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Now that Luis & I have four beautiful children in our lives, I want to make sure that they get the spiritual nourishment that they need from St. Luke’s and its programs. As a previous member of the Vestry, I learned more about the parish’s needs at the time & what it takes to make St. Luke’s function on a day-to-day basis. I advocated for the men’s restroom located in the main parish building to be ADA-compliant. I am so glad that it can now serve our ADA parishioners that would have had to otherwise go to Building B to use the restroom. Additionally, during my previous term, I was involved with the rector search process, which ultimately led us to calling Mother Jane as our rector. I have also spent some time volunteering with the Shower Program, and helping the Bookstore convert to the new register system, which has reduced some of the Bookstore’s overhead costs. I look forward to serving you on the Vestry as Senior Warden this coming year.
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SENIOR WARDEN
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After spending twenty years as a cook and chef in the hospitality industry, Brad has decided to stop working to focus on caring for his wife, Jeanette and two daughters, Sydney and Jorja. This is Brad's third time on the St. Luke's Vestry. He also serves the church by volunteering as an usher, working on the Finance, Stewardship and Invite, Welcome & Connect Committees. As a literature major, he spends a fair amount of time reading as well as gardening and camping with his family.
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JUNIOR WARDEN
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With great wonder I seek to discover God’s call in my life. In my ever growing faith and search for life’s meaning, I am continually embraced by a sense of hope. In my past vocational experiences, I have seen firsthand the effects of inhumanity. Yet, I am unwavering in my belief that all encountered are deserved of love and understanding. I have found love can never be completely muted by hated and the Spirit that binds us all – unbreakable. I am called, as I recognized we all are called. Each of us presents a gift towards becoming Beloved Community. My church involvement includes: Lay Eucharistic Minister; Epiphany Group Leader; Participant in Deconstructing Racism; Shower Program Volunteer.
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Claudia is a retired HR professional. She has worked for large public companies, small privately held companies, and has done some consulting in executive development, which was her favorite. She is married to Christopher Ward, has one stepdaughter and two small stepgrandsons. She paints a little, writes a little, and reads a LOT. Claudia is a member of St. Lukes vestry, the Migration ministry, and the Deconstructing Racism team.
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I feel that I can be a bridge between our communities of various populations and urban environment. The vision/realities of St. Luke's Becoming a Beloved Community are true to my heart and way of thinking. I truly believe that the Episcopal church is a welcoming institution by accepting everyone and anyone. So, through the collaborations of our parish and the community, the advocacy of our passionate members seeking change, and our love on continuing to be part of the body of Christ, it would be my pleasure to contribute the gifts, and talents given to me by our Lord. I am currently involved in worship services and have been for the past 20 years as a LEM in both English & Spanish, at 8am, 10am, and 12:30pm. I have also served as an Usher and currently one of the Vergers. In addition, my current employment allows me to contribute my knowledge in international education by organizing workshops and orientations in person and via Zoom.
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Edd is a cradle to grave Episcopalian, hailing from Baltimore, Maryland. He was raised in the traditional High church of the Anglican way. Spending most of his childhood and adult life in one parish and city. In 2013 he moved to Long Beach with his future husband, where he found St. Luke's parish. That October he was received into the parish and embarked upon his path of committees, the Vestry, and other ways to represent the parish and its life. He enjoys working in various ways for the benefit of our spiritual life and home.
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I joined St. Luke’s in 2011 with my wife, Leah, although we left from 2016-2018, to help our previous church with its transition to LGBTQ affirmation, before returning to St. Luke’s in 2019. During my St. Luke’s 1.0 time, Leah & I were active with the LGBTQ ministry, served with the shower program, and I, as a reader. I also served on the Vestry. Upon returning, I served as a L.E.M. and reader. I’m an illustrator and art instructor, and Leah is a K-12 educator. We are both transplants to Long Beach, Leah from the Philippines and then La Mirada, and me from Upstate NY. We love living in Long Beach with our two kitties, Frito and Freya.
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Jeanne Ortiz served as a vice president at Loyola Marymount University before retiring in 2018. She began attending St. Luke’s in 2017 and was immediately struck by the intentional desire of the parish to be the beloved community, a place where all belong. This motivated her desire to use her time, skills and knowledge to support and nurture the St. Luke’s community, its ministries and outreach. The privilege of serving on the Vestry and contribute to the parish’s work on deconstructing racism is a primary commitment
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Benji lives in Los Angeles and is a proud father and husband within a multicultural and bilingual family, which includes with his wife, children, and a multitude of non-human family members. He, his wife Lupita, and their son Alex have been a part of St. Luke’s parish since 2018. Coming from a background of various spiritual paths but rooted in Mexican Roman Catholicism, the family has found a spiritual home in the Episcopal Church and especially in St. Luke’s open and welcoming heart, and the hands-on, activist approach to doing good in the world. A native of Boulder, Colorado, Benji graduated from the University of Colorado with a degree in Mathematics, since working in aerospace, teaching, and a software start-up. Today he is the Senior Director of Human Spaceflight Programs at SpaceX, helping lead the company’s human spaceflight programs serving NASA and many domestic and international commercial customers, sending people and cargo to space on the Falcon 9 rocket, Dragon spacecraft, and Starship vehicles. His wife Lupita is a native of Jiquilpan, Michoacán, and proud mother of their oldest daughter who lives in Sacramento with her partner, second daughter who lives in Los Angeles, and son Alex. Lupita worked for many years as an industrial printing technician and focuses now on animal rescue and supporting her family in the U.S. and Mexico. /
Benji vive en Los Ángeles y es un padre y esposo orgulloso dentro de una familia multicultural y bilingüe, que incluye a su esposa, hijos y una multitud de miembros no humanos. Él, su esposa Lupita y su hijo Alex han sido parte de la parroquia de San Lucas desde 2018. Con antecedentes de varios caminos espirituales pero arraigados en el catolicismo romano mexicano, la familia ha encontrado un hogar espiritual en la Iglesia Episcopal y especialmente en el corazón abierto y acogedor de San Lucas, y en el enfoque activo de hacer el bien en el mundo. Benji es de Boulder, Colorado, se graduó de la Universidad de Colorado con una diploma en Matemáticas, y ha trabajado en la industria aeroespacial, ser maestro, y la puesta en marcha de software. Ahorra el es director sénior de programas de vuelos espaciales humanos en SpaceX, y ayuda a liderar los programas de la compañía que sirven a la NASA y a muchos clientes comerciales nacionales e internacionales, enviando personas y carga al espacio en el cohete Falcon 9, la nave espacial Dragon y los vehículos Starship. Su esposa Lupita es de Jiquilpan, Michoacán, y es una orgullosa madre de su hija mayor que vive en Sacramento con su pareja, su segunda hija que vive en Los Ángeles, y su hijo Alex. Lupita trabajó durante muchos años como técnica de impresión industrial y ahora se enfoca en el rescate de animales y el apoyo a su familia en los Estados Unidos y México. |
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St. Luke’s is my home and my family, and I love serving in any capacity that I can. I think our parish would benefit from the input of someone with a physical disability and who is in their 20’s. In the past I have served with Manna Meals. Currently, I serve as a Lay Eucharistic Minister, cashier in our bookstore once a month, play guitar for Taizé, run the social media account and cashier for our annual Brass Rubbing fundraiser, and recently organized and led a craft for St. Luke’s kids (and hope to do it again!).
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I’m grateful to have found a place of belonging at St. Luke’s/San Lucas. Raised in the South Bay, it wasn’t until I was in DC that I found The Episcopal Church.
I’m a daughter, friend, sister, aunt, and neighbor who is constantly trying to figure out how to do all that better. You can catch me watching the Dodgers and Lakers and playing with my niece. |
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I have been a member of St Luke's since mid-2015 and on the Vestry since 2018. I love the St. Luke's community and our commitment to social justice. Raised as a Catholic, I am comfortable with the pomp and circumstance of our services and particularly appreciate our incredible music program. I am very involved in the Manna Meals program.
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