The Abundant Life – August 30, 2018

The Abundant Life

August 30, 2018                                     For Sunday, September 2nd

From the Rector

Listen, Worship, Act – Repeat.

The Book of Deuteronomy is full of repetition. It repeats important parts of God’s teaching to the people of Israel as they are liberated from oppression under Pharaoh in Egypt and prepare to enter the promised land. This week’s portion, chosen because of the reference to neither adding nor taking away from the commandments given by God, is about the importance of remembering what God has done.

As Christians, we are called to remember as well. We remember and repeat traditions that have nourished generations. We listen, worship, and act – over and over – as a way of remembering what is most important, what is vital to our life of faith.

Each week we listen to Scripture from a Lectionary that allows us to hear an abundance of the stories and teachings of the Bible. Sermons are generally about these scriptures and connecting them to our daily lives. More generally, as listeners we may find connections with the challenges of faithful people in other eras and be aware that God continues to reach out to us, today.

Our worship on Sunday is built around the celebration of Holy Communion. We all come to worship from different lives and circumstances and in the process of worshiping, our community is regenerated. The Scripture, the sermon, and our prayers each gather this community to give thanks to God. All the gifts we bring, including and especially ourselves, are offered to God with intercession, thanks, and praise. We receive and share God’s response in the Bread and Wine of Holy Communion. Receiving this Communion, as our worship begins to conclude, points us out or back into the world from which we came.

We act. Our listening to the Scripture and our regeneration as the community of faith through worship call us to action. The question before each of us as we leave worship is this: “What is God calling me to do, today, as a follower of Jesus?”

Join us as we listen, worship and act this week, as God calls us to love the world in Jesus’ name.

Fr. Andrew

Featured Scripture

Deuteronomy 4:1-2, 6-9 (NRSV)

So now, Israel, give heed to the statutes and ordinances that I am teaching you to observe, so that you may live to enter and occupy the land that the Lord, the God of your ancestors, is giving you. You must neither add anything to what I command you nor take away anything from it, but keep the commandments of the Lord your God with which I am charging you. You must observe them diligently, for this will show your wisdom and discernment to the peoples, who, when they hear all these statutes, will say, “Surely this great nation is a wise and discerning people!” For what other great nation has a god so near to it as the Lord our God is whenever we call to him? And what other great nation has statutes and ordinances as just as this entire law that I am setting before you today? But take care and watch yourselves closely, so as neither to forget the things that your eyes have seen nor to let them slip from your mind all the days of your life; make them known to your children and your children’s children.

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A Death in the Parish

Long time parishioner, Gary Piper, died August 6. Many will remember Gary as a frequent lector at our 10:30 Sunday services. Gary’s funeral service will be held Friday, September 14th, at 11 AM. His remains will be placed in St. Paul’s Columbarium. There will be a reception following in the Parish Hall. All parishioners are welcome to attend.

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FAITH BUILDING

Sundays at 9:15 AM in the Library

The Episcopal Cafè 

Our Adult Faith Building Classes on Tuesdays will be on hiatus for the month of August. 

Sunday School News

St. Paul’s Sunday School is offered at the 10:30 worship service the first three Sundays of the month from September through June. It seeks to make asafe, happy, welcoming place for children where the Church’s gifts of grace may assist in their positive formation. Sunday School is conducted by two adults trained in the Diocese’s Safeguarding God’s People program. The children enter the church in the procession, then go to the Sunday School rooms in the Parish Hall, and then return to the church to receive Communion with family and friends. The fourth Sunday of the month our children participate in the worship service by reading lessons and prayers, serving at the altar, and/or singing choral works. Do you have children or grandchildren who might enjoy St. Paul’s Sunday School, or know of someone who does? For further information please contact Michael Howard, 760-323-1050.

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Hospitality Ministry

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

Robert Woods & Barry Hagenbuch are hosting coffee hour.

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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Summer Help for the Homeless

This year’s heat will likely linger into the fall, meaning it’s time again for our annual hot weather outreach to those on the streets. This year, the Social Justice Committee is asking your help in buying and distributing sunscreen, lip balm, sun visors, sun glasses and other hot weather essentials to those in need. Please consider a generous contribution to this outreach, which has already served hundreds this summer. Simply drop your donation or check payable to St. Paul’s into the collection plate and write “Social Justice” in the memo section.

Contact Lena Granet at 760-322-2179 for more information.

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Are You Concerned About Gun Violence?

Then consider taking action! “Living Without Fear” is a joint initiative of St. Paul’s, St. Margaret’s Palm Desert and St. John’s Indio focused on raising awareness of gun violence and educating our community on ways to reduce it. The task force is seeking new members to help organize symposia, petitions and other action. If this is a cause you care about, please come, find out what’s needed and take a stand. Contact Gary Scott at gkscott2000@gmail.com for more information.

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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.

Parish Tee-Shirts are available in the Office. Cost– $10
 

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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. For 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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Music Tour in Spain

Our “Vacation Organist” at St. Paul’s, Meg Irwin-Brandon, invites you to join a small-group tour for aficionados of the organ in Spain, October 23rd – November 2nd. Private visits to historic organs in churches and cathedrals, Salamanca, Tordesillas, Valladolid and more. Contact Meg for more information: 413-285-6881.

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Have you chosen not to report clergy sexual misconduct?

The task force for the compassionate care of victims of clergy sexual misconduct would like to hear from you. We wish to understand better the choice not to report, from those who have made such a choice. Please contact the Rev. Paige Blair-Hubert at 858-755-1616 x 101 or pblair@stpetersdelmar.net or visit edsd.org/task-force to connect with other members. We are committed to protecting your confidentiality and will share only what you give us express permission to share anonymously. Thank you, in advance, for helping us do our work. Please keep us in your prayers as the diocesan convention approaches and we prepare to offer our report and recommendations.

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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