Parish Resources
Administrative Assistance-Parish Support Office
Volunteers help with administrative tasks such as filing, placing inserts in bulletins, placing letters in envelopes for larger mailings, and performing other secretarial-type functions. This ministry fulfills tasks necessary to building an informed parish community.
Special Considerations: Individuals should be willing to devote approximately one to two hours of time each week (this will vary depending on the tasks to be performed).
Coordinator: Susan Rice, 908-782-2922, Ext. 210
Finance Council
This group assists, counsels and advises the Pastor on the overall operations of the parish and helps to plan and monitor the annual budget. The members of this group also deliver the annual financial report to the parish.
The Finance Council is comprised of nominated parishioners who are appointed by the Pastor and serve for designated terms. The Finance Council meets monthly to perform the duties of their ministry.
Building and Grounds
There are many projects undertaken by this ministry, which oversees the entire campus and focuses on preventive and ongoing maintenance. Parishioners with experience in different trades are needed to help in the planning and training of others, while non experienced parishioners are needed to help implement the plans.
We all share in the pride of the excellent appearance of the parish buildings and grounds.
Coordinator: Dave Beckman, 908-788-5174
St. Magdalen's Gardeners
This ministry is dedicated to the parish's garden areas. They plant, weed, water and provide general care for the flowerbeds and containers.
Special Considerations: Work is under way from spring through fall, involving watering (one hour per day, each week, with each steward donating one hour per month). Each new steward is paired with someone who has experience with this ministry.
Coordinator: Jim Barile 788-0948 and JoAnn Fisher 788-4780
Lydias
This ministry tidies up the church by straightening the hymnals and missals in each pew, cleaning brass, and dusting tables, chairs and statues. There is no vacuuming or heavy lifting involved.
Special Considerations: New stewards are placed on an existing team. Presently there are 11 teams. It takes a team about 1.5 hours to complete their work. Teams work only once during their assigned week and each team works once every 3 months throughout the year.
Coordinator: Fran Holmok, 908-806-3749
Clares
This ministry is responsible for making baptismal bibs that each child receives at their Baptismal Celebration
Special Considerations: Help is needed to cut out the bibs and a pattern and material will be supplied. Stewards with serge machines are needed to make the narrowed roll hem on the bibs.
Coordinator: Fran Holmok, 908-806-3749
Marthas
The Marthas of St. Magdalen's are a group of dedicated parishioners who render a very important and privileged service for our parish. Each week one of them washes, irons, and folds all the small linen cloths that are used at all the Masses.
The Corporal, is the square white cloth that is spread by the deacon or priest beneath all chalices or patens. The Purificators are the rectangular white cloths that are brought to the altar with the chalices and are used to wipe the Precious Blood from the chalice and absorb any spills. The Lavabo towel is used for the washing of the hands of the priest. All of these cloths can amount to as many as sixty or seventy pieces of linen used in just one weekend.
The Marthas first rinse the cloths in a special sink called the "sacrarium" where the water flows directly back to the earth. Then the linens can be laundered in a normal fashion, ironed and placed back in the sacristy for the priests, deacons, or ministers of Holy Communion to use. We are very grateful to the Marthas who make this possible.
The requirements for being a Martha are few. There are no dues and no meetings. All that is required is that you have a reverence for the things of the Lord, a generous spirit, and the ability to wash, iron, and fold. New members are given the help and instructions necessary to be a Martha and be part of this important service to our church.
Coordinator: Sister Barbara Haworth 908-782-2922 ext.215
