A Season of Reflection and Community As the holiday season begins, St. Barnabas Episcopal Church invites everyone to gather for the four Sundays of Advent. These weekly services offer a peaceful space to reflect, reconnect, and prepare for the coming season with hope and intention. Each service begins at 9:30 AM and is open to all—residents, visitors, families, and anyone looking for a meaningful way to mark this time of year. Service Dates Sunday, November 30 Sunday, December 7 Sunday, December 14 Sunday, December 21 Worship takes place at: 2680 Country Club Drive, Borrego Springs Whether you attend every year or are stepping in for the first time, Advent at St. Barnabas is a thoughtful tradition that brings people together during a special time of year.
A Community Gathering in Gratitude The 2025 Thanksgiving Eve Service brought churches, neighbors, and visitors together at Borrego Springs Community UMC for an evening centered on gratitude and connection. The gathering reflected the shared ministry of local faith leaders and the ongoing work of the Borrego Ministers Association, which supports residents throughout the year. Pastor Mateo Mamea of Borrego Springs Community United Methodist Church opened the service with an invitation to enter the evening in a spirit of thankfulness, followed by an opening prayer from Rev. Michael Plekon. Scripture readings were offered by Cmdr. Dale Jones and Rev. David Madsen, with additional participation from Ellen Fitzpatrick and Diane Johnson . Pastor Mamea later shared the homily, encouraging gratitude as a daily practice. Music played an important role throughout the service. Jennie and Gary Edwards performed “For the Beauty of the Earth,” and the combined choir—directed by Jinny Perrin —sang a beautifully unified anthem that added warmth to the evening. Martha Deichler also spoke, sharing stories about the Borrego Ministers Association and its role in supporting local residents in times of need. Her message highlighted the shared compassion and cooperation among the community’s churches. An offering was received to support the BMA’s year-round assistance programs, which provide help with emergency needs for individuals and families across Borrego Springs. The service concluded with a final hymn and blessing, leaving those gathered with a renewed sense of gratitude and community. The evening reflected the strength of Borrego Springs’ faith community and the shared commitment to caring for neighbors.
By Fr Michael Plekon Once again, we enter the holiday season. For us it is the celebration of God’s becoming one of us, entering time, space, matter, our world. We can never say, after the birth of Jesus, that God’s up there in his heaven, far from us down here on earth. All powerful. But not much understanding what life, joy, sadness, growing older, getting sick, dying are about. Maybe our culture has made us think only in “holy, jolly” terms about Christmas. There’s been anger that we don’t use the word “Christmas” enough. But, really, a lot of what’s online and in the stores is not about Christmas but more about a winter holiday of decorations, parties, festive dinners and the like. Or maybe very little celebration. This isn’t some thought from Fr. Michael Scrooge. I will never tire of Christmas, in all the little details. The blizzard that imprisoned us, kept family from visiting years ago back in NY. Going out to cut a tree. All our kids and partners together trimming the tree, foodies joining forces for a culinary feast on Christmas day. And much further back our kids, when little, and their glee at the tree and gifts and more. Time does something to one’s memories and thoughts about Christmas. Many of us think of the grandparents, parents, even partners and siblings no longer with us to celebrate or even call/facetime/zoom with on the day. And yet, and yet…aren’t they always with us, no matter how Christmas looks for us this year? Aren’t they still there as we look at the nativity creche, as we sing carols and hear the Christmas story in church and receive Christ in communion there? They indeed are. Jesus said his kingdom was not after we die, far above us somewhere. We all know the many moments of heaven we have experienced here on earth. Looking at your newborn for the first time. Looking over the years into the face of the partner you love. Loving and being loved. Putting Christmas into practice in how we live. Once I read that our lives would be changed if we could keep just a tiny bit of Christmas all through the year. Isn’t that what the happy ending of Dickens “A Christmas Carol” is about? If you have not ever been to Lessons and Carols on Christmas Eve at St. Barnabas, do come if you are able, at 5pm this year, Wednesday, December 24. Christmas Day there’s also a Eucharist at 9:30am.You will hear the story of Christmas. Beginning with the very creation of the world, because all history was a leadup to that night, in the stable, with the baby born, wrapped up and put to bed in the feed trough, with the farm animals around, and later shepherds and eventual royal wisemen. Joy to the world, the lord has come, let earth receive her king, let every heart prepare him room, and heaven and nature sing, and heaven and nature sing, and heaven and nature sing.
A Season of Reflection and Community As the holiday season begins, St. Barnabas Episcopal Church invites everyone to gather for the four Sundays of Advent. These weekly services offer a peaceful space to reflect, reconnect, and prepare for the coming season with hope and intention. Each service begins at 9:30 AM and is open to all—residents, visitors, families, and anyone looking for a meaningful way to mark this time of year. Service Dates Sunday, November 30 Sunday, December 7 Sunday, December 14 Sunday, December 21 Worship takes place at: 2680 Country Club Drive, Borrego Springs Whether you attend every year or are stepping in for the first time, Advent at St. Barnabas is a thoughtful tradition that brings people together during a special time of year.
A Community Gathering in Gratitude The 2025 Thanksgiving Eve Service brought churches, neighbors, and visitors together at Borrego Springs Community UMC for an evening centered on gratitude and connection. The gathering reflected the shared ministry of local faith leaders and the ongoing work of the Borrego Ministers Association, which supports residents throughout the year. Pastor Mateo Mamea of Borrego Springs Community United Methodist Church opened the service with an invitation to enter the evening in a spirit of thankfulness, followed by an opening prayer from Rev. Michael Plekon. Scripture readings were offered by Cmdr. Dale Jones and Rev. David Madsen, with additional participation from Ellen Fitzpatrick and Diane Johnson . Pastor Mamea later shared the homily, encouraging gratitude as a daily practice. Music played an important role throughout the service. Jennie and Gary Edwards performed “For the Beauty of the Earth,” and the combined choir—directed by Jinny Perrin —sang a beautifully unified anthem that added warmth to the evening. Martha Deichler also spoke, sharing stories about the Borrego Ministers Association and its role in supporting local residents in times of need. Her message highlighted the shared compassion and cooperation among the community’s churches. An offering was received to support the BMA’s year-round assistance programs, which provide help with emergency needs for individuals and families across Borrego Springs. The service concluded with a final hymn and blessing, leaving those gathered with a renewed sense of gratitude and community. The evening reflected the strength of Borrego Springs’ faith community and the shared commitment to caring for neighbors.
By Fr Michael Plekon Once again, we enter the holiday season. For us it is the celebration of God’s becoming one of us, entering time, space, matter, our world. We can never say, after the birth of Jesus, that God’s up there in his heaven, far from us down here on earth. All powerful. But not much understanding what life, joy, sadness, growing older, getting sick, dying are about. Maybe our culture has made us think only in “holy, jolly” terms about Christmas. There’s been anger that we don’t use the word “Christmas” enough. But, really, a lot of what’s online and in the stores is not about Christmas but more about a winter holiday of decorations, parties, festive dinners and the like. Or maybe very little celebration. This isn’t some thought from Fr. Michael Scrooge. I will never tire of Christmas, in all the little details. The blizzard that imprisoned us, kept family from visiting years ago back in NY. Going out to cut a tree. All our kids and partners together trimming the tree, foodies joining forces for a culinary feast on Christmas day. And much further back our kids, when little, and their glee at the tree and gifts and more. Time does something to one’s memories and thoughts about Christmas. Many of us think of the grandparents, parents, even partners and siblings no longer with us to celebrate or even call/facetime/zoom with on the day. And yet, and yet…aren’t they always with us, no matter how Christmas looks for us this year? Aren’t they still there as we look at the nativity creche, as we sing carols and hear the Christmas story in church and receive Christ in communion there? They indeed are. Jesus said his kingdom was not after we die, far above us somewhere. We all know the many moments of heaven we have experienced here on earth. Looking at your newborn for the first time. Looking over the years into the face of the partner you love. Loving and being loved. Putting Christmas into practice in how we live. Once I read that our lives would be changed if we could keep just a tiny bit of Christmas all through the year. Isn’t that what the happy ending of Dickens “A Christmas Carol” is about? If you have not ever been to Lessons and Carols on Christmas Eve at St. Barnabas, do come if you are able, at 5pm this year, Wednesday, December 24. Christmas Day there’s also a Eucharist at 9:30am.You will hear the story of Christmas. Beginning with the very creation of the world, because all history was a leadup to that night, in the stable, with the baby born, wrapped up and put to bed in the feed trough, with the farm animals around, and later shepherds and eventual royal wisemen. Joy to the world, the lord has come, let earth receive her king, let every heart prepare him room, and heaven and nature sing, and heaven and nature sing, and heaven and nature sing.
