To all Parishioners – young and old, parents and grandparents, single or married,
Many of us are currently enjoying a well-deserved break with our families and friends over these summer months. If you are anything like me, you may also be using the holidays to review and reset the way you do things from September or be looking to make a new commitment in the coming year.
At the Catholic Parish of Bishop’s Stortford we have started, or are hoping to start, a few more exciting initiatives from September 2022. Each would run so much more smoothly with a large band of enthusiastic volunteers! So, I would like to take this opportunity to outline what areas we need help with and leave it to you to think about if there is any way you can contribute.
It does not matter whether you can only offer your time/skills for a one-off event or whether you choose to commit regularly for a whole year – your contribution is equally valuable! The most important thing is that you take the positive step, whilst being realistic about what you can offer. A good method, when choosing to make a new commitment, is to just commit for one year at a time. This makes anything we commit to much more manageable and focused and psychologically means we can put all of our enthusiasm into it, knowing that it is time-limited.
- Monthly on a Friday night – Youth Events: We are hoping to begin trialling a monthly event for our young people (yr7-yr13). It will be a mix of social and spiritual activities (e.g. a games night, stations of the cross etc), but nothing that requires any specific religious knowledge from you. All that’s needed is some enthusiasm and a willingness to get stuck in – whether it be putting out chairs, serving drinks/food, setting up a video, creating a peaceful environment, ordering pizza or chatting to our young people! We want our young people to know they are welcome at church and offer some positive experiences at their level! With this initiative, you could offer yourself for a one-off date or come every month to help for the year. If you have a child in secondary school, maybe you can get involved and encourage them to come with you! A full list of dates for the coming year can be made available, which may help you in your decision-making.
- Wednesdays 11.30am-2pm – Ukrainian Families English lessons: The parish, along with St Michael’s Church, are offering English lessons to Ukrainian adults and children in our parish hall. More volunteers are needed to help practically, especially with tidying up afterwards. Getting involved here is a wonderful way of showing real care to those whose lives have been up-ended by war, but are keen to build their skills and get more involved in our community.
- Dates and Times TBC – Adult faith formation: We are keen to begin offering more opportunities in the parish for adults to enrich their faith. We hope to do this through video content and discussion on a variety of topics, as well as to encourage general opportunities for fellowship between parishioners. Some sessions would be daytime (possibly Friday daytime?) and others would be evenings. For this we need people to just get involved in general with logistics, to welcome and to be a friendly face. I’m sure you’ll find you learn a lot yourself from getting involved! Anyone amongst you who is a keen presenter and who is happy leading a discussion, would also be great.
- Mondays 9.30-11.30am – Majellans Babies and Toddlers group: We are finally able to restart this group in the parish and are in need of helpers in the kitchen or with setting up/packing away. You don’t have to be the mum or dad of a toddler to help! Grannies and Grandpas also very welcome.
Not sure how you can be involved? Know you’d like to do something, but want to find out more? – Please get in touch! My work email is bstortfordcatechist@rcdow.org.uk or call Debbie, our administrator, in the office on 01279 654063 and leave your details.
Ideally, we want you to be able to utilise your personal skill set, so we would just be really happy that – in the first instance – you would prayerfully consider if there’s something you can help with this coming year and I’m sure we’d find a role that would best suit you!
With best wishes
Sophie Sullivan
