Do you have a passion, a skill set or a calling to serve in our parish? Let’s us share with you what is already taking place in our parish and potential areas that need to be explored and developed. If you have any additional recommendations which you feel may be helpful, please do not hesitate to contact the parish office.
Get involved/Volunteer
Catechism
We have several different programmes to prepare parents and/or candidates for Sacraments. Please see information below and if you would like to volunteer your time to support our teams, please contact the Parish Office (0115 9268288 or goodshepherd@dioceseofnottingham.uk)
Baptism preparation
To prepare parents/guardians for the Baptism of their baby/children.
Approximately every 2 months, each course consists of 3 meetings.
Parish Representative: Margaret Tempest (Maggie)
First Holy Communion
This involves Catechist led family preparation sessions for children in Year 3 and above (age 7 years and over), wanting to make their First Reconciliation and First Holy Communion. The sessions are offered annually for each new group of children and their parents. Registration usually takes place around September and the programme will take place monthly until June.
Parish representative : Fr Philipp Ziomek
Confirmation
Confirmation is the Sacrament by which we receive a special outpouring of the Holy Spirit. The celebration of the Sacrament of Confirmation generally occurs in adolescence, and with Baptism and the Eucharist, completes the process of our becoming full members of the Church.
In order to prepare to receive the Sacrament, candidates from the parish are expected to participate in a programme. The programme is run by the parish priest supported by catechists drawn from the parish community, culminating in Confirmation by the Bishop.
Parish representative: Sarah Williamson
Evangelism (RCIA)
This service is widely known as RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults) or Evangelium. It provides guidance to adults who wish to explore the Catholic Faith and consider whether they would like to join us in the Universal Church.
It is also available to those who are already baptised Catholics but have not practised their faith for some time and would like a “refresher” course and guidance.
Dates will be announced in newsletter but usually runs from September to Easter (break over Christmas).
Parish representative: Reg Carter (07826 852842) or by email at carter.reg123@gmail.com
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Liturgy
Children’s Liturgy
The Good Shepherd Children’s Liturgy Group meets during 10.30am Holy Mass every Sunday during school term times. It takes place in the parish centre during the Liturgy of the Word.
There are three different age groups (pre-school, infant and junior), each with the aim of enabling the children to celebrate the Liturgy of the Word in a manner which is appropriate to their level of understanding.
The Liturgists are a very enthusiastic and committed group, aware of the need to ensure a safe environment for our children, and hence are all DBS approved.
Parish representative: Sarah Williamson
Altar Servers
Altar servers assist the priest during Holy Mass. Through helping the priest, the altar servers assist the congregation to enter fully into the sacred liturgy. Altar servers may be of any age or gender but at all times should be reverent and respectful in carrying out their duties.
Servers at the Good Shepherd Church are affiliated to the Guild of St Stephen, the patron saint of altar servers. After some initial training and a time as a regular altar server, new servers are enrolled in the Guild with a Guild Medal.
Parish representative: Adrian Staiano on adriano.staiano@outlook.com
or Fr Philipp Ziomek or the parish administration suite (0115 9268288)
Welcomers
This team of volunteers exist simply to welcome people into our church premises at Holy Mass t imes with a happy attitude.
We hand out hymn books but more importantly look out for visitors or those new to the parish or those who may want to come back to the Church.
We make sure people know where to go – toilets, Lady Chapel, repository etc. This is a great way of living your faith and getting to know people.
Parish representative: Reg Carter – by email on carter.reg123@gmail.com or via the parish administrative suite (0115 9268288)
Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion
Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion are commissioned by the Bishop, only after referral by the parish priest. Candidates for the ministry are expected to undertake a programme of training organised by the diocese prior to being commissioned.
Commissioned ministers have an important role to fulfil. Under the direction of the parish priest they may be authorised to:
- assist with the timely and reverent distribution of the Body and Blood of Christ during the celebration of Holy Mass, when there are not sufficient ordained ministers present.
- assist the ordained ministers in ensuring that Holy Communion can be taken to the sick and housebound in their homes.
- expose and repose the Blessed Sacrament in the absence of a priest or deacon.
As a condition of commissioning, ministers are expected to attend a renewal day each year run by or on behalf of the diocese.
Parish representative: Cath Verhoeven
Sacristans
A sacristan is a lay member of the Catholic ministry who is responsible, on a rota basis, for maintaining the Sacristy where the church’s liturgical items are kept including vestments, sacred vessels and books etc. The sacristan must have a sound knowledge of the liturgical rites performed in the church and must be able to work and communicate well with others as part of a team. We are fortunate as a parish to have a dedicated team of sacristans to undertake this important ministry.
Parish representative: Cheryl Broodryk at cbroodryk@aol.com
Flowers
To glorify the Sanctuary for Mass celebrations.
It consists of a group of volunteers who provide a service for the priest and parish based on a rota system, to decorate the Sanctuary with glorious flower arrangements as gifts of “thanksgiving and devotion” to Our Lord.
New members are always paired up with an experienced member.
Parish representative: Rebecca Newell
Email: flowersbyrebeccanewell@yahoo.co.uk
Website: www.flowersbyrebecca.co.uk
Proclaimers of The Word (Readers)
In the Latin Rite of the Catholic Church, the term “lector” or “reader” can mean someone who in a particular liturgy is assigned to read a biblical text other than the Gospel, the reading of which, at Holy Mass, is reserved specifically for an ordained deacon or priest. This lay ministry is held in high esteem by the Church.
This ministry has taken on particular importance as the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales have designated 2020 as ‘The God Who Speaks’: A Year of the Word to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Verbum Domini – Pope Benedict XVI’s Apostolic Exhortation on ‘The Word of the Lord’, and the 1600th anniversary of death of St Jerome, who translated the Bible into Latin.
Our readers at Holy Mass are drawn from volunteers across the parish congregation, young and old, male and female. There is a rota of readers to ensure that each week-end Mass is covered.
Readers should remember they are proclaiming the Word of God and as such should always carry out their ministry responsibly, with dignity and respect.
Please contact Fr Philipp Ziomek or the parish administration suite (0115 9268288)
Music
We are a small choir of approximately 15-20 members though there is always room for more! We are a four- part choir consisting of Sopranos, Altos, Tenors and Basses and we are always keen to recruit new members to each part. If you don’t know your voice part, just come along to practice and Robert will help you to the right section. The choir meets on Tuesday evenings in the Marian Hall from 7pm to 8.30 pm.
Please contact: Robert O’Farrell on 0115 877 129 or 07545 470822
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Parish Maintenance
Cleaning Ministry
Aim – To keep God’s House clean, making it indeed a place worthy of worship and prayer. Carter
Parishioners volunteer their services to clean the Church and Narthex, offering their “hands” in a praise worthy manner to Our Lord, contributing to the welfare of the life in the parish.
Cleaning operatives are required to make themselves available on a regular basis, carrying out their allocated duties in the house of God in a respectful and responsible manner.
There are no formal meetings. Cleaning takes place once a week on a Monday morning, mainly straight after the celebration of 9.15am Mass. ( this may vary if there is an unexpected Funeral Mass etc, but members need only to stay informed via the weekly parish newsletter.)
At times due to extra demands of activities taking place in church, extra cleaning operatives may be required on a temporary basis. This may be suitable for those who can’t attend on a regular basis but would like to contribute when they can, this help is most welcome as well.
We all informally gather in the Sacristy post Mass to be allocated duties.
Contact details: Cheryl Broodryk Email: cbroodryk@aol.com
Maintenance Repairs
We may at times require the talent of your skills regarding the general maintenance of our parish and centre. Do you have the time? Do you have a passion to help repair and assist our facilities manager, Ray Steeples, if necessary. Do you like to share your expertise and handyman tools with us? We would like to build a database of contacts that can be access if required.
Parish Contact: administration suite during office hours or email
goodshepherd@dioceseofnottingham.uk
Technology
Please share your digital talents with us. We wish to build a data base of contacts, who can be called upon if necessary, as our parish learns to embrace the advantages of media technology: possible digital homilies, blogs etc as we grow as a parish community.
Parish Contact: administration suite during office hours or email goodshepherd@dioceseofnottingham.uk