St. Edward Parish at 216 S, Nichols St., Lowell, IN 46356 US - Ministry Descriptions

1. Adult Faith Formation - offers classes and discussions during the year, materials for information and updating about the faith, articles in the bulletin, small group meetings in the homes, retreats, trips and scripture study. If you would like to develop your faith and your understanding of being Christian and Catholic, this is the group you want to join. Members of this ministry derive fellowship and support from coming together and sharing their faith. Companions for the Journey Book Club.

2. Baptismal Preparation - A preparation class for expectant parents is offered by trained couples each month. Baptism is a birth into the Christian community and is an event that needs to be prepared for by the family. This class and an interview with the pastor must take place before the date for a baptism can be set.

3. Children’s Faith Formation (CFF) - provides religious education for children from 1st through 8th grade (currently) who attend public schools. The teachers, assistant teachers, and helpers provide the children with an opportunity to develop their faith and to prepare for sacraments leading to a building of a strong religious foundation.

4. Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA)- This ministry guides unbaptized people, baptized Christians, adult Catholics and older children who have not received all the sacraments through a process leading to reception into, or full participation in the Catholic Church. Team members, sponsors, prayer partners, hospitality helpers and support members are needed.

5. Marriage Preparation - Married couples of the parish help engaged couples prepare for their marriage in a process that teaches skills, strategies, values, ethics, goals, ideas, and motivations needed to enrich a marriage and maintain it in a Christian spirit for all the years to come. This is a parish program based on the Pre-Cana Conference. If you are interested in helping engaged couples prepare for a Christian sacramental marriage, you might want to volunteer to be interviewed for this special ministry.

6. St. Edward School - provides a quality education, and teachers, staff, and volunteers work to prepare students for an active role in society and the Church. As followers of Jesus Christ, the staff stresses the uniqueness of each student and focuses on the intellectual, emotional, physical, social and spiritual development of the individual.

7. Bible Study - The class is for all age groups and meets from September through May in the school gym on Sunday mornings, 9:30-10:30 am. There is no fee, just bring a Bible.

8. Mom’s Bible Study - Our Bible study is a mixture of Bible study, catechism, discussion and fellowship. All moms and their children are welcome. Please call for place & times.

 Parish Life

9. Altar and Rosary Society - The goal of this group is to show special devotion to God through our Blessed Mother by frequent recitation of the rosary and meditation on the mysteries of the rosary. Members maintain Blessed Mother’s grotto and the surrounding area on the parish ground. The group also sponsors various fund-raisers to accommodate special needs of the parish. All women of the parish are considered members of this organization.

10. Athletic Association - organizes the CYO sports teams for St. Edward. Coaches provide an opportunity for the children to learn the fundamentals of sports in a Catholic atmosphere. The sports program consists of 5th –8th grade girls’ volleyball and cheerleading teams; also 5th –8th grade boys and girls cross country, soccer, basketball, and track & field teams. If you would like to be a coach or an assistant, you are encouraged to join this athletic program. Catholic Youth Organization - provides challenging creative activities for children to participate in. Some examples are spell and academic bowls, Concert and Jazz band, and Camp Lawrence. We need dedicated adults to provide guidance, leadership and vitality to our program.

11. Home & School Association - fosters communication between the pastor, parents, teachers, and the parish. Monthly meetings communicate the good news of St. Edward School and continue to work for excellence in providing the best education in a Christian Catholic setting. Home and School supplements the parish subsidy with fundraisers throughout the year. Past events have included the Silent Auction, Las Vegas Nights, Market Day, Scrip, the Golf Outing, Fish Fry's, and Spaghetti Supper. Parishioners are always welcome to help with any of the multitude of activities offered as part of our school.

12. Cub Scouts - Any boy from 1st to 5th grade is eligible to join this organization. Boys seek to do their best for God, country, and to obey the law of the pack. They practice kindness, loyalty, learning to give, and doing a good turn for someone daily. New members are always welcome, as are adult volunteers.

13. Boy Scouts - Any boy 11 years of age or in the 6th grade is eligible to join this organization. The primary focus for these young boys is to serve God and country, to provide community service, and to develop leadership skills. New members are always welcome as are adult volunteers.

14. Girl Scouts - Girls who are kindergarten age to adults are eligible to join this organization. The program helps each girl: develop to her full individual potential; to encourage increased understanding, skill and respect; develop values to guide her actions and to provide the foundation for sound decision-making; contribute to the improvement of society through the use of her abilities and leadership skills, working in cooperation with others. New members are always welcome as are adult volunteers.

15. Youth Ministry - S.E.Y.E.S. (St. Edward Youth Ecumenical Society) - is open to all teens in the community (grades 7-12). This ministry is a safe place to be yourself and offers activities that promote a social atmosphere in a Christian setting while emphasizing positive social, emotional and spiritual growth. Gatherings include special liturgies, sports, movies, retreats, fund-raisers, assistance to needy, etc. Teens and adult supervisors are always welcome.

16. Daughters of Isabella - If you would like to establish some friendships within the parish and participate in a variety of charitable works, you might consider joining this group. One primary goal of this organization is to promote the right to life movement. This group acts as an auxiliary to the Knights of Columbus.

17. Knights of Columbus - This Catholic, family, fraternal service organization works to benefit our community, Church and humankind. Members are dedicated to the ideals of charity, unity, fraternity and patriotism. At St. Edward they are involved with fish frys and other food sales. They donated the white crosses commemorating aborted children and have helped with various parish and community projects.

18. Hospitality - This group reaches out to visitors, newcomers and fellow parishioners by establishing a welcoming climate as greeters before the liturgy. They encourage fellowship at parish functions such as socials and fund-raisers.

19. Funeral Luncheon - This volunteer group helps organize a light meal after the funeral. The response from the parish for donating food has been great in the past and so have the volunteers willing to help serve the luncheon. There is a calling list to contact for prepared food. If you are not on the list and would like to be, please contact us.

20. Social Gatherings - This group helps to plan, decorate, set-up, clean-up and organize the refreshments for large or small parish gatherings. Activities include special receptions such as Reconciliation, First Eucharist, Confirmation, farewell and welcome receptions, and the Easter Vigil celebration with newly welcomed members from RCIA.

21. Festival Committee - Help your parish raise thousands of dollars while having a fantastic time! Set up and clean up as well as daily maintenance during the festival are critical to the success of the event. Please consider helping us with bingo, the beer tent, administration and finance, entertainment, the food booth, rummage sale, midway rides and games, and the marketing and promotion. It takes several months planning and help from many people to make our festival a success. Won’t you consider lending a hand to the festival committee this year?

Peace and Social Justice

22. Migrant Ministry - reaches out to area migrant workers. This group helps offer liturgies in Spanish on location at area farms. A potluck meal follows the liturgy. Outreach services continue throughout the season for migrant work. We assist them through charitable donations of non-edible goods and clothing for hot and cold weather. Volunteers are needed to help meet the transportation needs of migrant workers, and to help collect and distribute donated items.

23. St. Vincent de Paul - This organization ministers to those in need. This group prayerfully facilitates each need and is sensitive to the pride of those who step forward to receive help, whether it be food, housing or some other assistance. The group also operates a year round food pantry, coordinates the requests for the Jesse Tree at Christmas, collects food and distributes Thanksgiving and Christmas Food Baskets. Volunteers are always welcome.

24. Respect Life - This group helps to educate and involve the parish in ways that promote the value of all life, from conception to the grave. Life is a precious gift from God in all its forms. We would like to have your help in promoting this message. We attend Respect Life Masses and rosaries; help publicize speakers on pro-life issues, and make the parish aware of political and social issues that concern the respect of life.

 Spirituality and Worship

25. Liturgy - The pastor is ultimately responsible for assuring that meaningful worship reflects the faith of the community. The pastor works with the Director of Music and Liturgy, and the Liturgy Committee. They help train and lead the other ministries including lectors, cantors, choir, musicians, eucharistic ministers, ministers of care, altar servers, sacristans, art and environment, and pre-school and children’s liturgies.

26. Music Ministry - Music is a ministry of service. People involved in this ministry are the choir director, organists, pianists, guitarists and other instrumentalists; adult choir, children’s choir, funeral choir, cantors, leaders of song, and planners of music liturgy. These rehearsed and more musically skilled groups support the congregation and assist them in actively participating musically in the celebration of the liturgy.

27. Art and Environment - This ministry is for those interested in making the Church environment pleasing and appropriate for the Church liturgical seasons and other special occasions. This ministry is open to anyone who has a desire to help decorate.

28. Altar Servers - Their mission is to work with the priest and others to make the liturgy meaningful and faith enhancing. They perform their duties with dignity, reflecting the true presence of Christ at the liturgy. Their responsibilities include: learning and performing the appropriate actions needed by the servers within the liturgy; attend training sessions that maybe scheduled for special occasions; help train new servers. Any student in 4th grade through high school who is an active member of the parish is eligible to serve.

29. Funeral Servers - Adults who are available and willing to act as an altar server for a funeral mass and attend to the details as prescribed for a funeral liturgy are invited to consider joining this ministry.

31. Sacristans - Members of this ministry are present before and after Mass to make necessary arrangements for the liturgy by laying out the bread, wine, water, linens and vestments, and to assist the altar servers. This ministry also has members who meet on Thursday mornings after Mass to tend to the candles, linens, sacred vessels, and to dust and tidy up. If you cannot attend on Thursday, you can still be a sacristan. New recruits are always welcome. This is a very rewarding ministry.

32. Eucharistic Ministers - Eucharistic Ministers assist the priest in distributing the Body and Precious Blood of Christ during the Mass, then they purify and wash the vessels afterwards. This is a ministry of hospitality and friendship in which you bring the presence of Christ that you carry in your own body as well as the Body of Christ that you carry in your hands. Special training is required for this ministry.

33. Lectors - The lector is entrusted with the task of making the Word of God come alive by proclaiming it for the assembly. Lectors must be well prepared and well trained in order to convey enthusiasm, and keep the attention of the listeners. Special training is required for this ministry.

34. Ushers - This ministry consists of men and women who participate in the liturgy by selecting the gift bearers, assisting in seating and helping to collect the gifts. Volunteers are welcome to join this group.

35. Children’s Liturgy - allows children to become more involved in the Mass. The children of St. Edward participate in the Mass once a month, taking on the roles of lector, choir members, gift bearers, collecting the gifts, and passing out bulletins. The children gather around the pastor for a sermon that is adapted to their level. All children in 2nd grade and up can participate as a song leader, gift bearer, and usher - and if in the 5th grade, can also do the readings. Adult volunteers are always needed to help prepare the children for their part in the liturgy.

36. Preschool Children’s Liturgy - As we at Mass hear the Word explained and related to our lives in a homily, children ages 3 through kindergarten can hear the same Gospel in their own lively language. Through Gospel storytelling, illustrations and hands-on activities, children connect their life stories with the teachings of Jesus. The children meet at the Ministry Center at 11:00 am and then return to their families during the offertory to continue the celebration of Mass together. Pre-registration is helpful but not necessary, and guests are always welcome.

37. Ministers of Care - This ministry acts as an outreach from the liturgy. If you are willing to reach out to the homebound and sick by taking them Holy Communion and God’s Word on Sundays, after Mass, or on a weekday, you should consider joining this ministry. Ministers of Care offer our Lord in Holy Communion as well as deliver the weekly bulletin, and may spend a short while visiting.

38. Ministers of Prayer - Parishioners have formed a calling prayer circle. They pray privately throughout the day, at their home or in church, for those request special prayers. Join the prayer chain and help pray for others in need.

39. Mary’s Prayer Group - This group actively plans and participates in devotions to the Blessed Mother. One primary goal of this group is to promote the recitation of the rosary every 13th day of each month or as announced in the bulletin. Additionally, members maintain Blessed Mother’s grotto and the surrounding area on the parish grounds.

40. Rosary Makers - This ministry became active in 1996 and since then, they have made and sent hundreds of rosaries all over the world. Our rosaries are blessed and given free of charge for local and world-wide needs, including the missions. “Silent” members (those who make monetary donations to purchase rosary supplies) are also appreciated.

41. Pastoral Care Ministry - is available for those dealing with loss, death and bereavement, and other special needs including homebound and nursing home visitation. Call if you would like to receive or help offer this ministry.

42. Vocations Committee - increases our awareness that the responsibility for future Religious Vocations lies on our shoulders and in the hands of our children. They hope to encourage men and women to be open to accepting the call of God in choosing a religious life through their prayers, information and opportunities to observe the religious.

Stewardship and Administration

43. Building & Improvement - This group is involved in planning and budgeting of major projects in the parish as the relate to upkeep. If you would like to donate your talents, we need architects, business managers, planners, supervisors, and engineers to continue to assess the needs of the parish.

44. Finance Committee - meets regularly with the pastor to analyze parish income and expenses, to make recommendations on financial trends, to plan the annual budget, and to advise the pastor on projects that involve capital outlay.

45. Stewardship - This committee assists the parish in nurturing a spirit of self-giving as our response to being disciples of Jesus. They help to plan and implement the ongoing stewardship commitment program in the parish.

46. Maintenance - These individuals help the parish on an as-needed basis, keeping things functional. Skills that are always needed by this group are maintenance, painting, electrical, carpentry, plumbing, heating and air conditioning.

47. Grounds - These volunteers help keep the parish landscape beautiful by volunteering their gardening skills.

48. Cemetery - These volunteers maintain the cemetery grounds and are in charge of the official map of gravesites. A rules book for cemetery users has been created and is used as a guide by all who tend to a cemetery plot. During the growing season extra help is needed to do weeding and grass cutting. Volunteers are especially welcome.

49. Evangelization - This committee help to give concrete expression to our call to bring the “Good News” of Jesus Christ to every person living within our parish boundaries. Neighborhood based faith groups are being formed and are in need of leaders. These groups also help the pastor to tend to his many sheep.