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The Children’s Crumbs
In the “Political Season,” speakers hope to avoid gaffes or misstatements and their opponents are just waiting to pounce. This situation has become the norm for lots of public speech. There is a tendency to highlight the “nit” that might otherwise be unimportant in the context of a speech or interview.
I was ready to pounce after reading this Sunday’s Gospel.
I don’t know how Jesus would have fared if his encounter with the Syrophoenician Woman had been reported under today’s circumstances. He inferred that she was, because of her origins, a dog. That is what Mark writes. Scholars have several ways of explaining the remark, none of which leave me satisfied.
If I pounce, that means I focus on the slur. There is the problem. When I pounce on the insult, I miss the Good News that the nameless woman brought to her encounter with Jesus.
We don’t know much about her. There is no mention of a man in her life. She had a daughter who was sick and she was desperate for Jesus’ intervention. She was unwilling to be dismissed or sent to the back of the line. She was willing to be a “dog” if it meant her daughter could get a scrap of healing. I admire this woman.
What I infer, following Matt Skinner, is that this woman has a vison of God’s abundance that challenges Jesus. Jesus’ statement implies abundance with limits. Jesus said he needed to tend to his own people first, then to others. She proclaimed that even the children’s crumbs from God’s table were a feast for healing the world.
When we come to the place where we understand that crumbs of blessing are more than sufficient for our needs, we can take the next step. We can believe and proclaim that God’s feast is for all, there is no second seating, and no one just makes do.
Join us this week as we worship and share from God’s table, help us build the community where all are welcome.
Fr. Andrew
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Mark 7:24-37
Jesus set out and went away to the region of Tyre. He entered a house and did not want anyone to know he was there. Yet he could not escape notice, but a woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit immediately heard about him, and she came and bowed down at his feet. Now the woman was a Gentile, of Syrophoenician origin. She begged him to cast the demon out of her daughter. He said to her, “Let the children be fed first, for it is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs.” But she answered him, “Sir, even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.” Then he said to her, “For saying that, you may go– the demon has left your daughter.” So she went home, found the child lying on the bed, and the demon gone.
Then he returned from the region of Tyre, and went by way of Sidon towards the Sea of Galilee, in the region of the Decapolis. They brought to him a deaf man who had an impediment in his speech; and they begged him to lay his hand on him. He took him aside in private, away from the crowd, and put his fingers into his ears, and he spat and touched his tongue. Then looking up to heaven, he sighed and said to him, “Ephphatha,” that is, “Be opened.” And immediately his ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly. Then Jesus ordered them to tell no one; but the more he ordered them, the more zealously they proclaimed it. They were astounded beyond measure, saying, “He has done everything well; he even makes the deaf to hear and the mute to speak.”
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Godly Play returns Sunday, September 23rd
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 St. Paul’s formal Sunday School program starts Sunday 23 September. We seek to make a safe and welcoming place for young children where they are introduced to the gifts of our faith. We use the Godly Play program which presents the principal stories of Holy Scripture with child friendly words and materials. Sunday School is conducted by two adults, Storyteller and Doorkeeper, trained in the Diocese’s Safeguarding God’s People program. The children come from the church to Sunday School in the Parish Hall at 10:30 and return to the church to receive the Holy Communion and rejoin their family and friends. There is also a nursery for the youngest children. Please come have a look at our attractive rooms on the west side of the Parish Hall after the 10:30 Liturgy. Do you have children, grandchildren, nieces or nephews who might enjoy St. Paul’s Sunday School, or know of someone who does? For further information please contact Bonnie Stroock, 760 324-7949, or Michael Howard, 760 323-1050.
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 The Altar Guild Annual Luncheon kicks off the season on Sunday, September 9th, at 1:00 pm at Leon’s at the Desert Princess. Cost is $16 per person, and we will have a “mini menu” to choose from. All Altar Guild members, their spouses and friends, as well as anyone interested in joining the Altar Guild Ministry is invited to attend. Please RSVP to Kathy Kilmer at 760.325.0332 or kmkcc@aol.com. Payment may be made at the luncheon but we would like to have reservations in advance.
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Feasibility Study: Your Opinion Matters
Our diocese is conducting a survey to discern future steps toward a diocesan-wide capital campaign to support the mission plan. This is a great opportunity to give important feedback about plans for the future. The study will be emailed to all members of the diocese and will take approximately 20 minutes to complete. One survey per household, please. Thanks in advance for your participation. If you have any questions about the survey, or the proposed initiatives, visit:
or call Canon Howard Smith at 619-481-5451
or email him: canonsmith@edsd.org.
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New Program at St. Paul’s by the
Older Adult Forum…
“Building Community & Socialization”
3rd Friday Breakfast 9am-10am
Come join us the 3rd Friday of each month to enjoy a great program and have a bite to eat. Our first event will be Friday, September 21st at 9am in the Parish Hall.
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“Sundays at 9:15”
In The Library
9/09 – Judaism: What is Judaism? DVD led by Rick Tinsley
9/16 – Judaism: Stages of History, DVD led by Rick Tinsley
9/23 – Judaism: Jewish Library, DVD led by Rick Tinsley
9/30 – Judaism: Emergence of Rabbinic Judaism, DVD led by Rick Tinsley
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“Thursdays At 7” (Returns)
The Story of Anglicanism
9/06 – Ancient & Medieval Foundations, led by Craig Ewing
9/13 – Reformation & Its Consequences, led by Craig Ewing
9/20 – Creating a Global Family, led by Craig Ewing
9/27 – The Anglican Way of Life, led by Jerry DiNoto
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Keeping the Doors Open at Ahli Hospital in Gaza
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Ahli Hospital has operated since 1882 and continues caring for desperately poor Gazans, even though the United Nations Relief and Works Agency has halted funding. Ahli is operated by the American Friends of the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem, an independent, non-political 501c3 which helps sustain the diocese’s many humanitarian programs. Contributions are tax deductible to the extent permitted by law. Visit http://www.afedj.org to learn about or contribute to their important work which sustains the Christian community.
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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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Calling all interested
Adult Singers
 The choir has saved a place for you! Our first rehearsal will be held on Wednesday, September 19th at 7 PM. The following Saturday will be our all day retreat. For more details, contact Nathan Ensign at 760.320.7488, ext. 225.
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Holy Communion Service for
Local Care Facilities
Holy Communion will be hosted by the Nursing Home Ministry on the second Wednesday of each month at Windsor Court. For September, this will occur on September 12th at 10:15 am. Father Dick Merrill will preside and welcomes assistance from parishioners.
Holy Communion will be hosted by the Nursing Home Ministry on the fourth Tuesday of each month at Premier Health Care. For August, this will occur on
September 25th at 11:00 am. Father Andrew Green will preside and welcomes assistance from parishioners.
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Picture Directories
If you had your picture taken for the directory, there is one reserved for you and it is available in the Narthex, and is available in the church office during regular hours..
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Family and Children’s Ministry Committee
We’ll meet after 10:30 service on September 16th in the Godly Play room. Come and share the joy of working with our children at St. Paul’s.
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Daughters of the King will attend the fall assembly in Oceanside on September 8th. The speaker represents the National Cathedral in Washington. Lunch and Communion are part of the program. Please call Karen Nelson at 760.808.4215 if you want to join us.
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Coffee Hour
Coffee Hour hosts after the 8:00 service are Barry Hagenbuch & Robert Woods. Coffee Hour hosts are still needed for several services the rest of the year. 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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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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Volunteers from St. Paul in the Desert serve dessert to 70-100 homeless men, women and children at Roy’s every Monday evening. The desserts are baked goods and other goodies (store-bought or homemade) from our parishioners. We also deliver socks and undies purchased with donations from or placed in the SOS basket by parishioners. The people who are striving to get back into the main stream deeply appreciate your efforts.
If you would like to participate in this program, you can:
• Sign up to Volunteer
• Write a check to St. Paul’s (marked: SOS Fund)
• Bring new white socks and/or large underwear for the SOS basket
• Put baked goods marked SOS in the right-hand section of the Parish Hall fridge
Please call Hap Blaisdell at 760.323.5726 for additional information and ideas.
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Report Sexual Misconduct.
As part of our ongoing commitment to creating a safe haven for everyone, please remember 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 and to encourage all to report any misconduct. All reported incidents are taken seriously and investigated thoroughly and confidentially. If you believe you have experienced sexual misconduct of any kind, please contact the Rev. Canon Suzann V. Holding immediately: sholding@edsd.org
or 619-481-5452.
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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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