| The Rector’s Metamorpho-News |
 Happy Pentecost! I hope you all had a wonderful Pentecost Sunday and are looking forward to Trinity Sunday this next Sunday. For me, Pentecost is always a celebration of the birthday of the Church and the unity in diversity of the body of Christ. This week, I want to take a moment to reflect on our own “unity in diversity” as we experience it as part of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The Episcopal Church is the only US-based member church of the Anglican Communion. We trace our roots back to the Church of England and the Scottish Episcopal Church. Our roots were in the English colonies as a denomination, but our diversity has grown and reveals itself today. The largest diocese of The Episcopal Church is not in the United States and their primary language is not English! The Diocese of Haiti is the largest diocese of The Episcopal Church with about 100,000 active baptized members; their primary liturgical languages are Haitian Creole and French. The Episcopal Church also has dioceses in Cuba, Colombia, Ecuador, Europe, Taiwan, and Venezuela. Currently, The Episcopal Church is the chosen faith identity for about 3 million US adults according Pew Research in 2024. Of course, not all who claim to be Episcopalian are active, but even among our active members we are represented by millions. There are 1.6 million active baptized Episcopalians in the US and outside of the US. Among these millions of believers, our churches worship in English, Spanish, Haitian Creole, French, Chinese, Italian, and German. As part of the worldwide Anglican Communion, we are members of an even larger Christian family. The Anglican Communion is the third-largest denomination of Christians in the world after the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches. With about 110 million baptized members in more than 165 countries, we are a diverse body of Christians not unlike that first day at Pentecost. The largest member churches are the Church of England (25 million), Church of Nigeria (22 million), Church of Uganda (13.3 million), Anglican Church of Kenya (5 million), and Anglican Church of Australia (4.9 million). The Anglican Communion worships in many languages including English, Swahili, Xhosa, Korean, Japanese, Portuguese, French, Maori, and others. While the Anglican Communion is diverse, most member churches recognize the gifts of women in ministry and both men and women are ordained as deacons and priests in the majority of Anglican and Episcopal churches. Being part of the Anglican Communion also unites us with our Full Communion partners, forming an even larger Communion of churches. Many Anglican Communion churches are in Full Communion with the churches of the Lutheran World Federation which has 77 million baptized members. We are working towards Full Communion with the United Methodist Church with their 10 million members. Together, we all represent 200 million Christians worldwide sharing Communion among Anglican, Lutheran, and Methodist churches. In being faithful to the call of Christ, we continue to work for a visible unity among the different churches of the invisible one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church. At our own congregation, it is uplifting to witness growth throughout our seasons. Our attendance increased during the Fall and Winter months; we had more than 230 people worship with us during Holy Week and 176 people worship with us on Easter Sunday alone. Even during the summer, when many of our Fall/Winter residents return to their summer residences, we have experienced growth in comparison to previous years. On Pentecost Sunday this week, we worshipped with 105 people participating during the service. This is a major shift for the month of June. In the summer, we typically worship with somewhere between 70-80 people. Now, I don’t want to give the incorrect impression that numbers are what define the depth of discipleship and faith of a congregation. After all, Jesus was very clear that “where two or three are gathered in my Name, I am in the midst of them” (Matthew 18:20). However, Jesus also said to go and make disciples of all nations, multiplying the Church through the sharing of the Gospel. Therefore, while attendance and membership are not the only measurements of faithfulness and discipleship, they are important measurements for the viability and vitality of the local congregation. It warms my heart that our congregation has heard the words of our sermons on evangelism and what it means to share the story of Jesus with our communities. I have no doubt that our outreach and inclusiveness are why our congregation has experienced sustained growth this year. Let us endeavor as one, through our unity in our diversity, to continue this wonderful trend in 2026. 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, June 15, 2025 First Sunday after Pentecost: Trinity Sunday 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) Please join us after each service in the Fellowship Hall for coffee, snacks and fellowship. |
 Food Collection Superstition Community Food Bank Collected Weekly Suggested donations for this week are: boxed cereals 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. |
| The Week Ahead |
| Tuesday, June 17 7:00pm Compline Wednesday, June 18 9:30am Morning Prayer 7:00pm Compline Thursday, June 19 10:00am Bible Study/Coffee Hour 11:45am Morning Eucharist 7:00pm Compline Friday, June 20 10:00am Book Club Sunday, June 22 8:00am Sunday Service 10:00am Sunday Service |
 Book Club Friday, June 20 | 10:00am AZ time via Zoom The June Book Club will discuss Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano. The discussion leader will be Linda Soper and the Goodreads rating is 4.14. Click here for the review. At the end of book discussion time, we’ll take suggestions for books for our new book club year’s reading list. Please send your ideas ahead of time via email to Dea & Linda. |
 Blood Drive Wednesday, August 6 | 9:00am-1:00pm Fellowship Hall The blood drive is open to Transfiguration parishioners and the public. Please consider participating in this very worthy cause. The need for blood is great and donations tend to decrease over the summer months. Click here to make a donation appointment. |
| FYI |
 Birthday Blessings The following parishioners are celebrating a birthday this week: Braxton Harper on 6/12, Wayne Smith on 6/13, Ed Cope on 6/14, LaDonna Boyd on 6/15, June Fries on 6/16, Roy Heitkamp on 6/18. Please wish them a very happy birthday and keep them in your prayers! |
| Vestry Updates We thank Ben Brooks for his service to the Church of the Transfiguration on Vestry. To date, Vestry has accomplished many administrative and pastoral goals including, but not limited to, installing a security system in the Parish Office, installing a safer and new electronic lock on the Sanctuary, installing security cameras on the church property, identifying needs in the Kitchen, and ordering a new microphone for worship. We also welcome our newest Vestry member, Doug Wynn, who has graciously answered the call to serve on Vestry until the next Annual Meeting at which time he may run for a full term. The Vestry unanimously confirmed the appointment of Doug to the Vestry on June 10, 2025. Thank you, Doug! |
| Chili Farm Announcement We extend our gratitude, firstly, to Bill Robinson for his years of service at the Crazy Chili Farm. He has built a ministry that has earned notice and notoriety for the Church of the Transfiguration. This announcement is to share about a transition for the Chili Farm. Bishop Jennifer Reddall, Canon Debbie Royals, Mr. Bill Robinson, and I all met and agreed upon transitioning the Chili Farm to new direction and leadership. Bill agreed to retire from the ministry of the Chili Farm and to assume the role of Transitional Director in the interim until the date of a Service of Thanksgiving, celebrated by Bishop Jennifer, to commemorate Bill’s years of ministry at the Chili Farm. At the Service of Thanksgiving, Bishop Jennifer will present Bill with an award for all of his work and we will hand off leadership to a new Director or Interim Director. This agreement was presented as a proposal to the Vestry and the Vestry members present unanimously to adopt a plan of transition for the Chili Farm. This plan includes recognizing Bill as Transitional Director until the Service of Thanksgiving at which point the position will be handed off to a new Director or Interim Director. In the meantime, the Vestry decided that we will not plant anything in Field #1, but that we will continue to care for and plant all living plants, already purchased, in Field #2. The Vestry hopes that our volunteers will continue to support the ongoing care of the plants in Field #1. The Vestry also recognized that the goal of this transition is to empower Native American communities to lead and decide how the Chili Farm can best serve their and all communities. Please, continue to pray for the Chili Farm and all whom the ministry serves during this time of transition. I want to add, on a personal note, as a Mexican American of mestizo descent whose mestizo heritage includes Spanish and Indigenous Opata descent from Sonora, Mexico, that I am grateful and proud to be the Rector of a congregation that has so committed itself to service for its Indigenous American neighbors. My Nana, Tata, bisabuelos, and tartabuelos all worked in fields and agriculture, in addition mining, just as our Indigenous Opata ancestors did. I personally feel that healing work being done at the heart of this ministry. Blessings, Fr. Caleb |
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| Summer Fun Photos From Mary Hovden: “Enjoying some of the fun fauna from last week’s visit to the Desert Botanical Garden. A Gambel’s Quail with her chicks, a Desert Spiny Lizard and my lucky Roadrunner!” Please send your vacation or summer activity photos, along with a brief description/caption, to Summer Fun Photos and we’ll publish them! |
 Rector’s Vacation Fr. Caleb will be on vacation from Sunday, August 17 through Saturday, August 23. |
| Worship & Formation |
| Prayer and Reflection Sundays | 7:30am and 9:30am Parish House Chapel 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 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. Compline Tuesdays, Wednesdays & Thursdays | 7:00pm AZ time via Zoom Compline/Evening Prayer is held via ZOOM. Meeting ID: 740-940-1419. Passcode: 514 514. Contact Barbara Press with questions at (847) 651-1396. Morning Prayer Wednesdays | 9:30am AZ time via Zoom Please join us via ZOOM to prayerfully start the day. Meeting ID: 740-940-1419. Passcode: 514 514. Contact Barbara Press at (847) 651-1396 for questions. Bible Study & Coffee Hour Thursdays | 10:00am Fellowship Hall We are currently studying When Women Were Priests. Starting on Thursday, June 19, we will study The Complete Guide to Christian Denominations: Understanding the History, Beliefs, and Differences. Books are available in the Parish House office for $15. Morning Eucharist Thursdays | 11:45am Parish House Chapel Please join us in a small group setting as we celebrate Holy Eucharist. Prayer Requests Updated Weekly 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. |
| Ministries |
| Altar Flowers Weekly donations requested 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 donate altar flowers, please sign-up on the flower sheet posted on the bulletin board in the Narthex. Ruby Seyffert will then reach out to you regarding any special requests. NOTE: When using Zelle or a check, designate ‘Altar Flowers’ in the memo field. Altar Guild Saturday, July 5 | 9:00am Sacristy Altar Guild members care for the altar, vestments, vessels and linens under the direction of the Rector. They 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) September meeting TBD | 6:00pm Fellowship Hall All men who attend Transfiguration are included in ECM. The group meets monthly to plan future projects and socialize. If you have questions, contact John Collins at (480) 406-3121. Episcopal Church Women (ECW) Saturday, September 6 | 10:30am Fellowship Hall All women who attend Transfiguration are included in ECW. The group typically meets the first Saturday of each month to plan their projects and activities with a potluck lunch following the meeting but will be taking a break for the summer. For questions, contact Peg Wier. God’s Soup Kitchen July meeting TBD | 9:00am Fellowship Hall Kitchen This group prepares soups for those in need and/or homebound. For June they prepared chicken noodle soup; containers are available in the Fellowship Hall freezer. Their heartfelt efforts continue to make a positive difference in the community, one delicious bowl of soup at a time. If you are interested in volunteering for this ministry, contact Miriam Waddington. Stitchery Ministry Thursday, June 12 | 1:00pm Parish House This group meets the second and fourth Thursday each month to knit, crochet, sew and quilt. 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. No previous experience required – the group can help you learn how to knit, crochet, etc. Contact Linda Jo Johnson if you have questions. Sunday Morning Ministry 8:00am and 10:00am services We are looking for committed individuals to serve in various roles during our Sunday services. Positions available include Acolytes, Chalice Bearers, Greeters, Readers, and Counters who count the donations after the 10:00am service. These roles plays an essential part in our worship experience and help nurture the spiritual life of our community. Training and guidance will be provided to ensure you feel well-prepared and confident in your role. If you are interested in volunteering, please contact the office at (480) 986-1145 or email officetransfig@gmail.com. |
| Giving |
| Second Sunday Offering Sunday, June 8 | 8:00am & 10:00am services June’s offering of $287 went to Cloud Covered Streets which provides showers and laundry services to unhoused people in Phoenix. Their mission is to restore dignity through these services and help to improve the quality of their lives. 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 Planned Giving Did you know that planned gifts are philanthropic gifts made in the present that are received at some future date and that they may be designated for specific purposes? To learn more please contact the Church Office and click here for a copy of our new brochure. Financial Report Click here to see the Q1 25 Transfiguration financial report. Hard copies will also be available in the Narthex and in the Fellowship Hall. If you have questions, please contact Heidi Kinney. |
| Around the Diocese |
 Pride Month Resources For decades, LGBTQ+ Episcopalians and allies have worked to make The Episcopal Church a place of belonging and inclusion. We have prayed, studied, and discerned, and in doing so, we have seen the evidence of God’s blessing in the lives and love of our LGBTQ+ siblings in Christ. Read more HERE. |
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 Creation Care Quarterly Meeting Saturday, July 12 | 10:00am – 2:00pm Transfiguration Fellowship Hall Please join us for our quarterly meeting. Lunch will be provided so please RSVP to Bill Robinson if you plan to attend in person. The meeting will also be available online via Google Meet (link will be sent out later). If you have any general questions about Creation Care, our mission and purpose, or if you would like any additional information about participation on the Council, please contact Bill Robinson.. |
 Diocesan Publication 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. |
| 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 Heidi Kinney, Treasurer churchtransfigtreasurer@gmail.com Taylisse Boissonneault, Interim Music Director Daryl White, Sexton 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 Diane Klock, Clerk Anita Joy Bob Kistler Doug Wynn Garth Seiple Jane Stoneback Janet Krahn Jo Laslo Ruby Seyffert Sharon Smorynski 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 |