Margaret Voge

EDITOR’S NOTE: A church community is created when people gather together for the love of God. At the same time, Saint Philip’s is comprised of many people who represent different ages, life experiences, and world views.

The “In conversation…” series is one attempt to create possibilities for connection between the different people in our community. As varied as we all are, there are also similarities and mutual interests waiting to be discovered. And there is one thing we all share: a desire to know God and be in relationship with him.

This week’s conversation is with parishioner and volunteer Margaret Voge.

How long have you worshiped at Saint Philip’s?
My husband Toby and I first attended in 1984 for pre-marital counseling, and then had our two children baptized here. We left for a while when our children were younger and enrolled in a Roman Catholic school.

But since I retired about a year ago, I’ve come back home to Saint Philip’s. That sounds corny but it’s how I feel. My mother has a columbarium niche here so it really does feel like home.

Which service do you typically attend?
The 11:15am liturgy.

Were you raised in a faith tradition?
My mother was Episcopalian and my dad was Roman Catholic. They couldn’t agree on one religion so my siblings and I were baptized in the Roman Catholic church and attended Christmas and Easter services there. The rest of the year we went to the Episcopal church.

What about Saint Philip’s appeals to you?
How loving, accepting, and compassionate the community is. My mother wasn’t from Tucson but because I was here when she died, I called Saint Philip’s and asked if she could be interred in the columbarium. I received the most compassionate response; I’ve never forgotten it.

I’ve been to other Episcopal churches but I feel most at home here. I appreciate the more traditional service while, at the same time, hearing and living out the message that we love and accept everyone.

How are you involved in the parish?
I participate with the mobile food pantry at Prince Elementary School. That’s on the first Friday of every month. About 85 families were served in October and many of them have more than five people in their households.

Stephen Ministry is my other volunteer activity. It’s a ministry that trains people to truly listen and be with people one-on-one as they go through challenges: divorce, death, or loss of a job, for example. All relationships and conversations are confidential.

About 13 other parishioners and I have gone through several months of training. It was excellently done and I also appreciate that the ministry started in 1975 so all the materials are in their 4th or 5th iteration. We were commissioned on August 20 this year.

I am such a fan of this offering that I just completed four months of national training. It, too, was a wonderful experience.

What do you do as a Stephen Minister?
I meet weekly with someone and am now on the leadership team with Dcn Anne and Bill Symonds. We meet once a week and are now planning the next training class in early 2024—as well as offering continuing education for the recently commissioned Stephen Ministers. That takes place twice a month.

How does someone in the parish connect with a Stephen Minister?
Volunteers wear blue name badges on Sundays, so they can approach someone directly. Or they can email stephen.ministry@stphilipstucson.org and begin the conversation that way to be matched with a trained volunteer.

What did you do professionally before you retired?
I was a pediatric speech and language pathologist.

What did that entail?
I worked with children from birth to age 21. I was in the public school system for 6 years but the majority of time, I was part of a pediatric therapy office with physical and occupational therapists. The idea was to offer children a total (360 degree) approach for their needs.

What did you like about the work?
A great portion of my education was focused on child development, and much of my work was about teaching children to do things they’d never done before such as talk or walk. I was constantly assessing a child’s progress or the environment. It was fascinating work because the benchmarks were often the same but the children made their situation unique.

What do you do for fun?
I hike and love to be outside. Since retiring, I work in our yard. I’ve also taken up knitting and resumed reading regularly. 

What do you like to read?
Historical fiction. I love to go back and check to see how accurate the story’s details are!

What’s one of your guiding principles?
Be grateful.

How does that inform how you live?
Being grateful allows me to pay attention to the gifts God has given me, to the life I’m fortunate to live. When I look around and see other people struggling, that inspires me to be of service—to help.

I had people in my life who modeled important values. They didn’t necessarily sit me down and say “be kind” or “help others” but I watched them do both.

Helping people with their basic needs—food and housing—is particularly compelling to me. That’s why I enjoy being part of the Mobile Food Pantry. Only when people have basic security can they begin to think about other things in their lives.

What’s one of your super powers?
I’m willing to take what someone tells me, think about it, and be open to changing what I do or how I approach something—provided it aligns with my core values. As a young person I hated change but as I’ve gotten older I’ve discovered that happiness means being adaptable and inviting the new.

What would people be surprised to learn about you?
That while I’m told that I'm pretty organized, that doesn’t translate to uncluttered spaces. My home is not Betsy Homemaker’s. I like piles!

What’s a guilty pleasure?
I like crime shows—especially when I’m tired. I love to have a glass of wine and watch a good show like Shetland or Vera (on Britbox).

What’s a favorite memory?
In 1985, my husband and I had some extended time off during the summer. On a spontaneous whim we packed up our Volkswagen Rabbit and camped for two months. This was before cell phones so we were off the grid with only our AAA tour books.

We visited Mesa Verde National Park, the Rocky mountains, the Tetons, Glacier National Park, Banff National Park in Canada, etc., and then drove across Canada through Alberta and British Columbia.

That’s one of those things I wouldn’t probably do again in a VW Rabbit with a tent. We were young!

Missed an interview? All previous interviews can be found on Saint Philip’s website under the “About Us” tab. Click here to visit that page.