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Information, Invitations, and more from Beyond the Hill

September 23, 2019

Thecla

Who do you turn to in the "great cloud of witnesses" for encouragement, prayer, strength, wisdom?

She survived being burned at the stake. She survived the wild beasts in the arena. " Thecla, widely known as a disciple of the apostle Paul, was one of the most popular female saints in the early Church. Her story is told in the second-century Acts of Paul and Thecla. … According to Tertullian (writing in about the year 200), early Christian women appealed to Thecla’s example to defend women’s freedom to teach and to baptize." Thecla ( Great Cloud of Witnesses ). Here's even more on Thecla (Biblical Archeology Society). ~Fr. Dan

Here is the Calendar for September 15 – September 21

Sources:  A Great Cloud of Witnesses calendar  on the Forward Movement website. and

Online biographies posted by the  Standing Commission on Liturgy and Music



Here are some links to help you:

Add your prayers and thoughts

in forming our new Diocesan Strategic Plan

Preparing Our Hearts For Listening , by Bishop Susan, is the topic of this week's Salt & Light newsletter, Our Bishop writes, "...as one of the earliest actions of my time as your bishop, I want to listen to your voices. During the week of Sept. 23-27, I will be traveling to different locations in the diocese to listen to your wisdom, your hopes, and your dreams for the church.,,. What happens to your input after that? We will analyze all your responses and report to you about them at diocesan convention, November 8-9. Those in attendance at the convention will have an opportunity to respond once more there. After that, we will appoint a group who will use your responses to create a new strategic plan for the diocese for the next three to five years. The group will work closely with executive council, your elected representatives, to make sure they are reflecting your hopes and priorities. We will roll out a plan to you in fall of 2020, and it will form the basis for mission decisions in future years."

We continue to pray for "hearing hearts" during these Listening Sessions. ~Fr. Dan

From a previous edition of Salt & Light …

Dear Friends in Christ,

I invite you to take part in listening sessions to be held around the diocese the week of September 23 through September 30. These listening sessions are part of my work in getting to know the diocese more completely. With the help of an outside facilitator who will moderate the sessions I will listen to your thoughts about opportunities for community building, your hopes, dreams, and concerns that will lead us into clearer discernment around God’s call to us and our ministry in our communities.  ~Bishop Susan



To read more about the Listening Sessions and to register:  Salt & Light for the week of August 18th

Note:  the nearest listening session to us is at  St. Paul's in Palm Springs on Friday, September 27  (7-9 PM,  registration required  )

Diocesan Convention

Friday-Saturday, November 8-9

St. Margaret's Church in Palm Desert

Excerpt from the ERD Press Release September 10, 2019:



Since late August, Episcopal Relief & Development staff has been in regular contact with Episcopal dioceses and other Church partners in the path of Hurricane Dorian to support both preparedness and relief efforts. The slow-moving storm passed through Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, the Bahamas, and up the eastern coast of the United States over Labor Day weekend and the first week in September. Hurricane Dorian slammed into the northern Bahamas as a Category 5 storm, devastating Grand Bahama and the Abaco Islands with torrential winds, rains and a storm surge of up to 25 feet. More than 70,000 were affected and the full extent of the destruction is yet to be determined

In collaboration with the Anglican Alliance, Episcopal Relief & Development is providing support as the Anglican Diocese of the Bahamas & the Turks and Caicos conducts needs assessments of the island communities. Led by the Rt. Rev. Laish Z. Boyd, diocesan staff and clergy, many of whom themselves have been impacted by the storm, are working to identify unmet needs of the most vulnerable communities. It is in these gaps that the Church can play a unique role, both in immediate relief and in long-term recovery. Read the Press Release from Episcopal Relief & Development

Make a donation to the Hurricane Relief Fund

Events at

Good Shepherd in Hemet

St. Margaret's in Palm Desert

St. Paul's in Palm Springs

St. John's in Indio

Wednesday, October 2 at 7:00 PM

Saturday, October 12 at 11:00 AM

Sunday, November 3 at 4:00 PM

Salt & Light contains a calendar of some coming (parochial and diocesan) events:

Wednesday, September 25 Listening Session at St. Andrew's, La Mesa

Thursday, September 26 Listening Session at All Saints', Vista

Friday, September 27 Listening Session at St. Paul, Palm Springs

Sunday, September 29 Bishop's Visitation: Sts. Peter & Paul, El Centro and All Saints', Brawley

Monday, September 30 - Wednesday, October 2 Clergy Conference Listening Session for clergy only within the context of Clergy Conference

For more information, visit the  diocesan calendar

Beyond the Hill seeks to inform you about events and programs:

Similarly, when our Bishop Susan or other bishops (including the Presiding Bishop) write letters for distribution I will link to them in our Beyond the Hill Newsletter.

Beyond the Hill also seeks to keep you connected to the many ways we Episcopalians/Anglicans are “doing the work God has given us to do … as faithful witnesses of Christ our Lord.” (BCP 366, adapted)

~Fr. Dan

Be well.

Do good.

Pay attention.

Keep learning.

Father Dan

Vicar