Post on 30-Jun-2020
The View from the Hill The Church of the Transfiguration
Saluda, North Carolina
May 2013
To access calendar, click here.
Our on-line calendar includes all major events at Transfiguration— Holy Days, ser-
vices, classes, gatherings for fellowship and outreach, and meetings. All activities are
subject to change without notification. Please check back periodically for updated information.
This calendar can be printed out by clicking on the tab: Print View.
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“Where is God in this?”
It’s a favorite
question of spiritual
directors. Someone
presents a problem or a
crisis, and the advisor
attempts to help the person
perceive the presence and activity of God in the
midst of the crisis. Over the years, I’ve learned
(and am still learning) to persist in asking and
seeking—but I’ve learned more from the
example of one particular friend than from all
the spiritual directors I’ve ever had.
Francis Zanger is an incredibly funny,
intelligent and energetic Episcopal priest and
former Navy chaplain. Before going to
seminary, he served as an EMT in New York
City, driving ambulances and working in ERs.
He knits, studies astronomy for fun, and speaks
French fluently. At a conference in 2002, he
told me he had been called to Ground Zero just
after the 9/11 attack. Walking around the
rubble of the Twin Towers, he was stopped by a
man who had spotted the cross on his hard hat.
“Hey, chaplain,” the man demanded, spreading
his arms wide to indicate the destruction around
them, “where is God in this?”
Francis said the words came to him
without thought. “God is right there,” he said,
pointing to a nearby rescue worker who was
lifting a steel beam from a pile. “And there,”
pointing to another worker being led by a
German Shepherd on a leash. “And there,”
pointing to the man who had asked the
question.
Last week I found myself mentally
voicing the same question as I watched the
evening news. The broadcast was a litany of
disasters that night: the Boston Marathon
bombing, the Brownsville explosion, flooding
in Chicago—and that was only in this country.
Where is God in the North Korean tensions?
Where in Syria? Where, for that matter, in
Saluda?
Asking the question, I imagined Francis
standing on Main Street in Saluda, pointing to a
librarian who is taking the time to talk with a
teenager after school. “God is
right there,” Francis says. “And
there,” pointing to the Purple
Onion, where someone is buying
soup-to-go for a bereaved friend.
“And there,” waving toward
Autumn Care, where a certain
banjo picker is leading a chorus of
“Jesus Loves Me.” God is also in the
teenager, the bereaved person, and in
each Autumn Care resident who looks
forward to the sing-alongs. God is in
every one of us, not observing our
struggles from an aloof distance but
experiencing them with us—crying
when we cry, laughing when we laugh,
and giving us the strength to defy the
darkness.
In Boston, God was in each
person who ran toward the blast and
stooped to help another victim. God was
in the young man who took off his shirt
to use as a tourniquet for another
person’s leg—and before that, in that
same young man as he stopped to help a
fallen runner during the race. God is in
each person who reaches out to
another—and also in every person who
suffers. God does not remain apart from
the pain of the event, but enters it fully.
That is the essence of the Nativity,
Passion and Easter story: God entering
our world, experiencing all of its terror
and delight, becoming one of us instead
of observing our struggles from on high.
Where is God? In this? In
anything?
Right here. In every act of
kindness, in every defiant alleluia, in
every tear and every smile, God is right
here. Struggling, energizing, and
ultimately triumphing, God is an active
part of our world, using our hands to
serve.
So the next time you wonder
where God is, look in the mirror. Say,
“Oh, there you are. Welcome. Now,
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Looking
Ahead!
Easter has long since
passed. Thanks to
hard work by the
choir and wonderful
professional
instrumentalists (including our own David
Daugherty), music contributed much to
this festival celebration.
We’re now preparing for Pentecost on
May 19th. Then, after Trinity Sunday
which follows, the choir will have a 3-
week vacation (as will I.) Rehearsal will
resume on June 20th to get ready for our
Independence Day festivities (complete
with fife and drum.) This will take place
on July 7th, the Sunday after Coon Dog
Day. I hope you’ll come and bring friends.
It’s always a lot of fun, even for non-
Episcopalians.
Though the choir will sing each Sunday,
in July we’ll only have a rehearsal on the
last Thursday. After Labor Day, we’ll
resume the regular rehearsal schedule.
If you’re interested in joining this
dedicated group of parishioners, please
give me a call at 828.697.5006.
Carl
Vestry Highlights
April 11, 2013
Outreach: Saluda School will not be availa-
ble for this year’s Summer Enrichment pro-
gram due to major repairs and maintenance. A
motion passed unanimously for Transfigura-
tion to provide space and meals for the pro-
gram from 8am-4pm on Tuesdays and Thurs-
days for 4 weeks in July if the other participat-
ing churches also provide their space for the
other days. (The program will still be put on
by the school.)
Memorial Garden/Columbarium: A mo-
tion passed unanimously to construct one wall
with 24 niches, at a cost of $37,000, instead of
two walls as decided in March. The cost will
be $37,000, leaving enough Columbarium
Fund to complete the landscaping, a parking
area, and a retaining wall. The landscaping
company will begin work the week of April
15. To date, 14 niches have been reserved by
Transfiguration members.
Air-conditioning: Options for funding were
discussed and rejected, including using the
Reserve Fund and then asking for contribu-
tions to repay it. Instead, the Junior Warden
will compose a letter to all members of Trans-
figuration, requesting contributions in advance.
what do you want me to do?” Offer God your
hands to make a difference in the world. It
doesn’t matter how small the action seems; every
act of kindness is a blow against the darkness and
a victory for the light.
“God is love, and where true love is, God
himself is there.”*
In Christ’s love,
Paula+
*Hymn 576, from a Latin verse translated in
1919 by James
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“Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall
laugh.” — Luke 6:21
Humor is one of God’s most precious gifts; it can
carry us through rough times and make the
smooth times even more joyous. On April 28 and
May 12, the Adult Forum will enjoy some con-
temporary humor, including that of Jeanne Rob-
ertson from South Carolina.
Jeanne Robertson
Warm, personable, and very funny, Jeanne is de-
scribed by one theater critic as being “…like the
aunt you can’t wait to talk to at the family reun-
ion, who always has a new story to tell that keeps
the whole family in stitches.” Come laugh with
us about hubby “Left Brain” (Don’t send him to
the grocery store!), bungee jumping (Be sure to
remove your false teeth), and more. Along the
way, we’ll look at the spirituality of humor and
how it can draw us closer to God.
Other Adult Forum sessions and series are in the
works. Stay tuned for dates for the following:
--The Rev. Ellen Hankel will tell us about her se-
mester teaching at an Episcopal seminary in the
Sudan.
--A summer series on scripture or Church history,
selected from The Great Courses catalogue.
The Adult Forum meets on Sundays from 9:15 to
10:15, except the first Sunday of each month,
when we have breakfast between services.
Calling All Gardeners!
Autumn Care has recently
added a beautiful courtyard
for its residents to enjoy
during nice weather.
Featuring a roomy gazebo and a small pond,
the courtyard is surrounded by a sidewalk
wide enough to accommodate walkers and
wheelchairs. Several raised gardening boxes
have been put in, and volunteers are needed
to plant and tend flowers. If you can help,
contact Joyce Coggins, Activities Director, at
749-2261.
The residents also need volunteers who can
accompany them outside. Since “Archie’s
Gang” leads a sing-along every Wednesday
morning from 10:00 to 10:30, we thought
we’d ask: can anyone stay after the sing-
along for 15 minutes or more, to take a
resident outside to soak in a little sunshine?
If there’s interest, we could even host a
garden party sometime this summer! Please
call the church office and let Paula know if
you’d like to be involved.
Our Mission Statement We are a joyful family in Christ, embracing and nourishing each other, our community and the world, through worship, play and service.
5
A Note of Thanks
It was a blessing to see so many of you at
the Memorial service for my husband, Rod,
at St. John in the Wilderness, Flat Rock.
This was a true celebration of life for Rod as
he loved his church and friends.
I would especially like to thank this parish
and Paula, for your prayers and food gifts
for us during his illness.
Blessings abound for the Angels of the
Office, as I was able to be with Rod and take
some time off after his death. This parish is
blessed to have so many volunteers in
ministry. I am very happy to be back in the
office and keeping busy, which is what Rod
wanted me to do.
In God’s Peace,
Martha Smith
Marriages:
James Harold Groh, II and Caroline Lindsay
Small on April 13, 2013.
Change of Address:
Mr. Jack Moorman, 4105 Exum Drive, West
Columbia, SC 29169. Phone (803)796-8987
Help Roger Gause cut down on phone calls! You can call Roger(749-
3791) and volunteer to be a coffee hour host after the 10:30 service, or by
volunteering to prepare a First Sunday Breakfast. Roger is the coordinator
and she will be glad to give you more information. This ministry is very im-
portant in the life of any parish and many hands are needed.
6
3 Pam Gray
7 Margaret Sease
13 Peter McCrary
16 Doraine Wannamaker
19 Jack Moorman
20 Lynn Cass
29 Linda Hall, Molly Powell,
Philip Powell
May Birthdays
We had about 30 men to come to our April
meeting. The guys were fed: Cheese puffs, meat
loaf from a recipe from the Waldorf Astoria, filled
pasta salad with scallops and smoked Norwegian
salmon, ratatouille with goat cheese, rolls, and
home made cake with fresh strawberries soaked in
grand mariner. All seemed to enjoy. Special
thanks to Mort Farris, Tom Washburn, Greaton
Sellers for helping prep or clean up.
Our next meeting will be May 6. Our guest head
cook is Bruce Campbell. We will be meeting at
6:00 in the parish house. All men are
welcome....Y'ALL COME!!!!
Ladies’ Gathering
May 6—6:00 pm
Home of Cathy
Rhodes
Bring a dish to
share, not many
desserts and your
beverage of
choice...and bring a
friend! We look forward to seeing you
there.
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Parish Administrator’s Office Hours Monday through Thursday — 10:00 am—3:00 pm;
The office is staffed by volunteers on Fridays from 10:00 a.m.—12:00 noon.
Phone: (828) 749-9740
Email: 1transfigsaluda.org@gmail.com
Website: www.transfigurationsaluda.org
The Episcopal Church: www.episcopalchurch.org
Diocese of Western North Carolina: www.diocesewnc.org
Contact List The Rev. Paula C. Morton, Rector
749-3030 (home); 606-7513 (cell)
E-Mail: pkcmorton@gmail.com
Parish Administrator Martha V. Smith.....698-0631
Director of Music & Organist Dr. Carl Gilmer...697-5006
Treasurer Cathy Rhodes...749-3614
The Wardens and Vestry Senior Warden Jim Rezac...749-1053
Junior Warden George Sweet...749-9126
Clerk of the Vestry Talley Wannamaker...749-2761
Pam Gray...749-3006 Jim Boyle...749-9762
Mike Cass749-1975 Gail Dawson...749-3894
The Committee Chairpersons Altar Guild VeeVee Blackshear...749-5041
Archivist Marty Payton...606-9799
Buildings & Grounds George Sweet...749-9126
Christian Education The Rector & Committee
Daughters of the King Talley Wannamaker...749-2761
Coffee Hour Roger Gause...749-3791
Endowment Fund Chair Glenn Ratliff...749-1262
Funeral Coordinator Georgia Herring...749-9352
Kitchen Coordinator Warren Callahan….749-9585
Lectors and Lay Eucharistic Ministers John Kinard...749-9840
Men’s Club Bob Payton...606-2181
Outreach Mary Ann Hester...864-325-9292
Pastoral Care Pam Gray...749-3006
Parish Life Betty Wilkerson...749-1910
Ushers: (8:00 am) John Kinard...749-9840
(10:30 am) Bill Weymer...697-9106
Welcoming Maria McCall...749-3169
Wedding Committee Ammie Weymer...697-9106
Deadline for submissions to The View—the 15th of each month prior to publication.