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.