The Altar Society is a group of women who do light cleaning in the church and sacristy. They dust, put fresh linens out, maintain the holy water fonts, dust window sills, water plants, remove wilted flowers, and straighten missalettes and books in the pews. They usually work in pairs. They are scheduled on a rotating basis, approximately every 5 weeks or so.
The Baptismal Gown Committee is a group of long time parishioners who have been very active in St. Bartholomew Parish through the years. It is our way of doing something for our young families. We hope to make them feel welcome and to encourage and support them in their effort to develop a strong faith foundation for their children. Kits containing directions, fabric, trim and embroidery floss are available. We are always looking for new volunteers to keep the tradition alive.
The Bart's Herald is a parish evangelistic and church teaching publication, which includes feature articles, human interest stories of parishioners, and statistics of interest to all. It is distributed four times a year by mail.
There is always a need for reporters to gather information, feature writers, lay-out designers and computer specialists to do the preparation work for printing. Volunteer your time and talent to bring more extensive coverage and a broader dimension to Bart's Herald.
A support group for anyone who has lost a loved one. It can be helpful to hear how others find ways to cope and to receive support from people in similar situations. If you feel that you are not comfortable in a group situation yet, we can also offer support in the form of reading materials and recommendations for individual counseling. If you are feeling the pain of grief, please let us help you.
CCM was established to be a proactive and collaborative response to the challenges of the future. Developing a high-level Pastoral Plan, which is to be implemented in our four Manchester parishes, CCM will explore areas in which we can utilize the time and talent of our parishes, including coordinating Mass times, special liturgies, penance services, adult and youth faith education, welcoming and hospitality and social justice. Visit the website for more information.
Children ages preschool - Grade 5 are invited to leave the church after the Opening Prayer for their own gospel message and activities relating to that week's gospel. The program lasts approximately 20 minutes.
Children's Liturgies are held every Sunday during the school year at the 10:15 AM Mass. Volunteers work on a rotating schedule. We have all the materials and information you need. All we need is you! Parents are encouraged to accompany their children if they would like.
Holiday parties for children pre-school through elementary age. In the past, the Social Activities Committee has also held Pizza and Movie nights for different age groups. The committee's purpose is to provide an opportunity for children and parents to gather in a social setting.
Volunteers help at the Crestfield Convalescent Home to accompany patients to Mass and help to return them to their rooms afterwards. Mass is offered at Crestfield on the second Monday of each month at 10:00 AM. Volunteers are needed on a regular basis or as an occasional substitute.
Elizabeth Ministry is a support system for families who are going through a difficult time (i.e., illness, death). Volunteers in this ministry provide meals, household help, child care, and friendship for the period needed for that specific time of their lives.
The time required is very flexible and can be worked into your personal schedule. Since this ministry is on an as-needed basis, there are times when you will not be actively involved with a family but we would like to keep a base of people who are available.
Every September our parish conducts a Food Drive for the Manchester Area Conference of Churches. As food donations are received, the value is calculated and the non-perishable food is delivered to the Food Pantry.
Our core group of Haiti volunteers numbers about 30. We raise funds for HHF by special projects and work in Norwich to pack the land-sea containers which are a life-line to Jeremie. We give talks to school and church groups in Connecticut and Massachusetts. We are also involved in the summers with assisting HHF with the Mission Cooperative Collection in New England Catholic parishes.
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Straightening and maintaining the cleanliness of the Sacristy, Conference & Teacher's Room. Periodically cleaning the kitchen area (refrigerator, counter tops and sinks). Light cleaning in the classrooms at the end of the school year (desks, dust shelves and window sills) and assist Denise Bartlett in the preparation of the classrooms for the beginning of religious education classes.
The Legion of Mary is a world wide organization of Catholics, men and women, who offer their services to their pastor to aid him in performing spiritual works in the parish.
Meetings are held every Monday evening at 7:00 PM.
Each member is expected to attend weekly meetings which involve the performance of a substantial apostolic work and the recitation of the rosary and other Legion prayers.
The Liturgy Committee works with all aspects of liturgy to promote greater participation, meaning and beauty in our acts of worship.
This committee is responsible for the planning of seasonal celebrations, i.e. Advent/Christmas, Lent/Easter, which involves reviewing and implementing many extra elements of worship (think: actions and symbols, sights, sounds, scents and sensations that make up feasts like Christmas and Easter.)
Special services such as the May Crowning for Mary, Corpus Christi Procession, Blessing of the Animals, Living Rosary, Prayer Services are touched upon. New projects are identified and improved according to parish needs.
Other ministries involved in Liturgy may need contact or assistance from the group if affected by Liturgical planning: Lectors, Eucharistic Ministers, Altar Server, Greeters, Ushers, Cantors, Organists, Sanctuary Committee.
An eye for detail is used to look for any ways that various liturgical elements can be improved upon, for example, with training of lay ministers or changes in the way we do things in worship and prayer.
General meeting every other month and additional meetings for seasonal planning.
Members are expected to participate by attending meetings and to share responsibilities for tasks of the committee. Thoughtful observance and input on how things are done gives us ideas on how to keep improving toward our goal of liturgical meaning and beauty.
The MACC Samaritan Shelter is a multiple purpose facility located at 466 Main St. in Manchester. Operated by the Manchester Area Conference of Churches, the building includes the shelter for the homeless, the Shepard's Place community kitchen and administrative offices for these and other MACC departments.
The purpose of the program is to involve the community in providing for and understanding the needs of the less fortunate members of our community in a meaningful way and to provide direct and vital support to the Shelter and its programs. The shelter volunteers are a dedicated group of men and women who staff the shelter on behalf of St.Bartholomew Church.
Our church, along with 10 or 12 others of various denominations, provide volunteer staffing for a week at a time on a rotating basis. Evening volunteers, who work from 7:00 PM to 10:00 PM, prepare and serve the meal and clean up after the meal. Overnight volunteers, who work from 7:00 PM to 7:00 AM, help the full-time paid staff members with client check-in and monitoring the client areas and provide limited kitchen help in the morning. Evening and overnight volunteers are needed but we have a particular need for overnight volunteers.
Members of the Mary and Martha Ministry set up Father Hussey hall for gatherings after funerals. We set up tables and clean up after the gathering. Family and friends provide the food; coffee is provided by the parish.
The NOAH'S ARK NURSERY at St. Bart's is available for parents to use during all Masses. It's at the far end of the school hallway on the left side. There are toys and books available for your use. If your child is cranky or you just need to take them out during Mass, please feel free to use this room. Because of the low number of children in the nursery this past year, we will not be staffing it. If the need increases, we will look at having volunteers to staff it again.
The Prayer Shawl Ministry began at St. Bart's on November 16, 2002. Prayer shawls (also called comfort, healing, or friendship shawls) will be made by members of our parish family and friends. They say prayers of comfort as they work. The purpose of the prayer shawl is to let the recipient know that others care for them in difficult times and are thinking of them. Shawls are given to those grieving, suffering from illness or celebrating milestones. Shawls made for centuries are universal and embracing. They enfold, comfort, cover, wrap, give solace, warmth, mother, hug, shelter and beautify.
On the knitter's part, it is a prayerful process - from the selection of color, the blessing of the yarn and needles, keeping the persons intentions in mind and saying prayers as you knit. Crochet directions are also available.
We meet Friday mornings from 9:30 to 11:30 in the large meeting room.
Small group discussion providing an open and informal setting for adults wishing to explore the basic tenets of the Roman Catholic faith while providing a living experience of faith with Church members.
The purpose of RCIA is to provide instruction in the Roman Catholic faith for adults, both non-Catholic and Catholic, who desire to learn more about the Roman Catholic faith. For those so called, the Sacraments of Initiation (Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist), are celebrated at the Easter Vigil Mass.
Meetings take place every Monday night from 7:00 PM to 8:30 PM in our Pastor's Office from late September through mid-June.
Anyone interested in the RCIA program are welcome at these meetings.
Additional program information is available here.
A group who usually works in two-member teams. Each team is assigned approximately once every six months and is responsible for enhancing the sanctuary, guided by the Sunday scripture readings, seasonal liturgical themes and requests from the Liturgy Committee. Ordinarily, the team works about 1 1/2 hours on a Saturday. The entire group prepares the sanctuary for special liturgical celebrations, such as Advent/Christmas and Lent/Easter.
Meetings are held on an as-needed basis.
In order to assure coverage for decorating on all weekends, each member is responsible for working his or her assigned time or arranging an exchange with another Sanctuary Committee member.
During the Christmas season our parish prepares food and gift packages for approximately 50 families for Christmas. This committee coordinates the buying, wrapping, packing and delivery.
The purpose of this committee is to minister to the poor of Manchester through the Food Drive and Seasonal Sharing. Most participation is seasonal.
A Small Church Community (SCC) is a group of people who come together on a regular basis (usually weekly or every other week) to pray, read scripture, and share faith experiences with one another. While each SCC is similar in its mission to be a foundational community within our parish, the SCCs also develop unique personalities that foster trust among its members. This trust allows faith to grow and flourish, and allows a sense of belonging and connectedness to grow and flourish, too! The meetings generally run themselves, although there is a facilitator and written materials to help. We support, listen to and learn from each other. When people of faith gather by choice, good things happen!
The program that is used to start new SCCs is called Taste & See. More information and access to online sign-up.
Social Sunday (Coffee & Donuts), Annual Parish Picnic, Dinner/Dances, Bingo, Bunco, Trips and special events.
The committee's purpose is to provide opportunities for parishioners to associate with each other in a social atmosphere through activities affording relaxation and enjoyment.
Our responsibilities are to meet monthly, make a list of all suggestions for activities, discuss and select activities for the coming year, make plans and preparations, obtain necessary volunteers for each activity, make ticket sales convenient to parishioners, encourage parish participation at functions.
People are needed to serve on the committee. We are in the process of formulating a list of volunteers who are willing to help out at an occasional event but are not available to make a commitment to a committee.
What are you doing (just for you)? Would you like a quiet time away from your daily routine that will include prayer and sharing?
The Spirituality Group meets on the 2nd Thursday evening of each month. We pray, share and discuss a chapter of the book we have chosen to read. We meet from 7 to 8:30 p.m. There is a book fee.
Several volunteers are available for home visits to shut-ins and the elderly. These visits are primarily for companionship or to give a much needed break to caregivers. Follow-up visits to parishioners who have been hospitalized and are at home recuperating can be arranged. Volunteers are called on an as-needed basis. We can schedule Communion calls by Ministers of the Eucharist on a regular basis to those who request it.
Visits would include an update on parish activities through the bulletin and/or Bart's Herald and be an opportunity for these parishioners to have contact with their parish family.