The Abundant Life – May 26, 2023

Adult Faith Formation Sundays in June with Rev. Deb Seles

In May, we learned about the lives of four mystics. In June, join Rev. Deb Seles on Sundays at 9:00 AM in the Library to explore how to “ease into contemplative prayer.” Using the book, Armchair Mystic by Jesuit Mark Thibodeaux, we’ll explore the background and practice of various forms of prayer. If you feel a tug towards a deeper relationship with the Holy, this experience is for you!  The book will be a jumping-off point; each week we’ll hear from poets and mystics as we move from Stage I (Talking AT God) to Stage IV (Union with God).

Schedule:

• June 4 (Solitude & Stage I)
• June 11 (Stage II & The Graces of Prayer)
• June 18 (Stage III & Dealing with Distractions)
• June 25 (Stage IV & Putting Prayer into Action)

Books may be purchased at:

https://www.amazon.com/Armchair-Mystic-Easing-Contemplative-Prayer/dp/0867164301

Abe Books: https://www.abebooks.com

Half-Priced Books: https://www.hpb.com or any other online bookseller.

Rev. Deb Seles hails from Chicago and always wanted to be a priest but, having grown up Roman Catholic, likes to joke, “Not only was the idea on the backburner, the stove was in someone else’s house!” A social worker before she became a priest, she worked with people with disabilities. She was introduced to the Episcopal Church by her late husband. Ordained in 2002, she was Executive Director of the Chicago L’Arche Community (a faith-based group home for people with and without disabilities). Trained as an interim rector, she served several churches in the Chicago area and also managed a spiritual direction practice. Working as a chaplain at Stroger Hospital broadened her experience. In 2010, she moved West and accepted the call to become Rector of Ascension Church in Twin Falls Idaho. She moved to the Coachella Valley in 2016, where she served as Associate Priest at St. Margaret’s before retiring in June 2022.

Congratulations to Co-Rector Rev. Dan Kline

Our Co-Rector, Rev. Dan Kline graduated this weekend from Villanova University’s School of Business with a Master of Science in Church Management and we couldn’t be more proud! He’s worked hard these past few years on this degree that is already paying dividends in his leadership at St. Paul’s. He has one final summer class to complete, and then then he’ll officially receive his diploma. Happy Graduation, Rev. Dan!

Church Vestry Update

+ An anonymous donor has purchased a new library display case for our historic Bibles. We give thanks for this generous contribution to our library.

+ 2022 Audit is underway.

+ Transfer of our bookkeeping services to an outside vendor is nearly complete.

+ We have received our first quarter numbers and are running at a $10K/month deficit. Expenses are within budget, so lower than anticipated income is the source. The Stewardship Committee will be reaching out to 2023 pledgers to assess if donors are planning on paying later in the year or if they have fallen on hard times and will not be able to complete their pledge. This will help the Finance Committee to reassess budget needs for the Fall so that we finish the year in the black.

+ The parish’s insurance policy was reviewed for the first time in 5 years. Areas of potential liability were identified and are being reassessed.

+ The HR Committee held their first meeting this week. Their first task will be assisting the Co-Rectors in recruiting, interviewing, hiring, and onboarding the new Parish Administrator. They are working on streamlining the job description and maximizing communication lines to attract the best candidate pool possible.

+ Strategic Plan Implementation Team (SPIT) will have their orientation retreat this weekend.

+ Well in the Desert: The Vestry will be working on a new charter agreement that will put us in compliance with the Diocesan standards for sharing space with community partners. Determining clear guidelines for sanitary and fiscal responsibility will be a key component of the new charter. Our plumbing lines were clogged and had to be drained again due to an accumulation of kitchen grease. We are hard at work with the Well in the Desert’s new leadership on finding a more permanent solution to this recurring issue.

+ Cottage Roof Project: Midway through the project. Tiles have been removed. New roof will be put on in the coming days.

+ Playground Fire: There was a minor fire in the mulch by the playground this past week. We are waiting on a report from the fire department about possible causes. The good news is no one was injured. The mulch has been removed to prevent further fires. The playground equipment is taped off and closed until a structural assessment has been done to determine that it is safe for continued use.

Parish Administrator Job Posting

We are hiring a new parish administrator. The Parish Administrator is a critical role at the Church of St. Paul in the Desert and serves as the central contact and hub for all church staff, parishioners, volunteers, visitors, vendors, and community partners. They must be well-organized, able to work independently and collaboratively, and be flexible in responding to the changing needs of the parish.

The Parish Administrator reports to the Co-Rectors, and manages two other staff members: a Sexton and Assistant Sexton. They work with the Co-Rectors in managing a team of office volunteers who will assist in the broad scope of this key role. As we grow into a program-sized church, our Parish Administrator will help us navigate the challenges and opportunities presented by the multiplication of mission endeavors, expansion of communication lines, and increasing complexity of day-to-day operations. Please click on the link below for further information. If you know someone who may be interested in applying, please forward the website link to them. Application Deadline Extended: June 30^th, 2023

Read the Parish Administrator Job Description

Giving Update

First Quarter Giving Statements have gone out. The statements reflect January through March. If your donation was given on the last week of March, it may not appear until the Second Quarter Giving Statement because of the timing of deposits. If you are giving online, please check to make sure you are giving to the 2023 Pledge Fund and not the 2022 Pledge Fund.

With a $10K/month operational deficit due to lower than anticipated pledges, we encourage all pledgers to make timely contributions whenever possible. If for any reason you are planning on paying your pledge later on in the year or need to reassess your pledge for the year based on a change in personal circumstances, please notify the office () or speak with the Chair of the Stewardship Committee, Kathy Kilmer. They can also assist with helping you to set up recurring online payments. Thank you for your continued, faithful support during the slower summer months when attendance drops as snowbirds return home and locals travel to escape the heat. We could not do the ministry we do without your incredible generosity.

Easter Safe Church Challenge

Trinity Sunday is June 4

It is the feast that celebrates “the one and equal glory” of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  It is celebrated on the first Sunday after Pentecost.

Trinity Sunday is one of the seven principal feasts of the church year (BCP, p.15). Celebration of Trinity Sunday was approved for the western church by Pope John XXII in 1334.  This feast is associated with Thomas Becket (c. 1118-1170), who was consecrated bishop on Trinity Sunday, 1162.  His martyrdom may have influenced the popularity of the feast in England.

St. Paul’s Music Ministry Update

The final Sunday performance of St. Paul’s Mixed Ensemble prior to the summer break will be June 4, Trinity Sunday. Join us as we thank these singers for their many melodic contributions during the past several months and bid them farewell until fall.

Altar flower sponsorships

Fresh flowers at the altar honor God and add to the beauty of our worship.

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). A donation of $95 for each altar flower sponsorship is suggested.

End of Season Circle Supper

Everyone who is currently participating in a Circle Supper Group is invited to attend the “End of Season Joint Circle Supper” at Billy Reed’s Restaurant, Palm Springs, Thursday, June 1, at 5:00 PM. Please RSVP to Nancy Antonius at by noon, Sunday, May 28.

Reservations are a MUST, and we will need to give the restaurant an exact headcount prior to the event. Questions? Do not hesitate to call Nancy at 760.656.4920, or text her at 516.353.2566.

St Paul’s Book Club

The next Book Club meeting will be held on Tuesday, June 6, 2023, at 1:00 PM via Zoom.  Meeting information will follow later. For June, Book Club has selected Five Little Indians by Michelle Good.

This novel set in British Columbia is about five Indigenous children taken from their families when they are very small and sent to a remote, church-run residential school. With compassion and insight, Five Little Indians chronicles the desperate quest of these residential school survivors to come to terms with their past and, ultimately, find a way forward.

New members are always welcome at Book Club. For more information, please contact Alan Zimmerman at

“Summer Second Saturdays at Seven”
Concert Series

Although we will miss our talented and dedicated Mixed Ensemble this summer, we have planned other musical offerings for June, July, and August as part of our concert series. The second Saturday of each month, we will showcase a different musical presentation at 7:00 PM in the church, followed by a reception in the Parish Hall. Mark your calendars!

• Saturday, June 10, Douglas Graham performs “Dancin’ Man – My Song and Dance Journey.”
• Saturday, July 8, The Boy’s Chorus of Tucson
• Saturday, August 12, Robert York Organ Recital

St. Paul’s Social Justice Ministry Needs Warm Weather Clothing Donations

The Social Justice Ministry is seeking donations of new or gently used warm weather clothing and accessories to distribute to our needy neighbors. Please place your donated items in the collection containers located in the Narthex. Our volunteers distribute these items in the Columbarium colonnade the last Wednesday of each month.

If you would like to learn more about this important ministry, please contact Lena Granet at .

Active Shooter Training

Mid-week Services

You 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.

St Paul the Hermit Shrine in Sri Lanka

We received this message a few weeks ago and wanted to share it with you at this season of Pentecost. It is safe to click the link, but you must be logged into Facebook to see the gallery.

Hi,

My name is Suranee and I write to you from Sri Lanka.
My daughter and I repaired a shrine which is dedicated to St Paul the Hermit here in Sri Lanka.
Here is the link of the Facebook page which gives information about the shrine:
https://facebook.com/100087413247611/
I hope you will someday come to Sri Lanka and visit the shrine.
God bless.

Suranee Perera

Prayers of the Church

For the Anglican Communion, and for the Archbishop of Canterbury, The Most Reverend and Right Honourable Justin Welby; for The Extra-Provincial Churches.

For the Episcopal Diocese of Milwaukee, The Right Reverend Jeffrey D. Lee, Bishop Provisional.

For the Episcopal Diocese of San Diego, The Right Reverend Dr. Susan Brown Snook, Bishop; for the Anglican Communion and the ministries of all its provinces.

For those commended to our prayers: Ken Smithler, John Ketchum, Betsy Westaway, Chloe Grace Wilson Barton, Rus Butler, Frank Kipe, Terry Garrity, Kylie Smith, Jenni Foreman, Kelly,  Amelia Grinstead, Susan & Bill B., Daniel & Cynthia K., Jenny K., Darcy Kelley, Don Willard, Frank Boeshart & Family, Cleo Stewart, Heather S. Gordon, Dee Jae, Cindy, Kelli Kay Roma, Lie, Kim, Mark, Stephen, Donna & Bruce, Jim, Jeff, the Ralph Humphrey Family, Magda & Gus Gonzales, Marna, Paula & Rick, Teresa Ball, John Rhodes, Marilyn De Silva Currie, Greg Gowdy, AJ Miller, Tom Lutgen, Brian Nealy; pray for all those for whom no prayers have been said. 

For those who have died: Daniel Engle, Bill Moran, Darlene Winkler, Ron Childers, Olivia Jackson, Billy Jackson, Carlotta Glover, Ralph Humphrey, Sylvester Bounds.

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: May 28: Mason Shefa; May 29:  Richard Wells, Sharon Enger, Rick Nauman, Nicole Benvenutti; May 30: Helen Amestoy, Frank Dunn; June 3: Cheryl Kelley, Wayne Soucy, Megan Goehring, Julie Galperon.

For those for whom flowers have been donated: This week’s Altar Flowers are sponsored by Michelle Hathaway, in honor of the birthday of Santiago Lopez, AND by Ray Kelley in thanksgiving for the 25^th anniversary of Cheryl Kelley’s baptism (1998).

A prayer for Pentecost – Dear Heavenly Father, on this day 2000 years ago, you inaugurated the Church by having the holy Spirit indwell in your believers. We rejoice that you have allowed us to experience new life. Thank you for the gift of the Holy Spirit, our comforter, our convictor, our guide. Amen.

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 June 4, 2023, Trinity Sunday.

Upcoming Meetings & Events at St Paul’s

• Sunday, May 28 – Pentecost / Whitsunday. Go all out by dressing in RED!
• Thursday, June 1 – 5:00 PM – Billy Reed’s Restaurant, Palm Springs – End of Season Circle Supper.
• Sunday, June 4 – 10:30 AM – Trinity Sunday – Final Sunday performance of St. Paul’s Mixed Ensemble.
• Saturday, June 10 – 7:00 PM – “Summer Second Saturdays at Seven” concert and reception.

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

Assistance for Migrants

Coachella Valley clergy,

Robert Vivar, our Diocesan Migration Missioner (CC’ed) recently discovered that many asylum seekers crossing our southern border are being relocated to a center in Mecca, CA. You may already be aware of this and, if so, I apologize for the redundancy. In any case, if you or your members would be interested in assisting these folks please feel free to have anyone fill out our volunteer form found here. If you have more information about this situation or have questions for Robert, he can be contacted at . Thanks!

Jason Evans
Canon for Mission

Episcopal Diocese of San Diego

(619) 208-0818