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“A New Teaching – With Authority!”
Jesus begins his teaching ministry. He teaches, first, in the place one would expect. No surprise.
However, when he begins to teach, he teaches with a different style. Traditional teaching would begin reciting a passage from the Torah and connecting it with interpretations of previous teachers or contrasting it with other texts.
The Scribes probably did their teaching in this way. Scribes is a descriptive title for those who copied and taught the scriptures. The profession was respected. I understand Jesus’ criticisms as aimed at Scribes who missed the point, or took themselves too seriously.
Jesus did a new thing and had authority. While the Scribes had many wonderful authorities they could quote, Jesus had authority in himself. He was not speaking about the things of God. He, like a prophet, was speaking for God. The healing of the man with unclean spirit was a sign that Jesus spoke for God. Jesus spoke God’s word for healing, for rebuilding the community to include one who had been excluded.
In the course of our typical worship service we hope to include both the traditional base of the Scribes and the sense of authority that comes from the presence of Jesus within our worshiping community. Reading and reflecting on the scriptures becomes the context for Jesus living in and though us. We pray for the institutional church and for the church of Christ’s Body. We pray for the needs of the world and for the needs of all, especially those who are hungry in any way.
Then we come to the table at Jesus’ invitation, and we eat.
I don’t believe that Jesus presents us with an either/or type of choice. “Scribes” and others needing spiritual cleaning are welcome. Even those who don’t know where they ought to stand or kneel are invited to let Jesus speak with authority to them. Each and all are welcome.
Join us.
Fr. Andrew
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Mark 1:21-28
Jesus and his disciples went to Capernaum; and when the sabbath came, he entered the synagogue and taught. They were astounded at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes. Just then there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit, and he cried out, “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are, the Holy One of God.” But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent, and come out of him!” And the unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying with a loud voice, came out of him. They were all amazed, and they kept on asking one another, “What is this? A new teaching– with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him.” At once his fame began to spread throughout the surrounding region of Galilee.
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Robert Conover died Saturday, January 28th at Eisenhower.
Bob and his partner Tom have been regular at the 4 pm service for several years.
May he rest in peace and may light perpetual shine upon him.
A Funeral with Holy Communion will be Friday, February 3, at 11 am with a reception following.
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The Rt. Rev. William Persell, retired Bishop of Chicago, accompanied by his wife Nancy, will be our Bishop in Residence through February 3rd. He will preach on Sunday, January 29th.
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ECW Plans a “Day” at the Museum
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For its luncheon program on Thursday, February 2nd, the ECW will get an insider’s look at Cabot’s Pueblo Museum from parishioner Dr. Lorraine Becker, whose talk and picture presentation will highlight the history of the museum.
Cabot’s Pueblo Museum is a Hopi-inspired pueblo that is a unique treasure in the Coachella Valley, located in the heart of Desert Hot Springs, built by Cabot Yerxa, the structure is hand-made, created from reclaimed objects. The pueblo is 5,000 square feet and includes 35 rooms, 150 windows and 65 doors.
The business meeting at 11 a.m. is open to all, precedes the noon lunch. Newcomers to the parish will be especially welcome. As part of the day’s program, individual devotions will be shared. Hostess for this meeting is Marilyn Johnson. Those attending are asked to bring a salad to serve 4-6, rolls or a dessert; beverages are provided.
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Robert V. Taylor,
Spiritual, But Not Religious?
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Robert V. Taylor
Spiritual, But Not Religious?
Is there a meeting point?
February 7, 2012 at 7:00 p.m.
Are you Spiritual or Religious? Or both? Ever increasing numbers of Americans identify themselves as “Spiritual but Not Religious.” What are the implications of this? Is there a meeting point in which the religious and spiritual discover common ground? Will spirituality claim a larger footprint in our common life?
Engage in this conversation following Robert V. Taylor’s talk Tuesday February 7th at 7 PM at St. Paul’s. Robert V. Taylor is the author of A New Way to Be Human (New Page Books April 2012) and an openly gay South African Episcopal priest. Learn more at www.robertvtaylor.com
Robert is our Speaker in Residence in early February. In addition to his program on the 7th, he will be the preacher for our weekend worship services on February 4-5.
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St. Paul in the Desert Presents:
Music of the Night, “A Broadway Extravaganza”
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On Sunday, February 19th at 4:00 p.m. – St. Paul in the Desert presents “Music of the Night, A broadway Extravaganza.” It stars “The Female Liberace,” Linda Gentille, performing music from Phantom of the Opera, Les Mis, and many other favorites. Donations graciously accepted.
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“Sundays at 9:15”
In The Library
Feb. 5
(Jan 29, No Class)
Enriching our Prayer Life
We welcome back, The Rev. John Harper, Deacon, from the Episcopal Diocese of Iowa. John continues what we began last month, and will explore with us a broad spectrum of types and traditions of prayer—spoken and non-verbal, traditional and contemporary, from Christian and other faith practices. The final project will be for us to create our own distinctive versions of the Prayers of the People.
•with John Harper
Feb. 12 & 19
The Pastoral Epistles
This is study into the Epistles of 1 and 2 Timothy and Titus. These non-Pauline epistles offer a view into the structure of the Early Church communities and the duties of those in charge. Presented by Jerry Di Noto, Ph.D, with a video presentation by Prof. Bart Ehrman.
•with Jerry DiNoto
Feb. 26 & Mar. 4, 11, 18 & 25
Lenten Wilderness Journey Baptismal Understanding
•with The Faith Formation Team,
Victoria, David & Jerry
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“Thursdays At 7”
Feb. 2
The Historical Jesus
In the first two DVD presentations, Dr. Bart D. Ehrman will reconstruct the life of the historical Jesus: Who was he and what did he actually say and do? In other words: “Will the real Jesus please stand up!” AND, in the final presentation, Dr. Ehrman will help us explore ‘Jesus the Apocalyptic Prophet’. Marcus Borg’s book, ‘Meeting Jesus Again for the First Time’, will provide a helpful background to this series.
•with David Abernethy-Deppe
In the Parish Hall Parlor
Feb. 9, 16 & 23
21st Century Christian Response to the World
Senior Warden Craig Ewing will lead a three week discussion on how we look at the world as faithful Christians and rational 21st century thinkers. Join us as we explore common ground between faith and understanding.
•with Craig Ewing
Mar. 1, 8, 15, 22 & 29
Lenten Taizé Prayer Service
•with Nathan Ensign.
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DINNER IS SERVED….ON FEBRUARY 25th!
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One of St. Paul’s “not to be missed” occasions is the ECW’s annual Spaghetti Dinner, on Saturday, February 25th from 5 to 7:30 p.m. The proceeds benefit outreach projects and special needs of the church.
Tickets go on sale January 28th following all church services. Adult tickets are $8.00. Children between the ages of 3 and 12 are only $3.00, with children under 3 free. There are a limited number of tickets, so get yours today.
The delectable menu is spaghetti with choice of meat or vegetarian sauce, tossed garden salad, and bread. A variety of beverages will be available.
The ever popular White Elephant Event is during the night’s festivities. If you have any white elephants, give them to this worthy cause. Donations, valued at $5.00 or more, are gratefully accepted. Items can be left at the church beginning on February 6th (please identify them as items for the sale). For questions regarding donations, contact Patricia “Trish” Grieco at 760.904-4416, or russglynn@earthlink.net.
The Bake Sale with its enticing display of cookies, cakes, pies and breads, has always been a culinary hit, according to this year’s chairman, Diane Stielstra. Contributions of bakery items (none that need refrigeration) should be brought to the church between noon and 4 p.m. the day of the sale. Non-sugar treats also welcomed.
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Weekend Retreat:
What We Talk About When We Talk About God
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 . . . to be held Friday-Sunday, February 3rd-5th at Camp Stevens.
Each person has something unique to say about what God is up to in their lives and the world. When we talk about God from our own life experience, we are claiming the tradition of scripture.
Join Rev. Gary Hall and Episcopalians from around southern California for a weekend retreat at Camp Stevens in Julian, where we’ll look at scripture and other texts as models for our own theological truth telling. $200 includes accommodations and meals. Visit http://www.campstevens.org/register or call 760.765.0028 for more information.
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Roy’s Desert Resource Center & Desert SOS
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Hap Blaisdell, strongly encourages volunteers to use the sign-up sheets in the Parish Hall to help him manage the number of volunteers he would like to see each week for Desert SOS. Hap says a minimum of 6 volunteers at Roy’s each Monday night is ideal. If fewer than six volunteers sign up, the workload is overly burdensome. The sign-up sheets are in the binder on the entrance table to the Parish Hall. Contact Hap for more information at 760.323.5726.
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 Cold Toes at Desert SOS – Roy’s Resource Center has made a plea for covered shoes, boots and tennis shoes for their clients. Many clients have no shoes. If you have unworn or nearly new shoes that could be donated bring them to the church office or place them next to the Desert SOS basket.
If you would prefer to make a financial donation for shoes, make your check payable to: St. Paul’s, and in the memo area, write: SOS SHOE Fund. Contact Hap for more information at 760.323.5726.
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ONE Extra Item…Brings Smiles to the Homeless – Purchase one extra item during your weekly grocery 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. Contact Hap for more information at 760.323.5726.
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Attention Ministry
Leaders
Just a reminder that the Annual Parish Meeting is scheduled for Sunday, January 29th. Written reports for the Annual Parish Meeting should have been submitted by now. You may contact Jonathan to determine of there is time for your submission to be included. If you have any questions, please call 760.320.7488, ext. 224 or email to:
Jonathan.Abernethy-Deppe@stpaulsps.org
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The Camp Stevens Scholarship Fund
. . . has raised $242.00 during the Camp Steven’s Fundraising drive. We are half-way to the goal of sending a deserving child to experience the enrichment of Camp Stevens. Thank you to all who stopped at the Camp Stevens table and for your generous donations.
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Daughters of the King
 DOK’s next meeting will be held on Tuesday, January 31st at 1:00 p.m. at St. Margaret’s. This meeting is to discuss which spiritual book will be read during Lent by our ministry members. We extend an invitation to all parish women, with a special welcome to newcomers, to join us in the fellowship of this worthy ministry. Call Bonnie Stroock for more information at 760.324.7949.
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Coffee Hour
 The Host for the 8:00 a.m. Coffee Hour is Jack Moore. The Hosts for the 10:30 a.m. Coffee Hour are Ray and Cheryl Kelley in celebration and thanksgiving for January birthdays and anniversaries.
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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Sign Up for Flowers,
Coffee Hour and
Desert SOS
To make is easier for parishioners to sign-up for Flowers, Coffee Hours, and the Desert SOS Dessert Ministry, the sign-up sheets are in binders that are on the entrance table in the Parish Hall. The 2012 binders are filling fast, so if you have a special date that you want to commemorate, be sure to sign up early.
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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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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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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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St. Paul in the Desert’s Directory is being Updated – The information we have in the computer, on each of our parishioners, will be printed in the new St. Paul Directory. If any of your information has changed in the last two years, please give us your updated address, telephone, and email. If you are in any doubt that your information is correct, please fill out the form in the pew pocket and place it in the plate or email valerie.winters@stpaulsps.org
We would rather receive your information again, than have it wrong in the directory.
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