Dear Parish Family,

Happy New Year! I realize I'm a week late, but I wanted to give Fr. Spisak an opportunity to address you all in last weekend's bulletin before he heads off for his hip replacement surgery this week. Please keep him in your prayers as he undergoes this surgery and throughout his two months of recovery. I know we will miss him and will eagerly look forward to his recovery and return!

This Sunday of the Baptism of our Lord marks the conclusion of our Christmas season. Jesus’ baptism transitions our focus from His first thirty years of his 'hidden' life at Nazareth to the final three years of His life and public ministry throughout Galilee. Jesus' Baptism signifies the fulfillment of righteousness, of God's justice and His unrelenting and untiring plan save fallen humanity from death and sin. Jesus is baptized not because He needs forgiveness, but to sanctify the waters so that His Church may receive forgiveness and purification. Christ calls all members of our human family to enter the waters of baptism and drink deeply of His merciful love.

Synod Listening Session
Synods have taken place all throughout our Church's history to discuss. Synods are meetings of our bishops to dialogue with one another and the Holy Spirit regarding important matters of our faith. This Synod spanning from 2021-2023 focuses on the key themes of communion, participation, and mission and incorporates the voices of all the faithful and people of good will to share their experience of the Church. More information will be made available as we plan a Synod Listening Session this winter. This will be an opportunity to reflect on our experience of the Church, come to a deeper understanding of what communion, participation, and mission look like for our Church and parish community, and process the themes that arose from our November Listening Sessions.

I am yours in Christ,
Fr. Scott Goodfellow