April 9, 2020
Welcome to Resource Roundup, COVID-19 edition

How are you and your congregation adapting to these unprecedented times of shutdown, sequestration and what Bishop John Harvey Taylor calls #holydistancing? How will your congregation observe Holy Week and Easter? Please email your innovative ideas and your stories of how you are carrying out your ministry to news@ladiocese.org.

More resources
The COVID-19 page on the Diocese of Los Angeles website includes many ideas and resources, as well as links to communications from the bishops' office and past issues of Resource Roundup. Click here.
A Triduum address to the diocese from
Bishop John Harvey Taylor
News
Pushing guns during a pandemic

From [Episcopal] Bishops United Against Gun Violence

[Religion News Service] In the midst of one plague, we are sowing the seeds of another.

As our nation struggles to contain the COVID-19 pandemic, gun sales are surging. Such sales are always seasonal, but according to the FBI’s analysis of data from licensed gun stores, Americans bought 1 million more guns last month than are normally sold at this time of year.

Indeed, the nation’s licensed gun sellers moved more merchandise in March than in any month in recent history, save for January 2013, the month after the mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School, and the month in which President Barack Obama was inaugurated for his second term. According to a Newsy/Ipsos survey, 1 in 20 households has purchased a gun in response to the pandemic.

As bishops of the Episcopal Church, we are concerned that the proliferation of weapons in our society will result not in greater safety, but in greater violence.

Read more here.

Bishops United Against Gun Violence is a network of more than 100 Episcopal bishops, including the Rt. Rev. John Harvey Taylor of the Diocese of Los Angeles. BUAGV advocates policies and legislation to reduce the number of people in the United States killed or wounded by gunfire. The photo above is from their rally during the 2018 meeting of General Convention in Austin, Texas.
FOR THE RECORD: The April 7 issue of Resource Roundup included an incorrect link to the Episcopal News story " Riverside City Council approves St. Michael’s project to house homeless." The correct link is here.
'Dial a Priest' ministry releases video ad
The Rev. Lorenzo Lebrija, founder of the "Dial a Priest" ministry, on April 8 released this video ad. Dial a Priest makes provisions for a cadre of volunteer Episcopal clergy to administer last rites to COVID-19 patients by phone when their own clergy or families are unable to be with them. For more about the ministry, click here.
Stories of ministry
How is your congregation, organization or institution carrying out ministry in this time of shutdowns and stay-at-home orders? Send a brief account of your church's work to news@ladiocese.org.
Daily evening prayer, worship videos keep community going at St. Peter's Church, San Pedro

For the last three weeks, and until the quarantine is lifted, St. Peter's, San Pedro, parishioners, their friends and family gather in daily prayer each evening. "We keep it simple, though," says the Rev. Jeanette M. Repp, rector, "and I simply send out a daily Compline or Evening Prayer for everyone to pray at home at 9 p.m. each night." For Sunday services, St. Peter's has been creating 20-minute worship videos, using recordings (video and audio) of readings and prayers said by lay members, and selections by the parish musicians. The preacher of the day videotapes the sermon. Repp does "a little editing" and then a parishioner assembles the pieces into a single video for email distribution in time for Sunday worship.

"This week for Holy week is our first adventure into Zoom worship," says Repp. "We will have a virtual agape meal on Thursday, and Zoom reading of the Passion on Friday, simple prayers on Saturday. Easter Sunday will feature recordings, including vocals, piano, and organ."
Music for Maundy Thursday
The choir of All Saints Church, Beverly Hills, offers a virtual choir rendition of "Ubi Caritas" by Maurice Duruflé.
Events
The Gathering will address 'Being Asian-American during Age of Coronavirus' in online conversation

Bishop Diane Jardine Bruce invites the diocesan community to an online conversation and discussion on the impact of the coronavirus on the Asian American church and communities, titled ""Being Asian Americans in the Age of the Coronavirus," on Saturday, April 25, 4 - 6 p.m.

"Our current crisis has widespread and devastating impact that we are still trying to understand," says the event announcement. "This conversation will focus on the Asian communities that have been feeling even more vulnerable as targets of racism. Come join us as we engage our speakers and each other on this topic."

The conversation will feature Russell Jeung, PhD, chair and professor of Asian American Studies at San Francisco State University, who recently helped launch the Stop AAPI Hate Center to track coronavirus discrimination; and Joseph Lee, MD, psychiatrist in the South Bay and educator on Social Emotional Learning.

The event is hosted by The Gathering - a Space for Asian Pacific American Spirituality, a ministry of the Diocese of Los Angeles to Asian Pacific Americans. It will feature special music by Dustin Seo, director of musical programs at Street Symphony.

There is no charge, and everyone interested in this topic is welcome to attend virtually. The Gathering - a Space for Asian American Spirituality - holds events to engage topics relevant to Asian American communities and offers a space for Asian Americans to gather to share in their spiritual journeys.

Additional information, including panelist bios, can be found here. To join the webinar please click the Zoom link below (or use one of the other listed login methods):


Or iPhone one-tap :
   US: +16699006833,,934299060# or +13462487799,,934299060#

Or Telephone:
   Dial(for higher quality, dial a number based on your current location):
       US: +1 669 900 6833 or +1 346 248 7799 or +1 253 215 8782 or +1 301 715 8592 or +1 312 626 6799 or +1 929 436 2866

Webinar ID: 934 299 060

International numbers available: https://zoom.us/u/ac8L1iKqRy
Resources and ideas
Advice from YouTube for congregations streaming services

With the COVID-19 crisis resulting in a mandate to stay home, we know you may be preparing alternative plans for your congregation to celebrate Good Friday and Easter. As you do so, we want to share the tools and resources YouTube has available to offer a potential solution.

Live streaming your service on YouTube is a way for members of your congregation to participate in these holy days, while also practicing physical distancing. Here are some resources that explain how you can easily set up a livestream:

  • Digital Events Playbook - This guide will show you how to create digital-first events, including a walkthrough of our product offering and best practices to engage your community.
  • Detailed Instructions for hosting a livestream event – either from a mobile device or desktop
  • Playlist and Help Center for other best practices across live streaming

Here is information we recommend sending to your congregation on how to easily find and watch your live stream. We recommend sending information in advance and following up with reminders as the holiday approaches.
  • Date and time that the services will be offered
  • Instructions on how to find the livestream :
  • Open a browser (eg Chrome, Firefox, Safari)
  • Go to [insert your YouTube channel link]
  • The live stream will begin on the channel at the time of the service
We understand maintaining a strong community is more important now than ever. We are here to support your efforts. Please reply to yt-nonprofits@google.com with any questions.

Wishing you health and wellness,
YouTube Social Impact Team

This information was sent to members of Episcopal Communicators by Jeremy Tackett of the Episcopal Church Center (New York) communications team. Mike Collins, manager for multimedia services, reached out to YouTube to obtain this playbook.
Will YouTube spoil your live-streamed Easter service?
[The Living Church] Easter Sunday comes, Christ arises, your service begins, and a gratifying number of your parishioners are tuning in. But midway through the sermon, the service disappears and is replaced by a message: “This video has been removed for violating YouTube’s Terms of Service.” Read more here.
Zoom exhaustion is real. Here are six ways to find balance and stay connected

By Steven Hickman, Psy.D.

[Mindful - April 6, 2020] There is a different quality to our attention when we are online. We are hyper-focused on the few available visual cues that we normally gather from a full range of available body language. Or perhaps, we are totally distracted and checking email while we are supposed to be conversing or listening intently to a colleague’s detailed presentation. If we are with several people online at the same time, we are simultaneously processing visual cues from all of those people (and perhaps a handful of their pets and children too!) in a way we never have to do around a conference table. It is a stimulus-rich environment, but just like rich desserts, sometimes too rich is just too much.

Read more here. (h/t Canon to the Ordinary Melissa McCarthy)
COVID-19 crisis: Ways to help
One Body & One Spirit Emergency Appeal

By John Harvey Taylor

Greetings in the name of Jesus Christ. The global health crisis has affected the life of each member of our diocesan family – each of us, and all our neighbors. You are all in my prayers daily as you continue to devote yourself to the work of the gospel. Each day, I know, you are caring for yourselves and those you love, serving your neighbor and those most at risk, and continuing to support your church family by praying, worshiping, reaching out to those who are most isolated, and remembering to send in your generous pledge. Read more here.
Priests, deacons enlisted to pray ‘last rites’ by phone for dying coronavirus patients
[Episcopal News Service] Episcopal priests and deacons have volunteered to minister by phone to people dying of COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, which has infected more than a million people worldwide. The phone ministry is called “Dial-a-Priest” and was created in a matter of days by the TryTank Experimental Lab, a joint project of Virginia Theological Seminary and General Theological Seminary. “What we’re doing is a pastoral response to a need, which is that there are people who are dying and we know we have words of comfort,” said the Rev. Lorenzo Lebrija, TryTank’s director. He began working on “Dial-a-Priest” about a week ago as an imperfect solution to an unprecedented challenge posed by the coronavirus. Read more here.
Clergy: To volunteer for this ministry, click here for information.
Housing needed for detainees: can your congregation help?
An appeal from CLUE (Clergy & Laity United for Economic Justice)
Right now immigrants are facing grave danger in detention centers in light of the Coronavirus. At this very moment there is a strong push to help get released detainees who are vulnerable, those with pre-existing medical conditions or the elderly. Lawyers have recently obtained humanitarian parole for a handful of detainees. Some have returned to their families and others desperately need shelter or transportation to their families in
other states. Others would be able to be released with ankle bracelets and monitored if they had an address. The faith community could be able to provide short and long-term shelter. If you have one small room or space in a church building available that we could use for housing one individual. Since most churches are not having current physical gatherings right now, opening up just one space will be ideal to help provide housing for a brother or sister currently detained in those horrible detention centers. Please let us know if you are interested in exploring the possibility by reaching out to Guillermo Torres at gtorres@cluejustice.org, 323.228.2753.
Mask-making ministry
The mask-making ministry at St. Stephen's Church, Hollywood, is in full swing to help fight the coronavirus pandemic. To take part in their efforts, click here. An additional resource is JoAnn's Fabrics, which is donating mask-sewing supplies and has also posted a how-to video on YouTube to support efforts all over the country. (Note: Not all hospitals accept homemade masks: for a list of facilities that do, visit the St. Stephen's mask ministry page linked above or contact the Rev. Jaime Edwards-Acton, rector, at hopeinhollywood@gmail.com.
Thank you cards for hospital staff
A request from Michael Bell, director of pastoral ministries at Good Samaritan Hospital
Church colleagues, friends with kids stuck at home, educators with classes online, leaders of other groups: If you're looking for something helpful to do right now that doesn't cost much more than time and some creative love, consider writing/creating thank-you notes, cards, pictures, banners for our hospital staff. E.g., "Thank you, Good Samaritans" - signed by you, children, students, members of your club or community. Mail to: The Rev. Michael S. Bell, Spiritual Care Services, PIH Health Good Samaritan Hospital, 1225 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90017
Episcopal Relief & Development's COVID-19 Response Fund
"Join us in prayer and action. Help us be there in times of uncertainty.
Your gift enables us to prepare for emergencies around the world — including the recent outbreak of the coronavirus. With your help, we can equip our partners on the ground with crucial support to assist local communities and meet the changing needs as this crisis unfolds." Click here to contribute.
From the wider Episcopal Church
2020 Episcopal Youth Event postponed due to COVID-19

[Episcopal Church Office of Public Affairs] The 2020 Episcopal Youth Event (EYE20), scheduled to be held at the University of Maryland, College Park (UMD), July 7-11, 2020, has been postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. “This is deeply disappointing for many, and particularly for the 18 youth who have been called to serve on the planning team, many of whom are seniors”, said Bronwyn Clark Skov, Officer for Youth Ministries. “We are actively working to reschedule, with special consideration for the current senior class and will provide updates as soon as we can.” All registered delegations and bishops have been contacted and arrangements are being made to refund deposits. The Department of Faith Formation, which organizes the Episcopal Youth Event, hopes to reschedule the gathering for 2021. Read more here.
ECF webinars available online offer help in time of COVID-19
Episcopal Church Foundation has produced several webinars in its Vital Practices series that offer help for congregations dealing with the COVID-19 shutdown, and has made them available online. Titles include "Self-Care for the Sake of Others (in the Age of COVID-19)"; "Experts Help With Your CARES Act Questions" and 'Effective Vestries in Times of Crisis." Visit the ECF Vital Practices website here for these and other webinars.
Episcopalians now can give online to Good Friday Offering to support Middle East ministries
[Episcopal News Service] Episcopalians in congregations across The Episcopal Church give hundreds of thousands of dollars each year to support ministries in the Middle East through the church’s annual Good Friday Offering. The Episcopal Church has launched an online donation page – the first time such an option will be available to Episcopalians who are inspired to support the important work of Anglican churches in the Middle East. Read more here.
Webinar: Asset-Based Ministry Response to COVID-19
Episcopal Relief & Development joins the Rev. Stacy Stringer and Deacon Elaine Clements on Friday, April 3, 12 p.m. (PDT) to address the ways our individual and collective gifts can meet the needs created by COVID-19. They will cover basic disaster response, how to adapt ministries and pastoral care. Join us and discover how Christ is calling each of us to address human needs. Advance registration is required: click here.
REMINDERS
Recording of April 1 webinar on CARES Act is available online
A recording is available of a ZOOM conversation for clergy and lay leaders with Jeff Baker, a vice-chancellor of the Diocese of Los Angeles, concerning the CARES Act recently passed by Congress in reaction to the COVID-19 emergency and how congregations and institutions may apply for assistance. For any who missed the presentation, it may be accessed
here or via the diocesan website (coronavirus resource page). Additional information from Bishop John Harvey Taylor, Bishop Diane Jardine Bruce and Canon to the Ordinary Melissa McCarthy (in Spanish and English) is here. A memo on CARES from Baker is available in English here, and in Spanish here.
Template available for Paycheck Protection Program calculations
Congregations seeking to calculate average monthly payroll for the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) are requested to the template available here. Questions may be referred to the Rev. Michele Racusin, diocesan CFO, at mracusin@ladiocese.org.
Diocesan website offers resources for congregations

A page on the Diocese of Los Angeles website titled " Responding to COVID-19" lists various resources for congregations and individuals as they cope with church closures and self-isolation. It includes information under the following headings:
  • Resources for Virtual and Remote Worship and Meetings
  • State & County Resources for Addressing Coronavirus Concerns
  • CDC (Center for Disease Control) website links
  • Stewardship
  • Coping with Social Distancing
  • Children and Families
  • Additional health information
  • Recovery resources (12-step programs)
  • Managing work in a time of isolation
  • How to help
The list is updated as information becomes available. Send additional resources for consideration to news@ladiocese.org.
ECW offers grants for medical bills through online application
The Episcopal Church Women (ECW) in the Diocese of Los Angeles offers grants of up to $500 to help cover medical bills and even medical insurance payments to people in need. A form can be filled out online by the applicant's rector or vicar. To apply, click here. Funds are issued to the priest’s discretionary fund and then distributed to the applicant.
Credit Union will provide emergency loans to churches, institutions at reduced rate during COVID-19 crisis

[The Episcopal News - March 18] The Episcopal Community Federal Credit Union has set aside a $500,000 emergency cash fund to assist churches and other institutions of the diocese whose cash flow has been adversely impacted by circumstances caused by the Covid-19 virus pandemic. The program will offer, for a limited time, a 50% reduction to its published rate for church loans. Read more here. (Esta historia aparece en español después del texto en inglés.)
Online giving: Options to explore for use in congregations

Any congregation seeking to add an online giving feature to its website can begin by reviewing and comparing available options such as the following which are among various systems in use around the Diocese of Los Angeles and wider church. The following list is only a sampling and comes with no official endorsement by the diocese. Additions to this list are welcomed and may be forwarded to media@ladiocese.org.

Vanco — Fees are said to be reasonable and an app is available for donors to download. Interfaces with CDM database. Can be viewed in place on website of St. James’, Los Angeles.
Square (Cash App)
Givify - As used by All Saints’ Episcopal Church in Vista, Calif. (Diocese of San Diego)

Featuring Tithe.ly, EasyTithe, Givelify, PayPal, Pushpay.
Deadline extended for nominations to Episcopal Church committees, boards

[Episcopal Church Office of Public Affairs - March 30, 2020] The Episcopal Church Joint Standing Committee on Nominations is accepting applications for nine offices. Application form and links to job descriptions are available on the General Convention website.  The deadline to submit application has been extended to April 30, 2020. Elections will be held at the 80th General Convention in Baltimore, Maryland, scheduled for June 30 – July 9, 2021. For more information, contact the Office of the General Convention at gcoffice@episcopalchurch.org. Read more (in English, Spanish and French) here.
Introduction to Religion and Public Health
A program from the TRAIN Learning Network

Powered by the Public Health Foundation (PHF), the TRAIN Learning Network brings together agencies and organizations in the public health, healthcare, and preparedness sectors to disseminate, track, and share trainings for the health workforce on a centralized training platform. Most of their training programs are open to all, and offered without cost. This curricula is approved by the National Board of Public Health Examiners for Certified Public Health (CPHCE) credit. Read more here.
Is your congregation live-streaming Sunday or weekday services? Let us know!

If your congregation is live-streaming services on Facebook, YouTube or other social media, please send us a note and let us know:
  • Day(s) and time of services;
  • Date if a one-time offering;
  • Type of service (Eucharist, Morning Prayer, Evensong, etc.);
  • URL for anyone wishing to log in:
  • Language(s) in which the service will be held.
  • Information about the celebrant or other participants, or about music or other aspects of worship (optional)
Send listings to news@ladiocese.org. They will be included in a list (also available on the diocese's COVID-19 Resources webpage) for the benefit of all who wish to take part in worship.

In addition, The Episcopal Church has launched a Digital Church Guide. You can upload your service information there (click here). You also can add this information to the Episcopal Asset Map (click here.) More information about both these resources is here.
Clergy: Keep count of online participants in worship

As the wider Episcopal Church determines how to determine Average Sunday Attendance numbers during the COVID-19 crisis, Bishops Taylor and Bruce and Canon McCarthy request that clergy in charge of congregations keep count of how many people are taking part via Facebook, YouTube, Zoom or other forum in worship services offered at your church. The information may be needed for parochial reports. Add the numbers to your red register with the notation LS (live-stream) to capture the history being made at this time. Please refer to the March 19 letter to clergy for more information.
Checks to the diocese

The bank used by the diocese will only accept checks made out to: “The Protestant Episcopal Church” or “Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles.” Checks may no longer be made to Treasurer of the Diocese, etc. This is due to the Bank Secrecy Act and accompanying regulations ("Anti-Money Laundering rules").

P.O. Box closed

Please note that the diocesan post office box has been closed and will no longer receive mail. Please use the street address for mail addressed to offices at St. Paul's Commons (formerly The Cathedral Center): 840 Echo Park Avenue, Los Angeles 90026. Mail addressed to the post office box will be returned to sender.
Links
Resource Roundup is an occasional release for clergy, wardens, church office staff and lay leaders of the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles. Items for inclusion may be forwarded to news@ladiocese.org.