The Abundant Life – September 9, 2022

Meet Our New Strategic Planning Consultant – Greg Movesian

After a lengthy search process and interviews with several promising candidates, Greg Movesian was selected to be our Strategic Planning Consultant for 2023. What exactly is a strategic plan (SP)? An SP is a comprehensive attempt to chart out clear goals and objectives for an organization over a specified time period. As Jesus reminded us in this past week’s Gospel, the cost of discipleship requires careful planning (Luke 14:25-33). In other words, SPs are documents that ask who we are as a community and where we are heading. Their purpose is to keep us focused on what God is calling us to do. SPs require lots of listening to all community stakeholders, which means facilitating many conversations. SPs also require an objective eye to help keep everyone on task (we can’t plan every detail of our future because there are a lot of unknowns and we can’t do every possible good thing there is to do in the world) and to help the community separate perceived reality from what is real. This is where the strategic planning consultant comes in. They not only provide that outside perspective, they also help make sure that the document doesn’t just sit in the library, but actually gets implemented. This is really exciting! The SP is like the ark of the covenant as we enter the Promised Land, holding all of the creative, new things we get to try as we continue to discover what it means to be St. Paul’s in this next chapter under new leadership.

Greg is an expert at strategic planning, particularly its connection with stewardship and how to fund all the great ideas that come to the surface during a strategic plan. You can have all the dreams in the world, but if there is not enough funding, none of them will come to fruition. As the old saying goes, “No money, no mission.” At the same time, if you don’t know why you exist or what your focus should be, there’s often not enough funding because the vision is muddy. So the reverse is also true: “No mission, no money.”

Here’s how Greg described himself during the interview process:

“My career in professional fund development spans four decades. It includes service to a variety of local, national, and international human service and religious non-profit organizations. All of this has been very much intertwined with my faith, as an important aspect of what I contribute as a member of the Episcopal Church. I currently serve on the Vestry of Saint John’s Episcopal Cathedral in Denver, Colorado. From 2002 until 2012 I served as Canon Steward of the Cathedral, during which time I also served on the board of what was then known as the Consortium of Endowed Episcopal Parishes (now known as The CEEP Network). In these capacities, I have been deeply involved in providing strategic planning, stewardship, and fundraising leadership to my own parish as a volunteer (for 38 years), a staff member, and a board member of a national organization of the Episcopal Church.

My expertise is in executive management of capital, endowment, and annual campaigns – as a professional fundraising consultant, and as a senior manager and chief development officer for several non-profit institutions, beginning in the early 1980’s. After serving as the Gay Men’s Health Crisis first development director when the program was still in formation, I joined the Martin J. Moran Company, a fundraising consulting firm headquartered in New York City, where I received thorough training as a fundraising development professional and campaign consultant, and became in time an executive vice president of the firm. I founded Upway Consulting LLC in 1998 to continue my work with select religious and human service organizations. This includes recent consultations with Lighthouse Writers Workshop (capital campaign), Centus Mental Health Counseling (annual funding and events), and Rocky Mountain Communities (annual funding and events).

In recent years, I also served as Chief Advancement Officer for the Denver Scholarship Foundation, which provides scholarships and wrap-around support services to low-income graduates of the Denver Public School system as well as college advising and mentoring services at the high school and college level.

Other positions include service as Vice President for Development of Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains, and Chief Development Officer for Girl Scouts of Colorado. This also includes my service as Canon Steward of Saint John’s Episcopal Cathedral in Denver, where I led fundraising, community outreach, interfaith, and ecumenical relations for ten years. My international experience includes service as U.S. Director for the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund during the Rwandan Civil War and Genocide in the 1990’s and fundraising consulting in Europe, including a capital campaign in Northern Ireland for a girl’s school.

I am the board chair of the Community College of Denver Foundation, and I serve on the boards of Saint Elizabeth’s Episcopal School and Mile High Early Learning. I am the former president of the Interfaith Alliance of Colorado and the St. Martin’s Chamber Choir. I was the co-founder, Chair and Steering Committee Member of the Abrahamic Initiative, which engaged Christian, Jewish and Muslim religious leaders and laypeople in dialogue and collaborative community service from 2001 until 2021.

I received my Bachelor of Science in Foreign Service from the School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University in 1978 and a Master of Arts in Social Sciences, with a concentration on Middle East economic and social development, from the University of Chicago in 1981. My coursework included studies at the Institut d’Etudes Politiques de Paris and the Insitut National des Langues et Civilisations Orientales, also in Paris as well as language studies in French and Arabic.

My work with clients includes strategic planning for boards seeking to identify and express their mission, vision, values, and objectives for their next stage of service or ministry. I lead institutions in the planning and implementation of their annual fundraising operations, and capital and endowment campaigns.

I am honored to respond to your invitation.  Your parish is at an exciting threshold where it has the motivation and capacity to look to the future of its mission and ministry in expansive terms.  Your stewardship of all your resources – beginning with the commitment of parishioners to explore the implications of their baptismal covenants to be living witnesses and the hands and feet of Christ in your community – will be an inspiration to those who are seeking new life in Christ.

Crossing the threshold into the next chapter calls for prayerful discernment of what your parish brings to the table, as well as the cares and concerns that will accompany you from the past into the future and inform your future.  There is strength, and there may be brokenness.  There is much you will discover about yourself, and all of it can be shaped and molded into a new sense of purpose as we discuss the parish’s development as an organization that is equipped for revitalized and new ministry. Growth in annual funding will be an important component of the strategic planning process. To know how to fund your future ministry must be part of the picture of visioning who you are and how you want to express that in terms of programming and staffing.

I have served on a variety of boards, both religious and secular, as a member, an officer and as chair.  My community service has given me perspective on what board members experience in their community service – both the joys and the challenges.  I believe in the importance of building healthy relationships, and in fostering a feeling of efficacy and personal fulfillment for all involved – both volunteers and staff.  For a parish, this is a key point, since we are united sacramentally, and are called to live into what that means in our life together as a community that is spiritually knit together into a body that has many parts and one Spirit.”

Greg is a warm-hearted guide with a wealth of wisdom from his experience in the Episcopal Church and other settings. His sense of humor and ability to intuitively get to the root of a matter through clear and concise questions are gifts that he brings to us during this season of discernment. Organized and available at all hours, Greg has been working tirelessly to get our strategic planning core team, consisting of St. Paul’s parishioners, up and running so that they might be able to facilitate conversations with you, the people and friends of St. Paul’s. You’ll have the chance to meet Greg at our Welcome Back Sunday on Sunday October 9th, where he will be available to answer any and all questions about our Strategic Plan for 2023 and beyond!

Fall Sunday School Kick-Off

Sunday School teachers met recently to train and prepare for an exciting new year! Our Sunday School Kick-Off is Sunday, September 11th at the 10:30 AM service. Bring your backpacks and book bags to be blessed. (And working adults, you’re welcome to present your bags and laptops for blessings, as well.) Get ready for a fantastic year!

Sunday School Craft Supplies Needed

Do you have any craft supplies you’re not using that you’d like to donate to the children’s ministry? Fabric scraps, wooden blocks, pipe cleaners, felt, glue, or anything else that’s in good condition? Please bring what you have to the church on Sunday (or call the church for a drop-off this week). Sunday School teachers will be planning the new year next week and would love to get creative with teaching projects.

Latino Ministry

The Latino Ministry Committee will meet Wednesday, September 14 at 6:45 PM in the Parish Hall Conference Room. We will discuss our Memorial Altar plans, our ideas for a dedicated coffee hour to celebrate Hispanic Independence month and a Spanish film viewing scheduled for September 29 at the Palm Springs Art Museum theatre. To RSVP for this Wednesday’s committee meeting, please contact Bonnie Stroock at .

Book Club

The next Book Club meeting will be held Tuesday, October 4, 2022, at 1:00 PM via Zoom.  Meeting information will follow later. For October, Book Club has selected Mrs. Palfrey at the Claremont by Elizabeth Taylor. Mrs. Palfrey, an elegant, genteel widow came from Scotland to London to take up residence at the Claremont hotel. Though she has high hopes for the cosmopolitan pleasures of living in a big city, she soon is filled with a sense of uneasiness and gloom.

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

Summer Mid-week Services

Throughout the summer, come worship with us at Evening Prayer or, for select weeks, a simple spoken mass (Contemplative Eucharist), one or the other, offered Wednesdays at 6:00 PM. The church will open at 5:00 PM for silent, socially distanced personal prayer.

Daughters of the King

St. Paul’s Chapter of the Daughters of the King (DOK) will be offering preparation for admitting new members starting in October. Our order is open to all women who desire a closer walk with the Lord. If you would like more information about the Daughters of the King, contact Patty Kiker at or 214-497-3034, Bonnie Stroock at , or Karen Nelson at . Requests for prayers to be added to the DOK confidential list can be emailed to .

Social Justice Ministry Summer Clothing Drive

The Social Justice Ministry has reached out with a renewed appeal for donated clothing for the homeless. They’re particularly in need of summer apparel items, shoes, and hats. The preferred drop-off location for your donations is the home of John and Lena Granet in Palm Springs.  Please call Lena at 760.322.2179 to arrange for delivery.

Sunset Labyrinth Walk September 21st

Save the date – Sunday, October 9, 2022

We’re calling it “Welcome Back Sunday,” and we consider it the unofficial launch of our new church Season.  By then, our hot weather will have subsided somewhat, and we’ll begin to see the return of our “snowbird” and seasonal worshipers.  It promises to be a festive day at St. Paul’s. We will be worshiping together in one fantastic service at 10:30 AM, followed by potluck fellowship, a ministry fair, and the directory photo shoot.  You won’t want to miss this Sunday! Our Strategic Planning Consultant, along with the Co-rectors, will be sharing some exciting news about St. Paul’s and our future! We hope you can be a part of it.

Prayer Vigil at the Salton Sea October 10th

Desert AIDS Walk, October 29, 7:30 AM – 1:00 PM, Ruth Hardy Park

Registration starts at 7:30; the Walk will leave the park at 9:00 AM.  Saint Paul’s has supported the Desert AIDS Project for over 30 years, providing donors and board members, and by participating in events. Please join us as part of the Community and register with our team. This year we will also be joined by contingents from St. Margaret’s and St. John’s.  Take Action and walk on Saturday, October 29, 2022. Make an Impact by donating or collecting donations for Desert AIDS Project.  You can also register at desertaidsproject.org or contact George at .  Donations can be made at the information table set up in the Columbarium colonnade outside the church before and after services. Alternatively, you can give online or in the offering plate.  AIDS Walk tee shirts are available for purchase from the Desert AIDS Project for $25.

New Testament I at the EDSD School for Ministry on Zoom this fall.

Online offerings from the Episcopal Diocese of San Diego School for Ministry are currently in transition. This fall, New Testament I will be offered completely online only, via Zoom. David Moseley, PhD will be teaching this course.  He is a much beloved instructor who teaches all scripture classes at the school. The sessions will be held on Monday evenings from 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM, from September 12 to December 5. The link to their website is EDSD: » School for Ministry.  For more information, contact Andrew Trofka at 920.619.6392 or .

Parish Directory Project

Work continues on the update of our member database for a new Parish Directory we plan to publish later this year.  Volunteers are calling parishioners to confirm the contact information we have on file for each household. You can also update your information by completing the form you’ll find inserted in today’s bulletins. Please place your completed form in the basket in the Narthex as you leave today.

The Directory will also include member photographs. We have arranged for a photo shoot on site, after services on Sunday, October 9, to capture informal, outdoor photos of each parishioner. If you won’t be available that day, please contact the Parish Office at 760.320.7488 to learn of alternative options.

Prayers of the Church

For the Anglican Communion, and for the Archbishop of Canterbury, The Most Reverend and Right Honourable Justin Welby; for the Church of Bangladesh, The Most Reverend Paul Sishir Sarkar, Primate.

For the Episcopal Diocese of Delaware, The Rt. Rev. Kevin S. Brown, Bishop.

For the Episcopal Diocese of San Diego, The Rt. Rev. Dr. Susan Brown Snook, Bishop; for the clergy and people of St. Luke’s, San Diego; for Diocesan Institutions and Organizations – The Bishop’s School, Episcopal Community Services, Jubilee Centers.

For those commended to our prayers: Tom O’Mara, Karl, Megan, Gordon Berry, Sr., Betty Dasteel, The Rev. Canon Victoria Hatch, Greg Gowdy, Robin Griffen-McLaughlin, The Rev. Deborah Seles, William Kennedy, Terry Moran, Uta Born, Nicole Phillips, Noble Pereira, Frank Riviers, Geraldine Rosato, David Smitherman, Jeff Peck, Wayne Watson, McLeaman Legg, Woody Wood & Doug Hairgrove, Martin Page, Don & Mary Hamilton, Roy Cody, Gale Enger & George Barros, Tony Ellerd, Josh Brown, Dirk Beach-Barrow, AJ Miller, Jim Randolph, the families and friends of Terry Harrington and Mike Lang, Ryker Alexander, Dick Hoffman, Ron McDaniel, Bonnie Ong, Tom Lutgen, Brian Nealy; pray for all those for whom no prayers have been said.

For those who have died: Jim McCrae, Werner Futterer, Mike Baltazar, Helen & Charles Falconio, Joe Migocki, Terry Harrington, Mike Lang, Marolyn Harvey, Mark Moran. May their souls and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.  Amen.

For those with birthdays: September 11: Michael Stein-Steele; September 12: Gale Enger, Jim Franklin, Tammy Franklin, Maria Greider, The Rev. Lorenzo Lebrija; September 13: Kitty Kieley Hayes, Marie Ratnam, Steven Chacon, Stan Bisho, Joyce Oneko; September 15: Michael Rowley; September 16: Jim Whitten, Alan Hampson; September 17: Gloria Swanson Stansbury.

For those celebrating anniversaries: September 11: Stan Bisho & Craig Coleman.

For those for whom flowers have been donated: Today’s Altar Flowers are sponsored by Dirk Beach-Barrow, in honor of what would have been his and Robert’s 44^th anniversary. Also, in commemoration of this anniversary, Dirk has generously donated several beautiful crystal service vessels for use at baptisms and Holy Communion.

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.stpaulsps.org, and click on “This Week’s Scriptures” in the Worship Services box. From the calendar, select September 18, The Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost.

NOTICE!
More details are forthcoming, but MARK YOUR CALENDARS for the following events at St. Paul’s:

• Sunday, Sept. 18 – Daughters of the King Liturgy of Blessing at the 10:30 service
• Wednesday, Sept. 28, 6:00 PM – Feast of St. Michael & All Angeles (transferred) Evensong
• Sunday, Oct. 2 – Feast of St. Francis – pet blessing
• Sunday, October 16 – dedication and blessing of The Linda Curea Memorial Rodgers Organ

Summer Singers

For our summer Sundays, June 19 through September 25, I invite volunteer singers to join me in the choir “loft” to encourage and support congregational singing during the 10:30 AM liturgy. We will rehearse together Sunday mornings at 9:45, by reviewing the day’s music and singing through the full service. No vestments are required; just dress appropriately for the morning service. Come often or a few times; I would love to have you sing with me! See you at 9:45 in the “loft”!

Canon Phil, Interim Director of Music & Organist

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

Coffee/Social Hour Hospitality

For those wishing to sponsor refreshments for a specific Sunday Coffee Hour, please call or stop by the Parish Office to sign up. All our hospitality procedures and protocols are subject to any CDC guidelines and mandates that Bishop Susan may put into place, depending on prevailing COVID conditions.

The Abundant Life E-List

If you are not a current subscriber to our weekly electronic newsletter, it’s easy to sign up.  Just go to www.stpaulsps.org, scroll down to find “Join Our E-Mail List,” enter your email address – and you’re all set.  You will receive the newsletter each week, usually on Fridays.

If the newsletter ends up in your spam/junk folder, simply add to your email address book.

Episcopal Relief & Development

Episcopal Relief & Development is mobilizing with Anglican agencies and other partners to provide humanitarian assistance to people fleeing the violence in Ukraine. Working through the Action by Churches Together Alliance (ACT Alliance), Episcopal Relief & Development will provide cash, blankets, hygiene supplies and other needed assistance. Please pray for all those affected. To donate directly to Episcopal Relief & Development’s Ukraine Crisis Response Fund, visit  (https://support.episcopalrelief.org/).  If you prefer, you can donate through St. Paul’s Parish.  Be sure to designate “ERD Ukraine” on your check or cash envelope.  To date, donations processed through our church have totaled $1,918.

COVID-19 and Masking at St. Paul’s Update

Please click here to read the latest update regarding masking at St. Paul’s.

The following changes will take effect in our public worship on Sunday May 1, 2022:

+ 8:00AM – vaccine and mask required

+ 10:30AM (& Wednesday nights) – vaccine and mask strongly recommended

In addition to the changes mentioned above, the following will continue:

+ Funerals, which often have many guests from out of state, will be mask required services (we will not check for vaccinations)

+ Ushers, altar ministers, lectors, and clergy will continue to remain masked unless reading, preaching, or celebrating the Eucharist. Staff singers/choir/ensembles will continue to remain masked during the services

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