Online Ministry Fair

continues!

A few adjustments have been made...

In the few days since we started seeking volunteers with our first email, we have learned a great deal & need to make some corrections & updates (sorry for another email!). Thank you for your patience & understanding. We have had an amazing response already, & despite the surprises & glitches, we are very excited to see so many volunteer so quickly.

Our apologies to the Ushers Ministry - I somehow managed to exclude your ministry from the sign up. You can now sign up to be an usher! (See very near the bottom of this email, below St Vincent de Paul). If it is not visible, please click on the view entire message that is often below the message to ensure your email isn't clipped).

We have learned that as soon as you click the button for a ministry (perhaps to learn more information), you have registered for that group. We hope that by adding information about each group (below the group's button) in this email, people will not end up volunteering when they didn't mean to!

If you did not mean to register for a ministry, please reply to the welcome email (if you received one) saying you did not wish to join the ministry. If you did not receive a welcome email (yet), it is likely you will eventually receive a group email from the ministry asking if you intended to join. This is part of our learning curve. You may also email communications@stbonaventureparish.ca for assistance.

We are busy gathering volunteer names, but it will take time before volunteers can begin their learning & ministering. Please be patient as you wait to hear from your ministry & what your next steps will be!

For those unable to sign up online, paper forms are available at the Hospitality desk. You may also phone or visit the parish office & we can register you for the ministries of your choice.

Thank you for your patience as figure all of this out, & for volunteering! We are thrilled to invite volunteers back to ministry, & very excited to welcome all of you!

God bless,

Shelley

Communications

We have many ministries to help you share your talents, meet people, & grow closer to God. We have a tremendous faith community & we want to make it as easy as possible for everyone to be involved & connected. We are certain to have something that will fit your availability & interests!

We invite you & your family members to sign up for any of our ministries. Our Ministry Coordinators are knowledgeable & accommodating & want to make volunteering at our parish a truly blessed experience for you & your family.

If you are considering volunteering in any way, we encourage you to sign up. Signing up to volunteer does not mean you are obligated to participate immediately - it will take time for paperwork to be completed & training to happen.

With the ever-changing state of Covid, we hear that some would like to volunteer, but do not yet feel comfortable attending. We also hear that some may consider volunteering now, but aren't sure & may need to delay. Others are comfortable & ready to begin volunteering. We understand there is a broad range of willingness & ability to volunteer & that everything is subject to change. We welcome all of you.

Volunteers are encouraged to act within their comfort level. Know that you can sign up to volunteer anytime & are welcome whenever you are ready.

Signing up now helps our ministries plan, organize & prepare. If you are able to sign up now, that is helpful, but we understand if you would like to volunteer later! The online signup makes it possible for signups to be ongoing & not just in September.

* As we have done throughout the pandemic, our parish will follow all guidelines set by the Diocese of Calgary, Alberta Health Services & government regarding the safety & comfort of all who enter our building. Hand sanitizing stations are situated throughout the building. Masks are not required (as of the writing of this letter) but welcome.

Before you sign up

1. Everyone volunteering for any role must sign up - even if you have volunteered before or are volunteering now. The majority of ministries have been idle for 17 months so are compiling completely new lists of volunteers.

2. Please be patient. This process is different from anything we have ever done before, & it is new to all of us - including the office staff & Ministry Coordinators. We are confident this will work - it will take some time & figuring out to get it all right!

3. Click on this My Info button to ensure your contact information is correct. You may wish to add your cell phone number to your profile.

My Info

PLEASE NOTE: If 2 or more people share an email address, when only one person signs up to volunteer, the Sign Up will automatically use the name of whoever originally registered on Flocknote using that email.

For example when only 1 person is volunteering: If Mary & Joseph share an email, (& Joseph's name is attached to that email because he used his name to register when he first signed up for mass attendance), it will look like Joseph is volunteering for everything. You can clarify that it is Mary who is volunteering: when you receive the Ministry Welcome Message, reply to it, saying who is volunteering for what - then the coordinator knows the correct name! (This will get better in time...)

If multiple people are signing up, many of the signups will allow you to provide the names of everyone signing up (like it did when you registered for mass).

If you are having difficulty or aren't certain if you have volunteered where you meant to, please email communications@stbonaventureparish.ca or call the parish office (403-278-7556) during office hours (9 am - noon, Monday - Friday). We will help you as soon as we can!

Paper forms will be available for those who cannot sign up online.

Or call the office and we will gladly help you sign up!

How to Sign Up

Browse through the list below of ministries, what they involve, & the commitment time.
Click a ministry button OR click "Sign Up".
Choose from the options listed & click "volunteer.
Enter the names & click Sign Us Up.

After You Sign Up

Each ministry you volunteered for will email you a welcome message.

You can reply to that welcome email with any questions or clarifications, such as which family member is volunteering. The coordinator for that ministry will receive your reply.

Volunteers will need to be registered in the parish. You can register here.

Volunteer Information forms & a signed Model Code of Conduct will be required for all volunteers. These forms will be provided later.

Some ministries will require a Police Information Check (paid for by the parish) & Praesidium Academy abuse online training. You will be advised if this is required.

Ministry Coordinators will be in contact & provide information about any required training.

Thank you & God Bless!

Father Colin, Father George & the staff at St. Bonaventure

Ministries Looking for Volunteers

Altar Servers

Volunteer

Grade 4+ scheduled to altar serve at mass of your choice

5 pm Mass Altar Server

7:30 am Mass Altar Server

9 am Mass Altar Server

10:30 am Mass Altar Server

12 noon Mass Altar Server

7 pm Mass Altar Server

Altar Linens

Laundering of sacristy linens, priests' albs & altar server gowns. Commitment: 2 hours a month.

Adoration

Everyone is welcome to attend adoration without signing up. Sign up to be a scheduled adorer committed to one hour per week, or to be a spare.

Art & Environment

Enhancing the liturgical environment with seasonal arrangements and maintaining the live plants.

RCIA

Team of people helping adults become full members of the Catholic Church through the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults.

Eucharistic Ministers

Volunteer

Mature confirmed individuals to assist in preparing gifts & distributing Holy Communion at mass of your choice. Yearly training compulsory.

5 pm Eucharistic Ministers

7:30 am Eucharistic Ministers

9 am Eucharistic Ministers

10:30 am Eucharistic Ministers

12 noon Eucharistic Ministers

7 pm Eucharistic Ministers

Funeral Mass Volunteers

Volunteer

Mass Servers

Music Ministry

Hospitality Desk

Volunteer

If you would like to assist our parishioners with new registrations, mass intention requests, general information & sale of religious articles, this volunteer position is just for you. Training is provided. Commitment: mass of your choice for 1 month, usually twice a year

5 pm Hospitality Desk Attendant

7:30 am Hospitality Desk Attendant

9 am Hospitality Desk Attendant

10:30 am Hospitality Desk Attendant

12 noon Hospitality Desk Attendant

7:00 pm Hospitality Desk Attendant

Lectors

Volunteer

Adults and those grade 7+ who would like to proclaim (read) the Word at Mass. Compulsory workshop is required. Commitment: two consecutive Sundays, approximately every 2-3 months

5 pm Lector

7:30 am Lector

9 am Lector

10:30 am Lector

12 noon Lector

7 pm Lector

Music Ministry

Volunteer

Vocalists & instrumentalists at Sunday masses to enrich the liturgies. Commitment: practices & Saturday/Sundays at the mass you prefer

5 pm Choir

9 am Choir

10:30 am Choir

12 noon Choir

7:00 pm Choir

Sacristy

Volunteer

Helping the sacristan prepare and clean items used in liturgy. A cleaning bee for one morning to prepare for Christmas & Easter

Sacristy

Sacristy Cleaning

St Vincent de Paul

Volunteers fill & deliver hampers to those in need. Teams of 2 people (on call for a week) to respond to calls received that week, approximately every 6 weeks.

Ushers

Volunteer

Men & women to welcome & direct people to available seating, assist with Communion procession, take collection to the sacristy & assist those with special needs. Workshop attendance is strongly encouraged. Commitment: 1 or 2 times a month & on a volunteer basis at Christmas & Easter masses.

5 pm Ushers

7:30 am Ushers

9 am Ushers

10:30 am Ushers

12 noon Ushers

7:00 pm Ushers

"Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.”

Arthur Ashe

For any information about Ministries at our parish, please contact the parish office at 403-278-7556 or email communications@stbonaventureparish.ca