Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

News and Notes:  I encourage everyone in the Lynnfield Catholic Collaborative to read our Pastoral Plan for the next three years (2015-2018) and to participate actively in its implementation.  Our Pastoral Plan Writing Team was facilitated by Donna Delahanty and consisted of Susan Ardizzoni, Mark Ferri and Len Morrison from OLA; and Christopher Barrett, John DiBello, Donna Hegan and Dennis Rogers from SMG. This Team worked on our Plan for the better part of two years and the Plan has now been approved by Cardinal Sean O’Malley.  You can download our Plan from our website (www.lynnfieldcatholic.org) or take a paper copy from the front entrance of either church.  Our stated purpose in the Collaborative is “to welcome all in brotherly love, to build up our community of believers and to lead all our members to a deeper relationship with Christ our Savior.”  We have chosen three values to guide our community as we try to grow in membership and discipleship in the years ahead:  authenticity, love and unity.  Authenticity means living as the people God created us to be by being truthful, genuine and sincere in all our actions and communications; in other words, to be true witnesses of Christ. Love entails embracing everyone who comes our way with non-judgmental words and actions and to meet and care for people where they are in their journey of faith.  Unity beckons us to promote a condition of harmony centered in Christ.  The Plan gives concrete examples of how we hope to live out these values.  The Plan also lists three pastoral priorities and associated goals for our parishes and school the next three years.  The priorities are: 1) Build the Weekend Experience; 2) Develop a Communications Strategy; and 3) Establish Lifelong Faith Formation.  Please take some time to familiarize yourself with the Plan and pray about how you might contribute to making it happen.  You will be hearing much more about this Plan in the coming weeks and months.  Blessings to all of you in the week ahead!