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We are Presbyterians, many of whom are from other parts of the country, having come here for
retirement in the beautiful Coachella Valley. Most of us also have deep roots in the Presbyterian
church. In our fellowship at the moment we have five persons, both lay and clergy, who are former
moderators of a presbytery. We also have five Presbyterian pastors in our number, some retired
and others still active in professional ministry.
Early in 2003 a half dozen or more of us had become acquainted and recognized that we
share a common vision and experience of the Presbyterian church. We met in each others'
homes, and in May of 2003 we began worshiping once a month. In the fall of 2003 it became
apparent that the living rooms in our homes weren't adequate for our needs, and we began
worshiping twice a month at the Pathfinder Center on 42nd Street in Bermuda Dunes. During
the summer of 2004 we decided that we needed more space for our anticipated growth and
expansion, and we were grateful that The United Church of the Desert could accommodate
and welcome us. September 19, 2004, we held our first worship service at that site on
Warner Trail in Palm Desert. Then, October 3 we began worshiping every Sunday in our new
location.
During this exciting time of developing growth we have enjoyed the nurturing oversight
of Desert Hills Presbyterian Church in Yucca Valley. Our fellowship, in fact, has become a
mission outreach for that congregation. Their former pastor, the Rev. Dr. Kenneth McCullen,
had many years of experience in new church development, and offered us steady guidance
through his participation on our steering committee. And with the goal in mind of eventually
becoming a Presbyterian church, we were excited to be officially acknowledged as a
"fellowship" with the Presbytery of Riverside at the March 8, 2005, meeting of the presbytery.
This step is preliminary to a later effort to become chartered as a congregation in the presbytery.
When we first started gathering in our homes, many of us said that we did not have
the desire or energy to be involved in the organization of a new church. But, since our first
meetings, it has become increasingly evident to all of us that, in spite of our initial reluctance,
the enlivening Spirit of the Desert, the Spirit of the risen and living Christ, is moving in our midst
and leading us for the growth of this Presbyterian fellowship with the goal of establishing
a strong and vital church witnessing to God's love for all of God's people here in the Coachella
Valley and beyond. A recent and exciting example of how the Spirit is moving in our Fellowship
was the reception on December 3, 2006, of our first nine members, which included also an adult
baptism!
So, to everyone reading this message, we extend our sincere invitation to you to come and join
us as co-laborers with Christ in this exciting mission!
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