| The Rector’s Metamorpho-News |
 Dearly transfigured people of God, Lord have mercy. We are still in that space and always will be. We always need the Lord’s mercy, but sometimes, in different seasons of life, we are more acutely aware of our need for mercy. The start of new presidential administrations is often one of those times as Americans of different perspectives reflect and even strongly disagree with one another. I received heartfelt responses to last week’s article, reflecting the diversity of our congregation. I want to hold space for those responses, reactions, questions, and comments. I want to bless them, receive them as diverse reflections, and give them to the Lord as I pray over them. One thought or inquiry that came up was how has The Episcopal Church been perceived in all this. How can we as part of the worldwide Christian church minister to and welcome all people into our congregation and hold in tension the reality that people will firmly and sincerely disagree with each other. I know our collective reactions are still raw, but you all know me. Over the last year and half you’ve gotten to know me and I trust that your experience of me over that time speaks for itself that I am not someone who brings partisanship into the sanctuary, pulpit, congregational life, or into my own homilies. You know my heart and where it is, and it is here for all of you, for all of us. While we are an international and diverse denomination, an example I want to share is how the National Cathedral has weathered criticism in this season of our church’s history from multiple sides, including both major political parties. One of the reasons I wrote what I did last week, and I referred to it in my column, is that our National Cathedral and leadership have been criticized for welcoming and hosting Pres. Trump’s administration. It has also been criticized for sharing The Episcopal Church’s concerns with the new administration (just as it shared concerns about the previous administrations as well). That means the National Cathedral has been attacked by Democratic politicians on the one hand and Republican politicians on the other. I’m sure Independents, Greens, and Libertarians have also vented their frustrations over the season. In both 2017 and in 2024, there were calls for the National Cathedral to be admonished or censured for hosting the prayer services for Pres. Trump’s inauguration. The reverse happened when Pres. Obama had inaugural events at the Cathedral. We pray for everyone, and that means all presidents, all Americans, all people, everybody, are welcome to pray in and with the National Cathedral. That’s the unique history of the National Cathedral, a relic of the days when The Episcopal Church was the established church in the colonies (though it was the Church of England at the time) and in the early years of the USA. The last thing I want to ask and share is this. We all have our own views about politics; there’s no question about that. We are often very forgiving and gracious to our preferred political leaders, giving them the benefit of the doubt. Please, show that same open mindedness and graciousness to one another and to your pastor. As a pastor, I can only do my best. As many of you did last week, let me know how you are feeling. Let me know when you want to express reactions to current events or even my own words. To me, it means you trust me enough to care for your most precious rights, your freedom of thought, of speech, and of faith. I take that privilege seriously and with gratitude. My heart is in this because it is here for you, for the Church, and for Christ. Blessings, Fr. Caleb |
| Fr. Caleb deeply values the connection with the members of our congregation and welcomes your input. Whether it’s through office or home visits, phone calls, or email, he is here for you. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any needs, or concerns, or simply want to chat. |
| This Weekend |
| Sunday, February 2, 2025 Presentation of Jesus in the Temple 8:00am (spoken service – Rite II) Please see the Order of Worship in the pews or click here 10:00am (choral service – Rite II) Please see the Order of Worship in the pews or click here youtube.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) Join us after the service in the Fellowship Hall for coffee, snacks and conversation! |
 Crazy Chile Farm Returns Now that we’re able to plant our fields again, two spring planting workdays have been scheduled for the field behind the Fellowship Hall: Saturday, February 1 from 9am-12noon. Soil preparation day: tilling, addition of soil amendments, layout of irrigation rows and fence repairs. Lunch will be provided. Saturday February 15 from 9am-12noon. Planting day: chile seedlings are ready to go, maize (aka corn) and sorghum will be planted from seed. Lunch will be provided. Please let Bill Robinson know if you’re able to help. For additional information about these workdays, click here. |
 ECW Meeting The ECW will meet on Saturday, February 1 at 10:30am with a potluck lunch to follow. Every woman who attends Transfiguration is a member of ECW. Please join us and you will meet new ladies and be ‘in the know’ about our church happenings. ZOOM link for watching meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/7409401419?pwd=bWNIbGNsdHowY1JaYUM3NDZzdlgvQT09 |
 Prayer and Reflection As a Christian community, fellowship and prayer are among the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Please, observe quietude when entering and exiting the sanctuary for worship so that members may greet one another quietly and also pray and light candles. For those in need of and seeking silence for prayer and reflection, we are opening the Parish House Chapel at 7:30am and 9:30am before each service for prayer. Please observe silence when in the chapel so that this may be a space for those in need of silent prayer and contemplation. |
 Superstition Community Food Bank Suggested donations for this week are: boxed cereal and crackers. For next week: canned or dehydrated soups. You can place your donations in the basket at the back of the church or in the bin in the Fellowship Hall. There were 107 lbs. of goods donated in January. Thank you to Christine Farrell for her help in delivering our donations! |
| The Week Ahead |
| Tuesday, February 4 9:00am God’s Soup Kitchen 7:00pm Compline Wednesday, February 5 8:30am Walking on Wednesday 9:30am Wednesday Morning Prayer 11:00am Wednesday Morning Eucharist 7:00pm Compline Thursday, February 6 10:00am Bible Study & Coffee Hour 7:00pm Compline Saturday, February 8 9:00am Field Trip to St. Anthony’s Greek Orthodox Monastery Sunday, February 9 8:00am Worship Service 10:00am Worship Service |
 Valentine Baskets Once again the ECW will be raffling off Valentine baskets. Raffle tickets will be sold the next two Sundays with the drawing on February 9 after the 10am service. If you have any questions, contact Mary Lou Lockwood at (803) 707-0730. |
 Walking on Wednesday Walking on Wednesday was on holiday but we want to try it again. You are invited to come for a walk in the desert on Wednesday, February 5 at 8:30am. We will walk for about 45 minutes on fairly level dirt paths on land belonging to the city park. Meet us in the parking lot behind the Apache Junction Library on Idaho. Lynn and Laura will be there to guide you. Future plans, times, ideas are open for discussion. Contact Lynn Graff if you have questions or suggestions. |
 Spring Field Trip All are invited to attend a field trip to St. Anthony’s Greek Orthodox Monastery in Florence on Saturday, February 8. We will meet in the Fellowship Hall at 9am for coffee and snacks and then head together to Florence. For questions, contact Wayne Smith or the Church Office. |
 Planned Giving Workshop On Saturday, February 15 from 10-11:30am, Clyde Kunz, Canon for Stewardship and Planned Giving for the Episcopal Diocese of Arizona, will conduct a planned giving workshop, The Basics of Legacy Giving in the Fellowship Hall. For more details click here. So we can make logistical arrangements, please let us know if you can attend by clicking here. |
 Book Club The February Book Club will meet on Friday, February 21 at 10am AZ time via Zoom. We will discuss Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese. Linda Soper will be the discussion leader, the Goodreads rating is 4.33, and click here for the review. |
 Secret Prayer Sister Reveal Luncheon It is time to let your secret prayer sister (SPS) know who has been praying for her. Let’s have lunch and some fun on Saturday, February 22 at 11:30am in the Fellowship Hall. Bring a wrapped gift (maximum value of $25) for your SPS. On the outside of the package give your SPS a few hints about who you are and let’s see if they can guess your identity. Put your identity inside the gift. Lunch will be potluck and the theme is “Secret Garden”. See Barbara Press or Jo Laslo for the potluck sign up. Any questions call Jo at (818) 825-3007 or Barbara at (847) 651-1396. |
 Spring Luncheon Mark your calendars for Saturday, March 22 for the annual ECW spring luncheon and style show. We will start selling tickets to the event on Sunday, February 16. More details to come! |
| Worship & Formation |
| NOTE: Fr. Caleb was out sick and in the ER this week and he sends his apologies that Monday’s Movie Night and Wednesday’s Morning Eucharist had to be postponed. Thursday’s Bible Study & Coffee Hour will be at 10am this morning as normal. |
 Compline We meet T, W and Th 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 for any questions at (847) 651-1396. |
 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, contact Barbara Press at (847) 651-1396. |
 Wednesday Morning Eucharist On Wednesdays at 11am we celebrate Holy Eucharist in the Parish House Chapel. |
 Bible Study & Coffee Hour We meet on Thursdays from 10 – 11:30am in the Fellowship Hall. Please bring a snack to share. Starting January 9th we will have a new book for our Bible Study, Jesus in Egypt: Discovering the Secret of Jesus’ Child Years. We will learn about Jesus’ early life from history, scripture, and early Church legends. The book is free from Amazon Audible Audiobook and Amazon Kindle by clicking here. |
 A list of those on our prayer list is posted in the Narthex. Prayers are offered up at Compline, by the Daughter’s of the King, and in the Sunday Services. Please contact the Church Office with your requests and updates. |
| FYI |
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  At Sunday’s Annual Meeting we celebrated outgoing Senior Warden, Lynn Graff; welcomed incoming Senior Warden, Wayne Smith; elected new Vestry members and Diocesan Convention delegates; had a very informative recap of 2024; enjoyed a delicious potluck lunch; and had great conversations with our Transfiguration family! |
 A Note From Lynn “My thanks to the Transfiguration church family for your guidance, support, wonderful gifts and thoughtfulness. It was a joint effort that helped us get through this time of transition and it was greatly appreciated. Blessings to you all!” Lynn Whayne Graff Senior Warden, Retired |
 Birthday Blessing The following parishioner is celebrating a birthday this week: Paul Harding on 2/2. Please wish him a very happy birthday and keep him in your prayers! |
 If you are interested in serving in and/or supporting the following foundational ministries, please get in touch with the contact listed in each section below. 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, contact our Flower Guild Director, Ruby Seyffert with your special requests. When using Zelle or a check, designate ‘Altar Flowers’ in the memo field. Altar Guild Altar Guild members care for the altar, vestments, vessels and linens under the direction of the Rector, and prepare the altar and worship space for services including weekend worship, weddings, funerals and baptisms. Contact Barbara Press to volunteer or to learn more. Episcopal Church Men (ECM) All men who attend Transfiguration are included in ECM. They are hosting a field trip to St. Anthony’s Greek Orthodox Monastery in Florence, AZ on Saturday, February 8 (see article). They will also meet on Wednesday, February 19 at 6pm at Organ Stop Pizza (Stapley and the US 60). The meeting will focus on planning for the rest of the year. If you have any questions, contact John Collins at (480) 406-3121. Episcopal Church Women (ECW) All women who attend Transfiguration are included in ECW and invited to attend meetings and activities. Their next meeting will be on Saturday, February 1 at 10:30am in the Fellowship Hall followed by a potluck lunch. For questions, contact Peg Wier. God’s Soup Kitchen This group meets monthly in the Fellowship Hall kitchen to prepare soup for those in need. Our next meeting will be on Tuesday, February 4 at 9am. The latest offering is Chicken Noodle Soup located in the freezer in the Fellowship Hall. If you are interested in volunteering for this ministry, contact Miriam Waddington. Lay Servers Would you like to be a greeter, member of the welcome team, chalice bearer, reader, torchbearer, crucifer or help count the offerings? Contact the Church Office to learn more. Stitchery Ministry This group typically meets the second and fourth Thursday each month at 1pm in the Parish House living room to knit, crochet, sew and quilt. Our next meeting is on Thursday, January 30 at 1pm. In addition to giving to our own members in need, the ministry donates prayer shawls and other hand stitched items to hospitals, nursing homes, shelters and other charitable organizations. Contact Linda Jo Johnson if you have questions. |
 Second Sunday Giving On the second Sunday of each month, all loose plate collection money (not tithes) will be given to a non-profit organization selected by your Vestry. Each organization reflects the mission and values of the Transfiguration Community and the Episcopal Church. February’s second Sunday offering will be donated to Camp Genesis at Chapel Rock. The mission of Camp Genesis is to create a safe space for children who have had or have an incarcerated parent to have fun, grow in self-esteem, and encounter Christ. Online Giving Pledging and financial gifts to the Church of The Transfiguration can be made using the following methods: For credit card or ACH gifts, you can use the QR code on the back of the weekly bulletin or this link: https://onrealm.org/EpiscopalChurchTransfiguration/GiveIf you prefer to use Zelle via your banking app, you can find the church via our email address: officetransfig@gmail.com 2024 Financial Report The 2024 financial report was included in the 2024 Annual Report. Hard copies will be available in the Narthex. Planned Giving Planned Giving signifies the wise stewardship of personal resources bestowed upon us by God. Transfiguration offers various opportunities for making immediate and deferred gifts that reflect your dedication and devotion to God and our congregation. If you’re interested in exploring planned giving at Transfiguration, reference our Planned Giving brochure (online or copies in the Narthex and Fellowship Hall) or contact the Church Office. |
| Around the Diocese |
 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 |
 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. |
| Clergy and Staff Fr. John Caleb Collins, Rector transfigurationrector@gmail.com; office (480) 986-1145 or mobile (480) 980-1981 (call or text) Janice Scalzo, Office Administrator transfigbookkeeper@gmail.com Eileen Chandler, Interim Music Director Office hours: M-T-W-Th. 9am – 1pm Vestry Fr. John Caleb Collins, Chair transfigurationrector@gmail.com Wayne Smith, Senior Warden (480) 245-9310 wsmith17@cox.net Tom Kevern, Junior Warden keverntom@gmail.com Heidi Kinney, Treasurer churchtransfigtreasurer@gmail.com Diane Klock, Clerk Ben Brooks Anita Joy Bob Kistler Janet Krahn Jo Laslo Joe Myshko Ruby Seyffert Garth Seiple Jane Stoneback Social Media Tom Blum – website Fr. John Caleb Collins – Facebook page Mary Hovden – weekly e-newsletter (please send stories, announcements, photos, etc. to Mary here) Peg Wier, Joe Myshko, Frank George IV – worship service streaming |