diff --git a/examples/parties/client/client.js b/examples/parties/client/client.js
index d0b5e36f16..a33554e15e 100644
--- a/examples/parties/client/client.js
+++ b/examples/parties/client/client.js
@@ -26,10 +26,10 @@ Template.details.anyParties = function () {
 };
 
 Template.details.creatorName = function () {
-  var owner = Meteor.users.findOne(this.owner);
+  var owner = findOneUser(this.owner);
   if (owner._id === Meteor.userId())
     return "me";
-  return displayName(owner);
+  return owner.displayName();
 };
 
 Template.details.canRemove = function () {
@@ -71,22 +71,18 @@ Template.details.events({
 // Party attendance widget
 
 Template.attendance.rsvpName = function () {
-  var user = Meteor.users.findOne(this.user);
-  return displayName(user);
+  var user = findOneUser(this.user);
+  return user.displayName();
 };
 
 Template.attendance.outstandingInvitations = function () {
   var party = Parties.findOne(this._id);
-  return Meteor.users.find({$and: [
+  return findUsers({$and: [
     {_id: {$in: party.invited}}, // they're invited
     {_id: {$nin: _.pluck(party.rsvps, 'user')}} // but haven't RSVP'd
   ]});
 };
 
-Template.attendance.invitationName = function () {
-  return displayName(this);
-};
-
 Template.attendance.rsvpIs = function (what) {
   return this.rsvp === what;
 };
@@ -222,7 +218,7 @@ Template.createDialog.events({
       }, function (error, party) {
         if (! error) {
           Session.set("selected", party);
-          if (! public && Meteor.users.find().count() > 1)
+          if (! public && findUsers().count() > 1)
             openInviteDialog();
         }
       });
@@ -267,10 +263,6 @@ Template.inviteDialog.uninvited = function () {
   var party = Parties.findOne(Session.get("selected"));
   if (! party)
     return []; // party hasn't loaded yet
-  return Meteor.users.find({$nor: [{_id: {$in: party.invited}},
-                                   {_id: party.owner}]});
-};
-
-Template.inviteDialog.displayName = function () {
-  return displayName(this);
+  return findUsers({$nor: [{_id: {$in: party.invited}},
+                           {_id: party.owner}]});
 };
diff --git a/examples/parties/client/parties.html b/examples/parties/client/parties.html
index 1a0e47191c..b18ca8dd5b 100644
--- a/examples/parties/client/parties.html
+++ b/examples/parties/client/parties.html
@@ -141,7 +141,7 @@
     {{#unless public}}
       {{#each outstandingInvitations}}
         <div>
-          {{invitationName}}
+          {{displayName}}
           <span class="label label-inverse pull-right">Invited</span>
         </div>
       {{/each}}
diff --git a/examples/parties/model.js b/examples/parties/model.js
index e242a32ea7..9e0e89248b 100644
--- a/examples/parties/model.js
+++ b/examples/parties/model.js
@@ -150,10 +150,25 @@ Meteor.methods({
 ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 // Users
 
-var displayName = function (user) {
-  if (user.profile && user.profile.name)
-    return user.profile.name;
-  return user.emails[0].address;
+var userTransform = function (user) {
+  user.displayName = function () {
+    if (this.profile && this.profile.name)
+      return this.profile.name;
+    return this.emails[0].address;
+  };
+  return user;
+};
+
+findOneUser = function (query, options) {
+  options = options || {};
+  options.transform = userTransform;
+  return Meteor.users.findOne(query, options);
+};
+
+findUsers = function (query, options) {
+  options = options || {};
+  options.transform = userTransform;
+  return Meteor.users.find(query, options);
 };
 
 var contactEmail = function (user) {
diff --git a/packages/spark/spark.js b/packages/spark/spark.js
index 4d6d0207e2..fa8c711f74 100644
--- a/packages/spark/spark.js
+++ b/packages/spark/spark.js
@@ -931,6 +931,14 @@ Spark.list = function (cursor, itemFunc, elseFunc) {
         _.bind(renderer.annotate, renderer) :
     function (html) { return html; };
 
+  // Templates should have access to data and methods added by the transformer,
+  // but observeChanges doesn't transform, so we have to do it here.
+  var transformedDoc = function (doc) {
+    if (cursor.getTransform && cursor.getTransform())
+      return cursor.getTransform()(EJSON.clone(doc));
+    return doc;
+  };
+
   // Render the initial contents. If we have a renderer, create a
   // range around each item as well as around the list, and save them
   // off for later.
@@ -941,7 +949,7 @@ Spark.list = function (cursor, itemFunc, elseFunc) {
   else {
     itemDict.forEach(function (elt) {
         html += maybeAnnotate(
-          itemFunc(elt.doc),
+          itemFunc(transformedDoc(elt.doc)),
           Spark._ANNOTATION_LIST_ITEM,
           function (range) {
             elt.liveRange = range;
@@ -994,11 +1002,7 @@ Spark.list = function (cursor, itemFunc, elseFunc) {
       later(function () {
         var doc = EJSON.clone(fields);
         doc._id = id;
-        var renderDoc = doc;
-        if (cursor.getTransform && cursor.getTransform()) {
-          renderDoc = cursor.getTransform()(EJSON.clone(renderDoc));
-        }
-        var frag = Spark.render(_.bind(itemFunc, null, renderDoc));
+        var frag = Spark.render(_.bind(itemFunc, null, transformedDoc(doc)));
         DomUtils.wrapFragmentForContainer(frag, outerRange.containerNode());
         var range = makeRange(Spark._ANNOTATION_LIST_ITEM, frag);
 
@@ -1048,10 +1052,8 @@ Spark.list = function (cursor, itemFunc, elseFunc) {
         if (!elt)
           throw new Error("Unknown id for changed: " + id);
         applyChanges(elt.doc, fields);
-        var renderDoc = elt.doc;
-        if (cursor.getTransform && cursor.getTransform())
-          renderDoc = cursor.getTransform()(EJSON.clone(renderDoc));
-        Spark.renderToRange(elt.liveRange, _.bind(itemFunc, null, renderDoc));
+        Spark.renderToRange(elt.liveRange,
+                            _.bind(itemFunc, null, transformedDoc(elt.doc)));
       });
     }
   });