This quarter has brought me a lot of life changes, most prominently my increased sense of interconnectedness in community. Contrasting with my recent time in undergrad, seldom do I think of myself in the context of self. Now it is often myself in relation to the community.
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This community may be that of my house, my clients, my coworkers, or even those sleepy folks I share a bus ride with in my morning commute.

How will my schedule affect those around me? What community am I prioritizing today in my choices?


The emotions I bring home from work are those I present to my housemates. These emotions were often given to me by clients whom I interact with each day. Each day I am a product of the community I entered. Yet I am not just a product of others, for I am also a source for others.

I often think to myself about the emotions and experiences I’m bringing towards others, and whether those are productive. This thought has been challenging, for it’s easy to think that one should simply bring the positive experiences and attempt to process the rest. But it’s those less than stellar times that too bring growth and depth in experiences. I’m learning to be ok with bringing forward these moments, both good and bad, and put them to good use.

But before you go thinking, “oof, he’s gone through some stuff these past few months”, lets not forget the times that have made me smile beyond belief. Amidst the stress, I’ve met 13 other incredible individuals and am continuously grateful to belong to a house of 8 true stars. I would be nothing without my housemates who build me up each day with affirmation and celebrate each night with good food and discussion.

This EUIP life is challenging, but I haven’t stopped laughing through it all.

~Jan

I have always dreamt of moving to Los Angeles, and now that I’ve lived here for just over a month, I can confidently say that it’s nothing like I expected.

• I really thought I’d be closer to the beach… Like I envisioned it being across the street from my front door.  This is definitely not the case.
• I’m not sure what I pictured when I thought about the house I’d be living in, but it was certainly not a 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom, studio-style bungalow in a weird, half-gentrified neighborhood with 7 strangers.
• Where are all the famous people that supposedly live here???  I honestly haven’t seen any of them.  Am I even in LA??

 

• That being said, I have seen some incredibly wealthy people all over the place.  I think the one thing that surprises me the most about this city is how two extremes- extreme wealth and extreme poverty- can live side-by-side, so close to each other, but at the same time, worlds apart.  It’s impossible to spend a day here and not see this.
• I thought that I would have more free time than I do, but we’re all really working 9 to 5 jobs, 5 days a week.  By the time we get home, we’re all too exhausted to work out, to explore, to go shopping, to do anything but make dinner, talk for a bit, and go to bed.
• I didn’t realize just how empty I would be without a cat or a dog as a constant in my life.  I grew up with dogs and my roommate last year had a cat, so I’ve always had something there, and I never realized how therapeutic that is for me until I didn’t have that.  I need to find an animal shelter ASAP and get to work.  I’m struggling.
• And finally, I’m surprised at how not homesick I am.  Sure, I’m missing out on things and it sucks to not be able to be there, but I don’t feel that familiar urge to run home (yet).  As stressful and tiring as this month has been, it’s also been super exciting, engaging, and fun.  I’m happy I’ve finally made it here, and I’m looking forward to what the next few months hold.

~ Em

Pictures and music say it best. ​

~Malinda

My daily planner assigns each week with an inspirational or seasonally-relevant quote. While checking to see if I have any plans this upcoming week I found this week’s quote to be applicable to the start of any new adventure, but particularly my year long commitment to EUIP in Los Angeles. Fred Brooks says, “Good judgement comes from experience and experience comes from good judgement.” This year marks a journey unlike any other I have embarked on before. ​

Sure, I have moved to a new city with no friends before,  I even moved to a new country not knowing the language, but there has always been a definitive end to the experience. I always knew that after the summer or semester I would return to the familiarity of Elon or my family at home. Now I am living in Los Angeles with no idea what will happen at the end of this year. I have no plan after this year, and am truly living on my own, as an adult. This is an exhilarating feeling, but also overwhelming. I anticipate I will make many poor choices while attempting to navigate this new territory as a young professional serving in Los Angeles, but as Fred Brooks points out, this is the best way to figure it out. I can’t wait to learn so much about myself and this remarkable city.. ❁❀❁❀❁

​~Lauren

There’s so much on my mind at the moment but this weekend I really gained a greater level of respect from one of my good friends.
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I’ll never forget meeting Bernard.  I was at a bible study on campus that was talking about marriage and how it's a difficult/beautiful relationship.  The pastor was talking about how the relationship is naturally difficult because you have 2 imperfect people coming together to become one.  At the end of the sermon Bernard asked a question that I always asked myself.  He stood up and asked what’s the point of getting married? (now I know the answer).  I started to laugh out loud and everybody looked at me.
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After the meeting he approached me because I laughed at him.  Right there was the beginning of our relationship.  That encounter describes the foundation of our relationship.
Me and him are very bold in our quest for truth.  Most of the times we don’t care how people view us as we search for truth.  Bernard actually helped me grow in my relationship with Christ as we often had talks about different things and he taught me several biblical truths.  Bernard is a really great guy who takes pride on doing things with excellence.  Also he is from Haiti and moved to the United States at a very young age.  He told me that he lived most of his life in the hood of fort Lauderdale.  I was somewhat surprised he told me he was from the hood because of the way he carries himself.  This is no shots to anybody from rough neighborhoods but environments in general take a role in personality formation, mind you this is not absolute, this is merely an observation.  

This past weekend I went to a wedding in Florida and I was able to visit Bernard in Fort Lauderdale.  I remember he told me he was from the hood but I did not know what to expect.  Because sometimes when people say they’re from the hood they like to glamorize and exaggerate where they come from.  However when I pulled into the apartment complex it wasn’t anything I imagined.  It was around 2 am in the morning and there were a lot of people outside.  You could see some drug deals happening as I drove through the neighborhood.  

I wanted to park and go inside his house but I didn’t think that was a good idea.  There was a group of about 10 guys just standing outside in the courtyard of the apartment complex.  I thought to myself this is not a good idea because I’m wearing a suit because I just got back from a wedding and if I walk to his apartment they might possibly rob me because they think I have money.  Bernard didn’t want us to go inside anyways and I think that was probably for the better.  He told us to drive around the parking lot to pick him up.

​Later on in the night he told me about a time when he had a nice new bike and he bought it back to  his place.  He said he made a mistake because a group of guys saw him put the bike in his apartment.  Later he left the house and as he returned he noticed the door was broken into and his bike was gone.  He told me now he never wears or shows any sign of wealth because he could be a potential candidate to get robbed.  

As he was telling me this I could only imagine being in his shoes.  If I was brought up in an environment when people have to fight for resources to survive then I would have been a different person.  He’s truly a leader that does not conform to his environment.  After going to visit him my heart was so heavy because I could only think about his family and his safety.  Then I began to wonder and ask myself WHY?  What’s the difference between me and him?  The only difference between us is the chances of the circumstances we are given.  I could only ask God these questions because he has the answers.  How come God you put me in a position of privilege and others in a less fortunate situation?  I ask these questions out of curiosity, not anger or bitterness but truly asking what makes me so special.  How come I am so fortunate?  

Below is a video of a movie that illustrates the random chance of someone being born into poverty or wealth

There are many things I could write about with what’s happening in this world today and the things I have learned since I begun this adventure in LA. But.. I just watched- well scrolled down and stopped on- this video from facebook.

On our last retreat we took time to talk about race. We were given space to sit and search our minds for what race means to us. We were given time to sit and search our minds and share what race means to US. 

I sat and I thought and I shared that race confuses me. Race is a social construct, but it is still a very real element in our society. Some people can pretend it’s not there while others cannot. They cannot because it slaps them in the face everywhere they turn: going to get food, walking down the street, deciding where to shop. Agree or disagree, it doesn’t matter much to me-- I just challenge you to TAKE THE TIME to decipher why you agree or disagree.

Anyway, I thought about how I am confused by race. I have not given myself the chance to fully express to others how I have struggled with my identity due to being mixed. It’s still hard to put into words, but I think the video helps me voice one aspect of it.

--My Spanish is me. My Spanish is who I am. My Spanish is my culture. My Spanish is my struggle. My Spanish goes beyond me. My Spanish is judged and criticized. My Spanish cannot be taken from me. My Spanish cannot be stripped of me no matter how hard you try. Bring on the tow truck, jackhammer, or strongest force in the world. My Spanish is mine. It is mine and you may not understand it. You may not understand it, but it doesn’t mean it’s wrong. My Spanish is how I understand the world and is what keeps me open to seeing everything else.--

~Alexa

I love working at Hillsides.

Honestly when I can remember when I had my interview with Lupe and literally feeling like this is where I needed to be and now that I'm there, I'm right. Being there is like a CRAZY mirror to myself. Working with my teens really makes me look at where I was at their age and try to really understand where they're coming from on top of all they're going through and experiencing.
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My first couple of days there I already could tell a lot and it made it easy for me to jump into the groove of things. Understanding more about how things work and not instantly trying to change things. It's also super comforting knowing that everyone who's there REALLY loves what they do. I want to help them do more but I don't know how. I'm trying to learn to let that come to me and focus on all of the teens I'm working with one at a time. I'm also trying to not go into this mentality of trying to save my kids. I know that's not my job and I'm trying to just be someone to listen and remind them of how great they are and how much they are able to do. 
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There's one particular kid named Daniel. I lowkey wanna say he's one of my favorites but I really think it's because he reminds me of me A LOT. I know he has a super rough background but this kid has a lot of potential. Ever since I've gotten to Hillsides we've related on a lot of different topics and he's an artist that's super talented. Right now I'm working with him so that he can understand the importance of school and staying out of trouble. I know he understands for the most part but I want for him to show me he understands. That's one of the major parts we relate. I say “okay, I get it” a lot but I have a tendency to not show it. I'm teaching him about being more responsible and reliable in his work so that he can do more. Like doing all his class work, participating, doing homework etc. I want all the best for him but I'm learning to be patient and be open to know that he will grow at his own pace and may understand what I'm saying long after I'm gone.

I'm working on a contract for him that if he can complete all his work, and continue to get great grades and a point sheet no lower than 45/60, that next semester I can work to have him have lunch with some who illustrates or has their own fashion line. I want him to see that a future for him beyond what he's seeing everyday is real.
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Overall, these kids are making me want to do better and take my own advice. I want to be a living example of the things I'm telling them to do.

~Frankie

As a sixteen-year-old Haitian refugee, my birthmother climbed out of a refugee boat with her boyfriend onto the U.S. Navy base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. The protective shield of the refugee camp became a tiresome burden once the young immigrant realized she was pregnant with a baby boy. After a long pregnancy, on June 4th 1995 I was born into the anxious arms of frightened teenaged parents who did not realize their new family would be soon torn apart. Three weeks later, my birthmother and I were sent to Grand Rapids, Michigan to be raised in foster care; presenting a better opportunity than being returned to Haiti. Unfortunately, my birthfather, after being considered too old, would be sent back to Haiti, disappearing for almost two decades.

Previously my birth mother and I tried living on our own; she refused to accept help from welfare and our former foster family and determinedly set out to make ends meet on her own. She was wrong. Due to her minimum wage job we could only afford food for six out of the seven days in a week. At first, the malnutrition brought anger: I would watch T.V. and be jealous of the kids on the other side of the screen smiling behind full plates of food with their gleeful families. As I watched those food commercials over the years, my jealousy and anger gave way to a solid determination. I promised myself that when I got bigger and older, I would be like the people on T.V. and always have enough food and a full stomach. That promise came quickly after I was adopted; in a new family I experienced the privileges of having enough food and gratefully accepted anything offered to me. The years spent with my new family reshaped my identity around moving forward from the past and creating success from my humble beginnings.
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That feeling is what led me to California. For many it might seem strange take a year after college and instead of working, or going onto more school, start an internship with a small nonprofit. Yet for me, I know this to be a crucial time to rediscover and reclaim a distant path. Right now, I am a Volunteer Coordinator for the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles Interfaith Refugee and Immigration Service. As a refugee and an immigrant working with refugees and immigrants, the very people I serve represent a piece of my identity. For someone who frequently studies the past to discover deeper meanings about the present and future I often overlook my own. I sometimes forget that my identity is shaped around the complexities of belonging to more than one place. I am more than just one place. I am both refugee and immigrant, American and Haitian, foreigner and familiar.

Every day in my job I serve people who represent that multifaceted truth. Eager immigrants who are excited to learn English while teaching me new words in Armenian and Spanish. Cautious refugees who are relieved to be in the United States but also sad to leave behind part of their cultural heritage. Dedicated volunteers who patiently go through immigration forms line by line because they want our clients to successfully become citizens. Kind anonymous strangers who donate $150 bedsheets hoping that the refugee family that receives them can sleep feeling peace and safety. Joyful church groups excited just to financially commit to families they’ve never met who worship a different God they probably wouldn’t agree on. Watching these simple acts of hospitality unfold leaves me hopeful that I too will be able to reaffirm my past and embrace my future.


~ Bill

As an Episcopal Urban Intern in Los Angeles, I talk often with other corps members about privilege.  We actually have several times where we all meet to discuss difficult topics like race, sexual orientation, and gender, among other things.  These conversations can make people uncomfortable for many reasons, but I enjoy them.  I acknowledge my privilege, and also recognize how in some ways I don’t have certain privileges that others have.  My privilege is most easily seen in contrast to my clients at Chrysalis, where I work as an Employment Specialist.

The clients who walk through my door aren’t the ones who are going to easily get the job.  I don’t see those clients.  They don’t need Chrysalis.  I see the clients who have significant barriers to success, such as a criminal background, lack of work experience, homelessness, and so many other reasons.  Recently I’ve seen several elderly, unemployed homeless men, which has moved me greatly.  They are living in their cars or sleeping in the library parking lot.  Clients like these are the most vulnerable in our society.  They are the ones we pass on the street and try not to make eye contact with.  I’ve done that, too.  It’s uncomfortable when we see this vulnerability and don’t know what to do about it.

I’ve never had much trouble getting a job.  I’m white, young, and in my hometown of Pensacola I know enough people that I wouldn’t stay unemployed long.  But being white, young, from a familiar family is nothing I earned.  The idea that any of us are successful purely because of hard work is not realistic.  It may be a part of it.  It may even be a large part of it for some.  But it is never the whole story.

I think Jesus talked a lot about privilege as well and it made many people really uncomfortable.  Jesus was crucified for talking about privilege.  I’m not trying to compare my conversations with the words of Christ, but I do think he would want us to have these conversations.  It can be difficult to talk about when privilege and race are such hot topics.  And to clarify, privilege isn’t just race.  It can be gender, sexual orientation, or any of the things an employer promises not to discriminate against in all its paperwork.

So when you see something about your or another’s privilege that makes you uncomfortable?  My suggestion would be to think deeply about your own privilege.  Maybe have a conversation with someone who is different from you, and gain some knowledge from someone of another race, gender, or sexual orientation.  Ignoring privilege is not going to help.  Unfortunately, I don’t have the answer as to what will, but a little knowledge surely cannot hurt.
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For more information, please visit: changelives.org
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~Anna

(Bear with me, Dear Reader. These are not my most organized thoughts.)
I asked myself this question everyday for the my first month here. I honestly didn’t want to leave. Lakeland, while admittedly not my favorite place in the world, is a good place. I love the communities I shared life with. I love the ‘feel’ of smaller towns. I love the secluded parks and outdoor spaces, the coffee shops and conversations, the music-making and artistic communities, and the academic spaces that have shaped me. I miss being close to my family. I miss running into friends everywhere. I miss Jordan and Rob. Shoot, I miss parking lots… and Wawa.
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But there are conversations I couldn’t have in Lakeland; spaces I couldn’t stand in as an ally; things I couldn’t learn.

​I have friends in Lakeland that have to keep themselves tucked away for fear that the dominant group will treat them as hostile or other (and here I’m only referencing those of us who claim to be simultaneously Christians and Democrats ;) ). These are people that I love. Good people, committed to bringing about sustainable change in the world. I wish I could tell you that a commitment to the flourishing of humanity helps people treat you with dignity, but it doesn’t. Particularly not in religious circles. Some of my friends are kept from the table because of who they are.

I suppose now would be a good time to mention that I love Jesus.

What’s more, I believe in Jesus. I believe that Jesus shows people what God is really like. And, if I’m reading the Bible correctly, God is total, unconditional, incomprehensible love. One thing that really strikes me about Jesus is that he invited everyone to the table. After studying theology, I became really attracted to radical inclusion as an idea. But what good is an idea that never takes shape? I asked myself that question everyday after I decided to become an EUI.

Radical inclusion, or unconditional love, is something I want to model in my own life. Unfortunately, I found that hard to do in Lakeland. It’s not that I’m afraid to have difficult conversations (time is too short to continue avoiding discomfort because of my fragility). It’s that I need people to learn from. I find that, in order to be radically inclusive, I must immerse myself in community with people who are also radically inclusive. I must spend time trying to love those that are different than I am. I must listen. I must not insist on my own way. Because, if I’m honest, my natural ability to love – to extend myself freely in the direction of other humans – is quite weak. I think that’s how it works. The wine of love, it would seem, is always pressed by the often messy feet of a community. I need the pressing. I need the discomfort. Is it too trite to say that wine is not wine without the pressing? In a similar way, love is not love without discomfort. That’s why I came to L.A. To lean into discomfort and find the total, unconditional, incomprehensible love of Jesus. (Perhaps my song will help explain.)

Hey readers! Month one is dead and gone and I can already tell the year is going to blow by. A whole month of waking up early, grinding out that morning commute, drinking two to four cups of coffee in the office, scrambling to find free food for lunch, eventually trudging back home, and finally, conversing with newfound family. A few weekends spent at the beach have come and gone. A few services at new churches equipped with grand webs of outstretched hands ready to support our community.
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And just like that, I’m realizing all of things that I call “new” really aren’t all that new any more. 

I already feel as though my roommate and I have known each other since grade school. My co-worker and commute buddy understands my sass and sarcasm better than most people I’ve known my whole life. All of us in some way or another have bonded, and deeply! These friendships already seem timeless. Therefore, I rejoice!!!
But that is such a dangerous trap to fall into. Complacency – where people, communities, and revolutions go to lose all hope of progression and become blind to the very purpose established at the forefront of it all. I can’t just sit and appreciate the fading away of the “new” as the world spins on. There is so much more to appreciate; so much undiscovered and unrealized “newness” hidden behind what has now become the “newly familiar.”

So now what? We can’t go living in the world refusing to settle into the familiar and solely search for newness. We work towards comfort, but then we press beyond it! I believe that is what this community has committed itself to this year. We have all sought out meaningful experiences this year. Most of them wildly new and unfamiliar, but all of them uniquely fulfilling. The challenge then comes to push through the approaching familiarity-threshold that so often results in complacency. It is so easy to live in the comfortable, but no growth happens there. No change happens there. No progression. And we are here to grow as people and to help various communities in LA to grow along with us. That happens when we stretch past our comfort bubbles. That’s where we discover what we can do and what we truly can’t. That’s where we illuminate hidden strengths. That’s where we find ourselves.

I keep finding myself thinking, “I live here?!? I LIVE HERE!” But that doesn’t mean much if I solely revel in the excitement of it all without taking the time and putting forth the energy to truly be here. Just like there is a difference in hearing and listening, there is a real difference between living and being present. Already a month has gone by and it’s felt like a blink of an eye. The next ten could just as easily be a single heartbeat.

So going forward, I hope, plan, and pray to really be here – invest in myself by investing in this wonderful place called LA. Every minute things are happening around us. And if we wait to settle, we will settle in the dust of what used to be, and the world will move on without us.

The world is like a time bomb ticking away. We can look at it, pondering its shiny knobs and buttons, the wires and bright lights. We can sit back, scared of what could happen if we mess up. We can choose to ignore it altogether. All of these options have an unfortunate ending, however, and sound decently unsatisfying.

The other option we have is to go at it giving all that we have, diving in headfirst and committing ourselves to figuring this what’s really going on.

So while the world spins, our memories remain, and the friendships and bonds we’ve made live on within us.

~Parkes

As some of you in the Episcopalian community know, I have joined the Episcopal Service Corps (ESC) as a member of the Episcopal Urban Intern Program (EUIP) in Los Angeles. ESC is a national organization affiliated with the Episcopal Church, and EUIP is one of many programs throughout the country. Members of EUIP are placed with a service site, and they live in “intentional community” with 4-5 other people in a house. It was quite a journey to decide to join this program, but I am so thrilled that this is where I am in my life.

Currently, I am serving as an Employment Specialist at Chrysalis. I encourage you to learn more about Chrysalis at changelives.org, because they do very meaningful, important work. I help individuals find work who have significant barriers to finding employment. While they are not a religious organization, they are truly doing the work of the Lord!

I have had the most amazing, rewarding, and meaningful experiences of my life, and I’ve only been here a few weeks. But before you think everything is perfect, I will admit that living in an intentional community is hard. I had never heard of intentional community before, but basically it means that 4-5 strangers are living in a house together and having to discern what that looks like for each of us. We each have very different personalities so it can be very difficult navigating how we cohabitate as a community. There have already been some challenges, but I love my community members dearly.

If you are considering joining ESC or EUIP, I would encourage you to pray and think about it. Feel free to reach out to me (through Jessica Babcock of Christ Church). If you’re not sure where you are in life, that’s actually a perfect place to be for this program. I wasn’t quite sure where I stood in my career, with God, and I had been questioning whether I was heading in the right direction at all. Serving with ESC and EUIP is a great way to discover yourself and what God wants for you. It’s also an amazing (and affordable) way to discover a new part of the country. Be bold, be brave, and do something different. It could change your life.

~ Anna

When you stare out and see the line of smog that covers the world as you’re at the summit of the hill. Inhale. It’s what we’re all dealing with.
When you need to sort your mind out on the trail. Exhale. It’s part of living, be thankful someone is hiking beside you.
When you don’t understand why the world doesn’t learn from its mistakes. Catch your breath.Recognize that we’re all a part of it.
When the pepper that you’ve finely chopped for the guacamole accidently spills over (because you’re thinking about how much is out of your control). Let it go. It’s the second law of thermodynamics.
When you’re hungry and your friend tries a new recipe and then takes 5 minutes to pray before you eat. Take it in. It was funny to see him scramble.

When you can’t put to words how you feel. Let it out. It’s an elephant.
When you have a fight with your bestfriend on a drive back from Santa Monica. Open up. Even though you’re both tired, you’re just trying to listen and care for each other.
When your body is weighing you down. Gasp. You’re in the thick of it.
When you wake up at 5 in the morning to make oatmeal pancakes to surprise your friend on her birthday. Breathe. Enjoy.
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​When you’re exasperated by someone that keeps misinterpreting you. Wheeze. It’s human nature.

When you’ve learned that you’re scared about losing the relationships around you. Inhale. They will only be different.

When you make the most spectacular mozzarella basil pizza. Exhale. Relish who you spend your days with.

When you hodgepodge the most spectacular meal. Respira. The people around you are real.

When you learn that it’s alright to just be. Inhale. The world is yours for the taking.
When the world feels like it has spit you out. Exhale. At least it’s being honest.
When your attempt to make chocolate cookies, causes all the chocolate to scatter. Inhale. It’s entropy.

When you realize you’re learning to fall in love. Exhale. It’s a mess; that’s natural.
When you’ve found joy and comfort in other people. Draw it in. That’s love.
When you’re frustrated by other people. Exhale. That’s also love (remember it’s a mess).
When you’re looking for support and the people you love bring you down. Give it time. It’s all about grace.

When you make pozole out of the random things in the fridge with your homie. Marinate. It’s delicious.

When you want to learn to be a better person. Let it Breathe. You can’t wait, because the world will never catch up.

Thanks to EUIP I’ve been learning how to let experiences sit. Let them marinate. My friends say that my catch phrase for the year is “Let’s just let it breathe.” They say I should tattoo it, but instead I tried to write a list of things that I’ve learned that I need to give a space to, in order to properly process. I’m still learning. But this year has given me the space to challenge myself and my assumptions of others. And acknowledge that there are so many things that we don’t know as a society.

~Edgar

Over time the meaning of community has changed and shifted for me in many different ways. Growing up I always thought of my family and friends as community, but it’s more than that. I always thought of the people that I formed meaningful relationships with. Community is more than just the people you choose to be around you. They are the people we try to love, support and forgive . They are the people that are there because of your current setting and situation. Community always starts with one common thread. There is something that draws y’all together.
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In my case it’s the intentional community I decided to join. 

This past year for me was learning to live with others in an intentional way. It wasn’t about me, but my community. We had to come together, at all times, even when we didn’t want to. Whether that be talking about our next meal, cleaning the dishes, cleaning the house, planning our next outing and even talking through our disagreements.

It wasn’t easy, but worth it. We challenged each other to be better people. We challenged each other to serve. We challenged each other to understand each other’s realities and upbringings. A community are people that want to see you grow. A community are people that challenge you. A community are people that are honest with you. A community are people that you learn to love.”

~ Alex Pagán-Mejía

Dear Megan Circa 2015,
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Right now, you’re somewhere in the middle of Texas with your mom on your way from Rochester NY to Los Angeles to start EUIP. Tomorrow you will find out that your service site is Saint Joseph Center and that you’ll be living in the Inglewood House. Spoiler alert: you’re not ready.

I know it sounds harsh but I need to be honest with you, you are not ready for this. I know you’re trying your best to keep an open mind and not try to predict what this year’s going to be like because I guarantee you that you’ll be wrong.  Trust me, on this one.

I don’t mean to make it sound like this year will be some dark and tenuous trial that will have you counting down the days until you’re done. It’s going to be a good year and a complete year with amazing moments and challenges that will blindside you.
Don’t worry though, as best you can, and try to go with the flow.
This year will be filled with late-night kitchen bonding with housemates, coffee runs with coworkers, vegan caramel, grocery trips, random adventures with other EUIs, bacon, introspection, growth, friendship, and the coming together of a family in your little house in Inglewood.

I know for a fact that you don’t see the last part coming but it is and it is the best part of this year.

You’re gonna be fine <3
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Peace,
You circa 2016

~Megan

As my year of service with EUIP comes to a close, I’ve been thinking about all of the amazing and life-changing experiences I’ve had. What’s coming next for me is exciting, but there are many things that I’ll miss about this year at the Hollywood House and as a member of the Episcopal Service Corps. In no particular order, here are just a few of the things I will miss:

1) Starting every gathering with hugs: Seriously, no matter how little time has passed since the last time we’ve all seen each other, every gathering of EUI’s seems to start with hugs and “how are you’s?”.

2) Getting all the leftover food to take home from any event, ever: Leftover pizza? Extra cookies? Jugs of juice? The answer is always “take it home to your housemates!”

3) The look people give you when you tell them you’ve been getting around LA by public transit all year or that you’ve been living with 7 other people in one home: The best way I can describe it is Jenna Marble’s “The Face” (enjoy the little throwback ).

4) Trying to explain EXACTLY what it is you’re doing with this whole “year of service” and “intentional community” business to your family, friends, and co-workers: This experience is definitely unique and hard to imagine until you’re really in it which is why you should definitely apply and see for yourself!

5) Squishing as many corps members as you can on the couch downstairs for a movie or an episode of “The Bachelorette”: What can I say? It’s bonding.

6) Monthly dates and special retreats with the whole corps: Even if they’re stressful at times, Second Sundays and Retreats are special, rare times to get to see everyone in one place.

7) Never having to go to the grocery store alone: 9 times out of 10 somebody will be willing to go with you, even if just to keep you company

8) Cooking and eating together most nights of the week: It’s way more fun than eating alone and if you’re lucky and have some amazing chefs in your house like I do, it’s a double win!

9) Routinely having conversations that matter: These conversations go deep into topics like feelings, race, privilege, injustice, and other big ideas. It goes beyond small-talk which is really refreshing.
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10) Coming home from work to some of my favorite people every night: Though once strangers, my corps members have transformed into friends and family and I am endlessly grateful for them.

This year has been hard but beautiful; stressful but exciting; exhausting but necessary.
Thank you EUIP for changing me and for helping me to truly become the soil.
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~Caroline

The first thing that comes to mind when I think about our environment are the times and places I feel most connected to nature during a busy, urban life in LA. These instances have mostly been during hikes, where the air feels crisper and easier to breathe, and I can see above the layer of smog. A city that can feel so hectic and hurried suddenly feels small and manageable.
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Every other Friday, my fellow classroom staff and I have started taking our kids out on hikes. Most of our students flourish, running ahead and exploring in ways we don’t always see in the classroom. One student who refused to go on any field trips earlier this year has been coming hiking with us, and quickly emerged as a leader, helping the other kids figure out which rocks to step on when crossing a stream. We’ve seen peers who often struggle with friendships connect over finding a salamander or sharing a good walking stick. A student who always finds a reason to be negative can’t help but smile as we tromp through the forest. Another splashed around in the creek, and exclaimed that he “loves nature water!”

Despite these positives, one of our students did not have such a fun time. He told us during the first hike that it was his “first time in nature,” and spent much of the time frustrated, complaining about getting his pants dirty, and claiming that he was only excited for the part where we’d eat lunch. The second wasn’t much better.

I often find myself resorting to this dichotomy between “nature” and “city,” but I think this distinction is problematic. “Nature” shouldn’t be so foreign to us that we classify it as a completely separate place, and are so unfamiliar with our surroundings that, like my student, we can’t wait to leave. I think this (false) dichotomy is ultimately harmful to the environment, because we are more able to separate ourselves from the ways in which our planet is suffering. It’s much easier to ignore a drought when you don’t see the way a river has been reduced to a trickle, flanked by dry, desolate banks where water once was.

Feeling connected to the environment, for me, is synonymous with feeling connected to humanity. The poem I was assigned during our month focusing on the Environment reflects this synergy. 

Its words remind me of the ways I’ve seen my own students connect, with nature as the catalyst. It also reaffirms that recognizing nature is intimately connected to appreciating humankind, as it changes our perspective and invites us to interact with one another. As much as I dread my early morning weekday wake-up, for example, I love that I get to watch the sunrise every morning. That is an experience I am sharing with so many others around me at that very moment. My challenge moving forward will be to find (and appreciate) those instances more frequently, and maybe “nature” won’t feel so far away after all.
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~Claire

There’s this strange feeling of familiarity I feel when I recognize the homeless people in Hollywood. Or the musicians that play their guitar and sing their songs. It’s the air of desperation in search of dreams that may never come true. I see it all on their face. An expression I know all too well. Hopefully hopeless. Chasing a dream deferred and being side tracked by life’s tackles. They hold on. They are hopeful. They believe that by risking their life and jeopardizing their health. Each one of them having a story.

 Each one of them actively seeking solace in the one place they find their peace. Their gift from God they so freely offer to us in hopes that you would spare some change.
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Spare some change.
change in society.
change in community.
change your mind.
redirect your life.
True hopes lies in between the lines of strength and behind your eyes.
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~Renisha

Last weekend I had the privilege of participating in “Called to the Wall,” the annual Lenten Via Crucis pilgrimage to the U.S. – Mexico border in support of immigrants that is co-sponsored by the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles, the Episcopal Diocese of San Diego, and the Anglican Church of Mexico. I’ve never payed much attention to what is happening in the world of immigration, so it was a once-in-a-lifetime experience to be able to celebrate the Eucharist at the border as one community in Christ.
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This was my first time at the border, and in a way it felt like the people on the other side were in jail. I couldn’t help but wonder what it felt like to them. We were all at the border for the same reason, to celebrate the love of Christ, but we couldn’t physically celebrate the Eucharist together because of a physical barrier. I began to think about the barriers we put up in our own lives that prevent us from sharing God’s love with one another. I think fear is the biggest barrier in my life. I fear what will happen if I stop and talk to the homeless man on the street who looks like he could use a conversation just as much as he could use a hot meal. I am scared to talk to people from other races, religions, and cultures about their life because I’m afraid I will say something stupid or offensive. I think a big part of my EUIP year has been learning how to combat this fear in order to live in communion with others.

It was especially powerful to experience this day with fellow EUI Edgar. On the way home he told us the story of how his family crossed the border. He also told us about some of the difficult times his family has gone through as a result of them being immigrants to this country. I am grateful that EUIP has opened doors for me to have experiences like this and conversations with people who don’t have the same background as I do.
At the beginning of the Eucharist, we prayed, “Strengthen us to welcome those from other lands, cultures, and religions, that we may live in human solidarity and in hope. Give us courage to open the door to our neighbors and grace to build a society of justice so that we may proclaim the undying love of our Savior Jesus Christ.” It is our job as children of God to be welcoming to our neighbor, but how many of us actually practice this in our everyday lives? How many of us continue to live in our own little worlds because we feel safe and comfortable? I think we forget that Jesus was an immigrant – from heaven to earth.
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~Graycie