"As each one has received a gift, use it to serve one another as good stewards  of God's varied grace."

1 Peter 4: 10

We are looking for many more ushers, extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion (EMCHs) and altar servers! Please attend one of the following training meetings:

• EMHCs: Saturday, October 9 at 8:30 AM
• Altar Servers: Saturday, October 16 at 9:00 AM
• Readers: Monday, October 25 at 7:00 PM
• Ushers: Monday, October 25 at 8:00 PM

We will meet near the coat rack in the Gathering Space; no need to register. Ministers are scheduled just once a month at their Mass time choice, and new ministers will not be scheduled until December but can volunteer sooner if there are open positions.

Questions? Contact Cindy Woitalla at cwoitalla@stmcatholicchurch.org or 612-470-4398.

Become More Involved in the Mass

Liturgical ministers are generally scheduled once a month at the Mass time of their choice, but may volunteer to serve more if they wish.   Ministers are asked to be at church 15 minutes prior to Mass when they are scheduled unless otherwise noted below.

• Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion: Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion (EMHCs) assist the priest in distributing the Body and Blood of Jesus during Mass.  To serve as an EMHC you must be an adult who has received the Sacrament of Confirmation and be commissioned to serve in our parish.  
• Reader: The proclamation of Sacred Scripture is a very importatn ministry.  We have two readers at each Sunday Mass.  To be effective, readers need to make adequate preparation including study, prayer and practice.  Readers should have a loud, clear and unhurried speaking voice.  To serve s a Reader, you must be in 9th grade or older and preferrably have received the Sacrament of Confirmation.
• Usher/Greeter: Ushers/Greeters are needed for all Masses, including Christmas, Easter and other special liturgies. An usher arrives 20-25 minutes early and is a host, acting on behalf of the parish, to greet people, assist seating when necessary and check the overall comfort in the church building. They open and close doors, take up the offering, distribute bulletins and straighten hymnals after Mass.  Ushers must be able to tak initiative and be comfortable approaching and directing parishioners, as necessary.  To serve as an Usher, you must be in 9th grade or older.
• Altar Server: Altar servers assist the priest at Mass. It is crucial that all Mass servers are mature and reverent during Mass.  Altar Servers may be girls or boys who have been baptized, received the Sacraments of Penance and Eucharist, and are in grade six or older. 
• Mass Coordinator (must have served in another liturgical ministry): The Mass Coordinators oversee and have an understanding of all of the other liturgical ministries.  They ensure that all volunteers scheduled to serve have arrived and communicate any pertinent information to them.  They handle any issues thatmay come up prior to Mass and ensure that Mass flows smoothly.   The Mass Coordinator is responsible for opening the church prior to Mass and securing the church after Mass.  Mass Coordinators arrive 45 minutes prior to Mass and stay about 10 to 15 minutes after Mass. To serve as an Mass Coordinator, you must be at least 18 years old and have served in another liturgical ministry.   
• Sacristan (must be fully trained as an EMHC): A Sacristan’s role is to prepare the items needed at the altar for Mass.  This includes preparing the credence table, which holds the sacred vessels, and the side table, which is for the extraordinary ministers to sanitize their hands prior to distributing communion. They also prepare the gifts table. After Mass, they ensure that all of the vessels are purified prior to washing and that everything is put away properly. To serve as a Sacristan, you must be an adult who has received the Sacrament of Confirmation, and has been commissioned to serve in our parish.

Questions on the above Liturgical Ministries may be directed to Cindy Woitalla e at 612-470-4398 or cwoitalla@stmcatholicchurch.org or Steve Long at 612-344-1544 or slong@stmcatholicchurch.org.