Roman Catholic Church

COMMUNITY SERVICES COMMISSION

 

The Community Services Commission consists of a group of people who are entrusted with the task of coordinating the ministries related to human needs for our parishioners, our community, and others in need. Interested parishioners are invited to be part of this committee

 

BEREAVEMENT MINISTRY

Those in the ministry to the bereaved prepare a meal for a family who has had an immediate family member die and bring it to them (the groceries are provided by the Church), lead the rosary at wakes or visit the family weeks after the funeral. A support group for the bereaved facilitated by a Board Certified Social Worker meets the 1st and 3rd Thursday of the month. This group is open to all and is free of charge.

 

FELLOWSHIP CENTER

The Fellowship Center is a second-hand thrift store whose proceeds go to assist the needy. Volunteers from area churches and organizations staff the center. St. Theresa parishioners work on the 2nd and 4th Friday of each month from 9:00 a.m.– 12 noon and a second shift of workers from 12:00 Noon-2:30 pm. Additional help is needed on Tuesdays and Fridays from 9:00 a.m.-2:30 p.m. in the warehouse hanging up clothes.

 

MINISTRY TO ELDERLY

St. Theresa has a Senior Citizens Luncheon and a separate Senior Citizens Retreat with a Luncheon each year. A coordinator is needed for each to ensure the continuation of of these events. Volunteers help plan the meal, shop for needed supplies, set up the cafeteria, cook, deliver the meals to the homebound, serve those meals, plan entertainment and provide the clean up.

 

MINISTRY TO THE HUNGRY

Those in this ministry help keep our food pantry operating. Volunteers with a large truck or large SUV are needed to pick up food from the Baton Rouge Food Bank on Tuesdays each week at 10 a.m. Workers are needed during the week anytime to help keep the pantry in order. Drivers with a truck or SUV also pick up food donated by a local grocery at 10 a.m. Monday - Friday. Volunteers are needed early October to

contact a club sponsor at each Ascension Parish School to promote: November Feed-AFamily Food Drive. Adult workers are needed to sort donated canned goods from the Rotary Club October Food Drive in the evening. Volunteers are also needed to work at daytime Food Drives in November.

 

MINISTER TO SICK/HOMEBOUND

Those in ministry to the sick go to visit and bring communion to those who are ill at home or in the hospital. Each Eucharistic Minister has one homebound parishioner who is visited weekly, at a time that is best for the visitor and the homebound. Other Eucharistic Ministers are scheduled for a once a month commitment to visit the sick at St. Elizabeth and Ascension Hospitals.

 

NURSING HOME MINISTRY

Volunteers in this ministry plan a Prayer Communion Service at Ascension Living Nursing Home on Thursdays at 9 am. Volunteers and Eucharistic Ministers are needed to help set up for a weekly mass and recitation of the rosary on Tuesdays at 9:00 a.m. at Integrated Health Services (IHS) Mass begins at 9:30a.m. Eucharistic ministers are scheduled for a 9:30 a.m. mass on the 1st and 3rd Wednesday of each month and a weekly Communion Service at Azalea Retirement Home on Sundays at 9:30 a.m.

 

LUKE MINISTRY

This ministry was founded by the late Dr. John Sardisco. It was his vision to offer physical and mental health screening for people who would not otherwise have access to health care. Dr. John Knapp and STA parishioners, Chad Beeman, Physician’s Assistant, and Jay Martinez, BCSW, offer their services to those who are without insurance. Appointments are made through the Assistance Office.

DISASTER RELIEF

In years past, St. Theresa has participated in a Disaster Relief Educational Program sponsored by Catholic Community Services Office, Diocese of Baton Rouge. The program was designed to increase awareness and offer suggestions to the parishes about disaster preparedness. In the wake of Katrina and Rita, we need to re-form a Disaster Relief committee. St. Theresa can be so proud for having had so many work for

countless hours, but we need more volunteers to take over leadership roles in so many different areas of need.

 

ADVOCACY

The work of this group is to help bring about social changes by writing or phoning legislators to support programs that deal with justice issues.

 

COMMUNITY SERVICES ASSISTANCE

This office meets the needy and helps with food, medicine, utility assistance, etc. Help is needed on Mondays and Wednesdays anytime between 1:00 p.m.-3:30 p.m. Volunteers also help distribute food baskets, perform data entry, design flyers for special events, and do clerical work. The assistance office also needs drivers with trucks or SUV’s during the day for various deliveries. The Community Services Support Group meets every Thursday from 1:00 p.m.-11a.m., and assists the office by folding and

stuffing flyers into our weekly bulletins that announce our projects. They also help keep the order in our office, help in the pantry, and do whatever is needed to be done.

 

HISPANIC

Helps recognize the needs of the Hispanic Community within our church.

 

SPECIAL EVENTS TO HUNGRY/CHRISTMAS

Each year STA families personally adopt over 100 families. An additional 150 families receive food baskets from our food pantry. We have an Angel Tree where needy children receive a gift from our parishioners. We need volunteers to help to continue this tradition.

 

SPECIAL EVENTS TO THE SICK/BLOOD DRIVES

STA has 4 Blood Drives to help save lives. We need volunteers willing to set up for the drive and are willing to be the key person at the drive from 6:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. on a Sunday. We welcome volunteers to work during the drives and greet our donors. We invite all healthy individuals between 17-80 years old to consider being a donor at our next drive.

 

SPECIAL EVENTS FOR PASTORAL CARE/ PRAYER SERVICES

We come together to do the works of God, but time is needed to reflect on what we are doing and take care of ourselves, so we don’t experience burnout. Volunteers are needed to plan times for reflection for our volunteers, our seniors, and for victims of disasters.