The Abundant Life – April 18, 2024

Fairly New to St. Paul?

Or perhaps been here awhile but want to know more?

You’re invited to a Newcomers’ Class on Sunday, April 28th at 9AM between services in the library. This is a chance to get to know a bit more about this wonderful church, learn about what it means to become a member, and ask all the questions you’ve ever dreamed of.

Lots Happening Around the Campus!

Thanks to the Security Grant, the alarm system and lighting have been going in all week (did you hear the drilling from your home?). Very exciting! Click here for pics.

Like to sing and want to do so a few times before “summer break”?

We plan on having the choir sing on Pentecost (May 19) and on the Bishop’s Visit (June 2). Rehearsals will continue as usual, Thursdays 5:45 PM and Sundays after the 10:30 postlude, through the first week in June. If you know of congregation members or friends of St. Paul who live full time in Palm Springs and might be interested in singing with us, please invite them. Any questions? Please reach out to musicdirector@stpaulsps.org

What is Confirmation?

The sacramental rite in which candidates “express a mature commitment to Christ, and receive strength from the Holy Spirit through prayer and the laying on of hands by a bishop (Book of Common Prayer, p. 860 ). Those who were baptized at an early age and those baptized as adults without laying on of hands by a bishop are expected to make a mature public affirmation of their faith, recommit themselves to the responsibilities of their baptism, and receive laying on of hands by a bishop (BCP, p. 412). Adults baptized with the laying on of hands by a bishop are considered to be confirmed. The Episcopal Church’s theology of Confirmation has continued to evolve along with its understanding of baptism. Confirmation is no longer seen as the completion of Christian initiation, nor is Confirmation a prerequisite for receiving Holy Communion. Baptism is full initiation by water and the Holy Spirit into Christ’s body the church (BCP, p. 298). Accordingly, Confirmation has been increasingly understood in terms of a mature, public reaffirmation of the Christian faith and baptismal promises. Some dioceses require that candidates for Confirmation be at least sixteen years old to ensure that the candidates are making a mature and independent affirmation of their faith. There is considerable diversity of understanding and practice concerning Confirmation in the Episcopal Church. Confirmation has been characterized as “a rite seeking a theology.”

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You’ve heard of the Alpha Course (Intro to Christianity 101), but have you heard of the Omega Course? This offering will explore what the shape of the Church could be in the future if it recovers the Wisdom/Perennial/Mystical tradition which grounded it in the past. Using the thought of medieval and modern mystics and other progressive theologians, we will attempt to deconstruct the Christian understanding of major topics in systematic theology (God, the Christ, the Church, etc.) and imagine what Christian faith might look like in the light of a 21st understanding of the world. The course takes its inspiration from quotes from two major religious figures, +John Shelby Spong “Christianity must change or die” and Karl Rahner, S.J. “The Christian of the future will be a mystic or [s]he will not exist at all.”

Movie Night

Saturday April 20th, 2024 at 7:30PM in the St. Paul’s Parish Hall Theater

“The New World”

Director Terrence Malick’s take on the story of Pocahontas, John Smith, and the founding of Jamestown is one of his most fully realized works, a poetic meditation on love, colonialism, and the eternal duel between civilization and nature. Upon arriving in the New World, Smith (Colin Farrell) is sentenced to death for mutinous behavior but is pardoned by Captain Christopher Newport (Christopher Plummer), then captured by natives and once again has his life spared, this time by young Pocahontas (Q’orianka Kilcher). Smith soon falls in love with her and wins the trust of her tribe, but violent conflict between the English settlers and the region’s natives seems all but fated. Emmanuel Lubezki’s swirling camera captures the majesty and sensuality of the natural world, yielding an enthralling epic that’s both historical and metaphysical.

Compassion Knows No Borders

Come! see! and experience! a compassionate humanitarian response to asylum seekers at the nearby USA border crossing at Calexico/Mexicali. Sponsored by Latino Ministry and the vibrant ministries of peace, justice, and mercy, join us along with Rev. Dan Kline for the day on Saturday, April 27 as we sojourn to the Cobina Posada Del Migrante, a shelter for 80-175 individuals and family members, in Mexicali.

We’ll depart at 6:30 am sharp from St. Paul’s parking lot and return at approximately 5:30 pm. A valid passport or passport card is required. Visit www.border-compassion.org for more detailed information about this vital and timely ministry. Information for our “crossover” and sign-up are available at the Connections table or by contacting Andrew Trofka at 323-786-2523 or email at andrewtrofka@gmail.com

Daughters of The King

In case you missed it, Michelle Hathaway was admitted to the Daughters of the King (DOK) this past Sunday. Congratulations, Michelle!

Parish Book Club

St. Paul’s Book Club will meet again on Tuesday, May 7, 2024, at 2:00 PM via Zoom. Meeting access details will follow. The transition back to Zoom is a bit sooner than anticipated because many folks are returning early. For May, Book Club has selected James by Percival Everett. “From Percival Everett-a recipient of the NBCC Lifetime Achievement Award and finalist for the Pulitzer Prize, Booker Prize, and numerous PEN awards-comes James, a retelling of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, both harrowing and ferociously funny, told from the enslaved Jim’s point of view.

When Jim,“James” overhears that he is about to be sold to a man in New Orleans, separated from his wife and daughter forever, he decides to hide on nearby Jackson Island until he can formulate a plan. Meanwhile, Huck Finn has faked his own death to escape his violent father, recently returned to town. Brimming with the electrifying humor and lacerating observations that have made Everett a “cult literary icon” (Oprah Daily), and one of the most decorated writers of our lifetime, James is destined to be a major publishing event and a cornerstone of twenty-first century American literature.”

Prayers of the Church

For the Anglican Communion, and for the Archbishop of Canterbury, The Most Reverend and Right Honourable Justin Welby; for The Anglican Church of Australia, The Most Reverend Geoffrey Martyn Smith, Archbishop and Primate.

For the Episcopal Diocese of The Dominican Republic, The Right Reverend, Moisés Quezada Mota, Bishop.

For the Episcopal Diocese of San Diego, The Right Reverend Dr. Susan Brown Snook, Bishop; for Earth Day and the care of all creation; for those participating in the EDSD Creation Care Playday.

For those commended to our prayers: Mark Austin, Jill & Robert Philbrook, Richard Osuna, Eliott Kahn, Delores Swanson, Debbie, Nuan Pan, Antoinette, John, Zadaiya, Jacob Parshall, Henry Black, Frank Stahl, Stan Kolodzi, Leah Drake, Ralph Bise, Carmen Vasquez, Robert Timberlake, Rosa Zingg, Lydia, Oliver, Mary Hildebrandt, Daniel Garcia, George Barros, Andy Johnson, Robby Robinson, Michael Chacon, Teri Whitmer, Marsha Myers, Scott Jones, Bobby Brock, Stacy Solomon, Ken Spaetti, Kylie Smith, Lucinda Hampson, David Crandall, Dana Gunning, Mark Austin, Jim Crumby, Terry Garrity, Rus Butler, Joe Christopher, Hap Blaisdell, David Valenzuela, Amelia Grinstead, Chloe Grace Wilson Barton, Marilyn De Silva Currie, Jamie Currie, Greg Gowdy, Tom Lutgen; pray for all those for whom no prayers have been said.

For those who have died: Mark Levin, Gwendolyn Walton, Roger Senter, Donald Rimac, Nicole Rimac, Peter Rimac, Judy Hampton, Jeanne Holland, Gary Dahl, Marvin Williams, Frances Williams. Rest eternal grant to these, your servants, O Lord, and let light perpetual shine upon them. May their souls and the souls of all the faithful departed rest in peace. Amen.

For those with birthdays: April 21: Penelope Lamont, William Kennedy; April 22: Nick Bonnell, Michael Patino; April 23: Sophie Olson, Amy Hardwick, Navin Hemrajani; April 25: Gary Hiatt, John Sanders, Terrence Marguet; April 26: Oliver Ealy-Zingg; April 27: Peter Florstedt.

For those celebrating their anniversary: April 21: Helen & Thomas Amestoy.

For those for whom flowers have been donated: Today’s Altar Flowers are sponsored by Vern Marken & Luis Valdez, in memory of Thomas Zecchini and Michael Lang.

Send us your Prayer Requests via email — You may request prayers, “For those commended to our prayers” or “For those who have died,” by sending requests to registrar@stpaulsps.org. The weekly print deadline is Wednesday noon.

For next Sunday’s Lectionary readings, go to www.lectionarypage.net and click on April 28, the Fifth Sunday of Easter.

Upcoming Meetings & Events at St Paul’s

• Sunday, April 21 – Easter IV – Confirmation Class & and Omega Class – Between services
• Monday, April 22 – 6:30 PM – Earth Day screening of the movie “Common Ground” – Palm Desert High School Performing Arts Center, Palm Desert
• Tuesday, April 23 – Daughters of the King – 1:30 PM, Closed Meeting for members; 2:00 PM, Open Meeting; Noonday prayer and discussion for all interested women – Parish Hall Conference Room
• Wednesday, April 24 – 4:00 PM – Human Resources Committee
• Saturday, April 27 – Latino Ministry – Mexicali sojourn – “Compassion Knows No Borders”
• Saturday, April 27 – DOK Spring Assembly – Screening of Philadelphia Eleven – La Mesa
• Sunday, April 28 – Easter V – Newcomers’ Class – 9AM-10:15AM – Between services
• Sunday, April 28 – 1:00 PM Vestry meeting
• Sunday, May 5 – Migration Sunday
• Sunday, May 19 – Mark your calenedar for Pentecost!

Stay Connected

Sunday Service LiveStreaming

We are livestreaming our 10:30 AM Sunday Eucharist every week. You can view the livestream on our Home Page, YouTube Channel, and Facebook Page.

Missed a service?  Or want to rewatch a liturgy? All our past services are available to watch either on our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/StPaulintheDesert or on our Facebook timeline: https://www.facebook.com/stpaulinthedesert

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You’ll find this invitation on the front page and many pages throughout our website. It’s intended for anyone who wants to receive communications from St. Paul’s via email. This includes The Abundant Life weekly, online newsletter. If you haven’t already, sign up today!

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