Prayer & Worship Ministries
Altar Servers
Altar Servers attend to the needs of the Priest during Mass. Specifically, they handle many of the physical chores in the Altar area during the Liturgy, allowing the Priest to focus on the prayerful nature of the Mass. They also bear the signs of our Catholic faith, such as the Cross and the candles which represent the presence of the Holy Spirit, in both the procession and recession of the Celebrant.
Art and Environment
Art and Environment ministers are responsible for the coordination of the physical church decorations with the liturgical seasons. These ministers prayerfully blend an understanding of the season with their eye for beauty, to create an atmosphere inviting to all people seeking a place to pray. Volunteers are needed to set up and remove decorations a few times each year, typically before Easter, Christmas and Thanksgiving.
Other volunteers help with the physical preparation of the church and environs. These include care of the floral arrangements, Holy Water receptacles, vestments, altar cloths and Missalettes, to name a few.
Eucharistic Adoration
Eucharistic Adoration takes place in the Church every Thursday. It consists of private prayer and reflection to our Lord Jesus Christ, who is recognized as being truly present in the Sacrament of the Eucharist. Parishioners are scheduled in one-hour increments to allow continual prayer, beginning at the close of morning Mass through 8:00 pm. We would like to expand our hours of adoration and are looking for additional volunteers. If this is something that interests you or if you have other questions, please contact the parish office.
Eucharistic Minister
The Eucharistic Ministry involves the sacramental sharing of the Body and Blood of our Lord. The Ministers assist with the distribution of what was once bread and wine, now consecrated as Christ’s gift of Himself to us during the Liturgy. These individuals sacramentally offer the Lord to all who seek Him, they faithfully understand the enormous responsibility of their ministry.
2019-20 Eucharistic Minister Schedule (Revised) EM Team List
Weekend EM Signup Sheet Sample EM Instructions Coordinator Instructions July 2015
Special Mass Schedule Fall/Winter 2019
Greeter Ministry
Greeters are responsible for establishing that first impression for those entering God’s house. Their ministering abilities in welcoming parish members into church creates a warm sense of personal worth in those they greet and for all the prayerful activity to follow.
Readers
Readers are responsible for proclaiming the Word of God in the readings. They literally become the “voice of God” as they proclaim God’s Word and lead the congregation in prayerful petitions allowing those listening to really hear God’s Word.
Music Ministry
Liturgical music is for everyone; that’s why they call it the “assembly!” Every liturgy is an opportunity to assemble our voices in praise and gratitude for our Lord. Many faithful people enter the church without knowing every prayer or response, and that’s okay. Music Ministers have a unique responsibility to welcome all and invite participation each time a song begins. Yes, the songs we sing are accessible to all in our hymnals. But the friendly face of a cantor singing a prayerful tune with both arms outstretched reminds everyone, even the most hesitant churchgoer, that their voices matter and their prayers are encouraged. Music Ministers dedicate themselves to communicating scripture clearly through song and emboldening the spirit of the faithful in the pews. Prayer stands firmly at the core of music ministry, which is why song leaders sing with the congregation and never at them.
The role of Music Ministers is similar when playing an instrument. Playing along, even without the text, reinforces that all are allowed to join. The assembly is more likely to sing along when they feel supported by others playing along. All musicians, whether vocally or instrumentally, add beauty and solemnity to liturgical celebrations. Anyone wanting to minister through music must possess basic musical skills. This ministry also requires dedicated preparation and commitment to musical spirituality. To serve for the good of St. Mary’s community and the glory of God is always our goal.
Opportunities in Music Ministry include:
- Song Leaders- both adult and youth, to serve as cantors at various masses
- Adult Choir- (September-May) with a commitment to attend a weekly rehearsal
- Youth Choir- students of all ages are welcome to sing every week at 10:30am mass (until September, when they will alternate with Adult Choir) No signup required!
- Instrumentalists- adult or youth taking private lessons, playing at various masses (flute, clarinet, oboe, trumpet, trombone, violin, viola, cello, percussion, and piano)
Joining music ministry is a beautiful way to share one’s musical talents. If the Lord has blessed you with these gifts, please consider using them to enrich liturgical experiences for yourself and for others!
Anyone interested in joining or asking for more info should contact Miranda Farmer at (262) 925-4159 or mfarmer@stmarycatholic.org
Current Music Ministers
Click below to access rehearsal info and practice recordings:
https://drive.google.com/drive/u/1/folders/1iImHKbAqZ-J2IR5slBHB-bHZRnSnpL-6
Prayer Line
St. Mary’s Prayer Line is made up of parishioners who pray daily for all prayer requests or prayers of thanksgiving that we receive. Our ministry has been functioning since January 2005. Anyone who has a prayer request, whether it be for themselves, a family member, or a friend, can communicate their prayer request to us in the following ways:
- Call the Rectory at 925-4156 and leave a message (no callback is expected)
- Send us an e-mail at prayerline@stmarycatholic.org
- Complete a Prayer Request Form (found at each church entrance) and deposit it in one of the adjacent collection boxes
Phone messages and e-mails are retrieved daily, and Prayer Request Forms are picked up once a week. Every day one of us is responsible for communicating, in confidence, any new prayer requests to the rest of the group.
Our ministry is separate from, and in addition to, St. Mary’s Book of Prayers and the Prayers of Petition that are read at Mass. We recognize the power of prayer and how it brings all of us closer to each other and to God, and we feel privileged to be a part of this ministry.
** St. Mary Prayer Line does NOT make outgoing phone calls. We are not at all affiliated with "St. Mary Prayer CENTER Ministry" that has been making robocalls.
Ushers
Ushers are men and women who tend to parishioners' comfort and needs during the course of the Mass. They provide assistance to those who might need special attention in entering or leaving the church and provide guidance and direction in many traffic control aspects of the Liturgy.