Hospitality Ministries:
What’s Inside: 2 Hannah, the Good Steward 3
October: A Month to Turn to Our Lady of the Rosary
4 Basic Questions About Our Stewardship Renewal 6
Small Groups Offer Parishioners Valuable Opportunities to Grow on their Faith Journey
OCT 2021
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Welcoming Everyone to the Table of the Lord
hen Steward for Liturgical Ministries Nicole Nussel trains new ministry members, she tells them their job is to “help the priest pray.” She believes that is the job for all liturgical ministers, including the ushers and greeters, known as Hospitality Ministers. “If you go to a Mass and the ministers know what they are doing, it makes all the difference,” Nicole says. “The congregation can really enter into prayer. When people don’t know what they are doing, it can be distracting. It makes me really excited when I am seeing people pray. The better the ministers do, then the better people can pray.” In all they do, these ministers uphold the First Pillar of Parish Stewardship — Hospitality. The greeters are there at the front doors
for each Sunday Mass. They lend a smiling face and offer welcome to parishioners and guests alike, and also watch for new people who might be interested in joining Saint Michael Parish. Greeters also show guests to the restroom and answer any questions they may have. It’s so important to make all who enter our church feel welcome, particularly when people return as the COVID-19 pandemic threat wanes. “It always feels really nice to be welcomed when you arrive at a church, especially if you are just visiting,” Nicole says. Normally, the ushers assist with the collection and help people find seats. With COVID-19 precautions still in place, the ushers have fewer tasks — they maintain the lines for Communion, as well as assist the continued on back cover
Stewardship
Hannah, the Good Steward W
hat should we do when our prayers are answered? Is there anything left to do after we have sincerely thanked God for His favors? If God were a human peer, we would probably try to reciprocate by granting Him a favor in return. But the truth is that God cannot be made greater by anything that we do for Him. Instead, God receives our thanks and tells us to “go and do likewise.” That is, He tells us to share with others the good that He has bestowed on us. And in doing so, we are really sharing God Himself. That is the definition of stewardship! The Old Testament Book of Samuel contains one of the most poignant examples of stewardship in the entire Bible. The first chapter teaches us of an unhappy, barren woman named Hannah. Desperate in her barrenness, Hannah prays that God will give her a son, vowing that she will raise him to be a man of God. Imagine Hannah’s elation when she was granted her prayer! When Samuel was born, her heart’s desire had come true! Imagine further the pang of motherly sorrow, as Hannah kept her promise to God by taking Samuel at a young age to be the servant of Eli, the high priest. The Book of Samuel tells us that once Samuel became Eli’s servant, Hannah saw her young son just once a year. Indeed, Hannah knew that Samuel was truly a gift from God – an answered prayer. Hannah’s response is that of the Good Steward – with an attitude of both gratitude and sacrifice, she gave up her son to honor God. One imagines that Hannah probably struggled with this sacrifice during those first years. She probably did not know what God had in store for her son. Yet, through her faithfulness, God used him as a gift to an entire nation. Samuel would, in time, become one of the greatest prophets of Jewish history. Sometimes it is difficult to understand the sacrifices we make in the name of stewardship, while the results may just be impossible to miss! However, He asks that we continue to be faithful in either case. God has undoubtedly bestowed gifts on all of us – at whatever the cost, we are to “go and do likewise.”
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A Letter From Our Pastor
OCTOBER:
A Month to Turn to Our Lady of the Rosary My dear sisters and brothers,
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hat is your first memory of the Rosary? Did your family pray the Rosary together? Ours did not. Did you learn it if you attended a Catholic school? That is when I learned how to pray the Rosary. My first memory was seeing the beautiful rose glass beads of my Grandmother Lee’s rosary. It was on her dresser, where she also kept the candy. I remember her picking it up and talking to me about Mary’s love for us. October brings us the grace of the Holy Rosary, a prayer buried deeply in the heart of the Church, one of its most precious treasures. The feast of Our Lady of the Rosary, which takes place, Oct. 7, is a commemorative feast established by St. Pius V on the anniversary of the naval victory won by the Christian fleet at Lepanto. The victory was attributed to the help of the Mother of God, whose aid was invoked by praying the Rosary. This victory revealed the power of the Holy Rosary more than ever. Catholics who were open to the inspirations of the Holy Spirit took, with deep resolve, the Rosary as their link to God. Pope St. John Paul II, in his 2002 apostolic letter, Rosarium Virginis Mariae, writes, “The Church has always attributed particular efficacy to this prayer, entrusting to the Rosary… the most difficult problems. At times when Christianity itself seemed under threat, its deliverance was attributed to the power of this prayer, and Our Lady of the Rosary was acclaimed as the one whose intercession brought salvation.” (39). The Rosary reveals a wellspring of God’s love for us in and through Mary, the glorious mother of our Savior, Jesus Christ. The Rosary is truly a way to discover Christ’s infinite love through the tender heart of his mother and our mother. “With the Rosary, the Christian people sits at the school of Mary and is led to contemplate the beauty on the face of Christ and to experience the depth of his love. Through the rosary, the faithful receive abundant grace, as though from the very hands of the mother of the Redeemer.” (RVM, 1). So many of the saints throughout the ages, such as St. Dominic, St. Louis de Montfort, and St. Mother Teresa of Calcutta, who had a special concern for the preservation of the Christian family, believed in the grace that flowed
through this powerful prayer and the intercession of Mary. Again, as Pope St. John Paul II wrote, “Today I willingly entrust to the power of this prayer…the cause of peace in the world and the cause of the family.” (RVM 39). Was this not the petition of our Lady of Fatima who pleaded with families to pray the daily Rosary? As we prepare for our stewardship renewal at the beginning of November, let us entrust everything to Mary through her prayer, the Rosary. As our hearts burn with hope, let us give to the Mother of God every concern that we bear, each cross that we carry, piece by piece, worry by worry. No matter what it is, no matter who it is, she will be there to offer everything to our Heavenly Father, whose care for each one of his children reaches beyond anything we could ever imagine. “Our Lady of the Rosary, pray for us.” In Christ, through the intercession of Our Lady Undoer of Knots, I love you,
Fr. Jim
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BASIC QUESTIONS ABOUT What is a Stewardship Renewal? This isn’t a parish fundraiser – far from it. Our annual Stewardship Renewal is an opportunity to reprioritize the way we use God’s gifts in the Church. It is the time we write down how we plan to grow closer to Christ in the coming year with our commitments of time, talent, and treasure.
What happens if I don’t fill out a commitment card? Returning a card is an important part of being an active member of SMP. If for some reason you lose your card, we’ll send you a reminder letter with an extra commitment card. Please make every effort to return it!
Why should I fill out a commitment card? Your Commitment Card allows you to make commitments to prayer, parish ministries, and offertory giving, or what we at Saint Michael Parish call “time, talent, and treasure.” There’s a twofold reason to complete your card. First, it is an excellent opportunity to move forward spiritually and personally. Second, when you fill out a card, our parish is much better able to manage our many volunteers and make budgeting decisions.
Please bring your Commitment Card to Mass on Commitment Weekend, November 6-7. How will you use your time, talent & treasure to grow closer to Christ in the coming year?
How many parish ministries are there at Saint Michael Parish? “Ministry” is a general term for any parish group, organization, or regular activity. There are dozens of ministries in our parish. You can sign up for certain ministries, or re-commit yourself if you’re already involved. What if I sign up for a ministry, but later find I’m not very interested? If you find that the parish group is different than you thought, or simply that their meeting time doesn’t fit your schedule, you can change your mind. There are plenty of other ministries to consider. I’m hesitant to make a firm financial pledge. What if I lose my job? Your commitment card isn’t a legal contract. If your circumstances change, your gift will change. In Scripture, we are asked to “give according to our means.” So if you lose your job, you may be unable to give at the level you pledged. Likewise, if you get a promotion, you may be able to give more. That is why at SMP, our standard of giving is based upon a percentage of income.
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TIME, TALENT, AND TREASURE
Stewardship of Time Our definition of Stewardship of Time: Using my time on earth wisely; making time for personal prayer, family prayer, and quality time with friends and loved ones. The bottom line about prayer: Without prayer, we cannot thrive spiritually. As Catholic Christians, it is a necessity to spend time each day with God. This includes reading Scripture and saying prayers such as the Our Father and Hail Mary, but even more importantly, it should include a heart-to-heart conversation with Jesus. He wants us to bring him all our fears, longings, needs, and desires. What kind of Time commitments should I make? Your commitment card lists several suggestions for how to spend time with God in prayer. Review your current prayer life and take a step forward. For instance, start having daily prayers with your children or spouse. Commit to praying the rosary on the way to work or reading scripture before bed each night. Stewardship of Talent Our definition of Stewardship of Talent: Using my God-given abilities to strengthen the Church and help others, especially through parish ministries and activities. The bottom line about parish ministry: No Catholic Christian exists in a vacuum. Scripture makes it clear that we must function within the wider faith community, putting our gifts in the service of others.
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Stewardship Renewal
It’s not enough to go to Sunday Mass; we need to be involved in parish life and ministry. What kind of Talent commitments should I make? If you’re not involved in anything in our parish, now is the perfect opportunity to take a step forward. Check out our commitment card for a list of ministries. If you’re already involved, re-commit yourself to the important work you do. And if you feel God is calling you forward – sign up for something new! Stewardship of Treasure Our definition of Stewardship of Treasure: The wise and just management of my financial resources; giving a proportionate amount of my income to the parish.
The bottom line about financial support: We need to take seriously the Biblical concept of the tithe, and start giving based on a percentage of income. It’s our responsibility to support the Church with our personal involvement and our financial support. What kind of Treasure commitments should I make? Our goal at SMP is to give five percent of our income to the offertory. Grab a calculator and figure out your target gift based on your total household income. Then make a plan for increasing your gift incrementally to reach five percent. During our Stewardship Renewal, choose a weekly or monthly gift to the parish, and be faithful to it for the next year.
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Small Groups
Offer Parishioners Valuable
By forming small groups, parishioners are able to create a personal connection more easily with other parishioners, and grow in their own personal faith journeys.
Groups typically meet for about an hour and a half, and where they meet depends on the group — some will meet at the members’ houses, and others meet at the parish or other venues.
athering together is an important aspect of our faith lives. While we often gather in large groups — most notably, for Sunday Mass — gathering in smaller groups is a great way for us to build relationships with our fellow parishioners, study Scripture, and share our faith journeys with one another. Through our small groups here at Saint Michael Parish, men and women of the parish are able to grow together in faith. “If you’re not growing in your faith, you’re probably going backward — so the goal is to continually grow in holiness and faith,” says Michaela Moreau, Steward for Evangelical Catholic, Small Groups, and Bible Studies. “It’s so important to find like-minded people of faith who you can go deeper with, and talk about faith and Scripture. When you find friends who believe what you do, it can build you up.” The parish started forming small groups about eight years ago and currently numbers 40 groups with about 450 members. The first small groups were formed specifically for six weeks during Lent and Advent — however, many groups enjoyed it so much that they decided to continue meeting year-round. Over time, many new groups have been formed based on the needs of members. “We first advertise for facilitators, a couple of weeks
before advertising for members,” Michaela says. “I get together with the facilitators and we decide what day and time their groups will meet — some meet during the day, some meet in the evening, and they can meet any day of the week. I train the facilitators so they understand the programs and how to run the group, and then we open it up for people to join the group.” As Michaela notes, sometimes people come in already together as a formed group, and sometimes groups are formed from various individuals. “We have all kinds of groups — men, women, mixed, young adults, even some groups for non-Catholics and fallen-away Catholics,” Michaela says. “We have larger and smaller groups, ranging from six to 15 members. Some meet year-round and others only meet for Lent and Advent. I’ve worked hard to find the right spot for everybody!” The groups started out by practicing Lectio Divina for the upcoming Sunday’s Gospel reading — Lectio Divina is a traditional monastic practice of reading, meditating, and praying upon Scripture. Over time, the small groups evolved to include reflection videos made by clergy, staff, and other parishioners, as well as discussion questions. Groups typically meet for about an hour and a half, and where they meet depends on the
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Opportunities to Grow on their Faith Journey group — some will meet at the members’ houses, and others meet at the parish or other venues. With the onset of COVID-19, the small groups quickly pivoted to meeting over Zoom. Although they weren’t able to gather for in-person meetings, the groups were thankful for technology that allowed them to continue to share in fellowship with one another. “I set up a Zoom account for the groups, and most continued to meet because they were stuck at home and really needed that connection with the parish family,” Michaela says. “We also found that attendance was often better than when we could meet in person — many group members who had moved out of state were able to join, and group members also invited family members who lived out of state to join virtually. It wasn’t the same as meeting in person, but we were able to make the best use of what we had.” As the state began to reopen, some groups returned to meeting in person, and others continued to meet virtually based on their needs. Either way, the structure remains generally the same — opening with a prayer,
sharing a “God-sighting” they experienced during the week, and practicing Lectio Divina for that Sunday’s readings. They also go through discussion questions, share prayer requests, and watch the provided reflection videos during Lent and Advent. By forming small groups, parishioners can more easily create a personal connection with other parishioners and grow in their own personal faith journeys. “We’re a large parish, and by bringing that down into a smaller group, it allows you to actually meet people,” Michaela says. “If you’re in a small group with 10 people, those are 10 people that you know and can recognize at church. Lectio Divina gives them time to read and reflect upon the readings throughout the week, and they come to Mass more prepared and more attentive. The groups also get people praying for other group members, and it increases their prayer lives. The groups are great for couples, too — you gain so much from listening to other group members’ insights into Scripture, and you are able to talk about it and pray together with your spouse.”
Through our small groups here at Saint Michael Parish, men and women of the parish are able to grow together in faith.
If you would like more information about the parish’s small groups, please contact Michaela Moreau at the parish office at 360-292-7104 or mmoreau@saintmichaelparish.org.
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PO Box766 | Olympia, WA 98507-0766 (360) 754-4667 | saintmichaelparish.org facebook.com/saintmichaelparish @smp.olympia saintmichaelparish youtube.com/c/saintmichaelparish
Hospitality Ministries greeters, when needed, and move the collection baskets to a secure place after Mass begins. Nicole asks all of us to be hospitable to our fellow parishioners and guests by making space when someone wants to sit in the same pew as you. “Say ‘hello’ to people,” she says. “Make room for people and smile.” Everyone is welcome to join the Usher or Greeter Ministries. Currently, there are some families and couples who serve as greeters. Both ministries are essential to our celebration of the Liturgy.
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“If you go to a Mass and the ministers know what they are doing, it makes all the difference. The congregation can really enter into prayer. When people don’t know what they are doing, it can be distracting. It makes me really excited when I am seeing people pray. The better the ministers do, then the better people can pray.” — Nicole Nussel, Steward for Liturgical Ministries
If you would like to get involved as an usher or greeter, please contact Nicole Nussel by calling the parish office at 360-754-4667 or emailing her at nnussel@saintmichaelparish.org.
WEEKEND MASS SCHEDULE Saturday: Vigil 5pm | Sunday: 7:30am, 9:30am, 11:30am & 5pm.