a thought

Rather than unity or community, perhaps the emphasis should be communion, to which we have all been called from our baptism and through the sacraments and the Eucharist.

American Heritage Dictionary gives this definition of communion:
1. The act or instance of sharing, as of thoughts or feelings.
2. Religious or spiritual fellowship
3. A body of Christians with a common religious faith who practice the same rites; a denomination.


As John Paul II the Great has said, before we can work on external structures of community, we first must foster a "Spirituality of Communion": "Communion is the fruit and demonstration of that love which springs from the heart of the Eternal Father and is poured out upon us through the Spirit which Jesus gives us (cf. Rom 5:5), to make us all "one heart and one soul" (Acts 4:32). It is in building this communion of love that the Church appears as "sacrament", as the "sign and instrument of intimate union with God and of the unity of the human race".26 "... "... we need to promote a spirituality of communion, making it the guiding principle of education wherever individuals and Christians are formed, wherever ministers of the altar, consecrated persons, and pastoral workers are trained, wherever families and communities are being built up. A spirituality of communion indicates above all the heart's contemplation of the mystery of the Trinity dwelling in us, and whose light we must also be able to see shining on the face of the brothers and sisters around us. A spirituality of communion also means an ability to think of our brothers and sisters in faith within the profound unity of the Mystical Body, and therefore as "those who are a part of me". This makes us able to share their joys and sufferings, to sense their desires and attend to their needs, to offer them deep and genuine friendship. A spirituality of communion implies also the ability to see what is positive in others, to welcome it and prize it as a gift from God: not only as a gift for the brother or sister who has received it directly, but also as a "gift for me". A spirituality of communion means, finally, to know how to "make room" for our brothers and sisters, bearing "each other's burdens" (Gal 6:2) and resisting the selfish temptations which constantly beset us and provoke competition, careerism, distrust and jealousy. Let us have no illusions: unless we follow this spiritual path, external structures of communion will serve very little purpose. They would become mechanisms without a soul, "masks" of communion rather than its means of expression and growth." (43) "APOSTOLIC LETTER NOVO MILLENNIO INEUNTE OF HIS HOLINESS POPE JOHN PAUL II TO THE BISHOPS, CLERGY AND LAY FAITHFUL AT THE CLOSE OF THE GREAT JUBILEE OF THE YEAR 2000"

Leadership Meeting

I attended the Leadership meeting last night for "Charting Our Future." I know what I came away with, but I am very interested in what other people who were there came away with. I realize that most of the people who attended the meeting last night have not had exposure to this blog yet. But, to those of you that have, please leave a comment on your view of the proceedings.

A general description:

I did not get an exact count of the people who were there (50-60?), but there were two tables set with materials that were empty. The basic introductions, group reading of a prayer, and pleasantries were exchanged. Then, Dr. Smith proceeded to begin his program. He explained his charts and reminded us of the importance of taking a look at the parish resources, people, current facilities, and programs. We were asked to think about what could be improved. So we had 7 minutes to talk at our tables, then share with the whole group. Ideas were recorded on sheets of paper and then hung on the gym wall. This was done for each of the categories. When all was said and done, we were asked to list our 5 top priorities, and turn them in. The Staff would then total them and tell the group in the future, what had been listed as top priorities. The meeting lasted until about 9:15 or so.

Now, the rest of the story???? This is where I will take a brief recess and wait for some of you to gather your ideas (I saw you there!) and tell me your impressions of the evening! I will return later to give you my impression!!

I will tell you though, that I was impressed with the solidarity of the group. I truly felt as if we were one parish, but then again.........I always try to notice the presence of the Spirit , not what building we are in.

Revealing Radio

True story: (I couldn’t have made this stuff up.) On my way back from driving my kids to school this morning, while thinking about the pending "Strategic Planning Process" and my own opinions on it, I hit the “scan” button on the radio. It paused on a Christian station but I let it go on because the song sounded a little too country (Sorry, I’m not a fan). I stopped it on the next song that it paused on. Can’t remember the title but it’s the one that says, “It’s time we stop, hey what’s that sound? Everybody look what’s going on.” (Forgive me if a word or two are off). After that, trying to avoid commercials, I had to laugh because the next station it came to, “We’re not Going to Take It!” by Twisted Sister was on. So after jamming through that, I hit the scan button once again and the next song it hit was Diana Ross’ “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough”. If I remember correctly, I think they used that one on one of the “Sister Act” movies applying it to our relationship with God. Tell me I’m a cornball and reading way too much into it, but I think that those three songs are relevant to a little trip that many of us are starting to go on.

And I think it is worth noting that the last song of that trilogy can serve to remind us that God is always with us. To quote Ashford and Simpson from the song: “But remember, if you should fall short of your desires, Remember life holds for you one guarantee… You’ll always have me.”

CHARTING OUR FUTURE

(Please read the post, 'Forum For Seekers' before reading this post.)


Dr. Michael Smith, Dean of Education at Lourdes College in Toledo, was hired by our Parish Staff to facilitate a Strategic Planning Process for the Transfiguration of the Lord Parish. The Process will be in effect from July until May. His fee is $13,000, half of what he usually receives.
The Statement of Purpose of the Strategic Planning Process is: "To engage in a planning process that will provide direction as we strive prayerfully, to live our Parish Mission."

Guiding Principles for the Process: "As we proceed with the planning process we will strive to:

1. promote open, honest and respectful dialogue.
2. provide on-going communication.
3. be inclusive (as appropriate) in seeking input from the parish community, and
4. maintain our focus and remain faithful to the task.

The Process will be called, "Charting Our Future". There will be a Parish Leadership meeting for "Charting Our Future" on Aug 29th at 7:00. Individuals were invited by the staff on the basis of their leadership roles in specific parish ministries. The purpose of this meeting is "To identify and prioritize issues related to mission, programs, people, resources, and facilities."

Many on the Pastoral Council feel that the idea of a strategic plan for the growth of our parish is a commendable idea. I do not disagree with the basic idea, but question the implementation of that idea. I was speaking with a parishioner about our parish leadership, and she said she wished that we could "Get the elephant out of the room." She went on to say that the "elephant", so to speak, was the HUGE barrier of mistrust between many of the parishioners and our staff. This mistrust blocks any truly open and effective communication that would ultimately provide the same results that Mr. Smith's planning process intends to provide.

Does our Parish really need a "plan" to come together??? I hear over and over, from people in leadership positions, that our Parish needs to unite. I have asked many people to give me three criteria that would satisfy this demand for unity. I have yet to receive an answer. Come on, I'm serious! Dialogue is very important. It would be easier to work towards a goal, if it were stated plainly for the people to understand. It does not seem fair to criticize our parishioners for not "accepting change", when what they are expected to change into is really not spelled out. Does 'uniting' mean building a new church and tearing down all of the buildings? To be good Christians, should the people of St. Peter's, St. Mary's and St. Joseph's have embraced the directives of the Diocese without question? Parishes around the country are solving their problems with creativity, not closure.

I do not really think of the people in these communities as petty, uncooperative people. I tend to think that they are intelligent, thoughtful, spiritual people who willingly, and lovingly share their many gifts and talents. Throughout the year, the people involved with "Charting Our Future" will be asked to gather data about the people in our Parish. The staff (our priest and our Pastoral Associate) will conduct focus group meetings in the homes of parishioners this winter. These focus group meetings will not be in everyone's homes. The facilitator said that it would be a chance for people to "ask the tough questions" to our staff. Tough questions have been already asked. Genuine and thoughtful interaction between the staff and the parishioners would have already provided the answers. Investing our time, money and resources in any program such as "Charting Our Future", will be nonproductive until we escort the "elephant from the room".

In the meantime, let's respect our past, believe in our present, and THEN.........plan for the future.

FORUM FOR SEEKERS

I am a member of the Pastoral Council of the "Diocese created" Transfiguration of the Lord Catholic Church. I believe in its members, and have had many wonderful faith experiences with the people from our local communitites. These faith experiences did not come about simply because we have been "transfigured", but because a wonderful faith had been nurtured in these people through their many years of participation in their local faith communities.

About a year ago, we spent an evening in Council discussing the future of the parish. Almost everyone voiced their opinion that the Youth of our Parish should be our initial focus. As a certified teacher, I couldn't have agreed more. I went one step further and brought up the idea of a "Forum for Seekers". People in our Parish should have access to different programs that fit their unique personalities and talents. I shared this with a fellow council member and he presented it to the group. The idea was third on the priority list, behind getting a Youth Minister and having a place for the Youth to meet. Knowing that encouraging growth in the area of Youth Ministry was actually part of "Forum for Seekers", I agreed with the group to keep working on attaining a Youth Minister and the program in general.

Knowing that the idea was on the 'back burner' for the council,I decided to initiate some ideas I had for "Forum for Seekers". I found a textbook for Bible Study(written by Scott Hahn), and subsequently invited about twenty parishioners from Kirby,UpperSandusky,Forest, and Salem to participate. We met every two weeks until May and will pick up again in the Old Testament a couple of weeks after the Wyandot County Fair. We also tried out more 'Forums.' A Sunday 'Movie night' for adults and youth, a small group study on the "Prayer of Jabez", "Treats for troops" (sending packages to soldiers), "St. Philip Neri Nights", and traveling to hear various speakers, were some of the small programs that were initiated. These small programs were sampled while people participated in their regular ministries such as Bible School, CCD, and the Passion Play.

I was delighted when we were told at a Pastoral Council meeting this Spring, that we had accomplished our goals for the Youth programs and would be dedicating the year to developing the concept of 'Forum for Seekers'. I was excited that many large and small programs might be developed to meet the needs of our parishioners. Unfortunately, during the meeting, I felt as if the spirit of the idea was lost. Our Council facilitator felt that an outside facilitator should be brought in to work on this idea (as had been done with the development of our Parish Mission statement). Our priest said that he would try and find someone. My heart sank. I felt that our parish already had the resources and the leaders to implement many unique and diverse programs. Hindsight being 20/20, I think that I should have stressed that opinion more strongly to the council that evening, but this was the first meeting with the six new council members and I thought that it was not something that had to be settled that night.

When it was announced at a later meeting that a faciliator had been found, I was open to the idea of others receiving help in this area, but disheartened that it would take another year to officially start parish-wide programs.

And why is this history of "Forum for Seekers" worthy of discussion on this Blog? Simply because I was horrified to find out that the facilitator from Toledo that was going to lead the group was going to be paid $13,000 (A real 'bargain' because he usually is paid $26,000!).

My next Post will discuss "Charting Our Future". "Charting Our Future" is the title of the Parish program that is being developed by the facilitator from Toledo and the Pastoral Council. I will share the facts that I know about this project, and my opinions about it. You may make up your own minds on your level of participation in such an endeavor.

Par4

A moment of truth is the point at which our pastor and staff interact with us in an honest respectful dialogue. This moment engages our hearts and heads and can create dedicated apostles. A belittling and negative attitude can conversely create terrorists.

Productive interchange orientation versus marketing orientation. Which will it be?

redstork

Tonight's thought

"The things that will destroy us are: politics
without principle; pleasure without conscience;
wealth without work; knowledge without
character; business without morality; science
without humanity; and worship without sacrifice."
-Mahatma Gandhi (1869-1948)

Community

An excerpt from JESUS IN GETHSEMANE by Timothy Fallon, St. Anthony Messenger 4/2006

After reading the book A Different Drum, by M Scott Peck, I decided to attend a weekend of community building led by facilitators from the foundation for Community Encouragement. Approximately 25 people- almost all of us strangers to one another--gathered at a retreat house in northern Michigan. Our goal was to build community during a two-day experience. I was hoping to both experience community and learn something about how to build it.

The weekend began simply enough--we talked about why we came and what we hoped to gain from the experience. The road from 25 strangers to being a community, however, had a few potholes in it. For me, one of those potholes was the approximate size of the Grand Canyon. As we attempted to become a community, our various experiences and agenda began to collide.

Peck refers to this as "chaos" and I'd say it's a pretty good description --both of what was going on in the group and what was happening in my stomach. Trying to move beyond chaos put me in Gethsemane.

According to Peck , there are only two ways that a group can move beyond chaos. One way is to try to "get organized" and attempt to manage the chaos. Unfortunately, getting organized prevents the group from becoming a community. My head kept me from falling into the trap of trying to get organized. OK, I did offer a suggestion or two. But I didn't push too hard. My Gethsemane dilemma had to do with what Peck describes as moving beyond chaos through emptying.

Emptying is the only path toward community. In my head, I was clear enough about that; I'm sure I could have given the book report. Unfortunately, that group didn't seem too interested in a book report. They were expressing intense feelings; hurt, anger, grief-- the whole rainbow of emotion and vulnerablility. I had some of these feelings too. It's just that I was trying to have them without anyone noticing it. I was hoping to have my chaos in private, while I helped other people deal with theirs.

In Gethsemane, Jesus trusts God enough to empty himself. He moves beyond his fear, lets go of his own agenda, opens himself to whatever comes and surrenders to God. What I did that weekend was let my fear get the best of me. I pretty much flunked it the same way the disciples did--by running away. Although my body never left the room, I had an out of body experience. Mentally and emotionally, I got out of Dodge.

By the time the weekend concluded, many of the people had experienced community. I had seen something of what it takes to build community, but my inability to act in the face of fear kept me from fully participating. Through my struggle, however, I learned how much I needed "emptying school".

Happy Sabbath!!!

Happy Sabbath !!!!

This is our first of many posts in our humble attempt to let everyone in "Our" Parish know what is going on. "Our" Parish is inclusive. It is for those who have an understanding, or want to have an understanding, of true community. We are not hung up on names or agendas. We truly want to talk to each other and walk with each other. Please remember that those individuals who post general information in the future do so because they only wish to share what they know with others. Everyone else is welcome to comment on these postings at anytime, as long as the general rule is respected: "Reverence for All".