Worship Ministries

Altar Servers help the priest throughout the celebration of the Mass, providing a reverent example for the rest of the congregation. They carry the processional cross and candles, hold the missal during prayers, assist the priest as he receives the offertory gifts, and help wash the priest’s hands as he prepares for communion. 

If you are interested in becoming an Altar Server, and you have celebrated your First Eucharist and completed 4th grade, we invite you to become a member of our ministry. Adults are also welcome to serve. 

Time Commitment: As your schedule allows.
Responsibilities:  Assist the priest during the celebration. 
Training: Training is provided upon joining as well as held periodically throughout the year. 
 Contact: Gerry Offenbacher at 262-786-4323 or [email protected]

Each week at Mass, Eucharistic Ministers help the priest or priests distribute the Body and Blood of Christ to the assembly. This ministry is a very visible part of the worship celebration, so we look for volunteers who maintain a reverent but approachable disposition, who celebrate and include others, and who enjoy participating more fully in the Mass. If this is something that might interest you, we invite you to become a member of our ministry. 

To serve in the Extraordinary Eucharistic Ministry, a person must be a practicing Catholic, distinguished in their Christian life, faith, and morals, and have received the sacraments of Baptism, Reconciliation, Communion, and Confirmation.

Time Commitment: As your schedule allows.
Responsibilities:  Distributing the Body or Blood of Christ to parishioners
Training: Training sessions are held throughout the year. The session takes approximately 1 hour.
Contact: Kathy Barutha at [email protected] or Sue Kapke at [email protected] 

Hospitality Ministers play a vital role in fostering the welcoming spirit of St. John Vianney Church. This ministry is comprised of friendly, energetic individuals who enjoy interacting with others. Each week at Mass, our Hospitality Ministers extend a warm welcome to parishioners and visitors alike, assisting with seating, answering general questions, collecting offertory gifts, and facilitating the Communion procession. They also help maintain order at the entrance, distribute bulletins, count attendance, and ensure the solemnity of the Mass is preserved.

Are you outgoing and enjoy meeting new people? Do you find fulfillment in helping others? If so, we invite you to join us! We’re seeking volunteers with a welcoming heart and a friendly smile.

To learn more about becoming a Hospitality Minister, please contact the SJV Parish Office at (262) 796-3940, or Lee Crooks, our Hospitality Ministry Liaison, at (262) 617-1055.

Time Commitment: Hospitality Ministers typically serve at the Mass they attend, based on their availability.
Responsibilities: Greeting visitors, answering questions, helping parishioners find seats, collecting offertory gifts, and facilitating the Communion procession.
Training: Short, flexible training sessions are provided, along with on-the-job training. 
Contact: SJV Parish Office at (262) 796-3940 or Lee Crooks at (262) 617-1055.

Lectors share the Word of God at every Mass and prayer service. As the congregation listens, we can prayerfully reflect on God’s word, and what it means in our lives. Lectors generally read one or more of the following – the First Reading, the Second Reading, and the Prayers of the Faithful. 

This ministry is a visible part of the worship celebration, so we look for volunteers who maintain a reverent but approachable disposition, who are comfortable speaking in front of a large group, and conscious of the role of the spoken word in worship. 

Time Commitment: Weekly or monthly at Mass as your schedule allows. 
Responsibilities: Practice the reading in advance, reading at Mass clearly and confidently. 
Training: Training is provided upon joining as well as held periodically throughout the year. 
Contact: SJV Parish Office at (262) 796-3940.

Choir rehearsals are held in the church, and:

• Are open to the public for your enjoyment and meditation
• Take place during 5:30-8:30 PM on almost all Wednesdays during the school year

To check the rehearsal schedule or learn more about musical involvement at SJV:
Please contact Joshua Chandra, Director of Music & A/V Operations

Bell Choir: Select Annual 9 AM Masses during the School Year

This instrumental ensemble rings beautiful Schulmerich handbells on certain annual Masses (such as Christmas and Easter) at 9 AM with summer breaks. Sheet music-reading is a required skill to participate. We typically rehearse on Wednesday evenings during 5:30-6:45 PM and are in severe need of even just substitutes; you are welcome to sit in to watch and hear what we do!

Cantors: Based on Your Schedule

Cantors lead the congregation in song, encouraging our community to join voices in worship. They help us connect the Liturgy and the Word of God through music, enriching our spiritual connection and helping to elevate the celebration of every Mass.

If you love singing and enjoy inspiring others, you may like to consider singing as a cantor, whether as a regular or a substitute. Cantors are needed at all weekend Masses, and can end up receiving offers to sing for pay during occasional related events in return for their involvement. You also don't have to go it alone; duos and trios are welcome!

• Saturdays at 4:30 PM (pre-Mass rehearsal available on request)
• Sundays at 7:30, 9, and 11 AM (pre-Mass rehearsal available on request)
• Sundays at 5 PM with the SJV Praise Band (rehearsal starts at 3:30 PM)

Funeral Choir: On-Call

No commitment, no rehearsals; choristers are simply notified of upcoming funerals to sing from the choir loft whenever they're available to support grieving families at SJV during their toughest times.

Vianney Voices: 9 AM/11 AM Rotation during the School Year

The Vianney Voices comprise singers of all ages who lead the congregation in sung prayer rotating between 9 and 11 AM every other week during the school year (with summer breaks), as well as on Holy Days and special occasions such as guest engagements at other churches. We typically rehearse on Wednesdays during 7-8:30 PM in the church, and we especially need more men in the choir to be able to sing more advanced music; you are welcome to sit in to watch and hear what we do!

Instrumentalists / Other

SJV considers all instruments; the less common, the better! In recent years, we have had a harmonica player, a bagpiper, and a theremin plucker. If you would be interested in providing music for any Mass time, whether on a violin or a cajon, so would we!

If you join a music ministry, you would also receive invitations to attend occasional potlucks held for volunteer musicians at SJV throughout the school year, to meet and enjoy fellowship with other instrument players, ringers, and singers.

The role of the Sacristan is to prepare the church for the Eucharistic celebration. They know the meaning and purpose of the liturgy, as well as the needs of the assembly, and work carefully behind the scenes to provide the liturgical items needed. Examples of what a sacristan does include preparing the gifts that are brought forward to the priest at the beginning of the Liturgy of the Eucharist as well as preparing the credence table in the sanctuary with the priest’s chalice, the communion bowls and cups and everything else the priest needs for the Liturgy of the Eucharist.  After mass the sacristans purify the vessels and put them  away in the Sacristy. In general, sacristans come to a deeper appreciation and love for the Mass, as well as the various rites of the church and the beautiful riches of the liturgical year as lived out in seasons and feasts. 

Sacristans are needed to serve at all weekend and weekday Masses. You can specify the mass time(s) you prefer to serve and individual training and mentoring is provided. Sacristans arrive between 20 – 30 minutes prior to mass to complete the necessary preparations. A detailed manual is provided to each sacristan and available in the Sacristy for reference.
 The Sacristan ministry is a grace-filled volunteer opportunity that we hope you prayerfully consider. If you are interested but a bit unsure, you can shadow a current sacristan to learn more before committing. Please contact [email protected] for more information or if you are ready to join us!

The Environment Committee works to create a beautiful environment in the church conducive to worship and appropriate to the liturgical seasons and some feast days. We use visual ways to express the season, such as the simplicity of Lent for repentance, the beauty of Easter for joy. The committee also decorates the narthex to suit the liturgical seasons as well as to be a welcoming space, to build community, and share information. The narthex is the gateway into worship and the springboard into service.
 
If you have a general understanding of the liturgical seasons and enjoy decorating, we welcome you to join this committee.
 
Time Commitment: Occasional meetings and making the changes before/after liturgical seasons
Responsibilities: Plan, purchase, and assist with changes in church environment and narthex decorations.
Training: Training not necessary, bring your ideas and talents. Guidance provided for setting up. 
Contact: SJV Parish Office at (262) 796-3940, also Kay Curtis, [email protected]