YOU are the missing piece of the puzzle. St. Francis Borgia Parish Sharing your gifts of time, talent and treasure with your parish family

Transcription

1 YOU are the missing piece of the puzzle St. Francis Borgia Parish Sharing your gifts of time, talent and treasure with your parish family

2 Christ has no body but yours. No hands, no feet on earth but yours. Yours are the eyes with which he looks with compassion on this world. Yours are the feet with which he walks to do good. Yours are the hands with which he blesses all the world. Yours are the hands, yours are the feet. Yours are the eyes, you are his body - St. Teresa of Avila ( ) 2

3 ST. FRANCIS BORGIA C A T H O L I C C H U R C H Dear St. Francis Borgia Parishioners, As a member of our parish community, we have the opportunity to renew our commitment to living the life of a good and faithful steward. As we reflect on the many blessings in our lives, let us pray to the Holy Spirit and ask for guidance as we recommit ourselves to sharing a portion of the gifts that God has given us. Many members of our parish family can witness the peace and deepening of faith they have experienced by being good stewards of their personal gifts of time, talent, and treasure - each of these gifts given to us by our Lord. I am confident that many of you would like to respond more fully, but are hesitant to share the special gifts given to us by God. After all, saying, Yes, I m really good at that! might seem like a form of bragging. But, in reality, it s a truthful acknowledgement of the skills and talents with which God has gifted you. If you think you have very few, if any, talents, ask the Holy Spirit to help you to discern your special gifts. We hope you ll hear the Spirit leading you in how you can serve your parish and even the broader community. You are important! Your parish needs your time and your talent. If you presently share your time as a volunteer, perhaps you might ask the Holy Spirit to help you to commit to sharing more time or perhaps offering your time in new and different ways. If you re not currently offering financial support to our parish, please prayerfully consider doing so. A recommended plan for financial giving is to offer five percent to the parish and five percent to other good works and charities. If this seems overwhelming or impossible, start small! A regular gift will not only help provide programs and services for others, but will help you see all the good that you can do in the world by sharing your resources. God has blessed each of us in many ways, and we have an inherent need to give thanks to God. Will you place your trust in God by returning a portion of the gifts He has given you to help your parish and community? We thank each of you for being a valuable member of this parish and for your continuing generosity of time, talent and treasure. Sincerely yours in Christ, Brenda Cline Father Justin Lopina Julie Larrivee Temporary Parish Director Associate Pastor Stewardship coordinator 3

4 Your good stewardship changes lives! If we are the least bit aware of God s work in our lives, there are plenty of things for which we should be grateful. We should be grateful for Our lives Our families Our friends Our health Our intellect Our jobs Our homes Our passions and talents The gift of salvation for eternal life. We should be grateful for all of God s extraordinary blessings. When gratitude forms the foundation of our relationship with God, we realize that everything we have that is good - and everything we are - is a gift from God. God, the one from whom all things flow, lavishes His gifts on us freely and generously. In appreciation and gratitude, we should make it a planned priority to share those gifts just as freely and generously as He does. How we share what God has given to us is what Scripture calls stewardship. Good stewards express their appreciation to their Creator by looking for the good in their lives, saying thank you to God by sharing Our gifts of time, talent and treasure. 4

5 Time For prayer and worship We all have the same amount of time - 24 hours in each day, 168 hours in each week. Time is a limited, valuable commodity. We have a need to balance and prioritize the different, and often competing, demands in our lives. We need to find time for work, family, service to others, recreation, rest and, of course, prayer and worship. As Christians, aware that our lives are gifts from God, do we make time for God a planned priority in our busy lives? Do we take just one weekend hour to join with our parish community to worship as the Body of Christ? Is daily prayer simply a task that can be easily moved - or even canceled - if life gets busy? Do we find time to pray each day to thank the Lord for the blessings He has bestowed upon us? Do we present our needs and the needs of others at His feet? Talent Shared in ministry Each of us has a special set of skills and talents that is uniquely ours. As Catholic Christians, we believe that every member of our faith community has been given talents that are gifts from God. We use these skills and talents to earn a living and care for our family. God gives us these gifts with the expectation that we will use them to enrich and assist our faith community and our broader world. Do we use our aptitudes and abilities to further God s kingdom? Treasure Given sacrificially in gratitude We are stewards - not owners - of the money and possessions in our care. We all have different levels of income and material resources, yet we are all rich in comparison to the rest of the world. We are called not to equal giving, but to equal sacrifice. Our spending habits say much about our values, priorities and wants. How much of our monthly income is spent on our wants and desires? Comparatively, how much do we give back to God to further the works of His kingdom? Does gratefully giving back to God come first in our list of spending priorities? If we look at it honestly, might we be surprised to find where God falls in our list? Let s try to establish a purposeful annual plan for honoring God with our treasure rather than just offering what s in our wallet when the collection basket arrives. 5

6 Sharing my talents with St. Francis Borgia Parish Prayer and Worship opportunities Ministries that assist during Mass or help with Mass preparations OPPORTUNITIES AT WEEKEND MASSES Adult Choir High school through adult. Sing with the choir at the 9 a.m. Mass during the school year. Practices are on Monday evenings at 7 p.m. Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion High school juniors through adult who have been confirmed. Requested commitment of one weekend Mass per month. Distribute the Precious Body and Blood of Jesus to those receiving communion. Training and mentoring is provided. Greeters Middle school and older. Younger children may participate with a parent. Welcome people to Mass. Arrive minutes ahead of Mass time. Scheduling is done by a sign-up sheet in the gathering space (on Ushers Room door.) Handbell Choir Middle school and older. Prior musical experience, preferably keyboard-based, is required. This choir provides musical accompaniment at Mass periodically. Rehearsals are Monday evenings at 6 p.m. Instrumentalists Middle school and older. Qualified musicians will have a firm musical foundation. Besides organ and piano, instruments used in our liturgies include woodwinds, brass, strings, guitars and percussion. Lectors High school freshmen through adults. Proclaim the Scripture readings at Mass. Scheduling based on your availability. Training and mentoring are provided. Mass Servers Grade 4 and up. Must have received First Eucharist. Assist the priest with pre-mass preparations and help during Mass. Ushers Middle school and older. Younger children may participate with a parent. Assist parishioners with seating, take up the collection, help with communion procession, and other needs. Youth Choir Grades 2-8. These children periodically sing at weekend Masses and some special liturgies. Rehearsals are on Wednesday afternoons from 3:45-4:45 p.m. in the music room at the E&AC. 6 OPPORTUNITIES OUTSIDE OF WEEKEND MASSES Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion at Nursing Homes and Care Facilities Adults. Requested commitment of one day per month. Take Holy Communion to residents at Cedar Springs/Gardens, Harrison Home, Lasata Care Center or Ivy Manor. Funeral Mass Ministry Adults. Help set up for funerals, assist the priest during Mass, and serve as ministers of Holy Communion at Mass. This ministry may include Saturday assistance, if your schedule allows. Church Dusters Adults. Youth members may assist their parents. No heavy cleaning is required. You will be scheduled two or three times each year. You can perform the tasks at your convenience. Communion and Rosary Volunteers at Cedar Springs/ Gardens High school, adults and families. Help lead a communion service and/or pray the rosary with residents from 9:15-10:45 a.m. on the second through fifth Fridays of the month. Training and mentoring is provided. Divine Mercy Prayer Group High school and adults. This group meets every Monday morning following the Rosary and during Eucharistic Adoration at the South Church. Come and pray for your intentions, as well as the needs of our parish and the world. All are welcome. Eucharistic Adoration High school through adults. Catholics believe that Jesus is present in the Blessed Sacrament. Spend some time in prayer before the Blessed Sacrament each Monday. Adoration is at the South Church from 8:30 a.m. until 7 p.m. Scheduling is done by signing up on the sheet in the church entrance area. Lasata Monday Mass Volunteers Adults. Provide assistance so that residents can attend Mass and receive communion. Masses are on the second Monday of each month in the afternoon. Linen Ministry High school and older. Launder and iron the purificators used to wipe the chalices during Mass. Time commitment is about three hours, two or three times each year. Liturgical Environment Adults. Help provide an inspirational setting for our Eucharistic celebrations with flowers, banners, etc. Volunteers are needed at both North and South churches. (Ministries continue on next page)

7 Sharing my talents with St. Francis Borgia Parish Prayer and Worship opportunities Ministries that assist during Mass or help with Mass preparations OPPORTUNITIES OUTSIDE OF WEEKEND MASSES (continued) Prayer Chain Adults. The Grace Bohl Memorial Prayer Chain members pray for intentions that are called in to the parish office. You may choose to be on the daytime or evening list. After you receive a prayer request, you call the next person on the list and share the information. Pray as the Spirit leads you - formally or informally - when you are able to spend quiet time in prayer. Prayer and Worship Committee High school and adults. Help strengthen the faith and spirituality of our parish community and enhance our relationship with God through our Catholic liturgy. Meetings are monthly, about nine times a year. Rosary Prayer Group High school through adult. Every Monday at 6 p.m., 15 decades of the rosary are prayed to end the period of Eucharistic Adoration. No sign up is required. All are welcome to join. Rosary Prayer Group for Youth Middle and high school. Each Wednesday evening, this group gathers to pray the rosary for their special intentions. Service hours are available for participating. Sacristy assistants Adults. Light cleaning in the sacristy, as well as care of liturgical garments, is handled by these volunteers. Time commitment is approximately one hour per week, slightly more during special seasons. Christian Formation opportunities Share your Catholic faith OPPORTUNITIES AT WEEKEND MASSES Children s Liturgy of the Word (LWC) High school through adult. Children ages 4-10 are provided an opportunity during the 9 and 11 a.m. Masses to hear and discuss the Word of God on their own level. Leaders are scheduled once per month. Preparation time is about minutes. Actual class time is about 20 minutes. Children s Liturgy of the Word (LWC) Assistants Middle school through adult. Help organize the children and provide support to the catechist leading the class. Catechists High school through adult. Would you like to pass your faith on to others? This is a great experience for older teens who may want to teach in the future, as well as for parents and retirees who wish to impact the lives of our young people. Time commitment is about two hours per week from fall through spring. Most classes are on Wednesday evenings. Catechist Assistants Middle school through adult. Not quite ready to take a class on your own? Serving as an assistant will allow you to interact with our young people while providing assistance to the catechist. OPPORTUNITIES OUTSIDE OF WEEKEND MASSES RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults) Adults. Help welcome and teach those wishing to learn more about our Catholic faith and possibly become members of our Church. Volunteers are needed to teach Bible study, instruct young families, sponsor adult confirmands and more. A variety of time commitments is available. Classes take place on Sunday mornings. Vacation Bible School (VBS) Middle school through adult. This fun, activity-filled summer week for children ages 5-10 is based on a theme with a variety of stations. Volunteers are needed to help with set-up and preparations, as well as to teach and assist during VBS. Youth Group Adults. Mentors and chaperones are needed to assist with the service and social activities for this group of teens. 7

8 Sharing my talents with St. Francis Borgia Parish Parish Life opportunities Activities for those in our parish community Bereavement Outreach Ministry Adults. Provide support to parish members who have recently lost a loved one. Services include phone calls, visits, sending cards and more. CYM Sports Adults. Help with extracurricular high school basketball and volleyball teams that compete with youth from other parishes in the Archdiocese of Milwaukee. Volunteers are needed to organize teams, as well as coach. Faith Sharing Groups Adults. Volunteer to lead a small group in a Scripture study or other faith sharing opportunity. Resources and assistance are available. There is a special need for leaders for a parish-wide opportunity offered during Lent. First Friday Club Adults. Share food and fellowship following the morning Mass on the first Friday of each month. The group gathers in the North Church hall. Everyone is welcome. Funeral Meals Ministry Adults. Assist grieving families by arranging and providing food for the funeral meals that are served in the SFB Church Hall. Time commitment varies based on frequency of funerals. Daytime availability is most often needed, but there are instances where evening help is requested. Most requests are on short notice, so flexibility is a plus. Grief Support Group Adults. We are looking for leadership to create an opportunity for fellowship and mutual support for those dealing with the loss of a loved one. Once leadership is in place, volunteers will be recruited for assistance with the program. Moms Groups Adults. These small groups provide fellowship, faith sharing and support for expectant, new and experienced mothers. There is a special need for leaders so that the program can grow. New Member Welcome Events Adults. Leadership is needed to help launch a program for our new members. Once leadership is in place, volunteers will be recruited to assist with the event. Senior Social Club Adults. We are looking for leadership to launch a program to provide fellowship and social activities for our seniors (ages 60+). Once leadership is in place, volunteers will be recruited for committees and projects. That Man Is You (TMIY) Adult men. TMIY provides fellowship for the men of SFB while sharing tools, knowledge and support to help them be good Catholic leaders for their families, their church and their community. The group meets during the school year on Mondays at 6 a.m. in the North Church hall and on Wednesdays at 7 p.m. in the South Church basement. Women s Guild Adult women. Join women from SFB to sponsor projects that support our parish and other charities. They meet at 9 a.m. in the Church Hall on the first Wednesday of each month from September through May. Knights of Columbus Adult men. This international Catholic organization supports and sponsors several annual projects. Members are asked to volunteer for at least one project or five hours annually. 8

9 Sharing my talents with St. Francis Borgia Parish Human Concerns opportunities Support for those needing assistance - in our parish and the broader community Cathedral Center Outreach Adults. Children age 10 and older can accompany a parent/ guardian. This ministry assists those who are temporarily residing at The Cathedral Center, an emergency shelter in downtown Milwaukee. Volunteers provide food for the evening meal and/or assist in serving the meal to the women and families who shelter guests. Family Promise - Ozaukee County Adults. As part of a national program, Family Promise of Ozaukee County works to rebuild lives with compassion by providing shelter, food and support resources for homeless families here in our county. Volunteers are needed to provide food and assist with other shelter duties. Habitat for Humanity - Ozaukee County Adults. Older teens can accompany a parent. Volunteers construct homes from the ground up. The homes are sold to low-income families to help them get ahead. Construction skills not required - training provided on-site! Certified tradesmen needed to provide professional skills, as well. Health Ministry Adults. Help promote and nurture the health of mind, body and spirit of our parishioners and the wider community. This group provides speaker and health monitoring/screen opportunities, along with sharing information and resources. Health care professionals, as well as those interested in personal health, are invited. House of Peace Christmas Brunch High school through adults. Help bring a bit of Christmas cheer to some of the neediest children in Milwaukee. This group organizes gifts for each child who s attending, as well as a delicious brunch and Christmas pageant. Volunteers are needed to assist with fundraising, collection of gifts and the event itself. Human Concerns Committee High school through adults. This parish-wide committee encompasses members of all Human Concerns ministries and at-large members from the parish. They coordinate volunteers and determine the financial assistance of SFB in the broader community. They have evening meetings about six times a year. Inner City Ministry Adults. Younger ages may accompany their parents. This ministry helps the poor and homeless in Milwaukee. Donations of clothing from parishioners and day-old bakery from area businesses are delivered to shelters such as House of Peace and Repairers of the Breach. Deliveries are made on weekdays and weekends. Justice for Immigrants High school through adults. This committee works to educate the community and provide support for a broad legalization program and comprehensive immigration reform for those seeking a better life in the United States. Efforts are a coordinated part of a campaign of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops and the Archdiocese of Milwaukee. Knitting Ministry Adults. Crafters who knit or crochet are invited to make items for people needing a hug from God as they face the loss of a loved one, a sudden or ongoing illness, chemo treatments, etc. The group also makes baby items for SFB baptisms and to share with pregnancy crisis centers. Hats and mittens are donated to the House of Peace. They meet weekly during the school year on Wednesdays at 1:30 p.m. in the Church Hall. Mercy s Mission Adults. Help tend the spiritual needs of parishioners who are elderly, homebound, in assisted living, or in nursing homes. Visits may include help with small household tasks, running errands or just visiting. The time commitment is one hour per week. Respect Life Committee Adults. Support the teachings of the Catholic Church on respect life issues through parish education, outreach and prayer. The group also supports local organizations that respect the dignity of life from conception to natural death, especially those that provide crisis pregnancy support. St. Vincent de Paul Society Adults. The Cedarburg Conference of the SVdP Society is part of a worldwide organization dedicated to helping people in need, regardless of their religious affiliation. The aim is to offer temporary assistance with housing, utilities, etc., as the clients learn to become more selfsufficient. The Society meets on the second Tuesday of each month at 7 p.m. in the SFB Parish Center. Uganda Twinning Committee High school through adults. This committee works to build and maintain social, cultural and spiritual ties with St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Church in Mukono, Uganda. Reciprocal visits between the parishes have nurtured friendships and Christ fellowship. The committee meets once each month. 9

10 Sharing my talents with St. Francis Borgia Parish Parish Support opportunities Activities that assist with our parish operations Communications / Website Committee High school and older. Assist with various forms of parish communication including the emessenger (electronic newsletter) and parish website. Those with skills in writing, editing, photography, electronic communications, social media, website development/maintenance, etc. are invited to join the group. Meetings are held as needed. Information Station Adults. Help answer parishioners questions and provide handouts before and after Masses at the Information Station in the gathering space. In addition to providing assistance, the Information Station volunteers serve as greeters for those arriving at Mass. Training is provided. Pastoral and Finance Councils 18 years of age and older. This group of parish volunteers serves as advisors to the pastor. The councils are involved in planning to meet the needs of the parish, the archdiocese and the broader community, with a vision for the future and a strong basis in stewardship. Council members are selected through a discernment process each spring. Office volunteer Adults. Help in the parish office with a variety of projects including stuffing weekly bulletins on Friday mornings and assisting with bulk and other mailings. These jobs are done during business hours on an as needed basis. Stewardship Committee 18 years of age and older. This committee meets to discuss and implement ways to increase parishioner gifts of their time in prayer, their talents as volunteers and their financial treasure. Meetings are scheduled when needed. 10

11 Yes - I want to help St. Francis Borgia Parish. Thank you for your desire to help our parish! Please complete and return the bright yellow sheet that was included with this booklet. You can turn the sheet in at the parish office during business hours or you can put it in an envelope and place it in the Mass collection. Your name and contact info will be shared with the leaders of the ministries in which you have interest. Those leaders will get in touch with you to share further information about your involvement. No return sheet? No problem! Please call the parish office ( ) and we ll take your info. You can also Julie Larrivee, stewardship coordinator, at LarriveeJ@archmil.org and let her know which ministries you d like to join or would like more info about. 11