ILLUMINE

enlightening and celebrating where God is at work in our midst SUMMER 2023

FROM THE RECTOR

The Rev. R. Casey Shobe, D.Min.

It was the mid-1990s, and Donald Jackson had a dream. He was one of the world’s greatest calligraphers and artists, serving as official scribe to Queen Elizabeth II, among other esteemed roles. But the projects on which he spent most of his time, as beautiful and challenging as they were, did not touch the deepest places of his soul. For a long time, since boyhood even, he had felt called to the greatest of all projects for a scribe and artist: illuminating the Bible.

Finally in 1996, Mr. Jackson shared his dream with the monks of St. John’s Abbey in Collegeville, Minnesota. He wondered, would they consider commissioning an illuminated Bible in honor of the millennium? He had spent decades envisioning this work, so he was upfront about the project’s scope and scale – it would take years and require the involvement of several other scribes and artists – but the result, he hoped, would be a masterpiece.

Being monks, the brothers of St. John’s Abbey took a few years to decide. After all, illuminated Bibles were mostly treasures of antiquity. Very few had been made since Gutenberg revolutionized printing and bookmaking in the 15th century. For nearly 500 years, Bibles, like all other books, had been made industrially, and by the year 2000, it was estimated that there was a printed copy of the Bible in existence for all 5+ billion people on earth. Added to that was the arrival of the internet and mobile technology, which meant the Bible was constantly available everywhere. So why, then, should they spend years and millions of dollars making yet another copy of the Bible by hand? Did the world need another edition of this ubiquitous book?

Ultimately, they decided to embrace Donald Jackson’s dream. As they prayed and reflected, they realized that all those reasons against the project were, in fact, all the reasons why they should do it. In our age of instant-

gratification, this Bible would be made painstakingly over years. In an era of industrial production and digitalization, this Bible would be made by hand using traditional techniques and tools. In a time of dumbed-down spiritual messaging, this Bible would invite critical thinking and deep reflection. It would be written on vellum with goose quills and antique inks, but the art would reflect themes from science and modern human knowledge. It would be a bridge between past, present, and future, inspiring spiritual imaginations for generations to come.

Saying yes was one thing, but fulfilling the dream was another. Ultimately, it took over a decade of painstaking work, involving 23 scribes and artists under the direction of Mr. Jackson. Each page required eight to ten hours of effort just in the calligraphy, before the illuminators could begin their artistry. The monks at St. John’s participated as well, submitting to the artistic team detailed “briefs” on the various passages that would receive illumination, to aid in the creation of beautiful images that were both theologically sound and rich.

Their labors were not in vain, for the final work, completed in 2011, was just what Donald Jackson hoped: a masterpiece. The St. John’s Bible has quickly joined the ranks of the greatest pieces of religious art in the world. In the beauty of its script and the depth of its illuminations, the St. John’s Bible makes the sacred words of Scripture a visual feast, inviting us to “read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest.” Thankfully, the monks of St. John’s chose to widen its availability beyond their abbey, for they recognized that the world is filled with hungry souls yearning for such holy nourishment. And thus, they chose to create 299 Heritage Editions: hand-finished, full-size, fine art editions of the original. Thanks be to God, Transfiguration is among the rarified ranks of churches that permanently own one.

We decided to place the seven volumes of our Heritage Edition in the Gathering Space, because we believe in the vision behind this particular Bible. It has the potential to ignite spiritual imaginations in ways that few things made by human hands can. Rather than being just another Bible on just another dusty shelf, this Bible remains open all the time, beckoning us to come close and fall into the holy Word of God again and again. Which is why we want it to be close to us all the time, as we come and go from the church, as we pray on the labyrinth, as we chat with friends after services. This extraordinary edition of the Word of God is constantly present, offering us its blessing and inspiration.

Given the origin story I told earlier, it should come as little surprise that the St. John’s Bible also invites us to slow down. It was created to offer a contrast to our frenzied, digitized, and instantly gratified age, and it certainly succeeds in that goal. For it is hard to hurry past The St. John’s Bible or glance at it only briefly. I can’t say how many times I’ve been hurrying through the Gathering Space, my mind a frenzy of thoughts and lists, and found myself pausing at one of the volumes for several minutes. My jumbled mind quiets, my blood pressure lowers, my breathing steadies, and my soul knows peace. It is a holy encounter, for I am meeting God.

I hope you, too, will meet God in these sacred volumes. I hope you, too, will know a bit of peace as you ponder its pages, and feel your spiritual imagination stirred by the script and illuminations. I hope you, too, will feel the whispers of the Word of the Lord, inviting your hungry soul to slow down long enough to be nourished by this extravagant feast.

“Dear

People of God:

…I invite

you

…in

the name of the Church, to the observance of a holy Lent, by self-examination and repentance; by prayer, fasting, and self-denial; and by reading and meditating on God’s holy Word.” – The Book of Common Prayer, pg. 265

A LENTEN JOURNEY WITH THE SAINT JOHN’S BIBLE

by Fr. Ted Clarkson

It seems so long ago that we heard those words from the brief exhortation after the sermon in the Ash Wednesday liturgy, when the priest reminded the congregation of the purpose of Lent and invited us to make the most of the upcoming season. At Transfiguration, we try to align our Lenten programming with this charge. In past years we have done this by focusing on self-examination and repentance; in other years on prayer, fasting, and self-denial. This year, we chose to focus on the last part of the exhortation by “reading and meditating on God’s holy Word.”

It seemed like a natural choice, given that it was our first Lent to read and meditate on God’s holy Word from our extraordinary Heritage Edition of The Saint John’s Bible . Since it arrived last summer, we have found several ways to weave our use of this treasure into the life of our parish— the most visible uses being its display in the Gathering Space and reading from the “Gospels and Acts” volume every Sunday morning. But as wonderful as these uses are, we can never fully appreciate these volumes if we only look at them behind glass or in the brief time when we read the Gospel in the service. So, we decided that this past Lent, we would make them available to congregation in order to read, mark, meditate, learn, and inwardly digest the beautiful illuminations together.

We devised a two-part curriculum to guide our reflections. On Sunday mornings, we were blessed with wonderful lectures of biblical theology, each with a particular focus: The Law, Sin, Death, and Resurrection. The lectures prepared us to reflect on those themes in the illuminations on the following Wednesday evenings. Each week built upon the last in a way that created a seasonally-appropriate progression.

(You can go watch any of the presentations by visiting www.transfiguration.net/video-formation I promise that they are well worth your time.)

We weren’t content to simply put the volumes out on display each Wednesday. Instead, we transformed three rooms around the church into intimate, reverent spaces fitting for conducting Visio Divina (praying with the images). We reflected on the ways the light played on the gold film that is stamped onto each page; we wondered aloud about the meaning of particular details such as a single brush stroke. Many times, we would concentrate on a single detail, and see very different things. For example, in the illumination of the death of Moses (Deuteronomy 34:1-12), we perceived a whole range of emotions in Moses’ face as God showed him the promised land into which he would not cross. And in the illumination of Romans 8:1-39 (“Fulfilment of Creation”), we looked at a stack of overlapping ovals on a blue-black field and wondered if they were the paths of electrons in an atom or giant ellipses of planets in a solar system.

Each illumination invited thoughtful contemplation and prayerful engagement, and each week we left our Visio Divina with our hearts filled. For by reflecting on the images, we were able to dive deeper into the stories and probe their depths of meaning in our search of God’s self-revelation.

We are grateful to everyone who participated in the program, whether on Sunday morning, Wednesday evening, or both. Special thanks to Rich Anderson, Ginny Ward, and Lana Mederos for stepping up to guide our reflections alongside the clergy. We are only in our first year using this remarkable gift and look forward to the many ways it will inspire our spiritual imaginations and deepen our spiritual journey both as individuals and a community.

MEXICO MONARCH BUTTERFLY PILGRIMAGE

by Lauren Bendiksen

Close your eyes. Through tall oyamel fir trees, you feel dappled light from sunny skies warming your skin. The air is still and quiet, and you hear a soft fluttering sound surrounding you. Opening your eyes, you immediately see countless beautiful orange and black butterflies in every direction, and you realize that the soft sound you hear is coming from their millions of dancing wings. And for every flapping butterfly, there are many more silently gliding past you through the woods to unknown destinations. To one of the plentiful flowers for nectar, perhaps? To rejoin a dense cluster of its fellows hanging from branches high among the firs? Or could this be the day these butterflies begin their northward migration after their long winter rest?

This encounter of wonder and awe is just what I and seventeen fellow Fig pilgrims experienced as we visited the monarch butterfly sanctuaries in Mexico this past February.

In preparation for our travel, Father Casey led us in reflecting on the butterfly as a metaphor for the spiritual life. Its life cycle echoes the journey from life to death to resurrection. Its constant fluttering reminds us of the restlessness of our souls, until they find rest in God. And although it seems fragile, the butterfly is capable of marvelous feats of endurance and strength, a dichotomy equally present in human lives, as well.

This last theme of fragility and strength stuck with us during our journey. On the surface, the monarch butterfly appears to be quite delicate. Yet its annual autumn “super-generation” is capable of flying across a continent, from southern Canada all the way to the mountains in central Mexico, where these butterflies overwinter each year. In the spring, this same generation (who we witnessed in Mexico) retraces that route, making it as far north as Texas, where they use the last of their life-reserves to lay eggs on milkweed plants. Their children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren experience shorter lives, each moving a bit farther north, until another “super-generation” is born in the fall who will once again make that extraordinary migration across the continent to a place they’ve never seen.

So, are butterflies really as fragile as they seem? And come to think of it, given all we endure and overcome in our lives, are we? Like these fluttering miracles, we are a similar mix of fragility and strength, delicacy and resilience.

The Mexican state of Michoacán de Ocampo was our home base while visiting the monarch sanctuaries. Michoacán has a reputation for violence, but we had friendly encounters everywhere we went. Our bus driver, Oscar, a native of the area, quickly became a fellow pilgrim. Our hotel was like a peaceful haven, where we experienced warm hospitality by lovely staff. It had a quaint courtyard where we gathered for Morning Prayer and fireside Compline, and a long, handsome table around which we all gathered for our meals. It helped us feel at home, down the opportunity to bake bread in a brick oven with the local master baker. Our trip was led by a woman named Molly Wren, a Texan who leads pilgrimages for the travel organization Wonder Voyage. Like our driver, Oscar, Molly became a part of our group, as in addition to handling our logistics she inspired us with her faith, humor, and wisdom.

We spent three days in three very different monarch sanctuaries, which are all a part of the Monarch Sanctuary

Biosphere Reserve, a Mexican national park system and UNESCO World Heritage Site. In reality, preservation of this special place is complicated by politics, tourism, US - Mexico relations, economics, poverty, and lack of education. Before our trip, we learned from Carol Clark, a Dallas-area monarch butterfly expert and naturalist, who filled us with knowledge about monarchs and also prepared us for the complex reality of this place.

On our first day, we visited the most popular of the parks, El Rosario, and its popularity is well-deserved: there were so many butterflies that we began seeing them by the thousands from our bus several miles before we even reached the parking lot. Subsequent days we visited two more parks, which required us to either hike or ride horses to the areas of highest butterfly concentration. Each day was an adventure, especially considering our hikes and rides took place at or above 10,000 feet and always included elevation gain!

After our third day in the butterfly sanctuaries, we drove to Mexico City, where we spent the final two days of the pilgrimage. Our hotel was conveniently located close to the Zócalo Plaza in the Centro Histórico, another UNESCO World Heritage Site. That first day

was a Sunday, and we had the privilege of attending a dual language Eucharist at Christ Church Episcopal, where we were also invited to share in their pre-Lenten pancake lunch. In the afternoon, we were led on an informative tour through Mexico City by a local guide and historian. We enjoyed seeing everything from Aztec ruins to modern neighborhoods and marveled at the construction challenges that building on a tectonically active, subsiding dry lakebed presented. (Maybe not a surprise, the Aztecs had much more stable construction techniques than the Spanish colonists!).

The last day of our pilgrimage featured a visit to the world’s third most-visited Christian shrine in the world: the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe. The shrine contains the tilma (cloak) of Juan Diego, an indigenous peasant whom the Virgin Mary visited three times in December of 1531, just a decade after the Spanish conquest of the region. Mary spoke to Juan Diego in his native Nahuatl language, requesting him to share with the Archbishop her wish that a church be built there in her honor. Juan presented Mary’s request to the skeptical Archbishop, who asked for a sign to prove Mary truly spoke to him. Juan returned to the site of her appearances, Tepeyac Hill, and shared the Archbishop’s

request with the Virgin. She told Juan to pick the flowers that he would find in bloom (keep in mind that it was winter), fold them in his tilma, and carry them to the Archbishop. When he unfolded the tilma to present the flowers, the Virgin’s image was miraculously imprinted on the fabric (some see in her appearance a resemblance to the indigenous people). The Archbishop changed his tune, and he ordered a chapel to be erected to house the miraculous tilma. Centuries later, it is now housed in an enormous, modern Basilica, and we spent several hours viewing the tilma, praying, walking the grounds, and visiting the many buildings in the complex. Our spiritual cups full, it was finally time to return home.

It has been said that one of the distinctions between pilgrimage and vacation is the presence of challenge. Pilgrimage shouldn’t be easy or comfortable, but require some level of sacrifice. On this pilgrimage, we certainly experienced challenges as we sought glimpses of those marvelous butterflies high in their mountain home. We also experienced challenges internally, like growing pains in our souls. I am certain our shared experiences strengthened us individually and as a Fig community. I highly recommend participating in a Fig pilgrimage at some point in your life!

CONVERSATION ABOUT THE 2023 CIVIL RIGHTS PILGRIMAGE

by Allison and Hill Liles

The Rev. Allison Sandlin Liles is Priest-in-Charge of St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church in Hurst, Texas, and the Editor of Grow Christians, an online community that helps parents foster faith at home through action and conversation.

Allison and her teenage son, Hill, participated in Transfiguration’s intergenerational Civil Rights Pilgrimage this spring, which visited places in the Deep South associated with the movement for justice of the 1950s and 60s. Here they reflect together on the experience of seeing the sacred sites and witnessing history come-to-life.

Allison: I know that I was really looking forward to sharing this experience with you. For the past seven years, I’ve worked hard to unlearn the history that I was taught as a child in Alabama. This was an opportunity to learn what actually happened. What were you looking forward to in this pilgrimage?

Hill: I wanted to understand more of my history and our nation’s history. I gained that knowledge and an emotional perspective from all the people we met on the trip.

Allison: We did meet a lot of incredible people. Who in particular impressed you?

Hill: Hezekiah Watkins: the very first person we met at the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum. He took time to tell us his story, and he wasn’t even an arranged speaker.

Allison: What was it about Hezekiah that made such an impact on you?

Hill: He shared how he was immediately arrested after a friend shoved him into the white area of the bus station. At that moment he began his activism, which included being arrested 108 times as a kid! It just doesn’t make sense.

Allison: None of this makes any sense. After his arrest, he was taken…

Hill: to Death Row!

Allison: He was 13 years old, just a little younger than you are now. As he was telling us about it, could you even imagine what it was like in that cell surrounded by men sentenced to die?

Hill: There’d be this sense of death all around you that could just make you lose your hope in humanity. And yet, Hezekiah didn’t lose hope. He kept on working for change.

Allison: After hearing from Mr. Watkins, we learned about Emmett Till.

Hill: Supposedly, when he was my age, Emmett Till whistled at a white woman in a store and was lynched a few days later. He was so brutally disfigured that he was almost unrecognizable as a human being. The justice officials nearby wanted to have him buried as soon as possible.

Allison: Out of sight, out of mind.

Hill: But Emmett’s mother wouldn’t let that happen. She insisted on an open casket funeral, so that the world could “see what they did to my boy.”

Allison: Today when Black people are lynched – whether it’s by a police officer’s knee on their neck, a choke hold, or a no-knock warrant, or it’s a citizen who shoots a Black person sitting in their car or going for a jog—there are cell phones with cameras everywhere, so these incidents are getting recorded. But in the 1950s cameras were not everywhere, so the open casket and the photographs on the cover of Jet magazine functioned as Emmett Till’s mother’s social media. It made sure everybody saw what had been done to her boy.

Hill: It’s not a surprise that so many parents didn’t want their kids participating in the Civil Rights Movement. Keeping them home could prevent their child’s death.

Allison: Have you learned about the Civil Rights Movement in school?

Hill: We learned the very basic things like Rosa Parks’ arrest and the bus boycott. And that Black people had more voting rights during Reconstruction than they did in the 1960s.

Allison: You hit the highlights.

Hill: Did you learn about it in school, Mom?

Allison: I really didn’t. Even though I grew up in Alabama we never took field trips to the sites we visited on the pilgrimage. I learned a very different version of slavery, the Civil War, Reconstruction, and the Civil Rights Movement. A white-washed version that claimed enslaved people were treated like family rather than property.

Hill: I call that a “bologna sandwich.”

Allison: Definitely a “bologna sandwich.” My parents, your grandparents, never talked about their segregated schools, or the Children’s March in Birmingham when police sprayed the children with water hoses and hit them with batons; or the bombing of the 16th Street Baptist Church that killed four young girls. Out of sight, out of mind. You said you wanted to learn more about our country on this pilgrimage. Did you?

Hill: Definitely. In contrast to countries where there’s more government regulations, historically citizens in the United States have essentially been able to do whatever they want, that is, as long as they’re the ones “in power.” It was no different in the Civil Rights Movement. But there’s been a social shift of what’s acceptable in our country today. Now we make fun of racists, like, “There’s no room in society for you anymore.” But in the past, racism was not only widespread but was acceptable.

Allison: I think that’s a really important point, Hill. Racism is still widespread but it’s no longer acceptable. So, people are reluctant to admit their biases, both explicit and implicit. People aren’t doing the hard work of unlearning and relearning like we did on this pilgrimage. What connections did you make between our Christian faith and the Civil Rights Movement?

Hill: The main thing driving the Movement was faith. The SCLC, a group of Christian leaders, was a driving factor. Martin Luther King, Jr. was a pastor first who became a civil rights activist. His faith is what got him into the Movement. And he was a preacher, so he could speak to large crowds of people effectively. Without faith, the Movement wouldn’t have been nearly as successful as it was. But as a contrast, dating back to slavery, white people used the same Christian faith as justification for doing what they were doing to Black people.

Allison: I will never forget when you came home from kindergarten after hearing Rosa Parks’ story for the first time. You had so many questions, so we checked out a whole stack of books from the library to learn more about her life and the Montgomery Bus Boycott. As we read about the white people taunting the Black community, you said to me “These people must not believe in Jesus if they are treating other people this way.” I had to explain to you that the people who were acting in such horrific ways were white Christians who believed God had created them superior to Black people and all other races.

Hill: We still have a lot of work to do.

Allison: Amen, Hill. Amen.

TRANSFIGURING OUR FOUNDATIONS: CAPITAL CAMPAIGN UPDATE

by Robbi Rice Dietrich

While it may be hard to believe, we are nearing the halfway point of our 5-year Capital Campaign timeline. Much has been accomplished in the past few years, thanks to the incredible outpouring of support from generous members of our parish. As a church, we have united to raise over $7 million in commitments to repair and upgrade our facilities, in order to be good stewards of this campus for future generations. What a testament to our faith!

Already we have replaced most of our air conditioning equipment, upgraded our interior and exterior lighting, replaced door locks and security equipment, updated the security cameras, replaced or repaired all of our roofs –including the installation of solar tiles on the church’s roof – and most recently we completely renovated our church kitchen. This last project has been a dream of many for years, and it made its debut at the Fish Fry and Silent Auction. We are certainly getting things done, thanks to the generosity of hundreds and the hard work of our Building, Grounds, and Technology Committee, in coordination with Director of Operations Bracken Reece.

The next round of projects and their timelines are in development, which include significant improvements in the church building and a total renovation of the sacristy. This is the most complicated and costly phase of our projects, which requires a high degree of financial accuracy. The Vestry is focused on strong project management - including accurate cost and cash flow analysis, careful review of detailed architectural and engineering plans, material selections, and contractor oversight – to determine when we can start and finish each project. We are honoring the teaching of Jesus: “For which one of you when he wants to build a tower, does not first sit down and calculate the cost to see if he has enough to complete it (Luke 14:28)?”

The Bible includes many stories of major construction projects. In fact, there are forty instances of the word “construction” and sixty uses of “building” in Scripture. Moses collects contributions from the people of Israel in order to construct the Tabernacle in the wilderness (Exodus 36:3). Solomon brings in

officials to supervise the construction of the Temple (1Kings 5:16). Kings Josiah and Joash each oversee a lengthy process of repairing the Temple (2 Kings 22:18; 2 Chronicles 24:12). And after the exile to Babylon, the rebuilding of the Temple in Jerusalem is the subject of a lengthy story in the Book of Ezra.

These Biblical stories give me perspective for the work we’re doing at Transfiguration. They inspire our care and dedication and keep me eager to see our efforts to completion. And they also remind me to pray for God’s wisdom and guidance, that our leaders will know how to deal with delays, escalating costs, building inspections, and other challenges, just as God’s faithful people did in the ancient world.

There are two ways you can help us reach our goals. First, if you’ve made a pledge to the Transfiguring Our Foundations campaign, your timely payment is more important than ever. As I said earlier, we are in a tight fiscal window right now, when our work depends on precise cash forecasting. In the next year, we intend to perform significant maintenance to the church building and entirely renovate the sacristy. These are the two largest, costliest, and most complicated of our campaign projects and we dont want to fall short at the finish line. I know we can count on everyone who made a pledge to do all they can to fulfil it.

Second, if you haven’t yet made a pledge toward this work, this is the perfect time! You can join this enormously important effort at a pivotal moment, and help us successfully perform the largest projects of the campaign. You could be a big tailwind at just the right moment to push us closer to our goal. Every gift of every size matters, and we want everyone who calls this special church their home to share in this important campaign.

For questions, pledge updates, or assistance with donations, contact our Parish Administrator, Cathleen Dolt, at ( cdolt@transfiguration.net , 972-233-1898).

We remain sincerely grateful for your support!

BOOK REVIEWS

by Ed DeStefano

Beginning with this issue, Illumine will include a review of recommended books by author, editor, Franciscan, and spouse of Pastor Nancy, Ed DeStefano. The selected books reviewed in each issue focus on a particular theme related to the life of faith. We are in the Season After Pentecost, also known as Ordinary Time, or “the long green season,” and in this issue we look at books related to our growth as disciples. This season also includes many saintly observances, when we are called to remember the witness of women and men who offer models to us for the life of discipleship.

Gospel Medicine by Barbara Brown Taylor

In this collection of sermons, Episcopal priest and author Barbara Brown Taylor shows her remarkable “gift of conveying a living sense of the transcendent, the holy, and the grace - full in and through the stuff of our lives (The Sewanee Theological Review).”

The book’s title captures the author’s engaging message: Jesus’ ministry reveals the presence of the healing work of God in our lives. Taylor writes in her forward: “Several years ago I was busy with Luke the physician, imagining what it must have been like for him to leave his medical practice for the preaching life. The way I figure it, he did not stop carrying his black bag. He simply repacked it, taking out the scissors, scalpel, and tincture of iodine to make room for the medicine of the gospel—those healing stories of God that did more to put people back together than all the portions in the world.” (pages ix-x)

In one especially memorable sermon, “Blessed Brokenness,” Taylor invites us to use our spiritual imagination and take part in the conversation of the dismayed disciples with the Risen Jesus on the road to Emmaus. The words of this “stranger” slowly begin to heal their brokenness caused by their disappointment and dismay. We, too, are invited into that healing journey, a journey Taylor beautifully inspires with her writing.

Crazy Christians: A Call to Follow Jesus

by Presiding Bishop Michael B. Curry

Michael Curry is the 27th Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church, and the first African American to serve in that role. He is a popular speaker and preacher, and this book captures why he is so beloved and influential. “Being a Christian is not necessarily about joining a church or being a nice person,” he writes, “but about following in the footsteps of Jesus, taking his teachings seriously, letting his Spirit take the lead in our lives, and in so doing helping to change the world from our nightmare into God’s dream.” With humor and humility, Bishop Curry invites us to join “The Jesus Movement,” climb the mountain with the Lord, embrace the prophetic dream of God, and go out into a world that desperately needs more love.

Behold the Beauty of the Lord:

Praying with Icons by Henry J. M. Nouwen

Henri Nouwen (1932-1996) was a Dutch-born Catholic priest who taught psychology at the University of Notre Dame and pastoral theology at the Divinity Schools of Yale and Harvard. He is among the most popular and influential Christian writers of the 20th century. In this work, Nouwen invites us to join him in praying with four icons: The Holy Trinity by Andrew Rublev; The Virgin of the Vladimir , one of the most venerated of all Russian icons; The Savior of Zvenigorod painted by Andrew Rublev; and The Descent of the Holy Spirit , painted by a Greek iconographer in the late fifteenth century. Nouwen writes from the experience of his own spiritual journey, and speaks directly to the wounds we each have experienced in our own lives, reminding us that we are each a fully loved child of God, scars and all. As famous 20th century iconographer Robert Lentz says, “If you want to accompany a master of the spiritual life as he prays with Byzantine icons, this book is for you.”

Blood Brother: Jonathan Daniels and His Sacrifice for Civil Rights

The

by Rich Wallace and Sandra Neil Wallace Calkins Creek,

Jonathan Daniels was an Episcopal seminarian in 1965, who watched the horrific scene on television of the attack by state troopers on the marchers in Selma, Alabama. Later that night, while praying the Magnificat, Daniels heard God’s call to join the movement. Then and there, he decided to put his studies on hold to go to Selma. “Sometimes the call,” he would later write, “comes at the least convenient moment you can imagine. But whenever it comes, you must go.” In this compelling biography, appropriate for younger readers, the authors tell his inspiring story, culminating in his death after he stepped in front of a shotgun blast intended for the Black civil rights worker next to him. Daniels radically identified with victims of injustice and oppression, and he used the full measure of his life to stand in solidarity with them. The book is dedicated to “those who marched in 1965 and those who march today,” and Daniels’ witness is powerful inspiration for our continued efforts for racial justice in our society.

A renowned Biblical scholar and award-winning children’s literature author collaborate on this wonderful reimagining of Jesus’ parable of the mustard seed. In their description of the book the authors write, “We seek to add a new understanding based on what we imagine Jesus’ original audiences might have heard. Parables open our imagination if we let them.” This is a beautiful story, handsomely illustrated, with a variety of messages that children can imaginatively interpret.

Marvelous Mustard Seed

MEET LIZ HAYDEN

by Liz and Russell Hayden

My husband Russell and I paid our first visit to Transfiguration late last summer. We had been searching for a church community in our area with values that aligned more closely with ours, when we came across Transfiguration’s website while doing some research online. After reading the Rector’s Welcome, we knew we had found someplace special— Father Casey’s words captured so beautifully and succinctly what it was that we were looking for.

Russell and I, being new to the Episcopal Church, were both a bit nervous about attending our first service, but our apprehensions faded the moment we walked in the door and were warmly welcomed. We began attending the weekly Saturday service, The Table, which was (and is) the perfect introduction to the faith for newcomers. We’ve been regulars ever since!

Shortly after Russell and I began participating in services, we signed up for the adult formation class “The Way,” which was led by Father Ted. We looked forward to gathering each week to learn, ask questions, and discuss matters of faith with our group, which was comprised of fellow newbies as well as several long-time members. Father Ted’s openness, kindness, intelligence, and humor were

greatly appreciated by all of us. We learned so much, and I now understand why there were several there who had taken the class previously – I am planning to sign up again in the fall!

In addition to the many wonderful opportunities for spiritual growth and learning, Transfiguration offers many ways to be of service to others. I am very pleased to serve as a member of the Flower Guild and work alongside the incredibly gifted women and men in our group.

There are many reasons why Russell and I now call Transfiguration our “home,” such as the mix of inclusiveness and progressive values with a traditional liturgy, the beautiful music and art, a shared love of lifelong learning, and the fantastic clergy, staff, and volunteers. The main reason, however, is the exemplification of God’s love for all of creation that we experience at the Fig.

Illumine is a quarterly publication of Church of the Transfiguration. The word itself has two meanings: to light up or brighten and to enlighten (someone) spiritually or intellectually. The goal behind this magazine is to tell the stories of this congregation, highlight new ministries, and celebrate where God is at work in our midst.

CHURCH STAFF

CLERGY

The Rev. R. Casey Shobe, D.Min. Rector

The Rev. Rebecca Tankersley Senior Associate Rector

The Rev. Nancy DeStefano Pastoral Assistant

The Rev. Ted Clarkson Curate

The Rev. Terence C. Roper Rector Emeritus

PROGRAMS

Allison Blalock Director of Children’s Ministries

Delynda Moravec Director of Youth Ministries

Gabby Guion Minister for Congregational Life

TJ McCoy Director of Communications

Al Blackwell

Digital Communications Specialist

WORSHIP SERVICES

Wednesday | 6:00 p.m.

Thursday | 12:00 p.m.

Saturday | 5:30 p.m.

Sunday | 9:00 a.m. and 11:15 a.m.

Special thanks to Ed DeStefano for editing this edition of Illumine

MUSIC

Joel Martinson

Director of Music and Organist

Stefan Engels

Artist-in-Residence

Chris Ahrens

Director of Youth Choir

Kimberley Ahrens

Director of Children’s Choirs

David Stanley

Table Music Director

ADMINISTRATION

Cathleen Dolt

Parish Administrator

Shalu Abraham

Executive Assistant to the Rector

Darla Rupert Bookkeeper

Fred Ellis

Administrative Assistant

OPERATIONS

Bracken Reece

Director of Operations

Alex Alvarado

Sexton

Erik Welch

Sexton

VESTRY

Peggy Kwoka, Senior Warden

Mat Thekkil, Junior Warden

Chip Brownlee

Kristin Cutts

Robbi Dietrich

Lacey Garcia

Mike Mignardi

Lindsey Murphy

Jeremy Teeple

Alyson Thompson

Brett Vanderbrook

Peter Young

Jay Madrid, Chancellor

Evan Williams, Assistant Chancellor

Bill Evans, Treasurer

Libby Nicodemus, Clerk

PHOTO INDEX

1. Cover : Scott Daniels, Bill Evans, Xin-Min Zhang, Brian Ferrell, and Jim Jenkins serving at the EMF Fish Fry & Silent Auction | Photo by TJ McCoy

2. Class of 2023 Graduating Seniors

Photo by TJ McCoy

3. Presentation by Tim Ternes, Director of The Saint John’s Bible program | Photo by TJ McCoy

4. Donors at the Dedication of The Saint John’s Bible

Photo by John Makowski

5. Docents Ginny Ward and Rich Anderson guiding Visio Divina Lenten formation | Photo byTJ McCoy

6. Lenten formation kickoff with Tim Terne

Photo by TJ McCoy

7. Altar Guild serving the Lenten Fellowship meal

Photo by TJ McCoy

8. Father Casey guiding Visio Divina Lenten formation

Photo byTJ McCoy

9. Butterflies in Michoacán Mexico | Photo by Casey Shobe

10. Horseback pilgrims in Mariposa Monarca Sanctuary

11. Butterfly pilgrims in Michoacán Mexico

12. Butterfly pilgrims in Michoacán Mexico

13. Allison and Hill Liles, and Isabelle and Casey Shobe recreating a photo featuring MLK Jr. and other civil rights leaders across from the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church Parsonage in Montgomery Alabama.

14. Civil Rights pilgrims at the MLK Jr. House in Montgomery Alabama

15. Altar Guild Room in Sacristy | Photo by TJ McCoy

16. Liz Hayden in the Narthex | Photo by Carolyn Lewis

17. Mikey Whitman at Dallas Pride Parade

Photo by Casey Shobe

18. Newly Baptized: Quinten Bolden, Kellan Reid, and Daniel Keyser | Photo by Robert Hacker

19. Alyson Thompson and Terrie Preskitt-Brown at Maundy Thursday service | Photo by TJ McCoy

20. VBS Hero, Cordelia Nichols | Photo by Robert Hacker

21. Passion Experience for Children

Photo by Robert Hacker

22. Dechlan Barrow at dedication of The Saint John’s Bible

Photo by John Makowski

23. David Stanley and Libba Zak | Photo by John Makowski

Back Cove r: VBS Hero, Mary Teeple| Photo by TJ McCoy