Table of Contents
Rector’s Report 5
Membership Updates 10
Staff Reports
Senior Associate Rector Report 13
Administration 14
Adult Formation 15
Children’s Ministries 16
Congregational Life 17
Communications 19
Music Ministry 20
Youth Ministries 21
Vestry Reports
Senior Warden’s Report 23
Budget, Finance, and Administration 24
Building, Grounds, and Technology 25
Mission, Ministry, and Connections Committee 28
Financial Reports
Endowment Fund 31
Stewardship 32
Leadership Directory 50
Photo Index 51
Ministry Reports
Altar Guild 34
Altar Ministries 34
Austin Street Ministry 35
Centering Prayer 35
Daughters of the King 35
Episcopal Men’s Fellowship 36
Episcopal Peace Fellowship 36
Figs with Kids 36
FigTech Ministry 37
Flower Guild 37
Food Pantry 37
Foyer Groups 38
Funeral Reception Ministry 38
Garden Ministry 38
Kitchen Ministry 38
Labyrinth Ministry 39
MacMaster Library 39
Nurturing Faith Through Fiction 40
Open Door 40
Outreach Committee 41
Pastoral Ministries 43
Racial Justice Ministry 43
Prayer Shawl Ministry 44
Sound Technician Ministry 44
Second Half Lunch Bunch 44
St. Elizabeth’s Guild 44
St. Hilda’s Guild 45
Gathering after The Table 46
Transfigured Nights 47
Wedding Guild 49
Women’s Evening
Book Group 49
Youth Acolytes 49
Rector’s Report by the Rev. R. Casey Shobe, D.Min
I am grateful for this opportunity every year to share with you about some of the highlights I experienced – things to celebrate and things to consider as we carry on seeking and serving Christ in all persons. I hope you’ll take time to remember with me the year we just enjoyed, and also read on through this whole report to see what our dozens of ministries were up to. This is a thriving, dynamic community, and there is never a dull moment!
Foundations Transfigured
Six years ago at the 2020 Annual Meeting, after nearly two years of discernment, the Capital Discernment Committee presented their findings. We had millions of dollars in looming maintenance over the next few years, and the longer-range forecast was no better: by the committee’s estimate, we would need at least $150,000 every year going forward for capital projects. The bottom line, they told us, was that we needed to raise $3 million for urgent repairs, and another $3 million to create a long-term fund for the future.
At that same Annual Meeting, the Vestry shared what it had learned from a consulting firm that we’d hired to help us solicit feedback from the parish about our campus. We learned of the strong desire to replace our sacristy, renovate our kitchen, install solar panels on our roof, and if possible, create some sort of chapel. This was all reported to us in late January 2020…mere weeks before the world shut down.
Here we are six years and a pandemic later and we’ve accomplished every single one of those recommendations. We repaired roofs and walkways, air conditioners and emergency systems, and dozens of other projects big and small. We renovated the kitchen and installed
solar tiles on the church. We created an entirely new sacristy, the finest I’ve ever seen, including a handsome new ADA-accessible west entry. And we updated our 50 year-old church with new lighting, electrical, sound, seating, and accessibility, not to mention the creation of Holy Cross Chapel in the south transept.
Not that it was easy. Along the way, we doubted our ability to do all the repairs and also save $3 million for the future. There were many long, hard conversations by vestry, staff, and other parish leaders about the challenges of accomplishing these two hugely important goals. But in the end, we did it. Late in 2025, we cleared $3 million in our restricted reserves (about a third held in cash for coming projects and two-thirds invested by the endowment for the long-term). We now have the funds to care for our campus for decades to come. Keep in mind when we did all this: during a global pandemic; during a time in which churches all over the country are struggling and shuttering; during massive social, political, and financial anxiety. We rose to every challenge, met every obstacle, and achieved something incredible. We did, indeed, transfigure our foundations.
We did all this together, our whole community working, praying, and giving. There are a few whose gifts of time and effort deserve special mention.
• I want to thank the donors to our Sixth Year Campaign, and particularly those who sponsored chairs, pews, and light fixtures in the church. I hope you feel proud of these beautiful additions.
• I want to thank our Needlepoint Ministry, which removed, cleaned, adjusted, and mounted hundreds of feet of kneeler covers. Nothing was lost or wasted, even as our pew configuration changed. Every dedication, old and new, has been preserved. Special thanks to Olga Ruff, Marcy Mignardi, and Christine Johnson for their direction and dedication, but over 30 people participated. Our best estimate is that volunteers contributed over 1,500 hours to this work!
• I want to thank Sarah Tatro, who engraved hundreds of dedications into chairs, kneelers, and other dedicatory markers.
• I want to thank the chairs of the Building, Grounds, and Technology Committee during these last five years – Jodi Dalton, Jeremy Teeple, and Olga Ruff – as well as their committee members. The stress and complexity was tremendous, yet they stayed patient, unified, and focused. We couldn’t have done it without them.
• I want to thank our Treasurer, Bill Evans, who did far more than monitor our church finances. He was an assistant chancellor, contract negotiator, and project manager. It is hard to state how important Bill’s leadership has been the past several years.
• I want to thank our Director of Operations, Bracken Reece, who managed all the vendors and oversaw every step of the work. Bracken’s encyclopedic knowledge of building maintenance helped us consistently make good decisions, resulting in our ability to stay on budget.
• And I want to thank my several recent Senior Wardens – Mike Mignardi, Mat Thekkil, Peggy Kwoka, Mark Ramsay, Julia Trizzino, and Oliver Cone – who led the way to our success. You were steady, faithful, and wise, and your crowns have earned many jewels in heaven!
I’ll long remember the joy of our blessing and dedication on March 2, but I’ll also long remember the grace and patience everyone showed during our nine months in Roper Hall. The entire experience was a beautiful testament to the Spirit’s presence among us, and it showed that we are far more than a beautiful building; we are a beautiful community.
A Change in Bishops
Last year the Diocese of Dallas elected the Very Rev. Robert Price as Bishop Coadjutor. He was ordained in September and enthroned this January. Bishop Price has declared his intention to lead all the churches of the diocese, including our own, which meant that in December we said goodbye to Bishop Wayne Smith, who
had been appointed by Bishop Sumner to lead us since 2018 (in response to the actions of General Convention and our unwavering desire to offer same-sex marriage). The farewell to Bishop Smith was filled with gratitude and love, for his ministry with us has been a blessing beyond measure. He marched with us in the Pride Parade, shared a trench with us in COVID, confirmed the faithful, preached the gospel, and loved us like a true pastor. Now, we look to a new chapter with a new bishop, and it is a moment of hope and opportunity to be more fully one as a diocese.
Guns to Gardens
2025 was a year of prophets. During the summer, the clergy preached our way through some of the “greatest hits” of the Hebrew prophets. Given the social and political unrest of our day, when there is too much abuse of the poor and powerless by the rich and powerful, and vice is often packaged and peddled to us as virtue, the prophets feel especially relevant. In Advent, we returned again to the prophets, who point us not only toward the messiah’s birth but also toward the messiah’s way.
In September, in one of the highlights of my life, the words of the prophets came to life. Inspired by Micah 4:1-5 and Isaiah 2:1-5, and working with over a dozen other congregations and community partners, most notably Raw Tools South, we sought to turn a few modern day swords into plowshares. At an event called “Guns to Gardens,” owners of unwanted firearms were invited to bring them to our campus, where trained volunteers carefully received, inspected, and dismantled them using chop saws. Metal gun parts were then fed into a forge operated by volunteers from the North Texas Blacksmith Association and converted into garden tools. Between our Dallas event and a tandem event in Fort Worth, we dismantled 85 guns, including nearly 40 semi-automatics and five assault rifles.
There is nothing like the feeling of a beautiful vision from Scripture coming to life before your eyes. It is the hope of the event leaders, of which I am a proud member, to offer these events several times a year in various neighborhoods of the Metroplex. For the kingdom of God is like a mustard seed: it starts very small,
almost unnoticeable, but grows into something magnificent in which creatures of all kinds can dwell in safety and peace.
Speaking of Gardens
The tools made at our Guns to Gardens event won’t sit on the shelf, either. This past year our gardening ministry really took off. A team of over 20 dedicated volunteers now maintains several large flower beds around our campus, several of which exclusively feature Texas native plants. The idea for these gardens took shape during our first congregational pilgrimage to Mexico in 2023 to witness the over-wintering monarch butterflies, and last year the dream took a huge step forward. Our campus is now a beautiful haven for pollinators of all kinds (we are designated as an official Monarch Waystation!), and because of our focus on Texas natives, these gardens are environmentally sustainable. When the weather warms, take the teaching of our Lord to heart (Matthew 6:27-29): sit on a bench or stone near one of these garden beds and gaze upon the fair beauty of the Lord in flowered and winged form.
Living Our Baptism
In our Baptismal Covenant, we commit to seek and serve Christ in all persons, love our neighbors as ourselves, strive for justice and peace among all people, and respect the dignity of every human being. Lofty promises, but with God’s help, last year we poured ourselves out in pursuit of them. Each month we provide a week’s worth of groceries to nearly 60 families. Each month we offer dinner to 450 men and women at Austin Street Center, and another 100 at St. Jude’s Center. Day by day, our Little Free Pantry offers food and toiletries to anyone in need. Meanwhile, our Clothes Horse sends huge bags of clothes to several local partners every month, our Men’s Fellowship regularly visits Genesis Women’s Shelter to cook for the women and children, our Immigration Ministry helps migrant neighbors know their rights, and dozens of volunteers spend many Saturdays each year building ramps for the disabled.
Toward the end of the year, to grow our gospelwitness farther, Transfiguration joined Dallas Area Interfaith. DAI is an organization of over 40 diverse congregations, schools, non-profits, and unions that work together for the common good.
We will share in their efforts to pursue solutions to important local issues like immigration, education, and affordable housing. I can’t wait to see the good we can do together this next year.
Farewells, Welcomes, and Proud Moments
Last summer, we said goodbye to our beloved Director of Youth Ministries, Delynda Moravec. Delynda and her husband, Kip, had been part of the Fig family for nearly 20 years, but they were ready to begin a new chapter in Michigan. Thankfully, we were blessed to welcome a parishioner, Bailey Roberts, to the helm of our amazing youth ministry, and things are not skipping a beat.
Meanwhile, in the fall Fr. Ted Clarkson accepted a call to serve as Vicar of the Cathedral of St. Peter in St. Petersburg, Florida, and we bid farewell on All Saints Sunday. Ted and his husband, Mikey, have been extremely important to our parish for almost 20 years, serving in the choir, vestry, rector search committee, Transfigured Nights, The Way, and NeXtGen – all before Ted was ever ordained and joined the staff! It is hard to say goodbye to such wonderful people, but we’re proud to see what they do in their new home. Thankfully, we were able to hire Mtr. Maddie Hill as an interim associate, and she is a great blessing to us already.
During the year, we also had the privilege of sponsoring Lynn Walters for the diaconate and Danielle Shroyer for the priesthood. Both will begin their studies toward ordination this coming fall. Susie Rodriguez is now nearly finished with her education toward ordination, and will (God willing) be ordained deacon this summer. And three of our own, Dana Jean, Michael Sturdy, and Mark Witte, were ordained to the priesthood this past year. It is an amazing thing to raise up leaders for the Church!
Growing Giving
Our stewardship goal in the fall was audacious. We sought to grow our giving by 25%, in order to keep up with the rapid growth of expenses in recent years. Simply maintaining the very same operation – staff and budgets – goes up by over 5% every year. This is the product of escalating insurance costs (property and health) and the need to match staff compensation to
inflation. For the past several years we’ve run deficit budgets, which the Vestry has been able to cover from a handful of reserves and other sources. But this year, we wanted to name the real number and shoot for it: to properly fund our church based on pledges, we would need to grow giving significantly.
The good news is that we had a record campaign. To date, we’ve received commitments for $2.26 million, up from $2.13 million last year. Of our 433 pledging households, 58 are new and 236 increased their giving. Our mean pledge has grown to $5,200 and our median pledge is $3,000, reminding us once again that we don’t rely on a few big givers, but on the sacrificial generosity of everyone who calls our church home.
The hard news is that 6% growth falls short of our goal, which means that we will once again depend on alternative sources to fully fund our church. The Vestry will be forced to dip into its restricted reserves, and we’ll need the help of some of our grant-giving ministries like St. Hilda’s, Transfigured Nights, and the Men’s Fellowship. We can do this, but we can only kick the proverbial can for so long.
Perhaps it’s time to make cuts, some say. Maybe it’s time we reduce our budget and run a smaller ship. Okay, and what would we cut? Reduce clergy, program staff, or musicians? Are we
ready for less worship, pastoral care, formation, and programs, too? Should we cut our maintenance budget, after all the work we’ve done to take better care of our campus? Should we cut our administrative team, which handles all our finances with impressive excellence? Should we cut outreach, and stop supporting the wider community?
Our mission is too important to go backward as a church. Our witness to a compassionate, inclusive Lord is too vital for us to lose our momentum. A strong Transfiguration means more goodness, mercy, and love poured into the world, and what else do we exist for if not to offer those things in an abundance to our troubled and changing world.
Seeking to Grow
Last year I announced our major new goal to grow. The time is past when it was enough to be a pretty church with a school on a hill and people would come. Times are changing, and the claims of the gospel we proclaim are more important than ever. We need to look outward to a hungry world and reach out to it with the bread we have to share. There is plenty of angry, judgmental, and compassionless religion posing as Christianity out there. What there isn’t enough of is loving Christianity, Beatitudes Christianity, Christlike Christianity. Which is why we need to grow.
In keeping with the trend since 2021, attendance at weekend worship crept up again this past year: from 464 in 2023 to 476 in 2024 to 486 this past year. This doesn’t take into account the rapid growth of online participation: YouTube viewership nearly doubled last year, along with listenership to our sermon podcast. More people than ever are participating digitally, which is exciting, but our hope is to transition online participation to in-person forms, for Christian community is best experienced together.
Staying on the Way
The arrival of a new year has already brought more of the pains of the last. The rule of law in our country is being actively eroded, leaders are unafraid to lie and unashamed of their corruption, government forces are brutally occupying American cities, law-abiding migrants are being violently detained and deported, and billionaires in positions of power are gleefully slashing programs for the poorest and most vulnerable. It feels like our nation is unmoored and floating from shore, and I’m afraid that we may clear the horizon and forget how to return.
In the midst of it all, as Christians, we know what is ours to do: we are light-bearers, saltshakers, yeast in the dough. That’s what Christ asks of us: to follow his example and love like he loves. To keep standing up for what is good and true and beautiful, day after day, in small moments as well as big. Even when the powers and principalities are arrayed against us and we have no tools to fight with but compassion and mercy. For “God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, things that are not, to reduce to nothing things that are (1 Cor 1:27-38).” We mustn’t grow resigned to the evils we see, but allow the Spirit to provoke toward justice and peace. Seeking and serving Christ in all persons has never been easy or comfortable, but the costs of such a mission may get harder still. So keep praying, friends, asking the Lord for grace to continue our mission, come what may, not only with our lips, but in our lives.
In 2025 Transfiguration welcomed
New Members
Youth Formation
Participants
Children’s Formation
Participants
Newly Baptized
Confirmations, Receptions, and Reaffirmations
New Members
Cynthia Anson
Ashley & Austin Ariail
Elena Ariail
Sloane Ariail
Bob & Susan Arnold
Betty Ann Bonneau
Hannah Boone
Erika & Philip Bower
Liliana Bower
Philip Bower
Alice Bryan
Quinn Carter
David Call
Domingo Castillo
Barbara Churchman
Barbara & Don Collins
Scott Colson
Chace & L’Nae Craig
Lucy Craig
Jack Craig
Liz Daniel
Oz Edwards
Brian & Sherry Fuerst
Owen Graber
Brenda Hemphill
Greg Hemphill
Adam Hinshaw &
Ann Montgomery
Joan Hinshaw
Terry Hopkins
Brianna Hutcherson & Zadie Rankin
Lauren & Mitchell Judge
Clementine Judge
Louisa Judge
William Kent
Faithful Departed
Kathi Bearden
George Bienfang
Bob Brewster
Paul Desrochers
The Rev. Amy Heller
Baptisms
Elizabeth Perry Alkek
Quinn Scott Carter
Ezra James Andrew Fierbaugh
Eva Catherine Nieto Hale
Marriages
John Palmer & Langford Keith
Jessica Wedge & Ryan Williams
Nora Henson
Eloise Jackson
Charles Johnson
Luke Luquire
Vivian Manthe
Amay Lakhankar
Lee Lavergne
Greg & Amy Luyckx
Oliver Luyckx
Katie Manning
Denise Marshall
Hailey Marshall
Lois Melkonian
Carol Miller
Linda Mitchell-Thorpe
Carol Montgomery
Josh Moon
Eric Mueller
Connie Murray
Eva Nieto
Todd Norwood
Sally Oppel
Mary Ellen &
Douglas Peter
Art Raymond
Joseph Rebagliati
Dee & John Rush
Becky Sans
Hannah Schwab
Ky Scott
Carla & Rudy Siegesmund
Jennifer & Mark Smith
Roger Starnes
Wesley Strother
Abigail Strother
Marcy & Ben Tripp
Quinn Tripp
Bill Mercer
Greg Rickard
J.J. Rodriguez
Jeff Rollings
Sharon Willey
Samantha Lynn Hintz
William Hittson Kent
Darrell Wayne Raley, Sr.
Joshua Thomas Moon,
Amanda RaeLynn Morreale
Lucca Tarango-Taylor
Sean Norton & Jerry Garner
Taryn deBruyn & Alexander Krenek
Senior Associate Rector’s Report
by the Rev. Rebecca Tankersley
What a joy it is to serve among you here at Transfiguration! My ministry with you is all about love; for I oversee Outreach (loving our neighbors in need) and Pastoral Care (loving all of you).
Outreach
The 2025 outreach year was among our best! We began by sharing new bath towels with our partner agencies to equip them to welcome new clients. On Ingathering Sunday, we came together as a parish and packed toiletry bags for Austin Street, St. Jude, Our Friends’ Place, and Genesis, further supporting the dignity of each of their clients. We now serve meals monthly at both St. Jude and Austin Street. In the pages that follow, you will find a full report of all our Outreach activities during the year. Join us in 2026 as we continue to seek and serve Christ by extending our arms of love into our community.
Pastoral Care
Every Tuesday morning, your clergy meet together to share pastoral concerns of our members and to lift those concerns in prayer. We value this time together at the beginning of the week to ensure we reach out to those who are sick, struggling, or alone. It is my joy to serve along-side our Eucharistic Visitors, Stephen Ministers, and Daughters of the King as we care for our members in need.
In 2025, our team of 20 Eucharistic Visitors shared Holy Eucharist with over 40 people who were unable to worship with us here at the church. This year, our Stephen Ministers, who are trained to provide one-to-one care to those experiencing spiritual challenges, continue to make themselves available as needed. Our pastoral care ministries are further supported by our Daughters of the King and Prayer Chain, each of which has over 50 members who regularly pray for the special needs and concerns of our members. I am grateful for the ministry of Pastor JoNell Lindh, who joined our staff as Pastoral Care Assistant this year. I am also deeply grateful for the many, many lay leaders who serve in our pastoral care ministries, without whom I would be lost.
During 2025, we held funeral services for 19 people. I am grateful to our active and retired clergy, as well as to our Altar Guild, Flower Guild, and Funeral Reception Committee, for their compassionate care of families and friends who lost loved ones this year. As has become our custom, this past December we held a Healing Service, in which we made space for those experiencing a less-than-joyful Advent and Christmas to worship together in the midst of grief and tumult.
Special Thanks
This report would not be complete without taking a moment to express my gratitude to all of you for the many ways in which you support Transfiguration’s clergy and staff, most especially through your generosity in support of the clergy Ministry Fund. We see an ever-increasing number of individuals who come to us alone, in need, and without access to help. Your gifts equip us to respond with food, utility assistance, and other urgent concerns.
Administration by Cathleen Dolt
The Business, Finance, and Administration staff serves God and the Parish by overseeing the church’s financial and administrative operations with transparency, accountability, and prayerful stewardship. To maximize tax benefits for our donors, during 2025, we facilitated a dozen stock transfers and a significant number of QCD’s (Qualified Charitable Distributions). We also invested our operating and restricted funds in a variety of CDs and money market instruments to maximize the church’s interest income. Our team also renegotiated several contracts – for our copiers, our dumpster and internet services, and space usage, at favorable terms. If you have any questions about giving, our finances, or our administrative practices, please reach out to Cathleen Dolt at cdolt@transfiguration.net or 972.233.1898 ext. 230.
Adult Formation by the Rev. Maddie Hill
The formation of Christians is lifelong. We don’t “graduate” from Christian education when we leave grade school or are confirmed, nor is there ever a point in our lives when have learned all we need to know about life with God. The command to love God with all our heart, soul, and mind is one pursue until we enter God’s nearer presence at death. Transfiguration conducts a wide range of classes and special programs to form the faith of our community, drawing on the wisdom and knowledge of many teachers. In early 2025 we conducted the following:
The Gospel of John – a survey of the fourth gospel led by Mtr. Rebecca
Episcopal Church History, Considered –a survey of church history led by Fr. Ted
Pray Big Things – Figs with Kids explored prayer practices using a book by this name
The Way - The Way met on Sunday mornings in 2024-25, and Fr. Casey led the winter/spring classes on the nature of God and how we are saved
During Lent we explored the intersection of art and faith in a class called “Images of the Invisible God.” On Sundays we looked at the ways Jesus has been depicted throughout the centuries, in our Wednesday Eucharists the homilies explored different aspects of Rublev’s famous icon of the Trinity, and in our Wednesday program we welcomed a series of presenters such as Dr. Heidi Hornik, Chair of the Department of Art and Art History at Baylor University, Fr. Eric Hollas, prior of Saint John’s Abbey, and Kelly Lattimore, a modern iconographer.
In Eastertide, the clergy led an engaging and well-attended class looking at the Gospel according to Les Misérables, both in Hugo’s original novel and the beloved Broadway musical.
In the fall we offered several choices once again:
Letters of Paul: Philippians & Ephesians – a survey of these letters led by Mtr. Rebecca
Grace in Action – Fr. Casey led a class on practicing grace in a graceless world
Practical Mysticism – Fr. Ted explored some of the great mystics of Christian history
Bowling Alone: Faith, Community, and Seeking Commonality – Figs with Kids discussed isolation and community using the book by Robert Putnam.
In Advent, we brought everyone together to consider the prophets. Throughout history, the prophets helped the people of God hold onto hope and look for salvation. The parish clergy were joined by several excellent guests, including Rabbi Andrew Paley, Danielle Shroyer, Parish Episcopal School chaplains and religion teachers, and our esteemed retired clergy, to reflect on these powerful truth-tellers and pointers toward the inbreaking of the kingdom.
Such rich offerings are not possible without the contributions of many, notably our Companions in The Way. Special recognition is also owed to Fr. Ted Clarkson, who skillfully led our adult formation for the last several years and left our staff in November. His passion for Christian education left a beautiful mark on our church, and did much to strengthen the faith of our community.
Children’s Ministries by Allison
Blalock
It has been a joy and pleasure to enter my fifth year with the children and families of Transfiguration. Children’s Ministries’ serves children from birth to fifth grade and we work to grow and encourage a spiritual life in children in partnership with their parents. Children are introduced to God’s love through worship, prayer, story, play, service, and outreach.
We begin Sunday mornings offering an interactive age-appropriate chapel service for children ages four through first grade to help children experience Scripture, prayer, and worship in ways they understand and enjoy. We offer a Montessori curriculum, Godly Play and Wee Wonder, during our Sunday School hour. Children experience a nurturing play-based environment in which they learn, grow, and belong. Professional childcare is provided during our Sunday worship services and the Sunday School hour. We also depend on the service of adult volunteers to lead our five Godly Play classrooms.
In addition to our Sunday offerings, our children are ministered to through: “Figlet” bags, blessing of the backpacks, third grade Bibles, sacramental preparation, Advent Festival, our Christmas pageant, a Lenten series, an immersive Passion experience and interactive Stations of the Cross, age-appropriate worship services during Christmas, Holy Week, and Easter, a weeklong Vacation Bible School, and opportunities to serve in a variety of ministries within our parish as lectors, acolytes, and choir members. There are also outreach opportunities, especially by our Impact Kids (4th & 5th graders).
This past year the children’s wing underwent important renovations that included new countertops, fresh paint, refinishing cabinetry, and new sinks in each classroom. The hallway was repainted, and new lighting was added to brighten it. In 2025, Children’s Ministries outreach projects were in service to Our Friends Place, Austin Street Center, and our Little Free Pantry.
We celebrate the spiritual interest we see in our children and their love for God. We are blessed by our many parents who take seriously their role in nurturing faith in their children. I am particularly grateful for the opportunity to watch your children learn and grow as Christians.
Congregational Life by Gabby Guion
“With mortals this is impossible, but with God all things are possible (Matthew 19:26).” This seemed to be the prevailing theme in 2025. The parish was getting acclimated to worship services in Roper Hall and the temporary chapel in the library, but dreams of moving back into the Nave for Christmas were thwarted by unforeseen delays. Patience was the order of the day. With the help of hundreds of dedicated volunteers and helmed by our tireless staff, the church did indeed open and we celebrated the grand dedication and blessing on March 2. Over 600 parishioners and guests attended, followed by a joyous reception! All things are possible with God.
A brief review of year 2025 includes a dramatic burning of the greens on a bitterly cold and windy evening on Epiphany; a memorable full immersion baptism at the Table service, when Ezra was marked as Christ’s own forever; ministry meetings and Fig parties in February; exploring art and images of God in Lent; hosting the Bishop Election Walk-About for hundreds of people from all over the diocese; a joyful Easter with full services in our beautiful sanctuary.
We didn’t stop there, May continued with more dedications and receptions! The Drotman fountain and Diggs butterfly garden were blessed and are maintained by the now very busy gardening ministry. We added a new ministry to continue the pastoral work of George Bienfang, our beloved birthday caller, who passed away February. It may seem small, but getting a call to wish you a “happy birthday” from a person who cares about you is just about the most Christian thing you can do. June did not slow down, as we had the massively successful Fish Fry, Vacation Bible School, and we welcomed many newcomers! July was a time for our Figs with Kids ministry to get fired up and grow connections between families with children.
In August we tried something new and had a Ministry Fair Open House over two weekends. Everyone had fun touring the campus and learning the behind-the-scenes activity that make this church work. September brought new formation classes, more Fig parties, and multiple outreach activities. October began stewardship season and the theme this year was “The Power of We,” which is what the whole year felt like! There is something happening at Transfiguration every single day, and you are making it happen!
We ended October with our big parish celebration, Figfest. November was bittersweet, as we honored all the parishioners who have died, and in particular, those in 2025. These faithful people helped build a foundation of service and love of our neighbor that continues today. More sad news as we said “farewell” to Father Ted as he was called to a church in Florida. Additionally, we kirked brand new tartans that were sponsored by our wonderful EMF team!
December was here in no time. The Advent festival focused on the prophets and our mascot Homer roamed around the church and posted his adventures on Instagram. Preparations were underway for Advent and Christmas when the terrible news of the death of Mother Amy Heller. Her funeral was wrenching. Hundreds arrived to honor this remarkable woman and priest.
We ended 2025 with a beautiful and Holy Christmas. As Father Ted wrote in his last sermon “I love you, Transfiguration.” Continue to Pray for Peace on this Earth as we begin 2026!
Communications by TJ McCoy
In 2025, the Transfiguration community united to embrace the Power of We. Hundreds of heartfelt messages filled the Gathering Space with inspiring examples of God’s grace at The Fig. It was truly moving to witness our ministries’ growth and transformation, ensuring a warm welcome for future generations of visitors and members.
The Communications Department contributed by overhauling and relaunching our website to make it easier for new visitors to learn about us. We also implemented technical improvements to streamline site maintenance and content management. Al Blackwell played a key role in promoting the adoption of Realm, our church’s internal communications tool for ministry groups and members. There are currently 703 active users now regularly signing-in to Realm.
We partnered with BGT, external technology and A/V consultants, and our Sound Tech ministry to significantly expand our livestreaming and audio capabilities across campus. We now offer amplified sound in the Memorial Garden, Parlor Courtyard, and Belltower areas, along with enhanced support for individuals with impaired hearing.
Brittani Houghtlen-Smith’s expertise in marketing and content creation has been invaluable. She helped us repackage sermons and expand our social media presence by editing sermon clips and providing strategies to grow our online following. As a result, our YouTube channel views increased by 280% year over year, reaching 52,000 views. Our subscriber base grew by 196, totaling 828. Currently, only 50.2% of our viewers are subscribers, which means we’ve made great strides, but still have room to grow.
We also publish sermons to our Podcasting channels, which have reached 2300 listeners across 25 podcasting platforms. Our top platforms were Apple Podcast, the Podbean App, and Spotify.
We extend heartfelt gratitude to our talented members, Robert Hacker and John Makowski, whose dedication and skill brought our events to life through their stunning photography. We also thank Richard Hill for beautifully documenting our Guns to Gardens event and the church dedication. A special note of appreciation goes to Michael Durance and the Fig Tech team for their patience and support in helping our ministries utilize new technologies across our campus.
Music Ministries by
Joel Martinson
Choir Return to the Gallery!
The choirs have enjoyed their return to the gallery of the renovated church and the ability to have several groups sing for any given service and be accompanied by our magnificent organ. Highlights for the Transfiguration Choir include the Dedication Sunday in early March, Holy Week, the Fauré Requiem for All Souls’ Day, Advent Lessons and Carols with the St. Thomas the Apostle and Ascension Choirs, and our Christmas liturgies.
Younger Choirs & Bella Musica
Kimberley and Chris Ahrens continue their important work in the formation of the Holy Family, Canticle and Youth Choirs. We are delighted that the two young choirs – Holy Family and Canticle – had increased membership this fall. Two strong singers graduated from high school last spring, leaving the Youth Choir smaller, but able to produce beautiful music. The Bella Musica Handbell Choir was able to play several times in the second half of the year with one new member and veteran bell ringers from the Transfiguration Choir.
Fifteenth Anniversary of the Godwin Organ
Organ recitals by Daryl Robinson in May and Katelyn Emerson in October celebrated fifteen years with the J.D. Godwin Organ — Richards, Fowkes & Co.’s Opus 17. I also gave an organ demonstration for the Young Adults Fellowship in the fall. We will plan more of these opportunities during the coming summer.
“New” Harpsichord
In June we borrowed a beautiful harpsichord from Joyce Patton, a friend and neighbor of Transfiguration. It was built in the French manner in 1980 by the William Dowd shop of Boston. After using the instrument with various forces during the summer and fall, and having it evaluated by three former and current harpsichord teachers from UNT, it became apparent that purchasing this instrument for the church would be very worthwhile. A gift from Susie Higgins-Rodriguez in memory of her late husband JJ Rodriguez made this possible.
Music Fund of the Church of the Transfiguration Endowment
As was the case in 2024, the entire 2025 Music Fund spend was submitted to and approved by the Endowment Trustees to underwrite our sixth section leader for the first half of 2026. We are planning to do the same with next year’s spend to complete funding the position through the end of the year. Though it is not the intent of the Music Fund to pay parish staff members, the Music Fund and Endowment committees have been willing to do this during our tight budgetary situation.
Goals for 2026
• Have the Godwin organ serviced by a team from the Richards, Fowkes shop, now that the dust has settled from the renovation project.
• Resume the choir recording project.
• Record my compositions for organ and instruments.
• Continue work evaluating choral scores currently a part of the music library in order to provide space for purchases of new music.
Youth
Ministries
by Bailey Roberts
2025 was an exciting year for the Youth Ministry. I am so privileged to have begun working with this dynamic group of youth and the leadership and energy they bring to our parish. My mission for this ministry is to provide a space where the youth can be their authentic selves, wrestle with and mature in their faith in an environment that supports them and honors all their questions, big and small.
Sunday formation classes began in September led by me and four other teachers. Last year we began the Journey to Adulthood curriculum, covering topics such as respecting ourselves and others, what it means to love our neighbor and our enemy, and a reflection on what privileges we may have and how they are used in the world. During Advent, the middle school class took a dive into the prophets alongside the parish, while the high schoolers chose to explore the Book of Job. Before jumping into sometimes heavy conversations, the group joins together for a session of “good and get betters” where they can reflect on their week.
Crossover is a wonderfully energetic mid-week experience on Wednesday evenings, when we gather to share a meal, engage in conversation, and reflect on our theme for the year: “Guided by the Spirit” (inspired by Galatians 5:25). The theme encompasses the lessons we can learn from great Christian minds both past and present. We started and ended the year with C.S. Lewis. While Crossover is always energetic, the evening caps off with Evening Prayer and music lead by our Chaplains Izzy Shobe, Hill Liles, and honorary Chaplain, Oliver McCoy. This past year we had an average of 22 youth at Crossover, with 36 youth on the highest attended Wednesday!
We are blessed by the leadership of our Youth Council. There is a lot that goes on behind the scenes during our monthly meetings and random check ins, which makes the magic of this ministry possible; my right hands, Presidents Nathaniel Dick and Evan McCoy, Chaplains Izzy Shobe and Hill Liles, Outreach Chair Ben Philyaw and committee (Eloise Lowrance, Jack Cook, Fin Moore), Event Chair Naomi Dick and committee (Olivia Melendez, Brennan Fisk, Max Robb), Communication Chairs Maisie Harms and Madalyn Meyers, and Eighth Grade Representative Will Spicer. Their leadership deserves recognition, for they are leaders both in and outside the church. I am very much looking forward to the exciting things ahead.
Senior Warden’s Report by
Mike Mignardi
About me
While I’ve held many leadership positions in my 30+ years in the corporate world, my role as Sr. Warden was by far the most meaningful and rewarding. For many years, I attended church as a “consumer,” just being a church member. I now realize that membership in a church is not like other organizations; church membership means ministry and service. I eventually moved into several “contributing” roles: greeter, usher, Eucharistic minister, and sound technician. After serving on the Chapel and Capital Discernment Committees, I then served on the Buildings, Grounds, and Technology Committee (BGT) and joined the Vestry in 2023.
The Vestry Retreat – Our 2025 Goals
The Vestry and Staff kicked off 2025 with a local retreat at SMU’s Bridwell Library. Our primary theme was “how to grow the church – an era, not a year.” We established eight goals for the year with four goals focused on growth, two on finance, one on a new gift policy, and one more about security. This past year the Vestry addressed and/or completed seven of the eight goals.
The Vestry showed exceptional leadership and actively engaged in our committees, ministries, church services, and a wide range of volunteer activities, making my role so enjoyable. The best part of being a Sr. Warden is getting to know the clergy and staff better – they are an amazing, talented, and dedicated group. Finally, I greatly appreciated the support and commitment from our Jr. Warden Elaine Sweet.
Additional Vestry Accomplishments
After an extensive nine-month capital campaign project for the Church and Sacristy, we had a joyous dedication ceremony in March, which included the consecration of Holy Cross Chapel. In early May, we similarly dedicated the Bell Tower garden, courtyard, and fountain. The Budget, Finance, and Administration Committee skillfully managed our annual budget, and also took on the heroic task of updating our Policies and Procedures manual. BGT’s focus throughout the year involved the construction punch list, plus several other important projects to enhance our campus’ beauty and function. The Mission, Ministries, and Connections Committee managed most of our growth initiatives, with a strong focus on welcoming newcomers, planned big events like Fig Fest and Sharing our Faith Dinners, and updated all ministry information in Realm.
Closing Remarks
I would strongly encourage each of you to get more involved with our church. Serve at Mass, volunteer with one of our many ministries, help out at an event, or join a committee. Becoming a contributor in our church will change you. It did for me.
Budget, Finance & Administration
by Brett Vanderbrook
The Vestry’s Budget, Finance & Administration Committee (BFA) supports the church’s mission by monitoring and advising on all financial and administrative matters relating to church business. BFA develops the annual budget for approval by the Vestry and reports monthly on the church’s financial position relative to the budget and activity in restricted, ministry, and investment accounts. BFA liaises with the Transfiguration Endowment trustees, facilitating communications and cooperation between the Endowment and the Vestry.
This year, Christy Jump served as the Endowment liaison. This year’s committee was chaired by Brett Vanderbrook and Lindsey Murphy, who extend many thanks to this year’s committee: Ann Peak, Cathy Anwyl, Lauren Bendiksen, Elaine Sweet, Mike Mignardi, Nancy Korman, Cathleen Dolt, Bill Evans, and Robin Caldwell.
BFA continuously reviewed the budget throughout the year, created procedures for the church, and completed the monumental task of reviewing and updating our parish’s Policies and Procedures document.
BFA also exercises oversight of the Nominating Committee for open Vestry positions and our Diocesan Convention delegation. The 2025 Nominating Committee was well-chaired by Lindsey Murphy, who led the committee and the voting. The following recommended slate for Vestry was approved: Babs DeLizza, Chris Dick, Sam Jackson, and Jan Waller. Also elected by the parish was our 2026 Diocesan Convention delegation: Benjamin Bledsoe, Jeff Button, Fred Ellis, Brooke Grona-Robb, David Reece, and Julia Trizzino. Many thanks to the Nominating Committee for their hard work: Mark Ramsey, Allison Murphy, Barbara Geiter, Nancy Jagmin, and Libby Nicodemus.
Building, Grounds, and Technology
by Olga Ruff
The Building, Grounds, and Technology Committee is responsible for stewarding the church’s physical assets and facilities. Working closely with church staff, the committee supervises the repair and maintenance of church property and its technology systems. Additionally, it manages and documents the fiduciary responsibilities related to the Capital Campaign Sustainability Fund.
The renovation of the church and the construction of the new sacristy were substantially complete as 2025 began. However, as is common for projects of this size, the final phase, which continued through December, was dedicated to resolving a lengthy “Punch List.” In the Nave, several elements were installed: custom pews, hand-altered needlepoint kneelers, bespoke lighting, and a dedicated chapel. A state-of-the-art audiovisual system was installed that includes our outdoor spaces. A hearing assistance system was added to help worshipers with hearing impairments. The entirety of this effort is intended to enrich and beautify our worship space and services.
Although newly constructed, the Sacristy required creative solutions for additional storage needs. A generous memorial gift funded the new furnishings, including window treatments, rugs, seating, tables, desks, and a historical photo gallery.
BGT completed other critical projects in 2026, too: modernizing the childcare wing, backlighting the transept stained glass, and retrofitting the new chandeliers for easier maintenance. We oversaw maintenance of the exterior of church buildings, including roof repairs, painting, and weatherproofing, as well as stained-glass window repair and preservation. Church security was enhanced with a new, innovative digital surveillance and door system. And we approved some new perimeter security, requested and funded by Parish Episcopal School: a retractable gate at Hillcrest Road and new exterior fencing along the north side of our parking lot.
The past year saw significant advancements in our technology infrastructure. We successfully launched a new website. We improved network efficiency by decommissioning two outdated servers and integrating their functions into a single new PDC server. Furthermore, VLAN Re-Subnetting was completed, increasing IP address availability. To enhance ministry operations, we implemented “Clickshare” in the Parlor and conducted technology and Realm training sessions for parishioners.
Our parishioners’ extraordinary generosity, along with the commitment of former BGT chairs and past capital campaign leaders, is the reason for these successes. A key objective of the Capital Campaign was to raise $3 million to address long-term capital needs (which are separate from the operating budget). We are pleased to report that this goal has been achieved. A total of $3.18 million has so-far been secured: $1.97 million has been transferred to the Endowment Infrastructure Fund (managed by the Endowment), with $1.2 million remaining in the Capital Campaign restricted account.
In closing, BGT and I wish to express our deepest gratitude to Bracken Reece, Director of Operations. His expertise, talent, and tireless dedication are absolutely essential to the successful management of all our projects and the smooth operation of our church. We are truly blessed to have him and his staff.
