MINISTRY TRAINING 2009
It is important that you arrive early – 20 minutes for lectors, ushers and servers, 15 minutes for Eucharistic Ministers. That seems like a long time before mass, but by then people are coming to the sacristy to volunteer. The mass coordinator doesn’t know whether or not you are coming, (s)he just knows that you aren’t here yet, and might replace you. So please! – St. Mary’s needs you as a worship minister and wants you to participate! – but when you are scheduled part of your ministry is getting here on time!!
WEB TERMINAL – The web terminal makes communication very easy. Use this interface to:
sign up by specifying which mass times you attend and which weekends you do not want
to be scheduled
access your schedule
request subs
volunteer for more assignments
change your password
WEEKLY REMINDER – An email is sent out on Mondays to ministers who are assigned the following weekend. If you will be coming, or if you have found a sub, there is no need to reply.
BLESSING AND COMMISSIONING WORSHIP MINISTERS – One weekend soon at the masses we will bless and commission all the worship ministers. The priest will ask you to stand up at that time (probably at the end of the homily).
If you have any questions, contact Bobbi at 523-2153 or bkinne111@stmaryoxfordohio.org.
Please arrive 20 minutes before mass.
Go into the sacristy, let the Mass coordinator know you are here and find out if anything special is to take place.
Get the collection bag for your Mass. They are in a red box under the mirror. Get out the collection baskets from cabinet under choir loft stairs.
Walk through the church and at the entrances to see that everything is in order (lights on, air-conditioning working, no trash in pews, etc.)
At the evening masses, as people begin to arrive, hand out music sheets.
If you’re all set up for mass, it is nice for you to go out front and open the door for people and welcome them.
There are some supplies in the usher’s cabinet – first aid kit, paper towels, etc. The Mass coordinator may want you to help make adjustments in the number of hosts that are carried up. You should discuss this before Mass and put an extra roll of hosts in the cabinet.
Please ask someone to bring up the gifts. Ideally we need three people – one for the bread, one for the wine, and one for the collection basket. The person carrying the collection basket should go first.
When Mass is crowded, please help people find seats. If people come extremely late (during the readings), ask them to stand in the back quietly until the reading is finished so as not to distract others.
Especially keep an eye out for elderly or handicapped parishioners that arrive late. Try to get a seat for them.
After Mass, hand out bulletins at the High Street door and courtyard door.
Please be as courteous as possible when giving people instructions. Remember, you may be the only contact someone has at Mass!
NAME TAGS – it is very helpful for the Ushers to wear nametags so that people know who to ask if they need help. They are on the usher’s cabinet.
RESTROOMS – There is a restroom in the parish office. Enter through the rectory front door and turn right to go though the office. The restroom is in the back corner. There are also restrooms in the basement of the rectory building. This is what I tell people:”The restrooms are in the basement of this building. You enter from the alley behind the church. Follow the side walk between the church and the city building to get to the alley.” (pointing helps!!)