Our service ministries are those ministries needed to help St. Philip Neri grow as a church and a faith community.  These are often the “behind the scenes” ministries that keep the “nuts and bolts” of our church up and running so we may grow in our faith.  They also include those ministries where we offer friendship, fellowship, and care to one another.  Whether it was through a conversation, a meal, or an invitation to be with Him, Christ valued the power that came from bringing people together, connecting with them, and building community.

We invite you to explore our service ministries by clicking on one listed below to see if it is where you feel called to serve.

Due to COVID-19, interruption to some of these ministries has occurred. We are working to resume ministries as quickly as possible in a healthy and safe manner.

In this ministry, you will launder and iron the linens used during the Mass. Most often this will include the corporal and the purificators used at each Mass.  Instruction will be offered for the proper ironing of these items.

You will also launder the lavabo towel used by the pastor to dry his hands and on occasion a towel that was used if there was a baptism.

Typically this ministry runs on a monthly rotation so you will be asked to manage these items for a month at a time.

Facilitator: Shirley Hyshka

This ministry maintains the decor of the Church.  Individuals are most often needed to help with the rotation of the decor for the various liturgical and calendar seasons.  There is also an opportunity to help with the regular maintenance of the many live plants situated throughout the Church and smaller decor changes as needed.

Facilitator: Joan Robertson

This group comes together in the fall, usually beginning in mid-September for the 8 week period of the Bishop’s Appeal.  Tasks for this committee include such items as phoning parishioners, BAA letter disbursement, and deposit preparation of collected donations.

Chairperson 2022: Bev Shivak

In this ministry, volunteers provide service by offering weekly lay-led-liturgies to the residents at Extendicare Preston and Stonebridge Crossing Retirement Community.  Volunteers are arranged in teams of two and rotate to offer liturgies.  You may volunteer for both residences or just one.

There is also an opportunity to help with bingos at Extendicare Preston  on Wednesday afternoons.

In this ministry, you will be invited to launder the kitchen linens and tablecloths used by various groups when they provide lunches or other meals for activities in the parish.  Some examples include funeral lunches hosted by our Love Your Neighbour teams, meals provided by groups after Stations of the Cross on Fridays during Lent, or Hospitality Sundays on the first of the month.  Service in this ministry is usually for a  one month rotation but may be less depending on volunteer numbers.

The Love Your Neighbour ministry includes teams of individuals who bake and/or serve at vigil and funeral lunches held in our Parish.

Each of the teams is led by a captain(s) who direct their group for preparation and hosting of lunches for the funeral attendees.  Lunch often consists of a cold plate followed by coffee/tea and dainties. Items for the cold plate are purchased but dainties are provided by team members.  You may have other commitments and not be able to offer your service for serving during a weekday but baking is always welcome.  Each team is grouped into bakers and servers for this reason.

In this ministry you are invited to offer any skills or training you feel may be of use at our Parish.  Your training will be kept on file with our coordinators who will call you for assistance as various needs arise requiring your skill set. This ministry also looks for individuals who are willing to help with the spring/fall beautification of our church and grounds.

This ministry has many different arms.  You may be interested in volunteering for one or more of the items below:

Care Packages

In this ministry you are invited to provide meals (casseroles, soups) or baking which is delivered by our Parish nurse to parishioners going through a difficult time.

Communion to the Sick

In this ministry, you are invited to visit the elderly, sick or housebound in their homes to offer fellowship and access to the Holy Eucharist for those unable to attend Mass in person.

Prayer Chain

In this ministry, you will be sent a list of individuals which you are to include in your daily prayer intentions.  These are parishioners and others who have contacted our Parish nurses and have asked to be added to this healing intention list.

Prayer Shawls

In this ministry, you are invited to knit or crochet prayers shawls which will be handed out by our Parish nurse to those who are hospitalized or are in a health crisis.

Transportation

In this ministry, you are invited to provide transportation for our housebound parishioners to be able to attend one of our weekend Masses or to take them to an appointment within the city.

For more information about these ministries, please contact our Parish nurse, Deb Bauche at