The work of the Strategic Plan Implementation Team runs on a program year basis, generally August/September through the following June. Annual goals are set by the Vestry under each of the Strategic Plan Objectives. We have just wrapped up our 2025/2026 year, the penultimate year of the Parish’s five-year Strategic Plan adopted in January 2023.
Here is the recap of a very successful year:
Objective 1:
Grow the Parish and Engage Parishioners in Discerning Growth Pathways
- 114 Sunday worship services and 44 Wednesday worship services between Pentecost 2025 and Pentecost 2026, not including special services, weddings and funerals.
- Third Service in Winter/Spring 2026 was a success with Average Sunday Attendance – “ASA”, a primary metric used by The Episcopal Church – +45 over the same February-May period in 2025 (this does not count online worshippers via the livestream).
- Year-round 2026 ASA likely will exceed 2025 ASA by perhaps 50 (this addition is more than the total in-person ASA of most Episcopal parishes).
- There is substantial room to grow the third service. This year it was basically shared only by word of mouth; going forward we plan to communicate the service more broadly to the community.
Objective 2:
Enrich Spiritual Formation, Pastoral Care, & Community Life
- Throughout the year, clergy have provided ongoing pastoral care through visits, phone calls, texts, emails, office appointments, hospital and home visits, and support during times of illness, grief, celebration, and transition.
- Lay Eucharistic Visitors (LEVs) made 104 visits bringing the sacrament to homebound and hospitalized parishioners between Pentecost 2025 and Pentecost 2026.
- Snowbird Chaplain provided additional pastoral care and is expected to return.
- 31 spiritual formation classes in the last program year
- 56 Flower Ministry visits between kick-off in November 2025 and Pentecost 2026.
Objective 3:
Empower Community Advocacy
- Laundry Love launched and was successful, weathered a setback and re-grouped, and was re-launched successfully. This outreach program has a bright future with committed volunteers.
- We are seeking to develop an additional 2-3 sustainable outreach programs.
- Vestry adopted a “New and Existing Ministry Assessment Tool” which is being implemented, first by our LGBTQ+ ministry. It will help us to design new programs and improve existing ones.
- Vestry also adopted a “Civic Engagement Policy,” establishing who may speak on behalf of the Parish in public forums and under what circumstances.
- The Parish continues to support diaconal formation and may be assigned a deacon in 2027.
Objective 4:
Empower Lay Members for Service & Leadership
- The Vestry’s five Standing Committees – Strategic Plan Implementation, Finance, Campus Care (Property, Buildings and Grounds), Human Resources, and Stewardship – continue to undertake critical work in their respective areas of expertise.
- Safe Church training set a record, with over 100 in-person parishioners trained on campus (plus many more trained through the online portal).
- The Vestry adopted a revised Confidentiality Agreement for Parish leadership and a new Conflict of Interest policy.
Objective 5:
Empower Staff to Advance the Church’s Mission
- Employee and Volunteer Handbooks were adopted. Volunteer Handbook will be implemented in the Fall of 2026.
- The HR Committee did great work on staff candidates for Parish Administrator and Director of Communications and Events. On-boarding of these new staff members proceeded smoothly.
- The Parish’s staffing model continues to evolve, reflecting strong leadership & adaptability. With communications moving to a vendor role, we now are seeking a Director of Parish Life & Engagement. Interviews will occur in August with on-boarding expected in September/October.
Objective 6:
Update Campus Infrastructure
- Parish Hall Refresh, IT upgrades and new Website are complete. The Kitchen is fully functional although we are awaiting final inspections, which are expected to occur in the next month or so.
- Final renovation of the Church apartment for occupancy by the Snowbird Chaplain and other visiting clergy was completed in January.
- 2 Step groups returned to the Parish Hall in February.
- Work on the “Grass Removal Project” to meet new state law prohibiting non-functional turf on commercial properties (including churches) is well underway.
- Safety & Security Taskforce work is underway.
- Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for the refreshed Parish Hall and newly renovated Kitchen are under development and nearing completion
Objective 7:
Enhance Fiduciary Strength and Stability
- Annual Appeal exceeded pledge, participation and new donor goals. Pledge total: $920,828 exceeded $900,000 goal. Participation: 264 donors exceeded the goal of 250 pledges. New donors: 54 new donors exceeded 35 new donor goal.
- 2026 budget exceeds $1M for the second year in a row. We are currently overrunning revenue and underrunning expenses.
- Legacy Society membership and the Parish’s Permanent Endowment Fund continue to grow.
- Business Plan for the refreshed Parish Hall and newly renovated Kitchen are under development and nearing completion.
Thank you, St. Paul’s, for your shared participation with God’s Spirit here in this place!
–John Raposa, Senior Warden
Grass Removal Project Update
As Junior Warden at the Church of St. Paul in the Desert, I am responsible for helping care for our church buildings and grounds. An important part of that responsibility is ensuring that our property remains in compliance with applicable City and State requirements.
Brooke Wolford, Jr. Warden
Why This Project Is Needed
California Assembly Bill 1572 prohibits the use of potable drinking water to irrigate non-functional turf, often referred to as ornamental grass, on commercial, institutional, and HOA properties. This statewide water conservation measure does not apply to single-family residential lawns or to functional recreational spaces such as parks, sports fields, and cemeteries.
What Will Be Affected
Non-functional turf is decorative grass that does not serve a practical purpose for recreation, gathering, or other regular use. At St. Paul’s, the affected area is the front portion of the lawn that slopes down toward the water retention drain. We plan to keep the grass on the level areas of the lawn, so this project will not require removing all the grass.
Compliance Timeline
- St. Paul’s is classified as a commercial, industrial, and institutional property.
- Our deadline for compliance is January 1, 2028.
- We must submit our plans to the City of Palm Springs before July 2027.
- Failure to comply can result in civil penalties of up to $2,000 added to the monthly water bill, restriction of water service or termination of water service.
Project Progress
The Campus Care Committee has created a taskforce to guide this project. Since meeting with the City of Palm Springs and the Desert Water Agency in February to better understand the requirements, the taskforce has taken several important steps:
- Interviewed four professional landscape companies.
- Received written proposals from three companies.
- Recommended a landscape architect for Vestry approval.
- Received Vestry approval for the selected landscape architect.
- Began development of a landscape plan that can be used as working drawings.
Once the drawings are complete and approved, we will use them to request bids from three licensed and bonded landscape construction companies. The task force will then recommend the best bid and contractor to the Vestry for approval.
Basic Scope of Work
The project will focus on replacing non-functional grass on the sloped areas with attractive, water-conscious landscaping. The current scope includes:
- Remove non-functional turf from the sloping lawn areas.
- Install hardscape materials such as rock and decomposed granite.
- Add new plants and trees.
- Remove old irrigation lines and install new irrigation where needed.
- Add outdoor lighting.
Rebate Opportunity
The City of Palm Springs and the Desert Water Agency currently offer a rebate program that would reimburse St. Paul’s at a rate of $3 per square foot for eligible removed grass. Because the program is available on a first-come, first-served basis, we are working to submit our plans as soon as possible.
Next Steps
I will continue to keep you updated as we move forward with this project and work to transform a portion of our lawn into an attractive, sustainable, and compliant outdoor space.
Brooke Wolford, Jr. Warden
Share Your Teaching Gift: 2026–2027 Formation Classes
St. Paul’s invites proposals for the 2026–2027 Spiritual Formation program year. A recent May–June 2026 Spiritual Formation Survey (66 responses, ~25% of average Sunday attendance) showed strong appreciation for last year’s program’s diverse offerings, especially the quality of instructors, book-based and interfaith discussions, and small-group conversation. Respondents expressed interest in future offerings including New Testament studies, Episcopal history, prayer and meditation practices, spirituality and aging, psychology and spirituality, social justice, LGBTQ+ inclusion, and arts-based spirituality. While in-person learning remains most valued for community-building, participants also emphasized the need for accessible online and hybrid options, along with stronger technical support for these formats. Overall, the feedback encourages a continued broad mix of theological, spiritual, and justice-focused programming alongside more reliable hybrid learning support. Last year we offered over 30 intentional spiritual formation opportunities and are hoping to offer a wide-range of options for this coming year.
Proposals may be submitted at https://stpauldesert.church/spiritual-formation-classes/.
Please submit a separate form for each class you wish to teach. All proposals are due by August 10, 2026, and applicants will be notified the following week regarding selection. Informal conversations or previously discussed ideas should still be submitted through the formal process.
All instructors who wish to teach in 2026–2027 are required to attend one Teacher Training session (either Saturday, Sept. 12 or Tuesday, Sept. 29). The 90-minute session will cover collaboration with staff and clergy, setting up hybrid classes (including OWL/Teams), accessing materials and printing support, and room setup/cleanup expectations. A virtual participation option will be available. Not all proposals will be accepted, based on space, balance, budget, and scheduling needs. We encourage creative and collaborative proposals that serve the parish’s diverse formation needs.
Flower Ministry
Each Monday, a small group of St. Paul’s parishioners gathers the flowers from Sunday worship, arranges them into bouquets, and delivers them to homebound parishioners or those who have experienced recent health challenges. These flowers are a tangible reminder that they are not alone, that they are deeply loved, and that this community holds them in prayer.
Perhaps you might feel called to join this small but meaningful ministry—we need you! If you’d like to learn more and see if this ministry might be right for you, please join us Mondays at 9:00 AM in the church office. You’ll receive a bouquet to deliver to someone in our community. Your presence truly makes a difference.
Upcoming Classes, Events & Services
Join St. Paul’s this Sunday for our Worship Service
The Ninth Sunday After Pentecost: Proper 12
The Holy Eucharist: Rite Two
July 26, 2026 · 10:30 AM
We live livestream our 10:30 AM Sunday Eucharist every week. You can view the livestream on the Watch Live Page, YouTube Channel, and Facebook Page.
Missed a Service?
No problem! You can watch previous services anytime.
Visit our YouTube channel to explore past sermons and special events at your convenience.
The next Book Club meeting will be held on Tuesday, August 4, at 2 PM
The Book Club will spend June and July reading the iconic book Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry. There will be no July meeting. The next Book Club meeting will be held on Tuesday, August 4, 2026, at 2 PM. The meeting will be held in the Yucca Room in the parish hall on the church campus. Journey to the dusty little town of Lonesome Dove, where retired Texas Rangers Augustus McCrae and Woodrow Call undertake a perilous cattle drive to the untamed plains of Montana. Along the way, they face danger, adventure, and an unforgettable cast of characters.
Richly authentic and beautifully written, Lonesome Dove is a story of love, loss, and the unyielding spirit of the American West.
For more information, please contact Alan Zimmerman at alanzimmeran@icloud.com.
Upcoming Funerals
Saturday, August 8 at 11:00 AM — Jo Anne Adair
Saturday, August 22 at 11:00 AM — Jude Hoiseth
Prayers of the Church
For the Anglican Communion: The Most Reverend Dame Sarah Mullally, The Archbishop of Canterbury; pray for the Anglican Church of Tanzania.
For the Episcopal Diocese of Milwaukee: The Right Reverend Matthew Gunter, Bishop.
For the Episcopal Diocese of San Diego: The Right Reverend Doctor Susan Brown Snook, Bishop. For the clergy and people of All Saints’, San Diego, and for the EDSD youth delegation to the Province VIII Youth Pilgrimage in Hawaii.
For those commended to our prayers: Robert Blum, George Barros, Bob Barrie, Lynda Goldsby Nolan, Kristopher C., Georgia, Sandra Wipf, Joshua Wipf, Steven Tunnell, Mary Rush, Dorothy, Ruth, Lucy Youngren, Makenna Mattesi, Don & Mary Hamilton, Kathleen Krug, Rosendo Perez & Teresa Perez, Marysia, Pat, Beth Muccillo, Tatianne Simpson, Mark Bianco, Dick Burkett, Barbara Villani, Marla Mark, J. Martin Huber, Gaile Eckert, RC Eckert, David S., Nick K., Jim Rosenthal, Barry Brunetti, Karen Paddock, May Wallace, James Caraway, Mike Brunetti, Lou Armentrout, Janet Spiegel, Cynthia Lulo, Steve Horstman, Leon Walker, Pablo Villagomez, Sheri Marchand, Jon Kates, Laurence Wolfe, Jeff Bonnell, Karla Fuller, Jack Wehler, Irene Castillo, Latesa Anderson, Stefan Hill, Ed Iborg, Helen Zimmerman, Daniell Cornell & Family, Anna Marie Schaffer, Beverly Schaffer, Bridgette Oliver, David & Jen Moreno, Donna Depew, Clifford, Corrine, Sally Depew, Susan Cole, Carmen Vasquez, Diann Caddo, Maggie Dewitt, Ann Lonnie Tribble, Greg, Lynne, Paula & Bill, Diana Ruiz, Bill Davis, Gary Mercer, Cara Oliver, Bill McMillan, Steve Moore, Linda Staunch, Matt Maestra, Florence Tobin, Sophie Buckiss, Don Hamilton, Mary Hamilton, Ronnie Simpson, John Lasher, Richard Ammon, Rex Comer, Tom & Helen Amestoy, Warren Safely, The Rev. David Caffrey, Larry Stralow, Kai C., Kevin Fleming, Mick & Joan Dawson, Allan Coe & Rose Coslett, Michael Neill, Nesbit Hatch & Dennis Rexroad, Lori Miller; pray for all those for whom no prayers have been said. pray for all those for whom no prayers have been said.
For those who have died: Valerie Winters, Barb Steeves, Terry Williams, Jo Anne Adair, Leslee Lafrantz, Jerry Miles Bland, Jude Hoiseth, Dick Kleen, Willie Moore, John Hatton, Helen Cornell, Rodney Binder, Mellie Young, Ann Keith Nauman, Mel Parsons; Rest eternal grant to these, your servants, O Lord, and let light perpetual shine upon them. May their souls and the souls of all the departed rest in peace. Amen.
For those celebrating anniversaries: July 26: Diane Hines & Charles Hines, July 27: James Nindel & Brian Brodowsky, July 29: Shannon Ealy & Rosa Zingg.
For those with birthdays: July 26: Ned Smith, Jeffrey R. Coates, Charlene Langfur, Darwin Loveless, July 27: Kristenza Hatch, David Smitherman, July 28:Lena Granet, July 29: Furman Moseley, Tony Ellerd, Raymond Gordon, July 30: Daniel Schmidt, July 31: Jim De Mersman.
For those for whom flowers have been donated: Sunday’s Altar Flowers are sponsored by Aaron Riviers in memory of Frank Riviers.
“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 at the Welcome Table, or you can call the Parish Office at 760.320.7488 to reserve your sponsorship date(s).
Prayer List Update
We have recently taken time to review the names currently on our prayer list to ensure it remains current and meaningful. If you feel a name is missing, we warmly invite you to submit the names of those you would like us to include in prayer.
Please note that names will remain on the prayer list for four weeks. To be included in the weekly newsletter and printed materials, submissions must be received by 4:00 PM each Tuesday. Submissions received after the deadline will appear in the following week.
Thank you for helping us care for our community through prayer.
Prayer Request
Submit a name to our Prayer List, and our community will lift them up in prayer throughout the week.
Share your request and let us pray with you.
RequestCommunity & Outreach
Want to Get Involved?
St. John the Evangelist Episcopal Church
Neighbors For Neighbors Volunteers Needed
Every fourth Thursday of the month, volunteers gather at approximately 7:30 AM to set-up, organize, bag and distribute food beginning at 9:30 AM to over 500 families from the greater Indio area. During summer months (June to September), food distribution will begin at 9:30 AM and continue thru 3 pm. These volunteers are vitally important to our outreach.
Please contact John Sanders at johnfsanders@mac.com to volunteer.
Want to Help Make St. Paul’s Campus & Buildings Better?
Have you ever been at church and noticed the same lightbulb has been out for weeks? Or reached for a handrail only to find it’s loose and wondered why it hasn’t been fixed? Maybe you’ve sat down in a pew and found the rack is missing cards, envelopes, or pens—and realized that unless someone reports it, no one knows it needs attention.
We invite you to use our Maintenance & Repair Request Form, available online.
If you see something on St. Paul’s campus that needs repairing, cleaning, sprucing up, or general attention, this form is the best and most effective way to make sure it gets addressed.
Submitting a request in real time allows:
Our sexton to handle day‑to‑day issues quickly
Our Campus Care Committee to track, prioritize, and plan for larger or ongoing needs
Your participation helps us stay organized, responsive, and good stewards of our sacred space.
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.
The Episcopal Diocese of
San Diego’s Info
on Reporting Misconduct
The Episcopal Diocese of San Diego considers the reporting and investigation of misconduct to be of critical importance. Reporting enables the diocese to protect the complainant, the respondent, and the larger community. It also allows the diocese to assist with the spiritual, psychological, and emotional needs of all concerned during and after the report of misconduct. Please visit edsd.org/safe-church-safe-communities/reporting-misconduct/
Intake Officers:
Ms. Megan Callan, megan@mecallan.com
The Rev. Willy Crespo, frcrespo@gmail.com
Ms. Meredith Hardy, mlh8180@gmail.com
