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Hospitality
Event Coordination
Every event has special stewards who
work behind the scenes to ensure a pleasant experience. Our event
coordination group consists of Bakers/Cooks, volunteers to set up the
space needed, volunteers to keep the kitchen stocked with paper goods,
etc. and volunteers who maintain our linens.
If you enjoy working behind the
scenes, then this ministry is for you.
Bakers
Love to bake? Get rave
reviews for your appetizers? Share your treats and your talents as part
of our Baker/Coffee And ministry.
Weekend Mass is a
family meal, a time when we come together to celebrate Eucharist. On one
weekend every month we extend that celebration, gathering after Mass in
the Parish Center for Coffee And (Appetizers And on Saturday).
Parishioners share treats, swap stories and renew the ties that make
Saint Ann such a close-knit community.
If you would like to
share your special talents by helping to provide tasty treats for these
weekend get-togethers, please consider joining our Baker/Coffee And
ministry. (Check the fine print on this Stewardship contract: We might
press you into service for other parish events as well!)
 Club
The 50+ Club, one of
our Social Life ministries, has been a part of the parish since 1989.
Under the genial leadership of the late Jim Austin the group styled
itself the “50+ Friendship Club” and “all parishioners and friends in
the 50+ age group” were cordially invited to join.
While the members have
always enjoyed a full slate of food, fun and games -- their opening
session included “the personal attention of a wine steward” – the group
has a proud history of service to the parish and the community.
Our well-loved Giving
Tree ministry originated with the 50+ Club. In 1990 the group
established the Remembrance Fund as a way to honor loved ones, recognize
achievements or mark special occasions. Donations to the Remembrance
Fund are used to purchase vestments and altar supplies.
The 50+ Club also sets
aside funds for any parishioner who might need help purchasing food
during the holiday season. The Milk Fund envelopes which can be found
at all entrances to the church are another 50+ Club project. All
donations go to support Beth-El Soup Kitchen and Homeless Shelter. 50+
also sponsors the Father Edward Rooney Award, given annually to students
from our religious education program who have
shown exemplary service to Saint Ann Parish.
On the all-important
social side of its ledger 50+ sponsors trips to locations near and far
and brings senior citizens together for entertainment. Two particular
highlights of the group’s calendar of monthly meetings are the Saint
Patrick’s Day dinner and the annual Christmas Party.
 Welcome
Ministry
The Welcome Ministry
is a way to make new parishioners know that they are a special
part of the Body of Christ here at Saint Ann’s.
What could be more
special than a friendly phone call, a personal visit and a “Welcome to
the Family” gift bag?
That’s our ministry
in a nutshell, or in a pineapple, the traditional symbol of hospitality.
If you would like to
help newcomers feel an immediate and warm connection to our parish
family, this is the ministry for you!
As ambassadors for
Saint Ann’s you will be the people newcomers will recognize at Mass, at
Coffee Ands, at other parish events. We invite individuals, couples and
families to sign on.
Sacramental Celebrations
First Communion, usually celebrated in
May, and Confirmation, usually celebrated in October, are very special
occasions in a person's faith formation and journey. Following the
sacramental celebration in church, Saint Ann Church has traditionally
extended these celebrations to include a reception in the Parish Center
Hall. Stewards who join this ministry will host the reception greeting
and welcoming these special celebrants.
We have a long-standing reputation for
our welcoming spirit and this ministry is a wonderful example of that
tradition.
 Social Activities
Our favorite song says, “I’m so glad
I’m a part of the family of God.” Being part of the family of God is
what the Social Activities ministry is all about.
The church is a community made up of
many kinds of people and families. A community is a group of people who
belong together. A parish family is a really special community.
By providing different social
functions, our hope is to help the Saint Ann Parish family find time in
our busy schedules for what is important: God, family, friends and FUN!
Some of our yearly activities
include a Lenten Supper, several Pasta Suppers, and trips.
Come join us in building a strong
community of faith.
Social Outreach
 Adopt-A-Mom
Stewards in this very
special ministry share their love, and their time and talent, by
“adopting” a young mother-to-be who, despite the pressures of family or
society, has decided to keep her baby. By providing practical
assistance -- baby clothes, equipment and supplies -- we support the
young woman’s decision and applaud her courage.
Adopt-A-Mom has been
adopting moms and babies for over ten years. We work through Saint
Agnes Parish’s “Helping Hands for Hurting Hearts” program and from
parishioner referrals. Adopt-A-Mom stewards meet during the year to
plan the “showers” for our moms-to-be, writing and cutting out gift tags
and posting them in the church for parishioner donations. Once we’ve
collected the gifts, brightly wrapped packages of pink and blue and
yellow and green, we host a baby shower in the Parish Center. Over the
years we’ve gotten to meet some of the babies, early arrivals who didn’t
want to miss the excitement of a party!
The ministry has grown
in the past few years to include the parish’s Confirmation candidates.
Working with typical energy and enthusiasm the young people have
sponsored several “moms” on their own.
Adopt-A-Mom also
coordinates an ongoing collection of baby clothes, supplies and
furniture for “Helping Hands,” for BirthRight in Hamden and Derby and
for our own parishioners in need. We accept maternity clothes for
Beacon on the Hill in West Haven. Group members sort and
deliver the donations to these organizations. Adopt-A-Mom is grateful
for the ongoing generosity and support of our parishioners.
When
Stewardship and Beth-El Center come together you hear the echo of
Christ’s words from Matthew’s gospel. “When I was hungry you gave me to
eat, when I was thirsty you gave me to drink.” A social outreach
ministry, Beth-El not only provides soup kitchen services and shelter to
the needy in our community, but it also offers us the chance to reach
out in love to others, the true meaning of Stewardship.
34 men, women and
children call Beth-El Center home. The soup kitchen offers lunch-time
meals and some weekend support to anyone in need.
How can you share your
love and your gifts through this vital ministry?
If you are over 18,
volunteer! The Center needs help in the soup kitchen (food prep,
cooking, serving and clean-up) and at the shelter (clerical support,
data entry, answering the phone and the door). Volunteers with special
skills including accounting, construction, personnel, financial
development, social work and building maintenance are also welcome.
Periodically we host an evening dinner and weekend picnics for
residents.
Whatever your age, we
encourage you to support Beth-El's fundraising efforts - the Walk for
the Homeless and the holiday Spirit of Love Concert.
Be a driver! Help
deliver the non-perishable food items, cleaning supplies and paper goods
that the parish donates so generously.
Pray
for the homeless Beth-El serves and for the stewards who serve God
through Beth-El. Ask for more workers for this small but important
“vineyard.”
Continue your financial support by using the donation envelopes that you’ll find at all the
church doors.
 The Giving Tree
The Giving Tree is a
true ministry of love. The tree appears in the church in the weeks
leading up to Christmas, resplendent with fragile paper ornaments that
are the wish lists of people in need. Generous parishioners remove the
ornaments and return them attached to the gifts they have purchased. As
the ornaments are removed the tree becomes more beautiful, its bare
branches giving eloquent expression to the kindness of our parish
family.
A ministry that began
in 1989, the Giving Tree has always been close to the heart of what it
means to be a Stewardship parish. Thanks to the good-hearted people of
Saint Ann’s we are able to support a large variety of community organizations as well
as homebound parishioners and families in need. Each year we deliver
close to 1000 gifts to the needy.
Giving Tree stewards serve in a variety of ways. Some create the
ornaments, others sort and process the gifts as they are returned, and
some don their Santa hats to help with deliveries.
HOMEFRONT
The
posters go up at all the church doors,
sounding the call for volunteer
sign-ups. Just what is HomeFront and what kind of
Stewardship opportunities does it represent?
A community-based, volunteer-driven home-repair
program, HomeFront provides free repairs to low-income,
elderly, and handicapped homeowners, enabling them to remain in their
homes and enjoy an improved quality of life.
HomeFront volunteers
provide hands-on help and hope as part of a “one-day” community-based
repair blitz on the first Saturday in May each year. The Saint Ann
team, under the leadership of a House Captain, an Assistant House
Captain and a Volunteer Coordinator invite
you to sign on.
If you are skilled in the building trades HomeFront offers a terrific way to share
your time and your particular talents.
 Relay for Life
Stewardship: sharing our time, talent and treasure in
the service of others. We share our gifts and blessings with all
of God’s family, within our parish community and beyond.
One beautiful example of Stewardship has been our
parish’s participation in Relay for Life of Milford, a
round-the-clock event held every September that raises funds to benefit
the American Cancer Society’s “Race For The Cure.”
Hardly a parishioner has escaped cancer’s chilling
touch. Many have succumbed to this dreaded disease. Many others have
survived, thanks to prayer, to increased awareness and to the research
that fundraising makes possible.
The Saint Ann parish family has been a part of Milford’s
Relay since its inception in 2003. Teams of parishioners go to
work in the spring, sponsoring a variety of innovative fundraisers
during the weeks and months leading up to September’s Relay
weekend.
Parish participation continues to grow along with the
realization that our efforts are important. The money and the awareness
we raise can make a difference in prevention and in treatment.
Reassurance
 Bereavement
Ministry
Through our Bereavement Ministry the parish offers consolation and
support to grieving parishioners. We do this in two ways: by assisting
families in planning funeral liturgies for their loved ones and by
offering comfort to the recently bereaved through our Bereavement
Support group.
Funeral Planning
Prior to a funeral
here at Saint Ann’s a member of the Bereavement Ministry meets with the
family of the deceased to assist in planning the funeral Mass, helping
them choose readings and select music. We encourage family members to
participate in the Mass as readers and as gift bearers. We make every
effort to plan a funeral Mass that is personal, prayerful and consoling,
a true celebration of the life of their loved one.
Bereavement Support
Through our Bereavement Support group we offer comfort to those who
mourn, helping them on their journey from grief to healing.
Co-facilitators plan the meetings. They encourage the recently bereaved
to work through the natural process of grieving by sharing their
thoughts, feelings and experiences with others who are struggling with
grief. The group meets on the second Sunday of every month at 2:00 PM
in the Children’s Chapel. As Catholic Christians we are called to comfort those who mourn.
 Friendly
Visitor and Telephone Reassurance
Do you like to chat
on the telephone? Would you like to be of service to someone who is
elderly, ill, frail or disabled but don’t know how to begin? If so,
check out our Friendly Visitor and Telephone Reassurance Ministry.
The most important
qualification is concern for people in need and a desire to be of
service. One hour a week to visit with telephone reassurance calls in
between is the commitment for this extension of our current Eucharistic
visits.
 Due
to the nature of this ministry, there is a screening process for all
potential volunteers with participation in an orientation training
session and VIRTUS training. Ongoing support is provided for program
volunteers, as well.
 Healthcare
Facility Visits
Stewardship is
about sharing, and nursing home visits provide a wonderful opportunity
for you to share your time, your talent and the treasure of your
presence with people confined to local nursing homes.
Bring the
gift of song and the sunshine of your smile to those who may be ill,
lonely or troubled. With the right lyrics you can put them on Broadway,
take them out to the ballgame or perhaps encourage a stroll down memory
lane.
We make
quarterly visits to Four Corners Rest Home, Golden Hill Health Care
Center, West River Health Care Center and Milford Health Care Center.
We stay for about an hour, usually on a Saturday, a troupe of
parishioners and friends of all ages.
The group
is fun, flexible and welcoming. Depending on the facility, we stroll
the halls, stage single-room sing-a-longs, harmonize and sing a
cappella. Some of our most memorable visits have included dance and
instrumental soloists.
We’d love
to add new members to our “traveling troupe” – people who love to sing,
dance, play an instrument. Nursing home visits can be a family affair –
the residents are always delighted to see children.
Come as you are and when
you can. No auditions or rehearsals required. A recent Confirmation
project visit was so well received we’re contemplating “teen
performances.” Perhaps you’d like to come on board!
 Rides To Mass
Rides to Mass is a simple, straightforward exercise in
Stewardship. There are parishioners who would love to come to Mass on
the weekends but who cannot walk to the church and who do not drive.
Stewards in our Rides to Mass ministry bring these members of the parish
family to Mass and then bring them home.
Talk about “giving someone a lift!” Someone who was
housebound can now be a part of our family meal, the celebration of the
Eucharist. Someone who might have felt isolated can now sing for joy in
the presence of the Lord.
If
you are available to “give someone a lift” to a weekend Mass
or special liturgy (Holy Week), or perhaps a special event such as our
Winter Wellness series, please consider signing on to this
ministry of service.
 Parish Nurse Program
Nursing is a ministry
that began, perhaps, with parenting, caring for the health needs of the
family, soothing, comforting, helping to make things better. Parish
nursing is a ministry that, while still in its infancy, is a way to care
for the health needs of the parish family.
Our Parish Nurse
Program's emphasis is on wellness, disease prevention and referrals to
physicians, community resources and services as needed. Parish health care
professionals share their time and talent at monthly blood pressure
screenings after the 8:00 and 9:30 Sunday Masses on Coffee And
weekends. To date parish nurses have checked hundreds of blood
pressures and have, in the process, established a wonderful rapport with
the members of the parish family. Sharing gifts through Stewardship
truly strengthens the bonds of community!
We
invite RN’s, LPN’s, paramedics, physicians, social workers and other
allied health professionals to participate in this growing ministry. Clerks
for light administrative responsibilities are welcome to join.
With your help we can expand this marvelous ministry to include health
education, blood drives, support groups, assistance in navigating the
complexities of the health care system.
 Prayer
Shawl Ministry
We invite you to share
your time and talent as part
of our Prayer Shawl ministry, a “ministry
with a big heart.” What began as one cancer patient’s way “to give
back” has burgeoned into a beautiful ministry of concern.
People who are
undergoing chemotherapy are often lonely and almost always cold. When
we provide a shawl or lap blanket, created in love, we are providing
warmth for body, mind and spirit. With one simple gift we are sharing
our love, concern and prayers with those who face a devastating
illness.
The need extends beyond
cancer patients to the wheelchair bound, to residents of health care
facilities and to women’s shelters, which need blankets for infants and
toddlers.
If your strengths
include knitting, crocheting,, sewing or quilting, please consider this
beautiful way to serve. Patterns and colors are limited only by your
imagination
Not gifted in this
way? Perhaps you can help by donating yarn, making phone calls or
delivering wraps, lapghans and blankets to those who need them.
Please call the church
office (203-874-0634) to sign on to this very special ministry. Let us
know also of anyone – parishioner, family member, neighbor or friend --
whose spirits would be lifted by the gift of a wrap or blanket. All
information is kept strictly confidential. Thank you for the warmth of your love.
Justice & Rights
Social
Justice and Teens For Social
Justice
Our social justice ministry brings into
focus justice or social change. Our principal concern to date has
been education. Knowing how
deeply poverty impacts the quality of life in areas around the world
makes us better prepared to advocate for justice and peace.
The Social Justice ministry also provides an opportunity
to receive and respond to "action alerts" on key social justice issues
at both the State and the Federal level. Such alerts suggest ways to
take action on issues like poverty, hunger, homelessness, right to life,
education, and aging.
The
goal of a Social Justice ministry is to effect social
change in our communities so there is no more poverty, no more hunger,
no more homelessness . . . and no more need for direct social services.
Some of our parish priorities include
expanding fair trade awareness and presence in our parish community,
increasing communication and education about social justice
efforts related to our current direct service ministries (for example:
Elderly/Disabled, Health Care, Poverty/Hunger, Housing, and Pro-Life),
expanding social justice focus to include the environment. (Kids
- Please join, too, so we can learn from you!), launching a
Teens for Social Justice Group (aka T4SJ).
If
these are some of your concerns, too, why not sign up to help.
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