Parish Life Ministries Information
St. Stephen, Martyr is a Welcoming Community. Parish Life is responsible for promoting Christian community within the parish. We would like to have a gathering – usually with food – every month for the entire congregation. These events require: coordinators, volunteers, cooking or donating food, servers, and people to help with set up, take down and clean up after an event.
Parish Life Ministry is for every member of our parish! Look over these various events and ask the Holy Spirit for guidance in choosing something that will serve your God and your community and strengthen your faith in the best way possible.
After Mass Goodies and Coffee
Volunteers are needed to make coffee/lemonade/tea, set out supplies and serve goodies after each liturgy one weekend per month. This is the perfect ministry for an entire family. Commitment: About an hour. Rotation depends on number of volunteers.
Church Night Manager
The night manager is to be present in the Church building when meetings are in session in order to set and/or monitor logistical services within the building (lighting, heating, cooling, water, security, unlock rooms, etc.) and to unlock the building prior to meetings and lock up the building after everyone is gone. (Usually this is no later than 9:30pm.) Commitment: No more than 1 or 2 nights a month, lasting about 3 hours in duration each night.
Easter Egg Hunt
Volunteers are needed to help prepare the areas for hunting, direct children according to their age, and distribute the candy to the children, and of course clean up.
Funeral Food Item Donations
Sign up if you would be willing to prepare food for a funeral reception. You would receive a phone call or an email requesting certain types of foods which you would deliver to the church on or before the day of the funeral.
Funeral Reception Team
A parish coordinator and the team coordinate donated foods for funeral receptions. Additional activities include set-up, serving and clean-up following the reception.
Meals for Families
Sign up if you would be willing to prepare a meal for another parishioner or family in time of sickness or surgery or other need. You would receive a phone call or an email requesting dinner which you would deliver to the family’s residence.
New Parishioner Registration
New parishioner registration is held between all Masses at the Welcome Desk. Volunteers assist new parishioners in completing the required forms and answering questions about the parish. Commitment: about 1 hour and rotation depends on the number of volunteers.
Other Parish Events
We would like to hold a dinner or party of some sort for the following events. We need volunteers to help plan and execute. These events may include Hanging of the Greens (Dec.), New Year’s Eve Celebration, Valentine’s Day.
Receptions
Volunteers coordinate and implement various parish community gatherings. These events include receptions following sacramental celebrations, town hall meetings, etc. Responsibilities may involve set-up, decoration, cooking, serving and clean-up. We have a chairperson for each separate event.
St. Patrick’s Day Dinner
Dinner is prepared by specific parishioners via sign up. Volunteers help the coordinator with decorating, setting up, serving the meal and cleaning up afterwards. Commitment: once per year.
Summer “Back to School” Event
A small reception is held after each Mass before all students (PK through college) return to school in the fall. Setting up, decorating, serving and cleaning up will be needed by volunteers. Commitment: one time per year.
Perhaps you would like to participate in a group with similar interests. These are groups that meet regularly.
Amazing Grays
The Amazing Grays is our parish senior group open to anyone who is 55 or older and wishes to relax, exchange stories, get helpful information, and make new friends. The Grays meet on the first Wednesday of the month with Mass at 11:00AM followed by a brief meeting, and then lunch. We have informal get-togethers and field trips: shopping and a show at the Outer Banks, a day of holiday shopping in Williamsburg, or attending a play or musical in the South Hampton Roads area.
Prayer Shawl Ministry
This very rewarding ministry meets on the first Tuesday of each month at 7:00 pm in Room 1. We prayerfully knit and crochet lap quilts and shawls for distribution to anyone who is in need of comfort or healing. One need not attend meetings to be a part of this ministry…you can do the handiwork at home and we will come to your house to pick up the finished garment. Any member of St. Stephen, Martyr can request a prayer shawl for someone who is in need of comfort, please contact the office for a prayer shawl.
Young Adult Group
If you are aged 18 to 39, join our Young Adult Group. Along with meetings at church, they attend Theology on Tap each month and have various get-togethers and outings to strengthen their faith and create friendships. They also participate in the Catholic Cup Cornhole League.
Please prayerfully consider volunteering for one of these events. Some actually need a Chairperson. Contact Katie Fuson for more information.