The Work of Morality

by Father Casey

A few weeks ago I came across a long essay in The Atlantic with the provocative title, “How America Got Mean.”¹ It’s an insightful piece by David Brooks that I highly recommend, but in case you don’t have a subscription or the time, here’s a simple summary: the problems facing our nation are rooted in the disappearance of intentional, deliberate moral development. The effort our society makes today to nurture people of character is eclipsed by the much greater effort to maximize skills for future profitability. “In a healthy society,” Brooks writes, “a web of institutions—families, schools, religious groups, community organizations, and workplaces—helps form people into kind and responsible citizens, the sort of people who show up for one another.” In contrast, our society “has become one in which people feel licensed to give their selfishness free rein.”

Brooks examines history for ways in which previous generations worked harder at moral formation. (Not that our ancestors always got it right, by any stretch. We should always be cautious when people raise up the past as the “good old days,” that if reclaimed would help everything be great again.) I was especially interested in his description of a movement in...

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In this E-news:

• Faithful Departed Update
• Small Bites - Take One or Two
• Special Guests on Campus
• Parish Nurses Health Screening
• Church Offices Closed Labor Day
• Hillcrest Live Tickets Available
• Formation on Your Schedule
• Vestry & Convention Delegates
• Art Music Season Begins
• St. Elizabeth's September Potluck
• Hispanic Heritage Sign-up

• Bring Birthday Joy to Food Pantry Families
• Holy Cross Solemn Evensong
• Make Arrangements with Flower Guild
• Everybody Ages Registration
• Youth Bible Study
• Children & Youth Formation Registration
• Powered by Sunshine
• How to Get Small Bites
• Support St. Hilda's

As an update to last week's announcement of the death of longtime member Billie McMiller Daniels. A Requiem Eucharist will be held on September 9 at 2:00pm.

Rest eternal grant to her, O Lord, and let light perpetual shine upon her.

Come Take One or Two

Starting last weekend and continuing for the next couple of months, you will find a blast of color and a big heart to the left of the Nave entrance. This is heartbeat-central for the Small Bites campaign that is underway. Stop by, take a selfie in front of the hand-painted mural, grab a small bite of something delicious, and pick 1 or 2 "Small Bites" from the board of Spiritual Gifts.

"Small Bites" is a great opportunity to try out your Spiritual Gifts in ways that is free of any long term commitment. Who knows, you may discover a new passion. If you don't know what your Spiritual Gifts are or want to leisurely explore the hundreds of small bites, you can accomplish both by clicking the button below.

Special Guests

on Campus

Beginning this weekend, as part of our Vestry’s efforts to ensure safety and security at Transfiguration, we will welcome an off-duty law enforcement officer to patrol our campus during each of our weekend services and other special events. These officers will move around campus before, during, and after our worship services. If you encounter them, we hope you will extend a warm welcome.

To learn more about our security efforts, click here.

Parish Nurses Health Screening

Saturday and Sunday, the Parish Nurses will be conducting their monthly Health Screening services before, between and after all services.

You will find them located adjacent to the Labyrinth to the right of the entrance to the Nave.

Church Offices Closed for Labor Day

This Monday, September 4, the Church offices will be closed in observance of the Labor Day holiday. The offices will reopen on Tuesday morning as usual. If you require pastoral assistance from a member of the clergy, you can contact them using the link below.

Contact Clergy

Hillcrest Live

Get Your Tickets Now

You’re invited to Hillcrest Live, Transfigured Nights’ music showcase and silent auction.

Click Here to Purchase Tickets

A delicious array of hors d’oeuvres and desserts prepared by our best practitioners of the culinary arts will be accompanied by wine, non-alcoholic beverages and coffee. The silent auction will showcase the hidden talents and artistic ventures of the choir members. You can expect a wide variety of experiences and curated items on which to bid. Proceeds will benefit the Transfiguration Choir’s 2024 pilgrimage to Scottland.

Beginning this September, Transfiguration has an exciting line-up of Adult, Youth, and Children’s Formation programming that you won’t want to miss! Sunday School classes begin on September 10 and end on October 22, 2023.

Click the Course Titles below to see details and registration information or visit www.transfiguration.net/grow for all things related to Formation.

Adult Sunday

School

• Women of The Saint John’s Bible

• Discernment as a Spiritual Discipline

• Ethics & The Good Life

• Cracking the Relationship Code

• Sacred Ground

Children & Youth Sunday School

• Youth Formation: Holy Troublemakers & Unconventional Saints (grades 6-12)

• Wee Wonders (2 & 3 year olds)

• Godly Play (pre-k -5th grade)

• Children’s Chapel

• Youth & Children’s Choirs

Weekday Formation Offerings

Adults

• The Way (starts Sep 12)

• Disciple Bible Study IV (Starts Sep 14 on Zoom)

Children & Youth

Wednesday Evenings

• Impact Kids (grades 4-5)

• Crossover (grades 6-12)

Art Music Season Begins

The first Art Music concert of the 2023-2024 season is Monday, September 11, at 7:30pm in the Performance Hall. This program will feature music by Johann Halvorsen, Josef Haydn, and Herbert Howells performed by Maria Schleuning, violin, Anna Kolotylina, viola, Gayane Manasjan Fullford, cello, and Artem Arutyunyan, piano.

The program is free and includes light desserts at intermission. Since these concerts have become exceedingly popular, and seating is limited, it is recommended to arrive by 7:15pm.

St. Elizabeth's September Potluck

Thursday, September 14, at 6:00pm in Roper Hall, Saint Elizabeth's will host their monthly potluck gathering. This is a wonderful way to get to know fellow members at the Fig whether you are a longtime parishioner or brand new. The Spotlight Ministry for this month's meeting is the Legacy Society, represented by Linda Ayres.

Click the button below to let us know how many are coming and what dish you will bring to share.

Hispanic Heritage Celebration

On September 16, at 6:30pm our Racial Justice Ministry invites you to kick off Hispanic Heritage Month at the Fig! The festivities will include dinner catered by Mattito’s and dances from Latin America taught by accomplished ballet folklorico dancer, Joel Cortez.

Learn more, secure your spot now, and purchase tickets using the button below.

Bring Some Birthday Joy

This month, Outreach asks the congregation to donate birthday kits for the Food Pantry. Please bring a complete kit including: aluminum pan, cake mix, vegetable oil, frosting, birthday candles, and decorations to the Outreach table in the gathering space on September 10 or 17.

Holy Cross Solemn Evensong

The 20th season of Transfigured Nights opens with a Solemn Evensong for Holy Cross Day on Sunday, September 17, at 5:00pm. Joel Martinson will direct the Transfiguration Choir accompanied by Stefan Engels on the organ in his Evening Service for the Transfiguration commissioned for the choir’s first trip to England in 2013. Another commissioned work connected with the parish – The Way of Jesus – on a text by Delores Dufner OSB, will be sung as the anthem. The Rev. Ted Clarkson will officiate, and the Rev. Casey Shobe will deliver the homily. A reception will follow in the Gathering Space.



Make Arrangements with Flower Guild

Join the Flower Guild for the Fall Flower arranging class on Saturday, September 23 from 830am - 1:00pm. We’ll teach you the basics and you’ll go home with your very own arrangement. There is a $35 charge and participants will take home an arrangement and container. Minimum age to participate is 16 years. All the proceeds of this class go to the Butterfly Garden Project. Be sure to register no later than September 17, 2023!

Everybody Ages Workshop

Mark your calendars now for Saturday October 7, 2023, 8:30 am – 12:15 pm in Roper Hall.

We are offering a workshop for those in the Second Half of Life and those in the Sandwich Generation who love them. There will be speakers on – Faith in Aging, Senior living opportunities, Insurance Decisions, Legal Matters, Hospice.

More details and registration are available using the button below. If you have questions, contact Pastor Nancy DeStefano for more information.

Youth Bible Study

Grow in your understanding of scripture by attending the Youth lead Bible Study. Embracing Faithful Identities is a Bible Study for Youth (grades 6th-12th grade). We meet weekly on Sundays from 5:00pm - 6:30pm in the Youth Center with the goal of reading the Bible over the next three years starting with Genesis. You are invited to bring your own dinner and we will share faith and fellowship as we discuss the important stories that help us embrace who we are as people of faith. This is a drop in group. No registration is required. A zoom option will be available.

For more info contact:

Delynda Moravec

Children & Youth Formation Registration

Fall Formation Classes for both Children and Youth will begin September 10 at 10:15am. Register now so we can make preparations:

Children's Formation

Godly Play

Wee Wonder

10:15am - 11:00 am

The Church

Youth Formation

Holy Troublemakers & Unconventional Saints

10:15am - 11:00am

Youth Center

How to Get Small Bites

The Small Bites Campaign is powered by the Spiritual Gifts we have all received through the Holy Spirit and the loving labors of many committed members. It is also enabled by the online engine that allows you to register for events.

There are three ways to find Small Bites embodying your Spiritual Gifts:

1. The results email you received after completing the Spiritual Gifts Assessment
2. Accessing and reviewing the Spiritual Gifts Description page and clicking the buttons listed there
3. Scanning the QR code found on the Spiritual Gifts Board in the Gathering Space.

Regardless of the way you locate a Small Bite, clicking the individual Small Bite square takes you directly to a registration for that offering.

Some things to remember:

• If you are not already signed into Realm, you will be prompted to sign-in.
• If you have forgotten your password, click the Forgot Password link on the Realm Sign-in page, and you will receive an email allowing you to reset your password.
• If you don't have a Realm Account, you can go to The Realm Help page on our website and click the button asking for Help with Realm. We are here to help you get connected with Small Bites and one another.
• If a Small Bite is either full or registration is closed, try selecting another date.

Support St. Hilda's

The members of St. Hilda's Guild faithfully serve the Fig by staffing the Kay Andrews Bookstore and Gift Shop and the Clothes Horse Resale Shop. Support their efforts through your purchases and donations.

The Kay Andrews Bookstore

Our Bookstore and Gift Shop, located in the hallway near the Memorial Garden and the Children's wing are making adjustments to their hours of Operation. Until further notice the they will be open and ready greet you at the following times:

Thursdays: 10am - 2pm

Sundays: 9am - 1pm

The Clothes Horse

The Clothes Horse is a resale shop providing the community with a place to donate gently worn clothing and offering budget-minded customers a source of reasonably-priced, good-quality apparel. 

Tuesday: 10am - 2pm

Thursday: 10am - 2pm

Saturday: 10am - 2pm

Clothing donations are accepted at any time the shop is open.

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