Book of Missions

S A I N T B A R T H O L O M E W’ S C H U R C H A Church for these Times Book of Missions Opportunities for Volunteering in the Missions of Our Faith Community Updated July 1, 2009 Introduction Dear Friends, Welcome to St. Bartholomew’s Church and our Book of Missions! St. Bart’s, a vibrant, diverse community of faith, is many different things to many different people. Desiring to spread the Gospel from our unique location at the crossroads of New York City, we worship God through sacraments, preaching, teaching, music, and caring for others. We have adopted a life and practice that we call “radical welcome.” By that we mean that we greet every person who comes through our doors as a child of God, whose authentic and valuable spiritual journey enriches the lives of all of us. Our deep desire is to create an atmosphere that roomy enough to lovingly accommodate Christians, who may have conscientious differences in practice and belief. We also believe that our times call for us to intensify our engagement and connection to people, both inside and outside our faith community. So, we uphold St. Bart’s long tradition of maintaining a number of missions that nurture our parishioners, seekers, and those in need, wherever they are in our city or around the world. We created this book to describe our missions and offer ways for you to volunteer in their service. The book outlines the specific goals of each mission, what it asks volunteers to do, when you can take part, and whom to call to get started. Our experience is that involvement in one or several of these ministries always brings spiritual inspiration and fulfillment to us in addition to its help of others. Involvement is the natural next step after the grace of Sunday worship at St. Bart’s. Our Volunteer Coordinator, a volunteer herself, Sally Armstrong is the first stop for all who are interested in getting involved. Contact Sally (sallyarmstrong1@hotmail.com or 212.677.9242) for help in settling on an area of ministry that interests you. Making the decision to get involved is always a big step, and sally’s nurturing assistance will make it easier to learn the ropes. If you find something in this book that inspires you to action, we stand ready to help you to pursue it. If you know of a mission that we should be offering and have energy and calling around working on it, let me know! Time is passing, and there is much to be done! Blessings, The Rev. Buddy Stallings, Vicar 2 Table of Contents Outreach Missions 1. St. Bart’s Community Ministries • Breakfast Feeding Program • Food Pantry • Bag Lunch Program • St. Bart’s Shelter 2. Community ministries outside St. Bart’s • Ecclesia Ministries • Habitat for Humanity • Manhattan Together • The L.I.F.E. Center • Carpenter’s Kids • Voice Charter School Page 4 4 5 5 6 6 6 7 8 9 10 11 Missions Inside St. Bart’s 1. Hospitality • Sunday worship greeters • Welcome Committee • Great Music Series ushers • Christmas cleaning and greening • Garden Committee 2. Music • St Bart’s Singers • Boy and Girl Choristers 3. Lay ministries • Acolytes • Altar Guild • Daily office officiants 4. Administrative support • Communications Office • Development and Stewardship Office • St. Bart’s Central • Book and Gift Shop 5. Children, Youth and Family Ministries 12 12 12 13 14 14 15 15 15 16 16 16 16 16 16 17 18 18 19 3 Outreach Missions 1. St. Bart’s Community Ministries St. Bartholomew’s Community Ministries programs provide food and shelter services for people who are hard-to-reach or disenfranchised, including children, adults, and families. We aim to improve the quality of life for people whose lives are insecure by offering essential sustenance. We do this in four ways. • • • • Breakfast Feeding Program Food Pantry Bag Lunch Brunch St. Bart’s Shelter Breakfast Feeding Program Our mission. We serve a “stick-to-your ribs” meal that includes cereal, a hot entrée (beef stew, beef ravioli, beans & franks, macaroni & cheese, or meat balls), fresh fruit, and pastry. Guests also receive a sandwich and fresh fruit to take away for the rest of the day. We feed 100-250 people each session. How you can help. Volunteers help cook the main course, prepare coffee, make and pack sandwiches, set tables, serve guests, and clean up afterwards. Warmth and friendliness and a good ear make guests feel comfortable and cared for. 4 When we need you. We operate Sunday, Monday and Wednesday from 6:00 a.m. to 8:30 a.m.. We need volunteers each day. A commitment of once or twice a month is especially helpful. See page 6 for Bag Lunch Program. How to get started. Our longtime Director of Community Ministry, the Rev. Deacon J.D. Clarke, is retiring July 1st. He will continue to serve in a consultative capacity, as this area becomes a volunteer driven endeavor. To get involved, contact Sally Armstrong at 212.677.9242 or sallyarmstrong1@hotmail.com. Food Pantry Our mission. Our pantry serves about 150 extremely poor families (about 600 people) each month. We offer them four days of food, an allotment of canned goods and staples. The families reside in the city, receive some form of public assistance, and include children, the elderly, the disabled, and the HIV-AIDS affected. How you can help. Volunteers help pack and distribute a well-balanced selection of food such as cans of fruit and vegetables, tuna, chicken or beef stew, juice, pasta, rice, peanut butter and jelly, and cereal. Volunteers also assist with the intake process, paperwork, communicating with clients, and assigning them future appointments. When we need you. We need volunteers who can work Tuesday or Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Volunteers who are bilingual -- English and Spanish -- are needed on Tuesday from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., and for one evening a week to assist with telephone calls to Spanish-speaking homes. On Monday evenings, we need volunteers to help stock the pantry shelves with deliveries of donated canned goods and supplies. How to get started. To get involved, contact Sally Armstrong at 212.677.9242 or sallyarmstrong1@hotmail.com. Bag Lunch Program Our mission. To serve a growing number of hard-core homeless in the neighborhood, St. Bart’s offers the Bag Lunch Brunch program each Saturday. Up to 70 guests drop in to pick up a sandwich, snacks, fresh fruit, juice, coffee, and milk. Working with other churches in Manhattan, St. Bart’s also provides a similar bagged lunch for about 50 homeless people once a month in Madison Square Park. How you can help. Prepare the lunches, greet guests when they arrive, serve lunch, and provide good cheer. This volunteer program is especially recommended for families with school-age children. When we need you. We need volunteers from 9:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. on Saturdays. 5 How to get started. To get involved, contact Sally Armstrong at 212.677.9242 or sallyarmstrong1@hotmail.com. St. Bart’s Shelter Our mission. St. Bart’s is part of a network of churches, synagogues, and communitybased organizations that provides a safe haven every night of the year to single adult New Yorkers who do not have a home. Our shelter offers overnight accommodations for up to eight men. The shelter functions in cooperation with the Partnership for the Homeless and the Grand Central Neighborhood Social Services Corporation’s MainChance drop-in center. MainChance screens guests, provides showers, clothing, and social services to help people break out of homelessness. The Partnership for the Homeless pays for the meals that we serve our guests, along with the linen and the transportation to and from the MainChance drop-in center each day. How you can help. Our volunteers supervise the shelter overnight, from 6:30 p.m. to approximately 7:00 a.m. Our pre-screened guests arrive by bus at approximately 7 p.m. . Volunteers prepare and partake of a hot meal with the guests, and see to their basic needs such as linen and blankets. Before “lights out” at 9:30 p.m., guests have time to socialize with each other and volunteers. Guests sleep in a common room, while volunteers sleep in a separate, secure room. Fresh linens are supplied for all. The following morning, volunteers prepare a modest breakfast. A bus arrives at 6:30 a.m. to transport guests back to the MainChance drop-in center. When we need you. Ideally, volunteers commit to one night a month. We work with you to determine which night works best for you each month. We give new volunteers a tour and orientation. On your first night as a shelter volunteer, we pair you with an experienced volunteer who will also spend the night and offer assistance and orientation. While some volunteers serve alone, we encourage volunteers to come in pairs (friends, spouses, and partners). How to get started. To get involved, contact Sally Armstrong at 212.677.9242 or sallyarmstrong1@hotmail.com. 2. Community Ministries Outside St. Bart’s Wherever we have identified a need and the inspiration to fill it, St. Bart’s reaches out to New York City and beyond to engage in a broad range of community ministries. Ecclesia Ministries Our Mission. St. Bart's is a participating parish in Ecclesia Ministries of New York, 6 whose purpose is to form and support communities of faith across the state. These communities reflect the broad spectrum of society, but are largely made up of people who live on the streets without suitable shelter or other resources. Each church service gathers for worship out of doors in public spaces that attract street people and serves as common ground for meeting and social discourse. Ecclesia churches offer the same mutual support, pastoral care, and worship as traditional communities of faith, but with increased emphasis on the needs and issues common to the marginalized of our society. How you can help. Participation in Ecclesia Ministries requires no special skills, although we have room for many talents. These include the ability to show pastoral concern, prepare and serve food, provide administrative assistance, write, create art, or offer music. Volunteers also assist in worship (providing prayers or as lector), or just serve as a listening presence. The one requirement is the desire to share the love of Christ with all those we encounter. When we need you. St. Bart's serves as "hosting congregation" once a month, but Ecclesia Ministries holds worship services every Sunday, and aims to minister through ongoing pastoral care. We need volunteers on an on-going basis, so there is no limit to how much or little you can be involved. How to get started. Rebecca Barnes serves as St. Bart’s Ecclesia Coordinator. Additional information about the program is available at the Ecclesia Ministries website www.ecclesiany.org. We have no prerequisites for participation. However, we provide occasional training to give volunteers an in-depth view of the ministry, and to teach them how to engage more fully in outreach and interaction with the poor and disenfranchised among us. To get involved, contact Sally Armstrong at 212.677.9242 or sallyarmstrong1@hotmail.com. Habitat for Humanity Our mission. Habitat for Humanity aims to transform lives by building and advocating for decent, affordable housing for all people. St. Bart’s Habitat for Humanity Committee works with Habitat in New York City and around the world. Whether swinging a hammer or taking up a pen to write our congressional leaders, we work to uphold the values that make Habitat successful: faith, diversity, collaboration, craftsmanship, and a commitment to people and communities. How you can help. Habitat operates through independent, locally-governed affiliates. We do much of our work in New York City, but also focus on areas of need around the world. Our volunteering opportunities are diverse.  Local building. We send a contingent of 5 to 10 builders to Habitat construction projects in New York City, usually 6 to 12 times per year. We typically work on Saturdays from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. You need no construction experience to participate, just giving hands and a moderate level of physical fitness. Habitat 7 supervisors provide training on-the-job. Tasks include building walls, floors, windows, and ceilings; painting; and tile work.  Mission builds. Once or twice a year, we travel to high-need areas to spend a week building with Habitat and affiliated groups. Our recent trips have been to El Salvador, Mexico, and New Orleans. Volunteers pay the cost of airfare, lodging, and food. We spend our days doing construction, and our evenings enjoying the local culture. Sleeping accommodations and meals are rudimentary. Plans are currently underway for the next trips. Advocacy. Volunteers support Habitat’s local advocacy programs through community organizing, letter-writing campaigns, and one-on-one counseling with people in need on housing and financial concerns. Fundraising. We target our fundraising to benefit Habitat’s local initiatives. Our recent efforts include “Raise the Roof for Habitat” choir festivals and a classical guitar concert, which, together, have raised tens of thousands of dollars. Each fundraiser is directed by a lead volunteer, who directs the work of other volunteers. Tasks include publicity, ticket sales, preparation of programs, and concert ushering. Office Support. Volunteers lend a helping hand at Habitat’s downtown New York office when needs arise.    When we need you. We offer volunteering opportunities frequently, but on an irregular schedule, based on Habitat’s needs. You can volunteer for one day, for a week, or on an ongoing basis. Those interested in volunteering subscribe to our e-mail newsletter, which we use to inform everyone of upcoming opportunities. We fill volunteering slots on a first-come, first-served basis. We provide directions or an escort to all local building sites. How to get started. To get involved, contact Sally Armstrong at 212.677.9242 or sallyarmstrong1@hotmail.com. Building skills are desirable, but are not required. You must be at least 18 to work on a Habitat construction site, or 16 when accompanied by a parent or guardian. Manhattan Together Our mission. Manhattan Together is a borough-wide network of representatives from churches, synagogues, and non-profit organizations that raises awareness about social justice and advocates for reform of practices that impede the evolution of democratic communities. The network, an affiliate of the national Industrial Areas Foundation (IFA), researches issues, analyzes political contexts, considers solutions, and acts on behalf of Manhattan residents to eradicate inequities. Operating from a diverse foundation of community-based leadership, Manhattan Together focuses on issues that are critical to viable participation in urban life:  Preserving and building affordable housing  Advocating for the rights of immigrants  Improving public education. 8 How and when you can help. Volunteers attend community-organizing meetings and participate in research and action teams. St. Bart’s team meets once a month and, periodically, with members of other organizations. These groups concentrate on issues such as:  Drug-dealing in buildings, faulty elevators, pest control, leaky pipes and roofs, rats, roaches and other vermin, and mold.  Unethical practices by landlords and others (e.g., trying to buy poor tenants out, insisting on having poor tenants sign new leases when current ones have not expired, illegally increasing rents when capital improvements have not been made).  Banks that are inattentive to the terms and conditions of a building’s mortgage (e.g. by not requiring building owners to keep buildings in good repair).  Finding experts to review sites for housing development.  Promoting energy-efficient and environmentally-friendly construction.  Helping immigrants to open bank accounts in local branches and to obtain photo IDs so they can gain admission to hospitals, clinics, and other institutions that require proof of identity.  Improving access to high-quality public education. How to get started. Marielys Divanne is the lead organizer for Manhattan Together. Anyone can become involved, come to a meeting, or take a short course in community organizing which is offered several times a year. To get involved, contact Sally Armstrong at 212.677.9242 or sallyarmstrong1@hotmail.com. The L.I.F.E. Center Our mission. The L.I.F.E. Center is a family shelter at 78 Catherine Street in lower Manhattan. It is home to 95 families who reside there for periods ranging from several nights to several years, depending on their circumstances. St. Bart’s volunteers provide a number of outreach programs for the residents which require a great number of helping hands. • • • Christmas Miracles. We sponsor a Christmas gift drive for children living at the center, and a holiday dinner for 400 residents and staff. Apples for L.I.F.E. We raise money for school supplies for children living at the center, and sponsor a party shortly before the start of the school year, during which we give each child a backpack filled with the supplies. L.I.F.E. Library. In September 2008, we dedicated a library at the center after a successful fundraising effort. The library houses over 4,500 books and periodicals for children and adults. How you can help and when we need you. We need volunteers for all of the above programs. Details below. 9 • Christmas Miracles. We need volunteers during November and December for the following jobs: o Santa Letter Coordinators spend time at the shelter to assist the children in writing their wish lists for Santa during the second week in November. o Gift Captains display the letters to Santa at St. Bart’s Church to encourage parishioners to make donations. o Gift Wrappers spend a day wrapping the gifts on the second Sunday in December. o Christmas Dinner volunteers come to the shelter on a night in midDecember to decorate the dining hall, serve dinner to residents and staff, and assist with distributing the gifts to the children. Apples for L.I.F.E. We need volunteers during the summer to organize fundraising for the school supply drive. We collect supplies on consecutive Sundays in July and August. L.I.F.E Library. We need volunteers to staff the library. Assignment times are flexible. Other possibilities. Some residents need career assistance. Volunteers can help them develop resumes, coach them on interviewing, and provide tips on dressing for success. We also need volunteers to organize motivational workshops, which require specific skills. Assignment times are flexible.    How to get started. Judy Hall is St. Bart’s parish liaison for the L.I.F.E. Center. To ensure the safety of children at the center, volunteers may be required to provide I.D and be fingerprinted. To get involved, contact Sally Armstrong at 212.677.9242 or sallyarmstrong1@hotmail.com. The Carpenter’s Kids Our mission. The Carpenter’s Kids Program is a partnership between the Episcopal Diocese of New York and the Diocese of Central Tanganyika, Tanzania, created to support the educational and nutritional needs of HIV/AIDS orphans in Tanzania. The program’s goal is to educate 10,000 children by 2010. St. Bart’s is linked to the village of Mvumi Makulu and supports 100 children annually through donations from parishioners. The cost per child per year is just $50, which provides a school uniform, shoes, school supplies, and breakfast every school morning. How and when you can help.  Go on a pilgrimage to Tanzania. Each year in July and August, the Carpenter’s Kids staff organizes a 2-week pilgrimage to Tanzania for members of the New York Episcopal Diocese. During the pilgrimage you will see first hand how the program operates at the local level. You will visit villages, schools, a seminary and the Dodoma Cathedral. Pilgrims are responsible for paying all their own expenses 10 for the trip. Once you go on a pilgrimage you will be designated as a “Carpenter’s Kids Ambassador” and will be asked to help promote the program with other churches in the diocese.  Fund Raising. We need ongoing fund raising expertise to creatively raise money each year, so St. Bart’s can fulfill its commitment to the 100 children in Mvumi Makulu. How to get started: The Rev. Lynn Sanders is the clergy liaison, and Judy Hall serves as the parish coordinator. For further information about the scope of this program,go to the Carpenter’s Kids website: www.carpenterskids.net. To get involved, contact Sally Armstrong at 212.677.9242 or sallyarmstrong1@hotmail.com. Voice Charter School Our mission. St. Bart’s volunteers and staff have spearheaded efforts to found a choral music-focused charter school since 2005. Those dreams were fulfilled in September 2008 with the opening of the Voice Charter School in Long Island City. The school now has two kindergarten and two first grade classes with 92 students. They learn all the basics plus choral music every day of the week. The school will add a grade each year until it reaches eighth grade. It is an exceptional learning place for children from all walks of life. When we need you. Volunteers from St. Bart's were heavily involved in the early planning for the school. Now that it is up and running, new volunteering opportunities are taking shape, but have not yet been finalized. They may include help at class parties and other student events. How to get started. The principal of the school, Franklin Headley, welcomes the continued support of the St. Bart’s community. The school is located at 37-15 13th Street, Long Island City, New York 11101. To get involved, contact Sally Armstrong at 212.677.9242 or sallyarmstrong1@hotmail.com. 11 Missions Inside St. Bart’s 1. Hospitality St. Bart’s hospitality missions focus on bringing members and non-members of the church together in worship, in fun, and in service to others. You see members of this mission as you enter church on Sunday, as you arrive for one of our many great professional concerts, and as you walk by on a summer afternoon, and see the brimming flower garden in front of the terrace that greet strollers on Park Avenue. Worship Greeters Our mission. To welcome unconditionally all who enter St. Bart's. We are called to follow the Rule of St. Benedict, which appears on our front steps: to welcome all who enter as Christ. How you can help. St. Bart’s greeters, also known as ushers, serve in several ways. Before worship services, we greet all who enter our doors, giving them the orders of service, answering any questions they have, and assisting them in finding seats. During the service, we take the collection from congregants. During communion, we assist in directing people to communion stations. After the service, we welcome people at our coffee hour. When we need you. Greeters serve at the 9:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. services on Sunday. In general, greeters take on one or two assignments each month, depending on their availability and desire. Assignments are made on a monthly rota, which are circulated by email, and posted on the St. Bart's website. How to get started. Greeters complete a brief training and informative session prior to their first assignment. There are no prerequisites, other than a commitment to maintaining a radically welcoming outlook. You are eligible to be a greeter the day you walk in the church for the first time. Christian Burke coordinates this bustling ministry opportunity. To get involved, contact Sally Armstrong at 212.677.9242 or sallyarmstrong1@hotmail.com. Welcome Committee Our mission. The mission of the Welcome Committee is to extend St. Bart’s radical welcome to all newcomers, visitors, and seekers that venture into St. Bartholomew’s Church. We aim to be open and accepting, willing to meet newcomers wherever they happen to be in their spiritual journeys. We are inspired by the people of the St. Bart’s community, their concern for each other, and the needs of our city and the world. We have all been blessed by the strong personal connections afforded by our involvement in the life 12 of the church, and are eager to share that sense of connectedness with those new to the community. How you can help. We work in a number of ways to make new members to St. Bart’s feel welcome. We complement the work of the Sunday worship greeters, answering questions and offering information to anyone seeking it. A friendly and engaging bunch, we’re able to tackle almost any question, or find someone who can. Once each quarter, we host receptions for new members on New Member Welcome Sundays. We also welcome new members to join us as volunteers. Through these activities, we believe our newest members have the opportunity to get know a small group of committed parishioners early in their time with the church from whom they can learn about the many activities of the church and forge a closer connection with the larger St. Bart’s community. The group also gets together for social events, such as pot luck dinners, several times each year, just for fun. When we need you. The welcoming duties and activities are ongoing every Sunday, before and after the 11:00 a.m. service. With additional volunteers, we could extend our reach to the 9:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. services. Volunteers generally commit to help out once a month at a time convenient to them. In addition, we are often asked by other St. Bart’s groups to assist them with activities such as serving lemonade during the “NYC Summer Streets” pedestrian fair, and attending New Member Workshops to serve as hosts and greeters. How to get started. Michael Horton and Christine Van Bree share the responsibility for overseeing this ministry.. There are no prerequisites to serve -- only a ready smile, an open heart, and the desire to extend St. Bart’s radical welcome to all. (If need be, we’ll give you a short lesson in how to operate the antique name-button-making machine!) To get involved, contact Sally Armstrong at 212.677.9242 or sallyarmstrong1@hotmail.com. Great Music Series ushers Our mission. The Great Music Series of St. Bartholomew's Church offers outstanding public concerts of choral, organ and chamber music in the church and chapel. Richness and diversity are the hallmarks of this outstanding concert series that attracts world-class artists and audiences from around the globe. How you can help. Ushers welcome concertgoers, distribute concert programs, direct people to their seats, and answer questions regarding anything from concert duration to location of restrooms. At times, ushers also assist in box office tasks such as selling tickets and distributing reserved tickets. In return for this service, ushers attend Great Music events free of charge. When we need you. Great Music concerts take place from October through May. For a schedule go to http://www.stbarts.org/greatmusic.asp Ushers arrive approximately 45 minutes prior to the scheduled concert time to be instructed by the House Manager. 13 How to get started. To get involved, contact Sally Armstrong at 212.677.9242 or sallyarmstrong1@hotmail.com. Christmas Cleaning and Greening Our mission. In preparation for the celebration of Jesus’ birth, we spend a Sunday in December renewing the physical space of St. Bart’s Church by scrubbing away the dust and dirt of a year’s wear and tear. And we hang the greens, ornaments and decorations of the season that bring joy to our parishioners and visitors each Christmas Day. How you can help. The works runs from 8 a.m. to just before the 11 a.m. service on a Sunday a few weeks before each Christmas. You’ll be washing, sweeping, wiping and mopping the church and chapel, or you’ll be hanging wreaths, garland, Christmas tree ornaments, setting up Christmas plants and greenery on and around the altar or bagging gifts for visiting children . When we need you. One Sunday morning in Advent. How to get started. Watch for announcements in the St. Bart’s bulletin of Cleaning and Greening Day each December, then contact Sally Armstrong at 212.677.9242 or sallyarmstrong1@hotmail.com. St. Bart’s Garden Committee Our mission. The mission of St. Bart's Garden Committee is to create an island of beauty on this precious piece of land, one that will nourish those who tend the gardens and those thousands who only pass by, while saying to everyone that St. Bartholomew's is a community that cares for its heritage and graciously welcomes everyone through its portals. How you can help. We tend the two gardens in front of the Great Terrace at St. Bart's, planning, planting, trimming, and weeding. In the process, we enjoy each other’s company and take pardonable pride in the results of our efforts. When we need you. We work two hours every other Saturday during gardening season. We can use every level of gardening ability, and are happy to teach the inexperienced. We understand that not everyone can attend every session, but ask you to contribute what you can. How to get started. Steve Hughes chairs the Garden Committee. To get involved, contact Sally Armstrong at 212.677.9242 or sallyarmstrong1@hotmail.com. 14 2. Music Throughout its 170-year history, music has held a place of high esteem in the life of St. Bartholomew's Church. Underscoring that commitment, the parish has brought some of the greatest names in American church music, including Leopold Stokowski, David McK. Williams and Harold Friedell to serve as Directors of Music. Today, our musical life is rich and varied. Sacred music at St. Bart's reflects the diversity of our worship styles, but is firmly rooted in the Anglican choral tradition, with emphasis placed on excellence. A choral program for musicians of all ages and abilities, regardless of religious affiliation, is the focus of our music ministry. St. Bart’s Singers Our mission. St. Bart’s Singers is a volunteer ensemble of choral singers whose main role is to sing for the 9 a.m. service each Sunday. Our repertoire reflects the diverse nature of that service and includes traditional anthems, spirituals, folk songs and contemporary hymn arrangements. How you can help. In addition to singing each Sunday, the Singers perform at the annual Advent Lessons and Carols Service. And, they sing periodically throughout the year with St. Bartholomew’s Choir, our professional ensemble, at the 11 a.m. service and other services. When we need you. Each Sunday at the 9 a.m. worship service. Rehearsals are held each Thursday evening from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. How to get started. Volunteers should contact Bill Trafka, Director of Music, at trafka@stbarts.org, or 212-378-0226. For those who want to improve their music reading abilities, we offer music theory classes before each Thursday rehearsal at 6 p.m. St. Bartholomew’s Boy and Girl Choristers Our mission. The Choristers are St. Bart’s youth choir, whose aim is to give children in grades 3 to 12 an active education and awareness of music, art, language, and history. The program offers free professional music training, with a strong emphasis on teaching members to read music. How you can help. The Choristers sing at the Sunday 11 a.m. service and perform at many special events at St. Bart’s and beyond, including concerts, trips, recording projects, and an annual late-summer choir camp. They perform a wide-ranging repertoire, from chant to contemporary. At social events such as the choir camp, BBQs, talent shows, and pizza lunches, they form new and lasting friendships with other children from a variety of backgrounds, from across New York City and beyond. 15 When we need you. Choristers commit to a weekly rehearsal, and singing on Sunday, along with other concerts and events, as required by their schedule. How to get started. Contact Bill Trafka, Director of Music, at trafka@stbarts.org, or 212378-0226; or Paolo Bordignon, Associate Director of Music and Director of the Choristers, at bordignon@stbarts.org, or 212-378-0220. 3. Lay Ministries Our mission. Lay ministers serve vital and diverse support roles during Sunday worship services and throughout the week. How you can help. Acolytes carry cross and candles in procession and serve as altar assistants during communion. Members of the Altar Guild prepare for the celebration of the Holy Eucharist by cleaning and setting out the patens and chalices on Sunday, each day of the week, and for special services such as weddings and funerals. Daily office lay officiants lead morning and evening prayer on weekdays in the chapel. When we need you. Sunday, and throughout the week. How to get started. Training is a pre-requisite to serving in any of these capacities. Lay officiants should have a basic familiarity with the sacred scriptures, and an understanding of how to use the lectionary. The clergy liason is The Reverend Buddy Stallings. To get involved, contact Sally Armstrong at 212.677.9242 or sallyarmstrong1@hotmail.com. 4. Administrative Support St. Bart’s functions on a day-to-day basis, thanks to the generous commitment of its clergy and lay staff, supplemented by volunteers serving in administrative positions and offering specialized skills. St. Bart’s Communications Office Our mission. To share the work and mission of St. Bart's by taking full advantage of 21st Century digital age tools. We do this by:    Communicating one-to-many via e-mail and the Web, or one-to-one via individual emails. Using creative strategies and common sense to ensure the efficacy and timeliness of our messages in an information-laden world. Striving for top-level visual excellence in both Web and print design and coordination of the two. Sharing the love, openness, integrity, and excitement that is St. Bart's. How you can help. We have two main needs: design and research. 16  Design volunteers will assist with the creation of St. Bart’s eNews, online advertising, and the St. Bart’s Web site. They will also assist with print design, including pamphlets, postcards, large signs, posters and mailings. Research volunteers will do Web research for marketing and public relations purposes. They will update and maintain St. Bart’s press release information, assist in sending out press releases, and archive St. Bart’s historic materials, e.g., scanning photos into our database.  When we need you. We seek design volunteers who can commit to 8 hours once or twice a week for at least 3 months, either in our office or at home. We seek research volunteers who can commit to 5 hours once a week for at least 3 months, either in our office or at home. While the commitment is significant, the work is a great way to build your resume while working in a fun environment, and honing your skills by working with a top design communications department. How to get started. Pre-requisites: design volunteers should have a design portfolio, and be well be versed in InDesign or PhotoShop software. Research volunteers should be computer savvy, with knowledge of Microsoft Word, Excel, and the internet. The Director of Communications, Roz Dimon, will meet with each person interested in volunteering. The expectation is that each volunteer will consider making at least a 3 month commitment. To get involved, contact Sally Armstrong at 212.677.9242 or sallyarmstrong1@hotmail.com. St. Bart’s Development and Stewardship Office Our mission. The Development Office is St. Bart's primary fund raising arm, a critical role in a church that garners the majority of its operating income from annual pledging by parishioners. In addition to those important stewardship responsibilities, the Development Office also seeks grants and other contributions from foundations, corporations and government agencies. These support an array of activities spanning community ministry, children and youth ministries, music programs and restoration of St. Bart's landmark site. How you can help. The Development Office needs volunteers to assist on a variety of different projects, including internal office filing and organizing, writing thank-you letters to donors, researching and writing grant applications and other kinds of fund-raising proposals, and assisting with all forms of donor cultivation. When we need you. The Office needs volunteers for projects on a one-time basis or on a set schedule. You can determine the scope of your work, in consultation with the Office. How to get started. Ashley Slane is the Director of the Annual Fund. Grant writers should be experienced and have an interest in and understanding of the St. Bart's program(s) for which they are seeking support. Familiarity with Raiser's Edge, the Development Office 17 software, is also a plus. To get involved, contact Sally Armstrong at 212.677.9242 or sallyarmstrong1@hotmail.com. St. Bart’s Central Our mission. St. Bart’s Central is the church’s information desk and box office, serving parishioners and visitors alike. We meet and greet church visitors, answer inquiries, enroll participants for events and classes, sell tickets to Great Music concerts and St. Bart’s Players’ shows. In short, volunteers at St. Bart’s Central are a first point of contact for the radical welcome St. Bart’s strives to offer to all who enter, call, or e-mail the church. How you can help. Greeting and welcoming visitors. Answering phone calls and responding to e-mails and inquiries. Signing participants up for various activities and events. Providing information for upcoming events, filling concert/theater ticket orders, processing payments, fielding information requests. Maintaining the lost & found drawers. Keeping brochures and literature current at all points of entry. When we need you. St. Bart’s Central is a 365-day-a-year operation, and we have various shifts available. We prefer volunteers who can commit to a specific day and time on a weekly basis, but we sometimes have projects for volunteers who are available on an occasional basis. How to get started. Veronica Shea is the Director of St. Bart Central. Computer skills are required, as is a pleasant phone manner, and a welcoming attitude. There is a learning curve, but everyone can start out answering phones and greeting visitors. We will always pair new volunteers with an experienced worker to learn. We are never bored at SBC! To get involved, contact Sally Armstrong at 212.677.9242 or sallyarmstrong1@hotmail.com. St. Bartholomew's Book and Gift Shop Our mission. The mission of the Book and Gift Shop (which we hope to reopen soon) is to extend St. Bart’s welcome and hospitality to parishioners and visitors in the form of a unique shopping opportunity. How you can help. Volunteers will welcome customers to the bookstore, answer questions, ring up orders, restock displays, dust and tidy the shelves, and do inventory control. There also some management responsibilities. When we need you. The shop will operate 7 days a week, from 9 am to 6 pm, and for special events. Volunteers may work shifts of varying length, once or several times a month, depending on their availability. However, once scheduled, volunteers must be reliable and are responsible for covering their shift. How to get started. Though the bookstore is currently closed, we are quite interested in its reemergence. Volunteers should have some computer experience, be a welcoming 18 personality, and have a can-do attitude. To get involved, contact Sally Armstrong at 212.677.9242 or sallyarmstrong1@hotmail.com. 5. Children, Youth and Family Ministries • • • • • • • • Typing, filing, special projects (occasionally) Videography (events) Monitoring web site currency Woodworking (for Godly Play classroom) Grant-writing for outreach and program expansion Organizing Summer Artists-in-Residence Program (annually in April/May) Childcare for occasional events Assist with occasional Saturday events Mission. To provide enjoyable, progressive, and substantive religious education programs for children (age 4-18) and their families. How can you help. Volunteers will offer their skills at videographing, woodworking, and grant writing. Organizational skills with regard to setting up a roster of summer artists, occasional child care (weeknights) or administrative help. When we need you. On an as-needed basis, in close contact with Kathy Bozzutti-Jones 212.378.0273. How to get started. Volunteers receive some instructions and are expected to be selfdirected. The current workload is carried by a very few volunteers, but enthusiastic volunteers who are willing to do either administrative or specialized tasks are greatly needed and welcomed. To get involved, contact Sally Armstrong at 212.677.9242 or sallyarmstrong1@hotmail.com. 19