A Letter From The Co-Rectors
Dear Beloved in Christ,
The Church of St. Paul in the Desert is entering an exciting new season of ministry. Over the past several years, we have strengthened our worship life, welcomed new members, expanded our ministries, and celebrated the opening of our new parish hall. As we continue to discern how God is calling us forward, we are making an important staffing transition that reflects both our current needs and the opportunities before us.
As many of you will remember, our stewardship theme this past year was Empowering Hope, inspired by St. Paul’s words: “Therefore, since we have such a hope, we are very bold” (2 Corinthians 3:12). This transition reflects that same spirit. We are not responding to scarcity or retreating from ministry. Rather, we are seeking to be bold in our stewardship of the opportunities God has placed before us and to align our resources with the needs of the parish’s next season of growth.
After prayerful conversation and mutual discernment, Jonathan and parish leadership have agreed that this is the right moment to transition his work from a full-time staff role to an ongoing communications partnership. Jonathan’s role as full-time Director of Communications & Events will conclude at the end of June, and his last Sunday with us as a staff member will be June 28. Following this transition, Jonathan will continue serving St. Paul’s as an external communications partner, helping maintain and strengthen the communications systems he has worked so faithfully to build.
As the needs of our parish grow and evolve, how we support the parish through staffing also grows and evolves. This innovative idea for how to strengthen our communications came at Jonathan’s initiative and gave the Co-Rectors and Vestry a chance to look at our staffing model as a whole and how we can continue to deepen connection and engagement across the parish. We are deeply grateful for Jonathan’s ministry among us. He has helped create a strong foundation for parish communications, including the development of our website, improvements to our welcome and communications systems, and support for countless parish events and ministries. His work has strengthened how we connect with one another and how we share the story of St. Paul’s with the wider community. He will continue to help us build on this incredible foundation in a new, focused capacity. We are excited to work with Jonathan in this new role.
On June 28, we will gather for a special Coffee Hour to celebrate Jonathan’s ministry, give thanks for his many contributions, and pray for continued blessings in this next chapter of his life and work. I hope you will join us in expressing our gratitude.
This transition is taking place during a period of growth and opportunity that would not have been possible without Jonathan’s faithful ministry among us. The addition of the 9:00 a.m. service has brought approximately 50 new worshippers into parish life, and St. Paul’s continues to enjoy strong attendance, healthy stewardship, and increasing participation in ministry.
Along these lines, the opening of our parish hall represents one of the most significant developments in the life of our parish in recent years. With our kitchen now complete after a delightfully unexpected phase 2, the habits and systems we establish now will help determine whether this space becomes a vibrant center for ministry, formation, fellowship, outreach, and community engagement for years to come.
We also recognize that St. Paul’s has substantial untapped capacity. With approximately 250 average Sunday worshippers and winter attendance approaching 325, we have opportunities to deepen discipleship, strengthen community, expand outreach, and welcome even more people into the life of the church. To do that well, we need strong systems, healthy volunteer leadership, and clear pathways for participation.
Over the next six months, our focus will be on activating the parish hall as a ministry hub, strengthening life across multiple Sunday services, building a more robust newcomer integration process, developing volunteer leadership, and ensuring operational stability as we look ahead to the clergy sabbatical planned for 2027.
To support these priorities, we anticipate adding a new staff position currently being developed under the working title of Parish Life Coordinator. While the title and job description are still under review, this role will focus on volunteer engagement, hospitality, newcomer integration, parish events, and helping coordinate the growing in-reach and outreach opportunities emerging through expanded parish life.
This reflects a shift in emphasis. As our communications systems have matured, our greatest need is increasingly not simply communicating ministry opportunities, but building the relationships, structures, and leadership capacity that allow those ministries to thrive.
Thank you for your prayers, your support, and your continued commitment to the mission of St. Paul’s. We are excited about the opportunities before us and confident that God is leading our parish into a season of faithful growth, deeper community, and renewed ministry.
Faithfully,
The Rev. Dan Kline & The Rev. Jessie Thompson
Co-Rectors
The Church of St. Paul in the Desert
A Note from Jonathan Faulks to the Parish
My friends,
Over the past ten months, I have had the absolute honor and privilege of being part of the incredible things happening here at the Church of St. Paul in the Desert. Serving as your full-time Director of Communications and Events has been a deeply meaningful chapter of my professional life, and I am profoundly grateful for the trust, creativity, collaboration, and kindness you have shared with me.
The past several weeks, I have been in conversation with our Co-Rectors, sharing that I have made the decision to step away from my full-time role, effective June 30, 2026. This decision was made thoughtfully and prayerfully, with deep care for the well-being of both the parish and myself.
I am happy to share that this transition is not a goodbye. In those same conversations, I offered—and the Co-Rectors and Vestry have accepted—my continued support in a new capacity. Beginning in July, I will serve the Church of St. Paul in the Desert as an external communications partner, supporting the parish from afar on a weekly basis. This arrangement allows me to continue offering my talents, skills, and creative vision while adapting to a new season of work and life.
On a personal note, the Church of St. Paul in the Desert has shown me—clearly and consistently—what it truly means to welcome all at the table. This parish lives its values with integrity, generosity, and love. I carry with me so many wonderful moments: sacred liturgies, joyful celebrations, quiet holy work behind the scenes, and countless conversations marked by grace. There is something genuinely special happening here, and it has been a gift to witness and be part of it. I am deeply thankful for the love and friendship I have found in this community, and I hope that the relationships we have built will continue to flourish in the years ahead.
I remain deeply invested in the mission, ministry, and storytelling of this parish. The Church of St. Paul in the Desert is a place where faith is lived boldly, community is nurtured intentionally, and beauty is embraced as a pathway to God.
Jonathan
Spiritual Formation Survey 2026
The Church of St. Paul in the Desert is a thriving, growing parish, full of pastoral care, parish life, outreach and community involvement, deep worship, and rich spiritual formation. If you want to hear some statistics of this last year, you are invited to listen to Rev. Jessie’s sermon from Pentecost last Sunday. https://tinyurl.com/RevJessieMay-24
One of the gifts of this parish is our vibrant and full spiritual formation class schedule throughout the year. This past year we held 29 classes/retreats! These classes and retreats were taught and led by clergy and laity—our Co-Rectors, retired clergy, a Buddhist priest, a rabbi, and a host of educators from a variety of backgrounds—who are passionate about connecting our spiritual growth and faith with our lives and our learnings and our service.
Our spiritual formation classes are open to anyone, both in-person and on video (for those unable to join in person). Some occur between services on Sunday. Many occur throughout the week. These classes are thoughtfully created, vetted, and organized around the liturgical calendar and the rhythms of church life.
We invite you to take the following survey to provide feedback on the Spiritual Formation classes this past year AND to get your thoughts on upcoming classes for this next year. This survey will only be live for 2 weeks, so we hope you’ll click on it and take just a few minutes to fill it out. All who fill it out will be entered into a drawing for a bundle of amazing books.
Take Survey
Survey closes on June 11.
Wear Orange Sunday, June 7, 2026
Thousands of our American brothers and sisters will wear orange at events throughout the month of June to support National Gun Violence Awareness Month and honor survivors and victims of gun violence. Let us take time as a faith community to pray for those who have lost their lives to gun violence and those who have survived and/or have been traumatized by the epidemic of gun violence in our country. May our prayers lead us to commitment and actions to reduce this epidemic. We invite you to join the Diocesan Gun Safety Working Group and Wear Orange for Weekend Services on Saturday and Sunday, June 6th and 7th.
The Gospel of Showing Up: A Reflection After the Shooting at the Islamic Center of San Diego
by Chris Tumilty, Director of Communications
When something truly horrific happens, we often ask ourselves, ”But what can I do?” The desire to help is there, but the capacity for practical assistance is lost. We search for the right words, the right response, or action that feels large enough to match the weight of grief unfolding right in front of us. But standing in Lindbergh Park on Tuesday evening with thousands of neighbors gathered to mourn the shooting at the Islamic Center of San Diego, Bishop Susan Brown Snook reminded me that the first and most important thing we can do is simply show up.
The park was full of people long before the vigil began. Clergy in collars and stoles stood beside imams, rabbis, pastors, and community leaders. Families gathered with their young children. And the eerie sound of thousands of people in silence–only the sniffles of grief carried. Many had the distinct look of tears being held back by the thinnest of layers.
Just 30 hours earlier, the Islamic Center of San Diego, a stone’s throw from where I stood, was the site of devastating violence. Two heavily armed teenagers (children!) opened fire during a busy day at the mosque and school campus. In the chaos, worshipers and neighbors rushed to protect children and families, which likely saved dozens of lives.
As the news spread, the grief across San Diego became deeply personal to our city. The three victims were identified as Amin Abdullah, a security guard and father of eight; Mansour Kaziha, a 78-year-old mosque elder; and Nader Awad, a longtime neighbor and community member. During the vigil, speaker after speaker described them not simply as victims, but as heroes.
Abdullah confronted the shooters and warned others inside the campus– protecting more than 100 children attending programs at the Islamic school. Mansour Kaziha, known affectionately as “Abu Ezz,” was a longtime caretaker and leader at the mosque who had managed the mosque store for nearly 40 years. He was remembered for his warm smile and his deep devotion to the community and children of the Islamic School. Kaziha was the first person to call 911 after gunfire erupted outside the mosque.
Episcopal Church plans celebration of 1976 LGBTQ+ resolution on ‘full and equal’ welcome
[Episcopal News Service] It was a single sentence, adopted 50 years ago by General Convention meeting in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Today, LGBTQ+ Episcopalians credit that sentence with opening the door to five decades of progress toward full inclusion in The Episcopal Church.
This is the text of Resolution A069 in full: “Resolved, That it is the sense of this General Convention that homosexual persons are children of God who have a full and equal claim with all other persons upon the love, acceptance, and pastoral concern and care of the Church.”
Now, as The Episcopal Church approaches the 50th anniversary in September of the passage of that resolution, church leaders are planning a three-day conference on the past, present and future of LGBTQ+ involvement in the life of the church. The conference is scheduled for Sept. 3-5, and it will be held where it all began, back in Minneapolis.
Read Article
We’re Recruiting Ushers!
On Trinity Sunday this last week, we had a special “trinity” of ushers. (Can you tell we’re recruiting? 😉) If you’d like to join this fun bunch of people who greet and welcome everyone who comes in on a Sunday, we promise we won’t require you to wear a princess dress! Unless you want to…
Inquiring usher minds can contact revjessie@stpauldesert.church to find out more about the Ushering program and how to get on the monthly rotation schedule!
Sisters-in-Spirit (SIS) is Looking for a Leader!
Sisters-in-Spirit (SIS) was a brief-lived monthly opportunity for the women of St. Paul’s to get together over a lunch or coffee for a time of socializing and connection. If you are interested in helping these events continue as the leader (or one of the leaders), please reach out to revjessie@stpauldesert.church.
We are in the midst of scheduling out the 2026-2027 calendar and will consider SIS events, but only if a leader emerges to help organize it.
Upcoming Classes, Events & Services
During Hispanic Heritage Month, join us for a three-week exploration of Latino theology, ministry, culture, and spiritual practice—and consider how embracing these perspectives can enrich the life of the whole Church. Diversity is a gift!
Sundays
September 13, 20 & 27
9:15 AM — 10:15 AM
Saguaro Room, Parish Hall
PARISH LIFE GROUPS THAT JUST MEET & EAT! Get to know a small group of parishioners over a monthly shared meal. You are invited to join!
The next Book Club meeting will be held on
Tuesday, June 9, 2026, at 2 PM
The next Book Club meeting will be held on Tuesday, June 9, 2026, at 2 PM. The meeting will be held in the Yucca Room in the parish hall on the church campus. The Book Club pick for June is Martyr! by Kaveh Akbar.
Cyrus Shams is a young man grappling with an inheritance of violence and loss: his mother’s plane was shot down over the Persian Gulf in a senseless accident; and his father’s life in America was circumscribed by his work in a chicken factory farm. Cyrus is a drunk, an addict, and a poet, whose obsession with martyrs leads him to examine the mysteries of his past. This novel is a paean to how we spend our lives seeking meaning—in faith, art, ourselves, others.
New members are always welcome. For more information, please contact Alan Zimmerman at alanzimmeran@icloud.com
Upcoming Funerals
Saturday, June 6, at 11:00 AM — Roger Allen
Saturday, June 27, at 11:00 AM — Ben Palmer
Join St. Paul’s this Sunday for our Worship Service
The Holy Eucharist: Rite Two
June 7, 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.
Prayers of the Church
For the Anglican Communion: The Most Reverend Dame Sarah Mullally, the Archbishop of Canterbury; pray for The Scottish Episcopal Church.
For the Episcopal Diocese of Litoral Ecuador: The Right Reverend Cristóbal Olmedo León Lozano.
For the Episcopal Diocese of San Diego: The Right Reverend Doctor Susan Brown Snook, Bishop; For Gun Violence Prevention: God of Justice, help us, your church, find our voice. Empower us to change this broken world and to protest the needless deaths caused by gun violence. Give us power to rise above our fear that nothing can be done and grant us the conviction to advocate for change. Aman.
For those commended to our prayers: 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, Crystal Vines, Mary Barrett, Dorothy Clark, Linda Staunch, Matt Maestra, Florence Tobin, Sophie Buckiss, Don Hamilton, Mary Hamilton, Ronnie Simpson, John Lasher, Family of Jackie Freeburn, Richard Ammon, Barb Steeves, Ellen Betzler, Teena Hale, Mark, Marla, Gen Lopez, James Holjes, Randal J. Kinnear, David Dunn, Sandy Morgan, Tom and Helen Amestoy, Warren Safely, Joan Martin, Rodney Binder, Harmony Jane, Lorraine D. Jeffty, Irene Casillo, Ramona F, The Rev. David Caffrey, Veronica Romero, Larry Stralow, Kai C., Kristopher C., Kevin Fleming, William P., Willie Ramos, Donna, Jaimie Hubbard, Mimi, Charlene, John O’Brien, Barb Steeves, Cathy, Marshall Banks, Cyndia Fisher, Michael Patino, John Alex Houlton’s Family, Joan Dawson, Allan Coe, Morgan, Jamel Monson, Alex, Pat Wolach, Fr. Rob Lord, William E. McKenzie, Kristi Lehnert, Gary, John and Lena Granet, Daniel Lopez-Molina, Gary Wise, Shawna Rickard, Marge S., Raffaele, Paul Cronin-Swalboski, Michael Neill, Tellez Family, Kevin Lee, Gerardo Reynoso, Anika Burke, Nesbit Hatch & Dennis Rexroad, Don Moore, Adrienne, George, Nicole, Beverly Schafer, Bob Blum, Steven Pilgrim, Marysia, Francis, Marty, Chris Migdol, Natalie Ousley, Greg, Jude Hoiseth, Tony & Pat Ellerd, Jessica Rodriguez, Crystal Gonzalez, Julia Anne Galperen, Troy Elder, Reuben Hernandez, Shaun Water, Patricia Valtier-Medina, René (Reno) Valtier, Rodney Binder, Sam Grewal and Family, Gabriel Georgia, Jerry Brown, Fergus, Joan Anderson, Harry Lit, Lori Miller, Lucy Youngren, Bonnie Ong, RC Eckert, Gaile Eckert, Tish and Eliott Kahn, Hap Blaisdell, Pat, David Valenzuela, Chloe Grace Wilson Barton; pray for all those for whom no prayers have been said.
For those who have died: Mellie Young, Ann Keith Nauman, Mel Parsons, Jean Gilraine-Hickson, Richard Tracz, Jackie Freeburn, Kelly Morgan, David Hankins, David Eckert, Dorothy Bowens, Larry Clipper, Gordon Wipf, 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: June 8: John & Sharon Pick, June 11: Mark & Lyn Pease, June 12: Stephen Dixon & Terry Jones, Vern Marken & Luis Valdez.
For those with birthdays: June 7: Leroy Potts, June 8: James Panos, June 11: Mary Holmes, Kriste Petite, Rev. David Norgard, June 12: Alan Zimmerman, June 13: Terry Arnett, Will Tacchi.
For those for whom flowers have been donated: Sunday’s Altar Flowers are sponsored by Patricia & Michael Horan in thanksgiving of their 28th wedding anniversary.
“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 in the Narthex, or you can call the Parish Office at 760.320.7488 to reserve your sponsorship date(s).
Rectors’ Discretionary Fund – The first Sunday of the month loose-plate offerings are designated for the Rectors’ Discretionary Fund (sometimes referred to as “Benevolence”). Checks may also be designated for the fund. This instrument of mercy provides the clergy a financial pool to draw upon when parishioners, individuals in the community, or other community organizations ask for help. The traditional use of the discretionary fund is to assist the poor of the community. Examples for those in need include rent, utilities, medical bills, etc. Our fund balance is getting low as requests have gone up and we are heading out of season. Thank you for your generosity!
Recent Former Parishioner Deaths
Mel Parsons, a long time wintertime member of St. Paul’s, a faithful member of our choir, and just a wonderful human being, passed away on April 23rd at home in Halifax, Nova Scotia with his son and daughter at his side. His equally amazing wife, Beryl, preceded him in death a few years ago. Those of us that knew them will greatly miss their great sense of humor, their dedication to singing in the choir, and especially the delicious egg salad sandwiches they would bless us with on Easter Sunday between services at the choir brunch.
Jean Gilraine-Hickson (nee Phillips) Jean and her husband Frank enjoyed many happy years as snowbirds in Palm Springs, Ca. Summers at their Winnipeg house and Lake of the Woods cottage. In 1992 they moved to Arbutus Ridge on Vancouver Island. In 2008 Jean lost her husband Frank of 56 years. In 2013 she married John Hickson. Jean loved her Lord and His Church. She enjoyed her Church involvement, including as Lay Eucharistic Minister, bible study groups and various volunteer activities. Her funeral service was held on Sunday, May 17 at the Anglican Church of St. John the Baptist on 3295 Cobble Hill Road in Cobble Hill, BC. The service can be watched at https://vimeo.com/event/5929475?fl=so&fe=fs
Richard Tracz Richard died peacefully on May 8 at Desert Regional Medical Center, Palm Springs, CA following a brief illness. Richard and his spouse, Jay Howard, were communicants at St. Paul’s in the early years following their 2003 move from Chicago to Palm Springs. Funeral and internment will be in early autumn at the Episcopal Church of the Ascension, Chicago, IL.
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
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.
Come build a house in Tijuana on
June 13th, 2026.
No building skills needed, just a willingness to share one day to change a family’s life forever!
You will need to preregister for the build and prepare to share your passport number and expiration date for the bus. This makes getting into and out of Mexico go smoothly and fast.
https://www.corazon.org/3529_alameda
We meet at 6 AM at the shopping center 360 E H Street, Chula Vista, CA to meet all the builders and board the bus.
If you are curious how we build a house in a day, we have created a website that takes you step by step for the day of a build.
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
