Mesquite and Manna https://stbarnabasborrego.org/ An independent editorial journal on parish and community life in the California desert: the church year, the desert seasons and water, outreach to neighbours, and the memory of the town around Anza-Borrego. en-us Wed, 16 Sep 2026 08:00:00 GMT Sharing Musicians Between Church and Seasonhttps://stbarnabasborrego.org/parish/sharing-musicians-between-church-and-season/https://stbarnabasborrego.org/parish/sharing-musicians-between-church-and-season/Wed, 16 Sep 2026 08:00:00 GMTParish lifeA small desert town shares the same few players between its parish music programme and the regional concert season. Here is how both get planned and printed. Old Map Names in a Modern Desert Addresshttps://stbarnabasborrego.org/memory/old-map-names-in-a-modern-desert-address/https://stbarnabasborrego.org/memory/old-map-names-in-a-modern-desert-address/Mon, 14 Sep 2026 08:00:00 GMTDesert memoryHow place names on antique maps survive into modern desert addresses, what a plate proves, and where to consult old maps of the California desert. What a Two Year Placement Asks of a Volunteerhttps://stbarnabasborrego.org/service/what-a-two-year-placement-asks-of-a-volunteer/https://stbarnabasborrego.org/service/what-a-two-year-placement-asks-of-a-volunteer/Sat, 12 Sep 2026 08:00:00 GMTService and neighboursA long placement asks for arithmetic, endurance and a written plan. What a parish rota or food pantry can borrow from two years in one place. Reading Desert Ground Before You Buildhttps://stbarnabasborrego.org/desert/reading-desert-ground-before-you-build/https://stbarnabasborrego.org/desert/reading-desert-ground-before-you-build/Thu, 10 Sep 2026 08:00:00 GMTDesert yearAn ecological assessment measures soils, washes and seasonal water. Here is what gets measured, what gets declared, and what a landowner can record first. The Ordinary Week of a Small Congregationhttps://stbarnabasborrego.org/parish/the-ordinary-week-of-a-small-congregation/https://stbarnabasborrego.org/parish/the-ordinary-week-of-a-small-congregation/Tue, 08 Sep 2026 08:00:00 GMTParish lifeA plain inventory of what fills the week of a small desert congregation, and why parish journals write the ordinary tasks down. Building a Parish Resource Shelf for One Yearhttps://stbarnabasborrego.org/parish/building-a-parish-resource-shelf-for-one-year/https://stbarnabasborrego.org/parish/building-a-parish-resource-shelf-for-one-year/Sat, 05 Sep 2026 08:00:00 GMTParish lifeA parish resource shelf is a small, curated collection of study series, worship aids and program kits that one congregation can finish in a year. Here is how