Dear all, 

What a beautiful Palm Sunday together with our sister parish St. Paul’s, and what a blessed beginning to Holy Week. You are in my prayers, and I ask for yours as we walk the way with Jesus. Each day walks us through the story of Christ, and our journey with Christ.  Please click on the links below to find readings and a prayer for the next few days of Holy Week: 

Holy Wednesday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday, Easter Sunday 

“It is good for us to be here.”  This is what Peter said to Jesus in the story of the Transfiguration. It is good for us to be here, in whatever way you can. Please know, if you are not able to attend the services ahead (there sure has been a lot that has happened in the last year), that through prayer, relationships, and the Holy Spirit, we are still connected together. 

While it is a heavy week as we wait for the joy to come, we are invited to grow and learn more about loving God, our neighbors, and ourselves. If you missed last week’s service (Palm Sunday), and would like to watch it on YouTube, Click Here. 

Please reach out anytime. See you all soon. 

God’s peace, 

Fr. John 

Easter Sunday and our Lenten Bearing Witness Project 

Please join us for one (or both!) of our two services (see info below), children’s Egg Hunt, and Easter Brunch. All are welcome, please consider inviting a friend to join. What a gift to worship the Risen Lord Together! 

Also, just a quick reminder about our Lenten “The Bearing Witness Project.” Please plan to bring these cards back to the church with you on Easter Sunday. They will be kept private, and offered back to God as part of our liturgy by leaving them in a basket as you head to communion.

Lenten Opportunities and Holy Week Schedule 

• Stations of the Cross | Thursday, April 17th | Noon at Transfiguration (unless you have a pass, you will not be able to drive through Chimney Rock to church for this service) 
• Maundy Thursday | April 17th | 6:00pm in Edneyville, this is a joint service with St. Paul’s.  At this service we will have optional footwashing and the Stripping of the Altar. 
• Good Friday | April 18th | 6:00pm in Bat Cave, this is a joint service with St. Paul’s. (we have special approval, like on Sunday mornings, to drive through Chimney Rock for this service). This is a deeply moving service to reflect the solemness and holiness of this day.  
• Easter Sunday | April 20th | 8:00am Service in Outdoor Chapel, 10:00am Service in Sanctuary with Easter Egg Hunt and Brunch to follow. This is a day of joyful connection! 

Please Note: This week there will be no regular Thursday online noonday prayer. If possible, please come to one of our services for Maundy Thursday. 

Treasurer's Report

If you were at the annual meeting this year, you received an update of the church’s financials as of the end of 2024. Together the Finance Committee, Vestry, and Rector are responsible for diligently monitoring and managing the church’s finances, buildings, and grounds on all our behalf. We have finished the first quarter of the year, and I am pleased to give you this update. 

Our budget for 2025 was based on pledges we had received, and what we felt were the minimum expenses for keeping the church going. After the budget was completed, and we all started getting back together, additional pledges came forward, for which we are grateful. Through the end of March, we received $60,322 in operating income (pledges and unrestricted funds); and our expenses were $37,968. The church is very fortunate to receive donations that are unrestricted and can be used for our routine expenses. We have used Hurricane Funds for our utility bills in the first 2 months as the buildings were being used by many of the dedicated volunteers in Bat Cave. We do ask for your continued giving, as we anticipate the unrestricted gifts from outside to lessen as we get further away from Hurricane Helene.

You are also aware that we have received restricted donations to be used to help individuals, our church, and the community in the recovery from Hurricane Helene. The Vestry has managed this fund to render assistance to 84 individuals and families from our church, the gorge, and surrounding communities. At the end of 2024, that fund balance was $119,531. In the first quarter, we received an additional $44,244. And have given to those in need $80,521. Our current balance is $83,954. The Vestry’s intent is to use a majority of this fund, along with other donations, to sponsor a larger project that will benefit our community. 

At anytime you have a question about the church’s finances, please feel free to reach out to me. 

Kathy Boff, Treasurer



Friends, 

This week, we enter into Easter Joy through Mary Magdalene's witness of Christ’s Resurrection (initially, with some confusion). In this reading from the Gospel, Mary is officially tasked by Jesus to become the “Apostle to the Apostles”, a name originally given her in the early Church. In this time of fresh growth and transition, it is the ideal time to find hidden joys and resurrection in all of the grief that we have faced over the last year. For me, this was recently evident as I rode through Chimney Rock with our Diocesan Disaster Response Team. Here, crews were hard at work, and trees and flowers were in full bloom. Similar to Christ in his Resurrection, although different and initially unrecognizable, there was much joy in seeing growth and prosperity over natural elements that over the winter had seemed completely liminal, doomed, and abysmal. Friends, as Psalm 118 reminds us: “Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his mercy endures forever.”

Colin

Colin Rice is joining us by way of Blue Ridge Service Corps, a program for young

adults in our Diocese to discern career paths in an intentional and spiritual way. He is discerning between full time ministry or a career in social work. Colin is thrilled to join our community for the coming months!

Re-Gathering on Sundays

What a gift to return to our beautiful church building in Bat Cave; thank you all for your patience and understanding during this long season away. While this is an amazing step to celebrate, there certainly are some important things to be aware of, as Bat Cave is far from normal:

• Each week things may change in terms of our road access, please stay tuned from week to week - God willing we will continue to worship there each week! Our presence back in Bat Cave is so important. 
• Road Access - as of now, you can drive in from Route 64 or Highway 9. As you are likely aware, the road through Chimney Rock is not open for regular use - however - we WILL be able to use it on Sunday mornings only. 
• We have been told by Chimney Rock leadership that if we go to the checkpoint on Sunday morning, just say you are going to church at Transfiguration and they will let you through. If you are having trouble, call Barbara Meliski at 828-289-9911. 
• It will be good to limit the cars going through, so we do encourage some possible carpooling. Also, be aware the road through is getting better every day, but it’s not an easy drive. Larger vehicles are ideal if you have the option. 

While there are some challenges in returning, it will be so good to be back in our church home. 

Simplified Coffee Hours

Sign up online

Reminder: The first Sunday of the month is for someone who likes to bring a lunch. The second, third and fourth Sundays are light snacks. When we have a fifth Sunday, we will have a Pot Luck Lunch.

Thank you to all who sign up!

We need people to sign up for Coffee Hour in May and June.

Drinks have been provided for every Sunday, so you don't need to bring drinks. Sign up online at Coffee Hour Take Them A Meal

Update on Meals for Disaster Relief Teams

The volunteers who come to Bat Cave Disaster Relief Hub for three meals a day, say thank you to all those who have been preparing meals for these many months. The home cooked meals make being away from their homes a lot easier. It is those comfort foods that let them know how much we appreciate what they are doing. Many of these people have been coming since October!



We prepare for about 20 people. They love salads and veggies and are always happy to see a dessert. Partnering with someone to cook part of the meal would make it easier. And they have frozen meats available (chicken, beef, etc.) for you to pick up and cook if you would like to use what has been donated to them. They just don't have a way to cook it. They are so appreciative of anything.

If you have questions, ask Saundra, Carlann, Dixie or Kathy - they have taken meals and can help you plan. Team up with someone to make it easier. The meals are so appreciated! The church can reimburse you for expenses.

To sign up for taking a meal or to find out more go to

 https://takethemameal.com/OKEB3569

Or contact Carlann for more information.

Praying for those who have asked for our prayers and whom we know to be in need

Ken and Ann Washburn, Margie Moore, Tom Taylor,

Cameron Day, Marion Wilson, Michael Webster, Sam Thompson,

Heyward and Nancy Nettles, Carol and J Michael, Harriet and Robert Taylor, Malee Keller, Aliesa Bowman, Neva Sheets, Lynn Morehead, Wendy Field, Harrison Poe, Ann Robinson, Kristina Robinson, Kim Lutthans,

Tony Gambee, Macy Weaver, Lori Loftus and Ken Schoewer, Tommy Edwards, Gale Wilson, Jerry Porter, Miriam McClure, Sandra Chalker,

Michele Yackel, Steve Boger, Debra Jean Borg, Linda Carter

All who are displaced and who are suffering   

Please send any names to be included on the prayer list to Julie Maziarka.

April Birthdays

Jessica Covey 9, Silvana VanEron 10, Marlise 11,

Mike Maziarka 22, Sara Gray 27, Elizabeth Dixon 29

April Anniversaries

Crystal and Buddy Morrison 20 Carl and Saundra Nelson 30

If you have a birthday or anniversary that is not listed for March, please let Carlann know so we can add it to the directory.

Link to the Lay Ministry Schedule

To apply for reimbursement for church expenses please print and fill out the reimbursement form

Please include name, details of expense, who authorized the expense and attach receipts.

If you have questions, please contact Kathy at

finance@ectransfiguration.org.

Forms are also available outside of the office in the Saylor House.