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Living Hope
Although this week features the traditional “Doubting Thomas” reading, I was touched by the reading from 1st Peter. I actually enjoy the complex sentence structure, perhaps because it is a change from the very simple and direct style I am used to.
The end of each sentence has a prize: Salvation.
The prize at the end is less interesting to me than the means to that end: a living hope.
Living hope that is rooted in the risen Christ is all about relationship and connection. Through this living hope we experience relationship with God and we maintain connection with everyone who shares this hope.
This passage is full of references to the abundant love of God for all of us. Living hope is the space that has been provided for us as a promise of God’s love as we journey between the Resurrection and the consummation of time.
Living hope invites us to rejoice, to praise and glorify God at the same time that we navigate our daily lives. In this way, living hope comes to animate our daily lives and relationships, not just the portion of our lives that we have designated as spiritual.
Join us for Easter worship that celebrates living hope in relationship with Christ’s brothers and sisters.
Fr. Andrew
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1 Peter 1:3-9
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By his great mercy he has given us a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who are being protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you rejoice, even if now for a little while you have had to suffer various trials, so that the genuineness of your faith– being more precious than gold that, though perishable, is tested by fire– may be found to result in praise and glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. Although you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and rejoice with an indescribable and glorious joy, for you are receiving the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
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ECW Schedules May Luncheon
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The May luncheon of the Episcopal Church Women will take place, as usual, on the first Wednesday of the month, May 4. The business meeting begins at 11:30 a.m. followed by a salad luncheon at noon.
Not only will this be the final gathering of the season, but come Fall, the group will veer from “tradition”. The monthly luncheons will move to the first Thursday of the month to accommodate new church scheduling, with the first lunch slated for October 6.
All women of the church are invited to the May event, and newcomers to the parish will be especially welcome. Those attending are asked to bring a favorite salad, rolls, or dessert to serve four; beverages will be provided. Hostess duties will be shared by Trisha Grieco and Karen Strickland.
For additional information, please contact Bette Knutson, (760) 416-5739.
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Douglas Lee Stenzel died on Thursday, April 21st , at his home in Palm Springs after a long illness.
He was baptized at St. Paul’s in 1998, was a faithful worshiper, and served the parish in several capacities. Doug served as a member of the Vestry (the Church Board of Directors), a Lay Eucharistic Visitor, a Lector, and was the Parish Chancellor when he died.
Doug’s funeral will be held on Thursday, May 5th, at 11 a.m. at the Church of St. Paul in the Desert. Please attend the funeral and greet Doug’s family at the reception immediately following.
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“Sundays at 9:15”
THIS Sunday, May 1st, we will kick off a three week Faith Building class in the Library on Peter. The classes begin at 9:15 am each Sunday. Bring a friend, a cup of coffee, and join us in conversation and/or discussion on subjects you have asked for. It’s never too late to join in. We will begin with the three-week series on First Peter, the Epistle readings for the Easter Season this year (Series A):
May 1 1st Peter: Persecution of the Early Christians
May 8 Overview: 1st Peter Easter Readings
May 15 What does 1st Peter say to us today?
This series led by the Rev. Dr. David Abernethy-Deppe.
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 Continuing “Sundays at 9:15”
A new, three week series, “Anglican/Episcopal Tradition” …what does it mean and from whence did we come? Begining on Sunday, May 22nd and continuing on Sunday’s through June 5th, we shall explore our origins and our history. We will use a series of video presentations followed by discussion, which will help us discover where this denomination of ours began and developed as an on-going, growing community of faith. We may not answer all the questions; however, we may increase our ability to live comfortably with ambiguity, led by the Rev’d Canon Victoria Hatch.
There is no need to sign-up for these classes, show up and discover.
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“Thursdays at 7” is the name of our new adult spiritual faith formation group, starting May 12th at 7:00 p.m. in the Library. The topic will be: Paul, The Man and His Mission. Each evening will begin with a half hour DVD presentation by Prof. Bart D. Ehrman, Chair of Religious Studies Dept, University of North Carolina, followed by a guided discussion:
May 12 The Acts of the Apostles
May 19 Paul, the Man, the Mission and Way of Operating
May 26 Paul and the Crises of His Churches
June 2 Pauline Ethics.
This series will be facilitated by Jerry DiNoto.
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2011 Pledges Are Still Needed
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The primary means of financially supporting God’s mission and ministry at St. Paul’s is the personal pledge. It helps the parish leadership anticipate giving so that we can plan staffing and programs.
Many parishioners have not turned in a pledge card for 2011 and are still sending in the pledge amount they sent in during 2010. If you have NOT filled in a pledge card, then we do not have you listed in our numbers as a pledge giver. Contact Valerie, Pledge Secretary, with any changes or questions you may have at valerie.winters@stpaulsps.org.
Pledge forms are available in church, at the Parish office, and on-line. You are invited to make a pledge and let our leadership know that you will be a partner in our ministries this year. Pledges can change if your circumstances change. In fact, we have invited those who have already pledged to raise theirs by $150 annually to fully fund our work this year.
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Desert SOS Dessert Ministry
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 For two weeks the St. Paul’s Dessert Ministry’s hardy souls braved gale-force winds Monday, April 18th and 25th to deliver and serve desserts to 85+ clients of Roy’s Desert Resource Center. Blowing and drifting sand had closed the major routes leading from Palm Springs to the Center, but our steadfast and intrepid team of volunteers found alternative paths to reach their destination. The two groups included; Eileen Borhand, Fred Crawford, Ron Shepherd, Michael Howard, Chuck Marx, Orin Ellingson, Tom Baxley, Chuck Coursey, and Hap Blaisdell. They arrived bearing a variety of donated fruits, cupcakes, ice cream, cookies and other delectable baked foods. Some they bought themselves and some goodies were donated by Mary Lou Feenstra and Valerie Winters.
Anyone interested in donating desserts for this Ministry can leave them in the Parish Hall kitchen before 4:00 p.m., any Monday. The serving team for that evening will collect and deliver them to the Center. Volunteer dessert providers and servers are encouraged to add their names to the sign-up sheets posted on the bulletin board in the Parish Hall. This enables us to know what we need to buy. Questions? Contact Hap at 760.323.5726.
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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 http://www.edsd.org or mail to: Episcopal Diocese of San Diego, 2728 Sixth Ave., San Diego, CA 92103.
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Coffee Hour
 The Host for the 8:00 a.m. Coffee Hour is Jack Moore. The Hosts for the 10:30 a.m. Coffee Hour are Ray and Cheryl Kelley and Kaye and David Clemons.
The 2011 coffee hour sign-up sheets are posted on the north wall at Hogarth Hall. Find an empty slot and fill it with your name. For more information, call Ray Kelley at 760.778.1725.
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The Childrens Choir
 All children age 4 and above are welcome to participate in this group, learning singing skills and providing special music for the 10:30 service several times during the school year. For more information or questions please contact Nathan at 760.320.7488, ext. 225.
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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: bishopmathes@edsd.org, 619-481-5450.
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Newcomers
Are you sure we have your contact information? If you haven’t received any of the latest mailings then we probably don’t have your mailing address. In January we will sending invites for you to join us in a series of Newcomer events that we believe you will find to be informative and enjoyable. We may not have your current address. If you feel this is the case, then please fill out the form in the pew pocket and place it in the plate, give to an usher or you may send your contact information by email to vjwinters@dc.rr.com.
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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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