Parish of the Holy Spirit

As needed, Father Auve says Mass at the Royal Columbian Retirement Inn, and takes Communion to the Catholic residents of Calloway Gardens every other week. He anoints residents whenever necessary.

Our responsibility is setting up for Mass or Communion services. We also make sure all residents are there and, if unable to come, to inform Father so they may receive Communion in their rooms. People coming in from outside for the Communion services should not expect to receive unless they have informed Father beforehand.

Every Thursday we say the rosary with the Catholic residents at Royal Columbian at 9:30 a.m., at Calloway Gardens at 10:45 a.m. and at Canyon Lakes Rehab at 1:45 p.m. The rosary is prayed in a group. Those who can't come are reminded that we will be praying for them. We reassure them all of their importance as prayer intercessors.

 

Call Eileen Whitlow about Rosary and Mass at Charbonneau (783-9118)

 

We have four choirs: 9:30 a.m. Sunday Mass (Celebration Choir), 6:00 p.m. Saturday Mass (Amazing Grace Choir), the Children's Choir and the LIFETEEN Band at the 5:30 pm Sunday Mass. We are blessed with outstanding musicians and leadership in our music ministries. All of our choirs welcome new members.

 

The Celebration Choir supports the music liturgy at the 9:30 a.m. Mass on Sundays. They hold rehearsals every Thursday night at 7:30 pm and at 8:45 on Sunday mornings. The choir consists of 20 to 30 dedicated singers who also perform special roles as cantors, organist, pianist, percussion and hand bell players, instrument players, and special directors. The choir is very diverse in many ways, including age, background, origin, and religious upbringing. The Celebration Choir sings to lead the worship songs on Sundays, and also leads the assembly for special rites such as Confirmation and RCIA. They also enhance the liturgy with a special musical selection during communion.

With supporting the Liturgy of the Word as the primary purpose, the choir director uses the lectionary to plan music and songs that are appropriate for the season, be it ordinary time or a special feast or holy day. Some of the special times in the year include Mother's Day, Lent, Good Friday, Palm Sunday, Easter, St. Patrick's Day, Pentecost, Advent, Marion Celebrations, Christmas, New Year's, Reconciliation services, Mission celebrations and every other Sunday of the year. The Celebration Choir always prepares a special celebration in music for Christmas that is performed before the Christmas Eve Mass for the enjoyment of the gathering worshippers. In addition to leading the assembly at Mass, the Celebration Choir holds regular cantor training workshops to further the development and skill of the cantors at the Holy Spirit Parish.

The final role of the Celebration Choir is to provide fellowship, friendship and prayer assistance to the members of the group and the parish. Some of the members have been together for over 10 years. They all feel like extended family members and reach out to others inside and out of the group to encourage them to follow the Catholic faith.

 

Amazing Grace sings the liturgy at the 6:00 p.m. Saturday Mass. We sing all types of music from Gregorian Chant to Contemporary Liturgical, and everything in between. Our primary function is to lead the congregation in song during the liturgy.
Amazing Grace is open to anyone. Trained voices are not a requirement, just a desire to sing. We also use a variety of instruments including (but not limited to) piano, organ, guitar, flute, recorder, tin whistle, drums, castanets, etc. If you can play it, we can use it.

Singing in a church choir is a commitment, but it is also satisfying spiritually and a lot of fun. Amazing Grace rehearses Wednesday nights at 7:30 p.m. in the church and at 5:15 p.m. on Saturdays before Mass. We invite anyone 12 years old and above to join us and see what a church choir is all about.

 

PowerPoint slide operators are responsible for operating projectors to support the liturgy during weekend and holy day Masses, weddings, funerals, Stations of the Cross and all services where projection is being used/needed. The operators arrive 15 minutes before the Mass/service to prepare for the service. During the service, they are required to repair the equipment, replace light bulbs and do whatever it takes to keep the projectors functioning. There is an hour training session given to all new operators.

 

This Ministry at the Holy Spirit Parish has members who perform a variety of duties. There are operators who operate the projectors during the masses of the week; photographers who take pictures to illustrate the liturgy; computer specialists who frame, type and format the words of the hymns that go up on the screens; weekly loading experts who study the liturgy and select the visual material that goes up each week; copyright permission authorities who inventory the music in possession and obtain copyright permission from the proper sources; maintenance experts who assess and perform maintenance needs of the projectors and remote controls; and music liturgists who prepare the weekly slate of music to go on the screens. The music is coordinated by the choir directors, and is liturgically appropriate for the day of the church year. The pictures selected always provide visual aids to the readings and the season that is in progress. The pictures selected are chosen to provide a simple but meaningful relationship to the text of the day. They are meant to augment the liturgy, but not overpower it. Therefore, all caution is used to arrange them in a manner that is not distracting to the worshipper. The operators, who change the projected material from one to another during the mass, are trained to do so at intervals that allow reflection and contemplation by the assembly.

 

Part of the women's group, the funeral committee provides a meal for the family and their guests after a funeral. We do this by calling from a list of parishioners who have offered to provide a dish, and by gathering a crew to serve the dinner. Any part of this is open to volunteers through the Stewardship program.

 

Tabulators process the weekend collections after the 5:30 a.m. Mass on Sunday. This involves counting all money, coins and checks as well as opening and verifying all envelopes. Four people work together, constantly double-checking one another, so that one person never shoulders the responsibility alone. All materials and supplies are provided, including a 10-key adding machine to total checks and other figures. After counting and documenting the information, the envelopes are put in numerical order. (The actual posting of information to individual records is done later in the week by another team of volunteers.)

Diocesan guidelines request a minimum age of 16 and a rotation schedule of volunteers. That allows each person to be scheduled for only two consecutive Sundays every two or three months or so. If you have a conflict on your scheduled Sunday, others are willing to trade or substitute for you.

The whole process takes approximately one hour and there is ample time to have coffee and visit with your co-workers. This ministry is not difficult and can be an enjoyable way to serve your parish and meet some new friends.

 

The Rosary and Prayer Group was formed through the gentle prompting of our Blessed Mother, Mary. Two in our group are involved in St. Joseph's Tuesday evening Mass and Marian Devotion. We felt called to form an evening Rosary at Holy Spirit Parish. With a little help (well actually a lot of help) from our Blessed Mother, it came to be. As with any prayer group it started small. We now have several loyal and prayerful people every Thursday evening.

We pray one complete mystery of the scriptural rosary followed by a prayer for vocations to the religious life. We pray a Consecration to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and a Consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. After these prayers, we offer a Chaplet of Divine Mercy. We conclude by joining hands and offer our own special petitions. These prayers usually include our Holy Father, Pope John Paul II and our own Father Auve. We pray for an end to abortion with a special prayer for the sick and needy in the world and our parish.

Our Thursday evening prayer group shares our faith and love for our Blessed Mother Mary. She always leads her children who listen to their hearts to her loving Son, Jesus. We invite all who feel Mary's call to join us in praising God for the gifts and blessings we have received through her intercessions.

 

The Prayer Line has been in existence since our renewal several years ago. We average about 50 people who pray for intentions that are called in to us and the church office. Intentions are passed on by phone from person to person. They stop and pray after passing the intentions on. It is a year-round ministry and requires no meetings or other duties.

 

This group sews banners, vestments and altar cloths/linens needed for liturgical services. So if you can sew, they would welcome your help.

 

This ministry involves decorating the church for the liturgies of the various liturgical seasons (Advent, Christmas, Lent, Easter and of course Ordinary Time). Primarily this means flower arrangements for the altar, lectern, the statue of Mary, as well as display and care of live plants both in the sanctuary and the vestibule. Banners are also displayed at various liturgies. Wall hangings are currently on a seasonal schedule.

Benefits for this ministry may include: Love and appreciation for the liturgy and an awareness of the seasons within the church calendar; interest and talent in flowers and flower arranging; creative ability in the making of banners and wall hangings.

Availability to work Saturdays is important. Also, one needs to be available at special times prior to the seasons of Advent, Christmas, Lent and Holy Week.

 

As needed, volunteers come together to create a new, updated Pictorial Directory. The directory displays photographs of parish families, groups and activities as well as provides an overview of our parish family. The creation of this directory is established through the guidance of four core groups under the guidance of the following coordinators:

 

Men and women who are easily understood and have a great desire to proclaim God's word are provided the opportunity to participate in the Liturgy of the Mass by being lectors. The lectors proclaim the Word of God during Mass. It is Christ who speaks when Holy Scripture is read aloud in the church. Thus, lectors are privileged to assume the role of God's heralds in announcing the good news of salvation. The proclamation of the Scriptures fosters a greater love for the word and deeper insight into its meaning, allowing others to live God's word in their lives, at home and at work. Special instructions are available for those interested in this ministry. Lectors serve by appointment of the pastor and attend an initial and an annual installation ceremony.

 

In prisons, we recognize the broken body of Jesus and we are committed to accompany incarcerated men toward healing and Gospel liberation. Volunteers visit the Walla Walla State Penitentiary on a weekly basis. They conduct communion services and visit with inmates in the hospital, the mental ward and the general population as time permits. This ministry takes seriously the prophetic challenge presented in the Gospel message, "liberation for all people."

 

The Tri-Cities Food Bank in Kennewick is open every weekday from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. They respond to the "food" needs of many, especially in the winter months. They are in constant need of donations and help to collect, sort and distribute food in the name of the Lord.  Donations can be left in bins in the vestibule at weekend Masses.

 

The Parish Finance Committee is established to assist the pastor in preparing the yearly parish budget of income and expenses according to guidelines of the diocese and its accounting procedures. The Finance Committee is directly accountable to the pastor, and budgets should be coordinated with ministry heads and any related pastoral plans. The Parish Council reviews the budget prior to approval by the pastor.

The Finance Committee will assist the pastor in monitoring the budget during the course of the fiscal year on a quarterly basis and provide analysis to the pastor as requested. The Finance Committee should be available to assist the pastor in any financial area of parochial administration where their financial expertise might be needed above and beyond the areas outlined above.

 

The primary goal of the Parish Stewardship Steering Committee is to promote the concept of Christian stewardship within our parish. The committee's work is aimed at empowering our parishioners to live their faith as Christian stewards who generously offer financial and volunteer support to the various ministries within our parish.

Stewardship is based on the spiritual principles of the Old Testament and the teachings of Jesus. Stewardship is a way of life, a way of thanking God for all His blessings by returning a portion of the time, talent and treasure allotted to us.

The committee meets on an as-needed basis and reports to the pastor on all activities associated with our ministries. These include the overseeing of the parish stewardship effort, coordinating the time, talent and treasure components of the parish stewardship effort, coordinating parish activities associated with stewardship, and keeping the parish council informed of all activities.

 

Each Friday a team of two to four people gathers to fold the weekly bulletin, add inserts and staple attachments as needed, and put the bulletins around the church in the assigned places.

If you can come during office hours on Friday, fold paper and use a stapler, you can help as a bulletin folder. This simple but necessary weekly task can be done any time on Friday morning or afternoon. You just let our secretary know when she contacts you if mornings or afternoons are better for you. She puts you on a team and sends a schedule for several months at a time. Your team would serve approximately once every three months. Time commitment is about 1 to 1-1/2 hours depending on the number of items to insert or staple.

This is a simple, behind-the-scenes ministry that enables you to be of service in our church and to get to meet and know some other Catholics as you visit with your team members while folding.

 

Parish Photography

The Parish Photography ministry is a group of photographers who volunteer to take pictures at parish functions for use by the parish. Some of the ministers in this department also take pictures for use on the projectors during Mass.

 

Motivated by the call to service, our Parish Community seeks to meet the spiritual, educational, athletic and social needs of our youth in a spirit of Christian witness. Youth ministry is a parish responsibility and with the aid of many members, supporting organizations, and paid staff, we strive to meet these needs.

 

Receptionist

If you can answer the phone, take a message and greet people as they enter the office, you could help the church as a receptionist when our secretary is out of the office on vacation or for an appointment.

You would be called and asked if you could help for a morning (9:00 a.m. to noon) or an afternoon (1:15 to 4:00 p.m.). If you are able to say "Yes," our secretary would give you a brief orientation and leave you notes specific to that day's happenings.

This ministry is to be the friendly, considerate and kind face and voice that people first encounter as they contact our church. This is a real ministry of hospitality and service to the community and our parish staff.

 

Sometimes the best way to "spread the word" or gather needed information is to call a specific group of people. If you could periodically help call and give a message to people, you could help the office with telephoning.  Our secretary would call you with the message and a list of the people and their phone numbers. She would let you know the time in which the calls need to be completed. Each time she calls, you could accept or decline depending on your availability to complete the needed list.

Examples of calls made by the telephoning volunteers:

Your willingness to help with telephoning would be a real ministry of service to our secretary and spread the word among many hands and voices.