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Through good and consistent formation, parishioners of a stewardship parish are ready to minister to the many needs of their own parish family as well as the needs of the wider community and Church. We know that as members of our own families, we come together to help one of our own. Likewise, a stewardship parish family serves those who are hurting or in need. The parish family also comes together to celebrate, thank and to return God’s gifts—all are needs of parishioners.
Like your own personal family, the parish family is ready and eager to wrap their arms around their brothers and sisters when they suffer in trial and/or celebrate special events in their lives. Parishioners seek the parish family as a primary community to serve and to be served—to give and to receive. If a parishioner finds they can serve and be ministered to, they have little need to search elsewhere for this fulfillment. Likewise, they have recognized a place where their service is appreciated and utilized for the good of the Church.
The pillar of service is an opportunity for the parish to put into concrete practice the other three pillars: hospitality, prayer and formation.
There are thousands of outstanding service ideas and activities that any parish could do.
They include:
Ideas from the Church of St. Patrick, Dickinson:
- The parish asks for 3 – 6 volunteers to fold and insert the weekly parish bulletins. This activity saves the parish money and provides a wonderful socializing opportunity for your parishioners.
- The parish personalizes extra, weekly parish bulletins and distributes them to parishioners that live in nursing homes or assisted living facilities.
- The parish hosts a Catholic Quilters Club – allows parishioners an
opportunity to share their gifts of time and talent, while making quilts for those being baptized, new born babies, vet’s homes, and other local service agencies. - The parish asks for volunteers to help plant and take care of their flowers, gardens, shrubs and tree pruning on or around the parish grounds.
- The parish asks volunteers to photograph or video all parish activities and events. They archive all the parish photos and videos for easy retrieval. The parish encourages parishioners to distribute these
pictures and videos through various web-media services, including a “Thursday Throwback Picture” of parish history. These “Thursday Throwback Pictures” get shared through various social media sources all over the world.
- Parishioners are encouraged to volunteer at the community Food Pantry or the parish Soup Kitchen.
Ideas from the Church of the Most Holy Rosary, Stanley
- New to the Area Mom’s Baby and Bridal Showers – because so many new families have moved to the area and do not have any other family members close by, the parish hosts a Baby or Bridal Shower for the brides or new mothers.
- Meals 4 New Moms – because so many new families have moved to the area and do not have any other family members close by to help out, the parish plans and delivers meals to the family for 10-12 days after the mom and new born baby return home from the hospital.
- New Moms Rest n’ Care – because so many new families have
moved to the area and do not have any other family members close by to help out, the parish plans scheduled visits to the homes of mothers with new born children to do light cleaning and to give the new mother’s and father’s a rest break from caring for their new born child. - Mountrail County Food Pantry – the parishioners volunteer time at the food pantry where families receive food assistance.