All Saints Sunday - Waging Peace

by Father Casey

It being the first week of November, when the mind of the Church is turned toward the communion of saints, I’ve been thinking about my favorite saint, Francis. Even before I walked his pilgrim path in Italy last year, Francis has had a big influence on me, as I know he has for many Christians around the world.

Though most know little more about Francis than his love of nature, he is far more complicated than the ubiquitous garden statues of him would suggest. In addition to astounding humility and compassion, Francis also had a brilliant wit, sparkling imagination, and extraordinary courage. His courage was on full display when, in 1219, he traveled from Italy to Egypt during one of the Crusades.

At the time, there was almost no real knowledge of Islam, but mountains of stereotypes peddled by kings and popes in order to demonize the “enemy.” Most preaching about the crusades featured these false myths, as well as promises of holy rewards for participating in the brutal and bloody conquest. Opposition to the crusades was rare, especially among the Church, for it was a settled belief that the crusades were...

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In this E-news:

• Fall Back This Weekend
• Stewardship: Are We There Yet?
• The Rector's Forum
• All Saints Sunday
• Parish Nurses Health Screening
• Peace Post Sunday
• Saint Elizabeth's November Potluck
• Parish-Wide Elections
• Advent Festival - Angel Encounter
• Angel Tree Volunteers Needed

• Kirking of the Tartans
• Second Half Lunch Bunch
• Figs With Kids Make Pies
• Watch The Philadelphia Eleven
• Art Music Monday
• Austin Street Thanksgiving Meal
• Stocking Collection - Our Friend's Place
• Power From Above
• Support St Hilda's Guild
• How did you make your pledge?

Daylight Saving Time Ends This Weekend

Set your clocks back 1 hour before going to bed this Saturday night. We look forward to seeing you on time this Sunday!

Stewardship: Our Goal is In Sight

Whether you pledged out of duty, out of reciprocity, or out of Love, well done and thank you! Through your amazing generosity, you have moved us closer to our goal. If you are part of the 26% who have pledged in the past but have not yet pledged this year – or if you have never pledged, there is still time for you to grab the baton and be a part of those who take us across the finish line!

Help us reach our Stewardship Goal of $2.1M

If you did not receive your packet, have questions about payment methods, or need assistance making financial gifts, message Cathleen Dolt, our Parish Administrator using the button below or call (972)233-1898 ext.230

The Rector's Forum

Sunday, February 5 at 10:00am Father Casey will host a Q&A session. Grab a coffee and join us in Roper Hall to ask questions and learn more about what's happening at The Fig.

The Feast of All Saints

This weekend, November 4 and 5, we will celebrate The Feast of All Saints at all services! This is one of the great festivals of the Church year. As is traditional, we will welcome new Christians to our family through Baptism at the 11:15am Sunday Eucharist. Come join us as we give thank for all the Saints who, assembled in that Great Cloud of Witnesses, surround us and cheer us on in our earthly pilgrimage.

Parish Nurses Health Screening

The parish nurses are available Saturday and Sunday to screen for blood pressure before and after services.

You will find them adjacent to the Labyrinth on Saturday from 5:00 - 6:30pm or on Sunday from 8:30 until 11:00am. 

Peace Post

Sunday

Join us this Sunday. We’ll be writing notes to our elected officials in the Staff Conference Room from 10:00am until about 2:00pm.  While you’re free to address any topic, we will suggest three topics connected to current legislation. Come and add your voice to those of other Christians. We have a duty to make our voices heard!

Register for St E's November Potluck

St. Elizabeth's will host their November potluck dinner in the Gathering Space, Thursday, November 9. Appetizers start at 6:00pm and dinner at 6:30pm. This month's spotlight event is Tango Showcase with Michael Durrance and Diep Nguyen. Click the button below for full details and to sign-up.

Vestry members and Diocesan Convention Delegates will be elected next weekend, November 11-12, 2023. All baptized members of the parish, in good standing, who are 18 years old or older are invited to vote in the annual parish election. Voting will take place both in-person and online. Details will be provided in coming weeks.

The Vestry Nominating Committee is pleased to recommend the following slate of candidates to serve on Vestry beginning in 2024:

Michael Durrance

Brian Ferrell

Olga Ruff

Elaine Sweet

Additionally, we will select six Delegates to represent Church of the Transfiguration as the 2024 Diocesan Convention. The top six vote-receiving candidates will be Delegates and the remaining candidates will be ranked by votes to serve as alternates. The Delegate nominees are:

Travis Adamek

Jameson Barrow

Sergio Garcia

Barbara Geiter

Leslie Hudson

Bill Kesler

Pat Kriska

Mason McCamey

Mark Ramsay

David Reece

Evan Williams

Click the link below for Candidate biographies and election information.

Read more about why why we elect a Vestry slate and a follow-up clarification.

Encounter Angels at Advent Festival

Advent Festival comes early this year. Next Sunday, November 12, we will hold our annual celebration in Roper Hall and kick off a new formation season designed to open our imaginations to some of God’s most mysterious creatures: Angels.

Cover: Jacob’s Ladder, Donald Jackson with contributions from Chris Tomlin,

Copyright 2002, The Saint John’s Bible, Saint John’s University,

Collegeville, Minnesota USA. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Angel Tree Volunteers Needed

We are pleased to share that this year’s Angel Tree will benefit families from Spring Valley Elementary School.

Our tree, decked with wishes and needs of 140 children from the school, will be open beginning this Saturday, November 11. We need helpers on Saturday evenings & Sunday mornings (before and after services) to facilitate angel adoptions and to accept returned gifts. To volunteer as a facilitator, please email Pamela Sternweis or call her at 214-587-2675.

Thank you for helping us bless these families who live right here in our own community!

Art Music Monday

November's Art Music Monday will be held November 13 at 7:30pm in the Performance Hall. This month will feature:

Reinhold Glière – Eight Pieces for Violin & Cello Op. 39 

Mikhail Glinka – Three Russian Songs for Piano Trio

Ludwig van Beethoven – Piano Trio in D Major Op. 70 No. 1

Musicians

Maria Schleuning, violin

Gayane Manasjan Fullford, cello

Artem Arutyunyan, piano

Art Music programs are free and include coffee and light desserts. Since these concerts have become exceedingly popular, and seating is limited, it is recommended to arrive by 7:15pm.

EMF Hosts Airlines Confidential

The guest speaker at this month's EMF dinner on Thursday, November 16 at 6:30 pm in Roper Hall will be Scott McCartney, co-host of the Airlines Confidential podcast and former Wall Street Journal writer of the weekly Middle Seat column. 

Get the inside scoop on cheap fares, frequent flyer programs and best and worst airports. Open to all, There is a $25 entry including dinner and refreshments.

Please register and pay using the button below so we can plan appropriately.

Kirking of the Tartans

On Sunday, November 19 during our 11:15am Eucharist, we will remember and give thanks for Scotland, the Scottish Episcopal Church, and the profound impact it made on the Episcopal Church. You are invited to wear your family tartans to church for a blessing that day. This Kirking of the Tartans tradition will be celebrated with a bagpiper and reception following the service in Roper Hall.

Second Half Lunch Bunch

Second Halfers are invited to be a part of lunch after the 11:15am service on Sunday, November 19. 

This month we will meet at Cafe de France located at 17370 Preston Rd., Dallas, TX. We will meet at the restaurant at 12:30pm.

All are then invited to return to the Fig for the Movie: The Philadelphia Eleven. Please register below so we can let the restaurant know how many to expect.

Figs With Kids Make Pies

Figs with Kids will host their annual pie making event on Sunday, November 19 at 11:15am in Roper Hall. 

Pies that are made will be delivered to Austin Street Center for their Thanksgiving Meal.

Please register in Realm so that we can prepare for the number of pies. The cost is $10/pie. 

The Philadelphia Eleven Documentary

In 1974, The Episcopal Church ordained women to the priesthood for the first time (known as “The Phliadelphia Eleven”). The first ordination of a woman in the Diocese of Dallas occurred eleven years later at Transfiguration. Join us in Roper Hall on Sunday, November 19 at 3:00pm to watch The Philadelphia Eleven, a new documentary about this dramatic and transformational event. Join in a discussion after the film with many of the women who have served as priests at Transfiguration through the years.

Volunteer for Austin Street

Thanksgiving Eve

Approximately 400 homeless shelter guests at Austin Street Center look forward to the annual Thanksgiving Eve dinner served by members of our parish. If you would like to be a part of this Transfiguration tradition and volunteer to serve the meal on the evening of November 22, let us know. We only have a limited number of serving positions; so, please volunteer early.

Also, donations to help fund the Thanksgiving meal and our monthly meals will be greatly appreciated. Please make your check payable to Transfiguration and note “ASC Thanksgiving Dinner” on the memo line or go to Realm and select “Austin Street” from the Fund dropdown options.

Email to volunteer:

Matt Harms

Stocking Collection for Our Friend's Place

Help us fill Christmas stockings for Our Friend's Place.

Our Friends Place is a not-for-profit organization that provides supportive and transitional living resources for young women, ages 18-24, in the Dallas area who are struggling to find stability due to neglect, abuse, poverty or homelessness. 

This year at our Advent Festival (November 12) we will be stuffing Christmas stockings filled with items we hope to collect for the young girls living at Our Friends Place. Please help us collect the following items by sending them with your child to class on Sundays or by dropping items off in the box located in the gathering space between now and November 12: 

Suggested list of items that would be wonderful to have in the stockings. 

• Fluffy/Fuzzy Socks 
• Lip balm 
• Shower Steamers
• Make-up remover Wipes
• Purse size 1st Aid kits 
• FaceMasks (Beauty Masks)
• Hand lotion/cream 
• Keychain Flashlight
• Candy

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. As we prepare for Advent and the Nativity, it's the perfect time to support their efforts through your purchases and donations.

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.

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

Share the Good News of Christ at work at the Fig!

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