The Abundant Life – August 2, 2018

The Abundant Life

August 2, 2018                                                For Sunday, August 5th

Reflections From Victoria Hatch

What comes to mind is the catch phrase that seems to epitomize the gospel reading this week: Adele Davis’ “You are what you eat.” We began the sixth chapter of the gospel of John last week and for the remaining Sundays in August we will continue to read from that chapter of John’s gospel. St. Augustine said it similarly: “You become what you eat.”

Jesus invites us to dig deeper, to look below the surface. The importance of food, of nurture, of God’s constancy is clear. And Jesus is clear that it’s not about the feeding of the 5000; it is about becoming what we eat. Jesus says, ‘’I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.” It is about becoming the Body of Christ, the Church in the world. It is about having faith to step out and be the Church in the world.

It’s not about a passing fancy or, “now and again,” when you feel like it. It is truly about God’s constancy and presence with us, no matter what. It is remembering that when we feel God has left us, we are the ones who have moved away from God – our arrogance in thinking we can do it all on our own. As I have been recovering from my hip replacement, I am reminded time and again that I can’t do it on my own. How do we nurture one another? How do we feed one another with not only physical food but spiritual food? How do we live out our lives as the Body of Christ in the world, day in and day out? It is being nurtured by word and sacrament, being fed by the community, recognizing our need for that community. It is about remembering who we are and to whom we belong.

Who feeds us and who do we feed?

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Featured Scripture

John 6:24-35

The next day, when the people who remained after the feeding of the five thousand saw that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they themselves got into the boats and went to Capernaum looking for Jesus.

When they found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him, “Rabbi, when did you come here?” Jesus answered them, “Very truly, I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For it is on him that God the Father has set his seal.” Then they said to him, “What must we do to perform the works of God?” Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.” So they said to him, “What sign are you going to give us then, so that we may see it and believe you? What work are you performing? Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’” Then Jesus said to them, “Very truly, I tell you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” They said to him, “Sir, give us this bread always.”

Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.”

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FAITH BUILDING

Sundays at 9:15 AM in the Library

The Episcopal Cafè 

Tuesdays at 7 PM in the Library

Hospitality Ministry

We hope you will join us for coffee and conversation in the Parish Hall after either service on Sunday.

There are many upcoming opportunities for you to sponsor a Sunday Coffee Hour after either the 8:00 AM or 10:30 AM service. The sign-up notebook is on the table as you enter the Parish Hall.

WANTED:

Parish Life Hospitality Coordinators – If you enjoy planning and managing social events, we’d like to talk to you! We’re currently seeking volunteers to help coordinate our after-service hospitality on Sundays. Partnering with the Sexton, volunteers will provide oversight to ensure adequate host presence and suitable refreshments following the 8:00 AM and 10:30 AM services. Questions? Please contact Fred Ross at (415) 710-9180 or email Fredeross@comcast.net. (NOTE TO ALL: Donated food items suitable for Sunday hospitality are always welcome. Please deliver your contributions to the Parish Hall kitchen.)

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In the Fire Zone

An update message regarding the emergency evacuation of St Hugh’s in Idyllwild:

“Thank you, St. Paul-in-the-Desert, for your gracious response, prayers, and support for St. Hugh’s Parish during the recent emergency fire evacuation. We are truly grateful! Our beloved church is still standing. Fr. Dan and Deacon Patricia continue to check on the safety and well-being of our members and others in the aftermath of the evacuation. We are also grateful for the supportive responses and prayers from our Diocese and from the other Episcopal Churches in the surrounding Mission Areas. As of this writing, the only access to and from Idyllwild is via CA-243. The residents of Mountain Center and parts of Gardner Valley are still under evacuation orders. Please continue to hold St Hugh’s and all of the communities affected by the fires in your prayers.”

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The Parades/Special Events Team

The Parades/Special Events Team is an outreach ministry which assists in making St. Paul’s visible at the various parades and special events scheduled in the community throughout the year. Last year, St. Paul’s participated in PRIDE, Veterans and Black History parades as well as the Neighborhoods Fair in Palm Springs. New Team members are needed to assist in keeping our community presence active and growing. Planning meetings take place the last Wednesday of the month at 7:00 pm in the Library. For more information or to volunteer to be on the Team, please call Jerry Di Noto, in the office at 760.320.7444.

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Circle Suppers

If you are NOT currently participating in our small group potluck suppers known as Circle Suppers, now is your chance to join.  All current participants will be assigned to new groups this year; our goal is to expand the number of people you will meet at Circle Suppers.  These potluck groups have been a great success and we look forward to growing the number of participants.  New groups will be formed on August 23, 2018, so be sure to sign up right away.  You’ll be happy you did!  (Sign-up forms are in the Narthex and the Parish Hall.) 

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Eucharistic Visitor Training

Training for new Eucharistic visitors will occur on Saturday, August 25, 8:30 AM – 2:00 PM. If you’re interested in administering the Eucharist to those who are homebound or in a care facility, this one-day training session is for you. The Episcopal Church recognizes that some members cannot attend church to participate in the Holy Eucharist. The ministry of the Eucharistic Visitor (EV) makes the Eucharist available to them. This class will teach you the art and history of Eucharistic Visiting. (Successful completion of the class is required to be licensed by the diocese.)  The cost is $20; handouts and lunch will be provided. Please contact Alyson Terry at aterry@edsd.org or (619) 481-5454, if you have any questions.  The training venue will be All Souls’ Episcopal Church, San Diego. To register, contact Alyson Terry or Br. John (brjohncharles@gmail.com).

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Parish Life Book Club

Parish Life Book Club meets on the first Tuesday each month at 1 PM in the Library and new members are always welcome. On September 3, 2018, Book Club has selected Ordinary Grace by William Kent Krueger. In the summer of 1961 tragedy befalls a Minnesota family and a thirteen-year-old boy finds himself thrust into adulthood. It is a novel about discovering the price of wisdom and the enduring grace of God. Book Club is a group of people who enjoy reading and talking about the books they read. For more information please contact Alan Zimmerman at alanzimmerman@icloud.com. 

The Palm Springs Library has 1 book and 1 audiobook to loan.

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Buy Your Tickets for Godspell and Benefit Refugees

St. Luke’s North Park is proud to present a special one-night performance of the musical “Godspell” as its inaugural Refugee Benefit Concert on Friday, September 7 at 7:00 PM at St. Paul’s Cathedral (2728 Sixth Ave, San Diego). All proceeds from this event will benefit St. Luke’s job development work with the Sudanese and Congolese refugee communities of San Diego. Based on the Gospel according to Matthew, “Godspell” is the first musical theatre offering from composer Stephen Schwartz who went on to write such well-known hits as Wicked, Pippin, and Children of Eden. (You can buy your tickets online at stlukesnorthpark.org/godspell.) Purchase includes a $50 tax-deductible donation to St. Luke’s.  Read more here

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Save the Date!

Saturday, September 15th, 11:00 AM to 7:00 PM

St. Phillip’s Lemon Grove & The Episcopal Diocese of San Diego invite you to the 3rd Annual Latino/Hispanic Heritage Celebration at the Church, located at 2660 Hardy Drive, Lemon Grove, CA 91945. There will be cuisine, games, La Loteria Electoral (raffle), bounce house, Aztec Dancers, Mariachi, Art Displays, Carousels and a DJ. For more information, contact Joe Gamboa at gamboa2@cox.net.

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Report Clergy Misconduct
 
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 incidences are taken seriously and investigated thoroughly and confidentially. If you believe you have experienced misconduct of any kind, please contact John Seitman, 858-793-4555 or Equilla Luke, 760-583-0485.

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Compassionate Care Task Force

Our diocesan task force on compassionate care for victims of clergy sexual misconduct seeks to connect with those who have experienced misconduct. If you have reported clergy sexual misconduct and have information about the reporting or post-reporting experience that could be helpful to their work, please refer to the task force members, all of whom are listed on the diocesan website: Task-Force. Information on how to report misconduct is available here.

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Church Office Hours

The Parish Office hours have changed for the summer. From Memorial Day, the Parish Office will be closed on Friday afternoons, beginning at 11:30 AM and will be unavailable for walk-in business. These hours will remain in place through the Labor Day weekend.

If you call on Monday when we are closed to the public, please leave a message.  In case of an emergency, a priest will return your call.

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Print a copy of The Abundant Life?

Print a copy

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Sunday Worship Childcare
 
Childcare is available for both the 8:00 a.m. and the 10:30 a.m. services.

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Bullying Behavior Not Welcome Here
 
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 because of our understanding of what it means to follow Jesus.  Please let Jesus’ command to love your neighbor as yourself be your guide.
 
“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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The Church of St. Paul in the Desert

Local: 760.320.7488   //  Fax: 760.416.2441
Email: clergy@stpaulsps.org  Website: http://www.stpaulsps.org

125 West El Alameda

Palm Springs, California 92262