A New “Season of Service”
“Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after me
cannot be my disciple.” (Luke 14:27)
In many churches, the month of September somehow marks the beginning of a new season. It is not a new liturgical year (which begins in Advent), or a new calendar year (which begins in January). It may be a new school year for some, but the season is not strictly academic. It certainly is not “Autumn” yet here in Cary, where daily temperatures my still be in the 90s!
Instead, let’s call it a “Season of Service.” In the Gospel this weekend, Jesus issues a challenging statement: in order to be his disciple, we must put aside all attachments, even to our family, to take up our cross and follow in his path. And the path of Jesus is one of service and sacrifice. As we approach the conclusion of our 25th Anniversary year at St. Michael’s, our pastor has encouraged us to greater prayer and penance during “St. Michael’s Lent.”
The liturgical life of our parish is very busy, and we need parishioners to commit to several areas of service where we have the greatest need. Two areas of particular need are in Music Ministry and Altar Server Ministry.
MUSIC MINISTRY
The St. Michael Music Ministry has up to nine ensembles, and we’re ALWAYS seeking new participants. We have choirs for Children, Youth, and Adults, a Gregorian Chant Choir, a Schola Polyphony Choir, a Funeral Choir, and we always need trained Cantors, Soloists, Instrumentalists, Handbell players, and sound/video technicians. Music is a great place to build your faith!
Members of the Music Ministry serve at many Sunday and Holy Day Masses throughout the year, as well as periodic concerts and prayer services with music. We make music together, socialize together, and serve the parish with sacrificial love. To inquire about serving in our Music Ministry, please contact Alex E. Hill, Director of Music and Liturgy at ahill@stmcary.org, or Asst. Director Diane Williams, dwilliams@stmcary.org.
ALTAR SERVERS and the “GUILD OF ST. TARCISIUS”
A Catholic Altar Server does so much more than “busy work” during the Holy Mass. Like the clergy, they are called to sacrificial love by taking on special duties in the sanctuary – bearing the cross or candles, assisting the clergy at the altar, carrying incense or the gifts of bread and wine, and much more.
This year at St. Michael’s we are launching a new Altar Server Guild named after the early Christian martyr St. Tarcisius. Tarcisius was a young boy who was given the task of carrying the Blessed Sacrament to Christians imprisoned in Rome. On the way he was challenged by a group of pagan youths, but he would not give up the Blessed Sacrament. He was severely beaten and died protecting Our Lord, which he never relinquished!
While we don’t require that level of sacrifice, we are seeking boys and girls who want to take their Catholic faith to a new level, who love learning about the Mass, and who are ready to make a meaningful commitment.
If you have a boy or girl interested in joining the “Guild of St. Tarcisius” and training as an altar server, please contact Alex E. Hill, Director of Music and Liturgy at ahill@stmcary.org, or Asst. Director Diane Williams, dwilliams@stmcary.org. Our first training session is Saturday September 10 at 10 am.
In addition to music ministry and altar servers, we also need Readers, Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion, Hospitality Ministers, and more. Please contact Alex or Diane to let us know how you’d like to serve!