Blessing of the orchard: Rector Rand Reasoner leads members of Prince of Peace Episcopal Church in dedicating their new orchard of peach, plum, apricot and pear trees, planted as part of the diocese’s Seeds of Hope project, an initiative of Hands in Healing. Julie Morris, left, of The Abundant Table, a ministry of the chaplaincy at California State University’s Channel Islands campus, preached at the service on April 21, the day before Earth Day. The trees were donated through Netiya, a Jewish organiza-tion that is partnering with Seeds of Hope to promote gardens at synagogues and Episcopal churches in Southern California. According to Seeds of Hope director Tim Alderson, who attended the blessing service, the congregation was already considering turning some of its land into an orchard to complement its already-established community garden when Netiya offered the sapling trees — a donation from a nursery — to Seeds of Hope, along with a complete drip irrigation system, also donated. Some quick work by the Prince of Peace vestry resulted in free use of a tractor, a truckload of compost and volunteer gardeners. Parishioner John Arnold (pictured at center above), age 82, was one of those volunteers; he planted about half of the trees himself. The trees will start producing in about two years, and should eventually yield 10,000 to 20,000 pieces of fruit each year, to be distributed to needy families by the West Valley Food Pantry, an interfaith project of 10 local congregations, which is housed at Prince of Peace.

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Middle East Peacemakers to launch study series in L.A.

daughters of the King spring assembly8 a.m. - 2 p.m. at St. George’s Church23802 Avenida de la Carlota, Laguna Hills Information: Lanneau Miller, 949.498.2618 or lanneau@cox.net

Sister Greta Ronningan of the Community of Divine Love will be the keynote speaker. Anna Marie Stevenson of the Diocese of Ari-zona will speak about the Junior Daughters program.

the venice garden & home tour10 a.m. - 5 p.m. at Neighborhood Youth Association1016 Pleasant View Avenue, Venice (L.A.)

A fundraiser for the Neighborhood Youth Association, this self-guided walking tour showcases 30 eclectic, creative gardens and homes. Tickets: $60 in advance, $70 the day of the event. Children under 12 years of age are admitted free. For tickets and informa-tion, call 310.821.1857 or email to Barbara@venicegardentour.org.

Bloy house (etsc) graduation11 a.m. at Kresge ChapelClaremont School of Theology1325 North College Avenue, ClaremontReservations (for lunch): bloyhouse@cst.edu

Preacher and presider will be Bishop J. Jon Bruno. Graduates include Scott Claassen, George Daisa, Bill Doulos, Nancy Frausto, and Francisco Garcia. A luncheon will follow the service; cost is $15.

holy family services fiesta 2 - 5 p.m. at the Episcopal Residence3435 East California Boulevard, PasadenaInformation: 626.389.0057

Holy Family Services adoption and foster care agency, an institution of the Diocese of Los Angeles, invites all to its annual Fiesta at the home of Bishop Jon and Mary Bruno. Fes-tive food, a silent and live auction of goods and services, and an opportunity drawing for an iPad Mini. Tickets: $54 ($20 for children age 4 to 12).

For more information and listings, visit the

Calendar at www.ladiocese.org.

Where will you be on Saturday, May 4?

All are welcome to share in a new study series beginning at St. James’ in-the-City, Los Angeles, on Sunday, June 2, with a

discussion of Sandy Tolan’s book The Lemon Tree. The discus-sion will begin at about 11:45 a.m. (following the 10:30 a.m. liturgy).

The study group — which is non-partisan and not advocacy-oriented — will continue to explore information on Middle East peacemaking in keeping with General Convention 2012’s resolu-tion calling on Episcopalians and congregations to study current context and issues.

Leadership for the study group is provided by St. James’ parish-ioner Joanne O’Donnell, who has served as a General Convention deputy and alternate representing the Diocese of Los Angeles.

For further information, call 213.388.3417. ?

SUNDAY, APRIL 28, 3 p.m. Kirkin’ o’ Tartans Trinity Episcopal Church 1500 State Street, Santa Barbara Information: 805.687.0189 SUNDAY, APRIL 28, 7:30 p.m. Compline St. James in-the-City Episcopal Church 3903 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles Information: 213.388.3417, ext. 200

TUESDAY, APRIL 30, 7 p.m. Taizé Worship Service St. Francis Episcopal Church 2200 Via Rosa, Palos Verdes Estates Information: 310.375.4617 FRIDAY, MAY 3, 7 p.m. Film and Faith: ‘The help’ Church of Our Saviour 535 W Roses Road, San GabrielInformation: 626.282.5147

SUNDAY, MAY 5, 3:30 p.m. Organ Masterworks Trinity Episcopal Church 1500 State Street, Santa Barbara Information: 805.687.0189

SUNDAY, MAY 5, 4:30 p.m. Solemn evensong and Organ Concert Church of Our Saviour 535 W Roses Road, San Gabriel Information: 626.282.5147 SUNDAY, MAY 5, 5 p.m. Monteverdi Vespers (1610) All Saints’ Episcopal Church 504 N. Camden Drive, Beverly Hills Information: 310.275.0123, ext. 112 SUNDAY, MAY 5, 6 p.m. Solemn evensong St. Wilfrid of York Episcopal Church 18631 Chapel Lane, Huntington Beach Information: 71.962.7512

A R o U N D T H E D I o C E S E F R o M T H E b I S H o P S

800-366-1536ext. 254

www.efcula.org

Did you know?The Diocese of Los Angeles has a full-service Credit Union.

The Episcopal Community Federal Credit Union has been in existence since 1994, and any Episcopalian in the diocese can join.

ecfcu offers a full line of financial products:Saving and Checking AccountsFree Income Tax Preparation holiday Club AccountsDebit/ATM CardsIndividual Credit Counseling24-hour Telephone InformationOn-Line Banking

Bill PayAuto LoansSignature LoansBusiness LoansWire TransfersFinancial education

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Episcopal News Weeklyeditor: Janet Kawamoto, editor@ladiocese.org correspondent: The Rev. Patricia McCaughan, revpatmccaughan@aol.comart director: Molly Ruttan-Moffat, www.mollyruttan.comadvertising: bob Williams, media@ladiocese.org

volume 2, numBer 17the

Every day on my morning run, I pass sev-eral billboards that ask people to be pre-

pared in advance for emergencies of many different kinds. One billboard shows a house shaking (earthquake), the same house with rain pouring down (flood), the same house with flames shooting through the roof (fire), and the very same house leaning dramatical-ly to one side with a tree threatening to fall on it (windstorm). The title of the billboard reads: “Emergencies do happen.” A three-point mantra also appears on every billboard of this kind: Know your neighbors. Plan to-gether. Be ready.” Pictures of diverse groups of people (young couple with a baby carriage shaking hands with a man carrying grocer-ies; elderly man with a walker talking with a young woman walking her dog, etc.) illus-trate the mantra, but also make one think; who is my neighbor?

My favorite of these billboards reads: “Be-ing prepared for an emergency begins with ‘Hello.’” So I’ve been thinking recently; Do I really know my neighbors? Do I know them by name? Would I know, in an emergency, who might have special needs? Do I have something to offer them? What can I do?

I am reminded of the fairly well-known story in Luke’s Gospel (10:25-37) of a law-yer who in a very public place asks Jesus, “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” And Jesus asks him, “What is written in the law?

What do you read there?” The law-yer responds with what we know as the Great Com-mandment (i.e., loving God with all your heart, soul, strength and mind and loving your neighbor as your-self). And Jesus compliments him by saying, “You have given the right answer. Do this, and you will live.” But the lawyer asks Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” And Jesus tells the story that we have come to know as The Parable of the Good Samaritan.

Jesus challenges us to think about a host of things by cleverly introducing characters who do not behave as they could, and leav-ing most listeners in the role of the man who was beaten and robbed and dying along the road — the question being: What if I were the one in need, and the only person who helped me was someone I consider a foreigner and even an enemy? But the answer to “Who is my neighbor?” that Jesus gives is, “Anyone whom you encounter in your life who is in need is your neighbor.”

My friends, let’s not wait for an emergency to happen to find out who our neighbors are. Whether as individuals or as churches, let’s get to know our neighbors, and plan togeth-er, so that together we can be ready for the future into which God calls us. ?

Who is my neighbor?By Mary D. Glasspool