Ready to Get Involved? Our parish relies on your gifts of time and talent to help our faith community continue to grow. Learn more about the ministry and service opportunities available in our parish. Once you’ve found the opportunities that seem right for you, complete the Ministry Sign-Up Form or contact the office for more information.
Liturgy
Altar Servers: Assist the priest during Mass. Training is provided. Youth, grade 4 and older, and adults.
Children’s Liturgy Leaders and Assistants: Lead a brief lesson for children ages 4 to 4th grade during Mass time. Children dismiss from sanctuary to a separate room. Curriculum provided. Leaders, grade 9 and older, and adults. Assistants, youth, grade 5 and older, and adults.
Extraordinary Ministers of Communion: Assist in the distribution of Communion. Instruction is provided. Confirmed youth and adults.
General Intercessors: General intercessors present the Prayers of the Faithful (intercessions). Confirmed youth and adults.
Liturgical Laundry: Launder and press liturgical items needed for Mass.
Mass Facilitators: Ensure liturgical ministers are present 15 minutes prior to Mass. Locate substitutes if needed.
Presenter of Gifts: Individuals or families present the Offertory gifts. Those carrying the gifts, grade 5 and older. Younger family members can accompany the family to the altar.
Reader: Proclaim one of two readings that precede the Gospel at Mass. Personal preparation prior to Mass is necessary. Youth, grade 9 and older, and adults.
Rosary Leader: At 9 a.m. each Sunday, members gather to say the Rosary. One person each Sunday serves as leader.
Sacristans: Prepare worship space for Mass by lighting candles, placing sacramental objects in their respectful places, cleaning the sacred vessels after Mass. Confirmed youth and adults.
Ushers/Greeters: Welcome and seat people, take up collection, assist with presentation of offertory gifts and communion, distribute bulletins. Lead usher serves as coordinator of the scheduled team. Youth, grade 6 and older, and adults.
Music
Choir Members: Spread God’s love through music at Saturday and Sunday Masses and social celebrations. A commitment to attend Wednesday evening practices is important. Training and assistance provided. Youth, grade 9 and older, and adults.
Musicians: Provide accompaniment for music at Masses and other parish celebrations under leadership of parish music director. Youth, grade 9 and older, and adults.
Parish Enrichment
Eucharistic Adoration Participants: Participants sign up for recurring monthly commitments, 30 to 60 minutes in length.
Money Counting Team: Work with Finance Council counting collections after Sunday Mass. Teams alternate and count about every 4 to 6 weeks. Training provided. Adult.
Parish Events Coordinator: Oversee planning of parish events (Kick-off, St. Francis feast day, Easter Egg Hunt etc.), working with individuals who could help chair events to build fellowship within our parish and in the Nixa community.
Parish Events Team: Help plan or work at a parish event or program. Youth, grade 9 and older, and adults.
Liturgical Decorating: Develop the look of our worship and gathering spaces during the seasons of the Church year. Coordinators oversee a team that decorates with appropriate materials and plants, and tends plants throughout the season. Youth, grade 9 and older, and adults.
Hospitality
Sunday Coffee Coordinator: Provide support for coffee team, recruit if needed, notify buyer of supplies needed, oversee cleaning of community room.
Sunday Coffee Team: Make and serve and clean up coffee for 9:30 a.m. Mass. Youth, grade 9 and older, and adults.
Sunday Donut Hero: Pick up donuts for Sunday “coffee and donuts” gathering.
Funeral Dinner Coordinator: Work with family to determine meal, time, size. Contact team members to facilitate and provide food.
Funeral Dinner Team: Set up, serve and clean up. Adult.
Funeral Dinner Food: Provide food for meal.
Penance Dinner Coordinator: Provide meal for priest. Schedule team members to help and people to bring food.
Penance Dinner Team: Set up, serve and clean up. Adult.
Penance Dinner Food: Provide food for meal.
Receptions/Special Occasion Coordinator: Work with individuals for theme, items to provide. Schedule team members.
Receptions & Special Occasions Team: Set up, serve, clean up for 1st Communion, Occasions for Priest, etc. Youth, grade 9 and older, adult.
Faith Formation (Education)
Catechist: Share faith experiences with children pre-K through high school. Classes are held after Mass on Sunday, September to May. Curriculum provided; catechists prepare lesson plans. Catechetical meetings held twice a year. Virtus training (Diocese’s safe environment program) is required. Adults.
Catechist Assistant: Assist adult catechists each Sunday. Confirmed youth, and adults.
Catechist Substitutes: Fill in for adult catechists, as needed. Adults.
RCIA Sponsors: Sponsors are assigned a Candidate (baptized adults) or Catechumen (unbaptized adults), sharing their faith journey. Should attend most sessions, retreats, and prayer and Penance services. Training provided.
RCIA Team Members: Facilitate RCIA meetings; may share faith experiences with Candidates and Catechumens as they learn about the Catholic faith. Team members are not required to attend all meetings. Training provided.
Parish Maintenance
Cleaning Coordinators: Schedule cleaning teams and purchase supplies.
Cleaning Team: Members are placed on a team to clean the church once every 6 to 8 weeks. Duties include dusting and vacuuming, changing holy water, etc. Youth, grade 9 and older, and adults.
Indoor Maintenance Coordinator: Schedules and oversees volunteer teams who maintain interior church and rectory facilities per code, conduct general repairs and provide a safe atmosphere. Position can be shared by two parishioners.
Indoor Maintenance Team: Maintain interior church and rectory facilities per code, conduct general repairs and provide a safe atmosphere. Youth, grade 9 and older, and adults.
Outdoor Maintenance Coordinator: Schedules and oversees volunteer teams who maintain exterior parish and rectory grounds to meet city codes and ensure the safety of the parish. Duties include mowing, having trees and shrubs trimmed, outside building repairs, etc. Duties can be shared by two parishioners.
Outdoor Maintenance Team: Maintain exterior parish and rectory grounds to meet city codes and ensure the safety of the parish. Duties include mowing, having trees and shrubs trimmed, outside building repairs, etc.
Parish Outreach
Ava Maria Rosary Guild: Guild members make rosaries for overseas missions. Instruction provided. Guild coordinator mails rosaries and teaches new members. Meetings only as needed. Youth, grade 5 and older, and adults.
Loving Stitches Quilters: Create patchwork comforters and quilts for donating to local charities. Prior quilting or sewing knowledge not necessary.
Ministers of Care: Distribute Communion to parishioners and other Catholics who are sick and homebound or living in nursing homes. Training provided. Confirmed youth and adults.
Prayer Network: Pray for those in need by receiving an emailed prayer request. Youth, grade 5 and older, and adults.
Welcoming Team: Work with Stewardship Council to welcome new parish members.
Photography Team: Shoot photos at Parish events for use on website, Facebook and in printed materials.
Youth Ministry Coordinators for High School, Junior High or Grades 4-6: Plan and implement age appropriate social, spiritual and service opportunities for selected age group, working with adult volunteer team. Training provided. Resource tools provided. Virtus training (Diocese’s safe environment program) is required.
Youth, Ministry Adult Teams for High School, Junior High or Grades 4-6: Volunteers assist Coordinators at programs and meetings of youth group. Training provided. Virtus training (Diocese’s safe environment program) is required.
Youth Ministry Participant, High School, Junior High or Grades 4-6: Join other young Catholics to experience age appropriate social, spiritual and service opportunities. Each group meets monthly.
Councils of the Parish
Three Advisory Councils act as consultative bodies to our pastor. Members are elected, or appointed by the pastor. Contact the respective Council Chair if you are interested in becoming involved in one of these Councils.
Parish Council
Finance Council
Stewardship Council
Catholic Organizations
Local outreach organizations are available to serve our community. Contact them to get involved or if seeking assistance.
