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Carrot or Stick?
Have you ever been presented with a “carrot or stick” situation? Have you ever used “carrot or stick” to gain cooperation, agreement, or compliance? I have. My kids might remember this in relation to room cleaning: Reward for a clean room – Restriction for a dirty room.
Didn’t work.
I am not a fan of “carrot or stick” (reward or punishment) for two reasons: one, it does not always work – and two, it presents many things as false choices. It simplifies choices into an “either/or” proposition.
The portion of John’s Gospel we are reading this week might be read as a “carrot or stick.” One paraphrase: Abide in Jesus and bear fruit or don’t abide in Jesus and be thrown into the fire. Like most of John’s writing, this is complicated and I am not doing justice to the whole meaning.
Here’s a different spin on Jesus’ invitation to his disciples and to us. Instead of “abide with me,” how about “stick with me?” This crucially changes the context. I can’t hear the words “abide with me” without hearing the hymn or thinking of a funeral; it feels like you’re preparing for the end. On the other hand, “stick with me” invites us to get ready to do something new, and to be with someone stronger when danger is near. I see it as an invitation to mutuality, intimacy, and community.
In Jesus, God generously reached out to humanity and all creation by becoming one of us. Jesus extended the reach by connecting his disciples to himself and each other. He showed that connection and relationship were the pathways for participating in God’s abundance. They are the means for our being generous, as God is generous.
I don’t think Jesus offered reward or punishment. Jesus offered himself.
Join us in worship this week as we live generously with God and one another.
Fr. Andrew
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I will be participating in a Panel discussion on Friday Morning, May 4th (Tomorrow!).
First Friday Breakfast
“LGBT Friendly Faith-Based Options”
There will be several pastors sharing their congregations’ welcome to the LGBT community.
www.thecenterps.org
9-10 a.m. at The Center
611 S. Palm Canyon suite 201
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John 15:1-8
Jesus said, “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinegrower. He removes every branch in me that bears no fruit. Every branch that bears fruit he prunes to make it bear more fruit. You have already been cleansed by the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me. I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing. Whoever does not abide in me is thrown away like a branch and withers; such branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask for whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples.”
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When I read that the Church of St. Paul in the Desert needed an administrative assistant, which is what I have been most of my career, I was very interested. I grew up in a family of Episcopalians; one grandmother was an enthusiastic member of Daughters of the King. It is a privilege to now be a member of the staff here as your pledge secretary!
I can be reached at 760-320-7488, extension 227 or you may send me an e-mail at 
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Robert Taylor will be back to read from and promote his new book on May 13.
We will have the reading, conversation and signing at 9:15 in the Library.
He will be available to greet and sign books after the 10:30 service also.
Visit Robert’s website by clicking here.
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Annual Waddy Scholarship Auditions
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  The Annual Waddy Scholarship Auditions for young talent in music and speaking is scheduled at St. Paul’s Cathedral, 5th and Nutmeg Streets, in San Diego on Saturday, May 19th. Students from 8-12 are invited to participate. A brochure with an application form is available in the church office. Scholarships in past years have ranged from $50 to $350. Deadline for the application is Thursday, May 10th.
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“Sundays at 9:15″
In The Library
May 6, 13, & 20 No Class May 27
5/06 The Synoptic Gospels: St. Mark, led by Jerry Lynch
5/13 St. Matthew, led by Victoria Hatch
5/20 St. Luke, led by Jerry DiNoto
5/27 No class
June 2012
Led by Craig Ewing. We will look at the life, teachings, and doctrine of St. Augustine, a remarkable philosopher and Saint, whose own search for God profoundly shaped all of Western Christianity.
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“Thursdays At 7″
May 3, 10, 17, 24, & 31
5/03 Buddhism: A World Religion
5/10 The Life of the Buddha
5/17 All Is Suffering
5/24 The Path to Nirvana led by the Faith Formation Team
5/31 The Buddhist Community, with the Dharmachakra Buddhist Center
June 2012
Guided by Susan Green. Visual Journeying is a course designed to help us explore methods of prayer, listening and journaling as a way of nourishing and enhancing our prayer life.
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Rebuild Our Church in Haiti
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The Episcopal Diocese of Haiti—the largest Diocese in the Episcopal Church is in ruins. While the people of Haiti struggle to rebuild their nation, Episcopalians are uniting to rebuild our Church in Haiti.
Click the image above to learn more.
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Bullies Not Welcome Here
At St. Paul in the Desert we want to welcome all worshipers to a place that is free of violence and bullying.
Physical, verbal or emotional violence against others or against oneself is not acceptable.
“It Gets Better” is a series of video messages to encourage Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, or Transgender youth and let them know that they are loved as they are.
“A Blessing for Those Who Are Bullied” was written by the Rt. Rev. Steven Charleston, a Bishop of the Episcopal Church.
It is not enough to say “NO” to bullies. It is important to stand up for people and to provide resources for those who have been the targets.
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The Bishop’s Appeal
The Bishop’s Appeal supports the mission of the diocese through gifts that are used for support of our ongoing programs and ministries: congregational support and development, leadership development, pastoral care, ministry development, and Christian formation. 100% of your gift goes to supporting our ministries. To make a gift, to the secure website at www.edsd.org or mail to: Episcopal Diocese of San Diego, 2728 Sixth Ave., San Diego, CA 92103.
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The St. Paul Columbarium Niches are over 60% sold out. If you are interested in a specific niche, please do not wait to purchase it or reserve it. Deposits are required for all niche reservations. Please contact Jonathan Abernethy-Deppe, at 760.320.7488, ext. 224 for further information.
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Holy Communion at Windsor Court, 201 South Sunrise Way, Palm Springs 92262
Will be hosted by the Nursing Home Ministry on Wednesday, May 9th, at 10:15 am. Father Dick Merrill will preside and welcomes assistance from parishioners.
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 Parish Photographer Needed
St. Paul’s needs a photographer to capture pictures of our people in action. We want pictures of our people in worship, in ministry and in fellowship.
Although most cell phones take decent pictures, the parish photographer would need a good digital camera and be willing to learn how to take pictures without distracting from the activities being photographed. The photo-grapher would also need to be able to upload the pictures quickly so that they might be used for parish purposes.
This is an important volunteer position and has the potential to assist the parish in attracting and welcoming new people.
Please contact Jonathan Abernethy-Deppe at  or call him at 760-320-7488 ext. 224.
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Prayer Shawl Ministry
. . . meets every Wednesday from 10 am – 1 pm in the Parish Hall. This peace-filled stitching circle gives members fulfillment and spiritual sustenance in creating prayer shawls to comfort those in need of prayer. For more details contact Valerie Ferguson at 760.799.5927, Barbara Hawkins Villani at 760.322.3987, or Audrey Spencermorris at 760.835.5506.
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New Members
. . . will be received at all services on the weekend of May 5 & 6. For further information, please contact Jonathan at 760.320.7488, ext. 224, or  .
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Well in the Desert
. . .is looking for a couple of additional servers for the hot lunch they serve on Wednesdays at our church. They serve from 11 am – 1 pm. If you are interested please contact Jonathan Abernethy-Deppe at 760.320.7488 ext 224 or
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Coffee Hour
Hosts for 8:00 are Barry Hagenbuch & Robert Woods.
To sign up to host a Coffee Hour, please use the binder on the entrance table in the Parish Hall. If you have questions, please contact Ray or Cheryl Kelley at 760.778.1725.
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Volunteers from St. Paul’s continue to serve dessert to between 70 and 100 homeless men, women and children at Roy’s every Monday evening. The desserts consist of baked goods and other goodies (store-bought or homemade) from our parishioners. As well, we deliver each month sox and undies purchased from our SOS Fund or placed in the SOS basket on Sunday. which is funded by special donations from parishioners. All of these efforts are deeply appreciated by these people who are earnestly striving to get back into the main stream.
If you would like to participate in this program, you can:
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Sign up to Volunteer
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Write a check to St. Pauls (marked for SOS Fund)
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Bring new white socks and/or large underwear for the Basket
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Place baked goods in the center section of the Fridge (again, marked For SOS)
Please call Hap Blaisdell at 760-323-5726 for additional information and ideas.
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 Do-It-Yourself Mosaic for Home & Garden
On May 19, June 2 from 10am-2pm. Cost is $25. Location is Camp Stevens. The art of assembling pieces of glass or stone into images, mosaics are a beautiful addition to a home or garden–and it’s simpler to do than you may think! In this hands-on workshop, you’ll learn the steps to creating your own mosaic, including supplies and design considerations, and practice on an installation at Camp Stevens.
For more information and to register, go to www.campstevens.org/garden.
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Sign Up for Flowers,
Coffee Hour and
Desert SOS
To make is easier for parishioners to sign-up for Flowers, Coffee Hours, and the Desert SOS Dessert Ministry, the sign-up sheets are in binders that are on the entrance table in the Parish Hall. The 2012 binders are filling fast, so if you have a special date that you want to commemorate, be sure to sign up early.
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Report Sexual Misconduct
As part of our ongoing commitment to creating a safe haven for everyone, please be reminded that our diocese values the tenet of our baptismal covenant to “respect the dignity of every human being.” Part of the way we live into that is to train people in the prevention of sexual misconduct. Another part that goes hand-in-hand with training is reporting incidences of sexual misconduct. Our bishop, the Rt. Rev. James R. Mathes, takes reports seriously and investigates them thoroughly and confidentially. If you believe you have experienced sexual misconduct of any kind, please contact Bishop Mathes immediately:  , 619-481-5450.
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