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Consecration 

of the Church at the Santa Barbara Monastery.

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Easter Sunday spent at the Liberal Catholic Church 

Four of the guests where the Nights Templar, which is an order within the Freemasons. The high priest is also a Night, so that makes five I like their hats!

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Santa Barbara Orthodox Monastery

Down the road in the opposite direction from Ojai is this, recommended to my by the people at the Liberal Catholic Church. I went to a noon service which happened to be a funeral service. Four nuns run the place with a Mother. All dress in black with a just their faces showing. Very nice people and such beautiful voices. The service is almost completely sung. It was modern English so easily understood. 

After service was lunch. Baked potato, baked beans, salad. and a nicely set table. A high priest (male) was there with his wife and son. I learned a bit about the other orthodox churches in the area. Also they are building a new chapel that should be finished in a couple of months.

To support themselves they harvest lavender to make oil. And they make caskets which cost, not 5 or 6 thousand but just 1 or 2 thousand dollars. I’ll explore more in this tradition.

I went back for Saturday night vigil. It was supposed to go on for 2 and a half hours but i made it through the first one. It resembled a beautiful meditation chant. At one point they turned out the lights and blew out half the candles. Very beautiful singing. monotone. soft. 

Today was the “Celebration of the Icons” so many references to the icons and their importance.

I’ll be back, for sure.

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First Church of Christ Scientist, Santa Barbara

After Trinity Episcopal Church i went around the corner to The Christian Scientists. Founded Mary Eddie Baker this church took America by storm around the turn of the century. It has very modern and “New Age” approach to religion, a “scientific” approach that taught there is no real thing called “matter”. Everything is Spirit. I sort of see it as a precursor to Course In Miracles, except that it uses the bible as it’s reference. No cross anywhere in this church. No symbolism anywhere!

On Wednesday people offer up testimonials of healing after a short reading. which I found very interesting. One woman had a story about her finger getting caught in the car door. The next day not a scratch. Another offered a story about healing her breast lump which doctors called cancer. These people have much faith, are very intelligent and warm. They approached me with interest. I think i was probably the youngest one there. 

The church was actually Huge! I was only familiar with the reading rooms which are small and frankly uninspiring. I think it’s probably one if the biggest ones around. The home church in Boston i understand is huge!

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Trinity Episcopal Church in Santa Barbara

Ash Wednesday 2017 in Santa Barbara. They have an awesome organ. Best I’ve heard yet. They played a modern peace with low and high vibrations. I’ll be back here.

Reverend Christine T. McSpadden, the present Rector (pictured) had a beautiful intelligent energy. I think she is changing the guard to someone introduced today. I like Christine. Hope she stays but form her Resume it looks like she gets around a lot. 

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St Andrews Episcopal Church in Ojai.

I’ve been here several times. Every time i meet someone really interesting. The first time i sat with Mac who is in his 90′s. He was a diplomat, like my father and work in the Middle East embassies.

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Mission Buenaventura

I was on my way somewhere else and made a detour here. Old Spanish feel to it. Well maintained, like the Santa Barbara Mission

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The Liberal Catholic Church in Ojai

It’s the closest church to where I now live. The LCC comes out of a different tradition from the Roman Catholic Church. It’s highly liturgical and very friendly. They have very few attendees. Most of the attendees are in fact LCC priests. The offer sacrament to everyone.

I attended their coffee hours after one of their services and found everyone to be very interesting and friendly. Most of the people there are former or current Theosophists. The church has its origins in Charles Leadbeater who was a very much an occultist. He worked with HP Blavatski who was the occultist par excellance, bring the occult to the west and essentially birthing the New Age movement.

So the Liberal Catholic Church is way more Esoteric than what might be supposed from the word Catholic. And This one in Ojai is a main branch along with a location in England and Australia.

I happened upon a Conformation which was fascinating. Robes where switched to Green (i think) and then back to White. Another time I happened upon a Healing. Robes were once again switched to Red and, as i kneeled, I was anointed with oil on my forehead, head, neck and spine.  

I described my Church Odyssey and someone suggested i Check out the American Orthodox Monastery down the road in the other direction.

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Ojai Churches

An assortment of other churches I visited. I attended the Presbyterian Church on Christmas Eve. Everything was dressed out in red. Told the story of Jesus’s birth. The choir sounded good

The Methodist Church had a great space. The temple is one huge A-frame with clean lines and much open space. The woman priest was nice. Small congregation.

Finally the Weslyan Church was very familial. Not really to my liking.  

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I was in Joshua Tree for 18 months, and took a break form churching. Then relocated to Ojai.

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Christian Scientist Reading Room

This was interesting. I was never attracted to this group. It’s amazing what an illustrious past it had around the turn of the century. 

Mary Baker Eddy, it’s founder was opening reading rooms every week. And it was the scientific approach to the scriptures of the time. If fact is was the most radical approach taken toward the scriptures ever. How did it fall so out of favor?

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First Congregational Church of Long Beach 

United Church of Christ

This was just down the road from where i lived in long beach. It’s a historic building with fantastic woodwork on the interior.

All these pictures are is from The Doug Santo Photographs

In April of 2010 Doug Santo photographed First Congregational Church for his project on historical churches in southern California. Click on any photo to enlarge it.

All photographs on this page © 2010 Douglas S. Santo.

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St Ephraim Syrian Orthodox Church

This was a real surprise. Spoken in three languages with video screens to translate everything. Also the Choir was divine. It felt like a Muslem/Christian hybrid. The choir women had white scull caps with crosses embroidered on them. Very conservative, though. 

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The Independent Catholic Church of Los Angeles

Even tinier than the Gnostic Church. There is much cross pollination between these two. I was the only one attending that Sunday. And had a great talk with the Clergy who gave me a lesson in history. Gay and women friendly, unlike the Roman Catholic Church. Most who find themselves with the Liberal Catholics are disgruntled Roman Catholics. 

As a side note: The Old Catholic Church is yet another catholic church, but they are few in number. One is based in Northern CA somewhere. 

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Angelus Temple

Multi Media Jesus where you can get your dreams fulfilled. Didn’t like it. Rock concert.

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The Gnostic Society and Ecclesia Gnostica

Service for the Holy Sophia, the feminine version of God. Also the revival of the 16 missing gospels. A very small and intimate organization.

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St. Steven’s Serbian Orthodox Cathedral 

Near Cal State LA. A lot of families were there. Very friendly.