The Abundant Life – April 3, 2025

ERD Sunday April 6th

Every year, Episcopal congregations are encouraged to observe Episcopal Relief & Development Sunday during one of the Sundays in Lent. We will celebrate this occasion on Sunday April 6^th.

ERD Sunday is a day when we remember and support the life-saving work of Episcopal Relief and Development through prayer and a special offering that will help heal a hurting world. ERD is an agency of the national church that partners with faith and community leaders to advance lasting change in communities affected by injustice, poverty, disaster, and climate change. Inspired by our faith and in collaboration with local experts, ERD provides resources and programming that nurture early childhood development, reduce violence against women and girls, strengthen communities’ climate resilience, and provide support in the wake of disasters. ERD was pivotal in providing relief assistance during the recent LA fires. ERD has provided effective care to over 49 million people over the last 10 years. Click here to read stories of impact about the incredible work ERD does around the world!

The Bishop’s Annual Visit

In between two ribbon-cutting events (a new affordable housing complex in San Diego and a new women’s and children’s shelter in Tijuana), the Bishop made her annual visit to the Church of St. Paul in the Desert.

In addition to preaching and celebrating the Eucharist at both Sunday services, she met with the confirmands before each service, held a Q & A lunch with the entire parish in the church, took a sneak peek tour of the parish hall, and met with the Vestry in the newly remodeled parish library. Talk about a whirlwind tour! It was her first time visiting St. Paul’s on Pink Sunday and she was not disappointed by the sea of shirts representing the Fourth Sunday in Lent. We are grateful for her presence and wisdom, reminding us that we are part of a much larger church. To hear her sermon from last Sunday, please click here.

Congratulations to our 11 St. Paul’s Parishioners who were Confirmed and Received on Sunday!

May God’s deep love provide a deep welcome into the shared ministry and community of faith! We continue to keep you in our prayers!

Bishop’s Servant Ministry Award Given to Suzi Osuna (8AM) and Lena Granet (10:30AM)

Each year the Bishop gives Servant Ministry Awards to persons in each congregation who are nominated by their clergy who stand out with their ministry at each congregation. This year Bishop Susan awarded a Servant Ministry Award to Suzi Osuna at our 8AM service, and Lena Granet at our 10:30AM service. Congratulate these two fierce advocates for mercy and service!

For over a decade, Lena Granet has worked tirelessly in outreach ministries. She has supervised the St. Paul’s Sundries Ministry Distribution, where hundreds of people every year receive necessary items that assist with quality of life on the streets. This past year alone, 660 people in need received toothbrushes, toothpastes, socks, clothing, and other small items in this once per month distribution in St. Paul’s columbarium colonnade and at the United Methodist Church.

Most notably, at the end of this year, the Sundries Ministry faced a dilemma. Our Parish Hall was about to undergo construction and there was concern about where we would store the sundries ministry inventory. On the day of the last monthly distribution before the Parish Hall closure, Lena walked into Rev. Dan’s office and said, “We have to get all of these items to the victims of the Los Angeles County fires.” The fires had started just a day or two before. “All of them?” said Rev. Dan. “How are we going to get thousands of dollars in inventory there? Who will be receiving them?” Lena said, “I’ve already worked all the details out.” By the end of the day, Lena had secured a U-Haul truck, found a partner organization (All Saints’ Episcopal Church, Pasadena, CA), and organized volunteers to load the truck.

The next day at 4AM, Tony McEwing and Lena Granet drove the items to the Pasadena Convention Center and our entire inventory was cleared. This heart for the victims of the fire, the adaptability and ability to pivot, and Lena’s organizing power are all reasons why we believe Lena Granet should receive this year’s Servant Ministry Award.

-The Revs. Jessie Thompson and Daniel Kline

Suzi Osuna is a ball full of energy. This past year, she took over the newly formed Welcome Team. Not only has she empowered the existing volunteers to continue being the friendly first-face of St. Paul in the Desert at both Sunday services, she has also coordinated outreach events.

Most notably, the 1 Palm Springs Fair where St. Paul’s ambassadors set up a table and let the community know about our upcoming Easter services. She has also coordinated the Trans Pride Fair (yesterday – Saturday before the bishop’s visit), where a table has been set up letting folks in the trans community that St. Paul in the Desert is a safe and welcoming place to worship in.

In addition to the mammoth job of coordinating a huge team of volunteers and recruiting them, she has also coordinated on-going trainings for the volunteers. She worked with the Co-Rectors and Parish Administrator to coordinate a Saturday refresher course on being a part of the Welcome Team and Ushering. She also coordinated a webinar watchparty that helped our two teams discuss how to balance safety and care for parishioners with being a welcoming presence, especially when folks exhibit signs of distress when dealing with mental health challenges. She has been a consistent presence, a team player, and a self-starter. For this reason, we nominate Suzi Osuna to receive the Servant Award this year.

-The Revs. Jessie Thompson and Daniel Kline

St. Paul’s Went to City Hall Last Week

On the heels of our Outreach Discernment Retreat, members of St. Paul’s Peace, Justice, & Mercy Ministries decided to do some community listening at City Hall. Martha’s Village, the organization that the City of Palm Springs contracted with to run the new homeless navigation center in the north end of town, was scheduled to do a presentation on the state of the new center one year after reopening. Members of St. Paul were able to put into practice the new community listening skills we had acquired from our time at the retreat. We were able to connect with the new CBAT (Community Behavioral Assistance Team), which pairs a police officer with a licensed therapist to respond to psychological crisis calls to the Palm Springs Police Department. We were also able to talk with the program coordinator for Martha’s Village’s Navigation Center, as well as Martha’s CEO. In talking with these folks, we were able to ask a simple question, “What do you need and how can our church help?” To read more about the City Hall session click here: https://thepalmspringspost.com/citys-homeless-navigation-center-shows-progress-one-year-after-some-of-its-doors-first-opened/. Or read the stories of impact from our parishioners below:

“It was refreshing to go to City Hall to see actual government in action for once! It was revitalizing to know that St Paul’s now has a potential opportunity to train and volunteer to assist the Navigation center in the future.”—Gail Heitman

“So glad I heard about the opportunity to get a detailed update on the Navigation Center’s impact for our unsheltered neighbors in PS. Hopeful that our connection with the Center’s admin afterwards will lead to meaningful networking between the Mercy Ministries and the most substantial City-sponsored resource thus far.”—Megan Goehring

“I’d never been to a city council meeting before.  On our way out of the meeting, I started a conversation with Anne Eiring who is the acting director of Martha’s Kitchen’s work in Palm Springs.  All of us from St. Paul’s ended up having a great conversation with her and agreeing to get together to talk more.  We were in the right place at the right time – a really extraordinary opportunity for all of us. I am so optimistic.”—Pete Smith

“I learned the Navigation Center does have robust programs to help the homeless. And St Paul’s may have the opportunity to partner with the Navigation Center to provide additional assistance.”—Brooke Wolford

St. Paul’s Set up a Booth at Trans Pride Last Week

This past Monday, March 31^st, was International Transgender Day of Visibility, which is dedicated to celebrating the accomplishments and victories of transgender and gender-expansive people, while simultaneously raising awareness of the work that is still needed to combat discrimination and violence. As our Bishop reminded us on Sunday after had just reaffirmed our baptismal covenant, and as we say each week in our St. Paul’s mission and value statements, we strive for justice and peace among all people, and respect the dignity of every human being. As trans allies, we need always hold space for our trans loved ones, and recognize that we are better when everyone is at the table.

This last Saturday, St. Paul’s had a table at the Trans Pride event held at the Palm Springs Pavilion sponsored by the Transgender Wellness and Health Center. Around 25 St. Paul’s parishioners person-ed the table throughout the day, meeting folks and letting people know that our parish is a safe place to come and worship. Here are some reflections from some of the parishioners who person-ed the table and served at this event:

“Having made the choice to get involved in the LGBTQ+ Ministry at St. Paul’s, I am trying to get as much information as possible to be most effective in our focus on our most vulnerable group, the Trans Community. They are being targeted directly by the new administration, and our St. Paul’s outreach needs to help in any way that we can, to help our compatriots. The event was energetic, fun, loving and well attended by many from the various groups of our community. In time, I am hopeful that more and more supporters join us in celebration of love and acceptance.”—Alex Cherkas

“It was a privilege to witness the strength and vitality of this blossoming community! Kylie is a gift to St Paul’s and a great spokeswoman. Another gift was the opportunity to meet with and hear the stories of other trans people while we lunched together. It really dawned on me why the “T” in LGB is essential to our humanity.”—Gail Heitman

“I felt very supported, my church community was extremely well represented to the gender expansive community. I am proud to call St. PAULS my home.” —Kylie Georgia

“We were the only church with a table and a strong showing of both transgender and cisgender members to uplift and support the Transgender Community. The church of St. Paul in the Desert is living out the baptismal covenant with crystal clear activity.” —Andrew Trofka

“At this time, with the Transgender community targeted by a cruel culture war and hateful policies, I was proud to represent St. Paul’s at this year’s Palm Springs Trans Pride. It was lovely to see the community come together to celebrate and find resources, and I think we succeeded in showing that we are a safe place for all to come and join us in worship and fellowship.” —Patty Kiker

“The love of Christ manifested through St. Paul’s presence; all people are included at God’s table! We are the love of God made manifest.”—Leonard Lane

End of Life Retreat Was a Success!

Thank you to all who attended our Third Lenten End of Life: Planning for Your Own Funeral Retreat, sponsored by the Legacy Society. All persons who attended received a packet of information to fill out and the invitation to meet with a clergy member (after Easter) to finalize and put the plans on file at the church. If you are interested in obtaining a packet and speaking with a clergy member about this, please contact revjessie@stpaulsps.org

Parish Hall Refresh Weekly Update

April 3, 2025

The concrete floors are being scored in preparation for porcelain floor tiles. The old florescent lights atop the beams in the main hall have been removed. Electrical work is being completed with installation of new LED strips on the beams, two chandeliers, four fans and eight pendant speakers in the main hall.

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

Last Baking Event for the Season!

End of Lent baking – 10AM – 2PM  April 14th, Monday. We’ll make things that can be made quickly and in large volume with not so much oven space. Bagels? Pita bread? Matzo (it’s Passover too, after all)? It’s all up for grabs.  Space in Pete’s tiny oven is limited but that’s fine. He has a plan. Please be willing to bring something for our lunch. You must sign up to get additional emails! Click on the banner.

Putting Faith into Action: Using Christian Faith to Navigate Difficult Times Class

We are living through a challenging chapter of the American story in which the history of our country is being called into question, many of our cherished freedoms are at risk of being compromised, and the very fabric of our society is threatened. What can we do to fight back against the forces that divide our nation and weaken its democracy? As Christians we have a not-so-secret weapon, our faith in Jesus Christ. Episcopalians have come to understand this faith according to the “three-legged stool” of Anglicanism which attempts to balance Scripture, Tradition, and reason/experience as the sources of faith. In this class we will examine Christian faith from the perspectives of progressive theology and psychology, discussing ways in which it could be brought to bear on the controversies surrounding immigration, racism, sexual orientation/identity, health care, and economic inequality. Class members will also have the opportunity to put faith into action concerning these issues. This class will meet in the library.

Mother, May I? Class

Every Sunday in May, you’re invited to a special Q&A with Mother Jessie in between the services. Have a question you’ve always wanted to ask a priest, but never had the chance? Have some wonderings from your Lenten spiritual journey that you want to explore in more depth? Are you new to the Episcopal Church and are curious about some of the quirkiness in our tradition? Come ready to ask all your questions about God, church, being Episcopalian, etc. “Mother, MAY I?” is a chance to hear from Rev. Jessie and see where the conversation goes. Meet you in the music cottage with your questions!

Introduction to the Enneagram: A Personality Map to Spiritual Growth Class

The class explains the nine personality types identified by the Enneagram, a dynamic tool for self-understanding and spiritual growth with roots in the contemplative Christian tradition. The class explores the gifts and challenges of each personality type in its own particular spiritual journey to the fullness of life that Jesus models and invites us to share. The class begins with a diagnostic to help participants identify their types. Throughout the course, one-on-one sessions for type exploration will be available. Participants will use the book Wisdom of the Enneagram by Don Riso and Russ Hudson. They can purchase the book on Amazon.com or on www.enneagraminstitute.com

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).

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

Towards a Fuller Gospel: Illuminating Scripture to Inspire Change

EDSD Class on Zoom, Tuesdays in May.

Check out this offering from the Diocese: https://edsd.org/news/toward-a-fuller-gospel/

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

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.

Arbor Day at St. Hugh’s