Something for Everyone
Too busy? Too young? Too old? Nonsense! There’s an opportunity for everyone to serve, regardless of whatever circumstances you think may be preventing you from helping out or getting involved.
Parishioners with little time
We understand the business of everyone’s lives, so we have picked out specific ways for those with little time to help.
Altar Ministry
Care for altar linens at home by laundering and pressing the linens used during the liturgy.
Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion
You’re at church every week anyway … you might as well serve while you’re there! No extra time required (except for the initial trainings).
Habitat for Humanity
Once a year, assist in building one to two homes per year for people in the Diocese of Austin by providing labor and / or food for the laborers.
Reader
Like serving as an extraordinary minister of Holy Communion, you’re at church every week anyway … you might as well serve while you’re there! No extra time required (except for the initial trainings).
Sacristan
Act as coordinator for the liturgy on Saturday, Sunday, holy days and special liturgies. Prepare the gifts for the Eucharistic celebration and make ready the needed sacred vessels, Lectionary and Sacramentary books. You’re already at Mass on the weekend, so this is just tacking on that little bit of extra time before and after the liturgy.
Usher
Show up a few minutes early for whichever Mass you regularly attend and serve as an usher, greeting parishioners as they come into the church and helping collect the weekly offering. The only extra time required is the few minutes you show up before Mass!
Children, Teenagers
It’s never too early to get involved in ministry!
Eucharistic Adoration
Pray in Adoration and Liturgy of the Hours Wednesday evenings
Mobile Loaves & Fishes
- Egg Ministry: Help MLF keep a steady supply of hard-boiled eggs in inventory for each truck run. You will be placed on an Egg Team with the responsibility to purchase eggs once per month (more if you like), boil them at home, and bring them back to the commissary. Great for parent/child service activity. Kids can decorate the eggs. The egg is a powerful symbol of creation and life. It is hard to find a more compact nutritional food source. Those on the streets love the eggs, and second only to socks they are the most popular item on the trucks.
Requirements: none
Training: Minor
Time Commitment: Once per month. Time to pick up, boil and deliver the eggs - Make-Ready Team: Responsibilities include preparing 150 sandwiches, preparing individual servings from bulk food as needed, and loading truck with all food and toiletries items for distribution to the homeless and working poor of Austin. Many families are involved, as their children can easily participate.
Training: 1 training session
Time Commitment: one hour, once a month (normally starting at 4 p.m.) - Prayer card artist: Decorate the back of prayer cards supplied by MLF. Cards are then laminated and distributed to the homeless. Perfect for artists of all ages!
Time Commitment: flexible schedule - Sack lunch team: Volunteers prepare 50 sack lunches for the Austin Resource Center for the Homeless as well as 150 sandwiches for the next day’s truck run. A volunteer is needed to deliver the sack lunches to ARCH before noon on Wednesday. Great for the entire family!
Training: one training session
Time Commitment: one hour at 6:30 p.m. on one Tuesday per month
Religious Education
- Be a part of the Our Lady of Guadalupe procession in December
- Participate as an “actor” in the Children’s Christmas Pageant
- Participate as an “actor” in the Children’s Stations of the Cross on Good Friday
- Pray in Eucharistic Adoration on Wednesdays
- Help with Coffee and Donuts setup and cleanup on Sundays
- Be a volunteer trash collector in SJN’s parking lot once a week
Worship Environment Ministry
Children, teenagers can help decorate the sanctuary to enhance the Church seasons.
Older parishioners
Older parishioners have a special opportunity to be praying members of any ministry. Without a doubt, prayers are needed for SJN’s ministry program, so those who find themselves not being able to help in any other way are asked to pray, pray, pray for us!