St. Michael Catholic Church, Msgr. Edward J. Dodwell Council #6920
All practicing Catholic men 18 years and older are welcome to join our Knights of Columbus Council. Come make a difference by being part of our Catholic men’s fraternity that has as members, many of our Parish’s leaders. Meetings (in the Social Hall) Social Meeting: 2nd Monday of the month at 7 PM, Business Meeting: 4th Monday of the month at 7 PM. Grand Knight: David Schofield 678-362-3333 or Membership Director: George Farley, Email George or contact via phone #: (954) 993-2983 or Sign up online For more information E-mail Us.
The Society of St. Vincent de Paul at St. Michael
Inspired by Gospel values, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, a Catholic lay organization, leads women and men to join together to grow spiritually by offering person-to-person service to those who are needy and suffering in the tradition of its founder, Blessed Frederic Ozanam, and patron, St. Vincent de Paul. Here at St. Michael, our local SVdP Conference meets on the 1st Monday of every month at 2pm in the Social Hall. Monthly our parish takes up a collection for SVdP. As individuals call in during the month seeking food and/or financial aid, our volunteer Vincentians reach back out to them visiting them in their homes, in pairs, to gain a better understanding of their needs and pray with them. For assistance, our SVdP phone number is 770-534-0234. Please leave a complete message on the answering machine, where a Vincentian volunteer will return your call as they are available. Our SVdP financial resources are always utilized quickly every month supporting the needy here in Gainesville, Hall County area. Please consider becoming a Vincentian volunteer with the Society of SVdP here at St. Michael. For more information email Joanne Capies – Email Joanne
Usher Ministry
People experience the presence of Jesus’ Church through the Usher Ministry.
The first task of the parish community is to reach out to all people with Catholic Christian love and service. As Ushers and Greeters, we warmly welcome parishioners and/or visitors, thereby drawing us together and opening all to participation at the Mass. As individuals and families search out their parish home, it is often the Usher, who represents the parish at the moment of the first interaction, that can be the deciding factor on what St. Michael truly feels like to the visitor, if they’ve arrived at their new spiritual home. Our St. Michael parish, being located near the North Georgia mountains and Lake Lanier, often welcomes Catholics here on vacation. Besides welcoming parishioners and guests, the Usher needs to be prepared to answer questions about the parish and help guide them in a Christ like manner. If you are searching for a ministry at St. Michael to meet and welcome people, serving and assisting others, helping to build up the Body of Christ, volunteer to be an Usher. For more information, E-mail Jack or just talk to any Usher at Mass.
Lector Ministry
As a lector, your ministry is to proclaim the word of God. Or rather, it is your ministry to allow God to speak His word through you to the Eucharistic assembly. When you proclaim the word of God, it comes alive and it is your role to let the word of God come alive in you so that it may come alive for the entire congregation. As a lector, you become the means by which God’s word touches the hearts of those gathered together for precisely this purpose. If you feel so called to proclaim God’s word at St. Michael, please email Sandra Maule at E-mail Sandra
Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion
“Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion” is the formal title of a lay person who has been deputed by the bishop for a period of time, or by a priest or deacon for a single occasion, to assist the priest and deacon in distributing Holy Communion to the faithful on those occasions where a shortage of ordained clergy makes it impossible for them to distribute Holy Communion to all the faithful in a reasonable way. It is thus a privilege to which the Church invites certain individuals under given circumstances, and not a right. The faithful who are special minsters of communion must be persons whose good qualities of Christian life, faith, and morals recommend them. The Archdiocese of Atlanta has given some concrete expressions of these norms, namely that an extraordinary minister of Holy Communion, if married, be married within the Church, have received the sacrament of Confirmation, and be at least 16 years of age. In addition, it is necessary that the individual receives the certification of their pastor that they are properly qualified and trained.
Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion to the Sick, also assist the ordinary ministers in taking the Holy Eucharist to those Catholics who are not able to attend Mass, by taking the Body of Christ to them at their home or hospital. For more information on becoming an extraordinary minister of Holy Communion at St. Michael, please email Alice Schultz at E-mail Alice or Arlene Walrath to bring our Lord to the sick at E-mail Arlene.
Knights of the Altar, Altar Servers, (Monaguillos), (Giúp Lế)
All youth who have made their 1st Communion through their senior year are welcome to join the Altar Server Ministry (Monaguillos) (Giúp Lế) of St. Michael Catholic Church. This ministry offers a wonderful opportunity for the youth of our parish to assist the Priests and Deacon’s during the liturgy of the Mass. If you are interested in serving at the English Masses (4:30pm Sat, 7:30am and/or 10:30am on Sundays) or want to know more about this ministry, please contact Belinda and Jeff Jacob via email at E-mail us or call them at 404-932- 7587. If you are interested in serving at the Spanish Masses (6:30pm Sat, 9am or 1pm on Sundays) please contact Joel Urizar at 770-718-0497. If you are interested in serving at the Vietnamese Mass at 3pm on Sunday please contact Hien Pham via email at E-mail Hien or call her at 404-910-8003. Our parish is always in need of youth who want to be active in this ministry, so prayerfully consider if you would like to serve our Lord in this beautiful spiritual way. We hold monthly meetings from Sept-May for social and training purposes. More information will be provided to you when you reach out to your Ministry leaders.
Golf Cart Transportation Ministry
A ministry created and supported by the Knights of Columbus to provide drivers to facilitate transportation from the parking area to the church during Masses on Sundays and other events. This cart offers assistance to parents with small children, elderly, those who suffer disabilities, or those who are just grateful to not to have to walk up the hill when parking in the lower parking area. Please consider to join this ministry to help out once or twice per month. If you are interested in being a driver either at an English or Spanish Mass, please contact Tom Bolin at E-mail Tom. Driver requirements consist of being at least 18 years of age or older with a valid GA drivers license. When contacting Tom please indicate which Mass time/s you would be interested in driving and how often you would like to be scheduled. Each Mass you cover involves 30 minutes prior to the Mass start time and about 15 minutes afterwards. Training is available.
St. Michael Finance Council
Our St. Michael Finance Council acts as an advisory body and to assist our Pastor in the management of parish resources in order to carry out the identified missions of the parish. The Council’s recommendations shall deal with financial plans and policies, and not with ordinary matters of day-to-day operations and management. Appointed members by the Pastor serve at least a 3-year initial term, with one-third of the members rotating off each year to preserve continuity of the Council. Current members of our St. Michal Finance Council are: Ben Hawkins: Chairperson, Tony Herdener: Vice-Chairperson, Antonio Rios, Anthony Vu, Tuan Nguyen, Pep Matus, Jack Capies, Beth Andert: Secretary, Deacon Ken Lampert: Business Manager, and Father Tim Hepburn: Pastor
Spiritual Direction
Spiritual Direction is an ancient Christian ministry, tracing its roots to the desert fathers and mothers. A Spiritual Director is not a therapist but is someone who will listen with you and may be able to offer reflections about your relationship with God, understanding of God, or how the Holy Spirit may be working in your life. A spiritual director’s primary function is to help another grow in relationship with God by listening, offering, and trusting the direction of the Holy Spirit. To schedule a meeting, contact Suzie Hawkins at E-mail Spiritual Direction
Sending Smiles
“Sending Smiles” is a card-making ministry intended to send our parish shut-in friends an uplifting message and reminder that we are thinking of and praying for them. The Confirmation youth branch of this ministry also makes cards to send to those in Confirmation formation to challenge and encourage them during this time. The youth also make cards for vulnerable community members such as nursing home residents, meals on wheels recipients, and the like. We hope to share Christ’s love in a way that refreshes their soul and brings a smile to their faces. Contact Deborah Ulam@ E-mail Ulam or Mary George@ E-mail Mary for more information.
The Seven Sisters
The Seven Sisters Apostolate is a call to strengthen the Church by ensuring that a Holy Hour is prayed
each day of the week for the sole intention of a specific priest. A Seven Sisters group begins when at
least seven women respond to a call to the mission of the apostolate.
The coordinator of the group is known as the Anchoress. At St. Michael the Anchoress for
our Pastor, Father Tim, is Caron Gorman; the Anchoress for Parochial Vicar, Father Cong, is Hien
Pham.
Each member commits to a Holy Hour on a distinct day of the week, thus covering a complete week. The
commitment is to that day; the Seven Sister may pray at any time on that day. If she is unable to offer
her Holy Hour, she is to secure a substitute, explaining the Apostolate’s mission. The substitute need not be
a woman. If unable to arrange a substitute, the member should contact the Anchoress for assistance.
The Holy Hour is prayed in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament – either exposed for Adoration or in
front of a Tabernacle – but not restricted to the parish of which the Seven Sister is a member. Thus, one
can remain faithful to the commitment when traveling, or when a parish does not offer Adoration, or
when there is limited access to a particular church.
To insure all our priests at St. Michael are covered with daily prayer, we are seeking women to join a
new group for our Parochial Vicar, Father Jorje Carranza. If you feel called to participate in this
apostolate, please contact the Anchoress, Anne Finlayson at 770-503-4593.
You can learn more about this world-wide apostolate for women at https://sevensistersapostolate.org.
The Light of the World Retreat
The Light of the World Retreat is boldly Catholic, and it is completely faithful to the magisterium of the Roman Catholic Church. The Light of the World Retreat is an immersive weekend retreat experience where participants personally encounter Christ through the presentation of the kerygma- the basic gospel message. Retreats are held typically twice per year at St. Michael.
HAVE A HEART TO PRAYER FOR OTHERS?
Do you have a heart to pray for others? Consider joining the new Intercessory Prayer Ministry at Saint Michael. Just send an email request to prayers@saintmichael.cc or text SMCCPRAYER to 84576 to be added to the list of prayers. No meetings, no dues, just blessings. Pray for others as the Holy Spirit leads.
¿TIENE UN CORAZÓN PARA ORAR POR LOS DEMÁS?
¿Tienes un corazón para orar por los demás? Considere unirse al nuevo Ministerio de Oración Intercesora en San Miguel. Simplemente envíe una solicitud por correo electrónico a prayers@saintmichael.cc o envíe un mensaje de texto con SMCCPRAYER al 84576 para agregarlo a la lista de oraciones. Sin reuniones, sin cuotas, solo bendiciones. Ore por los demás según lo(a) guie el Espíritu Santo.
CÓ TRÁI TIM CẦU NGUYỆN CHO NGƯỜI KHÁC KHÔNG?
Bạn có tâm nguyện cầu cho người khác không? Hãy cân nhắc tham gia Bộ Cầu nguyện Chuyển cầu mới tại Saint Michael. Chỉcần gửi email yêu cầu tới Prayers@saintmichael.cc hoặc nhắntin SMCCPRAYER gửi 84576 để được thêm vào danh sáchnhững người cầu nguyện. Không có cuộc họp, không có lệ phí,
chỉ là những lời chúc phúc. Hãy cầu nguyện cho người khác như Chúa Thánh Thần dẫn dắt.
Music Ministry
The Music Ministry at St. Michael parish fully believes that “He who sings, prays twice.” Over 1150 verses of the Bible reference some sort of music and the word “Sing” appears over 400 times!
Empowered by the Holy Spirit and led by the Word of God, we work to provide excellent, meaningful music for our liturgies using songs in English, Spanish, and Vietnamese and music written as traditional hymns, contemporary classics, children’s music, and music for teens. We serve at weekend Masses, Holy Days, and many other liturgies.
Come help us bring people closer to God through music. With musical skill ranging from beginners to professionals, we hope you will find a place as a singer, cantor, or instrumentalist in one of our groups.
Grief Support Group
The purpose of the Grief Support Group is to provide a supportive environment in which to work through the emotions of grief and to adjust to the new reality without the loved one.
Please contact Cindy Zampardi via E-mail Cynthia or Josephine E-mail Josephine for more information.
