As the diocesan community counts its blessings this Thanksgiving week, clergy and laity are grateful for a $50,000 gift for fire relief given by the Episcopal Church of the Redeemer, Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, to the One Body & One Spirit Appeal.

Honoring the parish’s request, the Corporation of the Diocese has used the gift to award a $10,000 grant to help rebuild St. Mark’s, Altadena, and four $10,000 grants to clergy who lost residences in the Eaton and Palisades burn areas.

“The people of St. Mark’s in Altadena are so appreciative of the funds designated to assist with rebuilding their church campus and look forward to keeping you at Church of the Redeemer informed of their progress with updates on your gift at work,” Bishop John Harvey Taylor and the Rev. Canon Melissa McCarthy, canon to the ordinary, wrote in a letter to the Rev. Mark Dangelo, rector of Redeemer Church, and its wardens. 

“Similarly, our local clergy and family members who lost homes in the fires are also deeply grateful to you for your support. The grant you have made clearly exemplifies the theme of our diocesan ‘One Body & One Spirit Appeal,’ through which we, as one Church, share resources to assist siblings in need.”

Fire relief grants funded by the diocesan One Body & One Spirit Appeal are made alongside grants for ministry projects and programs in congregations, institutions, and organizations within the diocese.

Launched as an emergency fund during COVID, the Appeal isn’t just for crisis response. It’s for anything a church or institution needs that isn’t covered by the budget. Every dollar donated goes back out the door in a grant.

Since 2022, the Appeal has raised $388,662 for ministry grants through 561 gifts by 293 donors; an additional $175,000 was raised for COVID-related grants in 2020-2022. Donations for ministry project grants may be made here.

The Corporation will award a new round of grants in December, and May 1 is the filing deadline for the next ministry grants, to be awarded in June. An application packet may be downloaded here. Grants may be requested up to a maximum amount of $10,000 each by congregations, institutions, and programs in the diocese.

Gifts received after January 7 were reserved for fire relief until April 1 when ministry grants resumed and a dual track of awards began. To date, a total of 1,235 donors have raised $779,526 in 1,251 gifts for fire relief through the One Body & One Spirit Annual Appeal.

Fire-relief grants are made by the Corporation of the Diocese to individuals and institutions based on applications reviewed regularly by a panel representing diocesan fiduciary bodies. Apply for a fire relief grant here and donate to the fire relief fund here. Gifts to the Appeal also may be mailed to the diocesan Finance Office at St. Paul’s Commons, 840 Echo Park Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90026.

Thank you for your support of the One Body & One Spirit Annual Appeal.