Guidelines Hospitality Ministry

GUIDELINES FOR HOSPITALITY MINISTERS (GREETERS)

As you continue to serve the Lord as Hospitality Ministers what are the highlights of being a good Hospitality Minister? Participate joyfully in the singing and prayers. God has created us to be holy. Cheerfulness is a big part of being holy. Your hospitality ministry is a role of service and assumes regular Mass attendance and positive attitude in the parish. Your lifestyle should not give scandal to your ministerial role.

GENERAL GUIDELINES

  1. Be EARLY; please be present at least 30 minutes before mass.
  2. Be PRESENTABLE; this does not mean suit for the men and formals for the women. Also, it does not mean ragged blue jeans, cut-offs and tank tops. Please use good judgment in your appearance when serving as a Liturgical Minister. In short dress appropriately.
  3. Be RESPONSIBLE; when you are assigned. Check the schedule weekly. If you know you will be gone, please find a substitute minister for your duties.
  4. Be OBSERVANT; Please pay attention to see if the assigned ministers are carrying out their “before mass” duties. If they are not, please come forward to see that things are done and to fill in if necessary.

BEFORE MASS

  1. Make sure the lights and microphones are turned on.
  2. Always remember that yours is the first impression members and visitors have of our church community! It is you who could make the difference between someone returning to our Church or not.
  3. We have visitors and parishioners who come early, and it is important they be greeted warmly and with a smile. We also need some quiet prayer time before entering into our ministry.
  4. There are spouses of our Catholics who are not yet baptized. Kindly treat them with extreme care and concern. They can make decisions to join the church or against the church depending on how we deal with them.

DURING MASS

  1. Kindly invite a family to present the gifts following the collection. Kindly ask them in advance. Please ask visitors if they would like to take up the gifts. In any case, do not ask the same people repeatedly. Everyone deserves the opportunity to make the presentation of gifts.
  2. When we begin the prayer for vocations, the scheduled Hospitality Ministers take the baskets forward, up the center aisle, bow and begin distributing the baskets to the front pews.
  3. When all the baskets are collected, the Hospitality Ministers place the offering in one basket (by the gifts table) and give it to the people invited to take up the gifts (bread, wine, water and offering basket).
  4. When there is a “Second Collection” it will be taken immediately after the “Regular Collection” during the preparation of gifts.
  5. A collection is to be taken on every Holy Day of obligation.

AFTER MASS

  1. Pass out the bulletins and other items as designated.
  2. The Hospitality Ministers are responsible for “tidying-up” in the pews. Pick up bulletins, etc., that has been left in the pews and straightens the song books.
  3. Turn the collection baskets to their proper places.
  4. Turn off all the lights, check the thermostat, microphones and check all doors to make sure that they are closed, secured and locked.
  5. If you are not able to fill your position, please contact a substitute.
  6. Thank you for serving the FAMILIES IN FAITH PARISH. May your ministry as Hospitality Ministers bring our members back to church, make our parish pray better, become holier, and grow closer to God and neighbor.

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