Weekend Eucharistic celebrations are crucial to who we are as Catholics. At St. James, you can participate in a variety of service opportunities before, during, and after Mass. Select a ministry to learn more and get involved.
Serve
God calls us to use our time and talents to serve the Church and others. No matter how you are gifted, there is a place for you to serve at St. James!
How to Serve at St. James
1. Select an area of ministry
We offer two distinct ways you can serve at St. James. Select your desired areas, and learn more about what ministries you can get involved in.
2. Explore our ministries
Learn more about how you can serve and who you can contact to get involved.
3. Start Serving
Start serving and enjoy a deeper connection with our community at St. James.
Liturgical Ministries
- Music Ministry
- Eucharistic Ministers
- Liturgical Environment
- Greeting Ministry
- Lectors
- Liturgy Preparation
- Mass Coordinators
- Sacristans
- Ushers
- Ministers of Care
- Wheels to Worship
- Bereavement/Funeral Planning
Bereavement/Funeral Planning
The Bereavement Ministry assists the family of the deceased with planning the funeral Mass. Bereavement ministers are scheduled through the St James Parish office once the parish has been contacted of a death. The bereavement minister meets one on one with the family and guides the family in planning the funeral liturgy.
If you are searching for a ministry where you can share your talents of loving compassion, great listening skills, support and understanding with those who are grieving please consider this wonderful ministry. You will have training and will be asked to attend an Archdiocese-sponsored bereavement training in the future.
Contact:
Flo Trunk
224.345.7200
ftrunk@stjamesah.org
Non-Liturgical Ministries
By serving others in the parish and community, St. James strives to reflect the love of Christ to all who encounter us. Select a ministry to learn more and get involved.
- Welcoming Committee
- Loaves and Fishes
- Public Assistance to Deliver Shelter (PADS)
- Emergency Assistance
- St. James Earth Shepherds
- Grief Support Ministry
- Mental Health Ministry
- Peace and Justice Community
- Prayer Shawl Ministry
- Respect Life
- Stepping Stones
Welcoming Committee
Help welcome new families to St. James and help our parish family grow and flourish.
Contact:
Mike Bilski
224.345.7200
fmb57@sbcglobal.net
Loaves and Fishes
Provide lunches for homeless men and women in Chicago’s uptown neighborhood. Volunteers are needed to make the lunches and transport donations to local shelters.
Contact:
Kevin & Geralyn Walsh
847.361.1480
geralynbw@sbcglobal.net
Public Assistance to Deliver Shelter (PADS)
Help provide hospitality, food, and overnight emergency shelter for unhoused men and women. The winter season of PADS runs between October 1 and April 30, and St. James provides dinner for guests every Wednesday.
Shift Volunteers work on either the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, or 4th Wednesday of the month covering 4-5 hour shifts from 7:00 pm -7:00 am. During this time the volunteers monitor and serve the needs of the guests with showers, sleeping arrangements and laundry. Shift Volunteers must be 18 or older, or 16 with a parent. New volunteers will have access to a brief training.
Food Teams sign up for either the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, or 4th Wednesday of the month to provide and/or serve warm dinner for the guests (signing up to drop off either an entrée, side, or dessert from a given menu).
If interested in volunteering, please contact Jeanne at the email below.
Contact:
Jeanne
224.345.7200 ext. 8513
st.james.pads@gmail.com
St. Vincent De Paul Emergency Assistance
This emergency resource provides short-term financial assistance to parishioners and community members in our parish boundaries. To volunteer or receive assistance, contact the Parish Office. All requests for assistance are kept confidential.
Contact:
Marcia Fung
224.345.7200 ext. 8517
parishoffice@stjamesah.org
St. James Earth Shepherds
St. James Earth Shepherds is passionate about stewarding of God’s Creation, supporting individual and parish-wide efforts to live more sustainably, and coordinating initiatives to care for the environment. Parishioners of all ages are welcome. Contact Bonne Cimo to learn more and get involved.
Contact:
Bonnie Cimo
sjearthshepherds@gmail.com
Grief Support Ministry
Are you struggling with a loss? Having a hard time coping? Join other parishioners for conversation and sharing as we seek to overcome grief together.
Contact:
Mary Jean Jarosz
griefsupport@stjamesah.org
Mental Health Ministry
St. James has joined with St. Edna’s and Our Lady of the Wayside to provide support, education and awareness to our parish communities on issues related to mental health. We seek to break down the social stigma surrounding these issues, provide information, local resources, and emotional and spiritual support.
If you or a loved one feel unsafe or are experiencing a mental health emergency, call 911, indicate it is a mental health emergency, and request an officer trained in Crisis Intervention.
Other Resources in a Mental Health Emergency:
- 24-hour crisis line: Ascension Illinois Center for Mental Health, 847-952-7460, dial 9
- National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: Call 988 or text TALK to 741741
- Crisis Text Line: Text HELLO to: 741741. Trained crisis counselors respond
Support & Educational Resources
Contact:
Jan Staley
jspir77@aol.com
Tracy Sherva
tsherva@gmail.com
Kathy O’Neill
parishnurse@olwparish.org
Peace and Justice Community
The St. James Peace and Justice Community, rooted in the Gospels and inspired by the Holy Spirit, is a guiding voice for peace and justice by: educating the faithful on the Catholic social teachings, supporting and complementing parish ministries, and empowering people to transform lives and society, both locally and globally.
Contact:
Matt & Sarah Tipperreiter
peaceandjustice@stjamesah.org
Prayer Shawl Ministry
This ministry at St. James creates a wide variety of shawls for anyone in need of prayers or blessings. We pray as we knit or crochet, and get together once a month to bless the fruits of our labors. All are welcome to join in this ministry. We meet on the third Sunday of every month at 1 PM via Zoom.
To join the call, contact us via email.
To receive a shawl please contact the Parish Office at 224.345.7200 or Gail at 847.818.1431.
Contact:
Lia Douglas / Mary Lou Gleason
PrayerShawlministry@stjamesah.org
Respect Life
The mission of the Respect Life Ministry of St. James is to transform society into a Culture of Life where every human being is valued and protected from the moment of conception until natural death. We seek to convert hearts and minds on all life issues, including: abortion, post-abortion aftermath, chastity, capital punishment, artificial contraception, euthanasia, embryonic stem cell research and human cloning, and vaccines developed from the tissue of aborted babies.
Contact:
Mike & Marybeth Schoenwald
847.392.5506
RespectLife@StJamesAH.org
Stepping Stones - Domestic Violence
Stepping Stones is a domestic violence ministry raising awareness, promoting understanding and preventing relational abuse by educating communities and providing referrals to victims and survivors of emotional, financial, physical and sexual abuse. Ministry members meet throughout the year planning parish and community events with a particular focus on Domestic Violence Awareness Month (October) and Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month (February). They work in partnership with the Archdiocese of Chicago Domestic Violence Outreach (ACDVO) and its parish members.
Everyone deserves to be in safe, healthy relationships. If you or someone you know
may be in an abusive relationship, a path to safety exists. Get help.
If you are in immediate danger, call 9-1-1.
National and Local Hot/Helplines
National Domestic Violence Hotline…………………………………….800-799-SAFE [7233]
National (Teen) Dating Abuse Helpline…………………………………866-331-9474
WINGS Emergency Shelter & Crisis Line…….…………………………847-221-5680
See Full Helpline Directory Here
See Full Lending Library Resources
Contact:
steppingstones@stjamesah.org