Get Involved
CLC – Catholic Ladies of Columbia – Our local CLC council usually meets monthly. Their meetings are filled with prayer, laughter and social activities. They also commit themselves to lives of service done individually or as part of other parish ministries or as a group. If you would like more information about the activities of the local CLC council, contact Norma Rieman or Ann Evers or you can go to their national website, https://theclc.org/home.
Liturgy
Ministers of Praise – Come join one of these teams. Our greeters provide a warm welcome each Sunday to those who come for Mass. Our ushers facilitate a smooth flow of Communion and the collection of the offering. Our lectors proclaim the Word of God and our extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion assist in the distribution of the Eucharist at Mass and also to our homebound and Meadow parishioners. A schedule is created for a two month period.
Current Schedule
Music Ministry – If you love music, consider joining one of our music ministry teams. Choir members, cantors and musicians are most welcome to enhance our liturgy at any of our Masses. Contact Janet Westrick at janet_westrick@yahoo.com.
Beautification Club – This team is comprised of those who decorate the inside of the church and who beautify the outside gardens of the church. If you have a green thumb or an artistic eye and would like to offer your assistance, contact Dort Niese for indoor decorations and Pat Kreinbrink for outdoor gardening.
Cleaning Altar Linens – This hidden but very valuable ministry involves taking home the altar linens, purifying them, then washing, ironing and then returning them to church. If you would like to help with this service, contact the parish office.
Deep Cleaning the Church – A few times a year a team of volunteers gathers and does deep-cleaning of the church from the rafters to the pews to the floor. These hidden workers make our church gleam! If you would like to join them next time, contact Cindy Brown.
Rosary Leaders – Before each of the weekend Masses the rosary is prayed with those who gather. Parishioners take turns leading the rosary and new volunteers are most welcome to join the team. The leaders who attend the same Mass make their own rotating schedule. Contact the parish office to join a prayer leader team.
Bulletin Folding Team – Each Friday morning a team of volunteers gathers at the Parish Life Center to fold the church bulletins and worship aids. They enjoy each other’s company while doing this hidden service. If you would like to join a team that meets once a month, contact the parish office.
Gathering Parish History
Are you a local history buff? Consider joining our team that helps St. Mary by collecting our parish history. This includes gleaning from resources of yesteryear and it can include those who like to do photography and help to take pictures of current events to share now with our parishioners and to benefit future generations. If you are interested, contact Dorothy Niese or Pat Kreinbrink.
Physical Plant
If you love being in the snow, consider joining the snow removal team. These hearty volunteers take turns arriving in the early morning to plow out the parking lots of the church and school and cleaning the sidewalks. The hidden efficiency is appreciated and their joyful fellowship afterwards is contagious. If you’d like to join this team, contact Raleigh Hendricks.
Catechists and Small Group Leaders
If you enjoy sharing your faith, consider joining our PSR & High School Teams. 1-6 grade will be held Wednesday evenings from 6-7pm during the school year. Junior High & High School are still being planned. These adventurous volunteers are given all the tools they need to share our Catholic faith with our youth. We need help for all ages; helping children learn their prayers, assisting in a classroom, and or becoming a small group leader. Many hearts and hands is what it takes to make disciples. Please contact Wendy Gerstner @ doe@LSMP1.onmicrosoft.com
Funeral Team
This team of compassionate persons assists our grieving families in a variety of ways. If you know first-hand the pain of losing a loved one and the power of having the Christian community assist you, consider passing along that blessing to those who are experiencing it now.
Funeral Desserts – These behind the scenes angels make delicious desserts for funeral luncheons and drop them off to the Parish Life Center on the morning of a funeral. To add your culinary favorites to this service, contact Dort Niese.
Funeral Luncheon Team – These volunteers arrive on the day of the funeral and set up the dining area for the funeral luncheon. They dish up the desserts. They assist in setting up the food line and in serving the beverages. They are a helpful presence to the family during the luncheon and graciously clean up the space after the family leaves. To join this team contact the parish office.
Rosary Before the Funeral – A half hour before a funeral Mass, parishioners gather in church to pray for the repose of the soul of a parishioner who has died and for their family. This strengthening service is a great benefit to grieving families. If you’d like to join this service, contact Norma Rieman or any CLC member.
Funeral Choir – Members of St. Mary Parish gather in the choir loft to enhance the music at our funeral Masses. If you’d like to add your voice in this form of service, contact Janet Westrick at janet_westrick@yahoo.com.
Bereavement Committee – Each November this group of volunteers prepares a Mass of Remembrance for all of the parishioners who have died this past year. They reach out to the family members of these deceased and invite them to attend. Additionally, this group places a cross in the back of church with the name of each person who has died. This is our parish’s visible reminder to pray for them. These crosses are given to the family at the Mass of Remembrance. If you’d like to join the bereavement committee, contact Chris Haselman at chaselman55@gmail.com.
