St. Andrew's Parish
Kenmore, NY
Volunteer Activities
Here at St. Andrew's, we encourage our parishioners to share in our community of faith through participation in a variety of activities. Please review the activities below. Volunteering just a little of your time can make a huge difference in our parish. Consider joining us as we serve each other.
Eucharistic Ministers
Eucharistic Ministers assist the Celebrant at Mass with the distribution of Holy Communion. In addition, some of these ministers bring Holy Communion to the sick and homebound on a regular basis. Periodically, training sessions are offered. If you are interested please contact the rectory office 873-6716 or via email: bulletinstandrew@gmail.com
Altar Servers
Boys and girls who have made their First Communion and are in the 4th grade or higher are encouraged to become Altar Servers. Training for altar servers is in October and February.
Contact Linda Pluff - 873-6716
Funeral Servers
Funeral servers are adult members of the parish family who assist with funerals at St. Andrew's Church. Their presence expresses our prayerful solidarity with those mourning the death of a loved one. Servers assist the priest in a variety of ways during a Funeral Mass: preparing the incense, carrying the cross, giving Communion. Adult servers will be given training to serve at the funeral mass and, if needed, as Eucharist Ministers. People interested in this ministry must be available on weekday and/or Saturday mornings. Funerals are usually at 9:15, and 10:30 AM. Teams of three are rotated so that you are not called for every funeral. Anyone interested in this ministry may contact Jim Roberto. Email: jroberto325@gmail.com
St. Vincent DePaul
Dining Room
St. Andrew’s parishioners volunteer in the St. Vincent DePaul Dining Room (1298 Main Street, Buffalo) on the second Friday each month. If interested in joining our team, either on a monthly basis or when available, call Liz at 380-6700.
Ushers
Lectors
These dedicated parishioners serve at Sunday Masses and also at other liturgical functions throughout the year. In addition to the responsibility of taking up the collection, they maintain order, provide special seating assistance and supply necessary information to parishioners. If you are interested, please contact Roger St. Pierre at 833-1140.
Lectors are scheduled on a rotating basis to proclaim the first two readings and the Prayer of the Faithful at Sunday Masses. If you are available, you may also be scheduled to read at a weekday mass. For more information, please contact the rectory office at (716) 873-6716
Liturgy of the Word
for Children
Prayer Shawl Ministry
During the 9:30 Mass, children ages 4 and up are dismissed to the sacristy, where a trained adult unfolds the Scripture reading in a child-friendly way. We need adult volunteers to help. Please contact Doris Johnson through the Faith Formation office 873-6716 x101, or via email: standformation@gmail.com if you are interested in volunteering, or would like more information for your children.
The mission of the Prayer Shawl Ministry is to stitch yarn into shawls and lap robes, weaving special prayers into each and every stitch. Completed shawls are blessed and distributed to those in need to provide warmth and comfort to those who receive them. St. Andrew’s Prayer Shawl Ministry meets on Thursday evenings at 6:45 in the rectory. Attendance at all meetings is not necessary and new members are always welcome. We will provide you with patterns and prayers to complete the shawls. If you are interested in participating, please contact Katie Foley (716) 874-3959.
Other Activities
Gift Bearers - Members of the parish community are invited to bring the gifts of bread and wine to the altar. If you would like to participate, please see one of the ushers before Mass begins.
Rosary Makers - Anyone interested in learning to make rosaries, please contact Helen Padak through the rectory office 873-6716.
Art and Environment - We gather to decorate the church as the seasons change: Easter, Christmas, Pentecost... We also package the breads, which are given out each year at the parish Thanksgiving Mass. Volunteers are always welcome. Contact Jim Roberto by email: jroberto325@gmail.com.
Administration - The operation of our Parish is facilitated by the Pastoral Council, which advises the Pastor on policy and operational decisions, and the Finance Council, which assists the Pastor in overseeing the Parish budget and expenditures.
Prayer Chain Ministry
St. Paul tells us to “pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17). The mission of the Prayer Chain Ministry is to offer our daily prayers for individuals whose names have been called into the prayer chain, where they are passed along our phone tree and remain on our prayer lists for one month. To place someone on the Prayer chain please call the rectory office 873-6716 EXT 118.