Liturgical Ministries



Ministry Schedule - April-June, 2024

Liturgical Ministries
 

Altar Servers: St. Elizabeth Seton’s altar servers are comprised of youth who wish to lend their time to enhance the liturgy by assisting our priests. A server must be in fifth grade, be baptized and the family must belong to our parish. Training is provided.

Art and Environment Ministry: Our Art and Environment ministry is a group of creative people who use their talents to enhance and support the worship space. Our goal is to provide a hospitable environment of prayerful participation. This is done to create appropriate surroundings and rich symbolic representation in keeping with the liturgical season. We are responsible for seasonal environment, flowers, furnishings and objects used in liturgical celebrations. Art and environment work is often sporadic and seasonal, but the committee is always interested in recruiting artists, seamstresses, crafters, interior and floral designers.

Children’s Liturgy of the Word: Adult members of the parish explore ways to enable the participation of young children at liturgy. The committee recruits and trains lay presiders and small group leaders for children’s “Liturgy of the Word” to facilitate understanding of the scripture for grades Kindergarten through pre-Communion Second Grade during the 10:00 A.M. Mass. The children are dismissed during the Mass as the rest of the assembly prepares to listen to the Word of God. The children and facilitators break open the Word of God in one of the lower level rooms and return to the church immediately after the homily.

Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion: Extraordinary Ministers are called to assist with the distribution of the Body and Blood of Christ at parish liturgies. Extraordinary Ministers are practicing Catholics who have received the sacrament of Confirmation. Each minister is scheduled three to four times in a three month period. Training is provided. Appropriate dress is required for all Ministers (i.e., no shorts or flip-flops during the summer months).

Greeters: A greeter is someone who can reach out to others with ease, have a presence of warmth and truly care about the assembly being at home in the worship space. Greeters are called to the task of hospitality as the assembly gathers for worship, especially reaching out to newcomers. They maintain comfort and order, tending to those who need special attention. Training is provided.

Lectors/Commentators: Lectors and commentators, the group that proclaims the Word of God through reading the Scriptures at Mass and related services, are really better termed “communicators.” For a few brief moments, the lector has an opportunity to become a storyteller, bringing to the assembly the songs of a poet, the visions of a prophet, or the emotions of an apostle. Lectors usually obtain the reading for the Mass ahead of time in order to properly prepare for this important ministry. Lectors and commentators proclaim the Scriptures and welcome the assembly at all the Masses. They will typically minister at one Mass every three to four weeks. Each member is both a lector and commentator, and serves in each capacity on an alternating basis.

Music Ministry: Liturgical music plays a vital role in the prayer life of the parish community of St. Elizabeth Seton. Music ministers help to create and enhance the spirit of prayerful celebration as Choir Members, Cantors, and Instrumentalists. Parishioners are invited to participate in the:

• Adult Choir (college age and older) as a choir member or instrumentalist
• Instrumental Ensemble (college age and older-guitar, violin, flute, oboe, trumpet, trombone, cello, string bass, percussion, timpani)
• High School Choir (grades 7 through 12) as a choir member or instrumentalist
• Youth Choir (grades 3 through 6)
• Cantor Program

All parishioners are strongly encouraged to consider sharing their musical gifts and joining our Music Ministry.

Wedding Hostess Ministry: The purpose of the Wedding Hostess Ministry is to assist the Priest, Deacon, Bride and Groom, and their families in the Sacrament of Marriage. The ministry hostesses will work with all involved beginning four weeks before the wedding and continues on the day of the wedding to ensure a smooth ceremony. The Wedding Hostess needs to be available for approximately 1½ hours for the rehearsal and 3 hours for the wedding. Being a part of the Wedding Hostess Ministry and witnessing the beautiful Sacrament of Marriage is a wonderfully uplifting experience.