ILLUMINE – Winter 2023

ILLUMINE enlightening and celebrating where God is at work in our midst W I NTE R 2023

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F RO M T HE RE C TO R

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S HA RI N G WHAT I HAVE BE E N GI VE N

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ARTIST IN RESIDENCE STEFAN ENGELS

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PHOTO A RC HI VI N G S PA RKS N O STA LGI A

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T HE L E GAC Y S O C I E T Y

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A DVE N T AT T HE F I G

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WHE RE O U R HE A RT I S

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I N T E RVI E W WI T H N E W HE A D O F, PA RI S H E PI S C O PA L S C HO O L

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PA RI S H E PI S C O PA L S C HO O L PL AYGRO U N D

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BO O K RE VI E W

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FINDING OUR CHURCH HOME

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GENESIS AND EXODUS

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PHOTO I N DE X

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F R O M T HE R E C TO R The Rev. R. Casey Shobe, D.Min. “

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hy are you trying to ruin angels?”This was the question posed to me at the entrance to the Advent Festival. It was a reasonable question, I suppose, as a giant eye ball surrounded by an array of feathers, each featuring a smaller eye, was probably not what anyone was expecting to encounter at the doors to a room themed on angels. “I mean, are you trying to scare the children?”

Let me say, for the record, that no, I’m not trying to ruin angels. After passing through those intimidating doors to Roper Hall (which, by the way, were inspired by the vision of angels in Ezekiel 10:12), participants of the Advent Festival were greeted by angels with fabulously beautiful wings, as a harpist f illed a misty room smelling of incense with ethereal music. Advent Festival is nothing if not dramatic.

Our hope this Advent (and pre-Advent) is not to frighten children, but rather to expand our understanding of these mystical creatures beyond the porcelain dolls featured in so much popular culture, who have more in common with fairy princesses than anything featured in Scripture. Not that angels are always scary or bizarre – they aren’t. As we are discussing in our Sunday morning formation series, sometimes angels are fearsome, and other times they are gentle.

Sometimes they are intimidating, and other times they are indistinguishable from an ordinary person.

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But they are not pets or playthings. They are servants of God, who seem to interact with people in pivotal moments of our lives and of salvation history. And even if they can have a sense of humor (see Numbers 22 for an excellent example), they are about serious and consequential things. Angels have an edginess, you could say, which is why they’re a perfect symbol for Advent.

In much the same way popular culture has dipped angels in sugar and put them behind glass, the season of Advent can easily become little more than the glittery shopping season leading to Christmas. But Advent, as we know it, is edgy. It is a time to ref lect on our deepest longing for the world to be made right – “for justice to roll down like waters and righteousness like

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an everf lowing stream (Amos 5:24).” It is an invitation to acknowledge how desperately the world needs redemption, and how far we are from what we are intended to be. In Advent, we thank God that Christ has already come into the world, but we also admit our yearning for the fulness of salvation of break upon us.

This is why the Scripture readings this time of year have an edginess. In particular, the lessons from the prophets are far from sentimental or sweet. Back in November, in addition to those timeless words about justice rolling, we heard Amos also declare on behalf of God: “I hate, I despise your festivals, and I take no delight in your solemn assemblies.” God, it would seem, isn’t impressed by showiness that tries to distract attention from cruelty and oppression. And in recent weeks we also heard a sobering vision from the prophet Zephaniah, who warns that the “Day of the Lord” will be one of judgment, darkness, and distress. God, the prophet says, is not happy with an unjust world.

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These words sound absurd and out-of-place to those who want everything to be “merry and bright” this time of year. They seem like Halloween decorations still left in the yard in December, when it should be nothing but smiling Santas. But to those of us who are paying attention, who are honestly reckoning with a weak and weary world, an edgy Advent feels right. For what we long for most is not a pretty Christmas, but the salvation of Christ.

And not for us only, though we surely yearn for God to heal our own messy and broken lives. We long for salvation in the Palestinian Territories and in Ukraine; in migrant caravans f illed with desperate people seeking opportunity; in melting icecaps and burning forests; in long-neglected communities trapped in poverty; in the great halls of our state and national governance, mired in dysfunction; and in every quiet room where someone sits in despair.

This longing for God to tear open the heavens and come down is the very heart of Advent. It is why we embrace being out-of-step with the shrill cheer of popular culture, and why we celebrate angels with many eyes, who are harbingers of redemption. For our hope is not in how happy we seem, or how perfect we appear, but in the One who surprised the world long ago by arriving as a poor child, and who promises to return, with hosts of angels, to draw all things to their perfect end.

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Above: Laura Huff made twenty colorful prayer pillows for Children’s Chapel while working toward her Girl Scouts Gold Award.

Right: Her stained-glass inspired triptych can be viewed in Godly Play Classroom 1.

S H ARING W H AT I H AV E BE E N G I V E N

by Laura Huff

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have been a part of Transf iguration for as long as I can remember. So, when it came time to start my Gold Award project, the culmination of my experience as a Girl Scout, I knew I wanted to complete something that would have an impact on The Fig. My f irst thought was to create something for Children’s Chapel, which was such an important part of my life when I was younger.

As I’ve gotten older, I’ve come to realize how important my time in Children’s Chapel was in preparing me for an adult faith: reading the Bible, understanding sermons, and completing my Conf irmation.

Earlier this year, I met with our Director of Children’s Ministries, Allison Blalock, who excitedly explained to me several improvements that are needed in the Children’s Wing, including more artwork and comfortable seating for Children’s Chapel. I then researched how much I could contribute, using my budget of troop-funded money. Thankfully, the project quickly came together in a great way.

First, I was able to donate some cross-stitch artwork made by my late grandmother, Mary Arrington, featuring the Precious Moments Beatitudes. This allowed me to include my grandmother in my project, which was special. I had the pictures framed as part of my project.

Second, I was able to produce some new f loor cushions for the children to use in chapel. This makes the space more comfortable, and also helps the children pay better attention by providing their own personal space. I received a generous donation from Louis Guion, who provided me with fabric from his mother’s estate to make the f loor cushions.

The process of making these 20 f loor cushions, or “prayer pillows,” took considerable time, but it was well worth it in the end when I got to see the children enjoying them. I have been attending Children’s Chapel the past few months while leading the children to select and store their f loor cushions each week and have shared coloring sheets and information with them about each of The Beatitudes.

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The f inal element of my project is a set of three brand new paintings, intended to brighten up the chapel space. After examining the room with me, Gabby Guion, Minister for Congregational Life, suggested using stained glass as inspiration for the paintings. This would help the Children’s Chapel mimic the rest of the church and seem more familiar to the children. There is a long wall in the room that seemed perfect for three paintings, and the f irst thing that came to my mind was the Holy Trinity. With the help of my team of friends and family members, especially those who excel in art, we came up with three designs, one for each Person of God: the creation of the world, the sacrament of communion, and the gifts of the Holy Spirit.

I would like to thank Allison Blalock for her patience and guidance throughout the project. I also want to thank Gabby and Louis Guion for their support the donation of fabric from his mother’s estate for the cushions. I hope this project will help the children of our church today and in the future, as they grow their faith in a fun and comfortable environment.

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ARTIST IN RES IDENCE ST EFAN ENGELS

by David Flick

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tefan Engels has a passion for the pipe organ.

“There really isn’t any other instrument in the world that is so complex — in its different styles and its histories,” he says. It not only makes a beautiful sound. The instrument is itself physically beautiful.

One wall of his off ice is decorated with framed photos of the great organs of the world. He makes a sweeping gesture toward them, and his voice gets increasingly excited. “People ask me, ‘What’s your favorite organ?’” His spontaneous reply: “Look at the wall, there are so many beautiful ones in the world.

You can see how different each one is architecturally, size and style. Just looking at these is so exciting.”

For the past f ive years, Stefan has served as Artist-inResidence at Transf iguration. His title covers a broad range of duties. He accompanies the Transf iguration Choir and plays voluntaries during Mass. He sometimes performs solo recitals and participates in Transf igured Nights programs. But not every duty is strictly musical. Stefan helps Director of Music and Organist Joel Martinson with organ maintenance and aids him in organizing the itinerary of visitors. “The one responsibility I do not have is the administrative work,” he said. “I’m happy to leave that to Joel, while I get to participate in music.”

There is much else to keep him busy. In addition to his duties at Transf iguration, Stefan runs the Organ Department at Southern Methodist University. He drives up and down Hillcrest Road several times each week and practices his music two to four hours each day. Stefan is also involved in a multi-year project to record the entire works of Johann Sebastian Bach — whose legacy includes hundreds of compositions. He knows all of Bach’s work but spends a month before each recording session polishing his technique.

Stefan’s musical education began with piano lessons at age 6. His teacher, as it happened, was also the organist at St. Clemens Church in his hometown of Kaldenkirchen, in the German state of North RhineWestphalia, near the border with Holland. “When I was 13, [his organist] said, ‘Stefan, it is time for me to show you how to play the organ,’” Stefan recalls.

He participated in the celebration of Mass regularly, where he sat in the choir loft. After Stefan had become prof icient in a score of hymns, the organ master would, usually without warning, instruct him to play one. “He wanted to show me that I could play on the spot, with almost no preparation,” Stefan remembers.

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After leaving home, Stefan served as chairman of the Organ Department at Westminster College in Princeton, New Jersey, and then as Professor of Organ at the University of Music and Performing Arts in Leipzig, Germany. He came to Southern Methodist University in 2015, where he chairs the Organ Department at the Meadows School of the Arts. In that capacity, f ive years ago, he received a call from Joel Martinson.

Transfiguration’s assistant organist had taken another job, Joel explained to him. It was mid-summer, with the fall program set to begin in a matter of weeks. Preparations for the autumn season were already underway. Joel asked if any of Stefan’s students were available for the job. “I told him, ‘Sorry, all of my students have already accepted positions. But I have a sabbatical coming up. Maybe I can help you for one semester,’” Stefan recalls. “Out of that one semester, we now have 10 semesters,” he laughs.

“That’s how it goes sometimes.”

Stefan’s time at Transf iguration has only increased his admiration for the music ministry of our church and its director. “I very much like working for Joel,” he

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says. “He has such an enormous range of talents — a great organist, great composer, great organizer. He’s wonderful with the choir, and he’s just such a nice person.” Joel mirrors admiration back to Stefan, whose work, he says, has “enabled the Transf iguration Choir to sing the great accompanied choral literature of the Church to a degree never possible before.”

Joel particularly admires Stefan’s musical versatility.

“Stefan can play anything. His musicality, technique and collaborative skills make him a perfect f it for Transf iguration’s music ministry,” he says. “He brings a joy to his work and has made my life profoundly richer by his music-making and his friendship.”

Stefan’s recording work has included compositions by Dupre, Germani, Messiaen and Reger.

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He is the f irst and only organist to record the entire works of the late Romantic German composer Sigfrid Karg-Elert, a 15 CD project that brought critical praise. He is currently two years into an even bigger project — the aforementioned recording of J.S. Bach’s complete works. The project is unique because the recordings follow the liturgical calendar. The f irst four albums encompass Bach’s works devoted to Advent, Christmas, Epiphany, and Candlemas.

He has recorded each album on a different organ. The f irst was recorded at Transf iguration, on the Jerry D. Godwin Organ, Richard, Fowkes & Co.’s Opus 17.

The most recent album was recorded in September in the Dutch city of Alkmaar at Sint-Laurencekirk, featuring Bach’s compositions for Lent and Holy Week, as well as a number of other penitential works.

The match of mood to the liturgy is vital. Stefan believes that music serves as more than just background to a religious service. “The organ supports and adds something to the spoken word. It can uplift it further. It can underline. It can add to something. It can be relaxing or even entertaining. It services the liturgy as a whole. Beautiful music and beautiful liturgy are my heritage.”

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P H OTO ARC H IV ING S PAR KS N O STA LG I A

by Susan Fisk

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n a Wednesday morning in July, a group of more than thirty “longtime” parishioners gathered in Roper Hall to look at a large collection of scrapbooks from Transfiguration’s past. The goal of the event, nicknamed “Spill the T,” was to identify the people and events in the photos, to ensure our archives are accurate and thorough as they are digitized and moved online. The spontaneous camaraderie in the group was immediately evident, for our connection was simple: a love and care for Transfiguration.

As we perused the albums, we remembered events, groups, and people, many of whom are no longer with us.

Louise Cottingham Harms and her father Larry Cottingham were there, as was Brooke Grona Robb.

Bill Edwards commented on Brooke and Louise, “You could tell they enjoyed going through the photos.

This is the church family they have known all their lives. They are still involved – what a testament to our church!” In the late 1980s, Brooke and Louise were involved in the EYC (youth ministry), and as adults, both have served on the Vestry. Following in the footsteps of her late father, Bill Grona, Brooke is now Acolyte Warden, and Louise is an assistant. They watch their children be acolytes.

Bill also noted the importance of the softball teams in the 1980s. “I realized what a big deal it was – the whole Diocesan League and the Fig f ielding multiple teams.” Many friendships were formed playing softball in the hot summer months.

Brooke remembered Father Terry Roper saying that we feel the presence of the Holy Spirit when we remember all the people who have prayed at Transf iguration over the years. “Looking at the pictures reminded me of who the church is to all of us – past, present, and future communities all intertwined in one communion.”

Bridget deBruyn was impressed that the church cares about our history. The albums revealed a “circle of life with the families who have generations attending. We had less space to do things, but they were wonderful and joyful times. The photos revealed so many faithful parishioners, so invested in the church.” Bridget’s family arrived in the 1970s from South Africa, and she was the f irst woman to serve Transf iguration as Senior Warden.

“Looking through all those photos was a step back in time, almost an otherworldly experience,” said Nancy (Fordyce) Torell. “In 1976, we had moved to Dallas and Father Roper had become the new rector. He said he wanted the Fig to be our home amidst the booming growth of Dallas and this would be a small community where we could feel grounded. We took that to heart and the church pretty much became our social life. The St. Monica’s Guild was formed for young mothers, and we all enjoyed planning and attending social events with our husbands and children. While my boys were young, the Fig saved my life for this Yankee girl who felt totally displaced in this big, burgeoning city. Seeing all the photos of all the great people who became our best friends was a heartwarming and nostalgic treat.

Thank you to those who organized the event and to those who many years ago put those albums together!”

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Pat Shaughnessy enjoyed remembering the people “who came before, and people we had maybe forgotten about.” Her great grandson was baptized this past Day of Pentecost, and her family’s tradition of worship at the church continues.

Looking at the photos, Darla Hodge remembered a “Suppressed Desire” party for the Young Marrieds Group. Her mother, Deanie Winstel, came with colored (or sprayed) silver hair and a T-shirt that read,

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“I want to be a Grandma” – a total surprise costume to Darla. (Deanie is now a grandmother to six, greatgrandmother to two, with a third arriving soon.)

Deanie said the photos reminded her of how much the church has grown and how the people in the room and their families had such on inf luence “on these brick walls.” Everyone marveled at Deanie’s memory of so many of the people in the albums. A former member of the Transf iguration Choir and President of the Women of the Church, Deanie served as Administrative Assistant for Fathers Roper, Godwin, and Shobe, so her knowledge about the church is exceptional.

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Jan Waller was impressed with the great turnout of parishioners that morning and she loved hearing the generations reminisce. “The photos are a remarkable timeline of how our parish has grown.” One photo from a church trip to Greece, led by Father Roper, had her wondering: “Is that Frances Martin and my Mom (Lois Waller) wearing belly dancer headdresses?” Lois was the Business Manager for the church for many years, and she always had a candy jar in her off ice, available for the young children who might be in the church off ice building.

Pat Lockerd agreed about the fun everyone had. “What a wonderful experience. I have been a member of Transf iguration for 48 years and have had the pleasure of knowing so many wonderful people. Some have died, some have left for various reasons, but these photos remind me that they still have a place in my heart. For that I will be forever grateful to our dear church. If you are a new member or a Golden Oldie, join in some activity to enrich your life. Experiences today will make the most wonderful memories.”

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Thank you to Vestry member Alyson Thompson for organizing this event that brought so much unexpected joy, and thanks also to Lindsey Murphy and Susan Casone for assisting. Special thanks to the Endowment Trustees, who provided a grant of $5,000 from the Legacy Fund toward the digitization project.

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THE LEGACY SOCIETY Leaving a legacy of generosity for future generations at Episcopal Church of the Transfiguration

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he Legacy Society includes everyone at Transfiguration who intends to bless our church by their generosity even after they die. When we include Transfiguration in our estate plans, directing that some portion of our wealth will go to the mission and ministries of the church, we make a huge gift to future generations of Fig members. People we won’t ever meet, who will inherit this church from us, will be better able to fulfill our calling to “seek and serve Christ in all persons” thanks to us. By including Transfiguration in our wills, or by carefully utilizing other financial instruments available after we die, we can honor God and leave a sacred legacy for our church. These legacies help the Endowment Fund to provide for projects and programs not included in the annual operating budget. You don’t have to think of yourself as “wealthy” to make a difference through the Legacy Society: every gift, small or large, can make a difference, because it will be carefully managed and grow over time. Here are a couple of stories of people in our Legacy Society, and why they’ve chosen to bless Transfiguration even after they die.

endowment@transfiguration.net | 972-233-1898

Sandra Cook A family can take many forms. Ideally, it offers support and security coupled with unconditional love. Transf iguration feels like family to me. I am very grateful for this church. Transf iguration has provided me not only with spiritual guidance but has facilitated a deepening of my faith. Our church has given me a sense of purpose and connection to others, not only through our worship, but in the numerous opportunities for service. Transf iguration is a spiritual refuge for me in our busy, hectic world. Whenever I enter the church, I have a sense of belonging. I joined the Legacy Society as a tangible expression of my belief in the mission of Transf iguration— seeking and serving Christ in all persons. Supporting the Legacy Society enables me to continue to contribute to the many wonderful ministries of our church after I am gone. I am a member of the Legacy Society in thanksgiving for the mission of our church and my gratitude for God’s love.

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Elizabeth Jenkins & Jim Jenkins Transf iguration has been our church home for 50 years, ever since we were warmly welcomed on our f irst visit.

We raised our children in this church, and now our grandchildren attend. We have enjoyed the beautiful liturgy, glorious music, and the inspiring volunteer and formation opportunities through the years. We have made many special friends among our Transf iguration family. We decided to join the Legacy Society to do our part to help to ensure that Transf iguration remains f iscally sound and continues to be a welcoming and inclusive church for generations to come.

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A DV E N T AT T HE F I G

by Fr. Ted Clarkson

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ot all days of the week are created equal, especially when it comes to Christmas. For example, the best day for Christmas is Friday: we have plenty of time after the Fourth Sunday of Advent to get ready for Christmas Eve, but Christmas Day isn’t so close to the next Sunday that the clergy fear everyone might stay home. Having Christmas on a Sunday isn’t so bad either, as we did last year. But the worst possible scenario, the most dreaded calendaring misfortune is to have Christmas on a Monday, because that means the Fourth Sunday of Advent is also Christmas Eve. When that happens, it feels like we lose an entire week of Advent, and trying to observe Advent IV on the same day as the barrage of Christmas Eve services makes for an insanely long day for clergy, musicians, altar guild members, and other volunteers.

If you have not already checked, I regret to inform you that this year, Christmas Day falls on a Monday. And no matter how many Hail Marys we say, nothing is going to change it. But that doesn’t mean that we can’t make things better by diving deep into the tradition of the church. If we can’t move Christmas, then perhaps we can be a little creative with Advent.

Advent is the liturgical season that immediately precedes Christmas; it begins on the fourth Sunday before Christmas and ends on December 24. However, that has not always been the case. Starting in the fifth century and codified in year 582, the church observed a 40(ish)-daylong fast from November 12, the day after the Feast of St. Martin of Tours, until December 24. It was known as “St. Martin’s Lent.” It functioned similarly to the 40-day fast leading up to Easter, but it was not quite as penitential.

A few centuries later, the season was shortened to the current practice of four Sundays.

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Advent is a busy and beloved time around Transf iguration. We try to prepare our hearts for Christmas in a way that is at odds with our consumerdriven culture, but it’s hard to do that in only three weeks. So, this winter, we are borrowing a few components from St Martin’s Lent and extending our Christmas preparation.

the congregation’s spiritual benefit. We have discussed all of the liturgical changes with Bishop Smith, who has given us his blessing. It is also worth noting that Transfiguration is not the only parish in The Episcopal Church to experiment with a 7-week Advent. Many have been practicing it for several years and cannot imagine going back to their old customs.

The three Sundays between All Saints Sunday and the First Sunday of Advent looked a little different this year. The last three Sundays of Ordinary Time are normally numbered based on their distance from Pentecost. This year, we numbered them by their distance to Advent I. Instead of the 24th, 25th, and Last Sundays after Pentecost, we called them the 3rd, 2nd, and Last Sunday before Advent. You can think of them as Pre-Advent. During those three Sundays, we continued to use the assigned propers (readings and collects and such), which have eschatological themes that are already appropriate for Advent, but instead of green vestments, we wore our blue set.

Advent is a special time in the life of the Church and the life of Transfiguration. It’s a time to slow down and prepare our hearts for the coming of Christ, once as an infant in Bethlehem and again in glory from the clouds of heaven. It is our prayer that during this extended period of preparation and introspection, you will find more meaning in the season. And we hope that our program of Christian Formation this Advent has helped you grow in your faith as we learned more about the heavenly creatures that feature prominently in both Advent stories: Angels.

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But perhaps the greatest benefit was for our formation programming. Our traditional Advent Festival kicked off Pre-Advent on November 12, and our Advent Sunday School class for adults was able to begin that next week.

Most things have stayed the same, though. The Advent Wreath remained in storage until the First Sunday of Advent on December 3. Our Advent Procession of Lessons & Carols still happened on that f irst Sunday in December, and the Advent Taizé service was the following Sunday.

Being fully aware of how Episcopalians feel about change, the clergy came to this decision after several months of discussion and reflection, and we think it has been to

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W HE R E O U R HE A RT I S The Rev. R. Casey Shobe, D.Min.

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idn’t you love the giant heart in the Gathering Space? I would walk past it several times a day, and every time it would make me smile. It was a bright, visual symbol of our fall theme, “Where Our Heart Is,” which I hope resonated with you. We have been wondering together as a community how our living and giving ref lects the feelings of our hearts.

Jesus teaches about this in the Sermon on the Mount.

“Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also,” he said. The logic of this statement is a bit funny.

Typically we think that where our heart is, that’s where we will choose to invest our lives. But Jesus seems to be saying it’s the other way around: it’s where we invest our lives that determines what we will grow to love. Which is to say, our actions, more than our feelings, determines the contents of our hearts.

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I f ind in this remarkably good news. It means that our hearts can be formed by what we do with our lives. We can actually grow our love for people, places, and things by giving ourselves to them more and more. A trivial example of this happens every time the Winter Olympics roll around, and after two weeks of obsessively watching curling, I f ind that I have developed a passion for a sport I’ve never played in my life.

The much better example of this truth about the heart is exemplif ied in the life of Saint Francis. We often think of Francis as the splendid cement saint in our gardens: nature lover, bird-preacher, blesser of critters. But Francis is so much more than a totem for our yards. He is a model of how to live integrated lives: how the way we live grows our capacity for love.

Francis was born to fantastic wealth, and as a young man, he delighted in f lashing that wealth to everyone.

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Over time, though, he began to feel the stirring of something greater and deeper. God was whispering at him, barely perceptibly at f irst, but just enough to cause him to reconsider his ostentation. For a time, he was able to quiet the voice by tossing the change in his pocket to poor, but the voice grew stronger. So the amounts he gave away got larger and larger, until he had sold his horse and armor, given away his fancy clothes, and embraced the simple life for which he is famous.

Still, something was missing.

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Finally, one day he came across a leper in the woods near Assisi. Francis was terrif ied of lepers. They were unsightly and repulsive, the epitome of the “lowest” in his society. And yet, looking at the leper, Francis realized what he needed do. Trembling, he approached the diseased man and knelt before him. Then, taking the man’s wounded, decaying hand, he kissed it.

Later in life, Francis spoke of this moment as a sort of dam breaking in his soul. It was a kind of spiritual angioplasty, opening the last stubborn constrictions in his heart. He had been trying to love people, but also keeping some of them at a distance. He had been telling himself that his heart was with everyone, but he was holding back. He couldn’t say he loved all neighbors as himself, until he lived that love when they were in his presence. For love is what we do, not what we say we feel.

I wonder, where do you want your heart to be?

With your family? With a cause you believe in?

With Transf iguration? With Christ?

Now, ask yourself, if someone who didn’t know you, and had never heard you talk about the things you say are important, looked at your calendar and your bank statement, would they be able to tell that your heart is really where you say it is, or would it reveal a discrepancy? What we choose to give the energies of our lives to, will determine where our heart is. It really is as simple as that.

If we want our heart to be with our family, it will happen when we give ourselves – our time and attention to our family. If we want our heart to be with a certain cause, it will not truly happen until we move from feeling things about that cause to giving our time and money to it. If we want our heart to be with Transf iguration, the surest way is to serve and give to Transf iguration, and your heart will be with us. If you want your heart to be with Christ, then follow Francis’ lead, and get close to the ones in whom he says he is most present.

For where our treasure – and our time, and our effort, and our attention – are, there our heart will be also.

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INTERV IEW WITH MATT R U SH, NEW PA R IS H H EA D O F SC HO O L

by The Rev. R. Casey Shobe

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Last fall, Matthew J. Rush was called to serve as Allen Meyer Family Head of Parish Episcopal School, and he began in this role this past summer. Founded by Transfiguration over 51 years ago, Parish educates nearly 1,200 students from pre-K to Grade 12 on two campuses. Matt was selected after an extensive national search, conducted by a committee that included Fr. Casey and Fig member David Fisk (a Parish alumnus). He has a 25-year career in education, as teacher, coach, and administrator, and a Ed.D from Vanderbilt.

Matt and his wife Lacy have four children, the youngest in high school, and they have a long history of involvement and leadership in the Episcopal Church. Recently, Fr. Casey sat down with Matt to learn a bit more about his background and perspective on leading an Episcopal school.

Fr. Casey: You’re new to Parish, but you’re not new to the area. Tell us a bit about your personal history, and what it’s like to be back in Dallas.

Matt Rush: Dallas is home, and it’s fantastic to be back here. It’s been a long 21-year journey to get back here, but I’ve learned so much about myself, within my profession, and about others – it’s as if all of that prepared me to come home and be a part of both Parish and the Fig. The proverbial icing on the cake for me is the number of friends, family, and support systems that are here for me that I didn’t have easy access to over the decades away. What a blessing to have it all come together at this moment in my life.

C: You are an Episcopalian. How did you come to the Episcopal Church and why does it remain a part of your life today?

M: As a youth, I attended church/Sunday school on a somewhat regular basis, but it wasn’t until I went through Confirmation class in middle school that it became a regular part of the rest of my life. In high school, I was

an acolyte, and then later as an adult, I served on our church’s vestry when we lived in North Carolina. Being Episcopalian, that identity, has always spoken to me and has informed who I am as a husband, father, son, brother, educator, and human being. It also centers me in innumerable ways and feeds me in ways nothing else can.

C: Leading schools is especially challenging these days.

Why have you chosen this path, and what has kept you going in recent years?

M: It may sound cliché, but I feel being an educator is truly a calling. I’m so fortunate that I had teachers and coaches who poured themselves into me, often seeing things in me that I didn’t see in myself. If I can do that for students and faculty under my care, it’s absolutely worth the time and sacrifice. When given feedback from former students/faculty - that is gold. That is all the fuel I need to keep doing the important work of education, no matter how challenging the day, month, or year.

C: All sorts of studies show that kids are struggling – with anxiety, loneliness, depression, among other things. I wonder what you think Episcopal schools offer to form healthy young people?

M: There is no question about our youth struggling with these things, especially compared to previous generations. I think great independent schools offer internal supports that many schools cannot. At Parish, I believe that intentional moments of pause and reflection, a dedicated advisor/ homeroom teacher, intentional play time, and a mission and value-based school are all ingredients that help mitigate factors that might otherwise lead a young person to feel isolated, depressed, or othered. While I can’t speak to how it plays out yet, still being new, my hope would be that our school helps students feel supported and valued, and know that it’s a strength to ask for help, versus a sign of weakness.

C: What drew you to Parish, and what distinguishes Parish from all the other schools in the area?

M: I’ve known the school and the church my whole life, having grown up in Dallas. What drew me to the school was the intentionality of the teaching and learning that takes place here, in concert with a community that is dedicated to creating a sense of belonging. It’s also clear, to the previous question, that the school is intentional about its care for the social/emotional needs of its students, thinking about support systems, staff ing, and scheduling to that end. Moreover, I love that our school, more so than others, is thoughtful about being a process school versus a product one. I realize there is nuance there, but what I mean is that we care about teaching students how to think, how to grow that curiosity muscle, and how to be someone who wants to add value to any community to which they will be a part.

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C: What are some of the highlights of your f irst few months as Head?

M: Parish is a joyful place. Watching the kids at recess, on the playground, in the hallways…listening to the teachers from just outside their classrooms…we care about each other. We show up. We support each other in our areas of interest. I’ve seen high f ives, f ist bumps, hugs of care, and smiles galore. In a short time, I’ve seen a community shine brightly in moments of darkness.

People have welcomed me and my family to the school and back to Dallas. I could go on, but I am beyond thrilled and honored to be a part of this special place.

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PARISH EPISCOPAL SCHOOL PLAYGROUND

by Heather Mills, Director of Strategic Marketing & Communications at PES

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n January 2023, Parish Episcopal School off icially opened its new play space on the Hillcrest campus with a special Blessing of the Playground. The joyful morning was celebrated with students, donors, teachers, and parents. Transf iguration’s clergy, along with Parish’s Hillcrest chaplain, Rebecca Gingles, led attendees in a blessing, while Michelle Lyon, Parish’s Associate Head of School (then Interim Head of School), and students asperged the new equipment and areas with holy water.

A special litany was prayed as the community moved around the playground, and each petition concluded with “We ask your blessing/Hear us as we play.”

Gracious God, bless these climbing structures.

Watch over all who climb, hang, run, and play here.

Bless this climbing wall and slide. Inspire the imaginations of those who play here and give them a spirit of friendship and respect.

Bless this Sport Court. Nurture the strength and skill of all who play here, and grow in every student a spirit of teamwork.

Bless these swings. Fill the hearts of all who play here with joy and gladness, and help them remember you as they soar into the sky.

“I am so grateful to the generous donors who supported the playground project and helped to make the beautiful space a reality for our students to enjoy now and for many years to come,” said Laurel Ash, Parish’s former Head of Lower School.

Parish began construction on the new playground in spring of 2022. The project, which originated in 2019, was completed after collaboration between Lower School teachers and Studio Outside, a landscape design f irm. This dream playground serves the Pre-K through second grade students on the Hillcrest campus, and includes developmentally appropriate equipment. In addition to swing sets, slides, sport courts, and open play areas, other fun features of the new playground include a music play area, outdoor classroom space, climber and spinner equipment for older students, and a nature play area. A new perimeter wall was constructed in the fall, to enhance the safety of all on the playground, and trees and shrubs will soon be planted to add beauty and shade. The playground is available for use by the ministries of Transf iguration, and we are excited to see how the children of our two communities feel God’s blessing “as we play.”

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Bless this outdoor classroom. Watch over those who teach and those who learn here that minds and hearts will be filled with knowledge and truth.

Bless this nature walk. Help us to love everything you have made, including plants and wild things.

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BOOK REVIEWS

by Ed DeStefano Here are some recommended books by author, editor, Franciscan, and spouse of Pastor Nancy, Ed DeStefano. The selected books reviewed were chosen for the season of Advent.

Vital Signs of Faith: Finding Health In Your Spiritual Life by Kate Moorehead Carroll Forward Movement, Cincinnati, Ohio © 2022

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As the world changes rapidly, Christianity, too, is changing. Amid this transition, questions arise: How do we know if we are being faithful? How do we know if we are practicing our faith adequately? Just as doctors measure vital signs when determining the health of the body, so we must learn to recognize the vital signs of the life of the spirit as we move into a post-Christian age. In this wise and accessible book

by Kate Morehead, Dean of the Episcopal Cathedral in Jacksonville, she def ines these vital signs as “God, Give, Grow, and Group.” By paying attention to these signs, we can make small, incremental changes in our behavior that have the potential to greatly improve our spiritual health. She thoughtfully calls us to measure the vital signs of our faith, so we can f ind the essence of our life together, the breath of God in each of us.

Praying the Name of Jesus: The Ancient Wisdom of the Jesus Prayer by the Carmelite Friar Wilfrid Stinissen with Lev Gillet, a Monk of the Eastern Church

Liguori Publications, Liguori, Missouri ©2001

When I saw this title recommended on the shelf in the Fig library, it became a must read for me. Why? Praying the simple mantra “Lord Jesus, Immanuel” has become a personal favorite. Also beginning 1956 my spiritual and education was under the Franciscan Friars of Holy Name Province. In this two-part book of twenty brief ref lections Stinissen traces the evolution of the Jesus Prayer from its beginnings in the repentant tax collector’s words of Scripture, —“God [Lord Jesus Christ], have mercy on me a sinner” (Luke 13:18)—through Christianity’s . . . expansion into the third millennium. Stinissen includes 107 quotes from Scripture to enrich our reading, ref lecting and praying.

Meditations of the Heart by Howard Thurman Beacon Press, Boston ©2022

Howard Thurman is renowned for the quiet beauty of his ref lections on humanity and our relationship with God. In this collection of over 150 prayers, poems, and meditations on prayer, community, and the joys and rituals of life, Thurman brings to light an image of God who can always be found “in and among the struggling moments of our life.”

All Creation Waits: The Advent Mystery of New Beginnings

by Gayle Boss , illustrated by David G. Kline Paraclete Press, Brewster MA ©2022

Advent is far richer than a tease of Christmas. According to Gayle Boss, “It’s a time for soul work, a time to feel our ache for the coming of light and warmth, new life and hope.” The focus of this work is the ingenious adapting of Northern hemisphere animals’ when the season of dark and cold descends upon them. The dark is not an end, but a door that opens to the way of new beginnings. In his review, Richard Rohr writes that “each of the beautiful creatures in this little book is a unique word of God. Its own metaphor, all together drawing us to the One we all belong to. Adapting to the dark and cold they announce the Good News of Advent: that through every dark door the creating love of the universe awaits.”

All Creation Waits – Children’s Edition: The Advent Mystery of New Beginnings

by Gayle Boss , illustrated by Sharon Spitz Paraclete Press, Brewster MA ©2022

This children’s edition for children ages 3—10 opens in twopage spreads as they would the doors of an Advent calendar.

Now young readers too will be caught up in the wonder of 24 woodland animals, and invited to slow down and use their imaginations to discover the mystery of Advent for their young lives. For example, Wood Frog freezes into a frog-shaped cube of ice; for six months Painted Turtle doesn’t breathe; and Woodchuck can’t be wakened, even if shaken! All of these images and stories lead to and culminate in the birth of the One who perfectly lived that truth.

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FINDING OUR CHURCH HOME

by Joe Sims and Rob Farquhar

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hen you have been together for 21 years, and you have worked hard to achieve a happy life and rewarding careers, then living a “happily ever after” retirement life is “la dolce vita.” Let me introduce two new parishioners at Transfiguration, Rob Farquhar and, myself, Joe Sims.

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Rob grew up in Azle, Texas, a little town outside of Fort Worth. He graduated from Texas A&M with a degree in horticulture which included his favorite classes in flower design. And, yes, that is his Aggie ring that he proudly wears to this day. If you ask him about it, be prepared for him to light up and respond by extolling the merits of being an Aggie. At length.

As a youth, Rob attended a small town, conservative Southern Baptist church and has fond memories of going to church and particularly, Vacation Bible School. After graduating high school, his career plan was to attend a Southern Baptist seminary and go into Children/Youth ministry. However, Rob was very conflicted about his plan. He had become aware that he was gay and that his orientation was not acceptable in that faith community.

So, Rob sought Christian counseling, and conversion therapy was recommended. However, Rob rejected the notion that he needed to be “fixed.”

Eventually, Rob abandoned his aspirations and left organized church life—although while he did attend other churches for a time, he never felt that he was welcomed unconditionally. Consequently, most of Rob’s adult life had been spent worshiping and continuing to grow spiritually without a church family.

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Professionally, Rob’s career had three distinct phases: first, managing nurseries for companies including Home Depot and Callaway’s; second, managing and nurturing struggling nursing homes back to certification; and third, working as a sales representative in internet sales for a lighting

company. Of the three, he was most passionate about being the Director of Nursing Homes. He worked not only to guarantee safe care for the elderly, but also to infuse their lives with activity and joy. The highlight of the year was a prom. All the elderly ladies got special “prom” dresses from resale shops, received corsages, and got to dance with the Director. And what would a prom be without the magic of a dance floor and glitter ball? Director Rob provided it all.

For the last few years of his career, Rob had the good fortune of working a difficult job in internet sales from home. His daily routine included a difficult five-minute commute from his bed to the coffee bar, to his desk.

Tough, huh?

I am Rob’s partner, Joe, and I am a Dallas “kid.” As a youth, my family attended a church in the Disciples of Christ denomination. I loved my church community, loved my youth group experience, and loved the personal relationship with God that my church family help to foster.

After high school, I entered college but was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1968. My young faith came to be tested by my experience in the Army. However, God’s love and grace helped keep me steady.

After the Army, I married, and again went back to college.

Going part-time, sometime, no time, full time, I earned a BA in Psychology (It took 8 years). I was accepted into graduate school thereafter and entered a Clinical Psychology program. Near the end of my studies, my wife became pregnant with our first child, Blake. Our second child, Allyson, was born 18 months later.

Desperately in need of a job, I prayed humbly for God’s loving grace to guide me in my search. I believe that I was led by God’s grace to my first and only interview at Dallas County Juvenile Department. I was blessed with employment that developed into a rewarding professional career. I held several positions over the years including Mediator, Expeditor, and Manager. I also taught court ordered Parenting and Divorce classes for the Family

Courts of Dallas County. In time, I came to understand that God’s blessing was not just that of employment. The greater blessing was the privilege of working for 34 years with the families and delinquent youth of Dallas County.

Another touchstone experience was when my family joined the Reformed Church in Plano. I became the Youth Director for the groups younger than high school, taught Sunday School, and VBS. My faith, my joy, and my spiritual maturity blossomed.

Rob and I met in 2001 through mutual friends and we have been together for 21 years. When we retired, we moved to Grand Prairie. Our friends and family asked, “Why?” The answer: The city is actually a great place to live and, most importantly, our neighbors are “the best.” We have enjoyed getting to know a gaggle happy, fun, and giving friends.

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For some time, both Rob and I have recognized our need for continued spiritual growth and for the rekindling of the joy that comes from worship and being a part of a church family. In January of this year, at the invitation of a friend, we came to our f irst worship service at the Fig. When we arrived, we were immediately taken in by the joy in celebrating God through worship. We were so pleased to feel welcomed by happy, friendly people celebrating together and joyfully participating in a myriad of Christian ministries. And we felt accepted, unconditionally. We found that inclusion at the Fig is not a “hot topic” but is an inherent part of the identity of the church family. We found our new church home.

Now, nine months later, we are immersing ourselves in the life of our church. Rob and I have joined the Men’s Fellowship, Flower Guild, and we volunteered at VBS (Rob was “Captain Snackman” to the delight of all the youth.) We serve with Godly Play, volunteer with the Youth Group, attend The Way, and participate in Sacred Ground. We feel that we have not only found our church family but also, we have found a source to foster our continued spiritual growth.

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GENESIS AND EXODUS This past summer, the lectionary took us on a journey through the sacred soap opera of Genesis and Exodus. The clergy seized this opportunity to preach on this narrative sequence, helping make sense of how it all fits together. What we learned is that these greats of the Bible – Abraham, Sarah, and Hagar; Isaac and Rebekah; Jacob and Esau; Rachel and Leah; Joseph and all his brothers; and even Moses – are far from cardboard cutouts of “Bible Heroes.”

They are sometimes saints and just as often scoundrels; sometimes they walk on water and sometimes they sink; sometimes they flourish and other times they flail. But they are our faithful ancestors, and their stories are so important to understanding the gospel of God’s unbreaking love. Here are some excerpts from this much-enjoyed sermon series.

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Genesis 18:1-15 “God Is In the Waiting” The Rev. R. Casey Shobe God is trustworthy, but the purposes of God are not always clear and simple. God’s love for us is unwavering, but God’s blessing doesn’t always result in the sort of life that social media says is #blessed. When we choose to love and serve the Lord, when we commit to doing our wholehearted best to follow the way of Jesus—which, I hope we all do—it does not necessarily mean everything will move in a straight line.

At least from our perspective. God’s sense of efficiency is different from ours. God doesn’t run the world like Amazon.

God seems perfectly comfortable letting us wait, because waiting is a tool God uses with us to help us grow as people.

Waiting is one of God’s keys for becoming our fullest and most mature selves. God promises us goodness and mercy, joy and abundance, life and peace, but the road to those blessings can be long and winding, because life with God seldom moves in a straight line. But remember this: God wouldn’t ask us to wait if God wasn’t also in the waiting.

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Genesis 21:8‑21 “The God Who Sees Me” The Rev. R. Casey Shobe The world is too often like Abraham and Sarah, treating people like disposable objects, abandoning them when they no longer serve a purpose. Which has led to the existence of far too many Hagars and Ishmaels in our world: women who experience terrible abuse and rejection: children who are wanted until they aren’t.

And just like Abraham and Sarah, the world continues to turn a blind eye to their plight, or outright pushes them away so we don’t have to see their suffering. But the truth that Hagar proclaimed is still true today. Our God is none other than El Roi (“God who sees me”).

God sees each and every Hagar. God numbers every hair on every one of their heads. God sees them in every forsaken desert, every abandoned place, every despairf illed corner of the world where they’ve been forced to live. God sees them. I wonder who we choose to see?

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Genesis 22:1-14 “Obedient? Faithful? Righteous?”

The Rev. Rebecca Tankersley Obedience, faithfulness, and righteousness: each is an important characteristic of God’s people. But these characteristics come into conf lict with one another, and when this happens, we, as God’s people, must navigate those conf licts. God has equipped us to do this—has formed us in God’s image, given us a mind and heart that can discern, and a free will to choose to use our minds and hearts to make the best choices we can, even in very diff icult circumstances. And God has shown God’s hand: this whole thing—creation, the calling of Abram, covenant with us as God’s people is about world blessing. It’s about love. It seems to me that this—the ability to discern what must take priority when obedience, faithfulness, and righteousness come into conf lict—the ability to allow love to enter into our discernment—that is what God is testing in Abraham.

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Genesis 24:34-38, 42-49, 58-67: “The Example of Rebekah”

Genesis 29:15-28 “Choosing Leah”

The Rev. Rebecca Tankersley

The Rev. Rebecca Tankersley

There Rebekah is, minding her own business in her hometown in Mesopotamia when God calls her, “Please let me sip a little water from your jar.” Which was a kind of echo of God’s call to Abraham: “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you.” And, when given the choice, she goes.

(But) Rebekah is not only like Abraham. She is Christ-like in her ministry to this road-weary, heavy-burdened, sweaty stranger. She is a model for us of how we might interact with those in our midst who are weary, carrying heavy burdens, and utterly parched under the hot Texas sun.

Growing up, I learned about Rachel and Leah in Sunday School. The story was told in such a way that Jacob was clearly the hero – the one to root for against Laban the trickster. Because Jacob loved Rachel, I saw her as an extension of him – the one to root for. And Leah – well, I always saw her as an extension of Laban and unfairly distained her just as Jacob did. Because those who taught me were so focused on the patriarchs, they didn’t pause to focus on the humanity of the women and neither did I. God did not make that mistake with Leah and Rachel – and God does not make that mistake with us.

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Genesis 25:19-34 “God of Particulars”

Genesis 32:22-31 “Wrestling Match”

The Rev. Ted Clarkson

The Rev. Michael Merriman

We believe in a God who acts within history. This is essential to the Christian faith. Lutheran theologian Robert Jenson put it this way, “God is whoever raised Jesus from the dead, having first raised Israel from Egypt.” By choosing particular agents in history, Abraham, Moses, David, Mary, the other Mary, Paul, and so on God has made it possible to redeem the world, in general. But not the world as an idea, but rather a set of particulars. You, and me, and every other particular person out there.

In Jacob’s all-night wrestling match with the stranger, something important is happening. All his life, Jacob has been the winner (often by cheating). Now he’s about to lose. The stranger he wrestles, it turns out, was only playing with him and easily dislocates Jacob’s hip. Still Jacob refuses to let the stranger go with a blessing. And bless him he does, by giving Jacob a new name, “Israel,” which means “one who struggles with God.” After this event, Jacob/Israel begins to change. He had earlier sent off his wives, children, and other possessions in two groups, in hopes that if Esau caught one of them, he might escape. But now he went on ahead of them to meet Esau himself, and there he bowed down in repentance to the brother he had defrauded.

And in the face of his brother he sees the face of God.

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Genesis 28:10-19a “Hope and Not Fear” The Rev. Casey Shobe When God wanted to change the course of Jacob’s life, when God wanted to spark Jacob’s imagination and inspire him to goodness and godliness, God didn’t threaten Jacob with the horrors of the worst; God revealed the glories of the best. It’s not that God didn’t care about what Jacob was up to…it’s just that the way God chooses to redirect Jacob is rooted in grace and love. Positive encouragement will always be the most powerful tool for transforming lives: showing people what is possible; leading them forward with love and beauty; inspiring, rather than threatening; kindling hope, rather than stoking fear. After all, isn’t that what the Incarnation and the life of Jesus is all about?

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Genesis 37:1-4, 12-28 “Joseph in Egypt” The Rev. Ted Clarkson The Lord was with Joseph. It seems like such a small thing, but perhaps it’s the most important thing we can hear right now. The story of God’s abiding, if not always readily apparent, presence with Joseph is so much like ours. The mystics among us might hear and see God more often, but for most of us, we experience God as an assurance more often than a tangible reality. And yet, that assurance can lead us to do great things: just look around you. This room is a testament to that remarkable presence.

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September 3

Genesis 45:1-15 “Ready for Forgiveness”

Exodus 3:1-15 “Turn Aside”

The Rev. Casey Shobe

The Rev. Casey Shobe

I wonder if Joseph thought he’d ever see his brothers again. Surely not! They were just part of his painful past, something he had to overcome and leave behind. And yet, one day, there they were. Standing in front of him. And if he’d spent all that time festering on his hurt, daydreaming what he would say or do to get even, if he’d gnawed on pain and nursed his grudge, this scene would have gone quite differently. Because what we spend our time and energy imagining shapes what we do in the moment of truth. If what we spend our time imagining is how awesomely even we’re going to get, or what fantastically crushing put-down we’re going to say, then how much virtue is likely to come out from us in that moment of truth? But if we spend our energies on the work of love, if we ask for God’s continual help setting down our grudges and healing from old wounds, we have a chance to be ready in that defining moment to follow Joseph in the way of forgiveness and reconciliation.

Exodus tells us that Moses “turned aside” to look at a great sight, and then, and only then, does God call to Moses out of the bush – only after the Lord sees that Moses has turned aside. I wonder how often we fail to “turn aside,” and miss the opportunity to encounter God? We want God to join us, to walk with us, on the journey of our lives, rather than changing our direction to walk with God. We want God to be our co-pilot – you know, in a chair nearby, but pretty much just along for the ride. And by just plugging away, doing our thing, keeping on keeping on, we are risking missing the things God wants to show us. Our busy and contented lives can easily become a distraction from looking for God. Which is why it is so important that we have the eyes of our hearts open enough to notice what is happening around us, to pay attention to where God may be waiting and hoping that we will turn aside, so we can begin our own grand story of holiness and adventure.

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Exodus 1:8-2:10 “The Birth of Moses” The Rev. Ted Clarkson We worship a God who hears the cries of her beloved children and delivers them from the power of death.

That’s what God did for the Israelites, and that’s what God continues to do, because deliverance is God’s work.

And like Shiphrah and Puah, and Miriam and Moses, and everyone else who has done the Lord’s work before us, we are called to participate in God’s work of deliverance by hearing the cries of the lonely, the suffering, and the oppressed and responding with acts of liberation, justice, and kindness. This is God’s work, this is women’s work, and this is our work. May we, like our forebears, answer the call to serve.

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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 Associate Rector The Rev. Terence C. Roper Rector Emeritus

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PROGRAMS Allison Blalock Director of Children’s Ministries Delynda Moravec Director of Youth Ministries Gabby Guion Minister for Congregational Life

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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.

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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.

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

PHOTO INDEX 1. Cover: Seraphim created by Gabby Guuion for Advent Festival | Photo by Robert Hacker

Stefan Engels Artist-in-Residence

2. Costume parade at Fig Fest, led by Allison Blalock Photo by TJ McCoy

Chris Ahrens Director of Youth Choir

3. Advent Angels: Lilly Myers, Naomi Dick, Nathaniel Dick, and Maisie Harms | Photo by Robert Hacker

Kimberley Ahrens Director of Children’s Choirs

4. Laura Huff with childrens chapel participants.

David Stanley The Table Music Director

6. Stefan Engels | Photo by Kim Ritzenthaler Leeson

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

5. Stefan Engels | Photo by Kim Ritzenthaler Leeson 7. Deanie Winstel, Tudi Owens, Pat Shaughnessy, Nancy Torell, Bridget De Bruyn, Bill Edwards, Susan Fisk sorting photos. | Photo by Alyson Thompson 8. Pam Johnson and Barbara Yonan Photo by Alyson Thompson 9. Larry Cottingham and Louise Harms Photo by Alyson Thompson 10. Deanie Winstel, Hal Bybee, Pat Shaughnessy Photo by Alyson Thompson 11. Jacobs Ladder (Built by Keith Bogdan and Louis Guion and decorated by Allison Blalock for Advent Festival) Photo by Robert Hacker 12. Rosemary Carter | Photo by TJ McCoy 13. Peggy Kwoka, Adelaide Barrow, and Courtney Barrow Photo by Adelaide Shobe 14. Fr. Casey Shobe | Photo by Gabby Guion 15. Matt Rush | Photo by Wiley Williams 16. Fr. Casey, Rebecca Gingles, Mtr. Rebecca, and Fr. Ted Photo by Wiley Williams 17. Parish Playground Dedication | Photo by Wiley Williams 18. Joe Sims and Rob Farquhar 19. John Lackey, Terrie Preskitt-Brown, Heidi Klein, Conner Allison singing at Transf igured Nights Hillcrest Live | Photo by Oliver McCoy 20. Lilly Myers, Naomi Dick, Nathaniel Dick, Maisie Harms, Fr. Casey Shobe, Dr. Roy Heller, Dr. Robert Patten, and Mtr. Rebecca Tankersley Photo by Robert Hacker 21. Isabelle Shobe, Fr. Casey Shobe, and Adelaide Shobe Photo by Robert Hacker 22. William Floyd Jr. with St. Nicholas (Robb Farquhar) Photo by Cara Floyd Back Cover: Mary Peterson and Charlie Peterson Photo by Robert Hacker

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