Transfiguration Cookies and One Pastoral Council

How sweet is the Transfiguration…and cookies too!

Last weekend, at the Nativity 5:15 Mass, I was blessed by a surprise visit from two staff and friends from Incarnation Church, Stacy and Deb.  They pop down on occasion and often bring sweet gifts matching their own sweetness in their love for Jesus and their service in the Church.

Amazingly, they brought me a Tupperware container of Transfiguration cookies; I’m sure the only Transfiguration cookies ever made!  Of course, it is difficult enough to convey the vision of the Transfiguration in words much less in cookie form!   Therefore, Deb made sure the cookie was in the shape of a mountain, depicting Jesus as a sweet sunburst.   What do you think?
Thanks for reading the continuing bulletin contributions from staff members about our inspiring Transfiguration name. A reflection from Mr. Jason Fightmaster, our Nativity School Principal, is included below.

One Family Pastoral Council
 At the end of our March meeting, Pastoral Council members and I spent an hour considering the pros and cons of “Transfiguring” our five individual councils into one family council, something I continue to mention.

Much fruitful feedback was offered as our pastoral council members mixed among themselves for our combined meeting.  Our meeting rule is that members try not to sit with any members from their own council for the combined portion of the pastoral council meeting.

The general feedback is that going to one pastoral council seems best, made up of two or three members from each church, as well as two or three members from our Spanish speaking and our Nativity School communities. I’ll say more about the details of this topic next weekend.
 
Sincerely and with Love in Christ,  
Fr. Pat
 

Grow as Disciples of Jesus
Reflection by Mr. Jason Fightmaster, 
Principal, Nativity School
 As the Principal of Nativity School, one of my responsibilities is to serve on the Parish Leadership Team with Fr. Pat and a number of other parish employees.   Since my arrival here, one of the major tasks we have been discerning is the naming of the new canonical parish that will be formed with St. John, the Church of the Resurrection, St. Saviour, Holy Trinity, and Nativity.  

After much discernment and discussion between the PLT and members of the Name Our Parish Committee, we have collectively decided that the new parish name will be Transfiguration. 

It has been a long process and many appropriate names have been considered during this process.  Upon discernment of these names, it became clear to me that Transfiguration was a name that stood out from the others.  Specifically, for me, the Transfiguration represents a time of change, encouragement, and evangelization. 

• In the gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke we are told that “he was transfigured before them” (Matthew 17:2, Mark 9:2) and “his face changed in appearance” (Luke 9:29).  This speaks to me of the change that we are all facing with Beacons of Light and forming new parishes across the Archdiocese.  It gives me hope that this change will be one that gives us all an opportunity to look at the process differently and begin to work together to make the new parish the best that it can be.
• In all three of these gospels, God offers encouragement to the disciples saying, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased, listen to him” (Matthew 17:5), “This is my beloved Son, listen to him” (Mark 9:7), and, “This is my chosen Son; listen to him” (Luke 9:35).   And in the gospel of Matthew, Jesus tells Peter, James, and John, “Rise, and do not be afraid” (Matthew 17:7).   After hearing these words, I am encouraged further to spend time listening to Jesus and to not be afraid of what He has planned for me.
• Finally, in all three gospels, Jesus tells Peter, James, and John that they are not to tell anyone what they had witnessed until the Son of Man had been raised from the dead (Matthew 17:9, Mark 9:9, Luke 9:36).   One would have to imagine that as time went on and these three disciples thought about what they had seen - Jesus transfigured and talking with Elijah and Moses - they couldn’t help but want to tell others about it.  This, to me, is where evangelization comes in - the story of the Transfiguration makes me want to evangelize and spread the Good News of Jesus to others.

 As we look toward the future as Transfiguration Parish and look for a link with the Parish Vision Statement, the connection that stands out to me is in growing disciples of Jesus - which is just what the Transfiguration did.  As Jesus was transfigured and then witnessed speaking with Elijah and Moses, there is no doubt that Peter, James, and John grew in their faith and in their calling to be disciples.  We can look to the Transfiguration as the same calling to all of us - to grow in our calling to be disciples.

While changes are always hard, it is my prayer and hope that Transfiguration can come to mean much more to all of us as this transition takes place. 
 
In Christ, 
Mr. Jason Fightmaster, 
Principal, Nativity School