The Transfiguration Lutheran Church Food Pantry Ministry will be closed on March 21, 2020.
Starting in April, the food pantry will only be open on the third Saturday of the month.
December 2019 Calendar
December 3- Giving Tuesday
All Day
Help us in building our community. Our non-profit TLC Outreach Services will be participating in #GivingTuesday this year. TLC Outreach Services works to provide educational, recreational, and ministry-based opportunities and activities to the people in our community. Some of the these services include our summer day camp and field trips for all ages. Donate through Givelify with the link below.
December 4- Advent Service
Meal @ 5:30, Service @ 6:30
Prepare for the birth of Jesus Christ and his second coming. Sermons will be given by Rev. Aaron Dickerson.
December 7- Holiday Bazaar
11:00 AM- 2:00 PM
Shop early for new and gently used gift items. Proceeds to benefit the TLC Scholarship Fund. The TLC Scholarship Committee has been working throughout 2019 to launch the TLC Scholarship Fund and will hopefully begin to award students in 2020. This will be their first fundraising event!
December 8- Christmas Concert
3:00 PM
Celebrate the birth of Jesus with praise and worship from the Great Commission and Transfiguration Mass Choir.
December 11- Advent Service
Meal @ 5:30 PM, Service @ 6:30 PM
Prepare for the birth of Jesus Christ and his second coming. Sermons will be given by Rev. Aaron Dickerson.
December 18- Advent Service
Meal @ 5:30 PM, Service @ 6:30 PM
Prepare for the birth of Jesus Christ and his second coming. Sermons will be given by Rev. Aaron Dickerson.
December 21- Food Pantry
10:00 AM-12:00 PM
The TLC Food Pantry will be giving away Christmas baskets for those in need. Each family will receive a turkey and sides for them to cook for Christmas. Photo ID is required.
December 22- LCC Christmas Skit
11:00 AM
The children of the Lutheran Community Center will perform a musical skit during church service.
Merry Christmas to all from your TLC Family!
116 Years of Service!
“So if you walk in My ways and keep My statutes and commandments, just as your father David did, then I will prolong your days.” 1 Kings 3:14
On Sunday, November 24, Transfiguration Lutheran Church celebrated its 116th anniversary. Rev. Aaron Dickerson gave an inspiring sermon, emphasizing the theme “A Thankful People Serving a Faithful God”. Ms. Leslie Jones, the president of the congregation and the first Black female Lutheran church president, was the Master of Ceremony and led the congregation through a wonderful service.
Mr. Anthony Wilkins, son of Deaconess Addie Wilkins who contributed so much to the history of Transfiguration, provided some historical highlights of Transfiguration Lutheran Church. Transfiguration has such a rich history that Mr. Wilkins could only give highlights, a more in depth history can be found here.) Additionally, the chancel choir, male chorus, and the children of the Lutheran Community Center all blessed the service with songs of praise and thanksgiving.
Sisters Wilma Marshall and Marie Medcalf present
ed a special recognition to Pastor Donnie Robinson for his service to Transfiguration. Pastor Robinson was a friend of the late Rev. Dr. Stanley Engram, Sr. and was a great support during Pastor Engram’s illness. Pastor Robinson was willing and able to provide inspiring messages during Pastor Engram’s absences from the pulpit and was a great source of comfort after Pastor Engram’s passing. He received a plaque of appreciation which read:
“With our Greatest Appreciation To
PASTOR DONNIE ROBINSON
Thank You for serving
TRANSFIGURATION LUTHERAN CHURCH
with the Joy of Jesus.
We give thanks to God always for you
-1 Thessalonians 1:2
116TH CHURCH ANNIVERSARY
Sunday, November 24, 2019“
Mrs. Ida N. Mobley received special recognition for having the longest record of membership and attendance at Transfiguration. She was previously recognized as a Golden Girl during TLC’s Annual Women’s Day Celebration. Mrs. Mobley joined the original location of Transfiguration at the age of five and is one of the few members that was with the church when it moved to its current location. In her thank you speech, she recalled that there were no high-rises in the St. Louis City area when she first joined the church! Mrs. Mobley received a certificate of recognition and a gift from the church.
Keeping with the theme of thankfulness, Transfiguration, the Lutheran Community Center, and the Lutheran Business Women hosted a Thanksgiving Luncheon immediately after service. Members and guest fellowshipped over good food and enjoyed a slideshow presentation of TLC through the years and a video about the work of the community center.
A special thank you to all of those who made this celebration possible: the members of Transfiguration Lutheran Church, the Anna Beck Lutheran Community Center, and the Lutheran Business Women.
Update: Food Pantry for the End of the Year
The Food Pantry at Transfiguration Lutheran Church will only be open for the third Saturdays of both November and December (November 16 and December 21, 2019). Accordingly, the food pantry will not be open on the first Saturdays (November 2 and December 7, 2019) as the regular schedule specifies.
On November 16th and December 21st, Thanksgiving and Christmas baskets will be given to all those who come. As per usual, a photo ID is required in order to receive a basket.
If you would like to help fill the holiday baskets, donations are always welcome. Please continue to pray for our brothers and sisters in Christ who are struggling and are without food or shelter.
In the spirit of giving thanks, we would also like to welcome all to our Anniversary program on Sunday, November 24th. We are celebrating 116 years as “A Thankful People Serving a Faithful God”. A Thanksgiving meal will be held after the service where we can eat, celebrate, and give thanks as a family in Christ.
TLC Golden Girls Honored
The women of Transfiguration Lutheran Church hosted their annual Women’s Day on October 13, 2019. With a powerful message from Evangelist Jacqueline Ewing, beautiful music from the Women’s Day choir, and dynamic contributions and participation from the women of TLC and our sister churches, there was a true celebration of the event’s theme: Daughters of the King.
Some very specific daughters of the King were recognized at Women’s day: TLC’s four Golden Girls. The Golden Girls recognition is part of the annual program to give honor and gratitude to older women (75+ years) who are still worshipping and serving in the ministry of the church. The honorees for 2019 were: Edna Jones, Mary Kimbrough, Ida Mobley, and Lavern Walker.
Edna Jones
Mrs. Edna Jones is a force to be reckoned with an indispensable member of the community that Transfiguration serves. She serves faithfully on the Usher Board. Mrs. Jones also lives in the neighborhood and is often a caregiver for the children of the community. She makes sure that the children and their parents know about Vacation Bible School and the TLC Summer Day Camp. Additionally, she takes it a step further and escorts to children to and from the church!
Mary Kimbrough
Mrs. Kimbrough is steadfast in her commitment to the church and always makes sure she has a way to get to church. When asked about Mary Kimbrough, anyone who has had the privilege of hearing her voice will remember its power. Mrs. Kimbrough has served in the choir for many, many years as a strong and unforgettable tenor. Anyone who hears her sing “Lead Me, Guide Me” will be blessed.
Ida Mobley
Mrs. Ida Mobley has had her hands in several of the church’s ministries. Though she loves and cares for everyone, Mrs. Mobley has a special affinity for the children and youth of the church and the surrounding community. She serves as foster-grandparent for abused children. She has also served on the Usher Board for a long time and is now a member of the chancel choir. Mrs. Mobley is a caregiver for TLC, providing meals whenever needed. She runs the kitchen for special services, Vacation Bible School, TLC Summer Day Camp, and any other events.
Lavern Walker
Mrs. Lavern Walker is a strong and devoted prayer warrior. She started and continues to run the church’s prayer chain and makes sure that our members, families, friends, and communities are all fortified in prayer. Within the last few years, she has also started the church’s community prayer which takes place every first Sunday. Between those two prayer ministries, Mrs. Walker has made sure that TLC is lifted up in prayer both in and out of the church. Additionally, Mrs. Walker has served on the church’s committee on evangelism and stewardship.
Thank you, Golden Girls!
The recipients received a bouquet of flowers, a certificate of appreciation, and an appreciation card with a monetary gift. TLC is so grateful to these women’s and their years of service. They are true role models for their families, their communities, and the women of TLC.
Community Conversation with Colonel Hayden
As clarified in our Updated Mission, Vision, and Values, we are determined “to be a Christ-centered church that displays the love of Christ and connects with all people through our creative ministries, discipleship, and outreach.” We are committed to reaching each member, the youth in our church and community, the lost and unchurched, and our community.
On Tuesday, October 15, Transfiguration Lutheran Church hosted a community conversation between the police, the community, and the church. We are grateful to Colonel Hayden, the SLMPD Police Commissioner, and Captain Kriesmann, our district captain, for coming to TLC and having such an open conversation with us and our community. According to Colonel Hayden, drugs are very prevalent in our community. Additionally, there is a strong correlation between drug use/distribution and gun violence. However, we were assured that, though it may not seem like it, the number of homicides are decreasing.
Our new mission states that we are committed to “ministering to the spiritual and physical needs of God’s people in our church and community.” We are determined to find growth opportunities within our community. The crime and problems are mostly the actions of people acting out desperation. We believe our calling is to help alleviate that desperation in our community and have found several ministry opportunities to tackle:
- Job training and job availability
- Drug/addiction recovery ministry
- Addressing domestic violence in the community
- Food pantry (already in action)
As we prepare for the holiday season and the new year, TLC is putting forth action plans to engage more with the community and increase our impact and outreach. This conversation with Colonel Hayden and Captain Kriesmann with the neighborhood citizens gave us some in-dept perspectives on how we can help the community more. We will be using this valuable information as we make action plans for our outreach ministries.
Updated Mission, Vision, and Values
In July we celebrated Rev. Aaron Dickerson’s first year as pastor of our congregation. When he became our pastor, he held a retreat that was open to the members. Rev. Dickerson and the members collectively brainstormed about outreach opportunities in order to come with an action plan to expand TLC’s reach.
Rev. Dickerson began 2019 with a goal for TLC: to encourage, equip, and engage. For the past few years, TLC has been stepping into the modern world with updated bulletins, a new website, and an active on social media presence (@tlccongregation on Facebook and Instagram). On Sunday, September 22, the congregation voted on an updated mission, vision, and values to line up with our outreach opportunities.
Mission:
To develop a loving and caring body of believers who are able to share the Gospel, while ministering to the spiritual and physical needs of God’s people in our church and community.
Vision:
To be a Christ-centered Church that displays the love of Christ and connects with ALL people through our creative ministries, discipleship, and outreach.
Values:
-
The Gospel of Jesus Christ
-
The Study of God’s Word
-
Worship Service founded in God’s unconditional love, through the Holy Spirit in Word and Sacrament
-
Each member
-
Equipping and encouraging our members to be engaged in ministry
-
The youth in our church & community
-
The lost & unchurched
-
Our community
To commemerate our updated mission, we will be giving out complimentary bookmarks for members and guests during Sunday church services.
Click this link to see a PDF version of our new mission bookmark.
Taste of TLC Recap 2018
By Melba Davis
The women of Transfiguration Lutheran Church celebrated their 3rdAnnual Taste of TLC. 
The event was well attended and there was a wide variety of tasty foods, desserts, and beverages for all. The Women of TLC went all out, cooking and baking so many options that people had to come back for seconds and thirds! Church members, relatives of members, friends, and supporters of TLC had a great time feasting and enjoying each other’s company.
The turnout for the event increased over last year’s attendance and the women are planning for an even larger event this year!
It was so exciting to see the huge turnout for the Taste of TLC. I got a chance to eat delicious foods and desserts and fellowship with church members, family members, co-workers, and friends. Of course, my favorite food 
items were the desserts! The chocolate chip cookies, chocolate chip cheesecake, apple peach cobbler, sweet potato pie, and carmel-apple cheesecake were so delicious that I had to take some home with me!
Mark your calendars for the next Taste of TLC which is Saturday, August 24, 2019!
Adult tickets: $10 Child ticket (under 12): $5
To the Reverend Aaron, Pastor of Transfiguration Church
By Rose M. Green
Reverend Dickerson came to Transfiguration Lutheran in later 2017. Rev. Dickerson preached for us on Sundays after Reverend Dr. Stanley Engram’s health seriously began to deteriorate and he was unable to fulfill his pastoral duties.
Every Sunday Pastor Dickerson preached a sermon with his family right by his side. Pastor Dickerson delivered very powerful sermons that were uplifting, inspiring and really touched the hearts of our congregation. The congregation and its guests sat there very attentively, listening to God’s word as we were being fed spiritually and emotionally. When the sermon was really getting good you could tell, because some of the worshipers and members would shake their heads, take notes, smile, laugh or give verbal responses or signs of approval at what Pastor Dickerson said. Each week members would tell Pastor Dickerson how much they enjoyed the sermon he had just delivered; and they did it with a follow-up question. They would say, “Are you coming back next week?” Pastor Dickerson would reply by saying, “If they ask me back.” The members’ always spoke out, and let it to be known, they wanted him back next Sunday and the Sunday after that.
Reverend Dr. Stanley Engram passed away on May 5, 2018 – to be with the Lord. The congregation had to seriously think about a new shepherd that would lead the flock here at Transfiguration Lutheran Church. It was time for someone to continue the mission the Lord had place here.
The Executive Board, the Church Counsel and the congregation had meetings and discussions about finding a new pastor. One Sunday in a church meeting I subjected that Pastor Dickerson should become the next Shepherd of Transfiguration and I told the congregation what I had observed when Pastor Dickerson would preach on Sundays. At those times the congregation seemed very pleased with his manner of preaching and way Pastor Dickerson stuck to the Word of God. We also enjoyed the fact that his family was always there to fellowship with us, a family we have we had gotten to know and love very much.
Pastor Dickerson’s’ position was not a traditional call for a vacancy pastor according to Missouri Synod’s standard; we wanted Reverend Aaron Dickerson to serve as our pastor.
Pastor Aaron Dickerson was later asked to serve as the next Pastor of Transfiguration Lutheran Church. After conversation with his family, he accepted the position. Reverend Dickerson began the position on June 1, 2018 and he jumped right into being our Shepherd and getting to know our members.
Reverend Aaron Dickerson, on behalf of Transfiguration Lutheran Church we would like to celebrate your first year as pastor of Transfiguration Lutheran Church. We would also like to present to you a token of our appreciation and thanks with this plaque.
This lovely dedication was given by Rose M. Green, the Vice-President of Transfiguration Lutheran Church on Sunday, July 14, Reverend Aaron Dickerson’s first anniversary as the pastor of TLC. Photos and memories from this celebration can be found on our Facebook page through this link. (Copy and paste this URL if the link does not work for you: https://www.facebook.com/pg/tlccongregation/photos/?tab=album&album_id=2549245788427043 )
September 2018 Calendar
Our September is pretty packed!
“Let Go and Let God”- Bible Study
September 4th and 25th. 6 PM.
Join us as we continue to learn how to mend and fortify our relationships with the Word and the Spirit. Rev. Dickerson is leading this series. We meet on the first and fourth Tuesday of the month at 6 PM. (Sidenote: If you can’t make it on Tuesdays or want to strengthen your biblical knowledge even more, we hold an Adult Sunday School every Sunday at 10 AM before service.)
“Black Panther”- Movie Night
September 7. 5:30 PM.
Bring the whole family out for this fun and empowering event! Your kids will not want to miss this showing of Black Panther. Doors open at 5:30 and the movie will begin at 6:00. Admission is free and refreshments are available for purchase.
Invitation Sunday
September 9. 11:00 AM.
We welcome you to service for our Invitation Sunday. We encourage you to invite friends, family, coworkers, and anyone you see fit to worship with us. All are welcome!
“Grace, Power, and Witness”- Men and Women’s Day
September 30. 11 AM.
The men and women of TLC are teaming up to praise and witness about the goodness of God’s grace and power! We hope you can join us for our first annual Men and Women’s Day. Light refreshments can be served after. You can RSVP and invite others by clicking this link to our Facebook page.
Tranfiguration Lutheran Church 