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The Abundant Lite
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September 3, 2009
For Sunday September 6th
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From The Rector
How Should Jesus Act?
In the Gospel this Sunday, we have scandal and redemption, we have
persistence and faith, and we have a clear sign that God's gracious
kingdom has begun in earnest. Jesus travels to unexpected places and is
accosted by a woman focused on the welfare of her little daughter to
the exclusion of propriety. There were several reasons she had no
business being there. (Woman, Non-Jew, lived with demon possessed
child.) But there she was. The scandal was that Jesus engaged her,
conversed with her.
The scandal for us was that Jesus reminds
her of the gulf between their two ethnicities. It would not surprise me
to learn that at home her people also referred to his as "dogs."
Because we have a vision of human Jesus that would eliminate any human
flaws, we are scandalized. "Jesus wouldn't say that." Or "He must have
meant something we don't now understand." Most would have preferred
that Jesus had healed the little girl without the exchange.
I
think that we would have missed out on two things. In this exchange,
Jesus lets us know that he is well aware of the callus divisions
amongst people. He is not naive. Without this exchange the woman would
not have been able to express her confidence in God and her belief in
God's abundant goodness - even in a divided world.
We don't get
to choose how Jesus acts and speaks. We do get to observe that the very
realistic Jesus is consistent about inviting all to share in the
abundant life. He is consistent about tearing down barriers by his
acts. He is consistent about showing us faith in the most unexpected
places.
I believe that we can even find nourishment for our
faith in the community that gathers to pray and worship each weekend.
Please join us.
Fr. Andrew
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Featured Scripture
Mark 7:24-37 (NRSV)
Jesus
set out and went away to the region of Tyre. He entered a house and did
not want anyone to know he was there. Yet he could not escape notice,
but a woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit immediately
heard about him, and she came and bowed down at his feet. Now the woman
was a Gentile, of Syrophoenician origin. She begged him to cast the
demon out of her daughter. He said to her, "Let the children be fed
first, for it is not fair to take the children's food and throw it to
the dogs." But she answered him, "Sir, even the dogs under the table
eat the children's crumbs." Then he said to her, "For saying that, you
may go-- the demon has left your daughter." So she went home, found the
child lying on the bed, and the demon gone.
Then he
returned from the region of Tyre, and went by way of Sidon towards the
Sea of Galilee, in the region of the Decapolis. They brought to him a
deaf man who had an impediment in his speech; and they begged him to
lay his hand on him. He took him aside in private, away from the crowd,
and put his fingers into his ears, and he spat and touched his tongue.
Then looking up to heaven, he sighed and said to him, "Ephphatha," that
is, "Be opened." And immediately his ears were opened, his tongue was
released, and he spoke plainly. Then Jesus ordered them to tell no one;
but the more he ordered them, the more zealously they proclaimed it.
They were astounded beyond measure, saying, "He has done everything
well; he even makes the deaf to hear and the mute to speak."
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Bible Studies
The Tuesday Night Bible Studies Resume September 8th!
 Join
Mother Stephanie beginning Tuesday, 9/8 as we begin a 12 week romp
through the Gospel According to John. Unique among the four Gospels,
John takes us into the mystery of Christ with a proclamation that is
rich in symbolism and and filled to overflowing with multiple layers of
meaning in almost every line. This will be a great adventure of
spiritual enrichment, we hope to see you there.
The Tuesday
Night Bible Studies offer an opportunity to grow in faith and
understanding through our Scripture as well as providing a fun and
welcoming environment to form community with other members of the
parish and beyond. Sign up by calling the office at 320-7488 ext. 0.
If no one answers simply leave your name and telephone number and we
will call you back to confirm your reservation. The class fills
quickly so sign up soon! The books are $11.00 and scholarships are
available.
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Rubber Stamp Classes
Starting Sept. 16th
Here's
an opportunity to learn a creative card making technique called rubber
stamping. This technique employs rubber stamps, ink pads, markers, and
embellishments to create beautiful hand made greeting cards. Michael
Funke will take you through the steps, and, at the end of the workshop,
you will have created a minimum of 4 greeting cards to take home with
you. Michael says, "I don't feel rubber stamping is a difficult craft
to master and after all it's only paper!" Click here to get all the details, schedules for the class, and pictures of the cards you'll be making.
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Around the Diocese
 Dedication of St. Thomas of Canterbury, Temecula, on September 20 at 2:00 p.m.
Clergy
and Lay People from all over the diocese are invited to share in this
celebration of a new church building. Since it's inception, St. Thomas
has met in store fronts, even with a church pre-school. Now they have a
beautiful 300 seat Sanctuary, offices, classrooms, and fellowship
space. Fr. Andrew will be participating and Bp. Mathes has asked that
several members of each congregation join in the celebration. They have
a Wish List of things that they need.
St. Thomas of Canterbury
44561 Avenida de Missiones
Temecula, CA 92592
951-302-4566
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Diocesan Ministry Day
Saturday, November 78:30 AM - 3:00 PMSt. Bartholomew's, Poway
Bring
a team from your congregation to this year's Diocesan Ministry Day. The
workshops will focus on practical ways to strengthen and nurture the
life of your congregation. Learn from others in roles similar to yours.
Exchange best practices. Meet new friends. Enjoy the old ones.
Mark your calendars and plan on attending. Look for more information in the coming weeks about this important day.
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Worship Schedule
All Services include
Holy Communion
Saturday Evening 4:00 p.m.
Sunday Morning 8 a.m.
Sunday Morning 10:30 a.m.
Children Welcome in Worship
Childcare is available
on Sunday Mornings
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Godly Play
For the children during service
Attention All Parents and Children!! Godly Play is resuming on Sunday,
September 13 at the 10:30 service. In order to have your child
participate in Godly Play, we ask that you be at Hogarth Hall (the
parish hall) by 10:15. The children will re-join the service during
Communion. Please join your child at the altar rail and they will
return to the pew with you.
What is Godly Play? Please click here for a full tour through this wonderful program.
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Bishop's Evangelism Workshop
Saturday, September 26
9:00 AM - 3:00 PM
All Saints', Vista
21st Century Evangelism: Memory, Mission and Movement
We
live in a time of extraordinary opportunity for mission. Indeed, the
twenty-first century is much like the first century. Evangelism begins
with bearing witness, which is rooted in memory and story-telling. This
is at the heart of identity as a worshiping, Eucharistic community. As
Jesus said, "Do this for the remembrance of me." Remembering and
worshiping change how we behave. It moves us to mission actions of
Jesus in the world. This dance of memory and mission releases a
movement of the Holy Spirit. Seekers want to be a part of that movement
and be transformed.
Come and learn how your congregation can mix
together memory, mission, and movement into a recipe for a growing and
vibrant church. Register Today
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The Secret Message of Jesus By Brian McLaren
 "What
if Jesus' secret message reveals a secret plan?" asks Brian McLaren in
his new book, The Secret Message of Jesus. "What if he didn't come to
start a new religion--but rather came to start a political, social,
religious, artistic, economic, intellectual, and spiritual revolution
that would give birth to a new world?"
Join readers throughout
our diocese who are cogitating these, and other, compelling notions by
reading The Secret Message of Jesus.
McLaren will be our
keynote speaker at Diocesan Convention 2010. Bishop Mathes will lead a
workshop about this book at our Diocesan Ministry Day on November 7.
Purchase a copy today and begin reading! Better yet, start a book club at your church using the study guides on the diocesan website.
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New Choir Season Begins
All Day Retreat on Sept. 19th
The
Adult Choir will being the new season with an all-day retreat at Hope
Lutheran Church in Palm Desert on September 19 from 8:30 till 4:30 and
a catered supper at Connie and Bob Dean's home following. Beginning
the next day we will be back leading Sunday services. All
singers (high school and older) are encouraged to use their talents and
join this great group that enjoys singing while having lots of fun
together! Contact Director of Music, Nathan Ensign, for more details
at: (760) 320-7488 Ext. 225.  |
Mission Statement
God has invited us to share the Abundant Life of Jesus Christ,
through the Church of St. Paul in the Desert,
by serving Christ in others and by gathering
to praise and thank God in worship.
We are a Welcoming, Empowering, Supportive Community.
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Anglicans
recognize Blessed Mary, the Mother of Jesus, as an example of holiness,
faith and obedience for all Christians. Mary can also be seen as a
prophetic figure of the Church. As such, she is often considered to be
the most important person within the Communion of Saints, and many
Anglicans "call her blessed" (Luke 1:48). In this six-week series, Br.
Michael-Gregory Norrie will look at the role of Mary in the Anglican
Tradition (in both Pre-and-Post-Reformation England) and will examine
her life as revealed in the Scriptures and other extra-biblical
sources, including the Marian hymnody found in the 1982 Hymnal. We'll
also explore her prominence in Anglican worship through the prayers and
readings assigned to her principal feast day and the lesser Marian
festivals and commemorations in the Episcopal Church. The series begins
Sunday, October 4th at 9:15 a.m. in the Chapel in the Parish Hall.
Bring your Bibles!
Blessing of the Animals
"What
if Jesus' secret message reveals a secret plan?" asks Brian McLaren in
his new book, The Secret Message of Jesus. "What if he didn't come to
start a new religion--but rather came to start a political, social,
religious, artistic, economic, intellectual, and spiritual revolution
that would give birth to a new world?"
Dedication of St. Thomas of Canterbury, Temecula, on September 20 at 2:00 p.m.
"What
if Jesus' secret message reveals a secret plan?" asks Brian McLaren in
his new book, The Secret Message of Jesus. "What if he didn't come to
start a new religion--but rather came to start a political, social,
religious, artistic, economic, intellectual, and spiritual revolution
that would give birth to a new world?"
From The Rector
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to a full house. There is still room to audit as we continue with the
rest of the 11 week romp through the Gospel According to John.
Dedication of St. Thomas of Canterbury, Temecula, on September 20 at 2:00 p.m.
"What
if Jesus' secret message reveals a secret plan?" asks Brian McLaren in
his new book, The Secret Message of Jesus. "What if he didn't come to
start a new religion--but rather came to start a political, social,
religious, artistic, economic, intellectual, and spiritual revolution
that would give birth to a new world?"
