For Sunday August 27, 2023
Update On Hurricane Hilary
Our parish fared very well during the storm. No flooding occurred in any of our vulnerable areas. Part of this was due to the dirt bank that surrounds the parking lot and our gully next to the columbarium colonnade that filled with water during the storm. Our sump pump pumped all of the water out to the street where it was supposed to go. As you may be aware, the pump was regularly breaking down. Last year, an anonymous donor contributed to have it replaced. We remain grateful for this generous gift, as it helped save our parish from severe flooding.
We had some sand wash away on the perimeter of the parish hall. We also had some minor leaking where the drop ceiling is near the east transept. We are exploring options (e.g. insurance or possible grant relief funds from the Diocese) to make repairs so that this does not happen again in the future. We want to offer a special thanks to the Campus Care Committee who coordinated our disaster response. Alex Christensen, our Sr. Warden delegated responsibilities. John Raposa and Roberto Carrillo, our sexton, put up sandbags. Steve Moore did a campus assessment after the storm. If you would like to find out more about the Campus Care Committee, please visit as a guest to our monthly meetings. They are on the first Thursday of the month at 1PM in the library.
Before The Storm
During The Storm
After The Storm
Parish Life Circle Supper Ministry 2023-2024
If you’re interested in checking out this fun ministry for the upcoming Season, here’s a bit of information that you may want to consider:
“Circle Suppers” are gatherings of small groups of parishioners (usually no more than 10-12) who meet monthly to socialize – typically while sharing a meal – to get to know each other better. These “Suppers” often take place in members’ homes or local restaurants – but can happen anywhere that’s comfortable and conducive to relaxed conversation. Circle Supper gatherings have no assigned reading and no prescribed (or proscribed) topics of conversation. They are all about building friendships across a large parish where many people, new and old, see their fellow parishioners rarely, or not at all. The goal is to nurture friendships and have fun.
To join Circle Suppers for 2023-2024, please add your name to the sign-up sheet you’ll find in the Narthex, by August 31.
To help us plan for the coming year, we’re asking current members who do not plan to participate in the Circle Supper Ministry in 2022-23, to inform Gary Hiatt at .
Hiking Club News
The Parish Life Hiking Club has planned an off-season summer hike for September 16, in the Oak Glen Preserve, only about 40 miles west of Palm Springs in the foothills of the San Bernardino Mountains. (Hikers, meet at Oak Glen at 9:00 AM.)The Oak Glen Preserve sits in a tranquil canyon filled with apple orchards, shady green forests, babbling brooks and steep mountain slopes. It’s a great nearby getaway from the hot desert summer. We will be hiking the scenic Preserve Loop through the Preserve’s many diverse ecosystems. The trail meanders through curated gardens, beneath towering conifers, past a pretty little lake and then in and out of a shady oak forest as it descends through the chaparral to a pleasant hollow, before climbing again to a beautiful shady meadow. Deer and other wildlife can sometimes be spotted along the trail.
The trail is about 2.5 miles long in total and links several smaller trails within the Oak Glen Preserve. It is officially ranked as “Easy,” and should be safely within the skill set of our group. The trail is well-marked and in good condition, with an easy grade most of the way. There are one or two segments with sharper descents and climbs, including one or two portions with stairs. The total elevation change across the entire trail is about 500 feet. There are two areas of sharper descent or ascent, but they should be doable by any who’ve hiked with us previously. This is a dog-friendly trail. Dogs on-leash are welcome. Please review the trail description and make sure it is right for your furry friend (it may be an ambitious trek for smaller dogs). You’ll want to carry a dish of some sort so your dog can pause to drink.
What to Bring – Proper footgear is important. You should wear solid, comfortable walking shoes with a grippy rubber sole that has tread and good traction. Also don’t forget the usual hiking standards: ample water, sunscreen, and a hat – bug spray is also a good idea. While this area will feel like paradise compared to August heat in Palm Springs, it will still be objectivelywarm, so dress lightly and prepare for occasional areas of full sun. Anyone needing additional balance or stability should consider bringing a walking stick or trekking pole.
There should be ample time after the hike to share a quick repast, linger among wildflowers, and visit the nearby apple stand for some tasty fresh cider. We would like to host a late-morning picnic for this hike similar to what we did in Idyllwild last summer. We welcome volunteers willing to help organize this aspect of the trip and/or bring some sort of potluck item. For more information or to sign up for the hike, please contact Nancy Antonius
Stay tuned for more details as we get closer to the summer hike date.
Chris Kelly
St Paul’s Book Club
The next Book Club meeting will be held Tuesday, September 5, 2023, at 2:00 PM, via Zoom. (NOTE TIME CHANGE!) Our September Book Club selection is Hello Beautiful by Ann Napatilano.
William Waters grew up in a house silenced by tragedy, where his parents could hardly bear to look at him. So, when he meets the spirited Julia in his college, it’s as if the world has lit up around him. A profoundly moving portrait of what is possible when we choose to love someone not despite who they are, but because of it.
New members are always welcome at Book Club. For more information, please contact Alan Zimmerman at
Sunday’s Altar Flowers are given to the Glory of God.
Sunday’s Altar Flowers are given to the Glory of God.“The desert and the parched land will be glad; the wilderness will rejoice and blossom. Like the crocus, it will burst into bloom . . .” Isaiah 35:1-2
If you would like to sponsor altar flowers for a future Sunday honoring a special person or event, you’ll find the sign-up book in the Narthex, or you can call the Parish Office at 760.320.7488 to reserve your sponsorship date(s).
Mid-week Services
Mid-week ServicesYou are invited to the church on Wednesday evenings at 6:00 PM each week for contemplative Eucharist/Evening Prayer. The church will be open the hour prior (5:00-6:00 PM) for silent, personal prayer. Come and rest.
Prayers of the Church
For the Anglican Communion, and for the Archbishop of Canterbury, The Most Reverend and Right Honourable Justin Welby; for Hong Kong Sheng Kung Hui, the Hong Kong Anglican Church, The Most Reverend Andrew Chan Au-ming, Archbishop of Hong Kong and Primate.
For the Episcopal Diocese of Hawaii, The Right Reverend Robert L. Fitzpatrick, Bishop; for the clergy and people of Holy Innocents Episcopal Church, Lahaina, the Reverend Bruce DeGooyer, Vicar.
For the Episcopal Diocese of North Dakota, Sede Vacante; The Right Reverend Keith Bernard Whitmore, (Assisting Bishop).
For the Episcopal Diocese of San Diego, The Right Reverend Dr. Susan Brown Snook, Bishop; for the clergy and people of St. Dunstan’s, San Diego.
For those commended to our prayers: Glen Noteboom, José, Margherita & Judith Roa, Jake Williams, Sandy & Joe Williams, Wendy Vicory, Bonnie, Ken Van Horn, Christian Waltaian, Adele Kelley, Sebastian Hall, The Rev. Dr. Sonia Waters, John Hines, Diane & Chuck Hines, Ken Van Horn, Dan Drinan, Ted Guice, Jerry Di Noto, Solveig Peck, Robert Patnode, Don Orsbern, Tish & Eliott Kahn, Terry Garrity, Rus Butler, Joe Christopher, Sylvia Toney, Moses Moffitt, Jimmie Faye Johnson, Lennie Ruth Miller, Hope Yarborough, Crystal, Jodene Catterlin, Kenneth Catterlin, Nancy Catterlin Hales, Raymond Stimson, Mark Malone, Robert Blackman, Jeffrey M., Gail Walker, Stan Spooner, Amelia Grinstead, Chloe Grace Wilson Barton, Marilyn De Silva Currie, Donald Chase, Greg Gowdy, A.J. Miller, Tom Lutgen; pray for all those for whom no prayers have been said.
For those who have died: Brian Nealy, Gary Nutt, Antonietta Colucii, Anna Q., Joshua Jones, Stanley Rule, Shawna Roberts, John Budovec, Jack Pellum, Grady Harrison, Duane “Dirk” Beach-Barrow, Dennis Fred McBride, Evelyn Bennett.
Rest eternal grant to these, your servants, O Lord, and let light perpetual shine upon them. May their souls and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.
For those with birthdays: August 28: The Rev. Canon David Caffrey, Mark Nelson, Susan Spaulding; August 29: James Harrod; August 30: Joey Dominguez; August 31: Phil Smith; September 2: Jeffrey Tucker.
For those celebrating anniversaries: August 29: Bob Edgerly & Bob Warburton, Tammy & Jim Franklin; August 30: Richard Wordeman & Thomas Sweeney; September 1: Mary & Roy Seger; September 2: Diane & Andy Jessup.
For those for whom flowers have been donated: Today’s Altar Flowers are sponsored by Clinton Carbon in loving memory of his mother, Anna M. Carbon, to honor her heavenly birthday.
Send us your Prayer Requests via email — You may request prayers, “For those commended to our prayers” or “For those who have died,” by sending requests to Weekly print deadline is Wednesday noon.
For next Sunday’s Lectionary readings, go to www.lectionarypage.net and click on September 3, 2023, The Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost.
Upcoming Meetings & Events at St Paul’s
- Sunday, August 27 – 1:00 PM – Vestry meeting – Library.
- Tuesday, September 5 – 1:00 PM – Stewardship Committee Meeting.
- Tuesday, September 5 – 2:00 PM – Book Club via Zoom.
- Saturday, September 16 – 9:00 AM – Parish Life Hiking Club – Oak Glen Preserve.
- Sunday, September 24 – 9:00 AM – Newcomers’ Class – Library.
- Sunday, October 8 – St. Francis of Assisi (transferred) – 8:00 AM – Dog Mass, outside – 10:30 AM – Regular Mass – Pet Blessing 4:00 – 5:00 PM – Memorial Garden.
- Sunday, October 15 – 10:30 AM – ONE SERVICE – Welcome Back Sunday – SAVE THE TIME & DATE!
Sunday Service LiveStreaming
We are livestreaming our 10:30 AM Sunday Eucharist every week. The livestream project was made possible through a generous gift from a “snowbird” member from Philadelphia who wintered in Palm Springs for many years and worshiped at St. Paul’s every Sunday. You can view the livestream on our Home Page, YouTube Channel, and Facebook Page.
Missed a service? Or want to rewatch a liturgy? All our past services are available to watch either on our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/StPaulintheDesert or on our Facebook timeline: https://www.facebook.com/stpaulinthedesert
