The Abundant Life – March 20, 2025

Preparing for the End of Life: Plan Your Own Funeral Mini-Retreat—Saturday, March 29 from 9AM -12NOON

Thoughtfully led by our Co-Rectors and retired clergy, explore planning your funeral, final things, legacy, and more. Come and bring your questions and learn how to prepare in ways that honor our living legacies, give our framework for funerals in the Episcopal tradition, and provide comfort to our loved ones that they will best know how to honor our wishes. Believe it or not, it will be a fun and interesting morning! CLICK ON GRAPHIC ABOVE TO SIGN UP FOR THIS MINI-RETREAT!

Bishop Susan’s Annual Visit to St. Paul’s

Mark your calendars for Sunday, March 30 (both services)!

Blessing of the Snowbirds

Join on the day of the Bishop’s Annual Visit (Sunday, March 30) at either service, where we will have a Blessing of the Snowbirds. St. Paul’s has the privilege of having so many of you join us from so many places around the world, and for the weeks or months you are with us, you are home. We want to bless you as you are about to return to your “home away from your St. Paul’s home.” Just come to either service (8AM or 10:30AM) or watch online if you’ve already left the desert, and we look forward to this special time of blessing. Don’t forget to wear PINK!

About Last Night’s Laundry Love…

Last night, St. Paul’s hosted another Laundry Love event at the Wash Time Coin Laundromat on Sunrise and Vista Chino. In addition to parishioners from St. Paul’s and St. Margaret’s, we were able to host volunteers from Cal State San Bernardino’s Nursing Program. In addition to assisting guests with washing laundry, the students were able to do wellness checks with folks as they waited for their turn to enter the laundromat. In this way, we were able to help the nursing students develop critical real-world skills in how to communicate and serve those from all economic backgrounds – an important part of what it means to be a nurse. Special thanks to Tony McEwing, Megan Goehring, and Ray Tackett for coordinating this vital ministry.

Welcome Team Looking for a Few Folks to Serve on a Monthly Basis

ASAP! SOS! Welcome Team Looking for a Few Folks to Serve on a Monthly Basis: We are currently looking for volunteers that would like to serve on the Welcome Team and greet visitors in the warm and welcome manner that St. Paul’s is known for. We have one opening on the 5th Sunday when this occurs a few times a year at the 8:00AM and 10:30AM services. We also are looking for a couple of alternates to fill in for those who need a Sunday off, and a few snowbird spots. Just know that if you serve in this ministry, you are only committing to once a month. If you’d like to try it for a Sunday to see, please contact Suzi and she would be happy to speak with you: osuziosuna@hotmail.com

Welcome Team & Ushers Had a Security Webinar Watchparty Last Week

Last Week, St. Paul’s Ushers and Welcome Team (led by Suzi Osuna and Kathy Kilmer), had a Security Webinar Watchparty—“Seeking Grace or Harmful Intent?” Mark Berry attended and noted: “One of the first things that stood out to me was the statement from the first presenter — the woman who had started her career as a police officer– is that the attacker has the advantage of the element of surprise. In hindsight, this should be obvious to everyone, but I never thought about it that way. To reduce the surprise element, we all need to become more aware of our surroundings. As she said, this does not mean that we tune out the service and the liturgy but instead, enlarge our focus during the service… One other very practical idea she presented — which all of us can do (provided we drive) is to drive past the church and the parking lot periodically when we are out shopping, dining etc. As I recall, she said even if it means it takes another 20 or 30 minutes of your time, as a parishioner, make it your occasional habit to drive by the campus of the parish. A relatively easy thing for us all to do, if we drive, of course.”

These fantastic Welcome Team members and Ushers continue to work towards keeping St. Paul’s a safe and welcoming place. Thank an Usher or Welcome Team member when you see one!

Legacy Society ensures St. Paul’s Vibrant Future – Not too late to join!

Legacies are what we are remembered and honored for. Each of us will have a legacy. How we are remembered is up to us. St. Paul’s is a vibrant, diverse parish that exemplifies what we expect to find in an open-hearted and loving community. We have grown over the years, in numbers and in the kind of mission and ministry we offer to young and old, gay and straight, rich and poor. We are located in the heart of Palm Springs and in many ways we have become its heart. St. Paul’s is a place to come and be loved, no matter who you are.

If you value this ministry and community, you may wish to make a lasting expression of support for it through your Last Will and Testament, your Living Trust, or by some other means of planned (legacy) giving. We have the opportunity to help St. Paul’s build on its vibrancy and vitality by including a bequest or planned gift in our estate plans that support the establishment of our Parish Endowment. You will be recognized and honored as a Member of our Legacy Society. Inviting you into this fellowship is our way of thanking you, and helping you stay informed of new developments in mission and ministry. You will be our guests at an annual event held in honor of legacy members, during which we will remember our beloved faithful departed and welcome new members. Membership in the Legacy Society is optional and voluntary. Membership is offered by a simple declaration of intent. There are no legal or irrevocable arrangements required for membership.

For questions regarding your Legacy at St. Paul, please contact legacy@stpaulsps.org

Parish Hall Refresh Weekly Update

March 20, 2025

Walls and ceilings: Approximately 75% of the Parish Hall’s walls and ceilings have had the first (thick) coat applied. Once all are completed, they will be sanded and then skim-coated to a near-smooth finish. This work will continue for about the next two weeks.

Restrooms: After the walls, ceiling and doors are ready for priming/painting, work on the Restrooms will begin in earnest, lasting about another two weeks. The new plumbing fixtures have all be ordered and a few have already arrived on-site.

Main Entry Doors: It is expected that the new accessible/ADA-compliant main entry doors will be ordered new week. Installation will occur after the new flooring is installed.

Library: Painting is being completed today, and then the floor will be sanded and sealed this over this weekend. On Tuesday the new rug will be installed and on Wednesday the new furniture arrives. The Meeting OWL 4+ (video conferencing unit) will be installed later next week, completing the Library Refresh.

Do you want to help? If you would like to contribute to defray the costs of the Parish Hall or Library Refresh in addition to your stewardship pledge, please contact one of the wardens:  alex.c.christensen@gmail.com or john.raposa1@gmail.com

Like Seeing Updates on What’s Happening at St. Paul’s?

Daily pictures about events and meetings and happenings at St. Paul’s can be found on our Facebook page and on our Instagram page. You don’t have to be on Facebook or Instagram to see them. They are public pages. If you see a picture or a post or a video that you like, would you please click “like” on it and/or give a positive comment? This helps those pictures show up in newsfeeds, and is a simple way of sharing the Good News of what’s happening here with others! If you belong to a Facebook page that you think our posts should be shared with, please let us know (revjessie@stpaulsps.org). Sharing is caring, and we are so glad you are here, and that this faith community is a safe and welcoming place in Palm Springs. Here are some St. Paul’s pics from the last week—Women’s Retreat, Baking in Community Day, and the Celtic Eucharist!

SIS Event for All Women

All women of St. Paul’s are invited to join Sisters in Spirit (SIS) for the 2:00PM matinee  of One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest on Sunday, April 27th at the Palm Canyon Theater.  More information to follow.

Attention, St. Paul’s Hikers!

This year’s Spring Hike will be on SATURDAY, APRIL 26, 2025, at 8:30 a.m., at the Coral Mountain Archaeological Park in La Quinta, California.

Location:  The trail cuts along the edge of Coral Mountain in La Quinta, once the shoreline of the giant inland sea known as Lake Cahuilla and a center of a thriving indigenous culture going back thousands of years. There are three principal sites along the mountain, which include petroglyphs incised into the ancient tufa, the remnants of ancient fish traps, morteros and even occasional pottery shards, together with a variety of historic graffiti from pioneers on the De Anza Trail in the 1700 and 1800s. Scenery includes rugged desert mountain, wash (and lush La Qunita golf course)– recent rains may even send us some wildflowers. I’ve attached some photos showing a bit of the scenery and the archaeological sites.

The Trail:  The tail is about 3.5 miles out and back –mostly easy and level on gravel, about 300 feet of elevation change throughout, one short but steeper incline – some manageable sandy and rocky patches. Occasional shade from rocks and overhangs, otherwise sunny. Parking and tailhead access off Ave 58, no restroom facilities at trailhead.

What to Bring:  As always, bring solid, comfortable shoes with a good, grippy sole. A good sun hat and plenty of sunscreen are also recommended.

I will come prepared with history and details on the geology, the artifacts and the long and mysterious history behind the various rock art sites.  Lots more to come (including driving directions) as the day approaches. Hope to see everyone on the trail! To register, reach out to Nancy (nancyjantonius@gmail.com).

Calling all Campers! Spring Camping Trip to Blackrock, Joshua Tree National Park

Mark your calendars for Monday, May 5 to Wednesday, May 7, and join St. Paul’s Campers for a fun and relaxing time. Campsites are #8 and #5–They back into each other on a lower-level campground near the lower restroom. We will have a shared dinner on Tuesday, May 6. We have space for 10 campers and 4 cars. Please contact Bonnie Stroock ( bcstroock@aol.com) if you’d like to reserve and spot and join! It will be a great event! (Our summer trip is June 30 to July 2 up in Idyllwild at Riverside County Campground.)

No Movie Night in March or April—but mark your calendars for May 15 for The Way!!

Synopsis:  A father heads overseas to recover the body of his estranged son who died while traveling the “El camino de Santiago,” and decides to take the pilgrimage himself.

Directed by Emilio Estevez and starring Martin Sheen, Emilio Estevez, Deborah Kara Unger, Yorick van Waginengen and James Nesbitt (2 hrs, 3 min; released 2010).

Spirituality for the Second Half of Life

Building on the premise that spiritual formation is a lifelong endeavor, what we needed and pursued in our earlier chapters are different as our spiritual formation develops later in life. Using the book by Richard Rohr, with an introduction by Brené Brown, Falling Upward, A Spirituality for the Two Halves of Life, we will explore in readings and discussion our own journey and aspirations as we reflect together. We will also use contemplative practices to strengthen our inner lives and to gain personal insights for our on-going journey. Books will be supplied. Private journals kept during the class are encouraged. We will learn from each other as we study Rohr’s book. The purpose of the class is to support and encourage us to seek joy and meaning and insight wherever we are in our spiritual journey. CLICK ON GRAPHIC ABOVE TO SIGN UP FOR THIS CLASS!

Pocahontas Table Read

Have you ever wondered about the real Pocahontas and John Smith Story? Learn how they met, developed their friendship and how and why she saved his life. But, the story doesn’t end there. She develops a great relationship with the Church of England priests and is baptized and brought into the church. She meets and marries John Rolfe, has a baby and travels to England. She eventually meets the King and develops a friendship with him. But the tragic end comes, and all her hopes for a peaceful friendship between the races comes to an end, unfortunately for the future of our country. CLICK ON GRAPHIC ABOVE TO SIGN UP FOR THIS CLASS!

Sacred Ground Part II

Finally, what many have been waiting for – the second half of Sacred Ground! Sacred Ground is the Episcopal Church’s film & reading based dialogue series on race, racism, and faith. “Circles” (i.e. discussion groups) provide the opportunity for difficult, but respectful and transformative conversations as we move toward Beloved Community. CLICK ON GRAPHIC ABOVE TO SIGN UP FOR THIS CLASS!

The Divine Feminine Trinity: Resistance in Past, Present & Future Class

Join in exploring the divine feminine as a source of strength, wisdom, and courage. We will explore scriptural, historical and current examples of women claiming the power of the Magnificat to transform the world. Through readings, meditation and art, together we will seek creative, life-giving ways to respond to the world as it is while participating in God’s work of transformation. CLICK ON GRAPHIC ABOVE TO SIGN UP FOR THIS CLASS!

Radical Forgiveness in Shakespeare’s The Two Gentlemen of Verona Class

Perhaps Shakespeare’s earliest play, The Two Gentlemen of Verona has been criticized as an aesthetically inferior, immature work. But it hides gems of theology, including a brilliant exposition of substitutionary atonement (penal substitution to be precise) and a moving representation that asks us to consider the theology of Real Presence, not to mention the troubling (for audiences and critics alike) act of forgiveness with which the play ends. We will watch a performance and discuss all this and more. CLICK ON GRAPHIC ABOVE TO SIGN UP FOR THIS CLASS!

Depictions of Women as Catalysts for Moral Change in 19^th Century Opera Class

Some operas in the repertoire are dismissed by modern critics for the perception that female characters have little agency or are relegated to a fate beyond their control in a way in which men are not. But in the late 18^th and 19^th century repertoire we find that there are quite a few librettos which take quite a different approach: Women as catalysts for moral change. This class will examine operas from Mozart, Verdi, Puccini, Massenet and Gounod to see how this depiction in certain operas serve as a critique of a more rigid and condemnatory vision of Christian morality (or cultural Christianity) in favor of a more robust and more fully human vision. We will thus find in opera a kind of precursor to some of the feminist and liberationist movements that would come in the 20th century. CLICK ON GRAPHIC ABOVE TO SIGN UP FOR THIS CLASS!

The Reconciliation of a Penitent: Remembering Confession in Lent

The Book of Common Prayer contains two orders of service for private confession, known officially as the Reconciliation of a Penitent. Making a private confession is a traditional and powerful spiritual practice, and the choice to confess or not confess to a priest is governed by the adage: All may, some should, none must. This Lent, your clergy will be reserving times throughout the week for hearing confessions. If you would like to set up a time for this sacrament, please CLICK ON GRAPHIC ABOVE TO SIGN UP for a private appointment with a clergy member.

Morning Prayer with the Co-Rectors on Facebook in Lent

Join us every weekday morning (except Fridays) to pray Morning Prayer. Participation in the Daily Office is at the heart of Anglican spirituality. The Book of Common Prayer provides a Daily Office Lectionary that identifies readings and psalm choices and a Table of Canticles with suggested canticles for use at Morning Prayer. If you’ve ever wanted to deepen your prayer life or learn how to use the Book of Common Prayer for yourself, please join us on the church’s Facebook page as we commit ourselves to this ancient prayer practice! You don’t need to “have a Facebook page” to view Morning Prayer. Just type in your search feature:https://www.facebook.com/stpaulinthedesert

Help Person the St. Paul’s Table at the Trans Pride Community Event at Palm Springs Pavilion on Saturday, March 29!

Click on banner to volunteer!

6 Ts Survey

Our survey tracking system shows that many parishioners started to fill out the survey but just didn’t have a chance to complete it (by typing in their name and email address and clicking the “Done” button at the end).  If you had to stop mid-way, please try again.  If you started the survey from an email link, you might find that you can pick up where you left off; others would just start anew, reminding yourself that it only takes 13-15 minutes to do at one sitting!  Thank you so much for your time — it will make a big difference!

As you heard about at the Annual Meeting 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:

1. Simply click on the banner at the top of this email and you will be able to fill out the survey.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. Do NOT click any button asking you to complete another, different survey. It’s probably a marketing survey from Survey Monkey.
5. 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!

Annual Meeting Recap & Impact Report

The Episcopal Church’s Immigration Toolkit

Shifting federal policy on immigration is already impacting people in all four of our counties. With this in mind, the Episcopal Church’s church-wide office routinely collects up-to-date immigration resources for congregations. Visit the Immigration Action Toolkit to find ways your congregation can help migrants, refugees, and asylum-seekers.

Click here for more information: 

Red Cards

Click to enlarge the images.