Why do we serve in the Church? Because we are supposed to use our gifts to build up the body of Christ. In other words, serving strengthens our communion. We have had strong ministries for so many years at Holy Trinity Parish. But we are going to go further. We are going to help identify the gifts that God has given each of us, and find a ministry that best fits. We aren’t going to just fill holes with warm bodies, we are going to call the gifted, that’s all of us, and find a place where we can thrive in building up Christ’s Body the Church.
Please Contact
To be put in touch with a ministry please contact Kate Pinto our Grow Together and Serve Coordinator.
Make Mass Happen
Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion:
Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion (‘extraordinary’ because the ‘ordinary’ ministers are the ordained; bishops, priests or deacons) serve by distributing Holy Communion either during Mass, or by bringing it to the homebound. Do you have a devotion to the Eucharist? Are you humbled by the privilege to assist in distributing communion to your fellow parishioners? Or have a desire to bring Holy Communion to those members of the community who cannot attend Mass? If so, this role might be well suited to you and your gifts.
Lector of the Word Of God:
Lectors serve at Mass by proclaiming the readings (other than the Gospel, which is reserved for proclamation by priests or deacons). This might be the role for you if you have a love for scripture and desire others to be nourished by the Word of God. Are you comfortable speaking before an audience, and speaking into a microphone (think reading a book aloud, only it’s the most incredible story ever told).
Altar Server:
Altar servers assist and serve the clergy during Mass. They play a supporting role working with the priests and deacons to make sure things run smoothly during Mass, helping everyone enter into the Liturgical prayer. This role might be for you if you love the Mass, are attentive to details, and have a knack for helping things to run smoothly.
Hospitality Minister:
A Hospitality Minister welcomes people at mass and helps them feel seen, loved and cared for. A few roles as hospitality minister are to warmly welcome, usher, answer any questions, service the Welcome Center and help at the Name Tag Sunday table.
Music Ministry:
Music, a gift and a blessing from God, has played a very important role in Catholic Liturgy for the past two thousand years. A music minister leads the congregation in song during Mass (or other events). The goal and purpose of Music Ministry is to enhance the experience of worship by heightening the Word of God with music and to provide beauty to the liturgy through music. The experience is meant to be less of a performance and more of an opportunity to simply lead the congregation in raising their voices to God. There is an expectation to play an instrument and/or sing, and an openness to coaching and being coached by those who have more experience. Music transforms our prayer into a higher form of expression and helps unite the congregation in one voice of praise and celebration.
Digital Ministry
Slide Operator:
The Mass Slide operator helps our community worship together whether they are joining us online or in-person! This operator focuses on providing the song lyrics and responses for Mass so that all can participate in worship together. This role also helps to augment the homilies of our clergy by displaying any visuals or media that may be used during preaching at Mass.
Live Stream Operator:
The role of the DM team member is to provide operational support for Parish Live Streaming.
No previous experience is required, however strong computer skills will be an asset. Training will be provided for all team members.
Duties related to this position include:
- Follow all posted and documented setup & operational procedures for each livestream.
- Complete the required checklist before each live stream event.
- Test cameras for proper colour, exposure and ensure PTZ presets are correct.
- Create and prepare all graphics for live stream event.
- Perform sound check with all sound sources.
- Prepare system for Live transmission to YouTube and Facebook. And start the stream at the designated time.
- Assist with creation of crew schedules and training materials as required.
- Provide training to new team members who have a committed interest to operate the equipment with the confidence to livestream and record a worship service.
- On occasion, networking with AV tech teams from other churches to exchange ideas on how we all can better provide a better service to our virtual congregations.
Sound Operator:
Members of this team manage the operation of the audio equipment at the parish. Working with clergy, music ministry, lay parishioners, and other members of the digital ministry team, the sound operator helps to create a meaningful worship experience by understanding the goals for music and sound levels for each service or event.
Duties related to this position include:
- Setup and teardown equipment such as microphone, (audio) monitors, speakers, etc to the mixer.
- Perform a sound check prior to the Mass/event.
- Work with the Livestream operator to ensure audio quality and adjust levels for the online feed.
- Observe the congregation as the service/event progresses and adjust the sound levels to ensure best quality.
Skills required:
- Heart for worship;
- Team player;
- Ability to think quickly and react/troubleshoot in potentially high stress situations;
- Willingness to learn and improve.
No previous experience is required, however prior experience with mixing audio and working with computers will be an asset. Training will be provided for all team members.
Care, Companionship and Consolation
Care and Companionship Ministry:
A group of lay ministers, men and women, who are dedicated to serving those who are homebound and no longer able to participate in the Sacrament of the Mass at church. We bring Christ in the Eucharist to receivers in their home or in nursing homes in our pastoral area, we visit, pray, read scripture, listen to spiritual music, and provide companionship. Many of our ministers are trained in pastoral palliative care. We have a team of ministers who provide consolation and funeral planning assistance to those who have lost a loved one, as well as grief support. Our ministers receive training and coaching, they serve with a partner and are required to pass a criminal record and vulnerable sector check before visiting the homebound on behalf of the parish. ”Truly I tell you, whenever you did this for one of the least important of these brothers of mine, you did it for me!” –Matthew 25:40
Consolation Ministry:
As funeral ministers, you are sent to minister to the bereaved on behalf of the parish. As stated in the General Introduction of The Order of Christian Funerals, the “Church calls each member of Christ’s Body – priest, deacon, layperson – to participate in the ministry of consolation: To care for the dying, to pray for the dead, to comfort those who mourn.” As we minister to the bereaved – whether it be only a brief encounter, or span over several weeks or months – we give witness to our faith and belief in the Resurrection.
Sacramental Preparation
Baptismal Preparation:
“Holy Baptism is the basis of the whole Christian life, the gateway to life in the Spirit and the door which gives access to the other sacraments. Through Baptism we are freed from sin and reborn as children of God; we become members of Christ, are incorporated into the Church and made sharers in her mission” (CCC 1213). This ministry focuses specifically on Baptismal preparation for infants and children under the age of reason (<7 years old), and as such is more a formation opportunity to work with the parents seeking the sacrament for their children. This is an exceptional opportunity for evangelization as volunteers work to build a relationship with these parents and form their understanding of what exactly this sacrament means for the faith life of their child(ren) and to call them into actively living out their own baptismal call and promises!
First Reconciliation and First Communion Preparation:
Reception of these sacraments is a major step of faith in the life of a Catholic, and preparing for them is a crucial task of the Church! Service in helping youth prepare for these sacraments helps them to understand the graces given to us through them and encourages further reception of these sacraments after the ‘First’! An asset to this ministry is a strong personal practice in receiving these sacraments and being able to effectively communicate church teachings surrounding them (grace, mercy, Real Presence).
Confirmation Preparation:
Confirmation is not graduation! Rather it is the full enlivening of the Holy Spirit within one’s life. Our Confirmation program helps to prepare youth in Grades 9-12 to make that statement of faith and commitment to a lifelong relationship with Christ and receive the gifts and fruits of the Holy Spirit. A strong personal relationship with Christ is crucial to this ministry as is being able to share that faith with others. Serving in this ministry has a catechetical and evangelical focus in order to prepare our young people to give a good-faith and wholehearted YES to Christ.
Marriage Preparation:
RCIA:
RCIA is the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults and helps to form adults seeking entry into the Catholic Church, covering a year-long preparation for the adult reception of the sacraments of Baptism, Eucharist, and Confirmation at the Easter Vigil. There are many aspects to this preparation process in which a person can serve. Catechetical leadership in connection with the Faith Formation Coordinator is a necessary area of service, however, there is also a role for administrative service helping to organize scheduling and communication with RCIA candidates, the Archdiocese, etc. Additionally, there is a role to be played by those with gifts that allow them to journey alongside candidates as witnesses of faith and prepare them for the life they will enter into at and after the Vigil!
Faith Formation
Ignite:
IGNITE Family Faith Formation brings parents and youth together to grow in faith as a family. This program primarily supports the formation of youth in Grades 1-5 with discussion, activities, games, crafts, and more to help build a foundation of faith for our children and their families. There are many ways to serve in this ministry:
Group Leaders: These volunteers help guide families and children through the activities of the day; this is not a role that requires you to be a catechetical expert or to have all the answers! Rather the main task is to be a guide into some of the central pillars of our faith and work together with youth and parents to form a relationship with Christ and a deeper sense of how our Catholic faith guides us in that relationship.
Assistants: IGNITE benefits from help in a number of other areas. We appreciate the help of people who are able to coordinate after-session snacks for our youth, help us prepare the craft and activity supplies, share gifts of music to liven up our sessions, or to assist group leaders in facilitating the lessons.
The WAY:
The WAY is our youth ministry to Jr. High Youth (Grades 6-8). Young people in this age group are maturing, becoming more independent, and figuring out who they are. The WAY aims to help them truly know their identity as beloved sons and daughters of God and give them the tools to mature in faith. Our primary need for service in this ministry is for small group leaders who can build relationships with the youth, help facilitate activities and discussions, and provide an example themselves of a life lived in Christ. This is an ideal role for young people (High School/College age) to step into as well, providing our youth with a peer-level partner in faith!
Youth Group:
As our youth continue to grow, we wish to support them in exploring their faith and sharing a community of peers. This is the goal of the youth group! Gatherings of this group include a time of fellowship, prayer, learning, and discussion to continually build up the faith of our young people and their relationship with Christ. Serving in this capacity will help facilitate these gatherings, as well as supporting the Steubenville Atlantic Youth Conference held in July.
Other Places People Serve
People also serve in our parish on various teams (leadership team, parish pastoral council, finance council, etc) or for one of the para-church organizations (Knights of Columbus, CWL, Society of St. Vincent de Paul, etc) associated with us.
