St. Dunstan's Episcopal Church is home to 200 parishioners, that is, if you don't count the fox, pileated woodpecker, deer and other creatures that drop by for Sunday service from time to time. The church situated on five acres of woods in Atlanta's Mount Paran neighborhood is so one with nature that its floor-to-ceiling windows aren't stained glass but plain to let in the glory of the seasons and the outside world. Occasionally, the outside world likes to peek back. St. Dunstan's is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. Its rector, the Rev. Patricia Templeton, chatted about the parish's communion with nature and its importance in marking the milestone.
Q: Can you talk about St. Dunstan’s role in the community?
A: We identify ourselves as a progressive Episcopal church that welcomes all kinds of people. On a recent Sunday, we had the blessing of a same sex relationship — the church was packed and there wasn’t a dry eye in the house. Four weeks out of the year, we have homeless families who come and live at the church. We have a relationship with a school in Tanzania and help provide for the medical needs of that community. We are very committed to nature and the environment. For a small congregation we do quite a lot.
Q: Aren’t you now officially a wildlife habitat?
A: We take seriously the commandment to be stewards of creation. Our kids took on the project of getting us certified by the National Wildlife Federation as a wildlife habitat. We have foxes and deer and owls and blue herons. Most people who come here are struck by the beauty of the land and the way the design of the church is integrated into the land. An architect and a landscape architect were among our founding members.
Q: This past weekend, your bishop blessed a new altar and lectern that your church commissioned a pair of Georgia artists to make. Can you talk about that?
A: The new altar and lectern are very simple and graceful and elegant and made to reflect the design of the building. When I first talked to the artist, Timothy Sutherland, I told him the story of the fox that hung around for a long time on Sunday mornings and would look in and watch the service. His wife Anne is a sculptor and did this beautiful bronze statute of a fox that sits at the foot of the altar that reflects our relationship with nature. We also had a pileated woodpecker that came every day to see his reflection in our windows. Anne made a bird to sit on the lectern.
Q: Do you think the fox was just curious or was something more significant going on?
A: There is a verse in Scripture: “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of God has no place to lay his head.” Part of what we are called to do is provide sanctuary to wildlife to lay their heads. With our work with the homeless, we want to provide them with a place to lay their head.
Q: In an era of mega churches, what are the advantages of being a small church?
A: There is a real sense of community and it is easy to get immediately involved. Some people prefer a larger church with a larger children’s program. The children here are involved in every aspect of the church and have a whole family of adults, extra parents and grandparents.
Q: What’s the significance of St. Dunstan’s turning 50? And where will the church be 50 years from now?
A: There are churches that have been around a lot longer. There also are plenty of churches that don’t make it that long. We are very financially stable and healthy. We have a lot of energy, enthusiasm and new people coming in. In 50 years, I think the church will be flourishing and I hope still committed to the same basic principles that we are today.
The Sunday Conversation is edited for length and clarity. Writer Ann Hardie can be reached by email at ann.hardie@ymail.com.
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