Liturgy

The liturgy is the summit toward which the activity of the Church is directed, at the same time it is the font from which all her power flows. For the aim and object of apostolic works is that all who are made sons of God by faith and baptism should come together to praise God in the midst of His Church, to take part in the sacrifice, and to eat the Lord's supper. (Sacrosanctum Concilium #10)

Lisa Weis | Director of Liturgy | [email protected]

Altar Linen Ministry

This ministry is perfect for people who wish to help maintain dignity of our worship by cleaning the altar linens (purificators and altar cloths) which need to be taken home and laundered on a regular basis. This ministry is for those who cannot attend regular meetings but wish to offer their service for the benefit of the Liturgy.

Altar Servers

Altar Servers enhance the quality of liturgical celebrations by assisting the priest in various ways during the Mass and by taking part in the processions. A server can expect to be scheduled at weekend Masses about twice a month. Not only does the Altar Server offer an extremely important service in the Liturgy, but it is also a wonderful way for young people to learn and understand the elements which comprise the Mass.

Art & Environment

The Art and Environment Committee is responsible for the worship environment of our church. This includes decorating the church, chapel and courtyard for various seasons of the church year as well as maintaining plants and altar cloths and sewing banners throughout the year.

Committee members meet throughout the year to plan for the various liturgical seasons and to assign various tasks and responsibilities. Special attention and planning are given to the major seasons of Lent/Easter and Advent/Christmas.

Members of this ministry cultivate their creativity in faith-filled applications such as: working with plants and floral arranging, sewing, painting and working with various media to enhance the worship environment. More practical elements of the ministry include: ironing, polishing and just being a helper wherever help is needed.

Coffee and Donut Servers

This is most definitely a hospitality ministry. The Coffee & Donut Servers take time around the celebration of the Mass on Sunday mornings to provide goodies and refreshments for all attending the Liturgy. It is hard to weigh what the most important part of our weekly coffee and donuts is; the refreshments or the great sense of community it creates. In a special way our C&D serves help to build community and it carries over into our Liturgies.

The C&D Servers serve after the 8:00 a.m. and 9:30 p.m. Masses every Sunday throughout the year. The 8:00 a.m. team sets up before the 8:00 a.m. Mass and the 9:30 a.m. team takes down once the people have left after the 9:30 a.m. Mass. C&D Servers are scheduled once a month.

This is a wonderful ministry for those who are unable to regularly commit to another ministry during the week. All that is needed is the desire to serve in the true spirit of hospitality on Sunday mornings.

Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion

Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion distribute the Body and Blood of Christ to the assembly at all Masses of the parish. They are mandated and approved by the Bishop of Orlando to assist with the needs of the parish surrounding the Celebration of the Mass and the distribution of Communion.

Those who enter the process of discernment for this ministry are reminded that all Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion are recommended and approved by Fr. Walsh before submission to the Office of Liturgy for the Diocese of Orlando. Candidates must be predisposed for this ministry in conformity with the Diocesan Guidelines and must attend a one-day workshop, given regularly by the Diocesan Office of Liturgy.

Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion serve a five-year period on the "active' weekend schedule.

Greeters

The primary ministry of greeters is to help people feel welcome as they gather for Mass. An open door and the warm smile of a greeter help set the tone for the Eucharistic celebration, offering hospitality in the name of the Lord. In some cases the greeter at the church door is a person's first human encounter of the day. Greeters are those who, almost without trying, can put others at ease and convey countless good wishes for those they greet with a simple smile or "hello."

Lectors

God's Word is alive and the Lector is the person who brings it to life for the people. Lectors demonstrate their love for the Word by using oral communication skills to allow their personal faith to be shaped by the word and to share this as proclamation in true humility.

Time commitment involves two to three hours of personal preparation and prayer with the assigned readings for the week. Lectors proclaim the readings approximately two times a month. On-going formation in this ministry includes attendance at various skill-building and scripture study classes throughout the year. Lectors are selected through a discernment/audition process.

Sacristans

Sacristans who have undergone training on the current safety precautions and are regularly attending Mass may serve.  Please contact Lisa Weis for further information.

Sacristans assist the priests and other ministers in the immediate preparation for Mass. This ministry is a very special and important part of service for the Liturgy. Sacristans arrive about 40 minutes before Mass to prepare the altar and sanctuary. Before Mass the sacristan sets out vestments for the presiding priest, prepares the bread and wine to be consecrated during Mass and sets out the proper books and vessels. After Mass, the sacristan returns the sacred vessels and articles for worship to their proper places. Sacristans usually are scheduled to serve at approximately two Masses per month.

Ushers

The primary ministry of ushers is to be of service to everyone in the assembly so that all may celebrate the Sacred Liturgy as the holy people of God who became one in Christ. The Ushers are some of the first people that those entering the church encounter. Ushers help to maintain a prayerful atmosphere. Therefore, a true spirit of welcome should be the hallmark of their service. At the same time, Ushers are involved in some of the most important elements of good Liturgy, some of which include: Escorting people to their seats and helping to find seats when the church is crowded, Inviting people to bring up the gifts of bread and wine, Taking up the collection, Helping with the communion procession, Handing out bulletins, Making sure the church looks neat after people have left. Please contact Lisa Weis, Director of Liturgy at [email protected] or 407-647-0726.