Crossroads Journal Articles
The summer of 2013 was one of the highlights of my career as a church musician! It was thrilling to know that so much of our worship tradition at the Church of the Transfiguration, Dallas, had prepared us to assume the role of worship leaders in this familiar, yet foreign land.
How will we put on the armor of light this Advent Season? Here at Transfiguration there are a number of opportunities for adults of all ages to begin this new church year and to prepare our hearts in an intentional way.
With a gift to the Transfiguration Endowment Fund, forward thinking individuals who love Transfiguration can leave an enduring legacy. The gift principal is invested and never spent when directed to an endowment fund.
The Rt. Rev. Gregory H. Rickel Bishop of The Episcopal Diocese of Olympia expresses the meaning of Endowment so very well — “All we have been given in this life is on loan, at best. It is not ours; we will never truly own it. We have it, for whatever reason, in order to care for it as best we can. This is true of everything we, or the bank, says we own, and it is just as true for every relationship we have. We are stewards of all of it, called by God to leave the land, our material possessions, our money, and our relationships better than we found them, or they found us. All we now see, hold and know is God’s vineyard, and we are called to tend it, for the One who truly owns it all.”
Healing is a significant part of the church’s ministry and this happens in many ways through all the ministers of the church. (Remember that all who are baptized here are given a stole with the words, “you are invested as a minister of the gospel.”) One of the ways in which we continue to carry out Christ’s healing ministry through the Church is by integrating rites of healing in our lives together. Rites for healing are part of our tradition and have existed throughout the life of the church.
St. Hilda’s Guild honored longtime volunteers at its annual luncheon on May 6. The organization oversees the operation of the 52 year old Clothes Horse resale shop as well as the Kay Andrews Bookstore. Recognized for 50 years of service was Jan Sly, who upon receiving her certificate from St. Hilda’s Chairman, Helen Franz, said, “When I first started working at the Clothes Horse, my son was in an infant carrier and he’ll be celebrating his 50th birthday is this year!” Others with 30 or more years of service include Venelle Prince (44), Gerry Tubbs (43), Sally Jones (40), Luann Tucker (35), Frances Martin (33), Helen Brown (33), Neva Cochran (30) and Jean Wallace (30).