As you prepare to answer your call to intentional discipleship, please consider participating in one or more of our ministries – which include:
- Pastoral and Parish Finance Council
- Liturgy
- Human Concerns
- Stewardship
- Building and Grounds
- Lifelong Formation & Evangelization
- School Advisory
- Opportunities for Hands-On Help & Groups to Join
Parish committees collaborate with the Pastor and Pastoral & Finance Councils to advance the mission of St. Katharine Drexel Parish. The six standing committees are School Advisory, Liturgy, Lifelong Faith Formation and Evangelization, Human Concerns, Stewardship, and Buildings and Grounds.
Committee night is the second Tuesday of each month after the 5:30 p.m. Mass. Committees meet in areas of the parish center and in the narthex.
Scroll through the page to learn more about each one!
COUNCILS
Pastoral Council: The Pastoral Council is an advisory body working in consultation with the pastor. The work of the Pastoral Council focuses on the pastoral/spiritual activity of the parish. The Pastoral Council assists the pastor in assessing pastoral needs and implementing missional vision as St. Katharine Drexel Parish strives to become a community of holy and faithful disciples, evangelizers, and stewards. Members serve three-year terms. If you are interested in serving on the Pastoral Council, new members are nominated and discerned into the council on a rotating basis every May.
Parish Finance Council: As an advisory council to the Pastor, the Finance Council provides guidance and advice to the pastor in the administration of the temporal goods of the parish. The Finance Council monitors the overall financial budget preparations and all audits and reviews. The Pastor appoints at-large parish members with accounting, financial, legal, banking and/or administrative expertise annually. If you are interested in serving on the Finance Council, please contact the Pastor.
SCHOOL ADVISORY COMMITTEE
The school advisory committee serves as an advisory body to the school principal.
MINISTRIES Include:
Marketing and Development, advise Administrator on specific topics, strategic planning, fundraising (SCRIP, special events, etc.) Athletics, Home and School, policy development input, parish-school relations, and family-school connection. Chair: Angela Zwald.
LITURGY COMMITTEE
The Liturgy committee is the cornerstone of a mission-focused parish. Members of this committee dialogue with the Pastor and the Director of Liturgy and Music in discussing the direction, style, and frequency of parish worship and devotional experiences. Liturgy Ministries include Lector, Eucharistic Minister, Altar Server, Hospitality/Usher, Art and Environment, Church Cleaning, Sacristan Assist, Cantor, Adult Choir, Funeral Choir, Children’s Choir, Children’s Liturgy, Instrumentalist.
MINISTRIES include:
Lector: Lectors proclaim the Word of God at all Masses and special liturgies.
Eucharistic Minister: Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion (Eucharistic Ministers) distribute the Eucharist to parishioners at Mass.
Altar Server: Altar servers serve God and God’s people at Mass by assisting the priest. We have those that are in grades 4-12 serve at weekend Masses, and adults who serve at weekday and funeral Masses.
Ministers of Hospitality: The Ministers of Hospitality are representatives of a caring community. They provide a friendly welcoming greeting to parishioners as they enter and leave the worship space after each weekend Mass, and they attend to the needs of those present.
Art and Environment/Seasonal Decorating: The Art and Environment group works to create an expressive and beautiful worship space in our Church, as well as decorate the various areas of our church including the sanctuary, narthex, and entrances for the various liturgical seasons.
Church Cleaners: Our church cleaners keep our church areas clean by doing weekly dusting and vacuuming in the church areas. The cleaning schedule have rotating weeks with volunteers. Flexibility is needed to accommodate funerals. Major church cleaning is done twice per year and requires more volunteers to accomplish.
Altar Linen Cleaners: This ministry provides respectful handling and cleaning of the Mass linens.
Sacristan Assistant: On occasion, an assistant sacristan is needed. A sacristan prepares the sacred vessels and takes care of the sacristy, providing to the needs of the lay ministers and clergy.
Cantor: Cantors proclaim the Psalms and lead the congregation in song at Masses and special liturgies scheduled throughout the year. A cantor needs to confidently sing alone and have some proficiency in reading music.
Adult Choir: The adult choir sings at various Masses and at special liturgies. Practice is on Thursday evenings.
Funeral Choir: The funeral choir sings at funerals to support those who are grieving through song and present. Practice is one hour before the funeral Mass. Other opportunities include Good Friday and Service of Remembrance.
Instrumentalist: Enhances Masses by offering musical skills as a solo instrumentalist and as directed by Director of Liturgy and Music.
Children’s Choir: TBD by Director of Liturgy and Music.
Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament: The Blessed Sacrament is Exposed every Friday after the morning Mass, until 8 p.m. Volunteers can offer their time and talent on their own, with their family, or in a group with others. We would like to have two people every hour, so if you register please do your best to fulfill your commitment. If for some reason you cannot make it, reach out to a friend or fellow parishioner to fill your slot.
LIFELONG FAITH FORMATION & EVANGELIZATION COMMITTEE
The LLFF and Evangelization Committee represents all formation programs at St. Katharine Drexel Parish. This committee takes an intentional look at each program’s role in advancing the missionary focus of St. Katharine Drexel Parish, helping formation programs and ministries discover ways to invite new participants and experienced personal and community growth towards holiness and discipleship. Ministries include Religious Education, Youth Ministry and Young Adult, Right of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA), Sacraments, and Adult formation. Chair: Kristin Adsit and John Pryme.
MINISTRIES Include:
Adult Formation: Assists adults preparing to become Catholic. Volunteers are needed to serve as sponsors and to assist as needed with deacons.
Small Faith Groups/Bible Studies: Join or facilitate in small faith groups to renew our Catholic faith and to grow in discipleship.
Catechist: Lead the grade in discussion and lessons. Training and materials are provided.
Catechist Assistant: Assists with catechist with discussion and lessons. Training and materials are provided. This is a great role for youth with a passion for your faith or someone who cannot commit to every session but would love to share their faith with our children!
Confirmation Catechist: A Confirmation Catechist is willing to share their faith in a small group atmosphere with a specific grade level. Curriculum and lesson planning is provided.
HUMAN CONCERNS COMMITTEE
The Human Concerns committee strives to help St. Katharine Drexel Parish live out Jesus’s call to be missionary disciples as an extension of God’s love, compassion, and mercy to neighbors near and far, and to help the parish become informed and participatory in the Catholic Church’s social teachings and initiative. This is accomplished through direct service, education, prayer, and financial support. Chair: Deacon Ed Cody
MINISTRIES Include:
Pregnancy Support Center: Volunteering at the Pregnancy Support Center involves helping with special events, helping in the office, or being involved in the governing board activities and committees. Other activities would be Spanish interpreter, sorting donations, and counseling clients (note, counseling clients would require training sessions).
Bereavement Ministry: This ministry is based on companioning one through the difficult losses in life. This ministry offers a grief support group that is open to anyone grieving a loss, participation in the Mass of Remembrance in November, and regular bereavement mailings. You are invited to extend your love and compassion in serving others who are grieving.
Prayer Shawl Ministry (God’s Creative Hands): God’s Creative Hands is a group of parishioners who knit prayer shawls or make rosaries to be given away to people suffering from illness or disabilities.
Funeral Dinner: Funeral dinner volunteers help the Catholic Women of St. Katharine Drexel Parish set tables, prepare and serve meals after funerals, and after-meal cleanup.
Ministers of Communion to Sick and Homebound: Homebound ministers take Holy Communion to those individuals who are unable to come to mass.
Prayer Network: Prayer Network volunteers offer prayers for the intentions of parishioners in need and by special request.
Prison Ministry: Prison ministry involves assisting our deacons as needed, visiting inmates in prison for faith sharing and small faith groups.
Homeless Shelter: Homeless shelter volunteers help as needed at the homeless shelters and help prepare and serve at our chili supper for the homeless.
St. Vincent De Paul Thrift Store: Volunteers help with sorting donations, repairing bicycles and electronics, and with the food pantry.
STEWARDSHIP COMMITTEE
The Stewardship Committee seeks to help create and sustain an environment of intentional Christian stewardship by emphasizing God’s call to live as holy, faithful, and generous sharers of God’s many blessings given to each of us. The stewardship committee assists the Pastor with Tim, Talent, and Treasure appeals for the parish. Chair: Janice Tischler
MINISTRIES Include:
New Member Welcome: This ministry helps with the welcome to new members. Volunteers contact new members by phone to welcome them to our SKDP family, answer questions, explain parish organizations, and invite new members to parish functions.
Fellowship: Volunteer to help with the coffee and donut fellowship times after selected Masses. Greet new parishioners and help them get to know our parish community. Also, help with the Art As Prayer events every other month, as well as other stewardship activities as needed.
Parish Newsletter: Volunteer to take photos of parish-wide events and activities, submit write-ups on past and upcoming events, faith-based witness stories from parishioners, etc.
BUILDINGS AND GROUNDS COMMITTEE
As a sub-committee of the Finance Council, the Buildings & Grounds Committee monitors the physical condition and maintenance of the parish buildings and properties. Chair: Josh Beecher
MINISTRIES Include:
Volunteers to observe physical conditions of parish properties, its maintenance and upkeep. Volunteers to identify and articulate the needs of the parish in this area and make recommendations to the Buildings and Grounds committee. Offer handy-person skills that would be helpful for the improvement and maintenance of our parish buildings.
HANDS-ON HELP
Money-Counting: The money-counting team is responsible for counting the contributions from the weekend Masses, verifying and recording the contents of envelops. At a minimum, two people must be present at all times during the entire process.
Prayer Garden/Landscape: Help a team of volunteers maintain parish landscape with watering, weeding, spring/fall cleanup.
Bulk Mailings: Assist the Parish Office once a month with stuffing, sealing, and sorting mail into mail trays for bulk mailings.
Babysitting/Childcare: Available to help with childcare during parish events and as needed for M.O.M.s Group.
Audio and Visual: Trained volunteers are needed on occasion to fill-in for the liturgist and/or sacristan, and would be responsible for operating the sound and video systems during weekend Mass and parish special events, monitor the sound board to ensure parishioners are able to clearly hear, record the live-stream of Mass, and project a live video of the Mass to the narthex when required.
GROUPS TO JOIN
Bible Study: Tuesdays at 9:00 am, Thursdays at 3:30 pm in the parish center. Lectionary Bible Study meets Wednesdays at 3:30 pm.
Mom’s Group: Monday mornings 8:30 am in the parish center REC. The Mom’s Group offers the opportunity to pray together, discuss the scripture reading of the day, and support each other in conversation. Babysitting is also available.
Men’s Group: Monday mornings January 31 to April 11, in SKD church narthex. Doors open at 5:30 am, video presentation and discussion 6:00 to 7:00 am
St. Vincent De Paul Society: The St. Vincent De Paul Society is the oldest and most influential lay ministry of the Catholic Church. SVDP members assist individuals and families in crisis. The assistance can include emergency rent, utilities, food, clothing, household goods, and referral services.
Knights of Columbus: The Knights of Columbus is the largest fraternal organization in the USA. The Knights of Columbus annually donates $200 million to Catholic vocations and charities including pro-life causes, disaster relief, support to the disabled. Wives are also active in programs and events. At SKDP, the Knights of Columbus lead parishioners in the Rosary every third Sunday of the month before the 8:00 am Mass, as well as provide coffee and donuts regularly after Mass, and have given generously to many of our parish and school fundraising events.
Catholic Women: Catholic Women of St. Katharine Drexel Parish began as the result of the merger of the three societies. This ushered in a new era for the Catholic Community of Beaver Dam. The object of the Catholic Women shall be:
- To promote the spirituality and friendship within the parish and community
- To provide financial assistance to the needs of the parish, school and community
- To work in close relationship with the Pastor, who is the Spiritual Director
School Sisters of Notre Dame: Associates of the SSND are men and women called to live Gospel values in the spirit and vision of Blessed Theresa of Jesus Gerhardinger, foundress of the School Sisters of Notre Dame. Associates are called to address the division in our world and church today, with a focus on persons, youth through adult, who are poor and marginalized, through a strong belief that education transforms lives and societies. SKDP has many parishioners who are Associates of the SSND.
St. Katharine Drexel Secular Franciscans: The Secular Franciscan Order was established by St. Francis of Assisi more than 800 years ago. The St. Katharine Drexel Secular Franciscans have brought to life a Franciscan presence in our parish and community. We are active in ministries that involve social justice, youth, environment, and addiction awareness. Walking together with other organizations, we are doing our part to make a difference in the kingdom of God. We would love to have you join us.
** Please call the parish office for more information on any of the above groups **