Eucharistic Ministries

Eucharistic Ministries assist the priest and deacons with the distribution of Holy Communion at each Mass. They also help prepare vessels before Mass and clean up afterwards. Confirmed youth and adults serve at Sunday and Holy days liturgies on a rotating schedule, 2 or 3 times per month. Training provided.

Lectors

Lectors provide prayerful proclamation of the Word of God at Sunday Masses and other special liturgical celebrations. The individual must feel comfortable reading before a congregation. The individual must also be prepared to proclaim the Word, show up on time, and dress appropriately. Adults confirmed youth, and youth preparing for confirmation (in attendance at 10th and 11th-grade religious formation classes) commit to the preparation of assigned readings ahead of time. This involves studying the Scripture passage to determine its message, looking at the reading in the context of other readings at that liturgy, and practicing it silently and aloud. Training and materials are provided, and Lectors can expect to serve on Sundays and Holy days 1-2 times per month. 

Liturgy Committee

The Liturgy Committee assists the Pastor in his role as Liturgical Leader of the parish. Consisting of the heads of all the liturgical ministries the Liturgy Committee is responsible for overseeing the liturgical life of the parish. Members regularly review and critique the liturgies and make recommendations for improvement.

Children’s Liturgy of the Word

Children’s Liturgy of the Word, offered every Sunday morning (from September to May), allows Kindergarten through 2nd graders to listen to and discuss the Sunday readings in a language they can understand. Confirmed youth and adults act as  Leaders of the Word, proclaiming the readings and guiding the discussion. Other adults or older teens assist in supervision. Training and materials are provided;  volunteers serve once every 4 weeks or so.

Ministers of Hospitality

Ministers of Hospitality help to create a welcoming, friendly and well-ordered environment. Greet and welcome the faithful as they gather for worship. Other duties include distributing bulletins and song sheets. This is a wonderful ministry for all ages. We are usually the first contact when people come into the Church. 

Sacristans

The sacristans are parishioners who prepare the church and sanctuary for the celebration of each and every Mass, as well as assuring the worship space and liturgical items are kept clean and returned to their proper place.

Ushers
Ushers, like greeters, are called to welcome the community as they gather. Other duties include assisting with seating, taking up collections, and distributing bulletins and song sheets. This is a wonderful ministry for all ages

Altar Servers Information Page

Youth in grade 5 and up are invited to more actively participate in Sunday and holy day liturgies by assisting the presider and helping to prepare the table for Eucharist.  Training is provided, and servers can expect to be scheduled about twice a month.

If you are interested in serving, please email to [email protected] the following information:

• Name

• Email address & phone number

• New or returning server

• Parent(s) name(s)Up-coming training sessions will be announced soon.

Altar Server Prayer       

Open my mouth, O Lord, to bless your Holy Name.

Cleanse my heart from all evil and distracting thoughts.

Enlighten my understanding and inflame my will

that I may serve more worthily at your holy altar.

O Mary, Mother of Christ the High Priest, obtain for me

the most important grace of knowing my vocation in life.

Grant me a true spirit of faith and humble obedience

so that I may ever behold the priest as a representative of God and

willingly follow him in the Way, the Truth, and the Life of Christ.

Amen.

Music is an extremely important part of our prayer and of the liturgy. The purpose of music ministry is to create a space where ALL people may encounter the living God through the art of music.  The primary role of pastoral musicians is to lead and accompany the communal song of the assembled people of God. Our comprehensive program enables those who are called to this ministry to exercise their gifts in service to the church and the assembly.

Adult Choir

The adult choir provides musical leadership at Sunday and holy day liturgies, as well as occasional
performances. The choir’s primary duty at Mass is to lead the assembly in song, although there is also a place for choral meditations. Previous musical training is not required, and members range from high school through adult. There is a brief warm-up before Mass and practice on Sunday morning following Mass.

Junior Choir

Junior Choir allows 3rd graders and up to develop a sense of ministry, to learn basic choral techniques, and to assist the congregation in music.

Instrumentalists

Various instruments can be used, either regularly or on special occasions, to augment choral and congregational singing. Instrumentalists need to have at least High School level proficiency. Improvisation skills are useful, but not necessary.

This group provides a mix of traditional and contemporary music at the 8:30 a.m. Mass. For more information or to participate, please contact Choir Director ~ music@churchofthetrransfiguration.com.

All youth in grades 6-12 are encouraged to join the youth group. Our goals are to study scripture through games and activities, do service projects for the community and have some fun adventures. This is a  team effort because the support of the whole parish is an essential element for an effective youth ministry.

If interested in the Youth Group please contact the following:

Contact- [email protected]

Mission Statement

The Church of The Transfiguration Evangelization Leadership Team encourages and inspires parishioners and all who look to our parish as a beacon of faith, to live the Gospel, responding to and fulfilling Christ’s great commission: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations.” We seek to cultivate an atmosphere in our Church that is supportive to the ultimate conversion and development of a personal relationship with the Risen Christ.  It is also our mission to support the Pastor, Pastoral Staff, the Pastoral Council, and Ministry Teams in the ongoing work of discipleship.

The Five Marks of Discipleship

Becoming the Hands, Heart, and Feet of Christ

Through our Love and Compassion for One Another

In the spring of 2014, the Church of the Transfiguration New Evangelization Leadership Team began exploring ways to encourage everyone in our parish to reflect upon and respond to the Lord’s call to discipleship in our lives. After much discussion and careful planning, “Project Discipleship” was begun to re-energize our faith community into one of hospitality and commitment, becoming the hands, the heart, and the feet of Christ; demonstrated through our love and compassion for our sisters and brothers in Christ. Five spiritual practices were highlighted as part of Project Discipleship and have become known as the “Five Marks of Discipleship”.

*What was first envisioned as a yearlong process should now become the touchstone for all our parish programs and activities including our strategic plan: “Growing Together as Disciples” and the mandate that it sets for Evangelization – Sharing the Joy of the Gospel.

We invite you to consider making the Five Marks of Discipleship part of your spiritual life.

1) SUNDAY WORSHIP – The Eucharist is the “Source and Summit” of our lives. Attending Mass each weekend is at the heart of what it means to be a disciple. It is through the Eucharist that the work of our redemption is accomplished and we are enabled to express in our lives the mystery of Christ. (The Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy).

2) DAILY PRAYER –– Prayer is a conversation with God enabling us to grow in our relationship with the Lord. It includes praising and thanking God for all our gifts; asking God for all we need to live faith-filled lives; praying for forgiveness of our sins; remembering others in prayer. Prayer includes vocal prayer, meditation or contemplation. Prayer can be rooted in scripture or a particular devotion. Praying can happen anywhere, in traffic, in church, while folding clothes, while sitting in a quiet spot and centering oneself on the presence of God in one’s life.

3) STUDYING THE SCRIPTURES –– To unleash the power of the Scriptures in our lives, we need to study them. Using a study Bible, such as “The Catholic Bible, Personal Study Edition” or taking part in scripture discussions and study groups is one way to come to a deeper understanding of the meaning of the Bible in our lives. When the Word is proclaimed at Mass, God speaks to us today.

4) SHARING OUR FAITH –– One mark of a disciple is to be able to share our own faith with another person. This can happen in many ways. Sharing the meaning of the Scriptures in small groups is one way. Having a Spiritual Director is another way. Developing spiritual friendships where one can easily talk about faith is another way. By sharing our faith we deepen our belief and ability to live consciously as a disciple.

5) STEWARDSHIP OF TIME, TALENT AND TREASURE ––Disciples serve others. Service is at the core of the Gospel message. Service includes sharing one’s time to be of assistance in both Church ministry and “ministry in the world”. Stewardship also includes sharing one’s talents to build up the Church and to build a better world. Donating money or goods for the sake of contributing to the Church and the reign of God on earth is also a vital part of stewardship.
 

Goals and Objectives

New Evangelism Team Goals

To communicate a consistent and positive concept of evangelization.

To assess the level of evangelization that is already taking place within the parish.

Build on successful programs and facilitate the development of additional programs where voids exist.

To address the engagement and spiritual renewal of both active and minimally involved parishioners helping foster and deepen each parishioner’s personal bond of faith and commitment to the community.

To explore ways to reach out to inactive Catholics and those who do not profess any religious faith.

To collaborate with the councils, commissions, ministry teams and outreach organizations of the parish to strengthen our parish’s commitment to evangelization. (Strengthen our commitment to Evangelization).
 

Objectives: “Strengthen our commitment to Evangelization”

“Experience pride in our beliefs and invite others to share our faith”

There are two parts to this objective:

                 A) Parishioners will experience pride in our beliefs.

                 B) Parishioners will invite others to share our faith.

 A.  Working in collaboration with one another, the Pastoral Staff, the Adult Christian Formation Team, the Community Life Team and the Evangelization Leadership Team, will continue to provide ongoing educational programs about the Catholic faith including teachings on the sacraments, liturgy, scripture, traditions, practices, ethics, the documents of Vatican II, and the history of our parish giving parishioners the opportunity to learn more about our beliefs and to begin to develop pride in these beliefs, traditions and practices.

B.  Understanding our mission as a “welcoming Eucharistic Community” and being spiritually enriched by our parish’s Prayer and Worship, Community Life Activities, Religious Formation Programs, Discipleship and our Outreach Organizations, parishioners will be inspired to invite others to share our faith.

“Encourage and facilitate faith sharing among parishioners”

Working in collaboration with one another, the Pastoral Staff, the Evangelization Leadership Team, and members of the Adult Christian Formation Team will support and help to develop additional programs to encourage and facilitate faith sharing among parishioners.

“Model Christian Hospitality in welcoming all who come to the Church”

Following the example of the Pastoral Staff, Pastoral Council, the members of the Evangelization Leadership Team, and the First Impressions Ministry Team, each parishioner will be encouraged to Model Christian Hospitality in welcoming all who come to the Church.

"Provide ongoing opportunities for active involvement of all parishioners in Church events”

The Evangelization Leadership Team in collaboration with the Adult Religious Ed and Community Life Teams will develop a process to assist parishioners in discerning their charisms for evangelization and service to the parish community, thereby providing ongoing opportunities for active involvement of all parishioners in Church events”

“Welcome and integrate new parishioners into parish life”

The Evangelization Leadership Team in collaboration with the Pastoral Council and Community Life Teams will work to welcome and integrate new parishioners into parish life by facilitating a gathering for newly registered parishioners to introduce them to our many parish ministries and programs, with special emphasis on Discipleship.

“Invite those who are searching or inactive to come home”

The Evangelization Leadership Team in collaboration with the Web design person will design web page content and/or printed brochure with the specific purpose of inviting those who are searching or inactive to come home. (Suggested: answers to the most common questions people ask who have been away from the church, the schedule of daily, weekend and Holy Day masses, an invitation to join us for Sunday coffee after Mass, times for the Sacrament of Reconciliation and the location of the Reconciliation Chapel, Parish Contact numbers.)

Thanks to ALL that helped with Vacation Bible School this year!  It could not have happened without ALL of you WONDERFUL Volunteers.