Prayer & Worship Ministries

Prayer and Worship Committee

The Prayer and Worship Committee is made up of parishioner volunteers and parish staff members whose main focus is the Liturgy at St. Mary. Liturgy might be best described as our Christ-centered, Catholic community coming together, through the power of the Holy Spirit, to be closer to God through prayerful worship.

 

St. Mary has identified seven ministries of Liturgy. These include: Altar Servers, Art and Environment, Eucharistic Ministry, Greeter Ministry, Lectors, Music Ministry, and Usher Ministry.

 

Each ministry has a coordinator who attends Prayer and Worship meetings once each month. The Prayer and Worship Committee is not only responsible for making the Liturgies at St. Mary as beautiful and prayerful as possible, but also for developing the ministries by identifying and nurturing those parishioners called to stewardship in these roles.


Contact Miranda Farmer at 262-925-4159 or mfarmer@stmarycatholic.com for further details.

Art and Environment

Art and Environment ministers are responsible for coordinating 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 parish environment. These include care of the floral arrangements, Holy Water receptacles, vestments, altar cloths, and Missalettes, to name a few.


Chairperson Elda Sanz and Deanna Guenther

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.


Chairperson Katie Vitkus and Greg Cunningham

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 for continual prayer, beginning at the close of morning Mass and continuing through 8:00 pm. We want to expand our adoration hours and are looking for additional volunteers. If this is something that interests you or if you have other questions, please get in touch with the parish office 262-694-6018.


Chairperson Judy Charneske

Eucharistic Ministry

The Eucharistic Ministry involves the sacramental sharing of the Body of our Lord. The Ministers assist with the distribution of what was once bread, 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.

 

Chairperson: Rachel Lopez

Greeter Ministry

Greeters are responsible for establishing that “first impression” for those entering God’s house. Their warm welcome creates a positive atmosphere for all the prayerful activities to follow. Greeters stand at each entrance to welcome guests and can assist newcomers in finding their way around the church. Children under 18 may volunteer as greeters if accompanied by a parent.

 

We are always looking for more greeters for all 3 weekend Masses, especially the 4 pm Mass on Saturdays. This can be a good way to get involved if you are a new parishioner.

 

Chairperson: TBD 

Lectors

Lectors 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.


Chairperson Jim Ripley

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. This 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:

 

1)  Call the Prayer Line at (262) 925-4156 and leave a message.

2)  Send us an email at prayerline@stmarycatholic.org 

3) Complete a Prayer Request Form (found at each church

 Entrance and in the pews) and deposit them into one of the adjacent collection boxes.

 

Phone messages and emails are retrieved daily, and Prayer

Request Forms are picked up once a week. Every day, a prayer line minister is responsible for communicating any new prayer requests in confidence to the rest of the group.

 

This 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 in bringing all of us closer to each other and to God, and we feel privileged to be part of this ministry. No meetings. Daily Prayer required. No minimum age. Must be mature enough to pray daily. All members must have their own email address.

 

Chairperson: Annette Markin

Ushers

Ushers are men, women, and High School Students who tend to the comfort and needs of parishioners throughout the Mass. They assist those who might need special attention when entering or leaving the Church and provide guidance and direction on many traffic-control aspects of the Liturgy. Ushers also assist at funeral liturgies held in the Church. 

 

  • Chairpersons: Deacon Ron Lesjak and Robert Saenz
  • Weekend Masses: Mike Tyson
  • Funeral Masses: Robert Saenz