Parish Assistance and Pastoral Outreach

Description: The church campus, the school, and the rectory has several garden areas that need tending. This can include weeding, watering and planting flowers.  Basically, it is maintaning the garden areas.

Needs: Volunteers take care of different flower beds. 

Current Coordinator:  Margaret Pierson

Description: Scrip is a term that means “substitute money.”  When families or individuals participate in St. Gregory’s Scrip program, they are purchasing gift certificates and gift cards that can be used just like cash to purchase everyday household items like food, clothing, gasoline, and entertainment.  Scrip is sold at face value; participants pay the exact value of what the card is worth.  St. Gregory’s is able to generate revenue by purchasing these gift cards/certificates in bulk at a discount price.  The Scrip rebate is divided with the fund(s) of the participant’s choice receiving 75% and the fund designated by the Scrip Committee retaining 25%.  Available choices for designation include preschool and K-8 tuition, tuition assistance, banking funds for future
students, church ministries, religious education, and school endowments.  

Ordering:  Scrip from a wide range of retailers can be ordered. Select Scrip gift cards/certificates are available for purchase after weekend Masses about once a month (Cash & Carry) and online.  The Scrip Committee submits an order almost every Monday during the school year and every other Monday during the summer.  Orders and payments must be turned into the school or church offices by NOON on Mondays, and can also be submitted through the collection baskets at all Masses or online at https://www.shopwithscrip.com/.  Orders are available for pick-up on Fridays of the same week or at Cash and Carry Masses.  See the bulletin and school announcements for any changes or exact ordering deadlines.  Order forms are available in the Gathering Space and in the Parish Office and online.

Needed:  St. Gregory’s Scrip program is operated entirely by volunteers.  Volunteers are needed to work at Cash and Carry Masses once a month and every weekend during the holidays.  There is also a need for volunteers to solicit businesses to become local Scrip retailers. 

Description: Volunteers to help watch children while parents attend parish events.  All volunteers must be Virtus trained.
Needs:  Join this list to be called to help for different parish events and occations. We need somebody in charge of this group.

Description: The Maintenance workers are made up of parish volunteers interested in helping with the maintenance of the buildings and grounds on our campus. 

Needs: Volunteers to help with things like mowing, shoveling, and carpentry.

Description: : Technical Assistants are needed to help with the streaming of Masses and other events in the church.  Assistants are needed to minster at each of the Masses that are streamed, including funerals and weddings.  This also includes the projected slides control during Mass.

Needs: Indivduals that are comfortable with technology and currently Facebook streaming technology.

Description:  The Maryville Ministry Center assists individuals and families in need through its food pantry/clothing closet.  The Center also organizes the Backpack Program which provides backpacks filled with nutritious and kid-friendly snacks to children.  The backpacks are refilled weekly.  Located at 971 South Main Street, the Ministry Center is sponsored by the Maryville Ministerial Fellowship and receives donations from the community as part of its support.

Clients:  The Maryville Ministry Center Food Pantry is open 2 – 4 pm each Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.  The Clothing Closet is open each Tuesday from 2 – 4 pm and Thursday from 6 – 8 pm. 

Needs: Volunteers St. Gregory’s Parish families are invited to bring food items to the church Gathering Space for the food pantry at the Ministry Center.  Parishioners can also volunteer to sort clothing and stock shelves at the pantry when the Center is open.  Those wishing to volunteer at the Center should contact the Ministry Center directly at 660-582-2249 or online at: http://www.nodawayministrycenter.org/home.html.

Description:  Manna Kitchen provides a free hot meal and fellowship for all St. Gregory’s parish and community members. The meal is held at St. Gregory’s every Monday night. 

This outreach program is continued on Wednesday evenings at the First United Methodist Church, at the corner of First and Main, Maryville, and on Thursday evenings at the First Presbyterian Church, located at 211 South Main, Maryville.

Volunteers: Each Monday, parishioners have the opportunity to give their time and talent to this important outreach ministry. Volunteers are needed to:
- set-up and start cooking at 3:30 pm,
- to pack meals for curbside pick up and delivery around 4:00 pm
- to deliver meals to the homebound starting around 4:30 pm
- to clean-up and wash dishes which is usually finished around 6:30 pm

Donations: If you would like to give of your treasure to this worthy cause, please mail or drop off donations in the church office. They will be very much appreciated.

Description: The Welcoming Committee extends a “warm welcome” to new members, visitors, and parishioners alike.  One of the main functions is to show hospitality by identifying and reaching out to new members of our faith community; for example, the committee distributes welcome baskets to new parishioners.  They also promote fellowship throughout the St. Gregory’s Catholic community through events such as “Name-Tag Sunday,” “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner?” and Bingo (played at the Parish Picnic).  Finally, every 4-5 years, the committee chairs the creation of the pictorial directory.

Needed:  Volunteers to welcome new members and to participate in organizing events.
Current coordinator:  Russ Schuster.

Description:  The mission of the Prison Fellowship Ministry is to assist those serving time in the Maryville Treatment Center in the rehabilitation process.  The most important step in this rehabilitation is the spiritual one.  This occurs when an inmate consciously turns away from their old way of life and dedicates their life to Jesus Christ.  Those serving in the Prison Ministry provide education and support to the inmates on their faith journey.  The ministry also serves to fulfill the social teachings of the Catholic Church.

Meetings:  Volunteers meet each Wednesday evening at 6:30 pm to conduct Communion Services or attend Mass at the Maryville Treatment Center located in the former Mount Alverno Convent at 30227 US Highway 136. On the third and fourth Wednesdays of the month, a priest from the Abbey says Mass.

Volunteers:  There is a need for volunteers to teach, guide, and encourage inmates in their spiritual growth as well as give resources to inmates.  The prison administration trains volunteers so they can follow the prison and Missouri state laws for their protection and safety.

Description:  The Newman Center on the Northwest Missouri State Campus provides many events and services for the students on campus.  Every Wednesday evening they have Mass and a Meal at the Newman Center in which they ask for assistance in preparing the meal.  This includes deciding the menu, buying the ingredients, and preparing the meal.  Often two or three parishions will help on a single meal.  The students at Newman help with getting the meal set up and ready to eat after the 5:00 p.m. Mass.  Students also do all of the clean up.  Stay and eat the meal with the students for interaction with Northwest Newman.

Needs: Volunteers help with preparing food for meals, taking adoration times in the Newman chapel and other support as requested. Max Pawlowski is the Director at Newman.

Description:  

Individuals serve St. Gregory’s Parish by helping the Priest distribute Communion to the congregation during the Masses.  Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion also serve the parish by taking Communion to parishioners who are sick in the hospital, homebound, or in area nursing homes.  

Volunteers: Required to attend a special training session provided by the Parish or Diocese.  Training sessions are normally scheduled once or twice a year.

Once a minister is trained, a commissioning from the Parish Priest during Mass is scheduled.

Scheduling is done through the Ministry Scheduler Pro quarterly.

Description: 

When in the nursing home, it is always nice to get a visit from someone who cares.  In the Nursing Home Ministry, volunteers visit and interact with those from the Parish that are in the hospital or nursing home.  

This ministry also includes taking the Eucharist and the weekly church bulletin to those in nursing homes and to those who cannot attend Mass.  The goal is to bring Christ, as the Eucharist, and a sense of community to those unable to make it to Mass on their own.

Volunteers:  The ministry seeks volunteers who are able to spend time visiting or interacting with those who are ill or in the nursing home.  Volunteers wishing to serve the Parish as Extra Ordinary Ministers are required to attend a special training session provided by the Diocese.  Training sessions are normally scheduled once or twice a year.

Description:  Tri-County Right to Life is a non-denominational chapter of Missouri Right to LIfe.  They advocate for the right to life of the unborn, disabled, and elderly through legislation and education.  Some of their projects are the "Life Chain" held in downtown Maryville in October and participating in the Nodaway County Fair Parde held in Maryville each July.  

Meetings:  Tri-County Right to LIfe meetings are held at the Maryville Pizza Hut at noon on the second Monday of every month.  

Volunteers:  Volunteers are needed to participate in the "life Chain" and to hand out flyers at the Nodaway County Fair.  There is also a need for members, officers and committee chairs.