Ministries
Do you have hidden talents?
The Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25:14-30) teaches us that we all have skills and abilities and God would like us to use them to help others. All parishes rely on the talents possessed by their parishioners in order to function effectively and serve their Christian community.
The following sections describe a number of the activities within St Peter’s and St Elizabeth’s which help the parishes to operate and include a broad range of tasks. If you would like to become involved in supporting the parishes and use your talents in this way, please contact the relevant people below or email St Peter’s.
Welcomers
At the Sunday Masses at St Peter’s and St Elizabeth’s, including the Vigil Mass at St Peter’s, you will be welcomed and offered a Mass and hymn book. This is an excellent way of getting to know people in the parish and to make people feel welcomed to the parish family. It takes just a few minutes before and after Mass. If you would like to join the rotas at St Peter’s and St Elizabeth’s, please contact Barbara Handy at St Peter’s or Angela Flowers at St Elizabeth’s (details below).
Contact: Barbara Handy
Tel: 01584 873048
Email:
Contact: Angela Flowers
Email:
Readers
We have rotas for readers at all Masses, including weekdays. If you would like to offer yourself for this important Ministry, please do so. Refresher Days are periodically organised to aid with the proclamation of the Word. Please contact Barbara Handy at St Peter’s and Paul Flowers at St Elizabeth’s.
Contact: Barbara Handy
Tel: 01584 873048
Email:
Eucharistic Ministers
Eucharistic Ministers or Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion provide support to the priest by distributing communion under both kinds (consecrated bread and wine) to fellow parishioners. Certain Ministers also take Communion to members of the parishes who are unable to attend Mass because of old age, sickness or other reason. There are Eucharistic Ministers in the parishes who assist the parish priest by visiting parishioners either locally at home, in care homes or in the local hospital.
If you, or someone you know, is unable to attend Mass and would like to receive Holy Communion, or if you know of someone locally who is seriously ill and close to the end of life and who would welcome a visit from a Catholic priest, please contact Father Chris.
If you have carried out this ministry in another parish and you have recently moved to St Peter’s or St Elizabeth’s where you would like to continue this ministry, or if you feel called to this ministry and would like to find out more about serving the parish in this way, please speak to Father Chris. Useful information is also provided online1.
Contact Fr Chris
Tel: 01584 872906
Email:
Music
At St Peter’s, we have a regular organist for the Vigil Mass on Saturday evening and use recorded music for the 11.00am Mass on Sunday when an organist is unavailable. At St Elizabeth’s we have an organist, an organ operator (in the absence of the organist) and spiritual music played during the Mass.
If you are an organist and would like to play at these weekend Masses, please contact Father Chris. Tel: 01584 872906 or Email:
We have a small group of cantors who lead the congregation in singing the responsorial psalms at the 11.00am Mass on Sunday at St Peter’s. If you would like to join the rota, please contact Liz Begley (email address below).
Children’s Liturgy
At the start of Sunday morning Mass at St Peter’s once a month, Father Chris invites children present, who have not yet made their First Holy Communion, to go to the Parish Lounge where they have their own age-appropriate act of worship, returning at the offertory. This is an important ministry and the current adult leaders would be delighted to have new members on the rota. Due to the nature of the task, you will need to undergo a DBS check funded by the parish.
Please contact Camilla Harrison.
Tel: 07866 061764
Email:
Children’s Liturgy at St Elizabeth’s occurs on an occasional basis as and when required and is led by Angela Flowers (contact details below).
Sacramental Preparation
Preparation for the sacraments of Baptism, First Holy Communion and Confirmation is organised by the parishes. If you would like to find out more about sacramental preparation at St Peter’s, please contact Camilla Harrison. At St Elizabeth’s, the contact is Angela Flowers.
Camilla Harrison
Email:
Tel: 07866 061764
Altar Servers
Male or female, young or old, everyone is welcome. Training will, of course, be provided. If you would like to serve on the altar at Mass, please speak to Ian Huband at St Peter’s or Paul Flowers, Sacristan at St Elizabeth’s.
Notes