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If You Are…
Testing and temptation is what the first weekend in Lent is all about, because they are critical to our relationship with God. Jesus is tested and tempted in the wilderness, and we are being invited to pay closer attention to the tests and temptations in our own lives as we look for spiritual growth between now and Easter.
In our Gospel reading, the Devil places these tests before Jesus. He handles them and admonishes the Devil by means of the scripture that has nurtured him since he was a child.
The real test presented to Jesus is not simply about the three examples reported by Matthew: miracle working, avoidance of pain and suffering, and worldly power. Jesus’ rebukes show that it is about relationship. And the critical test is about Jesus’ relationship with his father – God. Several commentators point readers to the verse immediately preceding this week’s reading. Following his baptism, God is saying to Jesus, “You are my beloved son.” In our reading, the Devil begins the first two tests with these words, “If you are the son of God.”
Jesus does not respond to the temptation to doubt his relationship with God. He responds confidently to each test from the security of his connection with God. He seems to know that he is beloved and is able to dispatch each test, and eventually the Devil, by relying on his awareness of what God expects of him. He is nourished by God’s word so it can’t be used against him.
The church teaches that we have been made children of God by baptism. We are beloved by God, just as Jesus was. What if our observance of Lent focused consciously on our relationship with the God who called us into being, who has called US beloved children? What if we looked at every test or temptation and at every personal Lenten practice from the confident position of one who is baptized, one who is beloved by God, and of one whose choices must honor being baptized and loved?
Instead of hoping we don’t fail when facing temptation, what if we turned the tables on temptation and defeat? What if we faced everything knowing that we are loved and would judge how every test or temptation might reduce or enlarge our perception of that love and our relationship with God? I believe our lives would change and become more like Jesus’.
Join in worship this week with a community that understands we are loved by God and practices with each other so that we live out that love.
Fr. Andrew
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Matthew 4:1-11
After Jesus was baptized, he was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. He fasted forty days and forty nights, and afterwards he was famished. The tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.” But he answered, “It is written,
‘One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.'”
Then the devil took him to the holy city and placed him on the pinnacle of the temple, saying to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down; for it is written,
‘He will command his angels concerning you,’ and ‘On their hands they will bear you up, so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.'”
Jesus said to him, “Again it is written, ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.'”
Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor; and he said to him, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.” Jesus said to him, “Away with you, Satan! for it is written,
‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him.'”
Then the devil left him, and suddenly angels came and waited on him.
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Passing the Peace – An Invitation
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 The exchange of peace is an ancient ritual grounded in reconciliation and maintenance of relationship for those long separated. Sometimes we envision it as if it is the way we welcome new worshipers. However, our practice, while warm and friendly, seems directed to renewing current acquaintances. None of this is bad, but I would invite you to try a different approach.
At the time of the peace, look around. Identify a person or couple you do not know, and exchange the peace with them. Let them know you are sincerely glad that you are together for worship. Pay particular attention to those who are sitting away from others.
A gentle handshake should be sufficient, as a full-on bear hug might be unwelcome.
Save most, if not all the familiar greetings for the Coffee Hour.
Let me know how it feels and if we are becoming more welcoming of the stranger.
Fr. Andrew
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Faith Building: Sunday Mornings
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Faith Building Class: Thinking Globally, Acting Locally” – Dramatic Changes in Global Christianity
 We are pleased to have the Rev. F. Dean Lueking lead our Sunday Morning program for four weeks in March. Pastor Lueking and his wife, Beverly, have engaged Christians from many countries around the world to learn about the state of Global Christianity. The result was his twelfth published book, Through Their Eyes, A People’s View of the Global Church. Dr. Lueking’s class will be based on this book. Copies of the book will be on sale following each service and in the Parish Office for $20.00.
Pastor Lueking is a Lutheran Pastor from River Forest, Il. He was ordained in 1954 and served Grace Church, River Forest for 44 years. Since his retirement in 1998, he has been the Pastor Emeritus. He earned a Ph.D. from the University of Chicago in 1960.
He and Beverly have been married since 1954 and have begun spending part of each winter in the Coachella Valley. (Click here for his full Curriculum Vitae.)
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Gus Frouws
Died 2/21/2014
Funeral services are scheduled for March 22nd at 11:00 am.
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Thomas R. Paling
February 4, 1959 –
February 7, 2014
Interred at St. Paul’s,
February 15, 2014
Please keep his partner
Michael Chacon in your prayers.
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“Sundays at 9:15”
In The Library
Thinking Globally, Acting Locally:
Dramatic Changes in Global Christianity.
We are pleased that the Rev. F. Dean Lueking will lead our Sunday morning program March 9, 16, 23, and 30. Pastor Lueking and his wife, Beverly, have engaged Christians from many countries around the world to learn about the state of Global Christianity. The result is his twelfth book, Through Their Eyes, A People’s View of the Global Church, which will be the basis of the class. Copies are on sale following each service and in the parish office for $20.00. Lueking was ordained as a Lutheran pastor in 1954 and served Grace Church, River Forest, for 44 years. Since his retirement in 1998, he has been the Pastor Emeritus. He earned a Ph.D. from the University of Chicago in 1960. He and Beverly have been married since 1954 and have begun spending part of each winter in the Coachella Valley.
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“Tuesdays at 7”
In The Library
Jesus and the Gospels – a continuation of the DVD series by Luke Timothy Johnson. Hosted by David Abernethy-Deppe.
3/11 The Starting Point – The Resurrection Experience
3/18 The Matsrix – Symbolic World of Greek and Jew
3/25 Parallels – Stories of Greek and Jewish Heroes
4/01 The Context – Jesus in the Memory of the Church
4/08 Earliest Stages – Paul and the Oral Tradition
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Roy’s Desert Resource Center
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Volunteers needed for Roy’s Desert Resource Center! St. Paul’s is expanding its outreach to the men, women and children of Roy’s, one of the Coachella Valley’s largest transitional living facilities for the homeless. New volunteers are needed to assist in our continuing Monday night dessert service to Roy’s residents, as are baked goods, used clothing, and donations to our Roy’s “SOS” fund. We are also looking for new volunteers willing to assist residents as they visit the on-site “God’s Closet” clothing repository. We are hoping to a have “team” together for this new program by early April. We expect to have additional volunteer needs as we expand our ministry over the next few months, and encourage everyone with a little time to spare to join us in this opportunity for service and fellowship. For more information, contact Chris Kelly at 760.406.2978. We would love to hear from you!
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As part of our ongoing commitment to creating a safe haven for everyone, our diocese trains people in the prevention of misconduct and encourages all to report misconduct. All reported incidents are taken seriously and investigated thoroughly and confidentially. If you believe you have experienced misconduct of any kind, please contact the John Seitman, at jseitman@pacbell.net or 858-793-4426.
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Bullying Behavior Not Welcome Here
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At St. Paul in the Desert we 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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“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 Paul’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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Episcopalians Against Gun Violence
. . . is an ad-hoc group of bishops, clergy and lay people disseminating information about Episcopalians who are working, collectively and individually, to curb gun violence. For further information, click here.
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CHURCH OFFICE HOURS
Please observe that the office is not open for walk-ins on Mondays. If you call, please leave a message. In case of emergencies, a priest will return your call.
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SOCIAL JUSTICE WISDOM
“The Roots of Violence: Wealth without work, Pleasure without conscience, Knowledge without character, Commerce without morality, Science without
humanity, Worship without sacrifice, Politics without principles.” Mahatma Ghandi
Social Justice Ministry meets Thursday, March 13th, at 7pm in St. Paul’s library.
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PLEDGE UPDATE
Currently, there are 172 pledges, for a projected income of $332,564, that have been received for the ministry of St Paul in the Desert in 2014. Offering envelopes can be picked up in the parish office.
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FAMILY AND CHILDREN’S MINISTRY OUTING
…will meet at the Coachella Valley Preserve parking lot off Thousand Palms Road on Saturday, March 22nd, at 1:30pm. Contact Bonnie Stroock at 760.324.7949 or Michael Howard at 760.323.1050.
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LUNCH WITH
BISHOP MATHES
A Lunch with our Bishop will take place at 12:30 PM on Sunday, April 6th at Temple Isaiah, 332 W Alejo, Palm Springs. Tickets are $10 and will be sold after each worship service or in the Parish office through Sunday, March 30th. Don’t miss this opportunity to hear from our Bishop, James Mathes.
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A Taizé Service
. . . is held on the first Thursday of the month. Currently the service schedule is March 6th and April 3rd at 7:00 pm.
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The Annual Parish Spaghetti Dinner
and
ECW Bake Sale
. . . are on the horizon! It will held in the Parish Hall on Saturday, March 22nd from 5-7 PM. Tickets are on sale after each worship service, each Sunday through March 16th, and in the Parish Office until the event.
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MUSIC OF J. S. BACH
. . . and His Boys for Violin and Harpsichord, played on period instruments by the eminent Dutch violinist, Jaap Schroeder and harpsichordist, Margaret Irwin-Brandon will be presented Sunday, March 23rd, at 2:30pm in the Parish Hall. A reception to meet the artists will follow and a suggested donation of $20 is requested. Contact Nathan Ensign at 760.320.7488 ext 225.
Click here for more details
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HOLY COMMUNION
SERVICE
FOR
LOCAL CARE FACILITIES
Holy Communion at Windsor Court, 201 South Sunrise Way, Palm Springs, is hosted by the Nursing Home Ministry on the second Wednesday of the month, next, on March 12th, at 10:15am. The Presiding Priest always welcomes assistance from parishioners.
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SPIRITUAL REFLECTION RETREAT AT
CAMP STEVENS
Do you need a weekend of spiritual reflection and Christian company in a beautiful, natural setting? Camp Stevens in Julian offers a Women’s Retreat on March 28th -30th. For more information go to the website for Camp Stevens: www.campstevens.org/adult.
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COFFEE HOUR CELEBRATION
Please join us for Coffee Hour today in the Parish Hall. The hosts after the 8:00 and 10:30 services are are John and Lucinda Hampson.
You may sign up to host a Coffee Hour by using the binder at the entrance to the Parish Hall. There are lots of opportunities in 2014. If you have questions, call Ray or Cheryl Kelley at 760.778.1725.
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PRAYER SHAWL MINISTRY
Bishop Mathes has invited us to create Prayer Flags to explore and express prayer through fabric, color, words, and thoughts. Prayer Flags are a universal symbol of peace, love, and compassion. They will be displayed at convention, February 21st & 22nd, and at dedication festivities for our first Diocesan Center. Prayer Shawl Ministry would appreciate offerings of embellishments for the flags, such as ribbons, buttons, fabric scraps, beads, fabric paint and permanent markers.
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THE CHILDREN’S CHOIR
. . .every Wednesday at 6pm in the Choir Room. All children age 4 and above are invited to participate in this activity learning musical skills while having fun and assisting in the congregation’s worship. For more information please contact Nathan Ensign at 760.320.7488 ext 225.
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Our Partnership
with
Katherine Finchy
Elementary School
. . . continues through our donations of classroom supplies. Please take a blue classroom supply wish list, available from the ushers, (or view and print), to use when you go shopping. Please place your donations in the basket marked “Katherine Finchy Elementary” located in the Narthex. You may also bring your purchased supplies to the Church Office during business hours. If you are unable to shop, but would like to help financially, please make your check out to “St. Paul in the Desert” and write “Katherine Finchy” on the memo line.
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At the
Church of St. Paul
in the Desert
. . . we welcome all worshipers to a place free of violence, bullying, and abuse. Physical, verbal or emotional violence against others or against oneself is not acceptable because of our understanding of what it means to follow Jesus. Please let Jesus’ command to love your neighbor as yourself be your guide.
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