A Liturgy Committee helps a parish pray. The committee’s primary work is planning Masses for the feasts and seasons. The group also coordinates devotions and other group prayer experiences and promotes personal prayer. Currently our parish does not have a liturgy committee. If you are interested in serving in this way, please contact the office
A group of parishioners at each site decorates the church for the liturgical seasons. Both groups strive to create a worship environment that is welcoming, beautiful, and fosters our prayer. If you love liturgy and have the eye of an artist, consider joining one of the decorating teams.
Reader
To proclaim the Word of God is a wonderful privilege and a significant ministry. As the General Introduction to the Lectionary notes, “When the Sacred Scriptures are read in the Church, God himself speaks to his people, and Christ, present in his own word, proclaims the Gospel.” The General Introduction to the Roman Missal advises that lectors “should receive careful preparation, so that the faithful by listening to the readings from the sacred texts may develop in their hearts a warm and living love for Sacred Scripture.” As part of our effort to ensure that those who proclaim Scripture at Sunday Mass can do so well and enable members of the assembly to hear God speaking to them, the parish provides training, annual workshops, lector practice and coaching sessions, and lector workbooks (available in each church sacristy with a sign-out sheet).
The Ministry of the Word requires skill in public reading, knowledge of the principles of liturgy, and an understanding and love of the scriptures. New lectors should already be involved in some aspect of parish service. Before volunteering please consider the skills required and reflect on your readiness for the role by using our lector skills reflection guide.
Extraordinary Minister of Communion
Communion ministers enable the community to experience communion as eating and drinking together. Without their assistance the communion rite could take a long time and lose its association with the eucharistic prayer and the breaking of the bread. Communion ministers take in hand the vessels containing the Body and Blood of Christ and share them with everyone. Therefore parishioners selected for communion ministry must have grace in movement and reverence in touch. They must be confirmed in the Catholic faith. Communion ministers also represent the parish's love and concern by taking the Eucharist to those who are confined to home, a hospital or care center, or prison.
Altar Server
An altar server takes care of certain details so that the priest can give full attention to presiding. Servers must know the order of the liturgy, anticipate what will be needed and when, and meet those needs with reverence and grace. Holding the Sacramentary (the book of ritual prayers) for the presider and helping with the bread and wine are the server’s main responsibilities. Lighting and extinguishing candles, carrying processional candles and cross, assisting as the presider receives the gifts of bread and wine, and carrying incense are other duties. The ministry of serving at the altar is open to parishioners who have received First Communion, faithfully attend Sunday Mass, and have sufficient maturity to understand the responsibilities and to carry them out well.
Welcome Team
Greeters and ushers comprise our Welcome Team, those who demonstrate parish hospitality to all who come to Mass. Greeters ensure that everyone who arrives at the church door sees a smiling face and hears a friendly voice. They help drivers find parking and assist those who need help getting into church. Ushers make sure that people find a seat, family members can sit together, and everyone receives special handouts for the day. Ushers select people to take the bread and wine forward for the Presentation of Gifts. Ushers also take up the collection, ensure good order at Communion, distribute bulletins, and say goodbye to everyone or direct them to the Parish Center when an event follows Mass. Welcome Team members give directions to the toilets, may assist a parent with a crying child or someone who is ill, and know how to handle emergencies.
Music Minister
Our parish knows that good liturgy is musical liturgy and our music ministers’ aim is to help the assembly raise their hearts and voices to God in worship. Our Director of Music Ministry is charged with cultivating other music ministers’ skills, coordinating all liturgical music, fostering a singing assembly, and directing the choirs.
A cantor sings the psalm verses at every Mass. Our Family Choir usually leads music at the 11:00 a.m. Mass from mid-September through the feast of Corpus Christi. On one Sunday each month during the school year, a young person serves as cantor at the 9:30 am and 11:00 am Masses and additional children join with the Family Choir for the later Mass. Once a month a Folk Group comprised of adult and youth singers and instrumentalists lead music at the Saturday 5:00 pm Mass. At all other Masses the cantor serves as leader of song.
Also important to our parish music ministry are instrumentalists. Our keyboardists play both organ and electronic keyboard. At some Masses drums, guitar, bass, xylophone, trumpet and/or violin also enhance our liturgical music.
If you have even modest musical talent as a singer or instrumentalist, and could enjoy serving God through music ministry, please talk with our Director of Music Ministry.