Dear siblings in Christ,
As we begin a new Advent season, I’m pleased to introduce Kathryn Nishibayashi, COS’s new diocesan intern. Kathryn will be with us for the next nine months as she spends her Diocesan Discernment Year (DDY) at Church of Our Saviour.
You may remember Kelly Lauer or Mike Mischler, who each previously completed a DDY internship with us. In the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles, all who seek ordination to the priesthood are required to spend such a year in a church distinctly separate from their home church, as a step in their journey.
Born and raised in Glendale, Kathryn is a product of local schools, including Campbell Hall, Mayfield Senior School, Occidental College where she received a BA in Asian Studies, and Pacific Oaks College where she received an MA in Human Development and a teaching credential. She spent twelve years as an elementary school teacher at a variety of public, charter, and independent (including two Episcopal) schools. When Kathryn made a career change in 2018, she became the office coordinator at the Kaleidoscope Institute, a nonprofit founded by an Episcopal priest, which works with congregations and other nonprofit organizations to address topics such as anti-racism, stewardship, strategic planning/visioning, and sustainability.
Kathryn began taking seminary classes at Bloy House, our diocesan theological school, in 2019 and earned a certificate in Anglican Studies. In 2021 she transferred to the hybrid MDiv program at Church Divinity School of the Pacific and completed her coursework there this past summer.
Kathryn grew up attending St. Mary's Episcopal Church in Los Angeles, a historically Japanese-American congregation which has become increasingly multicultural over the years. She is in the fourth generation of her family to be members there. A self-professed "church geek," Kathryn has served a variety of roles in the parish, at both the diocesan and churchwide levels. She currently chairs the House of Deputies State of the Church committee and has been a deputy to the General Convention multiple times, including this coming summer's convention in Louisville. Kathryn has been involved off and on with the Episcopal Asiamerica Ministries for about twenty years, both nationally and locally in our diocese.
When Kathryn is not busy with work or church, she enjoys reading, singing, and rooting for the Dodgers.
Kathryn is married to Tim Reed, who works for Bloy House, and they live in Glendale with their two cats. She is excited to be joining you all for her diocesan discernment year placement and is looking forward to getting to know you all in the weeks and months ahead.
Kathryn will be with us through this non-stipendiary internship from Advent (beginning this Sunday) through August 2024. In addition to attending all sorts of events at COS, Kathryn will be assisting Hannah Riley with the Children’s and Youth ministry. She will also preach a few times, lead liturgy a few times, and gain experience in areas she is interested in.
Welcome, Kathryn!
Faithfully,
Jeff+