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Saints or Children?
On Sunday we will celebrate All Saints Day. (It is permissible to observe the feast on the day or on the Sunday following.)
The central Gospel reading for any celebration of All Saints is the Beatitudes (Blessed are the …). Another reading that we will use this year is below. The first line is a different angle on All Saints. We are to be called children of God, and we are. All this is a sign of God’s love.
When I think of Saints, I find it hard not to think of striving to make the grade in God’s sight. (I know this is not only what Saints are about, but this is what I think about. Maybe you do as well.) Although all of us are saints by virtue of our baptism, it is hard not to think of Saints as the elite of heaven.
The idea that on this Feast Day we celebrate all the children of God means that there is room at the table for me. It reminds me that acceptance and love from God is initiated by God. The saints, the children of God, are those who have come into contact with that invitation and have turned towards it. As a result, the rest of my life is about turning more and more towards the love that has touched me.
The Good News is that the abundant love of God is still inviting. She is inviting us. She is inviting our neighbors. She is inviting people we can’t imagine and those we would not imagine. All Saints as the celebration of the Children of God is about community of love that is intended to keep growing so that one day all will be included. It is clear that God’s desire is that all are invited and welcome.
Join a bunch of God’s children this weekend. We practice the invitation and at 10:30 Sunday we welcome 6 month old Robinson Shay Tancrator as a saint in baptism.
Fr. Andrew
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1 John 3:1-3
See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God; and that is what we are. The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Beloved, we are God’s children now; what we will be has not yet been revealed. What we do know is this: when he is revealed, we will be like him, for we will see him as he is. And all who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure.
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Joan Dillingham
6/20/1930 – 10/27/2011
Funeral Monday, November 7
11:00 a.m. at St. Paul’s
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Please remember her and her family in your prayers.
May she rest in peace and rise in glory.
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African Team Ministries is a non-profit private voluntary agency that supports missions, evangelism, orphans, refugees, and famine relief to and through the Church in East Africa. ATM also provides jobs for unemployed women who make many of the crafts.
African Team Ministries sells unique, one-of-king items of jewelry and crafts made by the people of Africa. The monies raised, go to benefit not only the people who make the craft/jewelry but it also helps with irrigation, schools, and all types of help for the people of Africa. Rosanna Langley will be selling the articles on Nov 6th & 13th only, after both Sunday services. Cash, Check & credit cards are accepted.
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The Christmas Decoration Committee needs volunteers to decorate the Church inside and out. If you would like to serve on this committee, there is a sign-up sheet on the entry table in Hogarth Hall. If you have questions, contact Rosa Zingg at rozingg@yahoo.com
or 760.904.5080.
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 with Mirium Mohiuddin
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
7:00 PM
As a follow-up to the Adult Faith Building Program course, “An Introduction to Understanding Islam”, we are hosting a special evening session on ISLAM. Our guest speaker, Mirium Mohiuddin Is from the Muslim Public Affairs Council. Mark your calendar and take advantage of this faith sharing learning experience.
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Adult Faith Building – “Sundays at 9:15”
We Are the Church Together – But what does that mean for us in our day and in this place? The Rev. Canon Victoria Hatch leads us in several Scriptural studies which will help us to better understand our use of time, skills, and, yes, our money. Join us, at 9:15am, in The Library, on November 6, 13 and 20, as, together, we explore what it means to be the Church. Be sure to bring your Bible.
No “Sundays at 9:15 on November 27th
Adult Faith Building – “Thursdays ast 7:00”
 November 3, 10 and 17 The History of the Bible with Professor Bart D. Ehrman. We’ll talk about the Gospels: their dates, sources and basic message. Join us. Join us, Thursday evenings, 7pm.
No ‘Thursdays at 7:00 on Thanksgiving Day,
Nov. 24th
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Roy’s Desert Resource Center & Desert SOS
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Special thanks to the crew who show up every Monday to Roy’s Resource Center. Currently there are 95 registered homeless at Roy’s. St. Paul volunteers help serve dinner and dessert each Monday. Please sign-up to help the most in need. The sign-up sheet is in the binder on the entrance table to the Parish Hall. Contact Hap for more information at 760.323.5726.
Shown above: (l-r), Ron Shepherd, Ilene Borhand, Jeff Peck, Hap Blaisdell, Michael Howard. Not Pictured: Fred Crawford
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ONE Extra Item
…Brings Smiles to the Homeless – Purchase one extra item during your weekly shopping to donate to the Desert SOS Dessert Ministry of St. Pauls. Dessert is provided every Monday evening. A box of cookies, doughnuts, fruit, cheese or other special treat would be so appreciated by people who ask for so little. Place the dessert in the Parish Hall refrigerator, (labeled clearly “SOS”), or bring it to the parish office (ring doorbell) before 4:00 p.m. Monday. Contact Hap for more information at 760.323.5726.
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Well In The Desert
Now Serves Lunch at St. Paul’s on Wednesdays
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The Well in the Desert has moved its meal service at St. Paul’s from Fridays to Wednesdays. In order to support the retail businesses in our neighborhood, we requested a change in the day of our meal service. Now a hot meal is served at St. Paul’s from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. every Wednesday.
The Well needs volunteers to carry out their services and they need financial support to provide them. You can call (760) 327-8577 to volunteer. If you want to contribute to the Well, just write “Well” in the memo portion of your check.
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Parishioners: Are you sure we have your contact information? In our quest to keep our directory current, we ask you to give us your updated address, telephone, and email if it has changed in the past year. Too often we get the message “Return to Sender” and “Telephone no longer in service.” Please fill out the form in the pew pocket and place it in the plate or email: valerie.winters@stpaulsps.org.
Better twice than not at all. Thank you!
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The Bishop’s Appeal
The Bishop’s Appeal supports the mission of the diocese through gifts that are used for support of our ongoing programs and ministries: congregational support and development, leadership development, pastoral care, ministry development, and Christian formation. 100% of your gift goes to supporting our ministries. To make a gift, to the secure website at http://www.edsd.org or mail to: Episcopal Diocese of San Diego, 2728 Sixth Ave., San Diego, CA 92103.
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The St. Paul Columbarium Niches are over 60% sold out. If you are interested in a specific niche, please do not wait to purchase it or reserve it. Deposits are required for all niche reservations. Please contact Jonathan Abernethy-Deppe, at 760.320.7488, ext. 224 for further information.
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Report Sexual Misconduct
As part of our ongoing commitment to creating a safe haven for everyone, please be reminded that our diocese values the tenet of our baptismal covenant to “respect the dignity of every human being.” Part of the way we live into that is to train people in the prevention of sexual misconduct. Another part that goes hand-in-hand with training is reporting incidences of sexual misconduct. Our bishop, the Rt. Rev. James R. Mathes, takes reports seriously and investigates them thoroughly and confidentially. If you believe you have experienced sexual misconduct of any kind, please contact Bishop Mathes immediately: bishopmathes@edsd.org, 619-481-5450.
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Living Generously:
Click the pie to taste!
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A Holy Communion Service is scheduled for Wednesday, November 9, at 10:00 a.m. at Windsor Court. The Rev. Dick Merrill will preside and welcomes assistance.
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St. Paul at the Fabulous Palm Springs Follies
Sunday, December 4, 2011, 1:30pm, Plaza Theater, downtown Palm Springs.
Attend the Christmas Follies, starring John Davidson, at the special St. Paul group price of $49 each (an $84 value) at 1:30 p.m. on Sunday, December 4th. Only a few tickets remain. Reserve your ticket through Mike Carson at 760.318.6377 or at:
psboys@mail.com,
then make your check payable to St. Paul in the Desert, with “Follies” on the memo line.
DON’T MISS THIS GREAT SHOW AT A GREAT PRICE! WE HAD A FABULOUS FOLLIES TIME LAST YEAR!
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Brunch for All Saints
Reminder, St. Paul’s 2nd Annual Brunch for All Saints is Sunday at 12 noon. Advance reservations requested. A few tickets are still available. Price: $7.00
All Saints’ Day Bulletins
The names of loved ones you have requested have been printed in a perpetual and permanent remembrance list available in the narthex.
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS:
SEPTEMBER & OCTOBER 2011 GIFTS
The Parish is grateful to all of its Parishioners, who pledge annually, for their steadfast generosity.
We also acknowledge the special gifts, the list can be viewed by clicking here.
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Gift Received
 St. Paul’s is the recipient of a bequest from the estate of Carl Hillman, who died this past Spring. Carl’s partner, Leo Stopa, presented our Parish with a gracious gift on a visit to the desert this week. This is a great reminder to remember St. Paul’s in your end-of-life planing. This is enduring stewardship because the decisions one makes during life will endure as a blessing for others
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Family and Children’s Ministry
. . . meets after the 10:30 a.m. service next Sunday, November 13th, in the Godly Play room off the parish hall. This ministry partners families to strengthen, nurture, and train children to become disciples of Jesus Christ through Bible study, Godly Play, fellowship, outings, service and relationships with Christian leaders who strive daily to walk with God. Two items for discussion are Christmas activities and planning of Godly Play. For additional information, call Bonnie Stroock at 760.324.7949.
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The Children’s Choir
. . . continues on Wednesdays at 6:00 p.m. in the Choir Room. All children ages 4 and above are encouraged to participate in this dynamic musical ministry where they not only learn musical skills but also how to work together as a team. They will be singing about once a month for the 10:30 service. Call Nathan at 760-320-7488 ext. 225 for more details.
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Coffee Hour
 The 8:00 a.m. Coffee Hour hosts are Kelcey and Kaytlyn Lacy.
To sign-up to host a Coffee Hour, please use the binder located on the entrance table in the Parish Hall. If you have any questions, please contact, Ray or Cheryl Kelley at 760.778.1725.
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Scam Alert!
 An impersonator pretends to be a relative in urgent need of money.
You receive a phone call from someone pretending to be your son, daughter, grandchild, etc. requesting money to get out of a predicament. Your emotions run high and you cave in to sending a money gram to assist. You have been scammed. It is happening frequently.
If you should receive such a call, verify the identity of the caller by asking a question only the true individual could answer. If the caller is unable to answer correctly, you can be assured you have interrupted a scam.
For a thorough discussion on this subject, Click Here.
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Sign Up for Flowers,
Coffee Hour and
Desert SOS
To make is easier for parishioners to sign-up for Flowers, Coffee Hours, and the Dessert Ministry, we have integrated the sign-up sheets into a three-ring binder format. These sheets are in binders that are on the entrance table in the Parish Hall. Instead of writing parallel onto a bulletin board, you will now be able to write at table height. Please note that there are binders for the rest of 2011 and for 2012. If you have a special date that you want to commemorate, be sure to save it as soon as possible.
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Bullies Not Welcome Here
At St. Paul in the Desert we want to welcome all worshipers to a place that is free of violence and bullying.
Physical, verbal or emotional violence against others or against oneself is not acceptable.
“It Gets Better” is a series of video messages to encourage Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, or Transgender youth and let them know that they are loved as they are.
“A Blessing for Those Who Are Bullied” was written by the Rt. Rev. Steven Charleston, a Bishop of the Episcopal Church.
It is not enough to say “NO” to bullies. It is important to stand up for people and to provide resources for those who have been the targets.
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