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.
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Diocese urged to reach out to Governor Newsom
Dear people of God:
Eastertide greetings. As the State of California prepares to modify its safer-at-home rules, our churches will want to explore ways to be together for worship while continuing to put the safety of our neighbors first. We’ll be in a better position to be good citizen servants if the governor gives us guidance reflecting his empathetic understanding of what the church does. The same is of course true of other faith traditions.
I’ve made this request of the governor already using the language below. Please consider writing your own message to him and his staff and sending it to the email address at the top of the draft.
Yours in Christ’s love,
The Rt. Rev.
John Harvey Taylor
VII Bishop of Los Angeles
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Governor’s Office External Affairs Unit
Dear Gov. Newsom:
Eastertide greetings; and thank you. You have epitomized calm, well-discerned leadership in crisis. What a legacy to have helped save so many lives. You did so by giving the state early, clear guidance: If it’s not an essential trip to the store or doctor or a walk around the block for exercise, stay home.
That made it easy for our bishops and those of us in charge of churches to be partners in your life-saving work by suspending in-person worship and live-streaming our service from home. Based on your statements this week, we’re expecting some changes in the days and weeks ahead. I write today to ask you to give careful thought, if you haven’t already, to the unique lives and work of faith communities.
Whatever the new rules are, if they’re transparent and rooted in science, most of us in the church will be on board all the way – especially if we’re told specifically what we can do. In a Christian context, can we have baptisms, weddings, and funerals with a certain number present physically while others watch on-line? Can we invite people to come by during the week and line up for Holy Communion from the reserved sacrament with six feet in between, as they do when buying groceries at Trader Joe’s, with no more than ten in the church at once? What about services outside? Can we have socially distanced Bible study circles? Can we encourage our members to come back to church and volunteer safely in our ongoing ministries for the food- and housing insecure?
Giving believers from a variety of traditions this kind of specific guidance, reflecting an empathetic understanding of their contexts, will enable us to continue to do our utmost as your life-saving partners.
Yours in faith,
[signature]
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CDSP announces major new affordability initiative
The Very Rev. W. Mark Richardson, president and dean of Church Divinity School of the Pacific (CDSP), announced on April 13 a major overhaul of the Episcopal seminary’s financial aid offerings. The changes are aimed at helping students who are preparing for ordination with a bishop’s approval to avoid incurring additional educational debt during their studies. Beginning in the 2020-2021 school year, CDSP will provide full-tuition scholarships to all qualifying new and returning students, and residential students will receive a meal plan and free housing (dorm or apartment according to family need and availability).
“This additional investment in CDSP’s core mission is another way Trinity can support leadership formation for the future of the Church,” said the Rev. Phillip A. Jackson, priest-in-charge and vicar of Trinity Church Wall Street (TCWS). TCWS and CDSP entered a strategic alliance in 2019.
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Updated Manual of Business Methods in Church Affairs now available in Spanish
[April 16, 2020] Episcopal Church Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer N. Kurt Barnes has announced that the online publication of the latest version of the Manual of Business Methods in Church Affairs is now available in Spanish. The Canons of The Episcopal Church set forth the general responsibility and accountability for the stewardship of the Church’s money and property. Title I, Canon 7 specifically addresses the business methods prescribed for every diocese, parish, mission, and institution subject to the authority of the Episcopal Church. Read more
here
Manual de métodos comerciales en asuntos de la Iglesia actualizado ya disponible en español
El Tesorero y Director Financiero de la Iglesia Episcopal, N. Kurt Barnes, se complace en anunciar la publicación en línea de la última versión del Manual de métodos comerciales en asuntos de la Iglesia ya está disponible en español. Los Cánones de la Iglesia Episcopal establecen la responsabilidad general y el rendimiento de cuentas sobre la administración del dinero y las propiedades de la Iglesia. El Título I, Canon 7 aborda específicamente los métodos de negocios prescritos para cada diócesis, parroquia, misión e institución sujeta a la autoridad de la Iglesia Episcopal. Leer más
aquí
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Los Angeles city residents facing serious COVID-19-related economic hardship may apply for 'Angeleno Card'
Urgent: Residents must apply by April 16
The Angeleno Card program to provide direct financial assistance to Los Angeles city residents facing extreme economic hardship as a direct result of the COVID-19 crisis, was launched April 14, according to an announcement from Mayor Eric Garcetti's office. "The Angeleno Card aims to help low-wage hourly workers who had jobs in homes and restaurants, seasonal workers, and other workers such as day laborers, street vendors, or self-employed individuals who are experiencing heightened financial hardship because of COVID-19," according to the announcement. "This economic hardship may be due to job loss, severe reduction of work hours, or furloughs. This includes Angelenos who qualify for federal and state assistance but may not receive that financial support for weeks or longer." A PDF document with full information is
here.
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Canon Francis Banks
March 30, 1928 – March 30, 2020
Canon Francis Shelton Banks – treasurer of the Diocese of Los Angeles from 1989 to 1995 and a parish leader at All Saints, Pasadena, and previously St. James’, Los Angeles – died March 30, his 92nd birthday, at Cedars Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. Cause of death was kidney failure after recent years of illness, said his daughter, Sheryl Banks Fisher, who noted that at her father’s request no services are planned.
“I give thanks for Canon Banks and the many ways in which his ministries strengthened our diocese and its congregations,” said Bishop John Harvey Taylor. “On behalf of the diocesan community, I extend to his family our condolences with appreciation for his many years of service.”
A successful real estate investor and 30-year employee of the Los Angeles Unified School District, Banks was elected in 1989 to the Corporation of the Diocese, which in turn elected him diocesan treasurer later that year to succeed Frank V. Marshall who retired after 12 years in office.
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U.S. government resources are available for families
FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) in post on its Facebook page has suggested some federal resources for families experiencing financial hardship due to COVID-19.
- The U.S. Department of the Treasury is providing stimulus packages to people across the country. Read more here.
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) has advice to help you manage your family's finances. Read more here.
- U.S. Department of Agriculture has resources available for farmers & ranchers. Read more here.
- U.S. Small Business Administration is offering small businesses low-interest disaster loans and other COVID-related funding options. Read more here.
- The Social Security Administration can answer questions about receiving your benefits during this period. Read more here.
The FEMA notice is
here. h/t Ken Higginbotham of St. Stephen's Church, Santa Clarita.
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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.
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Webinar series continues April 17 with 'Individual Support During COFID-19'
Episcopal Relief & Development will continue its webinar series with "Individual Support During COFID-19" on Friday, April 17 at 12 p.m. (PDT). Participants will discuss the many different government resources available to members of vulnerable populations, and how church leaders can assist them in gaining access. The webinar is open to all who are interested, but advance registration is requested: click
here. The webinar will also be recorded and posted online
here.
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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.
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One church’s tale of two pandemics, 100 years apart
[Religion News Service] At the height of the influenza pandemic in 1918, the Rev. John Misao Yamazaki stopped holding services at St. Mary’s Japanese Mission, the Episcopal church in Los Angeles he helped found more than a decade prior. Before mandatory quarantines were enacted, Yamazaki began visiting homes to pray for sick children and families.
More than a century later, in the midst of another global pandemic, the Rev. Laurel Coote, Yamazaki’s successor at what is now St. Mary’s Episcopal Church, stands in the quiet sanctuary livestreaming images of its empty pews and stained glass windows to her congregation via Facebook.
The Rev. Laurel Coote gives a tour of the empty St. Mary’s Episcopal Church Sanctuary, via Facebook Live, on March 26, 2020. Video screengrab
“I felt compelled to come into the sanctuary so that I could sit in its beauty and its silence and stillness. And I know that you’re missing it too, and so I thought, let me share it with you today,” Coote says in the video. “Christ is alive in this holy place.”
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COVID-19 crisis: Ways to help
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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.
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Our Saviour Center continues food bank, needs donations
Even amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the Our Saviour Center food bank remains open to provide meals across Los Angeles County. That means healthy foods and shelf stable items are provided to the center's neighbors who need it most.
The food bank depends on donations to keep the food bank operating. To support the agency, donate
here. Our Saviour Center is a ministry of Our Saviour Episcopal Church in San Gabriel and Immanuel Episcopal Church in El Monte. Photo: Our Saviour Center food bank volunteers distribute groceries for Thanksgiving in November 2019.
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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.
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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.
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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. (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.
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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. (Bell reports that the cards and notes he has shared have been gratefully received by hospital staff — and that a simple note of thanks can have a profound effect on hard-working healthcare workers.)
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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.
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From the wider Episcopal Church
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Deadline extended for Episcopal Church’s 2020-2021 academic year scholarships
Applications due May 29, 2020
The deadline has been extended for educational scholarships from The Episcopal Church for the 2020-2021 academic year. A scholarship applicant must be an Episcopalian and must have the endorsement of his/her bishop. The scholarships are derived from annual income of designated trust funds established by generous donors through bequests to The Episcopal Church. The scholarships assist:
- Students enrolled in theological education and training.
- Children of missionaries, bishops and clergy,
- Students of various racial and ethnic minorities, and other groups covering a wide range of eligibility.
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The Way of Love calendar for the Easter Season 2020
A calendar for the 50 days of Easter, with suggestions for each day, is based on Presiding Bishop Michael Curry’s “Way of Love” commandments:
Turn, Learn, Prayer, Worship, Bless and
Go. A high-resolution PDF version is
here. The calendar was created by Sue Van Oss of St. Paul’s Church, Duluth, Minnesota, and is shared here with permission.
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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. . The Department of Faith Formation, which organizes EYE, hopes to reschedule the gathering for 2021. Read more
here.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.)
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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.
Featuring Tithe.ly, EasyTithe, Givelify, PayPal, Pushpay.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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