For Saturday & Sunday December 21 & 22, 2024
Christmas Eve and Christmas Day Services!
Parish Office Holiday Schedule
The Parish Office will be closed from Christmas Eve through New Year’s Day, reopening with regular business hours, Thursday, January 2. For your donation to be counted for the 2024 tax year, it must be in by the end of our Sunday December 29th service. Online gifts can be made through December 31st.
Dear Friends,
What an incredible milestone we reached this past Sunday as we celebrated 85 years of ministry at St. Paul’s! Thanks to your remarkable generosity, we’ve already raised over $730,000 in pledges—a testament to your unwavering commitment and love for our church.
But we’re not done yet! With just a little more to go, we’re within reach of our bold goal of $750,000. Together, we can make this vision a reality.
If you haven’t pledged yet, now is the perfect moment to join us on this transformative journey. You can click the link above to create a new pledge or call the office or send your pledge in the mail.
And if you’ve already pledged, prayerfully consider increasing your gift—every single dollar helps us continue the vital work of ministry, outreach, and service that makes St. Paul’s what we are. To increase your pledge, click on the link below this letter to add to your 2025 pledge.
Can you help us raise the remaining $20,000 we need before Christmas? We’re so close to accomplishing our goal so that we can confidently budget for all the incredible ministry we’re hoping to do in 2025. We invite you to be a part of it in whatever way you can.
Let’s finish strong and celebrate the future we’re building together.
With joy-filled gratitude and faith,
Nat Wilburn and Alan Glass
Stewardship Campaign Co-Chairs
Gaudete Sunday/85th Anniversary Celebration!
Last Sunday was one for the books! As we awaited to hear our pledge in-gathering goal for 2025, we donned our finest pink liturgical wear, and shared together in one fabulous service. We heard Chris Butler share about why St. Paul’s is such a healing and meaningful place for him, and why he supports the ministry and mission of St. Paul. We welcomed 15 new members! We commissioned 8 new Lay Eucharistic Visitors (adding to our 7, making a total of 15)! We wrote our joys and our prayers for St. Paul’s and offered them at the altar. We celebrated our Joy-Filled Generosity, and heard from our Stewardship Chairs, Alan Glass and Nat Wilburn, that we are soclose to meeting our pledge goal. We heard and read a bit about the 85-year history of The Church of St. Paul in the Desert. And we toasted it all! Dear Church, it is a joy and a privilege to share in the life and ministry of this place with you. May we continue to keep our hearts open to where the Spirit is inviting us to participate in as St. Paul’s steps into this new year! Thank you to all who sent in pictures from this day. You can see many many more on Facebook here.
Special thank you to Douglas Burton for our beautiful pink lights in the church, Music Director Charles Peery and the St. Paul’s choir for elevating our worship through song and in anthem, Jim DeMersman for baking and frosting 200 cupcakes (and other delicious goods), John Tubera and the amazing St. Paul’s volunteers for decorating our Pink Party, Steve Moore for the beautiful historical display on St. Paul, the Stewardship Committee for pouring drinks at the party and providing support and information and joy-filled hope throughout the entire campaign, for the countless volunteers who ushered, welcomed, read, prayed, lit candle, served, set up, tore down, and made the entire day one of Gaudete Rejoicing! (PS If you didn’t receive a St. Paul’s 85th Anniversary Christmas Ornament for your household, you can pick up one this Sunday. We have a few left!)
Click to view full size.
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
For many years, the content and structure of John’s Gospel have puzzled modern scripture scholars who tried to read it using the laws of narrative discourse. Two contemporary theologians, however, have discovered a different way of reading the Fourth Gospel using the ancient laws of parallelism. This course will explore how this approach might lead us to a greater appreciation of the mystical vision of the Gospel’s author as well as to a better understanding of the mystical Christ whom he attempts to reveal.
Sundays between services—The Revs/Additional Clergy—Confirmation Class—Feb. 2, 9, 16, 23, March 2, 9, 16, 23—Culminating with the Bishop’s Visit on Sunday, March 30th
Are you worshiping with our community and are ready to take a further step into becoming an Episcopalian and/or deepening your faith in our tradition? This class will lead you through your own spiritual life story as well as through the history, theology, and worship of the Episcopal Church. It is an opportunity for you to grow spiritually in and through the community of faith at St. Paul’s.
- Have you been Baptized but never Confirmed? Then you are a candidate for the Confirmation which will be administered by the Bishop.
- Are you Confirmed in another denomination and want to become a member of the Episcopal Church? Then you are a candidate for Reception, whereby you will be received into the Episcopal Church by the Bishop.
- Are you already an Episcopalian and have been inactive and want to reconnect? Then you are a candidate for Reaffirmation, whereby you publicly reaffirm your intention in the faith and are blessed by the Bishop.
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.
Tuesdays from 3:30-5PM—Frank Dunn+—Masculine Spirituality Without Patriarchy—Jan 7, 14, 21, 28, Feb4, 11, 18, 25
Presentation and examination of some key masculine archetypes such as king, magician, warrior, lover, sage, grandfather, and Green Man exploring how men can build deeply Christian spiritual practices on such typical male identities, carving out fresh models independent of patriarchal structures and behaviors. This short course will be of interest to all who identify as male whether cisgender or transgender. The group would be enriched by the presence of women, too!
Wednesdays from 3:30-5PM—Joseph Casazza—Opera: Mathis der Maler (Matthias the Painter) by Paul Hindemith—Jan 8, 15, 22, 29
St. Paul the Hermit’s only appearance in opera is in Paul Hindemith’s Mathis der Maler. Written in 1935 and premiered in Zurich in 1938, this mostly fictional story of the last years of the life of the painter Matthias Gruenewald (16th century) has long been seen as a criticism of the Nazi regime in Germany. It is actually an exploration of the spiritual challenge of following your vocation in a tumultuous, suffering, divided world. Sung in German, with English subtitles, the opera is 3 hours long, but will be shown in parts, with an introduction to Matthias Gruenewald, the Isenheim altarpiece, St. Paul the Hermit and St. Anthony and with discussion.
Stand-Alone Saturday—Pete Smith—Baking for Community—Jan. 11 from 10AM-2PM
Food is love: making food together is a great way to get to know each other and to learn something new. We’ll spend half a day together learning to bake something related to each season of the church year. After a quick lunch, we’ll either take home what we’ve baked or give it away, depending on the session.
Consider Carpooling
With the return of our wonderful snowbirds, we are finding our parking lot gets fuller quicker. (Not a bad problem to have!) Many parishioners have mobility issues that require them to be close to the door of the church, and so if the lot is full, they often head home, unable to make it to worship. Please consider parking farther away if you can do so, AND consider carpooling with a parishioner who lives near you. Use your church directory and find someone who lives close and give them a call. We have lots of parishioners without cars who could use a ride. If you are open to GIVING A RIDE to someone and need a suggestion, please reach out to revjessie@stpaulsps.org. If you are someone who NEEDS a ride, please reach out to revjessie@stpaulsps.org. Let’s make this Advent season one of compassion and sharing.
St. Paul Sisters in Spirit (SIS)—What’s Coming in 2025!
St. Paul’s new Women’s Group (Sisters in Spirit—SIS) will meet the first Monday of each month to enjoy conversation and build community. Start off the New Year with our St. Paul Sisterhood! Sisters in Spirit women’s group will gather 4-6PM on Monday, January 6 at the home of Kathy Kilmer. She will supply drinks. Please bring an appetizer. RSVP to jwacker2001@yahoo.com
Mercy Ministries Stocked and Ready for January 8th Distribution!
Thanks the generosity of St. Paul’s Holiday Open House Party attendees, the Mercy Ministries ended up with a donation of 26 large bags of warm winter clothing! We received approximately 100-120 sweatshirts and hoodies, approximately 50-60 pairs of long pants, 30-40 pairs of sweatpants, and about a dozen walking shoes and men’s boxers. The Mercy Ministries stockroom is fully stocked! As such, we look forward to a distribution on January 8th. Please reach out to Ray Tackett (ertack6560@gmail.com) if you would like to volunteer for that distribution. Many thanks to St. Paul!
The Rev. Canon Tony Jewiss
Virginia Theological Seminary shared on Facebook that one of our fabulous retired priests of St. Paul’s, The Rev. Canon Tony Jewiss, read one of the lessons for the Dean’s Cross event. They were awarding the Dean’s Cross to Jerry Anderson, who was one of the very earliest AIDS chaplains in the Washington DC area. Jerry then relocated to Los Angeles, and was the chaplain at Good Samaritan Hospital, which until recently was owned by the Episcopal Diocese of LA. Well-done, Canon Jewiss!
January Book Club
The next Book Club meeting will be held on on Tuesday, January 7, 2025, at 2:00 PM in St. Paul’s Parish Hall conference room. For January, Book Club has selected The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce. It is a novel of charm, humor, and profound insight into the thoughts and feelings buried deep within our hearts.
New members are always welcome. For more information, please contact Alan Zimmerman at alanzimmerman@icloud.com
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
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 Canterbury, The Most Reverend and Right Honourable Justin Welby; for the Church of the Province of Uganda, The Most Reverend Dr. Stephen Samuel Kaziimba Mugala, Archbishop.
For the Episcopal Diocese of Washington, The Right Reverend Mariann Edgar Budde, Bishop.
For the Episcopal Diocese of San Diego, The Right Reverend Dr. Susan Brown Snook, Bishop of San Diego; for the clergy and people of St. Barnabas, Borrego Springs; for those experiencing homelessness and those who journey at their side.
For those commended to our prayers: Ray & Cheryl Kelley, Michael Parker, Carol Haws, Tim Harbin, Harry Nussbaum, Callie Lewis, Robin De Brier Phil & Lisa De Brier, Chris De Brier, Roger Allen, Vivian Dortch, RC Eckert, Marcia P., Cindy Fisher, Mark Fisher, Brooke Wolford, Tom Tyrrell, 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: Pete Conley, Reginald Vaughans, Roosevelt Scott, Pristell Hurst, Jr., Marshall Martel, Cynthia Stallings, Kenneth Mayo, La Verne Wash. Rest eternal grant to these, your servants, O Lord, and let light perpetual shine upon them. Amen.
For those celebrating anniversaries: December 23: Rick Gooch & Gary Smith; December 26: Michael Funke & Rick Roberts.
For those with birthdays: December 22: Greg Barton; December 24: Tyrus Brown, Linda Richard, Brynn Shih; December 27: Rev. William Hardwick.
For those for whom flowers have been donated: Sunday’s Altar Flowers are sponsored by Frank Stahl, in Loving memory of A. J. Miller, AND BY Rick Gooch & Gary Smith, in thanksgiving for their 41st anniversary (December 23).
“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 December 29, the First Sunday after Christmas Day.
Upcoming Meetings & Events at St Paul’s
- Sunday, December 22 – “Green” the Church for Christmas following the 10:30 AM service
- Sunday, December 22 – 1:00 PM – Vestry meeting – Library
- Tuesday, December 24 – 6:00 PM – Christmas Eve Family Service
- Tuesday, December 24 – 11:00 PM – Christmas Eve Midnight Mass (incense)
- Wednesday, December 25 – 10:30 AM – Christmas Day Mass
- Sunday, December 29 – 8:00 AM & 10:30 AM services
- Wednesday, January 1 – New Year’s Day – The Holy name of our Lord Jesus Christ
Parish Office Holiday Schedule – The Parish Office will be closed from Christmas Eve through New Year’s Day, reopening with regular business hours, Thursday, January 2.
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.
