For Sunday February 2, 2025
Annual Meeting Recap with Impact Report
Thank you to all who attended the annual meeting! After celebrating our patronal feast day with a special visit from St. Paul the Hermit in a combined service, many of us headed over to the parish hall for the Annual Meeting. Approximately 170 folks crammed into the parish hall to say goodbye for the last time, enjoyed a lunch from Aspen Mills, and heard from the Co-Rectors, Sr. Warden, Treasurer, Stewardship Committee Co-Chairs, Strategic Plan Implementation Team, and Parish Hall Refresh Taskforce about the past year and what we can look forward to in 2025. If you want to find out more, please click on the link below to read the Annual Impact Report for 2024 or pick up a copy at the Welcome Table.
The Co-Rectors appointed Alex Christensen as Senior Warden for the next year. Douglas Burton & George Tamer won the St. Paul the Hermit Servant Award for their innovative lighting improvements and their dedication to hospitality on the usher and welcome teams. We give thanks to the staff, vendors, and volunteers who put in so many hours behind the scenes to make the annual meeting a success!
Election Results
121 ballots cast, more than enough for a quorum.
Vestry – 3 Year Terms – George Holliday, Steve Klinkerman, Pete Smith, & Marian Stinson+
Diocesan Convention Delegates – Alex Christensen, George Holliday, Andy Johnson, Ed Walsh
Diocesan Convention Alternates – Alex Cherkus, Edd Nazelrod-Woodward
We give thanks for the Inspectors of Election who ensured a smooth process and a fair election: Nancy Antonius, Thomas Clarke+, and John Raposa. After the Annual Meeting, the Vestry met to elect officers and welcome the newly elected Vestry members.
Jr. Warden – John Raposa
Clerk – Jan Wacker
Treasurer – George Holliday
Assistant Treasurer – Rick Nauman
Assistant Clerk – John Hampson
Pictures from the Annual Meeting
Parish Hall Refresh News!
Modernization and transformation of the Parish Hall into an education center of excellence for spiritual formation and to serve the community, with improved accessibility and equipped for year-round use.
The Refresh Project undertakes modernization and transformation of the Parish Hall in a dozen project areas, specifically designed to create 3 education rooms (the current 12 Step room and 2 old Sunday School rooms), a large video conferencing room (the old choir room/social justice storage room), and improved classroom/meeting space in the Parlor. All of this is in order to support St. Paul’s mission and ministry in spiritual formation and education and service to the community. Enhanced accessibility is a primary goal, together with effectively equipping the space for year-round use.
Read all about the Parish Hall Refresh!""6 Ts Survey
As you heard about at the Annual Meeting this past weekend, we have a new tool to help connect parishioners to their passions and needs in the church and the wider community. Under the parish’s Strategic Plan Objectives One and Four, the 6 Ts Task force has developed a survey for all parishioners that we hope can bring us together to do more and for each other. The “Six Ts” refer to parishioners’ talents, testimony, time, temperament, treasure, and ties (relational networks).
It takes only 13-15 minutes (it’s been timed!) and you can do it easily on your computer, smartphone, or tablet (all connected to WiFi).
Here are the simple instructions to complete the survey:
- Simply click on the banner at the top of this email and you will be able to fill out the survey.
- Almost all the questions just ask you to check the boxes that apply to you, except for those at the end that ask you to fill in your contact information.
- When you reach the end of the survey, be sure to click the “Done” button. If you do, you will receive a confirmation email that you have completed the survey.
- Do NOT click any button asking you to complete another, different survey. It’s probably a marketing survey from Survey Monkey.
- If you run into any issues, there will be a team of folks next to the Welcome Table on Sunday morning at both services to offer assistance.
The 6Ts survey is designed to benefit each parishioner and the church, too. By asking you about your interests, the survey can offer you more opportunities to connect with other like-minded parishioners in spiritual formation, ministry work, volunteer possibilities within the church and the community at large, and even recreational activities. By asking about your skills, the survey can help the Revs and our lay leaders identify ways that you might like to contribute to the church’s vitality and that are suited to your particular strengths and interests.
All of the information collected in the survey will be confidential; it will only be available to the clergy and laity authorized to review that information specific to their duties as employees or supervised volunteers.
Thank you for helping us connect more regularly and more meaningfully with one another!
Candlemas This Sunday
Please remember to bring candles from your home to either the 8AM or 10:30AM service this Sunday so that we can bless them for the new year!
Info-A-Go-Go
Stop by and say hi at the St. Paul’s table! See you Saturday!
EDSD: A Sanctuary Diocese
Click here to read more about what it means that we are part of a sanctuary diocese.
The Co-Rectors met this week with other interfaith clergy to strategize about how the faith communities in Palm Springs might respond to the threat of deportation for many of our neighbors in the valley. Other concerned parishioners have been reaching out asking how they can be involved. We invite anyone who is interested in this important issue to attend the next Latino Ministry Meeting on Wednesday February 12th after the 6PM Absalom Jones Jazz Mass.
Sacred Ground
Mondays from 2-4PM—Dr. Joy Zavarich — Sacred Ground: Part 1—Jan. 27, Feb. 3, 10, 17, 24, and March 3.
Sacred Ground is part of Becoming Beloved Community, The Episcopal Church’s long-term commitment to racial healing, reconciliation, and justice in our personal lives, our ministries, and our society. Participants are invited to peel away the layers that have contributed to the challenges and divides of the present day.
Confirmation Class Begins THIS SUNDAY
Sundays between services—The Revs/Additional Clergy
Feb. 2, 9, 16, 23, March 2, 9, 16, 23
Culminating with the Bishop’s Visit on Sunday, March 30th
“I am committed to my faith in Christ! I didn’t grow up Episcopalian. Should I be Confirmed? Should I be Received? What is the difference between Confirmation and Reception?”
Bishop Susan Brown Snook’s yearly visit with the Church of St. Paul in the Desert will be on March 30, 2025. At her visit she will confirm and receive adults into fellowship with The Episcopal Church. Confirmation and Reception are sacramental rites marked by a public affirmation of faith. So, when and why are these rites celebrated and who is eligible to participate?
Confirmation has a complicated history. In the early Church, adults converting to Christianity were baptized by a bishop. Baptism was characterized by immersion in water, anointing with oil, and the laying on of hands. Over time, as more children were born to Christian parents, infant baptism became the norm. Since the local bishop was unable to be present as often as needed, baptism was delegated to parish priests. However, the laying on of hands remained a ritual action reserved to bishops alone, so those baptized by a priest had to present themselves to a bishop at a later time. The sacramental rite of Confirmation emerged out of this development. In the 1979 Book of Common Prayer (BCP), we find this introduction to the rite: “…Those baptized at an early age are expected, when they are ready and have been duly prepared, to make a mature public affirmation of their faith and commitment to the responsibilities of their Baptism and to receive the laying on of hands by the bishop” (p. 412). Those baptized as children are usually confirmed during adolescence to publicly affirm for themselves the baptismal vows made for them by parents and godparents. If it does not take place then, Confirmation can be celebrated any time after that. The traditional focus on the Holy Spirit in Confirmation may seem a little confusing: Isn’t the Holy Spirit received at baptism? The short answer is: “Yes, and.” In Baptism we are initiated into Christ’s death and resurrection and receive the Holy Spirit, while Confirmation sends us forth into the world in the power of that Spirit to love and serve God and others.
Reception refers to the rite by which a baptized Christian, confirmed by a bishop, is welcomed into the fellowship of the Episcopal Church. It too, is a public affirmation; like those being confirmed, candidates for Reception also make a profession of faith and renew the Baptismal Covenant. Since they are already confirmed, the bishop does not lay hands on them. Candidates who have previously been confirmed, but not by an Episcopal bishop, receive the laying on of hands along with others being confirmed (e.g. former Roman Catholics, Lutherans, etc.).
We will be holding a series of classes beginning in February for anyone who is interested in Confirmation and/or Reception or for anyone who’d like to learn more. The class is a pressure-free zoon to learn and discuss. You can decide by the end of the sessions if these rites are for you at this time in your spiritual journey. If you would like to join the class, please click on the banner on the website to fill out the form, or email revjessie@stpaulsps.org to enroll.
Resources: An Episcopal Dictionary of the Church, A User Friendly Reference for Episcopalians, Don S. Armentrout and Robert Boak Slocum, editors, and https://saintj.com/wp/confirmation-reception-and-reaffirmation-what-are-they/
Blessed Harriet Tubman Table Read
Come meet Harriet Tubman in a read aloud play with Mick Welch and Lou Armentrout. You’ll be a stronger person after you get to know Saint Harriet Tubman, American abolitionist and social activist. Just before the Civil War, she escaped from slavery in Maryland, and then went back, time and time again, to help others escape. As we read this dynamic play together, we live through her daring rescues and watch as her faith grows. Participants of any age get involved because they become the characters. You get a chance to BE a saint—to really get inside a truly holy person.
Join us in the Church Office Lobby (we’re being creative with space while the Parish Hall is refreshed) on SUNDAYS BETWEEN SERVICES for a fun “table read” of the play. It’s super easy and anyone can join.
About the Class Leaders: Mick Welch and Lou Armentrout have been together for fifty years – all spent in the Episcopal Church. Both have been lectors throughout that period. They are life-long educators, and both appreciate beauty where it is – and try to make more of it. Where better to pursue this than at St. Paul’s?!
Mobile Library This Sunday
St. Paul’s Hikers—Winter Hike on February 1, 2025!
Hello, St. Paul Hikers! This year’s Winter Hike will be on February 1, 2025, on the Chaparossa Springs Loop Trail in the Pioneertown Mountain Preserve near Yucca Valley. The trailhead is about 30-40 minutes from Palm Springs. The trail is 3.9 miles and cuts into the foothills of the dramatic Sawtooth Mountains on its way to the local Spring and is generally easy and well-maintained with a few modest climbs and descents (plus/minus app. 500 ft) and several patches of sandy soil or loose gravel.
The trail presents diverse scenery, from boulders and Joshua trees to sweeping views of the surrounding San Bernardino Mountains. Wildlife encounters, including local herds of bighorn sheep, are common. This is a great trail for a brisk hike on a Winter’s morning, with a decent chance of recent snow. Solid walking shoes with good traction are highly recommended for this hike.
As with all hikes in the desert, bring plenty of water, sunscreen, a hat to block out the sun, etc. Weather may be chilly, so dress in layers. Trekking poles or a stout walking stick may also be useful on this trip, even for more experienced hikers. Dogs are allowed on the trail but must be on a leash. We will meet at the trailhead at 8:30 a.m. sharp – driving directions and further details to follow.
On-line sign-up only—CLICK ON BANNER ABOVE. Do not hesitate to contact me directly with any questions. Chris Kelly: cwkelly615@verizon.net
Women’s Group (Sisters in Spirit—SIS) Upcoming Gathering
All women are invited to join a Sisters in Spirit (SIS) Event in the Month of February:
- A visit to the Agua Caliente Cultural Museum in downtown Palm Springs on Saturday, February 15. Cost is $5 for seniors and $10 for adults 18-64. Tickets can be purchased online at tickets.accmuseum.org. The address is 140 N Indian Canyon Dr.
To RSVP this event, please contact Jan Wacker at jwacker2001@yahoo.com.
NOTE: Mark your calendar for a SIS retreat on March 14-15. Details forthcoming.
Rectors’ Discretionary Fund
The first Sunday of the month, loose-plate offerings (i.e., general giving, not pledged giving) will be designated for the Rectors’ Discretionary Fund (sometimes referred to as “Benevolence.”) This fund provides the clergy a financial pool to assist those in need with obligations such as rent, utilities, medical bills, etc.
A Letter from the Co-Rectors about
The Well in the Desert
Dear Beloved,
In 1996, one of our parishioners, Dr. Wayne R. McKinney, began The Well in the Desert as a ministry of the Church of St. Paul in the Desert, believing the most vulnerable in our community deserved to be fed. He continued this work alongside other parishioners and it affectionately became known as “The Well”. As it grew, The Well in the Desert, became its own 501c3 non-profit organization, managed and led by Arlene Rosenthal. The Well continued all these years to cook meals for over 200 people out of St. Paul’s “little kitchen that could” five days a week! The Well then transported those meals four of the five days to other church locations throughout the city—The United Methodist Church, Our Lady of Guadalupe, and Our Lady of Solitude—and served the meals on Wednesdays at St. Paul’s. Many of our parishioners helped in those early days, almost 30 years ago.
A Time for Action: Supporting our Neighbors in Los Angeles
A Note from Bishop Susan Brown Snook
“My heart is heavy with the news of the devastating fires sweeping across Los Angeles. The destruction is unimaginable, and my prayers are with every person affected. As a bishop, but also as a neighbor, I feel a deep sense of responsibility to respond with action. It is these moments that remind me of the fragility of our world but also the strength found in our community–acting on God’s love for one another.
I’ve been moved by the stories I’ve heard from the Diocese of Los Angeles. Their churches have opened their doors to evacuees, offering safe havens for those who have been forced to leave everything behind. Pastoral care teams are walking alongside families who are grieving the loss of homes and livelihoods. Diocesan leaders are working hand in hand with Episcopal Relief & Development to bring essential resources to where they are needed most. This is the church in action—a tangible expression of God’s love in the midst of heartbreak.
If you feel called to help, I urge you to visit the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles’s Fire Response and Resources page. There, you can learn more about their efforts, volunteer opportunities, and ways to support their work financially. Donations to Episcopal Relief & Development are particularly impactful…”
To read more, click here: https://edsd.org/news/a-time-for-action-supporting-our-neighbors-in-los-angeles/
February Book Club
The next Book Club meeting will be held Tuesday, February 4, 2025, at 2:00 PM in St. Paul’s Parish Hall conference room. For February, Book Club has selected By Any Other Name by Jodi Picoult. Told in intertwining timelines, By Any Other Name, a sweeping tale of ambition, courage, and desire centers two women who are determined to create something beautiful despite the prejudices they face. Should a writer do whatever it takes to see her story live on . . . no matter the cost?
New members are always welcome. For more information, please contact Alan Zimmerman at alanzimmerman@icloud.com
Movie Night Thursday Feb. 20th
“Just Mercy”
This month’s featured film is Just Mercy. It is a film centered around themes of empathy, equity, hope, and resilience. Just Mercy is a story that uplifts marginalized voices who are typically unheard, unacknowledged, or deemed undeserving of mercy in the criminal justice system. The true story follows Harvard Law School graduate Bryan Stevenson’s move to Alabama where he recognizes an urgent need to provide free legal assistance to minorities who have been unfairly sentenced. Join us in the Parish Hall Library, as our Parish Hall will be closed for the refresh project.
Choir Rehearsals
We will use the schedule we have been using this past year: Sundays after the 10:30 AM postlude for 30-45 minutes, and Thursdays at 5:45 PM for 45-60 minutes. Singers choose which time is best for them. There is no expectation that you’ll attend both rehearsals, but you are certainly welcome to do so if you choose.
Everyone is welcome! Questions? Please contact Chuck Peery musicdirector@stpaulsps.org
Epiphany Spiritual Formation Class Opportunities
Sundays between services—Bill Hardwick+—The Mystical Gospel According to John: Reading John from the Middle—Jan. 5, 12, 19, Feb. 2, 9, 16, 23, March 2
Tuesdays from 3:30-5PM—Frank Dunn+—Masculine Spirituality Without Patriarchy—Jan 7, 14, 21, 28, Feb4, 11, 18, 25
Add a Name to the Prayer List at St. Paul
Want to add someone’s name to the prayer list? Please call the Church Office or email our Registrar, Orin Ellingson, at registrar@stpaulsps.org with names. Prayers remain on the list for one month unless otherwise noted.
Altar Flowers
“The desert and the parched land will be glad; the wilderness will rejoice and blossom. Like the crocus, it will burst into bloom . . .” Isaiah 35:1-2
Altar flowers, also known as chancel flowers, are a Christian tradition of placing flowers in the chancel of a church to beautify the space and honor loved ones. In the Episcopal Church, altar flowers are often used to celebrate special occasions, such as birthdays, anniversaries, or the birth of a child. They can also be given in memory of a loved one or to honor a person.
If you would like to sponsor altar flowers for a future Sunday to commemorate a special person or event, you’ll find the sign-up book in the Narthex, or you can call the Parish Office at 760.320.7488 to reserve your sponsorship dates(s). A donation of $95 for each altar flower sponsorship (or $65 for narthex flower sponsorships) covers the flower shops fees.
Prayers of the Church
For the Anglican Communion, and for the Archbishop of York, The Most Reverend and Right Honourable Stephen Cottrell, who is the acting Archbishop of Canterbury; pray for The Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia, (three co-equal primates) – The Most Reverend Don Tamihere, Archbishop, The Most Reverend Justin Duckworth, Archbishop, The Most Reverend Sione Ulu’ilakena, Archbishop.
For the Episcopal Diocese of East Carolina, The Right Reverend Robert Stuart Skirving, Bishop.
For the Episcopal Diocese of San Diego, The Right Reverend Dr. Susan Brown Snook, Bishop.
For those commended to our prayers: Rick Felton, All Saints’ Episcopal Church in Pasadena, California, and for all who are in harm’s way from the fires in Southern California; for Melody Guice, Lanny Tucker, Dan De Garmo, Terry Moran, Larry Wilson, Suzanne Zada, Lydia Ealy-Zingg, Bill & Dennis & Margaret Ann, Glenda Hoiseth, Judith Gaylor, Mel Messenger, Don Hamilton, Patricia Fiedler Horan, Howard Cecil, Jim Franklin, David Mellish, Teri Whitmer, Jean Newcomer, Linda and Lloyd Frederik, June Marguet, Tommy Anderson, Ray & Cheryl Kelley, Tish & Eliott Kahn, Hap Blaisdell, Terry Fabian, Pat, David Valenzuela, Amelia Grinstead, Chloe Grace Wilson Barton, Marilyn De Silva Currie, Tom Lutgen; pray for all those for whom no prayers have been said.
For those who have died: Harry Fowler, William McLaughlin, Gilbert Ramos, Gisela Zuijdervelt, Dale McGhee Pollack, Juliet Vaughans, Deborah Green. Rest eternal grant to these, your servants, O Lord, and let light perpetual shine upon them. Amen.
For those celebrating their anniversary: February 7: Ray Tackett & Larry Wilson.
For those with birthdays: February 2: David Price, Pete Smith; February 4: Richard Osuna; February 7: Rev. Jessie Thompson; February 8: Marc Kassoof.
For those for whom flowers have been donated: Today’s altar flowers are sponsored by Linda Krengel & Tom Kieley, III, in loving memory of Owen B. Coffman (February 1, 1920 – April 21, 1944), AND BY Christopher Nance, in loving memory of Bob Yeargan, to honor what would have been their 31st anniversary (February 1).
“The desert and the parched land will be glad; the wilderness will rejoice and blossom. Like the crocus, it will burst into bloom . . .” Isaiah 35:1-2
If you would like to sponsor altar flowers for a future Sunday honoring a special person or event, you’ll find the sign-up book in the Narthex, or you can call the Parish Office at 760.320.7488 to reserve your sponsorship date(s).
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 February 9, The Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany.
Upcoming Meetings & Events at St Paul’s
- Sunday, February 2 – 8:00 & 10:30 AM Services – The Presentation of Our Lord in the Temple: Candlemas
- Sunday, February 2 – Confirmation Potluck luncheon in the Library following the 10:30 AM service
- Tuesday, February 4 – 2:00 PM – Book Club – February’s selection: “By Any Other Name” by Jodi Picoult
- Wednesday, February 5 – 6:00 PM – Mid-week Eucharist – Come and rest
- Thursday, February 6 – 1:30 PM – Campus Care Committee meeting – Library
- Thursday, February 6 – 5:45 PM – Choir – In the church
- Friday & Saturday, February 7-8 – Vestry Retreat
- Sunday, February 9 – 8:00 AM and 10:30 AM Services – Epiphany V – The Right Rev. James Theodore Holly – The first African American to be ordained a bishop in the Protestant Episcopal Church
- Wednesday, February 12 – 6:00 PM – Jazz Mass – The Rev. Absalom Jones (transferred) – The first African American to be ordained as a priest in the Episcopal Church of the United States
- Wednesday, February 12 – 7:00 PM – Latino Ministry meeting – Library
- Thursday, February 13 – 5:45 PM – Choir – In the church
St. Paul’s Maintenance/Repair Request Form
If you see something that needs repairing, cleaning, sprucing-up, etc. St. Paul’s campus, this is THE way to ensure that we know about it. Scan below to reach our Building & Grounds Maintenance/Repair Request Form. Help us stay organized & prioritized.
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
Join our E-Mail List
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!
Get “Social” with St. Paul’s!
Want to see daily pics about what’s happening at St. Paul’s? Be sure to like/follow us on Facebook and Instagram. And, subscribe to our YouTube channel to view our livestream and past services.
The Episcopal Diocese of San Diego’s Info on Reporting Misconduct
Intake Officers:
Ms. Megan Callan, megan@mecallan.com
The Rev. Willy Crespo, frcrespo@gmail.com
Ms. Meredith Hardy, mlh8180@gmail.com
The Episcopal Diocese of San Diego considers the reporting and investigation of misconduct to be of critical importance. Reporting enables the diocese to protect the complainant, the respondent, and the larger community. It also allows the diocese to assist with the spiritual, psychological, and emotional needs of all concerned during and after the report of misconduct. Please visit edsd.org/safe-church-safe-communities/reporting-misconduct/
