For Sunday August 24, 2025
Episcopal Public Policy Advocacy and Awareness Campaign: Summer 2025
THIS WEEK’S ADVOCACY AREA: Support LGBTQ+ Equality
Everyone deserves the right to love whomever they choose and to live authentically without fear. These are fundamental human rights which are currently facing alarming attacks from governmental bodies. Both the Federal Government and various state legislatures seek to curtail access to healthcare, restrict freedom of expression, limit educational inclusivity, and undermine legal protections. These discriminatory bills and executive orders, often targeting transgender youth, inflict severe psychological distress and create hostile environments, denying basic dignity and equal participation in society. They are a direct threat to the well-being and safety of the LBTGQ+ community.
The Office of Governmental Relations reminds us that in a 2021 statement, Executive Council affirmed that “over the course of more than 40 years, the Episcopal Church has prayed, studied, and declared the blessing that LGBTQ+ people are and always have been in the Church.” As the Body of Christ, we must unequivocally advocate for policies that affirm equality, protect vulnerable populations, and ensure that all individuals, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity, are afforded the full spectrum of their human and civil rights.
For more information on how to advocate for these rights follow this link.
https://www.episcopalchurch.org/ministries/office-government-relations/action-alerts/
The Rev. Bill Hardwick, D.Min.
Deacon Class Offered Sundays in September
Deacons are often the forgotten order of clergy. Often viewed as JV priests, the deacon is an ancient order that is so much more! If you have ever wanted to find out more about what a deacon actually is/does or if you are curious about discerning a call to the diaconate, this is the class for you!
Nicene Creed Class Offered Sundays in September/October
Ever struggle with portions of the Nicene Creed? Ever wonder if you can even consider yourself a Christian because of it? If you’ve ever felt that way, you’re not alone! Come join us for an in-depth study of the Nicene Creed and discover how it may or may not fit into your spiritual life in the 21st Century. Questions & doubts more than welcome!
LAST Summer Prior Choir – SEPTEMBER 7th
Choir rehearsals are on hiatus for the summer. We will have a “Prior Choir” on the first Sundays the month (LAST ONE is September 7.) On those Sundays we meet in the choir loft at 10 to learn an easy anthem for that day’s worship. We do not robe or sit up front, and everyone is welcome. Choir rehearsals on Thursday and Sunday will resume in September. Everyone is welcome! Questions? Please contact Chuck Peery musicdirector@stpaulsps.org
Save the date—SAFE CHURCH Training In-Person at St. Paul’s on Nov. 18th!
Join Presiding Bishop Rowe in Sacred Ground program year launch
Episcopalians and all interfaith partners are invited to join a fall program year launch event for Sacred Ground, the church’s 11-part film- and readings-based dialogue series on race, grounded in faith. Sacred Ground circles have grown exponentially in dioceses across the country since the program began in 2019.
Join on Zoom for a virtual conversation with Presiding Bishop Sean Rowe about the spiritual dimension of Sacred Ground. Hear what makes the program compelling and why the series continues to challenge participants to do the deep work of racial healing, reconciliation, and justice—in their own lives, within their ministries, and in society.
September Book Club
The next Book Club meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, September 2, 2025, at 2:00 PM. The meeting will be held in the Music Cottage on the church campus. For September, Book Club has selected Creation Lake by Rachel Kushner. Creation Lake is a novel about a secret agent, a thirty-four-year-old American woman of ruthless tactics and clean beauty who is sent to do dirty work in France infiltrating an anarchist collective. This rendition of “noir” is taut and dazzling, a work of high art, high comedy, and unforgettable suspense.
New members are always welcome. For more information, please contact Alan Zimmerman at alanzimmerman@icloud.com.
Laundry Love Angel Stories
If you would like to volunteer at the next Laundry Love event on the third Wednesday of each month, please CLICK ON THE BANNER ABOVE or reach out via email to Ray Tackett at ertack6560@gmail.com or Megan Goehring at Megan Goehring at megantics22@gmail.com or Tony Ewing at tonymcewing56@gmail.com
Become a Guardian Angel for the Marsha P. Johnson LGBTQ+ Youth Drop-In Center
New Online Bible Course on the Parable of Jesus … for Smarties!
You’ve heard of The Bible for Dummies. Now, introducing The Bible … for Smarties! A chance to explore and learn about the Bible without dumbing it down. Going beyond your typical Bible Study, this seminar will be a university-level academic class focused on Nurturing Students towards a Nuanced, Critical Interpretation and Sophisticated Understanding of the Texts of the Bible. Dr. David Moseley will be the Instructor for these two upcoming online offerings in the late summer and fall as we begin again a two-year cycle of classes that will take participants all the way through the entire Bible:
(1) A Short Introduction to Hermeneutics (Principles of Biblical Interpretation – 3 weeks), beginning on Monday 18th August.
(2) A 12-week class on Hebrew Scriptures 1 (background to the Hebrew Scriptures, and detailed study of the Torah and the Deuteronomist History, from Genesis to Ezra-Nehemiah), starting on Monday 15th September.
*** All Classes meet on Zoom on Monday evenings, 6:00-8:00 p.m. *** Classes are recorded and can be accessed if you miss any of the *live* discussions. For more information, click on these LINKS: Summer Syllabus and Fall Syllabus which includes all you need to know about the material we will be covering, the schedule, and registering for the class. Scholarships are available – please inquire. And please feel free to email Dr. Moseley (drdavidmoseley@gmail.com) with any questions.
Section 14 The Untold Story on display at the Agua Caliente Cultural Museum Changing Gallery
Exhibition Title: Section 14 The Untold Story
Exhibition Dates: June 14, 2025 – May 31, 2026
Since time immemorial, the Agua Caliente people have called this land home. Many voices have commented and argued over the history and legacy of Section 14. Now, the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians share our perspectives on this land and the Tribe’s continuing efforts to assert rightful sovereignty over it.
Section 14 The Untold Story unfolds around a central theater in the Museum’s Changing Gallery. In the newly-released 16-minute film at the center of the exhibition, Tribal Elders recall life on Section 14 and the struggles their families and their community endured. Around this powerful record, the exhibition presents documentary evidence, the facts of the matter drawn from local, state, and national archives: How private interests worked to take our land and deny our rights. How we fought to regain those rights and hold firmly onto our land and our culture.
INTERESTED IN JOINING THE REVS TO SEE THE SECTION 14 GALLERY IN THE FALL? STAY TUNED FOR A DATE.
Episcopal Church Immigration Updates
Join us every Tuesday at 1 pm ET for a 30-minute call on the changing landscape of U.S. immigration, refugee, and migration policy. Episcopal Migration Ministries will share updates and resources and will be joined by the Office of Government Relations and the Chief Legal Officer. Spanish interpretation will be available.
Click here to Register6 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:
- 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!
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 currently the acting Archbishop of Canterbury; pray for the Church of the Province of South East Asia, The Most Reverend Titus Chung, Archbishop and Primate.
For the Episcopal Diocese of Minnesota, The Right Reverend Craig Loya, Bishop.
For the Episcopal Diocese of San Diego, The Right Reverend Doctor Susan Brown Snook, Bishop; for the clergy and people of St. Dunstan’s, San Diego; for Agape House and its ministries, and the students of SDSU and UCSD.
For those commended to our prayers: the parents of Anthony Tarnoski, Steve and Michelle Tarnoski, and their extended family; Michael Carmona, James Phillips, Brian Bishop, David Smith, Miguel Mattias, Amy Kidder, Mary Ann Lee, Ben Clark, Marla Mark, Lt. Lauren Moore, Lt. Thomas Moore, Veronica Pooh-Nash Poleate; Rian Watts, Tina McLemore, Carol Wright, Lori Miller, Marty Turner, Jorge Santiago, Glas & Lidia, Lucy Youngren, Bonnie Ong, Roger Allen, Kathryn Briski, RC Eckert, Gaile Eckert, Cheryl Kelley, Tish & Eliott Kahn, Hap Blaisdell, Terry Fabian, Pat, David Valenzuela, Amelia Grinstead, Chloe Grace Wilson Barton, Marilyn De Silva Currie; pray for all those for whom no prayers have been said.
For those who have died: Susan M. Patterson, John Edward Fischer, Verl Sproul, Anthony Tarnoski, Charlena Verrette, Pat Lenzen, Beth Boyce, Mae Kaljian, and Dana Gunning. 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 celebrating anniversaries: August 29: Bob Edgerly & Bob Warburton, Tammy & Jim Franklin; August 30: Richard Wordeman & Thomas Sweeney.
For those with birthdays: August 24: David Smith, Ted Barajas; August 25: Kathy Kilmer, Brian Bishop; August 26: Amber Mendivil, Andrea Randall, Layla Alexia; August 28: Rev. Canon David Caffrey, Susan Spaulding; August 29: James Harrod, Julian Carr; August 30: Joey Dominguez.
For those for whom flowers have been donated: Today’s Altar Flowers are sponsored by Rev. Deb Seles, in thanksgiving for the birthday of Doug Thompson (August 21), AND BY Aaron Riviers, in loving memory of his brother, Franklin Howard Riviers.
“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 August 31, The Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost.
Upcoming Meetings & Events at St Paul’s
- Sunday, August 24 – 8:00AM & 10:30AM – Pentecost XI
- Sunday, August 24 – 1:00PM – August Vestry Meeting
- Wednesday & Thursday – August 27-28 – Strategic Plan Implementation Team (SPIT) Annual Planning Retreat
- Friday, August 29 – 11:00 AM – Prayer Shawl Ministry – Home of Lena Granet
- Tuesday, September 2 – 2:00 PM – Book Club – Creation Lake – Music Cottage
- Sunday, September 7 – 10:00 AM – Prior Choir Practice
Adjusted Office Hours for August
Monday – Thursday – 9:00 AM-1:00 PM
Want to help make St. Paul’s Campus & Buildings Better?
Have you have had a moment where you were at church and you saw the same lightbulb has been out for weeks and no one has changed it? Or maybe you go to grab a railing to steady yourself and find that it’s really loose and wonder why it hasn’t been fixed? Or perhaps you’ve noticed that your pew rack is missing cards or envelopes or pens and you are reminded that no one can fill them unless someone knows they are empty?
We have a BRAND-NEW tool that anyone can use to help us make sure the campus is safe, stocked, and ready for worship and other campus activities! Welcome to the NEW St. Paul’s Maintenance/Repair Request Form found online. If YOU see something that needs repairing, cleaning, sprucing-up, etc. on St. Paul’s campus, this is THE way to ensure that we know about it. Scan the QR code below OR click on the Building & Grounds Maintenance/Repair Request Form. You will be able to fill out the form in real time, which will allow our sexton to address those issues and/or the Campus Care Committee to address any major campus issues. Help us stay organized and prioritized!
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.
Annual Meeting Recap & Impact Report
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 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.
Red Cards
Click to enlarge the images.
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/
