Transfiguring Times – 3/21/24
| The Rector’s Metamorpho-News |
 Dearly transfigured people of God, As we approach Palm Sunday, I find myself reflecting on the existential anxieties that the Church faces today. When our churches were built, they envisioned enduring communities of faith that would continue to grow and expand. Many churches replaced smaller sanctuaries with larger ones and changed existing traditional architecture for modernist architecture that lent itself to maximizing space. In 1970, 30% of Americans in the US were members of mainline Protestant denominations, including The Episcopal Church. Today, according to Pew Research, about 15% of Americans say they belong to a mainline Protestant denomination. Whereas about 25% of Americans were Roman Catholics in 1970, that is now about 21%. This change has affected nearly every Christian denomination in the US. I think about the crowds that surrounded Jesus on Palm Sunday shouting “Hosanna” and “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!” only to disappear and abandon Jesus as He died on the cross. Where has everyone gone? The Church, that is the universal body of Christ, has struggled with faithfulness and endurance ever since the founding of the Church at Pentecost in 33 AD. Even when adopted as the preferred religion of the Roman Empire by Emperor Constantine in 312 AD and later made the official religion in 380 AD by Emperor Theodosius I, the Church expanded in number but faced the challenge of discipleship and faithfulness to the Gospel as many in the Church became complicit with imperial authority. This close relationship between church and state continued well into the 19th century and still continues through the vestigial state churches of England, Denmark, Greece, Iceland, and a few others. We can see the results of when the Church has pursued partisan political power over the Gospel and the harm that this has done to Indigenous peoples, women, LGBTQ people, and ethnic minorities in their respective nations. Perhaps, this has led to the growth in the unaffiliated or ‘nones’? It probably is at least part of the reason. Just as the Church struggled with remaining faithful instead of compromising faith for power in empires, today the Church struggles with faithfulness in the midst of the decline of community, of belonging, and of faith. This is not an unfamiliar journey. The Church began as a small community of disciples who sent out Apostles to share the Good News. In the first century AD, Christians were one among many groups who met in small associations in the Greco-Roman world. These associations had an average of less than 50 members. They met in homes, in catacombs, and wherever they could. The Church not only survived but eventually thrived as they shared the Gospel and brought people to knowledge of the love of Christ. When we see churches with 50 or fewer members, we should rejoice that those are 50 faithful disciples of Jesus who, like the early Church, are sharing Communion. We could lament and agonize over the decrease in attendance, or we could start again from a place of joy and commit to build. If the early Church associations could grow in both discipleship and number with 50 members, so can the Church today. Where two or more are gathered in the Lord’s name, Jesus is there in the midst of them. Amen. Blessings, Fr. Caleb |
| This Sunday |
| Sunday, March 24, 2024 Palm Sunday 8:00am (said service – Rite II) Please see the Order of Worship in the pews or click here 10:00am (service with music – Rite II) Please see the Order of Worship in the pews or click hereyoutube.com/@transfigoffice7704/streams YouTube link (for streaming the 10:00am service) OR https://www.facebook.com/transfiguration.mesa Facebook link (for streaming the 10:00am service) Coffee, snacks and conversation follow both services in the Fellowship Hall |
 Pastoral Care If you or a loved one is in need of pastoral care at home, including receiving Holy Communion, please email both Fr. Caleb and the Church Office to request a visit. You are also welcome to call or text Fr. Caleb at 480-980-1981. |
 Superstition Community Food Bank Suggested donations for this week are: canned meats and peanut butter. For next week: canned vegetables, instant potatoes and rice. Please place items in the basket at the back of the church or in the bin in the Fellowship Hall. |
| The Week Ahead |
| Monday, March 25 7:00pm Compline Tuesday, March 26 7:00pm Compline Wednesday, March 27 9:30am Morning Prayer 5:30pm Tenebrae Service Thursday, March 28 1:00pm Stitchery Ministry 5:30pm Maundy Thursday Service Friday, March 29 12:00noon Good Friday Service 5:30pm Good Friday Service Saturday, March 30 7:00pm Easter Vigil Service Sunday, March 31 8:00am Easter Sunday Service 8:45am Choir Rehearsal 10:00am Easter Sunday Service Conversation, coffee and snacks after each service |
 Bible Study & Coffee Hour This group meets on Thursday mornings at 10am in the Fellowship Hall; please bring a snack to share. C.S. Lewis’ The Great Divorce is the topic of discussion for Lent. There will be no Bible Study on Thursday, March 28 but the study will resume in April with a new topic. |
 Acolyte and Altar Server Refresher On Thursday March 21 at 11:30am, those interested will meet in the Sanctuary for an acolyte and altar server refresher. Participants are encouraged to purchase and bring A Manual for Acolytes from Amazon for $12.30. |
 Spring Luncheon The ECW Spring Luncheon will be held on Saturday, March 23 at 11:30am in the Fellowship Hall. Even if you don’t have a ticket to the luncheon, you are welcome to come for the women’s clothing sale. A % of the sales will go to ECW. |
 Walking on Wednesdays Walking on Wednesdays begins at 8am every Wednesday. The group walks for about one hour on level trails or sidewalks and the goal is for exercise and good conversation. No Walking on Wednesdays on Wednesday, March 27. For more information, email Ellen Jackelen. |
 Stitchery Ministry This group will meet on Thursday, March 28 at 1pm in the Parish House living room. Please join us with your special talents of knitting, crocheting, sewing, quilting, or any needlecraft. In addition to giving to our own members in need, the ministry donates items to hospitals, nursing homes, shelters and other charitable organizations. Besides prayer shawls, they also crochet scarves for teddy bears. Also, a generous donation of yarn in all colors is available for anyone who wants it for a project. Contact Linda Jo Johnson if interested. |
Celebration of New Ministry Please join us on Wednesday, April 17 at 6pm for the celebration of new ministry. The Rt. Rev. Jennifer A. Reddall will install the Rev. John Caleb Collins as the Rector of the Church of the Transfiguration. Potluck dinner to follow the service. More details to come!! |
 Book Club The book discussion will be held on Friday, April 19 at 10am AZ time via Zoom (see below). The book for the month is: The Last Flight by Julie Clark. Linda Soper will be our discussion leader. The Goodread’s Rating is 4.11 and the book is 306 pages long. Click here for the Goodreads review. This is a fictional mystery about Two women, Two Flights. One last chance to disappear. The Last Flight is the story of two women ― both alone, both scared ― and one agonizing decision that will change the trajectory of both of their lives. |
| FYI |
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  Thank You Thank you to the team of volunteers who spent their Saturday morning completing several projects in and around the church buildings and grounds. We had a great time!! |
 Congratulations Congratulations to Bill Magie who celebrated the 31st anniversary of his ordination to the diaconate this past Sunday. |
  Building & Grounds Update Plumbing issues have been addressed in all three buildings; final cost was $4,755.Four A/C units behind the Sanctuary along with two security fences for these units have been installed (see above photos). Cost not covered by the insurance claims is approximately $10,000. We also want to secure the A/C unit behind the Parish House which is an additional cost. Reviews and bids are being collected for consideration for improvements to the security for the full church property. This will involve additional costs not included in our budget. Donations to support and cover the recent unexpected expenses will be gratefully accepted. Please designate donations for capital improvements or for plumbing, air conditioning or security. For more information and/or to donate, please contact the church office. |
 America the Bountiful In 2022, The Crazy Chili Farm was filmed as part of an episode for America the Bountiful television series. This series shines a spotlight on the vibrant, untold food stories hidden in rural and small-town America. The blue corn grown at the Crazy Chili farm is extremely rare and works in partnership with Native Seed/SEARCH.Now, America The Bountiful is debuting on PBS affiliates nationwide starting in April. You can watch on Arizona PBS, 8.2 channel: Tuesdays at 6:30 am, starting April 2. You can find the full list of stations here. In the episode featuring the farm, Bill Robinson shows how to use the hand machine that strips the kernels off the cob, and Rev. Canon Debbie shares how to make her special blue corn cakes which she says connects her back to her grandmother. So tune in starting April 2nd and watch our ministries in action! For more information click here. |
 City of Mesa’s VITA Program Do you or someone you know need help filing your taxes? If your/their income was less than $64,000 in 2023, the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Program can help. Sites are open from January 29 to April 13, 2024. For more details, click here. |
 Lord’s Soup Kitchen Ministry The Lord’s Soup Kitchen ministry prepares a different type of soup each month (Tomato Basil Soup this month) and stores it in the freezer in the Fellowship Hall. Anyone can pick up a quart container to take it to someone in need of food or comfort or for yourself if needed. If you are interested in helping with this ministry, especially during the summer months, please contact Miriam Waddington. |
 Name Tags Wearing your name tag in our church service can be a helpful way for us to connect and build a sense of community. If you would like a name tag, please contact Janice Scalzo. |
| Worship |
 Choir Rehearsal is on Sundays at 8:45 am. If you are interested in singing in the choir, please reach out to Mackenzie Marr for more information. All are welcome to join! Mackenzie would also like your input on hymn suggestions so, we can sing the hymns you know and like. |
 Altar Guild What is an Altar Guild? This group of volunteers cares for the altar, vestments, vessels and linens under the direction of the Rector, and prepares the altar and worship space for services including weekend worship, weddings, funerals and baptisms. This “quiet ministry” is called such primarily because the duties are performed before and after the services. Interested in exploring this ministry? Feel free to contact Barbara Press to volunteer or to learn more. |
 Sunday Servers Would you like to be a greeter, member of the welcome team, chalice bearer, reader, torchbearer, crucifer or help count the offerings? If so, please contact Janice Scalzo so she can arrange for training and schedule you to serve. |
 Altar Flowers Altar flowers can be dedicated in honor of special life events such as birthdays and anniversaries, in memory of a loved one or as a general thanksgiving. If you would like to contribute to future altar flower displays, please contact our Flower Guild Director, Ruby Seyffert with your special requests. When using Zelle or a check, please designate ‘Altar Flowers’ in the memo field. NOTE: There will be no flowers during Lent. |
 Compline We meet M-F at 7pm via Zoom for Compline/Evening Prayer. The service is available on ZOOM. Meeting ID: 740-940-1419. Passcode: 514 514. Call Barbara Press at 847-651-1396 with any questions. NOTE: There will be no Compline on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday of Holy Week as to not conflict with scheduled worship services at the church. |
 Morning Prayer Please join us every Wednesday morning at 9:30am via Zoom to prayerfully start the day. The service is available on ZOOM. Meeting ID: 740-940-1419. Passcode: 514 514. For additional information, please contact Ann Williamson. |
 People on our prayer list are posted in the Narthex. Prayers are offered up for them each weeknight at Compline, by the Daughter’s of the King and in the Sunday Service. Please contact the church office via phone at 480-986-1145 or email Janice with your requests and updates. |
| Second Sunday Giving |
| On the second Sunday of every month all loose plate collection money (not tithes) will be given to several non-profit organizations. These organizations were selected by your Vestry because they reflect the mission and values of the Transfiguration Community and The Episcopal Church. April collection: United Food Bank |
| For over forty years United Food Bank has been dedicated to providing hunger relief to people in the East Valley and eastern Arizona. As a member of Feeding America, our food bank collects, acquires, stores, and distributes food to partner agencies and programs in five counties, serving over 2.5 million Arizonans. Our efforts result in the distribution of more than 22.7 million pounds of food each year, equating to 52,000 meals a day. Our mission of uniting communities to alleviate hunger is achieved through the hard work of volunteers, agency partners, and donors who join us each day. |
| Diocesan News |
 Listening & Healing Pilgrimage Tucson Gathering Saturday, April 27th, 2024 10am to 2pm, lunch included University of Arizona, Tucson You are invited to attend the gatherings for the 2024 Listening and Healing Pilgrimage. The second site of the pilgrimage will take place in Tucson at the University of Arizona – Environment & Natural Resources Building. The DEADLINE to register for this site of the Pilgrimage is April 15th. Seating is limited.RSVP HERE |
| The Trouble with Water – An Arizona Symposium This symposium, led by the Creation Care Team, will be held on Saturday, June 1 from 9:45am to 4:30pm at Trinity Cathedral, Phoenix. More details to come! |
 Diocesan Publications Please contact the church office if you would like to receive the Arizona Episcopalian, a free quarterly publication from the Diocese. To sign up for the weekly Diocesan email E-Pistle click here. |
| Who We Are |
 The Episcopal Church of the Transfiguration is an open and affirming Christian community in the Episcopal branch of the Jesus movement. We acknowledge the living culture of the Salt River Pima and Maricopa people, the traditional custodians of the land we stand on, and pay tribute to the unique role they play in the life of this region. We are a member of the Union of Black Episcopalians, whose mission is “to unite the diverse cultures, concerns and gifts of Black Episcopalians by providing preparation and encouragement for living the Baptismal Covenant and fully participating in the mission and governance of The Episcopal Church.” |
| Clergy and Staff Fr. John Caleb Collins, Rector transfigurationrector@gmail.com; office (480) 986-1145 or mobile (480) 980-1981 (call or text) Mackenzie Marr, Music Director www.mackenzielynmarr.com Janice Scalzo, Bookkeeper transfigbookkeeper@gmail.com Office hours: M-T-W-Th. 9am – 1pm Vestry Fr. John Caleb Collins, Chair transfigurationrector@gmail.com Lynn Graff, Senior Warden lwgraff@yahoo.com Tom Kevern, Junior Warden Heidi Kinney, Treasurer churchtransfigtreasurer@gmail.com Diane Klock, Clerk John Bishop Ben Brooks Anita Joy Bob Kistler Janet Krahn Barbara Press Ruby Seyffert Garth Seiple Jane Stoneback Social Media Tom Blum & Ben Brooks – website Tom Blum, Jo Laslo & Bill Robinson – Facebook page Mary Hovden – weekly e-newsletter (please send stories, announcements, photos, etc. to Mary here) Peg Wier – Worship service streaming Lynn Graff – Vestry liaison |