From the Rector

Lucy

Regan O’Callaghan wrote the Icon on the cover of this week's Announcement sheet (it is said that you ‘write’ an Icon – you don’t ‘paint’ it).  He is a close friend of mine, an artist and a priest in the Church of England. The subject is Lucy Winkett, the Rector of St James’ Piccadilly. The Icon was a gift to Lucy from a school where she served as Governor. 

The Icon is in line with many Icons that Regan has written. He believes in representing the ‘sainthood’ of all believers by painting living Christians with the same care and honor that you would reserve for painting a saint. There are many such wonderful images of ordinary holiness on his web site*.

In this image many of his common themes are present. The ‘sainthood’ of all believers is captured by the choice of subject herself: Lucy. Her robes contain a coru – the coil which is representative of the fern from Regan’s native New Zealand, and a sign of the renewal of creation and creativity itself. She is dressed as a priest, and is blessing the watcher, and her face is open and beaming with the smile of a community leader, but then there is the imposing bird on her other arm which strikes a different note. 

It is an eagle, Lucy’s favorite bird, and it is majestic in its posture. In Christian mythology the eagle is also the symbol of John’s Gospel, because it was said that John’s Gospel gives you an eagle-eyed view of the life of Jesus, and because the eagle has such good eyesight and John’s Gospel helps us to see Jesus more clearly. The eagle is perched on her left arm, and if you look closely enough its talons are drawing blood. This introduces some more complex themes into the piece. Initially it suggested to me that the preaching of the Gospel can draw blood: at least if done right! In speaking to Regan he told me that the blood represents the wounds of life, and I reflected back that life itself, if well lived, can be both costly, and also a sermon.

I love this painting, it is painted of a colleague by a good friend, and it also speaks volumes about the nature of the vocation to priesthood, and also to just being a Christian. 

Does living the Gospel sometimes cause you pain? Does living with integrity and truth feel like a challenge? Where are your sources of creativity and renewal? Are you smiling to the crowd, but also feeling pain that cannot be seen very clearly? Is there hope in your gestures?

Take a moment to contemplate this contemporary Icon. What would Regan paint in your Icon?

Love,
Matthew+

* www.reganocallaghan.com



New Web site - www.transfig-sm.org
If you go to www.transfig-sm.org you should see some changes!

Over the last year I have been working with a team from the parish including Mike Robinson and Mark Ryan on content and designs for our parish web site. I am grateful to both for their input. For the start of this program year we have put together a simple version of our new web site, full of the up-to-date content that you have asked for, which we hope will evolve as time goes on.

This is our starting point for the web site. We hope that you will make use of it over the next few weeks and months and give us feedback. It is a work in progress and we hope to update it as we go along as it is really responsive and easy to adapt. Your feedback will help us to create the communication tool that you need to be able to get the best out of your time at Transfiguration. Is there something missing? Tell us. Is there too much information? Tell us. Could it be easier to find the one thing you are looking for? Tell us. 

We are working to make sure all legacy web site addresses point to this new site.  So for now, go and have a look through: www.transfig-sm.org


Where the Wild Things Are: Transfig Teens Lock-in
We are launching our Transfig Teens season this coming weekend with a Lock-In. We are going to meet in church at 8:30pm and stay over night. In the morning, teens are invited to stay through the 10am St. Francis Day service which includes blessing of animals.

Our theme is ‘Where the Wild Things Are’ and we are looking at the wonder of Creation. St. Francis loved animals and so do we, so let the wild rumpus begin!

We are also going to be asking teens what they want in the program for the year to come, planning something for the animal blessing eucharist the next day, watching a movie, playing games, and taking part in a photo art project.

So: come along - Saturday, October 3rd at 7pm 

Bring animal onesies - animal hats or gloves - or a pretend tail - and be ready to find out where the wild things are.


Blessing of Animals - Sunday, October 4th, St. Francis Day
So that means - Next Sunday bring your animals to church for the 10am Community Eucharist. Cuddly toy animals are also welcome. We will meet in the courtyard so that animals can say hello to each other and calm down a bit and then move inside during the service. 

Please also bring photographs of animals you have shared your life with, but who have passed on so we can remember them also.


News & Announcements

Assistant Rector in Korea
This week, Monica will be gather with over 185 other delegates, including 16 from the Diocese of California, for the Episcopal Asiamerica Ministries (EAM) Consultation in Seoul to celebrate the 125th anniversary of the founding of the Anglican Church in Korea.  EAM gathers every few years to share ideas about leadership, ministry, and liturgical resources, and to worship as a multicultural community of Asians, Asian-Americans, and non-Asians in The Episcopal Church and wider Anglican Communion. Delegates met in 2013 in Burlingame for the 40th anniversary of EAM. Please pray that our EAM delegates will have an enjoyable and productive gathering, and that all may have safe travels. Monica will be back at Transfiguration on Tuesday, October 6. For more information about EAM visit: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/page/asiamerica-ministries.

Leader Sign-Up for Kids’ Club Chapel Time
There are several openings for Kids’ Club and Chapel Time leaders for October through December. A sign-up sheet will be available at coffee hour today if you would like to compare your calendar with open dates and sign up for leading. We will also offer the sign-up through SignUpGenius on Transfiguration’s new interim website within the next few weeks.

Transfiguration Preschool Openings
Our preschool is still registering new students for this year and would welcome anyone from the parish to enquire, particularly in the three year old class. Please pass along the information to friends and neighbors.  For details please look at the web site: 
www.transfig-sm.org/pre-school.html and contact our director Karen Indorante for more details at [email protected].

Transfig Fireflies
Fireflies, a preschooler play group (ages 0-5), meets in the parish hall every Thursday, 10am-noon. 

The group is free and everyone is invited, church member or not. We have a play time, story time with musical instruments, healthy snacks and finish with a craft project and/or game activity. We have fun, make new friends and share our joy, wisdom and sometimes frustrations of family life with other parents and caregivers. Stop by and check us out. Even if you do not have the children in this age group, please, let your friends, neighbors and family members of preschool age children know that we would love to welcome them at our playgroup.  Questions? Contact Dace Samta: [email protected].

Home & Hope Walk Run coming up in November
The 3rd Annual “The Journey Home” Walk/Run Fundraising Event is to be held on Sunday, November 8th at 1:00pm at Seal Point Park in San Mateo. This is a sponsored event to raise funds for Home & Hope.  Let Matthew or Dace Samta know if you want to participate. 

St. Margaret’s Guild outreach:  assistance for our furry friends
Today is the last Sunday of the St. Margaret’s Guild Outreach Collection box for Pets-In-Need and the Peninsula Humane Society/SPCA. Thank you to all who brought in items for this outreach project.  For more information visit the website: www.peninsulahumanesociety.org   Click on donations for full list.  Questions? contact Judy Castillo.

Coffee Hour Hosting   
We have many open Sundays in the coming months, for the 9:30 and 10:30 services as well as combined 10:00 services on first Sundays.  Please take a look and sign-up.   SignUp Genius web link

8:00 am      The Traditional Eucharist
9:30 am      The Joyful Noise Eucharist
10:30 am     The Musical Eucharist
Choir Program Launch Day

From the Rector

Who are you?
Akiva, a rabbi who lived just a little while after Jesus was walking fairly late at night along the banks of the sea of Galillee. He was lost in thought and got actually lost. He wandered towards a wall with a Roman soldier acting as a watchman on top of it. As the soldier saw Akiva approaching he shouted down really loudly: "WHO ARE YOU, WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?"
Akiva, being a rabbi, didn't answer, but shouted back a question: "Who are you?"
The soldier replied, "I am a Roman soldier, and it is my job to ask who you are and why are you here!"
Akiva asked: "and how much are you paid per day to do that?"
The soldier told him his day rate was 5 drachma and Akiva made a proposal, "I will pay you twice that amount if you come and stand in front of my house every day and shout "WHO ARE YOU," and "WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?" - as loudly as you can through my front door as I wake up.
Akiva understood what Aristotle taught, that we need to live with a profound sense of our own purpose in order to live and thrive. He called it the Telos - which simply means 'goal' or 'intention'. This story encapsulates the idea that we should all start our day with a clear sense of who we are, so that we might live into our Telos. 
Another way of talking about your Telos would be to say that it is the 'story' you tell about yourself. Some of the stories we tell about our selves are limiting, some help us to become the best version of who we can be. 
Christians live within a particular story. Some think it is ridiculous that a man should live and die and rise again, but the story is full of hope and power. It does not ignore the darkness of life, but it gives us a sense that there is also life beyond disaster. It is a powerful story.
When you wake up in the morning, what story do you tell about yourself? If a Roman soldier were to stand outside your house and shout: "who are you?" - what would you say?
Does your story limit you, or help you to grow? Does it challenge you to be better, or remind you that you cannot change?
Tell your best story today.

Love,
Matthew+


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Clergy Retreat

This Week Matthew and Monica will be attending the annual clergy retreat at The Bishop's Ranch. This is a part of our ordination commitment to participating in the councils of the church. Please note that Matthew will have his cell phone and email on and will be checking them if there are any pastoral issues. He can come back from The Bishop's Ranch if necessary.  Gospel Preview will be taking place as regularly scheduled. There will not be a Morning Prayer service on Thursday, 9/24.

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New Web site - 
www.transfig-sm.org
If you go to www.transfig-sm.org you should see some changes this weekend.
Over the last year I have been working with a team from the parish including Mike Robinson and Mark Ryan on content and designs for our parish web site. I am grateful to both for their input. For the start of this program year we have put together a simple version of our new web site, full of the up-to-date content that you have asked for, which we hope will evolve as time goes on.
The web site has a new front page, with the trusty Google calendar being one of the main things people asked for to keep everyone up to date on parish events. It also has service times, a Rector's Blog, the latest sermon, directions to the parish and links to our social media accounts.
Dig a little deeper and you will find pages on our mission and vision, staff photographs and descriptions.
We are also presenting an outline of our ministries at the start of this new program year and a place to find a PDF of our latest announcement sheets as well as an archive of announcement sheets from previous weeks in case you missed anything.
We also have a page dedicated to our pre-school, a fundraising page that is under construction and a member page. This last page is where you will go for online sign-ups for volunteering roles.
This is our starting point for the web site. We hope that you will make use of it over the next few weeks and months and give us feedback. It is a work in progress and we hope to update it as we go along as it is really responsive and easy to adapt. Your feedback will help us to create the communication tool that you need to be able to get the best out of your time at Transfiguration. Is there something missing? Tell us. Is there too much information? Tell us. Could it be easier to find the one thing you are looking for? Tell us. 
Thank you to Mark for helping us develop strategy and for keeping on working on a future design update, thank you to Mike for implementation help, thank you to Monica for edits. We are working to make sure all legacy web site addresses point to this new site.  So for now, go and have a look through: www.transfig-sm.org


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News & Announcements

Expected and Unexpected - Today at 9:15am
You may know of Mission Hospice & Home Care as an agency that provides needed end of life care. But did you know it also is a place where people in this community can go to when they have questions, or concerns, and need a resource?
I hope that you will join us today, Sunday, September 20th at 9:15am in the Parish Hall. Libby Hagman and Chris Ritzo will be giving a presentation on what's new at Mission Hospice.
Please also take a look in the Narthex at the two fliers describing a workshop and a movie series that Mission Hospice is presenting. 
Questions?  contact Jan Jensen.

Transfig Fireflies
Fireflies, a preschooler play group (ages 0-5), meets in the parish hall every Thursday, 10am-noon. 
The group is free and everyone is invited, church member or not. We have a play time, story time with musical instruments, healthy snacks and finish with a craft project and/or game activity. We have fun, make new friends and share our joy, wisdom and sometimes frustrations of family life with other parents and caregivers. Stop by and check us out. Even if you do not have the children in this age group, please, let your friends, neighbors and family members of preschool age children know that we would love to welcome them at our playgroup.  Questions? Contact Dace through the parish office.

The Empty Way: Contemplative Christianity and Zen Buddhism
September 21-November 9 (online)
This fall my friend and mentor, the Rev. Brian C. Taylor, will be teaching an online not-for-credit course for the Center for Anglican Learning and Leadership, a continuing education program of our seminary, CDSP. Fr. Brian will be looking at areas of overlap between the two traditions, and encouraging participants to practice meditation/prayer for the 7 weeks of the course. Participants will listen to a weekly audio talk, read one book, and explore other suggested reading or online listening. There will be some online communication between participants.; however, all of this course will be done non-simultaneously. A discounted rate is available if 6 or more parishioners register. For more information, contact Monica+. Registration

St. Margaret's guild outreach:  assistance for our furry friends
St. Margaret's Guild is sponsoring the Outreach Collection box for September. We are collecting items for Pets-In-Need and the Peninsula Humane Society/SPCA. Please see flyers in the Narthex for detailed information on what is needed.  
Website:   Click on donations for full list.  
THANK YOU FOR THINKING OF OUR FURRY FRIENDS!  Questions? contact Judy Castillo.
Coffee Hour Hosting   
We have many open Sundays in the coming months, for the 9:30 and 10:30 services as well as combined 10:00 services on first Sundays.  Please take a look and sign-up.   SignUp Genius web link
Or call Bethany Lukach at 831-229-4723 and she will sign you up.  Thanks!

From the Rector

You are cordially invited…

Jesus invited his disciples to sit and eat with him, and he invited a wider circle to join him in a life of faith. At our parish retreat in August we reflected on the theme: “The Bread of Life” and parishioners were invited to sit and eat together, and contemplate what nourished them.

As part of our program we recreated “The Last Supper” by Leonardo Da Vinci in photographic form, you can see it on the front cover of this announcement sheet. I love this recreation as it is a picture of a meal where friends have gathered around a table to share food. 

This image is central to our Christian form of worship called “The Eucharist”. It is our holy meal, our gathering around a table to be fed by Jesus, and we are all invited to join in this meal, this circle of community, this opportunity to be nourished.

Our program year, inclusing: the start of regular service times, new Chapel Time and Kids’ Club classes, the Choir season and adult formation program are all getting under way over the next two weeks and you are cordially invited to join in! 

Our whole program is an invitation for you to come along, participate, worship, grow in faith and deepen the bonds of affection that exist between us as parishioners at Transfiguration. We have a whole lot planned for this program year and your participation is all we need to make it the most rewarding, faith-filled, intergenerational, participatory, community-enhancing and world-changing year possible.

Wondering Together

There is one other invitation I want to issue today...

We begin this program year with a real focus on telling our Transfiguration story and hearing your Transfiguration story. In the next week or so you will be invited to a dinner at a Vestry member’s house as part of a program we are calling: Wondering Together.

Everyone who is in our parish directory will get an invite. These evenings are hosted by Vestry members, during the evening you will hear the Transfiguration Story told by Virginia Fox and then be invited to share your own Transfiguration story. There will be no ‘ask’ during the evening, these aren’t fundraising events - they are designed to be fun and full of good food and fellowship, and a little story telling and wondering. They will also present an opportunity to get to meet members of the parish you might not know and they are a great way for new members to get to know more parishioners. 

If you are new to the parish and don’t get an invite this coming week let us know that you would like to come and take part.

These evenings are going to help us grow together in love, and help the Vestry reflect on how we can best serve our congregation going forward into 2016. So come along and join in. Eat together, wonder together and grow together.

Consider yourself cordially invited.

Love,

Matthew+

New Web site

If you go to www.transfig-sm.org you should see some changes this weekend.

Over the last year I have been working with a team from the parish including Mike Robinson and Mark Ryan on content and designs for our parish web site. I am grateful to both for their input. For the start of this program year we have put together a simple version of our new web site, full of the up-to-date content that you have asked for, which we hope will evolve as time goes on.

The web site has a new front page, with the trusty Google calendar being one of the main things people asked for to keep everyone up to date on parish events. It also has service times, a Rector’s Blog, the latest sermon, directions to the parish and links to our social media accounts.

Dig a little deeper and you will find pages on our mission and vision, staff photographs and descriptions.

We are also presenting an outline of our ministries at the start of this new program year and a place to find a PDF of our latest announcement sheets as well as an archive of announcement sheets from previous weeks in case you missed anything.

We also have a page dedicated to our pre-school, a fundraising page that is under construction and a member page. This last page is where you will go for online sign-ups for volunteering roles.

This is our starting point for the web site. We hope that you will make use of it over the next few weeks and months and give us feedback. It is a work in progress and we hope to update it as we go along as it is really responsive and easy to adapt. Your feedback will help us to create the communication tool that you need to be able to get the best out of your time at Transfiguration. Is there something missing? Tell us. Is there too much information? Tell us. Could it be easier to find the one thing you are looking for? Tell us. 

Thank you to Mark for helping us develop strategy and for keeping on working on a future design update, thank you to Mike for implementation help, thank you to Monica for edits. We are working to make sure all legacy web site addresses point to this new site.  So for now, go and have a look through: www.transfig-sm.org



News & Announcements

Fall Children’s programs begin Today, September 13th!
Today, Sept. 13, (noon-12:30 pm) we will be offering parents and other faith formation co-leaders a brief introduction to the new SparkHouse curricula for Kids’ Club and Chapel Time in the Parish Hall. We will have sample lesson resources, including Leader and Learner Packs, the Connect Youth Bible and DVD clips. If you are unable to attend either session, last Sunday or today, please contact me to schedule a personal session.   -Monica+

The Rev. Brian Barnes, Rest in Peace
It is with sadness that we announce the death of The Rev. Brian Barnes, Archdeacon of the Diocese of California.

Brian was a placement deacon at Transfiguration some years ago and many still remember him fondly. A service will be held for him at the Cathedral on October 10th - the time yet to be announced.

The Empty Way: Contemplative Christianity and Zen Buddhism
September 21-November 9 (online)

This fall my friend and mentor, the Rev. Brian C. Taylor, will be teaching an online not-for-credit course for the Center for Anglican Learning and Leadership, a continuing education program of our seminary, CDSP. Fr. Brian will be looking at areas of overlap between the two traditions, and encouraging participants to practice meditation/prayer for the 7 weeks of the course. Participants will listen to a weekly audio talk, read one book, and explore other suggested reading or online listening. There will be some online communication between participants.; however, all of this course will be done non-simultaneously. A discounted rate is available if 6 or more parishioners register. For more information, contact Monica+. Registration 

St. Margaret’s guild outreach:  assistance for our furry friends
St. Margaret’s Guild will be sponsoring the Outreach Collection box for September.  We will be collecting items for Pets-In-Need and the Peninsula Humane Society/SPCA.  Items that are needed are listed below.

•For Cats:  Plastic film canisters, plastic shower curtain rings and feather toys, canned tuna, ping pong balls, golf balls

•For Dogs:  NEW or VERY CLEAN collars and leashes, Tennis balls, Nylabones, Kongs (all sizes), hard rubber balls and rubber toys.

•For Rabbits:  Plastic baby toys, keys, rattles, and other hard plastic toys for tossing.

•For Birds:  Rope perches and bird toys

•Unopened packages of dog and cat food and treats (no special diet foods).

•Blankets, receiving blankets, or bedding**     •Paper towels

** Items that they cannot use:   sheets, pillows, pillowcases, electric blankets, carpet of any kind, small boxes, paper towel rolls.

Website: www.peninsulahumanesociety.org   Click on donations for full list.  THANK YOU FOR THINKING OF OUR FURRY FRIENDS!  

Expected and Unexpected - Next Sunday, September 20
Next Sunday, Sept. 20 at 9:15 Mission Hospice representatives will be here. Libby Hagman and Chris Ritzo will talk about the services that Mission Hospice provides and with time for Q&A. They will also bring information about a couple programs they are presenting at other venues.  Questions?  contact Jan Jensen.

Coffee Hour Hosting   
We have many open Sundays in the coming months, for the 9:30 and 10:30 services as well as combined 10:00 services on first Sundays.  Please take a look and sign-up.   SignUp Genius web link.