Celebration

Worship the Lord with gladness; Come into His presence with singing. Psalm 100:2

Music

Music Ministry Cantors: The cantor leads the congregation in song. Cantors rehearse on the first Monday of the month. Cantors are assigned to sing 2 – 3 Sundays a month. Based upon availability, cantors are also assigned to sing for all extra holy days, including: Christmas, Easter, All Saints’ Day, etc.

Music Ministry Choir: The choir sings weekly at the 10:30 am Sunday Mass from September through June. (We are looking to expand a group to the Noon Mass and 4:30 pm Vigil Mass too.) The choir also sings for holidays, including: Christmas, Easter, All Saints’ Day, etc. Rehearsals are on Wednesdays from 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm September through June.

Music Ministry Instrumentalists: The instrumentalists rehearse with the choir on Wednesdays from 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm and play at the 9:00 am, 10:30 am or 12:00 pm Masses on Sundays from September through June. Instrumentalists also play for holidays, including: Christmas, Easter, All Saints’ Day, etc. Instrumentalists include: flute, guitar, bass drum, trumpet, trombone, violin, oboe, etc.

Cherub Choir: This choir is for any PSR, day school or home-schooled child in grades 1 – 3. The choir practices twice a month on Wednesdays from 5:15 pm – 6:00 pm and sings once a month at the Sunday 9:00 am Mass from October through May. This choir also sings on Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve and Easter.

Praise, Believe & Jam Choir (PB&J): PSR & Home Schooled Children, grades 4-8
This group of children rehearses twice a month and sings once a month at the 9:00 am Sunday Mass from September through May, including Children’s Masses on Christmas Eve and Easter.

Praise, Believe & Jam Choir (PB&J): Day School children, grades 4-8
This group of children sings at all Day School Masses and prayer services. The children sing at a Sunday 9:00 am Mass once a month from September though May including Christmas Eve and Easter. PB&J choir rehearses twice a month after school.

FIAT Band: The FIAT Band plays every Sunday at the 5:00 pm Mass.  Rehearsal times vary.

Hand Bell Choir: We ring hand bells joyfully, prayerfully and for the glory of God! We play a prelude before communion and at other times during Mass.  We have two hand bell choirs, each with eleven men and women volunteers. Each hand bell choir plays at approximately two Masses a month. We also play for special services during the year.  Practices are held on Wednesday evenings for 1 ½ hours with separate practice times for each choir. We will try to meet several times during the summer.  If you have some background in music, it is helpful, but not necessary. We are looking for dedicated people who will attend practices each week and to play at Masses. Feel free to stop by after Mass to speak to any of the members or contact Charlotte!

New Life Choir: The New Life Choir is a group that sings at funeral Masses, using their voices to console the family and friends of the deceased. We also sing at some holy day Masses and special services, including the All Soul’s Remembrance Necrology Service on All Soul’s Day.  Rehearsals are held in the church on Tuesday mornings from 11:00 am – 12:00 noon, from September through mid-May.  We sing whenever there is a funeral held in the church.  The leader and volunteers will spend approximately one hour per week rehearsing plus sing at any funeral Masses that are scheduled.  While the New Life Choir members are not required to be able to read music, they must have a love of singing!

Worship Commission/Liturgical Planning Teams

While we, for our part, will devote ourselves to prayer and to serving the Word. Acts 6:4

Acolytes

Acolytes act as altar servers for funeral Masses. There are no regular meetings, and participation is on an “as needed” basis. We could use anyone who is available during the day, especially mornings.

Altar Servers

Our ministry gives students in grades 5 – 12 the opportunity to assist the priest during weekend and weekday Masses.  We are also a part of special events, such as weddings, Confirmation, and First Holy Communion, as well as Holy Week Masses and services, Easter Vigil Mass, Easter Masses and Christmas Masses.  There are no regular meeting dates for the older, experienced servers; however, there are training sessions for students that are interested in becoming an altar server. Training sessions are in June and November, and are about 1 ½ hours in length.  Servers are usually scheduled about once a month for the weekend Masses, and every three months for weekday Masses.  The special talents required for being an altar server is to have an open heart, and to be flexible. Each server needs to expect change because there may be something different with the Mass, depending on the celebrant.

Art & Environment

Art & Environment is responsible for the worship environment of our church. This includes decorating the church, narthex (entrance), and outside of the building for various seasons of the church year. Special attention and planning are given to major seasons of Lent/Easter and Advent/Christmas.  Art & Environment is for individuals who like to decorate, meet other people, and work with their hands. The committee includes painters, carpenters, decorators, floral arrangers, seamstresses, and many other talented members.  More practical elements of the ministry include: washing and ironing, watering and maintaining plants, and just being a helper wherever help is needed.  Committee members meet twice a month during regular time. During major seasons, we meet on an as needed basis.

Avilas

“God grants these favours, then, not because those who receive them are holier than those who do not, but in order that His greatness may be made known, as we see in the case of Saint Paul and the Magdalen, and in order that we may praise Him in His creatures.” -From Interior Castle by Saint Teresa of Avila

Named after St. Teresa of Aliva, members of the Avilas join together in praying for new and existing vocations to the priesthood, diaconate and religious life.  Our Saint Ambrose Avilas will again be praying in the Chapel from 9:00 am – 10:00 am and 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm. Prayer books for use during those times are available. The Blessed Sacrament is exposed as well. If you wish to join the Avilas, just show up on Monday or call the rectory at any time for information. No dues, no meetings — the power of prayer together!  We come together the 2nd Monday of each month.  Our group continues to grow much like the mustard tree! The Avilas are a group unique to the Cleveland Diocese, now numbering more than a thousand. For more than 30 years, the Avilas have promoted vocations in our diocese. These are people who pledge to pray for vocations, and for continued and sustained work of ordained ministers and vowed religious.

Baptism Ministry Team

We help parents plan and prepare for the baptism in the best possible way. The signs and symbolism of baptism are explained, as well as what to expect on the day of baptism, which can take place as part of a Sunday Mass, or at the customary time outside of Mass.  Baptism classes are provided on the 2nd Sunday at 1:00 pm or Monday evening at 7:00 pm every other month. Your baby’s baptism is a time for celebration and joy. And, naturally, you want the best for your baby. We want to help you plan and prepare for the baptism in the best possible way.

Eucharistic Adoration

Our group sponsors Eucharistic adoration every Monday from 9:00 am – 8:00 pm in the Chapel. Join us to spend 30-60 minutes in devotion to our Lord, who is present in the Eucharist.

Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion

Ministers assist priest and deacons distribute Holy Communion during Masses, and take Holy Communion to area nursing homes.  Time involved with this ministry includes attendance at weekend Mass, as ministers are scheduled about 3 times per month for Communion distribution. Ministers who visit nursing homes attend 9:00 am Mass, then conduct a Communion Service at the nursing home, as well as make room visits. This takes approximately 2 hours, once a month.  Ministers should possess a devotion to our Lord, present in the Eucharist. For those visiting nursing homes, ministers should be friendly and compassionate, and comfortable leading the Communion Service. Diocesan and local training is required for all Eucharistic Ministers.

Greeters

Being a greeter is for EVERYONE! This is a simple but meaningful ministry. Arrive 20-minutes before the start of the Mass of your choosing, stand by the entrance of the church, put a smile on and welcome everyone to St. Ambrose as we pass out Missals. You can greet every week or once a month.  Anyone of any age can be a greeter or be done as a family!

Lectors

“We are a faith-based ministry rooted in the proclamation of God’s Word. Just as the priest feeds the souls of God’s elect through the Liturgy of the Eucharist, lectors minister to God’s faithful through the Liturgy of the Word, which Scriptures define as with God from the beginning, and who is Christ made flesh.” (John 1:1-14)

First and foremost, a lector must have a fervent love for God’s Word. They also must have strong reading and presentation skills, with the ability to directly touch the hearts of God’s faithful through the proclamation of the Word.  We normally meet as part of quarterly reflection services. Meetings last between one and two hours. Leaders are involved 10 to 15 hours per month, while Volunteers are involved 3 to 5 hours per month. Every attempt is made to schedule lectors according to their personal Mass preferences and availability each month. There are quarterly training sessions for new lectors and those who wish to enhance their skills.

Liturgy Planning Team

The Liturgy Planning Team meets on the 2nd Tuesday of the month. This group enlivens our worship experience by helping to plan special events in the church year including: Christmas, Lent, Easter, Mother’s Day, Baptism of the Lord, etc.

Sacristy

These parishioners prepare the sacred vessels, wine, hosts and other liturgical items before and after weekend Masses, funerals and weddings.

Ushers

Our group welcomes both men and women to be responsible for coordinating seating, offertory collections, and traffic flow of communicants during Masses. Our ushers usually select the Mass that is most convenient for them and their families, and they continue to serve at the same weekly Mass. We welcome anyone from teens to seniors.