Weekly Clergy Letter From Mother Anne Turner

Dear Friends in Christ,

 

The outdoor worship space at the Shrine Mont is known as the “Cathedral Shrine of the Transfiguration.”  The name is a nod to the story of how Jesus was changed before his friends’ eyes on top of a mountain:

 

Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter and James and his brother John and led them up a high mountain, by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became bright as light.  (Matthew 17:1-2)

 

In this moment, Jesus us showed his friends the future and the past and the present all at once.

 

Shrine Mont lives up to its name.  It is a place that gives us glimpse backwards and forwards int time.

 

Backwards is not hard to understand.  Many people (including me) have memories of Shrine Mont that go back to childhood.  The porch chairs, calm waters of the pond, even the menus are unchanged.

 

But forwards?

 

Shrine Mont may be a powerful place of memory, but it is also a place of vision.  It strengthens us—just as the mountaintop strengthened the disciples—to be God’s people.  We become more rooted in our identity and so we can be bold, courageous, and confident in our calling.

 

The group that has been working on a vision for the next decade of our life at Grace will be presenting their findings on Sunday morning.  (Don’t worry—they’ll be presenting them back at Russell Road, too, on Founders’ Day, September 28.)  I am excited.  I want to hear what God has been saying to us and through us about the road ahead.

 

I know many of you are coming to the mountain.  I look forward to seeing you there.  And I look forward to our life together after we’ve been on the mountaintop together.  God has great things in store for us.

 

Yours in Christ,

Anne+

 

P.S.  Father Santi and I are grateful to so many of you for supporting us in our walking pilgrimage.  You have given us the gift of your company, and we have had companions for every leg of our walk.

 

P.P.S.  A reminder that your clergy won’t be drinking at Shrine Mont.  We need to be completely alert for your late-night theological questions!