For Sunday December 14, 2025
Pink Sunday
Christmas Eve and Christmas Day Services
Blue Christmas Interfaith Service
Christmas Flowers
Donations placed in the Christmas Flower envelopes will provide holiday flowers and support guest musicians for our Christmas services.
Envelopes are in the pews. To have your name listed in the Christmas program leaflet, please return your envelope to the office by Thursday, December 18 at 12 PM. Thank you for making our Christmas services beautiful and joyful!
Please reach out to Nancy Leal, our Parish Administrator, at parishad@stpaulsps.org or 760-320-7488, with any questions or concerns. Thank you for your generosity!
🎄 Help Decorate the Church for Christmas!
Interested in Helping Decorate the Church for Christmas? Meet Michael Painter this Sunday, December 14 at 1:00 PM in the church for a quick 5-10 minute meeting to go over details.
Thank you for sharing your time and holiday spirit!
Advent Lessons & Carols
On Sunday, December 7, St. Paul’s celebrated the season of Advent with a beautiful service of Lessons and Carols, drawing 128 attendees into a time of reflection and joyful anticipation.
The service featured an extraordinary lineup of musicians:
- Douglas Leightenheimer, Guest Organist
- The Church of St. Paul in the Desert Choir
- Charles Peery, Harpist and Music Director
Through scripture readings and music, the congregation journeyed through the story of God’s promise and hope, preparing hearts for the coming of Christ. The combination of voices, harp, and organ created an atmosphere of reverence and celebration that will be remembered throughout the season.
We are deeply grateful to everyone who attended and to those who shared their gifts to make this service so meaningful. A special thank you to our Music Director, Charles Peery, for his leadership and artistry.
[embedyt]https://youtu.be/HYjmK82lLHw[/embedyt]
Movie Night!
Join us December 18 at 6:30pm for a special screening of The Nativity Story. Bring your family, friends, and neighbors for a festive evening of fellowship.
In this powerful retelling of a story cherished across centuries, a young woman is called to fulfill an extraordinary destiny: to become the mother of Jesus and a central figure in humanity’s salvation. The Nativity Story follows her profound journey of faith and courage. Over the years leading to the birth of Christ, Mary discovers strength, grace, and unwavering devotion—qualities that have made her a symbol of hope and reverence for generations.
YOU’RE INVTED: Co-Rectors’ Sabbatical Listening Session
Monday, December 15 at 11AM
In 2027, your Co-Rectors will be ready for their Sabbatical, a time of rest to recharge and ready themselves for ministry.
Your Co-Rectors are going to apply for a Sabbatical Grant from the Lilly Foundation, which can grant up to $60,000! This is a wonderful opportunity that allows both the ministers and the congregation to benefit (we’ll all need a sabbatical by then!). Vestry member and HR member Marian Stinson+ has, along with the Co-Rectors, put together a small task force to help write the grant. HOWEVER, the grant deadline has moved up from years past: The grant proposal is due mid-March 2026 (in order to receive it during the summer/fall of 2027).
Part of the grant requires a listening session with the congregation. Many of us have attend Patio Parties and other events where we’ve shared what brought us to St. Paul’s and what keeps us here. Now is the time to assist the Co-Rectors by listening with them about the Sabbatical. What gift do you most want their sabbatical to give them? What might the church learn while they are away?
If you like being part of these kinds of conversations, we are holding ONLY ONE, this MONDAY, December 15th at 11AM in the Saguaro Room. Please come and support your ministers and help them in this fun and spiritual conversation (and contribute to helping strengthen this grant proposal)! For any questions, please contact Marian+ (marianstinson58@gmail.com).
Parish Hall Kitchen Renovation Update
Immediately following the unveiling of the refreshed Parish Hall on Pentecost, the Kitchen Task Force appointed by the Vestry began work on preparing the Parish’s permit application to fully renovate the Kitchen. Although small, our Kitchen is treated as a commercial kitchen for local (Palm Springs Municipal Code) and state (California Building Code) requirements, essentially as if we were a restaurant. These requirements are extensive and complicated and necessitated the engagement of specialists and engineers in design and drafting, mechanical systems, plumbing, electrical/energy, and structural/building. We worked with these specialists and engineers throughout the summer crafting an application that we believed met all code requirements, which was submitted on August 29, although the City did not put it “in process” until mid-September.
Four City agencies had to sign off on our application before a permit was issued: Planning Department, Health Department, Fire Department and Building Department. Each of these departments has purview over a piece of the various city and state requirements for commercial kitchens. We worked with these departments throughout the autumn, modifying and clarifying our permit application as each mandated. These discussions were extensive and laborious, and the process was oftentimes frustrating, as responsiveness is not a key attribute of local governance. Our permit was finally issued on Nov. 21, the Friday before Thanksgiving. Plumbing work began immediately the following Monday.
Work is now occurring six days a week (Monday-Saturday) excluding holidays and when liturgical events happen on Saturdays (such as funerals). Demolition of the Kitchen was completed earlier this week. Our refrigeration appliances have been given a new lease on life by being donated to The Galilee Center that serves the needs of the underprivileged and disadvantaged by providing food, clothing, and other basic necessities. Extensive plumbing and electrical work are underway. We expect that the new kitchen appliances, sinks, tables etc. will be ordered next week and delivered shortly after the New Year. Flooring should also be ordered next week. As a condition of permit approval, we will have to install a new electrical service to the Parish Hall. This work will begin presently and requires trenching from the south side of the Music Cottage to the west side of the Parish Hall. The grassy area including the jungle gym will be closed off during this work which is expected to take about two weeks due to required Edison and City inspections, although it could stretch on a bit longer because of the fast approaching Christmas and New Year’s holidays.
The project timeline is approximately 16 weeks from permit issuance, with a targeted completion by the bishop’s annual visitation on Laetare Sunday, March 15.
Click to view full size!
Newcomers’ Brunch Recap
Our Newcomers’ Brunch on Advent 1 was a joyful and energizing gathering, with more than 40 newcomers, plus several Vestry members and other ministry leaders joining us in the Parish Hall! The main hall was filled with great conversation, curiosity about St. Paul’s, and a wonderfully warm spirit of welcome. We are grateful to everyone who helped host, prepare food, and greet our newest members and friends. Events like this remind us how vibrant and growing our community truly is.
We look forward to seeing many of our newcomers again at Pink Sunday on December 14, as we celebrate the in-gathering of pledges and continue our Advent journey of hope.
LGBTQ+ Ministry Update
This week, two of the outreach ministries that fall under the Peace, Justice, and Mercy Ministry met on Monday to do some planning and conversation about what God might be calling St. Paul’s into in this next year. First, the LGBTQ+ Ministry met over a shared potluck lunch and reviewed the 2025 events:
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- Tabled at Info-A-Go-Go (February 1)
- Peace, Justice, Mercy Retreat with Outreach Consultant (March 21-22)
- Attended the “Living Out” event (March 25)
- Tabled at Trans Pride (March 29)
- UnClobbered class (Fall)
- Pride activities (November)
- Harper & Will Movie and discussion (November 13)
- Showed up as good neighbors at the Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDOR) (November 20)
Rev. Jessie shared about her Summer Continuing Education through Transmission Ministry Collective (transmissionministry.com), as she participated in a three-month cohort of faith leaders who seek to increase trans affirming churches. Their mission statement is: “Connecting and empowering trans and gender-expansive people within a Christian context to explore gender and spirituality, share holistic care, and develop as leaders. Educating and inspiring change in broader faith communities.” (Rev. Jessie welcomes conversation about her learnings over a cup of coffee in the new year, so reach out!)
The LGBTQ+ Ministry spent time talking through possible Informational Events to Be Good Neighbors, Speaker Events, Educations Events, and Exploring possible partnerships with community organizations for 2026. The Ministry group spent time working on a Mission Statement to give the ministry a focus, discussing the most vulnerable letters in the alphabet. In January the Ministry will meet again on the 12th (you’re invited!) to finalize the Mission Statement and create a few SMART goals for 2026. For now, mark your calendar if you’d like to help table at two community events and share in the Welcoming Spirit of St. Paul’s:
The LGBTQ Center’s Info-A-Go-Go on Saturday, January 31, 2026
The Transgender Health Center’s Trans Pride on Saturday, March 29, 2026.
For further questions on this ministry, reach out to Layla Alexia (laylagw@gmail.com) and/or Alex Cherkas (alexcherkas@icloud.com).
Racial Justice Ministry Update
Racial Justice met over video on Tuesday to discuss a few important areas of discernment. The first is conversation around whether St. Paul’s would like to start a chapter of the Union of Black Episcopalians (UBE), or if we’d like to explore joining the LA chapter. If you aren’t familiar with UBE, please check out their website: https://ube.org. Members of the ministry left with contacts to reach out to at the national level and from the LA chapter. Folks in the parish who might be interested are invited to reach out to Vertis Colquitt (cvertis@yahoo.com) or Rian Watts (rianwatts1126@gmail.com).
Then we had a great discussion around Tribal Relations, led by Linda Castro, who has a vested interest, both professionally and personally. Work will be done on some educational pieces (perhaps some book studies in Lent), scheduling a presentation with the Agua Caliente PR department, trips to the Cultural Museum, and drafting a land acknowledgment for the Agua Caliente. The RJ Ministry put on the calendar a church trip to the Agua Caliente Cultural Museum on Saturday, January 31. If you’d like more information or to reserve your spot, please reach out to Linda (poisonoak.linda@gmail.com)
The Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe
On Wednesday, we gathered to celebrate The Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, a cherished tradition honoring La Virgen de Guadalupe.
The service was a beautiful expression of faith and culture, blending the vibrant sounds of the mariachi, heartfelt prayers, and reflections on La Virgen de Guadalupe’s message of hope and unity. This celebration reminds us of God’s presence among all people and calls us to embrace compassion and justice in our daily lives.
Special thank you to Mariachi Coachella for providing our music this evening! Your joyful and spirited performance made the celebration truly memorable.
Thank you to everyone who joined us and helped make this feast a meaningful part of our Advent journey!
Following the beautiful celebration, heartfelt reactions were shared. Roberto Thais expressed his gratitude and pride:
Rev. Dan, Rev. Jessie, and Bonnie,
Last night’s observance of La Virgen de Guadalupe was truly worthy of coverage in The Desert Sun, Palm Springs Life, and even the TV news!
Everyone connected with its ‘production’ deserves high fives and Felicidades for every detail—the music, scripture, sermon, church décor, and flowers. It made me proud to be a Latino parishioner of St. Paul in the Desert and a member of the Latino Ministry.
Roberto Thais
Click to view full size!
[embedyt]https://youtu.be/M-vWAE-RQIU[/embedyt]
Monthly Food Distribution
Border Compassion Trip
Border Compassion invites you to travel across the border to Mexicali on Dec. 20th. Timing is to leave the valley at 7:30 AM and return at 4:30 PM. A Christmas celebration with the families at Las Cobinas shelter, a lunch and time to learn about being an immigrant at the border. A current passport is needed.
Join the Flower Ministry
- Donate SMALL vases or jam jars (glass or plastic) in the marked basket near the Welcome Table.
- Show up on any Monday at 9AM and help arrange flowers in the sacristy.
- Show up on any Monday at 9AM and get a few arrangements and Flower Cards with parishioners’ addresses and deliver to home! (Easy drop offs at the door or left on the porch.)
- Pray for those delivering flowers, that they might offer and receive Christ in those deliveries.
- Reach out to our Flower Ministry Coordinator, Natalie Ousley, and let her know you’re interested (njousley@yahoo.com).
EDSD’s Landscape Survey Strategic Plan 2025-2030
The Diocesan leadership is beginning the work of a new strategic plan to take us into the next five years! The Courageous Love plan has concluded this year, having guided ministries through ups (The Good News Festival! Comunidad de Luz!) and downs (COVID).
This work will be led by a Strategic Planning Committee, co-chaired by Ms. Mae Chao of St. Brigid’s Oceanside and Ms. Lori Thiel of St. James’, La Jolla. They will be assisted by Dr. Carsten Hennings of Point Loma Nazarene University, who is also a parishioner at St. James’.
The EDSD need to hear from as many in the diocese as possible, and to do that, they are asking everyone to participate in the Landscape Survey, from HolyCow! Consulting.
To take the Holy Cow Survey click here.
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 $105 for each altar flower sponsorship (or $75 for narthex flower sponsorships) covers the flower shops fees
Prayers of the Church
For the Anglican Communion, The Most Reverend Dame Sarah Mullally, the Archbishop of Canterbury-designate; pray for the Igreja Episcopal Anglicana do Brasil, The Most Reverend Marinez Santos Bassotto, Archbishop and Primate.
For the Episcopal Diocese of Western Kansas: The Right Reverend Michael Milliken-Assisting
For the Episcopal Diocese of San Diego, The Right Reverend Doctor Susan Brown Snook, Bishop; for clergy and people of Church of St. Michael’s by-the-sea, Carlsbad.
For those commended to our prayers: Kevin Lee, Aaron Riviers, Gerardo Reynoso, Anika Burke, Nesbit Hatch & Dennis Rexroad, Don Moore, Adrienne, George, Bridgette Oliver, Nicole, Beverly Schafer, Bob Blum, Steven Pilgrim, Marysia, Francis, Marty, Raysheen Kidd, Douglas Woodmansee, Terry Garrity, Chris Migdol, Michael Himelright, Sandy Lyons, Matt Shepherd, Bob Carter, Samuel Panarella, Mary Eckert, Michael Jardula, Teresa Slowik, Natalie Ousley, Mark Pamperin, Bruce McLean, Greg, Sherry Reynolds, Jud Hoiseth, Tony & Pat Ellerd, Vicky Boaz & Marty Turner, David Faull, Jessica Rodriguez, Crystal Gonzalez, Julia Anne Galperen, Troy Elder, Reuben Hernnadez, Shaun Water, Patricia Valtier-Medina, René (Reno) Valtier, Rodney Binder, Sam Grewal & Family, Gabriel Georgia, Benjamin Carrillo, Jerry Brown, Fergus, Joan Anderson, Harry Lit, Lori Miller, Lucy Youngren, Bonnie Ong, RC Eckert, Gaile Eckert, Tish & Eliott Kahn, Hap Blaisdell, Terry Fabian, Pat, David Valenzuela, Chloe Grace Wilson Barton; pray for all those for whom no prayers have been said.
For those who have died: Rev. Tom Callard, Cecily, Jackie Smart, Robert Menifee, Chuck Coursey, Michael Marguet, John Alex Houlton, Brian Emmanuel, Denni Bogert Russell, Michael Cohen, Mark Carnavale, Ron Withrow, Ethan Heitman. 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 departed rest in peace. Amen.
For those celebrating anniversaries: December 18: Steven Chacon & Felipe Rodriguez
For those with birthdays: December 14: John Hampton, December 15: John Granet, December
For those for whom flowers have been donated: Today’s Altar Flowers are sponsored by Lena Granet in celebration of John Granet Birthday, AND by Frank Stahl in memory of A.J. Miller, AND the Narthex Flowers are sponsored by William Schleicher in memory of Matthew “Red” Lackowski
“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
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 revdan@stpaulsps.org. The weekly print deadline is Wednesday noon.
For next Sunday’s Lectionary readings, go to www.lectionarypage.net and click on December 21, The Fourth Sunday of Advent.
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 Reverend Dan, at revdan@stpaulsps.org with names. Prayers remain on the list for one month unless otherwise noted.
Upcoming Meetings & Events at St Paul’s
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Wednesday, December 17 — 5:00 PM — Rosary Prayer Group — Church Nave
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Wednesday, December 17 — 5:30 PM — Laundry Love — Offsite
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Wednesday, December 17 — 6:00 PM — Eucharist — In the Church
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Thursday, December 18 — 11:30 AM — Sisters in Spirit Lunch — Offsite
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Thursday, December 18 — 6:30 PM — Movie Night, The Nativity Story
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Saturday, December 20 — 10:00 AM — The Order of the Daughters of the King (DOK) — Parish Library
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.
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/
Red Cards
Click to enlarge the images.
