Volunteer Opportunities

Pastoral Ministry
St. John’s has a very active pastoral ministry to promote wholeness and healing among parishioners, empowering them to bring Jesus’ compassion, hope, and justice to all.  In addition to the visitation, counseling, prayer and worship services provided by the Rector and Associate Rector, we have an extensive lay ministry that adds a significant dimension to our ability to bring Christ’s message and teaching to all members of our parish, whether or not they are able to attend organized church services.
The members of our Pastoral Commission and the many people who help them are happy to offer their time and talent to enrich the lives of our parish family in many ways.  If you know of someone who would benefit from one of the services outlined below, or if you wish to assist in any of these activities, please contact the Parish Office.

• Flower Delivery:  Each week, we deliver altar flowers to parishioners in the hospital or ill at home.

• Food for Friends:  When parishioners are recovering from surgery or a hospital stay, volunteers bring them meals that can be easily heated and eaten.

• Lay Pastoral Visitors:  We feel that it is important to visit parishioners who are shut in, live alone, or are in need of a ministry of presence, and a group of volunteers makes it their mission to ensure that these individuals are able to regularly see and talk with someone from the parish.

• Lay Eucharistic Visitors: Each Sunday, lay persons from the Congregation take Holy Communion to individuals who are unable to come to church and receive Communion at the Altar rail.

• The First Responders Prayer Chain of St. John's Church reminds us of their continuing desire to pray for the concerns of the people of this parish .  Anyone interested in joining them is most welcome as are all prayer requests.  Please call or email Pam Barney, Louise Broujos, Rosemary Finkelstein, Gail Knisely, Pam Lord, Pat Simms or Holly Tiley to request prayer or to join the team.  Confidentiality is assured. "…….likewise, the spirit helps us in our weakness, for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words." Romans 8:26.

• Medical Pastoral Visitors:  Parishioners, who are also medical professionals, are available on request to visit in hospitals, extended care facilities, or at home and to listen or act as an advocate or facilitator in the healthcare system.

• The Shawl Ministry: This new ministry is a combination of pastoral care, outreach and fellowship.  The “Shawl Ministry” creates comforting shawls which are given to those experiencing health and personal challenges.  You can learn more about the history behind this movement at the Prayer Shawl Ministry web site: www.shawlministry.com. (This goes away from our web page.  Can we make it a window?)  The St. John's group meets every fourth Tuesday at 7:00 pm in the Parish Hall. If you wish to help, please contact Mother Robin Szoke.

• Parish Health Committee:  This is an overarching committee that meets periodically to address parish health issues.

• Transportation:  We provide transportation (usually for medical appointments) for those unable to drive themselves.

• Blood Bank:  St. John’s organizes and conducts four blood drives a year—normally the second Thursday in March, June, October, and after December 25.   St. John's has a group blood assurance plan. Qualified members of our congregation donate blood on a regular basis in anticipation of the future blood needs of members of our congregation. It is a unique opportunity to protect you and your family and at the same time to save the life of another.
  
  Being a member of St. John's automatically gives you coverage under one of the following options:
  1) Member, Spouse, tax dependents, plus parents and grandparents of member and spouse
  2) Member, Spouse, their parents and grandparents, plus two individuals
  3) Single member, parents and grandparents, plus three individuals.
  
  Those individuals named by you will receive total cost-free blood replacement (any lab work is not covered under this plan-it is usually covered by one's medical insurance ) on a nationwide basis if the hospital in which they are a patient is a member of the American Association of Blood Banks. For any questions about our plan or becoming a blood donor, please contact John Newbold at 243-3949.

Staff coordinator for Volunteers, Sandi Maloney, smdukefan@centurylink.net. Meet Sandi Maloney, staff coordinator for Volunteers.

There are many roles for parishioners in our worship services as noted below:  
Altar Guild
Acolyte
Worship Leaders - Readers, Chalice Bearers and Ushers
Adult Choir 
Men and Youth Choir