“Giving Tree” Christmas Outreach

Outreach to area families in need at Christmastime, proving them with food and gifts.

Altar Servers for weekend Masses and for funeral Masses

Assists the Priest to lead God’s people at Mass; 4th grader or older

Buildings and Grounds Committee

This committee is responsible for the maintenance and improvement of Parish facilities (e.g., worship space, social hall, grounds). These tasks include building repairs and maintenance, and landscaping.

Extraordinary Ministers of the Eucharist

Assists in distributing Holy Communion during Mass

Music Ministry — Children’s Choir and Contemporary Group

Leads and encourages participation in liturgical music (organists, folk groups, choirs, cantors, instrumentalists)

Children’s Liturgy of the Word

Shares the Liturgy of the Word with the children during the Mass

Church Decorators

Decorates the church for the liturgical seasons

Welcome and Hospitality

The goal of this committee is to ensure that every person (new members, current attendees, and visitors) feels welcome in our church community. Special emphasis is placed on reaching out to the newly registered to aid in their orientation and integration into our church family. The committee maintains a list of all current ministries and their contact information.

Children’s Faith Formation

The goal of faith formation for these grades is to help our Youth Church know God as creator, comforter and friend. Catechists challenge our youth in many ways to encounter God through scripture, sacraments, the discernment of gifts, by serving others and in the Eucharist.

For more information, please visit the Children’s Faith Formation, grades Pre-K – 8 page.

Junior and Senior High Youth Ministry

Youth ministry for junior and senior high youth is intended to foster the spiritual growth of our young people, to empower them to live as disciples of Jesus Christ in the world today and to draw them to responsible participation in the life, mission and work of the Catholic faith community. A comprehensive program that involves catechesis, prayer, service, and recreation is available at each of our churches. While most programming is held during the school year, some gatherings may be offered during the summer months. Retreats and overnight programs may be held in addition to the thirty-hour requirement.
For more information, please visit the Junior High Youth Ministry or Senior High Youth Ministry page.

Martha Ministry (Funeral Luncheons)

Members coordinate funeral luncheons for grieving families, including food donations, set up, and clean up. Rotating list of volunteers means time commitment can vary from one hour of food prep to three hours serving at a funeral luncheon approximately once a month.

Visit / take Communion to the homebound

Parishioners responding to this ministry are are compassionate visitors who bring Communion to our homebound parishioners. They provide a vital pastoral link between the Parish and the sick and the homebound.

Weekend Mass Collection Counters

Offertory Collection Counters are responsible for counting the money collected from all weekend masses.

Sacristans

Prepares the church for regular weekend liturgy (e.g., light candles; set out hosts and chalices; recruit Eucharistic Ministers as needed, cross bearers, families to bring up the gifts).

Lectors

Proclaims God’s word through the first and second readings of the Mass

Ushers

Helps seat parishioners, passes the collection baskets, assures that traffic flows smoothly during Communion time, records attendance, distributes bulletins

Greeters

Welcomes parishioners as they enter the church prior to Mass

Living Stations of the Cross

Each Friday in Lent, parish youth from grades 7 – 12 perform Living Stations of the Cross at local churches and other venues. This is a long-standing tradition by St. Margaret Mary Church. These live meditations on the Stations of the Cross greatly impact audiences by getting them to see Christ in a very real way. The Living Stations cast is comprised of youth from all of our parish churches and is coordinated by St. Margaret Mary youth ministers.

For more information on Living Stations, check out Youth – Living Stations of the Cross

Altar Rosary Society

The goal of the Altar Rosary Society is to increase prayer and devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary. Groups at our churches gather on a regular basis for praying the rosary, individual prayer intentions, socializing and limited fundraising.

Nocturnal Eucharistic Adoration

Individuals spend one hour of prayer each month before the exposed Blessed Sacrament.

Prayer Partner from Home

This is the perfect ministry for those who are confined to home and unable to participate in parish life in other ways. A list is maintained of those wishing to offer prayer support. They are provided each month with specific prayer intentions which are also published in the weekly Parish bulletin to join together the entire parish family in prayer.

Prayer Group

Prayer group meets each Thursday at 8AM to study and discuss the Scriptures for the following Sunday’s Mass, using a publication called “At Home with the Word”. We also pray for the special intentions of the members.