Contributed by Joe Marchant photographs by Mat Thekkil

IMG_0175 Originally created to provide Christian fellowship among men of the Church of the Transfiguration 18 years and older, the Episcopal Men’s Fellowship, commonly known as “the EMF”, has morphed into a group that provides a parish wide event, provides support for other parish wide events, and provides financial support to essential, but unplanned and unfunded youth, parish, and community activities.

IMG_0315

While the annual financial support of the EMF now averages more than $25,000, the real value is in conducting and supporting the events that makes the Transfiguration parish a community. The recent Annual Fish Fry and Auction is the prime example.

IMG_0184

This year families came to Roper Hall for the food, children came for the games, and everyone enjoyed bidding on the great auction items. Kudos to the EMF auction originator and leader Jim Kirkman for an outstanding fun-raising and fund-raising event. Not only did the EMF exceed its youth donation goals, which it had committed to match from auction proceeds, and give the youth $5,300 for the youth trip, but the totals of the fish fry and auction may pass the $17,000 mark. The EMF board appoints a Distribution Committee that will seek requests from parish organizations through the Parish Council and fund the most pressing needs.

IMG_0204

Special praise goes to Auction Web Master John MacLennan for the auction website, assigning bid numbers, and handling the financial tracking. On-site assistants Dana and Kate Bartholomew.

Bart, as usual, was chief of the kitchen, ably assisted by the directories of the EMFas preparers, servers, and clean up crew. Jim and John made the auction financially successful and the kitchen crew made it an enjoyable community event.