Deans' Note January 16, 2022

At St. John's we are not engaging in a particular day of service, but engaging in a way of service in our community through serving particular neighbors in our particular community. We have already reached out to our neighbors at Birdielee V. Bright Elementary School and asked them how we might serve them. We invited them to come to our Food Pantry in December as we partnered with the St. John's Well Child Clinic to give toys to all children who came and to provide Covid vaccines and boosters for adults and children.

After our meeting this past week we will continue our service by finding what needs classroom teachers have for extra supplies not provided by the school district, but which dedicated teachers would like to supply, often purchasing them out of their own pockets. How can we help them?

Many poor children come to school without appropriate clothing on cold or rainy days, or whose clothes are worn and need suitable things to wear. How can we help?

The school grounds lack appropriate green space and need to be more inviting and beautiful. We have members in our congregation ready to help to write grants to make those changes. How can we help?

Our Cathedral Choral Academy seeks to make the gift of music possible in the lives of children form the school and around our community along with a hearty and healthy meal every Thursday evening. How can we help?

We have been serving our neighbors through our food pantry ministry for several years, but high quality protein is less available from the LA Food Bank and other sources, so we will be supplementing what we receive with fresh meat and chicken along with canned tuna, eggs and cheese as available. So you may be asking, how can we help?

We are hoping members of our St. John's community will sponsor this additional food each month and be a Food Pantry Neighbor. For $250, you can feed our neighbors who are food insecure and need this vital help. Fr. Dan and Walter Killmer are sponsoring this month, and Fr. Mark will be the Neighbor for April. What month will you be a Neighbor?

All these things seem small, and in one sense they are. They will not change our world. They will not even transform our community or city. They are small acts of loving and serving our neighbors, seeds of new creation possibilities, signs of the beloved community in our midst.

So this weekend and in the weeks and months to come, let's love our neighbors in an active way of service, not only honoring the legacy of Dr. King, but engaging the way of discipleship of the one Dr. King followed, our Lord Jesus.