Church of the Transfiguration
Our Sanctuary
Inside our Sanctuary
The Belltower
The original belltower was built by Jock Spence. It was a 35 foot high log structure supplied with a cast iron bell by Grace Church in Georgetown. The bell first rang on Easter in 1911. The Celtic cross which sits on top of the belltower came from the Church of the Redeemer in New York City. The Transfiguration bell rang for church and conference affairs, and to warn the townspeople of emergencies. In 1979, Company C, 244th Battalion Heavy Combat Engineers, U.S. Army Reserves, restored the tower.
St. Mark's
St. Mark's House is located just north of the main church building. It houses the church offices, the Episcopal Day School office and classrooms, and a parish hall. To get to St. Mark's House, face the front doors of the church and take the sidewalk to the left. Enter through the door with the "St. Mark's House" sign above it.
In 2005, St. Mark's House was renovated with the help of a grant from the Colorado Historical Society. The building was originally several smaller structures which were joined together over the years. The earliest part of the building was the original stage stop in Evergreen, built in the 1860's. In addition to the stage stop, St. Mark's House is comprised of the old Stewart Hotel, the Wilderness Cabin, and other additions. The Mission of the Transfiguration occupied the building in 1897.
Jock Spence, the principal architect and builder in early Evergreen, added the slash pine exterior in the first decade of the 1900's.
The Columbarium
From ancient times, the Church has provided holy burial within its confines, in graveyards, walls, crypts and walkways. Today, as space becomes limited and cremation more customary, the Church of the Transfiguration is proud to provide All Souls Grove Columbarium in the pine grove at the west end of the church. All Souls Grove is designed to offer a dignified yet economical way of inurning ashes. The Columbarium consists of one hundred individual or family crypts, each with a capacity for up to four burials. To date 26 of these crypts have been purchased, and 74 crypts remain available. The common vault, under the outdoor altar, is available for those not desiring individual burial.
The Labyrinth
A labyrinth is a path of prayer, a walking meditation, a crucible of change, a watering hole for the spirit and a mirror of the soul. May you be nourished.
A stone-lined labyrinth sits in the peaceful meadow by Bear Creek on the Transfiguration campus. It is part of the church's outreach to the community and all are invited to walk it or to simply enjoy the peaceful site where it rests on the church campus.
What is a labyrinth?
A labyrinth is an ancient archetype used in numerous religions as a path of prayer, a way to quiet the mind, find balance, and encourage meditation, insight and celebration. Walking the labyrinth path is a symbolic journey of one's life, taking the traveler into the depth of the self and then back out into the world.
Use the labyrinth in any way that meets your need. If you are having a problem and seeking a solution, enter the labyrinth with that intention. Walk the path as a tool to go deeper into prayer and to receive insights that can help you, that may give you answers. Or use it to find peace and calm, to center yourself.
Guidelines for walking the labyrinth
There is no right way or wrong way to walk a labyrinth. Simply walk into the entrance and follow the footpath. Think about quieting your mind and become aware of your breath. Allow yourself to find the pace your body wants to go.
The labyrinth is one continuous path that, despite its twists and turns, leads you to the center and back out again. It may look like a maze, but there are no tricks to it, no dead ends. If you continue to walk the path, you get to the center. Use the same path to return and the entrance then becomes the exit. The path is in full view and there are no choices that need to be made while walking it, allowing you to be quiet and focus internally.
History of the Transfiguration labyrinth
The labyrinth at the Church of the Transfiguration was completed in 1999 after the new rector, Catherine Tran, convinced the congregation that the meadow on the campus was a perfect spot for this spiritual tool. A labyrinth, she concluded, would be a spiritual enhancement of the historical church campus, one that would serve not only the parishioners but the entire community.
Transfiguration's labyrinth is a replica of the 11-circuit Chartres labyrinth, laid in the floor of Chartres Cathedral in France around 1220 A.D. (circuit describes the number of times the path circles around the center.). A stone-lined path leads with twists and turns to the center of the 54-foot wide circle. Originally, eight tons of granite river rocks were laid on a base of crushed red clay to create the design. After almost a decade of use, new rocks, plus an occasional flower or other vegetation, have appeared along the walkways. There are no restrictions on use of the labyrinth.
Transfiguration, one of the oldest remaining establishments in Evergreen, is located south of the intersection of Highway 74 and Meadow Drive. The meadow and its labyrinth are east of the historic bell tower and the church parking lot.