The Abundant Life – April 10, 2025

Third Annual Legacy Society Gala

Three years ago, the St. Paul in the Desert Legacy Society started with 68 charter members. In doing so, the clergy followed the Book of Common Prayers exhortation: “The Minister of the Congregation is directed to instruct the people, from time to time, about the duty of…all persons to make wills, while they are in health, arranging for the disposal of their temporal goods, not neglecting, if they are able, to leave bequests for religious and charitable uses” (Book of Common Prayer, p. 445). We have welcomed more members in the intervening years and this past weekend, we inducted 23 new members at our Third Annual Legacy Society Gala held at Jake’s Restaurant. This brings total membership in the Society to 100 strong, 94 of whom are still living. 

The six deceased members, including our dearly beloved Ray Kelley, whom we honored, are still making an impact in the life of our parish. Their generosity reminds us of the great mystery of the communion of the saints – that “though dead, they still speaketh.” While Legacy Society members come from all different walks of life, we have found a common purpose in sustaining the life-impacting ministry of the Church of St. Paul in the Desert for many years to come. It does not matter the amount one is leaving, only the intention to designate a planned gift in one’s will to the Church. Everyone and anyone can be a member of the Legacy Society.

Why does the Legacy Society matter? Our guest speaker for the evening (and newly inducted member) the Rev. Steve Huber reminded us that pledging, while incredibly important, is not enough to cover the operating budget in our parish or any parish. What has made the difference historically, and what will continue to make the difference in the future, are the legacy gifts of parishioners who leave St. Paul in their estate plans. We would not be in the solid position we are in (when many parishes are struggling to pay essential bills) if it were not for the generosity of those who have gone before us through planned giving. While this has always been the case in recent memory, what has shifted with the Legacy Society is that instead of using these legacy gifts to make up the difference with each annual budget, we are now able to have the gifts serve the parish in perpetuity. There is a period of transition from the old system to the new, but we are well on our way. With the establishment of a formal endowment, the principal of those gifts will remain untouched while the interest will continue to sustain the ministries now and into the future. In other words, you could not pick a more impactful time to make a contribution that will yield spiritual dividends for many years to come. You can be confident that your legacy gift will enable us to make sure that we move into fiscal sustainability for many years to come. If you would like to find out more about how to join the St. Paul in the Desert Legacy Society so that we can induct you at next year’s annual gala, you can contact the Legacy Society Chairperson, Orin Ellingson at legacy@stpaulsps.org

Parish Hall Refresh Weekly Update

April 10, 2025

New chandeliers, fans, speakers and LED lights have been installed in the main hall, with wiring to be completed by Friday. Installation of acoustic panels in the main hall is well underway, and is scheduled to be completed by Saturday. Plumbing rough-ins in the restrooms have been completed.

Next week the new floor and wall tiles will be installed in the restrooms, with porcelain tiles installed over the exposed concrete floor in the rest of the Parish 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

Interfaith Bible Study – Book of Jonah

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).

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/

Diocesan Advocacy for Policy Change and Human Rights

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