Ministry Fair
On October 25-26, 2003, the Church of St. Paul held a Ministry Fair in the parish social hall after all masses. The purpose of the fair was to highlight the many ministries available in our parish.
The following is a list of the ministries represented, their mission statements, and a link to photos.
Aquinas
Academy
Aquinas Academy is our grade
school centered on the Gospel and based on the values of our Catholic faith
through Jesus Christ. Our learning environment promotes service, justice,
and commitment to God. We believe that the Parish is integral to the
family, and the schooling program is an extension of the parish in educating and
reinforcing the Family of God. We desire to prepare our students for a
"journey of a lifetime".
Greensburg
Central Catholic High School
GCC provides a Gospel-centered and
value-based education that is a partnership between parents, students,
educators, the diocese, and the community. It is a community of faith,
providing a quality holistic education. We strive for each student to
reach his or her potential and be empowered to succeed in our global community
as responsible Christians.
Pastoral
Council
Pastoral Council is designed
primarily to envision, plan, and oversee the mission of the parish as an
extension of the mission of Jesus. Through ongoing pastoral planning, our
role is to maintain the integrity of the parish mission and the goals and
objectives related to it.
Stewardship
Council
Stewardship is a way of life, an
attitude that all is gift. We therefore desire and are called to give back
to the Lord in gratitude a portion of everything He has given to us, through the
giving of our time, talent, and treasure. The Stewardship Council seeks to
promote this way of life to our parishioners.
Facilities
Management Committee
The purpose of the Facilities
Management Committee here at St. Paul is to provide ongoing evaluation of our
land and buildings. Our work includes identifying necessary maintenance
projects, procuring and evaluating job bids to perform this work, and overseeing
and working on minor repair projects. We seek to ensure a pleasing and
comfortable environment for our parishioners as we all continue to live out our
parish mission statement.
Marriage
Preparation
Marriage Preparation programs are
not held for the purpose of telling engaged couples how to be married or avoid
problems. We come to the engaged couple as witnesses of the living
Sacrament of Matrimony and to share our reflections and experiences. it is
our goal that all engaged couples realize that the real issue to be faced in
this program is the couple's love for each other and how they will live out that
love now as an engaged couple and later as husband and wife.
Rite
of Christian Initiation for Adults (R.C.I.A.)
R.C.I.A. is the way of introducing
individuals to the Catholic Faith. It prepares candidates for membership
with the celebration of the Sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist.
Children's
Liturgy of the Word
Children's Liturgy of the Word
provides an opportunity for those in grade K-5 to gather together during the
5:00 pm and 10:30 am Masses to hear the Word of God proclaimed to them in
an age-appropriate manner. They hear the same readings as the rest of the
assembly, but in simpler terms. We guide the children through their
reflection on God's word, the primary purpose being to nurture their celebration
of the mystery of God's presence in the word, and to facilitate the children's
response in praise, gratitude, and good works.
Good
Shepherd Catechesis
Good Shepherd Catechesis is based
on the Montessori method and is available for children beginning at age 3.
The primary elements are a prepared environment and a trained catechist whose
sources are Scripture and Liturgy.
Junior
youth Ministry
Junior Youth Ministry is a weekly,
multi-faceted faith formation experience for young people in grades 6 through 8
providing prayer, catechetical, social, and service opportunities.
Religious
Education
The Church of St. Paul holds
Saturday morning Religious Education sessions providing children with formal,
personal, and communal opportunities for faith development and spiritual growth
in the Catholic faith.
Youth
Ministry
Youth Ministry encompasses
service, catechism, spirituality, and social activities that promote high
school-aged youth in the development of their Catholic faith. Youth
Ministry is ministry by the youth for the youth.
Cantors/Organists
Cantors and Organists provide
musical support to the gathered Assembly, encouraging their full, active and
conscious participation at all Eucharistic Liturgies.
Funeral
Choir
The Funeral Choir assists the
grieving members of a funeral assembly by leading the sung prayers of the
funeral liturgy. It is a ministry of service, love, and support on behalf
of the whole parish community.
Funeral
Altar Servers
The Funeral Altar Servers assist
Father in serving the funeral masses.
Adult
Traditional Choir/Contemporary Choir & Instrumentalists/Children's Choir
(seasonal)
In the adult, Contemporary, and
Children's Choirs, we explore ways and opportunities to utilize the musical and
artistic gifts, talents, and abilities of those among us. We promote the
importance of choral music to the liturgy as well as being sensitive to which
type of choir best fulfills the worship needs of our parish. All of our
choirs have found families within our parish with whom they "make a joyful
noise unto the Lord." Psalm 100:1
Liturgical
Environmentalists
The Liturgical Environmentalists
decorate the church for Lent, Holy Week, Easter, Pentecost, Advent, and
Christmas. They also do light housekeeping of the church, sacristy, and
vestibule.
Ushers
The ushers have different
functions at the Mass. We help people feel welcome and comfortable.
We're alert to when someone may need Communion brought to their seat. We
are aware of the Mass intention so that family members might have the
opportunity to carry the gifts forward during the offertory. Ushers also
help in collecting the offering.
Greeters
As we enter the Church of St.
Paul, the Holy Spirit fills our hearts with love, bringing us closer to God.
The greeters welcome our church community to the house of God by offering love
and friendship.
Eucharistic
Ministers (at Mass & to the Homebound)
We, the Eucharistic Ministers of
St. Paul Church, believe the Eucharist is Christ's greatest gift. It is a
gift that makes the sacrifice of Jesus present for all time, giving strength and
hope to all who take and eat His Body and drink His Precious Blood.
Lectors
The Lectors proclaim the Word of
God to the assembly during each Mass.
Ladies
of Charity
St. Vincent dePaul said:
"The Confraternity of the Ladies of Charity sprang from God in order to
honor our Lord Jesus Christ as the source and model of all Charity."
The purpose of the association, then, is to imitate the Divine Savior in serving
the poor, needy, and the sick, and in bringing them corporal and spiritual
nourishment.
Prayer
& Share
Prayer & Share is a Catholic,
charismatic prayer community specially designed for those seeking the
"Baptism in the Holy Spirit" and subsequent openness or yielding to
the charismatic gifts.
Men's
Group
The Men's Group meets at the
Church of St. Paul every other Wednesday at 7:30 pm for praise, prayer, and
discussion. We focus on the challenge of being Catholic men in today's
society and how to bring the light of Jesus more meaningfully into our world.
Coffee
& Donuts Ministry
The mission of the coffee &
donuts ministry is to provide an opportunity for the parishioners of the Church
of St. Paul to enjoy fellowship with one another. In addition to
participating in the Sunday liturgy, socializing after Mass allows parishioners
to extend their sense of community by rekindling old friendships and beginning
new ones.
Rosary
Altar Society
The Rosary Altar Society promotes
devotion to the Blessed Mother. The Rosary is one of the oldes and most
popular forms of private devotion. Mary leads us to her Son, as we are
ever mindful of the mission He left to each of us.
Goldenaires
The Goldenaires provide members an
active social life and information affecting older citizens.
Hospital
Visitors
In April 2001, the Hospital
Ministry was established for the parishioners of the Church of St. Paul who are
willing to receive a visitor. After a brief conversation, the volunteer
visitor asks if the parishioner would like to pray. In our prayer we ask
for God's continued presence to sustain that person through wherever their
condition is leading. The bedside prayer is a physical way of saying
"You are not alone, God is always with you."
Shopping
The Shopping Ministry assists
parishioners who are either temporarily or permanently unable to shop for their
basic necessities. What better way to spend a few hours than serving Jesus
by shopping for parishioner?
Chores
This Ministry serves the people of
the Church of St. Paul who are in need of assistance in completing small chores.
By calling it's members, a schedule is created to help. This ministry
answers Jesus' call to serve the people of our community.
Prayer
Chain
The Prayer Chain exists in order
to provide an organized way for a team of parishioners to pray for our members
who have requested prayers. Three groups of men and women (about 10 per
group) begin a chain every Wednesday. The first leader calls the second,
the second calls, the third, then each leader begins the calls to the chain
which is their group. Each person in the group calls the next in turn
until the last on the list calls the leader to let them know the chain has been
completed.
Bereavement
Team
The Bereavement Team offers
support to parishioners who have experienced the death of a loved one.
Newsletter
& Website
The purpose of the Church of St.
Paul newsletter and website is to provide parishioners with a means to receive
information on parish events and situations which can be featured in greater
depth and by vehicles that are able to reach more parishioners than the Sunday
bulletin.
Transportation
Ministry
This Ministry of Service provides
assistance to those who are without a means of transportation to come to Mass.
Meal
Preparation
The Meal Preparation Ministry
provides a homecooked meal(s) to parishioners in time of need. It is the
Holy Spirit truly working within us to reach out in generosity and caring for
others.
Blanket
Ministry
St. Paul Blanket Ministry makes
small (child- or lap-throw size) handmade blankets. These are then
distributed to either parishioners (the newly baptized or elderly) or to the SW
Pa./Northern W Va. Chapter of Project Linus. Project Linus provides
handmade blankets to children who are critically ill or in a trauma situation.
Our mission is to provide the warm comfort of a handmade "hug" to our
own parishioners and to the community at large.
Homebound
Ministry
This ministry tries to reach out
to parishioners who are not able to come to Mass. We desire to let them
know that they are not alone and are important to the parish family.
Renew
Small groups of parishioners meet
regularly in each other's homes to pray, read scripture, support one another,
share stories of faith, and work together to put their faith into action.
RENEW is a process guided by the Holy Spirit and focused on the love of God and
the love of neighbor.
Social
Events
The Social Events Ministry at St.
Paul's is designed to develop a sense of community and fellowship among our
parishioners. We present a variety of events for families, youth, and
adults.
Grounds
Beautification
The Grounds Beautification
Committee is a small group of men and women who work as a team or individually
to enhance and beautify the church property by weeding, planting, and mulching
flower beds, shrubs, and trees.