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Celebrate Our Adoption
One of the happenings that this preacher salivates over is the convergence of trends in daily life and theological themes. Too often, I am looking for a connection that is not obvious or creating one that does not register with people.
In our after Christmas Worship this weekend, we hear about Jesus as the Word that was before creation and who became flesh. This is not the convergence. I see it in the 2nd reading from Paul’s Letter to the Christians of Galatia. While Jesus was born as God’s son, God’s purpose was to redeem the rest of us. What we celebrate at Christmas was for our benefit (and the benefit of the whole world) and emphasized the nature of relationship that God chose to establish with each and every one. God chose to adopt each of us into that intimate and divine family of Jesus’ origin.
There have always been adoptions. They are noted in history and there have been studies of the importance of those adopted relationships. In our community and Parish many, perhaps most, of the children coming into the Parish, come through adoption for various reasons. This has made me more attuned to the biblical and theological role that adoption models for Christians.
I remember growing up and hearing about adoption and thinking of it like a disability that someone had. This changed for me when I was 12. I was reading something from the family bookcase. I found pictures of 2 of my siblings with different last names. It turned out that my father had adopted them. (My first hint that life was “complicated.”) This led to lots of conversation over the years, but I remember my brother saying, “I know who my Dad is – Marv Green, and I’m proud to be his son.”
Marv Green chose to redeem a boy and girl and make them a full and complete part of his family. And over their lives, they chose to affirm that family relationship.
We have each been chosen by God to be full and complete members of this divine family of love. We have not been brought in as “hired help” or as slaves, but as heirs with a full share of inheritance.
Christmas is a great time to celebrate our adoption in Christ and to celebrate those loving parents and children who choose to redeem one another and to walk together as family.
Join your adopted brothers, sisters, moms, dads, and Holy Family in worship as we celebrate being chosen as God’s beloved.
Fr. Andrew
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Galatians 3:23-25; 4:4-7
Now before faith came, we were imprisoned and guarded under the law until faith would be revealed. Therefore the law was our disciplinarian until Christ came, so that we might be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer subject to a disciplinarian.
But when the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, in order to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as children. And because you are children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” So you are no longer a slave but a child, and if a child then also an heir, through God.
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The Desert Convocation:
Building a Community of Conversation
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The Right Reverend V. Gene Robinson
January 6-19, 2013
V. Gene Robinson was elected Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of New Hampshire on June 7, 2003. He was consecrated a Bishop on All Saints Sunday, November 2, 2003, and was invested as the Ninth Bishop of New Hampshire on March 7, 2004. Bp. Robinson will preach and preside at all service on January 12-13. He will be featured in “An Evening With Gene Robinson on January 17th at 7 p.m. in the Church. There is no cost and it is open to everyone. On Saturday morning, January 19th the Cultural Center and St. Paul’s will be offering a screening of Bp. Robinson’s movie, “Love Free or Die” at 9:30 a.m.. This will take place at the Camelot Theater. Tickets will be available through St. Paul’s for $10 and online for $12.
Bp Robinson has had to shorten his visit with us because he has been invited to be part of President Obama’s second inauguration.
Click here to view a video on one of Bp. Robinson’s speciql projects, endowing the Chaplaincy of a Women’s Prison in NH.
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Give the Gift of Social Change
Cristosal for Christmas!
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Foundation Cristosal are hands at work in our companion diocese of El Salvador. Help us walk together with our brothers and sisters there. This Christmas, you can give a gift of social justice and social change in honor of someone you care about. The best gift of all is the gift of a better life to those who need it the most. You can give a Christmas gift of lasting impact and meaning by making a contribution to Foundation Cristosal in honor of someone special to you. Cristosal will send a beautiful electronic Christmas card to all you honor indicating that a gift to the Salvadoran people has been made in their name. To donate or for more info: www.cristosal.org/index.php/give-now.
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Ray Cross, husband of Betty Cross, passed away peacefully in his sleep on December 17th at the age of 98. There will be a service for Ray at St. Paul’s on January 19th at 2 p.m.
Cards can be sent to Betty Cross, Wood Glen Hall, Apt. S-16, 3010 Foothill Rd., Santa Barbara, CA. 93105. Her phone contact is 805.770.2455.
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“Sundays at 9:15”
In The Library
The Hebrew Scriptures – The Book of Genesis
12/30 NO CLASS
01/06 Gospel of Luke hosted by David Abernethy-Deppe
01/13 Gospel of Luke hosted by David Abernethy-Deppe
01/20 Gospel of Luke hosted by David Abernethy-Deppe
01/27 NO CLASS – Annual Parish Meeting
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“Tuesdays at 7”
In the Library
Faith & Reason Series: Anselm and Abelard, hosted by Jerry Di Noto & Craig Ewing
12/30 NO CLASS
01/01 NO CLASS
01/08 Anselm’s Proof that God Exists: “I think, therefore God is”
01/15 Anselm on Freedom and the Fall: When Lucifer fell, was he
pushed?
01/22 Abelard on Understanding the Trinity: Hints from Heloise’s Lover
01/29 Abelard on Understanding Redemption: “There, but for the
Grace of …”
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“A Welcoming, Empowering, Supportive”
Ministry!
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Our mission statement calls us to be “a welcoming, empowering and supportive community.” We are currently forming a new ministry at St Pau’s to support that mission. Volunteers are needed from all three services to donate approximately 90 minutes of their time per month. That time is split into 3-30 minute segments: 30 minutes before and 30 minutes after the service you attend, once per month, to support the Welcoming Table located in the Narthex and another 30 minutes a month assisting with name badge organization. If you are able to lend a hand, please contact Mike Funke at 760.-409.0986 or mike.funke@yahoo.com!
Help us live our mission statement!
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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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Emergency Update:
Hurricane Sandy
Episcopal Relief and Development is helping to meet the need.
Your help is urgently needed.
Click here to donate.
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ECW Meeting & Luncheon
. . .will be Thursday, January 3rd! The event begins at 11:30am with the business meeting, followed by the traditional salad luncheon at noon. Newcomers to the parish will be especially welcome. Those attending (except for newcomers) are asked to bring a salad to serve 6-8, rolls/bread, or a dessert. Beverages will be provided. For questions, contact Bette Knutson at 760.416.5739.
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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. The next service will be January 9 at 10:15 am. Father Dick Merrill will preside and welcomes assistance from parishioners.
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Come to Convention!
 All people of the Diocese of San Diego are invited to attend the 39th Annual Diocesan Convention on Friday, Feb. 8 and Saturday, Feb. 9, 2013 at St. Margaret’s, Palm Desert. Especially appropriate for all members is the Friday evening gala dinner at the Hyatt Regency featuring Reggie McNeal as our keynote speaker. Another highlight open to all is the festive Eucharist, featuring a diocesan-wide choir, on Saturday morning and the bishop’s address on Saturday afternoon. For information or to register, please visit: www.edsd.org/diocon2013.
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Volunteers Needed for Diocesan Convention Registration
February 8th from 5-6:30
8 Volunteers are needed to register guests for the Convention Banquet.
The Banquet will be held at the Hyatt Grand Champions Resort in Indian Wells.
The volunteers will assist the Diocesan Staff in registering guests.
The cost of the dinner is $55.00 and the diocese is not able to offer complementary dinners for the volunteers.
Contact Susan Jacob at 760-320-7488 x 227 or susan.jacob@stpaulsps.org to volunteer.
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Daughters of the King
The meeting schedule skips December, but we wish everyone in the parish a wonderful Christmas and a blessed New Year. We’ll continue to pray daily during the holidays. Save the date of January 29th for our next meeting. The Annual Tea and Ingathering will happen in February this year. New members are welcome to join our prayer order. Call Bonnie Stroock at 760.324.7949 for more information.
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Coffee Hour Celebration
Hosts are needed for 2013. To sign up to host a Coffee Hour, please use the binder on the entrance table in the Parish Hall. If you have questions, call 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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Sign Up for Flowers,
Coffee Hour and
Roy’s 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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The 2013 Budget has been revised. Please read and reflect upon it.
Your Input Welcome
Your Vestry would like your input on the 2013 Budget. The Draft Budget is being evaluated and a copy is available here. Share your comments here.
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