PASTORAL LETTER - VOLUNTEERING FOR MINISTRIES
St. Andrew Orthodox church is blessed with many ministries where we serve our parish family, local community and beyond. St. Andrew ministries provide us with an opportunity to pledge our time and talent as expressions of our faith in God, and our gratitude for all He has done for us. St. Andrew ministries also provide us with a way to fulfill a multitude of scriptural commands admonishing us to bear fruit, feed the hungry, help the sick, use our spiritual gifts to edify the Body of Christ… For as the scriptures tell us, Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven (St. Matthew 5:16). To that end, we find sage direction in the words of St. Tikhon who said in his farewell address to his people in America as he prepared to return to Russia: “The Light of Orthodoxy is not lit for a small circle of people. . .it is our obligation to share our spiritual treasures, our truth, our light, and our joy with those who do not have these gifts. This duty lies not only on pastors and missionaries, but also on lay people, for the Church of Christ, in the wise comparison of St. Paul, is a body, and in the life of the body every member takes part.”
It is our Ministry Program’s goal that every parishioner finds a ministry in which to participate. Below, we have listed a brief description of each ministry within our parish. As you peruse this list, seek to find those places where your talents can best be used. Then contact the ministry leader and begin to serve so that your “light may shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven.”
Father Josiah
ST ANDREW MINISTRIES
HOW TO VOLUNTEER & PARTICIPATE
The list below represents parish ministries for which St. Andrew parishioners can volunteer to serve. Also, ministries where one can participate and spend time with others. If you would like to volunteer for a ministry or find out more about a group so you can participate, contact the ministry leader through the parish online directory and let them know your interest. To access the online directory go to: members.instantchurchdirectory.com
Only St. Andrew parishioners can access the online directory.
LITURGICAL SERVICE
Please Note: Altar servers, bell ringers, chanters and choir members need to get Father’s blessing before serving.
Altar Server: Serve the needs of the Altar under the direction of the clergy.
Leader: Subdn. James Zarour
Baptism Coordination – Holy Saturday: Assist in organizing baptism robes, candles and crosses for distribution during the baptism service; help distribute these things appropriately to priests and those being illumined; help to keep order around the baptism area. Assist with cleaning baptism clothing, robes and towels following baptism, and returning items to newly received; Help with storing robes that will be used again.
Leader: Xenia Crissy Parrish
Baptism Robe Seamstress: Help sew the baptism robes for Holy Saturday. Involves cutting out robe pieces, sewing seams, adding trim, embroidering crosses on robes, measuring catechumens for robes.
Leader: Barbara Ball
Bell Ringer: Ring the church bells for services at appropriate times and in a proscribed manner.
Leader: John Alexander Saenz
Chanter: Chant liturgical hymnody during church services following proscribed tradition and convention.
Leader: Rdr. Patrick Erich Enke; Xenia Serena Enke
Choir: Choir members sing hymnody under the direction of the choir leader during Liturgy, weddings and funerals.
Leader: Regina Roum
Holy Saturday Baptism Coordination: Assist in organizing baptism robes, candles and crosses for distribution during the baptism service; help distribute these things appropriately to priests and those being illumined; help to keep order around the baptism area. Assist with cleaning baptism clothing, robes and towels following baptism, and returning items to newly received; Help with storing robes that will be used again.
Leader: Xenia Crissy Parrish
Prosphora Baker: Bake prosphora, the bread used for communion. Make sure prosphora is delivered for Liturgy in a timely manner. Training is needed to properly and prayerfully bake the prosphora.
Leader: Regina Marie Martin
Usher: Greet people as they enter the church for Liturgy; pass out Sunday bulletins; help direct the movement of people for communion, processions and blessing lines; take up offering; help keep order and propriety during services; assist people in need.
Candle Care and Candle area: Help put out candles after church services; keep sand clean by removing candle drips and spent candle nubs; clean fallen sand from candle counter and floor, refresh spent seven-day candles.
Icons – Cleaning: Clean glass coverings over icons and remove smudges left by people reverencing the icons.
Leader: Miriam Miraya Saenz
Temple Flower Decorations: Assist in acquiring and arranging flowers in the temple for major feasts and other times flowers are needed to beautify the temple and adorn icons.
Leader: Sarah Sandoval
EDUCATION
Please Note: Teachers must get Father’s blessing before serving.
Adult Catechism: Prepare and conduct classes for catechumens on Sunday mornings when they are dismissed with prayer following the homily. Catechists serve on a rotation basis with other teachers.
Leader: Michael Osadchuk
Sunday School: Serve as Sunday School Director, teacher or assistant; provide snacks for students; provide classroom materials for students.
Leader: Anthony Brian Wager
Teen SOYO: Serve as a youth leader; assist youth leaders; go on youth outings as a supervisory adult; provide entertainment/activities for youth.
Leader: Mitchell Watters
Young Adults – Coffee & Donuts with Prez: Help bring refreshments, offer to share discussion content
FACILITIES AND GROUNDS CARE
Man's Workgroup:
The 3rd Saturday of the month following Liturgy men gather at the church to work on maintenance and grounds needs. Helpful things to bring ar tools, work gloves and water. Refresments will be served to all of the hard workers!
Leader: Justin Israel Sandoval or Anthony Brian Wager
Maintenance and Preventive Care of Facilities:
Help with regular preventative maintenance, repairs and improvements – Carpentry, electrical, handyman repairs/maintenance, HVAC, janitorial, painting, plumbing and roofing.
Leader: Contact the Church Office
Landscaping:
Plant Care: Planting, pruning, weeding, mulching.
Irrigation: Monitor the irrigation system and look for stressed plants and other indications that an irrigation section needs repair. Repair drip line, bubbler heads and emitters as needed.
Grounds Pickup/Cleaning: Pick up trash; clean drains and gutters; clean dirt from walkways and the terrace; clean temple and hall walls (remove cobwebs and dirt).
Leader: Contact the Church Office
SERVICE TO THOSE IN NEED
Angel Tree Ministry: Help identify children of prisoners who need gifts; make calls for donors; make tags with children’s names for people to pick up and get a gift; help prepare for the Annual Angel Tree Christmas party, and help at the party; help deliver gifts to those who couldn’t come to the party.
Leader: Mildred Diana Parsons
Bereavement: Provide support and care for the bereaved.
Leader: Rdr. Lex Enquist
Burial Society: Pray for and with people and read scripture, if they are in the process of being in repose; Assist in preparing loved ones for burial; assist in making funeral and burial arrangements; pray for those in repose during their preparation for burial; visit cemeteries and pray for the reposed.
Leader: Chris Gonzales-Aden; Christy Gonzales-Aden
Homeless Meals: Help provide meals for the Hulen Homeless Shelter. Prepare and serve meals to shelter residents. Currently meals are served each Saturday morning. Meal prep is 5:00am and we serve the meal at 6am.
Leader: Winifred Elliott
Hospice: Provide support for those moving to their repose and assist family
Leader: Rdr. Lex Enquist
St Olga Stitchery Guild: Sew and make quilts and other items that are distributed to those in need.
Leader: Elizabeth Beverly Sparrow
Orthodox Christians for Life: Participate in Walk for Life; attend pro-life events; assist pro-life organizations; engage in political activity designed to abolish legalized abortion.
Leader: Adrian Kazanjian
Prayer Ministry: Receive prayer requests from the prayer ministry leader and lift the requests up in prayer.
Leader: Anna Jacklyn Romano
Visitation and Care for the Elderly and Infirm: Visit people who are sick or shut-ins; provide supportive services: Transportation to appointments, help getting groceries or other needs they are unable to perform. Make wellness check calls.
Leader: Stephanie Vasquez
FELLOWSHIP MEALS – COOKING & SERVING
Agape Hour: Bring food for the Agape Hour meal, in coordination with the Agape Meal Captains (families are scheduled on a rotation basis and bring food about once every three months.) Assistance in knowing how much to bring, or recipes for large numbers of people are available. All families should consider participating in this important ministry.
Leader: Xenia Crissy Parrish
Agape Hour VIP Server: Serve food plates to elderly and infirm in the fellowship hall during Agape Hour.
Leader: Mary Crumpler
Family Night Meal: Assist in preparing and serving meals in conjunction with the St. John Chrysostom Catechetical School on Wednesday evenings.
Leader: Hannah Zaid Araya
Kitchen Managment: Assist Kitchen Manager in keeping things organized in kitchen storage area; deep cleaning; obtaining supplies; identifying maintenance needs and communicating to facilities managment.
Leader: Gerald Wiemann
Meals for New Mothers: Arrange for food gift cards or food delivery to the families.
Leader: Anna Toni Roohr
Sweeter Side: Prepare and serve a meal to the seniors that come to the hall for fellowship and activities once a month. This is a rotation service shared with other volunteers—service would be once every few months.
Leader: Barbara Ball; Deborah McDonald
CHILDCARE
Kidz Klub: Help with childcare during Wednesday night lecture series. Caregivers serve on rotating nights.
Leader: Presbytera Catherine Trenham
Kat Klub: Help with childcare during seasonal Saturday afternoon catechesis. These are eight classes preceding the Nativity, and eight classes preceding Pascha.
Leader: Presbytera Catherine Trenham
Playground Safety Monitor: Watch over children on the playground following Liturgy on Sundays to ensure their safety and encourage good behavior.
Leader: Anna Toni Roohr
OUTREACH MINISTRIES
Bookstore: Assist customers in the bookstore and process sales transactions following Liturgy. Help with inventory and care of bookstore.
Leader: Emilia Jana Brubaker
Docent: Lead tours of the temple following a developed and pastorally approved script. Docents provide information about our temple’s architecture, Orthodoxy and the history of St. Andrew. (Approval and training is required to conduct temple tours)
Leader: Christopher Kassaseya
Myrrhbearers: Assist Myrrhbearer leadership with activities and events.
Leader: Winifred Elliot
Visitor Welcoming: Sit at the Welcoming Table on the temple terrace before Liturgy and greet visitors; offer visitors a form to fill out; provide information about the church and Orthodoxy; invite the visitors to the Agape Meal; sit with visitors at the Agape Meal and help them to feel welcome.
Leader: Victoria Jakubowski
ANNUAL FUNDRAISING EVENTS & STEWARDSHIP
Golf Tournament: Help organize and work this event. Help find sponsors and perform many other tasks that go into organizing this event.
Leader: John Casey Shannon
Octoberfest: Help organize and work this event. Help with food prep; decorations; ticket sales.
Leader: Barbara Ball
Patronal Banquet: Help to coordinate and serve. Event decoration, setup, serving, online auction… There are many things involved in doing this event.
Leader: Regina Roum
Event Setup Coordinator: Make sure event area is clean; setup tables and chairs; take down tables and chairs after the event; clean up after the event.
Leader: Anthony Mura
Stewardship Committee
By participating in the Stewardship ministry, you will be tasked with engaging with parishioners to discuss the principles of Christian Stewardship, assist in organizing events and workshops, and creating awareness of the parish's annual pledge drive. Stewardship is as essential to Orthodox faithfulness as prayer and fasting. Being a good steward involves the practice of responsibly managing the gifts that God has entrusted to us - our time, talents, and treasurers - for the benefit of the Church and the broader community. Stewardship reflects our gratitude for God's blessings and our commitment to supporting the Church's spiritual, educational and charitable missions.
Leader: Christopher Kassaseya
PARISH COUNCIL
Be willing to serve on the Parish Council. This is an elected position. Members are nominated, nominations are approved by the priest and then the parish council members are elected in an annual parish meeting.
Leader: Inform the office if you are willing to serve
OPPORTUNITIES TO PARTICIPATE IN GROUPS
Agape Hour—After Liturgy on Sunday mornings in the hall. All are welcome to attend and visit with one another.
Coffee and Donuts with Prez—Sunday mornings following Liturgy our young adults gather in the rectory for a discussion and just to spend time with each other. All young adults from 18 years to 30 are welcome to come.
To find out more contact: Presbytera Catherine Trenham
Moms, Grandmothers, Godmothers Breakfast Club—4th Saturday of the month—9am in the hall. The women pray an Akathist for children then enjoy a potluck breakfast together. All mothers, grandmothers and godmothers are welcome to come. Bring your prayer list!
To find out more contact: Presbytera Catherine Trenham
Bereavement SUPPORT—3rd Saturday of the month—The group meets at 9am in the Chapel to pray an Akathist for the Departed, then they meet to the hall for support and care.
To find out more contact: Rdr Alexander Enquist
Sweeter Side—Last Thursday of the month at 11:30am in the hall. All those 60 years of age and older are invited to meet in the hall for a presentation, lunch and friendship. The lunches are $5 payable at the door.
To find out more contact: Barbara Ball or Deborah McConnell
The Good Portion Book Study for Women—1st Tuesday of the month—6pm in the hall. The group will discuss and share insights gained from their planned readings. All are welcome to come. Bring a potluck to share.
To learn what the group is reading or to get more information contact: Martha Metroka
