Parish Ministries

Our Parish offers many types of ministries and services that can use your special gifts and
strengths to benefit parishioners of all ages as well as the local community.
Among these are opportunities to serve in the areas of Liturgy, Outreach, Social Events,
Buildings and Grounds, Parish Advisory Council, Educational Services, Faith Formation, Youth
work, Music Ministry, Health and Spiritual Growth Opportunities. For more information on
any of these opportunities please see the Parish Info page for contact numbers and email
addresses.

LITURGICAL: Altar Servers, Lectors, Eucharistic Ministers, Ushers, Greeters,
Instrumentalists, Choir and Leaders for Children's Liturgy. To view the current schedules for
Lectors and Eucharistic Ministers and the team captain contacts see the Liturgical Volunteer
Calendar to the right.

OUTREACH: Permanent Food Drop-off location in the church lobby, delivery of non-
perishable collected groceries to nearby Food Banks, provision of local soup kitchen meals
(First Friday of each month), occasional cooking and delivery of meals to parishioners on an
as needed basis, transporting elderly parishioners to and from Mass, appointments and other
events, visiting the homebound, sending cards for special occasions, volunteer yard, repair
and clean up work, etc.

SOCIAL EVENTS: Helping host the annual Septemberfest Parish Round Up, preparing &
serving the semi-annual Senior Luncheons, hosting Sunday coffee hours, joining the parish bus
excursions, attending the Malta House fund raising parties, participating in the St. Nick
Christmas Tree Sale events, church suppers and dances etc.

BUILDINGS & GROUNDS: Offers an opportunity, along with Shippan Point Garden Club
members and other parishioners, to contribute to the beautification and maintenance of the
church grounds and gardens. Also one can assist with liturgical Holy Day and Holiday
decoration of the church as well as volunteer one's skills for minor repairs, replacements &
small capital improvements.

PARISH ADVISORY COUNCIL: Members of the Council have input to the formulation and
implementation of long range and short range plans and projects, encompassing both temporal
and pastoral needs. The members serve as a resource and invaluable support to the parish
clergy regarding the state of the parish and its members, and as a source of guidance in
terms of many of the day to day exigencies, both ordinary and technological, involved in
maintaining and fostering parish life in contemporary times.

EDUCATIONAL SERVICES: Catechists and teacher aides, as well as support staff for
various tasks, are always in demand for the Children's Faith Formation program. Catalysts,
promoters and organizers to provide faith formation opportunities for adults by way of
study/discussion groups, guest speakers, and other programs, are always a benefit to the
parish. In addition, Our Blue Ribbon Finalist elementary school at times has opportunities
for parishioners to help in individual tutoring, mentoring and other ways.

HEALTH SERVICES: Nurses & doctors of the parish offer Blood pressure screening &
consultation through the Parish Nurse Program after Masses on the first week-end of the month
as well as occasional special programs on health topics.

SPIRITUAL GROWTH OPPORTUNITIES: In addition to the celebration of the Masses of the
Liturgical Year, the Eucharist, "Source and Summit of the Christian Life", from which all
parishioners should be faithfully benefiting, Parish Missions (retreats) are periodically
offered as well as penance services and monthly Eucharistic Adoration and Benediction of the
Blessed Sacrament, all of which welcome your help and participation.