Here at St Clare, we see a great many passionate and committed people carrying the load together. A movement of willing hearts, dedicated to serving others and building God's kingdom. We have a number of areas of our church life and ministry in which we need help from our church family -- opportunities for you to give back to the community and to grow in your relationship with Christ. Many of these volunteer areas can be done by one or two individuals, or an entire family. Even better yet, your level of involvement is up to you - there is no set minimum requirement or amount of time you can serve.
Please review the ministries desciptions below and sign up using the online link.
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP ONLINE
Prayerfully consider today how God is calling you to get involved!
#22 STEWARDSHIP COMMITTEE
The committee plans and implements the parish’s stewardship goals, education and commitment process of time, talent and treasure. Our committee also oversees the coordination and organization of the parish ministries. We meet one weeknight per month.
#23 WELCOME COMMITTEE
This committee has three functions, and you can choose your participation level. 1) Welcome potential newcomers after Masses at the monthly coffee and donuts, 2) Make phone calls to welcome new parishioners, 3) Provide food and/or help host the newcomer receptions, held every two-three months.
#24 HOSPITALITY COMMITTEE
If you enjoy helping out with fun parish events, then the hospitality team is for you! Our committee organizes and runs events, including the Pentecost festival, Trunk or Treat, Easter brunch, and coffee and donuts.
#25 YOUNG ADULTS
If you are a young adult - married, single, with or without children - sign up for ways to get involved. Or text "YAs" to 84576 to sign yourself up for text and email alerts and to select the types of events you would be most interested in.
#26 ALTAR SODALITY
The Altar Sodality is a women’s group committed to providing various forms of service: Liturgical items for the parish; funeral meals for grieving parishioners; Altar Angels; and financial support to the Newman Center. The Sodality also offers social activities for its members and welcomes new women of all ages. We meet on the 3rd Monday of the month from September to May.
#27 ST. CLARE SENIOR GROUP
Adults 55 years & older are invited to join our vivacious, fun-loving, relaxed group for entertaining meetings and outings.
#28 SECOND SATURDAY MEN'S GROUP
This group meets one Saturday a month for fellowship, movie nights, and/or BBQ. We typically meet following the 5:00 p.m. Mass on the second Saturday of the month.
#29ST. CLARE MOTHERS’ GROUP (AGES 21-50)
Moms (including expecting mothers and mothers with kids of all ages) are welcome to our child-friendly playdates, book study and weekend events. Weekly gatherings include social time and informal, faith-based discussions. Please check out our FB group - St Clare Mothers’ Group.
#30 HOPE FOR THE JOURNEY
This peer support group is open to people grieving the loss of a family member or friend. We provide community through faith sharing, prayer, and personal conversation. This keeps people from isolation, empowers them to face grief, provides positive role models, and leads them to experience healing and consolation. All faiths are welcome. If you know of someone who could benefit by attending the Support Group, please give them our e-mail and phone number or call us to contact them
#31 PRAYER CHAIN
Participants make a commitment to pray for special intentions listed in the parish bulletin, conveyed over the phone, or e-mailed for more immediate needs.
#32PROVIDE TRANSPORTATION
Volunteers provide transportation to church, doctor appointments, and parish activities.
#33 NURSERY
Adult and youth volunteers are needed for our nursery, for children ages 6 months and up, during weekend Masses. We especially need volunteers during the 5:00 Mass!
#34 ART & ENVIRONMENT
This ministry is responsible for enhancing our worship space by blending each season’s natural plantings, grasses and flowers with banners and candles to encourage parishioners’ spiritual connections with each liturgical season. Volunteer hours and days vary throughout the year, changing to meet the needs of holy days and the liturgical season.
#35 GROUNDS AND GARDENS
This is a seasonal ministry, mostly needed in spring and summer. If you can mow, edge, pull weeds, plant flowers, prune trees or know a thing or two about roses and other blooms, sign up for this ministry. All ages are welcome. Help whenever your schedule permits; families are welcome!
#36 GENERAL MAINTENANCE
Lend your skills in painting, carpentry, plumbing, electrical or mechanical repair to help with maintenance to our buildings, when necessary.
#37 OFFICE VOLUNTEERS
Office volunteers are needed occasionally for copying letters, mailings, assembling, inputting data in Excel spreadsheets and making phone calls.
#38 ALTAR ANGELS
Altar Angels serve God by cleaning the church. We mop the altar area, dust and clean the pews and windows. We have four different groups with each group working one Saturday a month. Your commitment to the Altar Angels would be one to two hours a month. We are a fun-loving group that helps provide a healthy, clean church. We put envelopes in the pews and put out new candles, if needed.
#39 OKTOBERFEST COMMITTEE
Join the fun, hard-working leadership team for Oktoberfest, held the last Saturday of September. We need co-captains for a variety of booths or areas of our big community festival.
#40 SET UP/ CLEAN UP
Volunteers, men and women, are needed to form a team of people who could assist in setting and/or cleaning up before/after special parish events, such as Oktoberfest, Pentecost Festival, etc. Ideally volunteers would be called on to help with two or more events per year.
#41 PHOTOGRAPHERS AND VIDEOGRAPHERS
Share your talent as a photographer or videographer for parish publications and social media. Or work on your computer to edit video someone else captures
#42 FUNERAL MEALS: PREPARE FOOD
Volunteers are called on a rotating basis to prepare a side dish or dessert for families following funeral Masses.
#43 FUNERAL MEALS: SERVE FOOD
Volunteers set up and serve meals to families following funeral Masses.
#44 MEALS FOR FAMILIES IN DISTRESS
Volunteers are needed to provide meals when an individual or family is facing a crisis situation.
#45 FOOD FOR YOUTH/SUPPORT FOR YOUTH
Support our youth by baking something for a bake sale, sending refreshments to a youth event, working the kitchen for a youth event or chaperoning. Or you can support the youth twice a year at graduation and finals by writing notes, donating food and/or helping assemble study bags and care packages. Help with one thing or many. It’s up to you.
#46 FOOD FOR ADULT FAITH FORMATION EVENTS
If you like to cook, your help is needed to provide occasional meals and snacks for various adult faith formation events.
#47 SOUP KITCHEN: PROVIDE SOUP, SANDWICHES & DESSERT
Volunteers can donate canned soup, packaged deli meat, hot dogs, cheese, bread and buns, packaged cupcakes or cookies. Homemade food is not permitted. We appreciate and depend upon the food that is donated to help feed the hungry. See our website page, stclarechurch.org/soup-kitchen, for more details.
#48 SOUP KITCHEN: SERVE AND CLEAN-UP
Volunteers (minimum age: 14) serve lunch at Cosgrove’s Kitchen in East St. Louis on the second or fourth Saturday of each month. Volunteers may be called once per month, meet at 8:30 a.m. to carpool, and return back by 12:30 p.m.
#49FAIR TRADE SALES/BRIDGE BREAD SALES
This ministry promotes fair trade in commonly used food items by selling them once a month after weekend Masses. By joining, you can help provide a living wage for workers, help the local homeless population and contribute to a better economy. Items include coffee, tea, chocolate, olive oil and bakery items from Bridge Bread in St. Louis.
#50 WORK OF HUMAN HANDS SALE
This ministry promotes the sale of fair trade products from artisans and farmers in developing countries. In the fall, we sponsor a large before-Christmas sale that features high-quality handmade goods. Volunteers are needed to set up, take down, and serve as cashiers.
#51 SOCIAL JUSTICE TEAM
The Social Justice Team educates and encourages St. Clare parishioners to live lives formed by Catholic Social Teaching and works to increase awareness of justice issues in our local community. Honoring the image of God within each of us achieves our full human dignity. Sustainable living respects all life God has created.
#52 RESPECT LIFE COMMITTEE
The mission of Respect Life is to help create a renewed respect for all human life from conception to natural death through legislation, education, action, and prayer. We meet monthly to pray and plan various initiatives, including fundraisers and donation drives to provide support for Mosaic Pregnancy Care Center and other pro-life organizations.
#53 GUATEMALA SISTER PARISH COMMITTEE
We promote our parish’s relationship with Our Lord of Esquipulas Parish in Guastatoya, Guatemala, helping with communication and correspondence and coordinating visits between our two parishes. We raise funds for scholarships and other needs and keep St. Clare parishioners informed on issues involving Guatemala. Knowledge of Spanish is helpful but not necessary.
#54HANDS FOR HOYLETON
Adults and youth will work hand in hand on facilities improvements and interacting with the children at Hoyleton Children’s Home in Hoyleton, IL, during the summer mission trip and/or the annual weekend retreat.
#55HOUSE BUILDING PROJECT
Volunteers help build homes for low-income families in the area and help with other smaller construction and clean-up projects as needed. No experience required.
#56NATURE TRAIL CLEAN-UP
This parish outreach effort provides individuals and families with a fun and worthwhile service project. Volunteers are scheduled throughout the year to maintain the four nature trails in O’Fallon.
#57 PRISON MINISTRY
The Diocese of Belleville’s prison ministry has various volunteer opportunities inside and outside of prison, including leading prayer and faith discussions with inmates, writing to inmates as a pen pal, supporting inmates’ families, and advocating for restorative justice and legal reforms. Volunteers of varying skill sets are needed (finance, administration, teaching, hospitality, etc.) and meet with a diocesan representative to determine the best fit.
#58 ST. LOUISE DE MARILLAC CONFERENCE
The St. Louise de Marillac Conference provides women the opportunity to experience Vincentian spirituality as we help those living in poverty. We also assist the executive director in other duties as assigned at the St. Vincent de Paul Office, 8800 West Main in Belleville. We volunteer on Wednesdays.
#59 ST. VINCENT DE PAUL SOCIETY
This group consists of members of St. Clare, St. Nicholas and Corpus Christi parishes, who serve individuals and families experiencing poverty in our local community. Members call and/or visit homes to offer assistance.
#60LEGISLATIVE ADVOCACY
We speak on behalf of the least in society using the resources of our faith and the opportunities of this democracy to shape a society that is more respectful of the life, dignity, and rights of the human person and of all of God’s creation. Sign up to receive email action alerts about various justice issues and to help with parish letter writing campaigns about twice a year.
#61HIGH SCHOOL YOUTH GROUP
Join our lively and active high school youth group, which normally gathers at 6 p.m. on Sundays, but also does
special service and faith events.
#62HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS’ GROUP
Our girls’ group meets weekly to grow in faith and fellowship. Meetings are currently 6:00 to 7:15 p.m.
on Wednesdays in Meeting Room 3 at the church.
#63CRAZY 8s - 7TH & 8TH GRADE YOUTH GROUP
If you are in the 7th or 8th grade and want something fun to do on a Sunday evening, sign up here! Adults are also needed to help chaperone or bring food/drinks.
#64LUKE 18
This popular retreat for 8th graders always needs new adult, college and high school volunteers. Especially needed are sleep house hosts, kitchen volunteers and food donors. Our annual retreat is in January. Join us and make a difference to 80+ 8th graders in just one weekend!
#65 PSR CATECHISTS, HELPERS & SUBSTITUTES (9TH GRADE & UP)
Help our children in grades K-8 learn about their faith at the Parish School of Religion on Sunday mornings during the school year. Catechists teach a class and helpers assist the catechists. Substitutes are called to help out when needed. No theology or education degree required – just a willingness to help children and share your faith.
#66CHILDREN'S LITURGY OF THE WORD LEADER (AGE 17 & UP)
Share the Gospel in a language our youngest members understand as a leader for Children’s Liturgy of the Word.
Couples or friends can even sign up together. The program follows the format of the Liturgy of the Word at Mass and explains various elements of the liturgy to the children.
#67VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL TEACHERS, LEADERS & HELPERS
Vacation Bible School is offered to children ages 4-10 in the summer. Teachers and leaders may be in charge of a class or a specific area, such as crafts, music, snacks, recreation or Bible games. Helpers assist teachers or leaders in their area.
#68ADULT FAITH FORMATION COMMITTEE
Committee members work together to create adult faith formation opportunities that integrate all aspects of the Catholic faith. They offer input on and help implement a variety of programs, striving to make real the Catholic Church’s understanding of adult faith formation as the center of the Church’s religious education efforts.
#69 RETREAT COMMITTEE
This committee provides oversight, guidance, and support to individual parish retreat teams, promotes parish and other retreat opportunities, and does continual assessment and evaluation of parish retreats and parishioner retreat needs.
#70 CHRISTIAN INITIATION CATECHIST/DISCUSSION LEADER
Help people who are becoming Catholic grow in our faith as disciples. Facilitate discussions and explain basic Catholic teachings and beliefs, helping them integrate faith and life. Training and resources are provided. All catechists are asked to attend a minimal number of trainings and/or adult faith formation events.
#71 CHRISTIAN INITIATION SPONSORS
We need adults and teens 17 years and older to serve as companions for people entering the Catholic Church.
Sponsors serve based on the number and needs of those going through the process of Christian Initiation.
#72 ST. CLARE CATHOLIC MEN’S GROUP
Grow in prayer, fellowship and spiritual nourishment as the men of St. Clare meet on the second Saturday of the month from 8:00-9:30 a.m. No advanced preparation is required and the topics and activities vary from month to month.
#73 MARRIAGE PREPARATION - SPONSOR COUPLE
This ministry is for a married couple who will work with an engaged couple in preparing them for marriage. After a one-time training session, the couple will be assigned one or two engaged couples per year, for a total of four sessions with each couple. Sessions are planned around your schedule and include discussions on faith, finances, communication, parenting, etc.
#74 MENTOR COUPLES FOR NEWLYWEDS
Mentor couples practice ongoing follow-up with newlyweds to model Catholic marriage and family life and accompany them through periodic check-ins and informal gatherings. Ideal mentor couples are welcoming and encourage newlyweds to attend relevant parish events with them. They also cultivate relational authority by listening, being transparent, acting with integrity, caring, and offering their expertise and guidance while maintaining healthy confidentiality.
#75 CHRISTIAN INITIATION HOSTS & AMBASSADORS
Welcome people who are unfamiliar with the Catholic Church and our parish by making them feel more at home. You may have someone who is curious about becoming Catholic join you at Mass, attend parish events with you, meet you for coffee, or share a meal and conversation in your home. Volunteers can determine the types of activities they are willing to participate in.