Vocation Chalice

The Vocation Chalice is taken home each week by a family or individual to pray for vocations.  At the end of the Mass, the priest or deacon will call your name and you should proceed to the front of the church to accept the chalice and a blessing.  A prayer book with suggested prayers is included to facilitate this ministry.  We encourage you to keep this chalice in a prominent place in your home to remind you of the need to pray for vocations.  It only takes about five minutes per day.  The next Sunday, you will return the Vocation Chalice in the Offertory Procession. 
 

You may, and are encouraged to accept
 the Vocation Chalice frequently.

Ministers of Care  

This is truly a way to reach out to others and share God's love.
The Ministers of Care make weekly visits to Homestead Nursing Home in New Castle and the Richwood Nursing Home in LaGrange, as well as to any homebound parishioners, letting them know that we care about them, by spending time, sharing news and distributing the Sacrament of the Eucharist.

If you feel called to reach out to people that are suffering, please contact Deacon Butch Kinsella or Mary Howard.

    Bereavement Committee

This is another wonderful way to reach out to others when they need it the most and share God’s healing love. 

The Bereavement Committee consists of the Ministers of Care, and anyone else who is interested in reaching out to those who have lost a loved one, by attending the funeral home visitation and praying at the vigil service.  We also coordinate and provide food for the family, either at the funeral home or the family's home, depending on the need.  We follow up with support for the bereaved by keeping in touch with the family, to let them know we care.

3.3                     Helping Hands Ministry

St. John offers two ways to lend a helping hand to those less fortunate. 

Each week the church bulletin lists items that are needed at Centro Latino.  These items are collected in the basket in the vestibule and become part of the Offertory Procession. 

Each month the Eminence Council of Churhes Food Pantry collects a different item to stock the Food Pantry.  These items are also collected in the basket in the vestibule and become part of the Offertory Procession.   

Volunteers are needed to transport items collected to Centro Latino in Shelbyville and to the Eminence Council of Churches Food Pantry.  Centro Latino items can be left in the gathering space in the Adoration Chapel in Shelbyville.  Items collected for the Eminence Council of Churches should be delivered to the Eminence Christian Church, Monday through Friday between the hours of 8:00 am and 12:00 noon.

Parish Celebrations    

We need volunteers to coordinate parish celebrations!

The Parish Celebrations team can meet when they want and plan what they want and the more people that volunteer, the less work there will be for everyone.  So, grab a buddy and check  “Parish Celebrations” on your stewardship pledge card if you would like to help with the Summer Festival, Annual Parish Picnic, occasional potlucks or brunches or any kind of parish celebration.

Here’s a real opportunity for people that are good at planning, organizing, and most of all having fun! 

Hug Quilt Ministry 

This is a very special ministry as it reaches out to anyone who is in need of an extra hug and prayer.  A hug quilt is the size of a lap quilt and is made of flannel material.  Lots of prayers are tucked in as Hail Marys and Our Fathers are prayed while working on them ensuring that prayer is literally stitched into each hug quilt.

Over 200 people of all ages have received St. John hug quilts.  When you read some of the thank you cards we have received, you will understand how much this simple act of kindness means to those in need of that extra hug and prayer.

We will gladly teach anyone that wants to learn how to make hug quilts.  A complete hug quilt can be made in a couple of hours and all you need is the ability to sew (either by machine or by hand), strong hands for snipping and the willingness to pray while sewing. 

Maintenance committee

If you are a person who is observant to the routine problems of repair and maintenance of your home, then you are qualified for this committee for God’s house.  We are seeking a person(s) to be in charge of routinely checking the maintenance of our church/hall campus, and reporting to the parish council any problems before they become major.  This person(s) would contact the appropriate repairman and monitor the work until completion of the job.