Service

SERVICE TO THE PARISH

Text Box: Sharing Time and Talent Giving Back to God with Joy Altar Servers Training for altar servers is conducted during several weekly instructional sessions and is open to parish girls and boys in grades 6 through 8 who attend the parish school, the parish Prep program, or private schools. Altar Guild Ministry The Altar Ministry is responsible for the appearance of the church. This includes dressing the altar for weddings, funerals and special ceremonies. Members of this ministry take care of altar linens and vestments. Some volunteers apply their talents to embroidering Baptismal bibs; others decorate with flowers and plants for all occasions. Eucharistic Ministers This is a ministry of religious, lay men and lay women appointed by the archbishop for a 3-year term of service. Eucharistic Ministers help with the distribution of Holy Communion at the daily and Sunday Masses. They also bring Holy Communion to the residents at the Quadrangle retirement community and to those parishioners who are sick and /or homebound, and to the patients at Bryn Mawr Hospital. Finance Council
The Finance Council serves as an advisory group to the Pastor on fiscal matters. The Council approves annual budgets prepared by the Parish office and monitors compliance throughout the year. It reviews financial reports made to the archdiocese and to the parishioners. Liturgical Ministries The Parish Liturgy Committee assists in the development of meaningful liturgy throughout the year with special emphasis on the individual liturgies of the holy seasons. Lectors The lector’s purpose is to make God’s Word understandable to those listening and absorbing what is proclaimed. A serious reader prepares for the lessons to be proclaimed to the assembly by reviewing and digesting in advance the lessons to be learned. The lector must be conscious of and concerned with public speaking, and know that diction and delivery is critical to the presentation. Music Ministry (Choir, Cantors) The Choir sings twice a month during Sunday Masses (every Sunday in Advent and Lent), Thanksgiving morning, Christmas Eve, Holy week liturgies and all services where sacraments are administered. The Christmas concert is always a highlight of this talented group. The choir practices every Wednesday night at 7:30 PM. from September through May. Anyone interested in joining is asked to sing a simple audition Pastoral Council The Pastoral Council consists of 12 parishioners who meet 6 times a year between September and June. Council fosters full participation of the parish in the life and mission of the parish and of the Universal Church Ushers The commitment of these ministers of hospitality is to make all who attend Mass feel welcome. For the comfort of parishioners, they do their best to seat them promptly and courteously without confusion. As good Christians, ushers care about the well-being of all who attend services at St. John Neumann. They handle collections for the offertory and distribute the weekly bulletin at the end of Mass. Anyone interested in serving in this capacity is welcome. Welcoming Committee The Welcoming Committee’s mission is to contact and welcome new parishioners. As an ongoing effort to encourage awareness of St. John Neumann’s mission of stewardship, this committee provides new members with a warm and gracious welcome to the parish at Pentecost when they are invited to a coffee social after Sunday Mass.