Help Needed Now

SERVICE OPPORTUNITY

A small Social Justice Commission group has committed to serving supper to the homeless patrons of Bristol Lodge, in Waltham on the first Thursday of each month. [Our parish will now have three teams providing meals on three different days a month in Waltham.] This outreach involves making a casserole to serve approximately 20 people [recipes provided] or providing salad, rolls, or beverages for the meal. If you would like to help with this worthwhile first Thursday of the month project, or have questions about any of our Bristol Lodge projects, contact Pat Dacey by email.

HOUSEHOLD GOODS RECYCLING OF MASSACHUSETTS[HGRM]

HGRM is a non-profit agency that accepts household goods and distributes them free of charge to people in need. Donations are accepted at 530 Main St, Acton on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday between 9AM and Noon. Pick up for large items is also available. There is a desperate need for all types of furniture, i.e. beds, dressers, couches, tables, chairs, washers/dryers. How about jump starting your spring cleaning? Your recycled goods help victims of fires, floods, women and children escaping abuse, people coming out of shelters, war veterans, and recent immigrants to the U.S. For more information, visit www.hgrm.org or call 978-635-1763, or parishioner, Linda Svetz at 781-259-9179.

MINISTRY OPPORTUNITIES

PARISH VISITORS TO THE SICK AND HOMEBOUND: Our outreach to residents at Sunrise Assisted Living, Norumbega Assisted Living and Epoch Nursing Home is expanding. Would you like to make time in the new year to share an hour monthly, or even quarterly, with residents in either facility to pray the rosary together and/or be part of Communion services? Scheduling can be flexible, training will be provided, and the visits will be very enriching for all. This might be a very doable New Year's resolution. Call Susan Bayard at 781-642-1308 for more information.

DO YOU LIKE TO SEW?

Our newly-forming Baptism team would like to be able to present infants coming for initiation into the church with a white bib to wear during their Baptism. Presentation of this white garment has been a long-time custom that many of our Lincoln parishioners remember. It will be another symbol of the celebration of the newness of life in Baptism, and also a beautiful keepsake from the parish to a young family. Would you like to help make some of these bibs? Have you an experience in this area to share? Threads of Life Committee [TLC] will be a new ministry in our parish. Come help design the pattern, and use your creative gifts. Call Susan Bayard at 781-642-1308.

HELP WITH HOUSING

Short-term house or apartment rental is needed for an Australian family coming to Boston in October for their son's medical treatment at Mass General Hospital. The family are friends of parishioners, the Riedels. A location near Mass General Hospital would be preferable, but not essential. If you know of any possibilities, please call Amy Riedel at 781-373-3779.

AN APPEAL FOR DRIVERS

Our St. Vincent de Paul Food Supplement Program has been approved for membership in the Greater Boston Food Bank. We can now receive products at little or no cost, to be distributed to needy people monthly. Volunteer drivers are needed to pick up the food and deliver it to our distribution center at St. Joseph's in Lincoln. This is an opportunity to make a once-a-month commitment to help feed the hungry. To participate, drivers are required to attend a brief Introductory Orientation. at the GBFB facility in Boston. If you would like to sign up or learn more, please call the parish office and leave your name and telephone number. A SVDP representative will return your call.

FAMILY MASS

The "Family Mass" will be at the 9am Mass during the religious education calendar year and will continue until Father's Day in June. There will be music appealing to children (and adults), readings from the "Lectionary for Masses with Children", homilies addressed to children, but enriching for adults, family members will be greeting people before Mass and bringing up the gifts, children are able to participate in the choir and adults are needed to assist. On certain Sundays, grade levels of the religious education program will help prepare and take part in some of the Mass ministries with their classmates and catechists. For other Sundays, we will need help from everyone in the parish - children and adults. This participation can help breathe new life into this special time of worship, help all of us grow closer as a parish community, and especially help one another grow closer to God. If anyone would like to help with the Family Mass in any way (greeters, gift bearers, lectors, Eucharistic ministers, choir or choir assistance, help with grade level Masses, etc.), please, contact Jean Pelletier at 781-899-0739 or by email.

General Help

Share a Ride?
Two different parishioners in Lincoln would like to continue coming to Mass at St. Joseph Church, but each is in need of a ride at this time. One lady would like to come to weekday Mass occasionally, and a gentlemen would like to attend Sunday's 10:30AM liturgy. Perhaps one of them lives near your neighborhood. Call the Parish Office for details at 781-899-2611.

Ministers Needed

Lectors
Lectors are entrusted with the important task of making the word of God come alive in the weekend Masses and at other special liturgies during the year. We are always looking for new people to serve the parish community in this instrumental ministry. If you are interested or have any questions about this ministry, please contact Jean Pelletier at 781-899-0739 or by email.

Eucharistic Ministers
If you have been thinking about becoming a Eucharistic Minister and would like to serve in this ministry there will be an opportunity for instruction in this ministry, for each of the churches in St. Julia Parish. If you would like to serve as a Eucharistic Minister in:
St. Julia Church, contact Jean Pelletier at 781-899-0739 or by email
St. Joseph Church, please contact Sylvia Kennedy at 781-259-8574 or by email.

Requirements for this ministry: A willing spirit to love and to serve the Lord and one another.

Elizabeth Seton Residence, Wellesley, is having a Eucharistic minister shortage, and need people to make a commitment to the ministry. You will bring prayer and comfort to the elderly, their families, and the staff on a continuing basis. For information, call residence chaplain, Linda Colizzi, 781-997-1119.

Pastoral Visitors
If you've had a relative or friend in the hospital or nursing facility you know how precious is the gift of communion brought by a pastoral visitor! We have a team of people who visit and bring the Eucharist to the residents of the nursing home and assisted living facilities in our parish. Particularly during the summer, we need more volunteers. Training and support will be provided. Visits are scheduled for Monday mornings (4th Monday of month) and Monday afternoons. Please email or call Susan Bayard at 781-642-1308 for more information.

Members of our parish visit and bring communion to residents at EPOCH nursing facility on Monday mornings, once a month. Other parishioners pray the rosary with a group of residents on Monday afternoons. Would you like to be part of this very rewarding outreach ministry on a Monday that is convenient for you? Call the parish office at 781- 899-2611 for more information. Regular visitors and occasional visitors are always welcome.

Commissions and Spiritual Groups Needing New Members

Parish Pastoral Council
Youth members are needed for the Council, which usually meets once a month on Sundays at 7:30PM. If you will be in grades 9-12 this fall, and would like to be a representative on this council, please contact Father Evans or Jean Pelletier. We would be happy to share with you the depth of the commitment in being an active member on the PPC.

Liturgy Commission
If you would like to help enhance and support the liturgical life in the parish by joining the St. Julia Parish Liturgy Commission, please speak to one of the current commission members: Sylvia Kennedy, Janice Carroll, Karen Boyce, Nancy Juskin, Anna Pollock, Joe Sheehan; or you can contact Jean Pelletier, Pastoral Associate for Liturgy. We usually meet on Mondays once a month between September and June at 7PM.

Youth Ministry Commission
The Youth Ministry Commission is looking for new members to help with parish youth ministry events. If you would like to be part of the monthly core group planning meetings, or if you would like to help coordinate a certain event, please contact Jean Pelletier at 781-899-0739 or by email.

RCIA Catechists and Sponsors needed
Do you enjoy sharing your life and faith with others in a small group or one-on-one?? Are you willing to grow in your own knowledge and understanding of Catholic teachings? These are essential qualities for catechists and sponsors. Catechists are teachers of religious education and ministers of the Word. And sponsors are a companion with an individual who helps the individual process the process of becoming Catholic. The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) is looking for a few fully initiated Catholics to help hand on the faith to other adults who would like to become fully initiated Catholics like you. If you are interested or at least curious about being a catechist or a sponsor in the RCIA process, please contact Jean Pelletier at 781-899-0739 or by email.

Sacristan Assistance needed in Weston
Help is needed occasionally before and after each of the weekend Masses in setting up and cleaning up items used at a Mass. If you or someone you know who would like to help with this ministry, please contact Jean Pelletier.

Family Mass
There has been a "Family Mass" approximately once a month this year, at the 9 AM Mass. The parish could profit from enhancing this Mass, beginning in the fall. The task would involve planning for music, readings, homily, and liturgical service by our own children. To make this work, parental or parishioner planning is needed. If you would like to serve on an ad hoc committee to work on this, please contact Fr. Evans.

Giving Opportunities in Several Flavors!

Have you noticed the various collection bins in our churches and the Parish Hall? Is it sometimes confusing? Here's the scoop.

St. Vincent de Paul Society collects food monthly in order to fill the bags of groceries that they distribute to local families who need it. Distribution is scheduled for the last Wednesday of each month at St. Joseph Church. (This summer, surplus produce from Lands' Sake in Weston is being included!). This outreach is a good way to help our neighbors and support the good work that our SVdP conference does in the community.

The Lowell Food Pantry collection supplies travel a little farther but fill a similar need. An outreach tradition that has deep roots in our parish, especially among parishioners who have been worshiping at St. Joseph Church for years, this collection of food and clothing helps a lot of people through its year-round collections. We all know that food and energy prices are way up these days, and we know too that it is the people with the most limited income that suffer the most in difficult economic times. Your donation of food and/or seasonal clothing is always appreciated.

Each outreach opportunity serves important needs. Thank you in advance for your donations of food, clothing or household goods, this summer and throughout the year. If you have some time to share, please call the Parish Office (781-899-2611) to connect with any one of our sponsoring groups.

Volunteer Receptionist

Volunteer Receptionist Help Needed in the Parish Office on Mondays for a few hours. Telephone/computer skills are required. Please contact Kathy Dolan at 781-899-2611 for additional information.