Parish
Ministries
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St.
Helen's has a number of ministries which provide
service to parishioners, the parish, the
community, the diocese, and the world. For
success in reaching their goals, they all depend
on active participation by members of the
parish. All are invited to work with the
ministry or ministries which meet individual
interests and skills.
Prayer
and Worship
Faith
Formation
Christian
Service
Finance
And Administration
PRAYER
& WORSHIP
Prayer & Worship
Committee: Meets
monthly, usually second Thursday. Members
include at-large and those representing a
specific liturgical ministry. The Committee
works to bring together all parts of the liturgy
and to offer opportunities for all to share in
the Gospel message, The Committee plans,
develops and evaluates our liturgies and
liturgical programs. Training is provided.
Art & Environment Committee: All of
the decorating, planning, sewing, purchasing,
ladder climbing and arranging is done by
volunteers. We need your help throughout the
year, especially Christmas time and Holy Week.
Children's Liturgy Committee: Provides a
monthly Liturgy of the Word for children K-5,
usually second Sunday at the 10 AM Mass.
Readers: Training provided in the Fall
for those who proclaim the Word from the
Scriptures at weekend Masses. (About once a
month.)
Eucharistic Ministers: Serve Hosts and
Cups at all Liturgies. All Masses have three
teams which rotate every three weeks to
distribute communion in church and/or homebound.
Training takes place before the Feast of the
Body and Blood of Christ (May-June).
Servers: There is a place for boys and girls
Grade 6 thru high school and adults to serve at
weekend liturgies at preferred Mass. (About once
a month.) Training in the Fall.
Ushers/Greeters: Create a warm, welcoming
worship environment. Volunteers serve on a two
week rotating schedule for a specific Mass. Men,
women and youth are needed to greet and take up
the collection at preferred Mass every other
week. Training early in the year.
Music Ministry: Do you enjoy singing or
playing an instrument? Consider joining one of
our choirs - either on a regular basis or just
for Easter or Christmas. Select one (or morel)
of the following:
- 10 AM Sunday
Contemporary Choir
- Children's Choir
(Occasional/Seasonal)
- Resurrection Choir (for
funerals, which are usually at 9:00 AM)
- Cantor (Leader of song)
-Instrumentalist - All instruments needed.
Prayer Of The Faithful
Team: Help compose 3 - 4 petitions for the
General Intercessions at Mass. (About once a
month.)
Sacristans: They open/close church and
set up vessels, for 7 & 9 daily Masses. They
help clean up the church (Wed. AM), launder
church linens (e.g. purifications) and
sew/repair vestments, as needed.
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FAITH
FORMATION
Adult Education:
This ministry offers on going adult formation.
The Faith Formation Board is looking to expand
the adult education program. Volunteers are
needed to coordinate and/or facilitate programs.
Baptismal Preparation: This ministry
seeks to prepare parents of newborns for the
sacrament of Baptism as well as to support them
as the essential community through which God's
love is gradually made real in the life of the
child. One meeting on a rotating basis,
approximately every 2 or 3 months for about 1
1/2 hours.
Marriage Preparation: Our team of married
couples (1) present a Marriage Preparation Day
once or twice a year for engaged couples; (2)
meet once with individual couples; and (3) plan
events for marriage enrichment.
Religious Education. Faith Formation for 3
and 4 year olds and children in grades K-5.
Catechists, Co-Teaching, Aides, Substitutes and
Office help needed for approximately 15-20
sessions per year for I hour and 30 minutes per
session, either Sunday or Monday. Special
sessions for Sacramental preparation (Baptismal
Prep for children of Catechical
age/Eucharist/Reconciliation) need Catechist,
Aides and Office Help. Volunteers to coordinate,
facilitate and/or supervise activities
throughout the year.
Youth Ministry: Catechists, Aides, and
Office help needed for 1 1/2 hours for 6 times
on Sundays or Mondays during the Fall and/or
Spring semester. A number of projects, programs,
activities and committees that require various
levels of participation, commitment, supervision
and assistance: i.e. Workshops; Social
Activities; Committee Members; Fund Raising;
Service Projects; Retreat Coordination.
St. Helen's School:
- Plan/Assist Hot Lunch
Program: 1 day/week or once/twice a month -
10 AM to 1 PM.
- Lunch Room Monitor: 1
day/week or once/twice a month - 11:15 AM to
12:45 PM.
- Recess Monitor 1
day/week or once/twice a month 11:15 AM to
12:15 PM.
- Library Aide: 1
day/week.
- Reading Partner 1
day/week for 1 hour.
- After School Program: 1
day/week or once/twice a month 3 PM to 5:30
PM.
- Office Volunteer 1
day/week or once/twice a month
Monday/Wednesday/Friday 1 PM to 3 PM.
- Videographer/Photographer
and Public Relations per occasions.
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CHRISTIAN
SERVICE
The following ministries
are ways in which the people of St. Helen's
parish respond to the call of service to the
needs of our own parish as well as to the needs
of the larger community of Schenectady.
Christian Service Committee Member: A
commitment to three meetings a year to plan the
direction of our Christian service efforts.
Bethlehem Tree (Advent): A commitment to
be a part of a group that assists the
coordinator to collect and sort the many gifts
for the agencies served by this project.
Food Ministry:
- Deliver donated canned
goods (from church) to the SICM food pantry
one morning every two months.
- Salvation Army Soup
Kitchen: Each team of 6 people prepares and
serves a lunch at the Soup Kitchen (9 AM. to
1 PM on a weekday). Each team serves about
once every three months .
- Helping Meals: Prepare
a meal at home and deliver it to someone in
the parish when called upon; a few times a
year.
Hospitality:
- Donate baked goods for
parish events throughout the year.
- Set up/serve/clean up
for parish events, occasionally.
Visitation:
- Occasional visits to
parishioners who are homebound and in the
hospital.
- We would like to begin
an "Adopt a Resident" program for
our parishioners who live in area nursing
homes. Individuals and/or families would
visit the same resident periodically
throughout the year.
Communion to the Sick:
Homebound: Bring Weekly Communion to the same
person either during the week or on Sunday.
Ellis Hospital: Members of a team (usually 3
teams) rotate bringing Sunday Communion to our
parishioners in Ellis Hospital; and once every
three months the whole team distributes
Communion to all the Catholics in Ellis
Hospital. The schedule is coordinated with the
schedule for Sunday church Eucharistic
Ministers. Sunnyview: Distribution of Communion
to Catholic patients on Thursdays (11 AM - 12
Noon) about once every six weeks. Group Home
(s): Distribution of Communion on Sunday morning
once every 4-6 weeks. Currently we serve one
group home, but others will be added.
Aid to the Elderly:
- Transportation to Mass,
as needed.
- Assistance e.g. minor
repairs, snow removal lawn care, shopping,
doctor visits, etc. as needed.
Nursery:
(during 10 AM Mass) Child care on a rotating
basis during Mass.
Bereavement Committee: This committee
provides comfort to the bereaved in our parish
family. Members serve as greeters on a rotating
basis at funerals, mail cards to families on the
anniversary date of their loved one's death,
plan All Souls Day Liturgy and workshops to help
bereaved families deal with their loss and
provide general ongoing support.
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FINANCE
AND ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE
At St. Helen's, the
role of the Finance and Administration
Committee is to aid the Pastor and the
Administrative Assistant in the
administration of parish goods. This
overall goal is met In a number of ways.
The Committee reviews the financial
reports of the parish, monitors financial
performance, assists in budget
preparations, develops long-range funding
plans to accomplish goals and to maintain
the physical plant of the parish. The
Committee also reports to the Pastoral
Council regularly on the financial status
of the parish and the projects R it wishes
to undertake. In addition, ft reports to
the Pastor on needs, plans and activities.
A summary report is given annually to
members of the parish. To fulfill these
responsibilities, a committee of
interested men and women of St. Helen's
meet every six weeks to review the work of
Its various subcommittees. These
subcommittees conduct much of their work
by encouraging and organizing the work of
parish volunteers. This includes:
| FINANCE
COMMITTEE |
Develops
an annual balanced budget based on
inputs of parish standing
committees, parish staff, and the
pastor; identifies the funds which
must be raised by the parish to
balance the budget, reviews the
monthly financial reports of the
parish and the status of the
various funds. (Once every 6-8
weeks.)
|
| DEFERRED
GIVING |
Members
develop a program to encourage
parishioners to consider St.
Helen's in their financial
planning. Past events included
financial planning and estate
seminars. Reminders about long
term planning are prepared for the
Bulletin and Newsletter. (3 or 4
times a year.)
|
| COLLECTION
COUNTER |
Meets
weekly to process the offerings of
parishioners and prepares bank
deposits. (Once every 4-5 weeks.)
|
| FACILITIES |
Monitors
the physical condition of St.
Helen's buildings and maintenance
plans and repairs; coordinates the
use of volunteers to do minor
repair and maintenance work. (As
needed basis.)
|
| LONG
RANGE PLANS |
Reviews
the use of parish buildings and
develops a plan to meet space and
utilization needs; recommends
approaches to the funding of the
long-range plans. (3 or 4 times a
year.)
|
| BULK
MAILING |
Stuff
envelopes and prepare for postal
bulk mail. (As needed basis.)
|
| BISHOP'S
APPEAL |
One
Sunday per year to process
Bishop's Appeal envelopes.
|
|
| The
Committee as a whole contributes ideas for
stewardship and takes responsibility for
conducting these efforts. Volunteers are
needed to help with all the above
activities. Especially needed are
volunteers who are willing to assume
leadership responsibilities. |
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