“How Can I Repay the Lord for All the Good Done For Me?”
(Psalm 116:12)
Over the centuries the answer to this question has been: “To live out our lives as disciples of Jesus, proclaiming the Good News of the Kingdom.” Living this kind of life demands that we make conscious and deliberate efforts in the practice of our faith.
These deliberate practices are known as Stewardship.
WE CAN GIVE …
• Our friendship to those who need it
• Our love to those close to us
• Our thanks to those who deserve it
• Our encouragement to those who are unsure
• Our support to those who seek it
• Our respect to those who have earned it
• Our understanding to those whose views differ
• Our comfort to those who suffer illness
• Our consolation to those who grieve
• Our time to causes we deem worthy
These are gifts we can all afford to give. None is beyond our means, none has to be gift-wrapped, and none needs to be exchanged for size or color preference. A gift of oneself is precious not only to the recipient, but enriches the giver as well.
Faith Development
BIBLE STUDY
Anyone interested in learning more about our faith through scripture is encouraged to attend. Through such study and reflection, and with the help of the Holy Spirit, we hope to grow deeper in knowledge and love of God. Sessions are held Thursday evenings from 7 to 8:30 p.m. during the months of October through May.
Contact: Fred or Anne Gatesman 225-4312
CHILD CHURCH
Child Church provides a great way for young children ages 4 - 10 to hear the Word of God in an appropriate manner. Volunteers offer their services at the 9:30 a.m., 11:00 a.m. and 5:00p.m. Masses.
Contact: Jodi Schott 663-5432 x16
CLASSROOM FAITH FORMATION PROGRAM
This program meets once a week during the school year on Monday evenings from September through April. Our sessions run for one hour from 4:30 to 5:30 pm in the Our Mother of Sorrows School building. Grade level catechesis offer a variety of age appropriate learning styles to educate the children about our faith.
Contact: Jodi Schott 663-5432 x 16
FAITH FORMATION
This program offers opportunities for children, youth, and adults to enrich their faith lives through catechesis and prayer. We offer a traditional, class-room model for children in grades K through 5, an intergenerational/family model for people of all ages, and a Youth Ministry model for middle school youth in grades 6 through 8 and high school youth in grades 9 through 12.
Contact: Jodi Schott 663-5432 x16
INTERGENERATIONAL/FAMILY PROGRAM
This program meets twice a month for sharing, deepening and enriching their spiritual and catholic faith. The group consists of people of all ages and begins with sharing a meal, followed by a “hands on” approach to faith development.
Contact: Jodi Schott 663-5432 x16
PRE-CANA
Engaged couples strengthen their relationship as they prepare for marriage. The sessions are led by a team of four married couples and are held in March and October. Couples are required to complete a diocesan FOCCUS inventory and must register at least 6 months in advance of their wedding.
Contact: Jeff or Christa Aldrich 663-3289
RCIA
The purpose is to educate individuals to the philosophical and theological concepts of our faith, enabling them to make an informed decision as to whether they want to become Catholic. The group meets at 10 a.m. Sunday morning. There are four, nine-week sessions presented by parish staff and core team members.
Contact: Chip Weiss 223-1819
SACRAMENTAL PREPARATION
Meeting guidelines of the Diocese, preparation for First Reconciliation, First Eucharist, and Confirmation involves 2-4 sessions and a retreat.
Contact: Jodi Schott 663-5432 x16
YOUTH MINISTRY
Using a team approach involving both youth and adults, the goals are to empower young people to live as disciples of Jesus Christ in today’s world, draw young people to responsible participation in the life, mission and work of the Catholic Faith Community, as well as foster a total personal and spiritual growth for each young person. We offer group meetings, service experiences, retreats, and many more opportunities for our youth.
Contact: Jodi Schott 663-5432 x16
Community Life
ADVENT GIVING TREE
The Advent Giving Tree is a means of allowing parishioners at MOS to share with those less fortunate in the Christmas season. Names submitted by a number of agencies are printed by our school children on cut out stars and hung on the tree. Parishioners take a star, buy and wrap a gift for the individual on the star and return the gift to church. This program provided over 500 gifts to children and adults who may otherwise have received no gift at all.
Contact: Becky Finnerty 621-3826
EAST GREECE / CHARLOTTE AREA – PPNM
In recognition of the ever changing church, MOS works with the five Catholic parishes in the “Lighthouse Area” of East Greece / Charlotte to plan for the future.
Contact: John Hayes 225-8602
FESTIVAL COMMITTEE
One of the highlights of the year is the MOS Festival. Over one hundred volunteers prepare for and work this grand event which includes games, ticket sales, food booth, and organization. We need parishioners who are interested in making the fun happen. If you can contribute any amount of time to this June event, please give us a call.
Contact: Festival Chairpersons --- To Be Determined
FUN TIME PROGRAM
The Fun Time Program allows 3, 4, and 5 year olds an opportunity to play, explore, imagine and prepare for kindergarten. The program is Monday – Friday at the Rectory and runs from September thru May.
Contact: Barbara Leary 663-2123
MEN’S CLUB
The Men’s Club promotes fellowship and community by meeting monthly to share supper, listen to informative speakers and socialize. It sponsors special projects, supports youth sports and scouts. Ladies’ Night and the May awards dinner are “don’t miss” social events.
Contact: Al Climer 865-0225
PARISH LIFE
This committee promotes the spirit of community by serving refreshments at parish social events. Examples are monthly coffee hours after each Sunday Mass, welcoming new parishioners twice a year, Lenten series to name a few. The Ladies Guild meets on the 2nd Wednesday of each month for an evening of fun.
Contact: Pat O’Gara 225-7447
PARISH PASTORAL COUNCIL
This group provides advice to the pastor on the strategic direction of the parish. The council seeks to establish presence at all parish functions in order to solicit input from parishioners for improving existing activities and planning new ones. Members serve rotating 3-year terms.
Contact: Kathlene Haskins 621-5291
STEWARDSHIP
The stewardship team leads the parish in the continuous process of renewal, thanksgiving, and action leading to stewardship as a way of life based on our faith. Our blessings of Time, Talent and Treasure, gifts from God, are returned in a personal way to our church, family and community.
Contact: Lou Dodd 723-9325
ST. VINCENT DePAUL SOCIETY (SVDPS)
The MOS SVDPS is a parish based ministry reaching out to our local community through a food shelf located at the parish. The operation relies on the generosity of parishioners who wish to contribute time or donate some of their treasures.
Contact: Mark Foster 663-5432
SCOUTS
Cub Scouts – To prepare cubs to cross over to Boy Scouts by instilling a sense of community and helping others while having fun.
Contact: Patrick Callery, Jr. 720-0964
Boy Scouts – Provide a program for young men that builds character, trains them in responsibilities of participating citizenship and develops personal fitness and combines educations activities and lifelong value with fun.
Contact: Edward Howie 227-9607
Brownies / Girl Scouts – A program to build the courage, confidence and character of girls who make the world a better place. The girls work toward achieving merit badges, camping, skills building and community service projects.
Contact: Bev VanDermeer 225-0075
SOCIAL JUSTICE & CONCERNS
This committee works to develop an awareness of and responsiveness to our human needs in both our parish and in the community. In particular, to address the needs and concerns of those less fortunate --- for example, the homeless, the incarcerated, etc.
Contact: Social Justice Chairperson --- To Be Determined
WOMEN’S GUILD
The Ladies Guild gives the Women of the parish a chance to come together, have fun and even learn something new. We meet on the 2nd Tuesday of each month, starting in October and ending with our Mother & Daughter Banquet in May. We sponsor special projects for the parish as well as our community.
Contact: Pat O’Gara 225-7447
Operations
FINANCE COMMITTEE
This committee develops and oversees the financial structure and stability of the parish to ensure that activities and programs function in accordance with established goals and priorities.
Contact: Joseph Murrer 663-1891
Spiritual Services
LEGION OF MARY
Members of the Madonna Paddy Hill Legion of Mary meet weekly. The active members visit the sick in nursing homes, hospitals, and at home. Legion members make funeral home visits, visit babies, teach in the Faith Formation Program and make rosaries. The auxiliary members say the rosary daily and the prayers of the legion.
Contact: Joan Stanton 663-0371
HOSPITAL VISITATION
The members of this ministry visit parish members who are in our local hospitals or nursing homes. It is a comfort for our parishioners to know that we are praying for and thinking about them.
Contact: Diane Kozakiewicz 781-0736
RETREATS
Here is a chance for all women and men to reconnect with their spirituality to give them through the retreat experience, the tools necessary to keep their lives prayer filled and meaningful.
Contact: Mary Beth Kurtenbach 227-6330 {Women’s retreats}
George Braidic 227-4013 {Men’s retreats}
ROSARIES FOR SOLDIERS
This ministry makes Rosaries out of knotted twine for combat troops to carry. We send them to soldiers around the world. Our goal is to supply as many soldiers as possible with a Rosary to help them connect with Jesus Christ and provide them the comfort they need as they defend our freedom.
Contact: Mary Beth Kurtenbach 227-6330
Worship
ADULT ALTAR MINISTERS
To bury the dead is one of the corporal works of mercy. Our faithful altar ministers assist the priest at the funeral liturgy. We invite men and women from the age of 18 to join us as we honor the deceased members of our community and comfort their families in their sorrow..
Contact: Bill Finger 227-5107
ALTAR SERVERS
This is a ministry for our younger parishioners through high school. If you have received your First Communion, we invite you to become an altar server. You help the priest during the Mass. The captain carries the cross. Other responsibilities of our servers include assisting the priest at the washing of hands, bringing the water and wine to the altar, as well as the sacramentary so Father can say the prayers at Mass. Think about joining our team of altar servers.
Contact: Bill Finger 663-5432
CHOIR
MOS is blessed to have 3 different choirs. The Sunday choir sings at 9:30 and 11:00 Masses alternating throughout the year and sings at special liturgies during Christmas and Easter seasons. The Contemporary Choir sings at 5:00 p.m. Saturday night Mass. The Resurrection choir sings at funerals.
Contact: Anthony Baron 663-5432
EXTRAORDINARY MINISTERS OF HOLY COMMUNION
As the hymn goes, “Come to the feast of heaven and earth! Come to the table of plenty!” The EMC assists the priest with the distribution of the precious body and the precious blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. Training, opportunities for enrichment, and socials help create community among our ministers. If you have a desire to serve our MOS faith community in the liturgy, please consider becoming an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion.
Contact: Linda Hurtubis 227-9943
GREETERS
A warm and welcoming smile greets parishioners and visitors entering our Church.
Contact: Kathy VanDuzer 663-1286
LECTORS
Proclaim the Good News! This is the ministry of our lectors. We try to bring the word of the Lord to live and make the message real to our congregation from the youngest to the seniors of our worshipping community. Training, opportunities for enrichment, and socials help us come to know each other and create community among our ministers.
If you have the gift to read and would like to learn to proclaim the Good News, please consider joining our Lectors.
Contact: Sheila Williams 227-7597
LITURGY COMMITTEE
During Lent, Advent, the Christmas/Easter seasons, the environment of worship space gives us a true sense of sacred celebration. Members of our liturgy committee plan and share their talents to coordinate the preparations for the holy days, special Masses and the holidays of the year. We collaborate with many of MOS ministries, to bring the Good News to our faith community. Our committee relies on the talents and willingness of anyone who would like to lend a hand. Sewing, typing, washing and ironing, preparing our worship space, and setting up for Holy Week are a few of the things we do. Consider joining our committee.
Contact: Sue O’Neal 663-8407
MARTHA’S MINISTRY
This group maintains the main church and chapel. They dust, mop, wash windows, etc. to make MOS ready for any occasion.
Contact: Eileen Walsh 704-7060
NURSING AND HOMEBOUND MINISTRIES
This ministry serves those temporarily or permanently unable to come to church to be connected to the larger Our Mother of Sorrows community. We bring communion and prayers to you!
Contacts: Nursing Home – Eileen Walsh 704-7060
Homebound – Marguerite Daly 621-6061
USHERS
The ushers with our greeters create a welcoming atmosphere here at MOS. Seating members of the congregation especially when we have a full house, arranging for an EMC to bring communion to someone unable to approach the altar, and collecting our “treasure” for the presentation of gifts are some ways that our ushers contribute to our liturgies. We welcome men, women, young adults, and teens to join our crew of ushers.
Contact: Al Climer or Dave Rizzari 663-5432
