Liturgical Ministries
Altar Society
The Altar Society is a special and integral part of the spiritual experience at Mary, Queen of Peace. The volunteers wash and iron the altar linens and see to it that the church is in order, neat and ready for everyone to focus on God’s Presence in Word and Sacrament each Sunday and weekday Mass.
The Altar Society’s purpose is to:
“Make ready the house of the Lord to welcome His guest.”
We do light cleaning and polishing of the altar furniture and pews several times a year. Especially in the spring and fall we oversee a gathering of parishioners, along with a group of school children who give the Church a special, deep, cleaning. We vacuum the upholstery, clean all the glass and just try to make our beautiful church shine. Every Monday a group of very dedicated members straighten up the church after the weekend masses. They lift up the kneelers, straighten the mass/song books, and remove any litter that has been left behind, they also clean and refill the holy water receptacles. Another dedicated group repeats this same procedure on Friday after the 9:00 A.M. mass to get the church ready for the weekend masses. Each week after Mass you have a great opportunity to help by lifting up the kneelers, straightening the books and gathering any litter that has been left behind. This is great for our church and also sets a wonderful example for our children. They see us taking care of the Lord’s house and hopefully will follow that example. You can also help by not bringing any food or drink into the church or the quieting rooms at the back of church. We are looking for new members! We would love to have you join us. If you would like to be a part of our ministry, or have any questions, please contact Kay Meyers at 674-8582 or mqpaltarsociety@gmail.com Or you can call the Church office at 985-626-6977.
Altar Servers
Boys and girls in 5th grade and older have a chance to honor God through service at the altar. Servers are put on teams, which serve on a rotating basis. Training for new servers is held as needed. For more information, please contact ministry leader Kelly Hightower at mqpservers@gmail.com.
Church Environment Committee
A group of parishioners plan and decorate the church according to the liturgical seasons. If you are creative, can sew, or are interested in helping, Contact Betsy Maxwell at 626-9246 or bandjmaxwell@bellsouth.net.
Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion
Parishioners interested in serving as Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion must attend a training session provided through the Archdiocesan Office of Worship. Permission and recommendation from the pastor is also required. For more information, please contact ministry leader Sandy Dombrowski at sandy.dombrowski@gmail.com.
Ministry of the Word
Mary, Queen of Peace Ministers of the Word strive to enhance the celebration of the liturgy by proclaiming God’s living Word in a confident, persuasive and convincing manner. With the guidance of the Holy Spirit, all Ministers of the Word are focused on improving the proclamation of the Word through education, preparation and spiritual development. For more information, contact Mike Holland at mcholl@bellsouth.net or call 626-5066.
Music Ministry
The Music Ministry offers a variety of opportunities for parishioners to serve at the liturgy. The four choral ensembles, the two bell choirs, and the cantor program provide enough diversity for any volunteer musician to find a comfortable place. Contact Lindsey Piattoly at lpiattoly@gmail.com or 626-6977.
9:30 Choir: Piano, guitars, bass, percussion, trumpet, flute and other instruments accompany the four-part voices who occasionally sing a cappella. Rehearsals vary between Wednesday and Thursday nights throughout the year, please check the monthly church calendar for schedule. This group always meets on Sundays at 8:45 a.m. before serving at the 9:30 a.m. Mass.
11:30 Choir: This traditional ensemble serves at the 11:30 a.m. Sunday Mass and is supported mainly by organ, trumpets, flutes and other classical instruments. Rehearsals vary between Wednesday and Thursday nights throughout the year, please check the monthly church calendar for schedule. Again, this group always meets on Sundays at 10:45 a.m. before serving at the 11:30 Mass.
Super Choir: Once a month, when the children’s choir serves at Mass, and on several special occasions, the 9:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. choirs combine to form Super Choir. Rehearsals vary between Wednesday and Thursday nights throughout the year, please check the monthly church calendar for schedule.
Seraphim Singers: Our children’s choir serves on the first Sunday of each month at the 9:30 a.m. Family Mass. Participants must be in third grade as of September 1 of the current school year. They rehearse on Mondays, please check the monthly church calendar for times.
6:00 p.m. Youth Musicians:
Our newest addition to the music ministry, the 6:00 p.m. Sunday Mass offers an opportunity for young people seventh grade or older to participate in the liturgy. This group often sings in two- or three-part harmony and presents a repertoire comprised largely of praise and worship music. The youth musicians rehearse on Sundays from 4:30 p.m. to 5:45 p.m., before singing at Mass. For information, contact 6 p.m. Music Minister Leslie Bertucci at lwb@bertucciinc.com.
Cantor Program:
Often, singers feel called to serve outside of a musical group. We have courageous volunteers who serve as cantors at the 5:00 Saturday Vigil, and the 9:30 and 11:30 a.m. Sunday liturgies. The music director prepares them with workshops, rehearsals, a Mass book, and recordings when needed. The cantorial ministers are well supported by the assembly.
Handbell Choir:
In October 2002, our new Handbell Choir began recruiting members and rehearsing music for their first service at Christmas Midnight Mass. The first three octaves of bells, contributed as a memorial to deceased parishioners, provide beautiful instrumental accompaniment to liturgies during festive seasons and on solemn occasions. Please check the monthly church calendar for dates and times of rehearsals.
Ushers
Making the assembly feel welcome at all times, ushers are a very important ministry of hospitality. Ushers are an integral part of the liturgy, and are dedicated to the Parish mission of building vibrant Catholic community. Opening doors with a warm smile and expressing warm words of welcome, ushers are the first contact to the assembly at arrival. Ushers help the assembly to find comfortable seating, to gather and carry up the offertory gifts, and to process in an orderly fashion to receive the Holy Eucharist. Ushers are available to assist with emergencies, and at the conclusion of the Mass, ushers open doors, hand out the bulletins, and offer pleasant farewell to the assembly. If you are interested in being a regular usher at a weekend mass, please call Larry Saunders, Usher Ministry Leader, at 985-792-1882 or contact by email at larrysaunders@charter.net