ladiocese.org.  Six-day workshop at Cathedral Center will introduce icon writing Thad's Episcopal Church in Santa Monica will sponsor a beginning-level Icon Writing Workshop Oct. 18 - 24 at the Cathedral Center of St. Paul in Echo Park, presented by Prosopon School of Iconology. Icons are painted images of saints, angels, and the divine that are used in community worship and individual devotions. The six-day workshop will offer meditations, worship, and at least six hours of expert instruction each day from Master Iconographer Tatiana Berestova. Students will produce icons in the ancient Russian-Byzantine tradition. Prior art training is not required. Included in the class fee of $1,300 per person for first-level students are more than 36 hours of exceptional instruction; double occupancy accommodations for 6 nights; all meals; and materials. Instruction also is available for upper-level students; see the brochure for full details. A nonrefundable deposit is due by Friday, Sept. 11. For information or to register, contact Edward Beckett at 626.791.7953 or edward@beckettstudio.com.  Program will use spiritual practices to help attendees practice 'Radical Compassion' As part of the commitment made last December at Diocesan Convention to live out the Charter of Compassion, the program Group on Ecumenical and Interfaith Life will present Practicing Radical Compassion, a program on compassionate living within the family, workplace, ministry and community on Monday, Sept. 14, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. at the Cathedral Center of St. Paul, 840 Echo Park Avenue, Los Angeles. Attendees will participate in spiritual practices that are designed to help cultivate compassion, and will begin the discussion on how to work with communities in conflict. The program will be led by Frank Rogers (pictured), professor of spiritual formation at the Claremont School of Theology, and co-director of the Center for Engaged Compassion at Claremont Lincoln University. His new book is titled Practicing Compassion. All are welcome. For reservations, email to Ravi Verma, raviver@sbcglobal.net. A suggested donation of $10 will cover lunch.  Save the date: Oktoberfest
is coming to Van Nuys St. Mark's Episcopal Church, Van Nuys, will hold an Oktoberfest on Sunday, Oct. 25, 12 noon - 4 p.m., featuring German foods such as bratwurst, potato salad, beer, pretzels and more, with live polka music by Linda Herman. A German Mass at 4 p.m. will conclude the event. $5 donation per person. St. Mark's Church is located at 14646 Sherman Way, Van Nuys 91405. For information, call the church office at 818.785.4251 or visit the website here.  St. Stephen's to celebrate a century of ministry in Beaumont, Banning St. Stephen's Episcopal Church, Beaumont, will celebrate its centennial with a "Homecoming Weekend" on Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 26 - 27. The festivities will begin when community leaders join church members for dinner at the Beaumont Civic Center on Saturday, Sept. 26 at 5 p.m. All living clergy who have served St. Stephen's and/or St. Agnes Church in Banning have been invited, and several are expected to attend. The event will feature decade displays illustrating the history of St. Stephen's and St. Agnes', which reunited with its parent church, St. Stephen's, several years ago. Also featured will be music from the Beaumont High School Jazz Ensemble, and more. A limited number of tickets at $40 each are available, but all tickets need to be purchased by Sunday, Sept. 13; call the church office at 951.845.1358. The celebration will continue at a 9:30 a.m. service on Sept. 27; preacher will be former St. Stephen's priest Jeff Wilhelm.
 Labyrinth Week returns
to St. Paul's, Tustin St. Paul's Church in Tustin will host its second annual "Labyrinth Week: A Circle of Peace and Healing" beginning on Friday, Sept. 11 and continuing through Thursday, Sept. 17. The week will begin with an Interfaith Walk for Peace beginning at 7 p.m. on Sept. 11, featuring Taizé music and prayers led by community members representing a variety of faith traditions. Several opportunities will be available for prayer and meditative walking throughout the following week: - Holy Eucharist around the labyrinth, Saturday, Sept. 12, at 5 p.m. and Sunday, Sept. 13, at 9 a.m.
- Daily open walking hours: 9 a.m. - 4 p.m., Monday, Sept. 14, through Thursday, Sept. 17. Eucharist will be said at 12 noon on Thursday.
- Evening hours, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, beginning with Evening Prayer at 6 p.m., followed by open time to walk until 8 p.m.
Docents will be available to answer questions and provide informational literature on the spiritual practice of labyrinth walking. Note: This is an indoor canvas labyrinth and must be walked in stocking feet. The surface is smooth and the path to the center is visible. St. Paul's is located at 1221 Wass St, Tustin. For more information, call 714.544.3141 or contact Laura E. Siriani at laura@stpauls.org.  Gooden School invites all to open house, dedication of classrooms, garden The Gooden School, an Episcopal Church-connected elementary and middle school in Sierra Madre, will launch its 40th anniversary year on Sunday, Sept. 13 with and open house and dedication of newly refurbished kindergarten and primary classrooms and Kelly's Reading Garden, an outdoor reading area with hand-painted benches to be dedicated in memory of the mother of two Gooden students. Other activities will include tours of the new innovative classrooms, music by a group of Gooden students, refreshments and play areas for children. Interim Head of School Merrily Dunlap will preside, Los Angeles County Deputy Supervisor Kathryn Barger will attend, and special blessings will be given by the Rev. Michael Cooper, school chaplain, and the Very Rev. Canon Michael Bamberger, rector of Episcopal Church of the Ascension, which is adjacent to the main school campus and is the site of the refurbished classrooms. All are welcome. The school is located at 192 N. Baldwin Avenue, in Sierra Madre. For more information, visit the website or call 626.355.2410.  Sing-a-long Octoberfest will celebrate Trinity Camp centennial Trinity Church, Redlands, will celebrate Trinity Camp, its annual summer program, now celebrating its 104th year, at a Camp Sing-a-long Octoberfest on Saturday, Sept. 19, 5 - 8 p.m. The menu will include brats, potato salad, pretzels and German chocolate cake. Participants will "blast the roof off the parish hall with songs from church camp," according to an announcement from the congregation. All are invited. Cost is $10 per person or $30 for a family of four. Trinity Church is located at 419 S. Fourth Street, Redlands. For information, call 909.793.2014.
 Chili and trivia contests
coming to Covina Holy Trinity in Covina will hold a Chili Cook-Off, silent auction, and trivia contest on Saturday, Sept. 12. Contestants will compete for the title of Holy Trinity Chili King or Queen. In addition to sampling the chili chefs' handiwork, guests can bid on a variety of items and engage in a trivia match against the church's three priests, hosted by "King Trivia." Entering the trivia match will cost $5, but the chili will be free. Holy Trinity Church is located at 100 N. Third Ave. Covina 91723. For information, call 626.967.3939.
 Hindu practice to be explored at Guibord Center event The Guibord Center, an Episcopal Church-connected organization that works for understanding among Los Angeles' diverse religious communities, will present Decoding Rituals and Symbols of Hinduism
Saturday, Oct. 3, 12 - 2:30 p.m. at the Vedanta Society's Hollywood Temple (pictured). The program will open with a light vegetarian lunch served at noon, followed by the talk and discussion. "Vedanta is one of the world's most ancient religious philosophies and one of its broadest," according to the Vedanta Society website. "Based on the Vedas, the sacred scriptures of India, Vedanta affirms the oneness of existence, the divinity of the soul, and the harmony of religions. Vedanta is the philosophical foundation of Hinduism; but while Hinduism includes aspects of Indian culture, Vedanta is universal in its application and is equally relevant to all countries, all cultures, and all religious backgrounds."The Hollywood Temple is located at 1946 Vedanta Place, Hollywood, 90068. Space is limited, and registrations are required: click here. |
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This week around the diocese ...
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SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 7 p.m.
Evening of Poetry
St. Mark's-in-the-Valley Episcopal Church
2901 Nojoqui Avenue, Los Olivos
Information: 805.688.4454 or info@smitv.org
Featuring readings by award-winning poets Richard Jarrette and Pamela Davis, followed by a reception featuring complimentary refreshments and book signing opportunities. Jarrette will read from his newest book, A Hundred Million Years of Nectar Dances (Green Writers Press, 2015), described as a poetry cycle of singular beauty in nature that reveals an inherent religious quality. The poems dance and sing and play and rest with their subjects. Davis will read from her new book Lunette (ABZ Press, 2015) an innovative and compelling collection of poems previously published in national magazines.
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SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Stillpoint: A Seasoned Call - A Retreat for Spiritual Directors and Soul Care Workers
Ascension Lutheran Church
1600 E. Hillcrest Drive, Thousand Oaks 91362
Information/Registraton: www.stillpointca.org
Participants will "pray, learn and share with members of our tribe as we explore new practices and invite our bodies and souls into the spacious depths of spirituality," according to the Stillpoint announcement. Presentation and discussion on spiritual direction and formation with young adults; people of unconventional and post-conventional spirituality; those strugggling with addiction, dual diagnosis and process addictions. Opportunities for working with images, journaling, bodywork, walking meditation. For people from all spiritual traditions. All spiritual directors, interns in spiritual formation programs, hospice workers, chaplains, deacons and soul care workers are welcome. Fee: $58. Presented by Stillpoint: The Center for Christian Spirituality.
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 4 - 6 p.m.
Open House and Dedication of Renovated Classrooms and the Kelly Watson Reading Garden
The Gooden School
192 North Baldwin Avenue, Sierra Madre
Information: 626.355.2410
The Gooden School, an independent Episcopal K - 8 school in Sierra Madre, will dedicate its newly renovated kindergarten and primary school classrooms and the Kelly Watson Reading Garden. Interim Head of School Merrily Dunlap, the Rev. Michael Cooper, chaplain, and the school's board of trustees will dedicate the new facilities. A reception will follow. The open house will feature tours of the new facilities, performances by the school orchestra, a play area for younger children, and light refreshments.
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 This week in liturgy and the arts ...
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SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 7 p.m.
Concert for Syrian and Iraqi Refugee Children
with Alice Burla, pianist
Saint Michael & All Angels Episcopal Church
3233 Pacific View Drive, Corona del Mar 92625
Information: 949.644.0463
"Together for Hope" piano recital features 18-year old musical prodigy Burla in a fundraiser for Middle East refugees. Burla will perform music by Rachmaninoff, Scriabin and Chopin. The program also includes readings of stories from children in Jordan, Iraq, and Lebanon. Admission is free; an offering will be taken to benefit Medair, an international humanitarian aid agency, to support Middle East refugees. Seating is limited: for reservations, email to events@medair.org, or call Graham Smith at 949.228.4025.
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Recurring Services ...
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The worship services or events listed below occur on a regular basis; weekly or monthly. Note that some are suspended on holidays such as Thanksgiving, Christmas or Holy Week. Please check with individual churches for exceptions to the regular schedule.
MONDAYS, 5 - 5:30 p.m.
Lectio Divina Centering Prayer
St. Mary's Episcopal Church
428 Park Avenue, Laguna Beach 92651
Information: 949.494.3542 or parishoffice@stmaryslb.org
Lectio Divina is the ancient practice of holy listening to scripture. A passage from the upcoming Sunday lessons is read, and in silent prayer we are gradually led from mind to heart, taking the word of God deeper and deeper into the self. Followed by Centering Prayer (see listing below).
MONDAYS, 5:30 - 6 p.m.
Centering Prayer
St. Mary's Episcopal Church
428 Park Avenue, Laguna Beach 92651
Information: 949.494.3542 or parishoffice@stmaryslb.org
Preceded by Lectio Divina (see listing above).
MONDAYS, 7 p.m.
Centering Prayer
St. James' Episcopal Church
1325 Monterey Road, South Pasadena
Information: 626.799.9194
Come and experience a method of Contemplative Prayer. This group is led by parishioners, and meets weekly in the Guild Room.
TUESDAYS, 6:15 p.m.
Centering Prayer
The Church of Our Saviour
535 W. Roses Road, San Gabriel
Information: 626.282.5147
No previous experience is necessary. Centering Prayer group meets in St. Luke's Chapel.
TUESDAYS, 7 p.m.
Contemplative Prayer
Church of the Messiah
614 N. Bush Street, Santa Ana
Information: 714.543.9389
Contemplative Prayer meets every Tuesday evening for an extended period of silent meditation and prayer in the Upper Room. Those unfamiliar with this method of prayer are welcome to join others who have practiced contemplative prayer before.
WEDNESDAYS, 6 p.m.
Eventide and Supper
All Saints-by-the-Sea Episcopal Church
83 Eucalyptus Lane, Santa Barbara 93108
Information: 805.969.4771
The midweek service is at 6:00 p.m. every Wednesday and combines the language, symbols, music, and actions from the rich heritage of the worshiping Church. Eventide has become an important worship opportunity for those wanting a mid-week boost in their spiritual lives and a main worship service for those who prefer this more intimate, casual, yet distinctly Anglican worship experience. Casual supper to follow.
WEDNESDAYS, 7 p.m.
Taizé Worship Service
St. Mark's Episcopal Church
330 E. 16th Street, Upland
Information: 909.920.5565
THURSDAYS, 1 p.m.
Centering Prayer
St. Alban's Episcopal Church
580 Hilgard, Westwood (Los Angeles)
Information: The Rev. Paul Elder, 818.398.4541
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FIRST FRIDAYS, 7:30 p.m. (September 4)
Contemplative Taizé Experience
Church of Our Saviour
535 W. Roses Road, San Gabriel 91775
Information: 626.282.5147, ext. 13 or dgibbs@churchofoursaviour.org or cdlmonastery@aol.com
A serene candlelight service of prayer, reflection, and music on the second Friday of each month.
FIRST SUNDAYS, 12 noon (September 6)
Walking the Virtual Labyrinth
Emmanuel Episcopal Church
1145 West Valencia Mesa Drive, Fullerton
Information: paulnanita@sbcglobal.net
Walk the virtual labyrinth in the parish hall on the first and third Sundays of each month. Led by the Rev. Canon Paul Edwards. Advance reservations requested.
FIRST SUNDAYS, 9 p.m. (September 6)
Compline at the Cathedral
St. John's ProCathedral
514 W. Adams Blvd., Los Angeles
Information here
A community of prayer for students and young adults. Thirty minutes of candlelight, prayer, stillness and song, followed by food and fellowship. First and third Sundays.
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SECOND WEDNESDAYS, 6:30 p.m. (September 9)
Candlelit Recovery Eucharist
Holy Trinity Episcopal Church
100 N. Third Avenue, Covina, CA
Information: 626.967.3939
On the second Wednesday of each month Holy Trinity Church offers a Candlelit Eucharist (Bilingual). Come find the serenity and strength a loving God and a supportive community can provide you in recovery. Everyone is welcome.
SECOND THURSDAYS, 11 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. (September 10)
Monthly Contemplative Gathering
Prince of Peace Episcopal Church
5700 Rudnick Avenue, Woodland Hills 91364
Information: Chantel ZImmerman, chantel@artandsoullab.com
Based on "Bridges to Contemplative Living with Thomas Merton."
SECOND FRIDAYS, 7 p.m. (September 11)
Celtic Contemplative Prayer
St. Columba's Episcopal Church
1251 Las Posas Road, Camarillo
Information: 805.482.8831
Are you looking for an alternative to the stress and busyness of life? Come and be a part of this Contemplative Prayer experience, inspired by services from the Iona and Taizé Communities (spoken word and prayer, meditative song, silence).
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