Haiti Ministry
The SJV Social Justice/Haiti Ministry is a group of parishioners dedicated to helping the poor and underserved in other countries. St. John Vianney has united with the parishes of Sacred Heart of Atlanta and Our Lady of the River (Iowa) to help heal the community of Gran Bois, in rural Haiti. Through the generous contributions and the dedication of all our parishes, we have been able to make great strides in advancing the medical and spiritual health of this community. Our current efforts involve medical and non-medical mission trips and donations. The most recent trip involved establishing a method to install cement floors in homes of villagers to prevent disease. These floors can then be built by the people in the community.
For more information on how you can be a part of the planning, implementing or taking a mission trip, contact Bill or Jane Johnson at 281-2594.
Workcamp
Responding to the Gospel call to service, Workcamp is designed to mingle service with the values of Christian discipleship. In a week of moderate home repair and social outreach, high school age youth grow in faith and leadership skills. This week is preceded with almost a year of preparation. Fundraising is a central part of this preparation, so various fundraising activities are scheduled through out the year. Contact Ken Sokolowski at 724-3133 with all questions .
Opportunities for service and mission trip activities are also available for middle school agers and young adults. Contact Ken Sokolowski at 724-3133, or by email at: ksokolowski@stjohnvianney.net
Assistance and Fellowship Ministry
This volunteer group assists parishioners in a variety of ways. Transportation: To Mass, church functions, stores, medical facilities. Help: With small home repairs, yard work, cleaning and painting. Fellowship: Building friendships within our Parish community through after-Mass coffees, visits to new and returning parishioners and a variety of outreach programs designed to make all feel welcome in our Parish family.
Contact Joanne Scott at 534-1660.
Greeting Card Ministry
These volunteers reach out to the bereaved for the first year or two following their loss by sending cards and notes periodically.
Contact Mary Witucki, 724-3128, or by email at: mwitucki@stjohnvianney.net for more information.
Phone-A-Friend
Keep in touch with the homebound (as assigned) through a phone call each week or two. They’ll know someone cares and we’ll know when they need something more. This is a ministry a homebound person can do, too.
Contact Mary Witucki at 724-3128, or by email at: mwitucki@stjohnvianney.net
Nursing Home, Homebound and Hospital Visitation
Friendly, caring and sensitive people are needed to visit parishioners who are hospitalized, in nursing homes or are homebound.
Contact Mary Witucki, 724-3128,, or by email at: mwitucki@stjohnvianney.net for more information.
Sunshine Guild Funeral Luncheons
This group provides luncheons to parishioners after the funeral of a family member. Volunteers set up and clean up the Village Hall, prepare the food for the lunch and are free to work as their time permits. Also needed are people to bring donations of salads and desserts for the luncheon.
Contact coordinators are Shirley Wolf 583-9071 and Sandy Sturm, 532-2671.
God’s Kitchen Too
This is a new program offered at St. John Vianney through God’s Kitchen/ Catholic Charities West Michigan. A meal is served at 6 pm in the Village Hall every Tuesday to people in need in our community. Volunteers are put on teams and take turns working every three months setting up, serving, eating with our guests, and cleaning up after the meal. Other volunteers donate baked goods for dessert.
To volunteer to work or to bake, contact Sandy Maxim at 724-3129 or by email at: smaxim@stjohnvianney.net
Masses of Anointing
These take place in the spring and fall. A luncheon is also served in the Village Hall if the Mass is in the morning. There is a need for volunteers to help with driving the elderly to church and helping them get to the Village Hall, as well as preparing, serving and cleaning up the luncheon.
Contact Mary Witucki, 724-3128, or by email at: mwitucki@stjohnvianney.net to volunteer for helping at Mass or Sandy Maxim, 724-312, or by email at: smaxim@stjohnvianney.net for the luncheon.
Meal Makers
Volunteers are needed to make life a little easier for parishioners experiencing a family illness or death by making and delivering meals to the family.
For more information, contact Pam Heitz, 532-4205.
God’s Pantry
Throughout the year, non-perishable groceries are collected in the Gathering Area for donation to our ACCESS pantry, United Church Outreach Ministry (UCOM). At Thanksgiving and Christmas they are used to put together holiday food baskets. Volunteers are needed to deliver groceries to the pantry and to pack holiday baskets.
For more information, contact Sandy Maxim, 724-3129, or by email at: smaxim@stjohnvianney.net.
Holiday Basket Delivery
Food baskets are delivered at Thanksgiving and Christmas to those in need in our community. Contact Sandy Maxim, 724-3129, or by email at: smaxim@stjohnvianney.net, for more information.
Advent Giving Tree
This is our Christmas project of sharing with less fortunate families and community agencies. Volunteers are needed to organize and implement the project. Gifts are delivered along with the food baskets.
Coordinator is Sandy Maxim, 724-3129, or by email at: smaxim@stjohnvianney.net.
The Christmas Store
St. John Vianney joins with other Wyoming Churches to donate toys to be used at a Christmas Store for low income families who can then shop for gifts for their children at 25% of the retail value. Families appreciate this opportunity as it offers them the dignity of purchasing the gifts their children want. A toy drive is held in the summer and as part of the Advent Giving Tree. Volunteers are needed to help the day of the store.
Contact Sandy Maxim to get more information at 724-3129, or by email at: smaxim@stjohnvianney.net.
Blood Drive
Annual blood drives are co-sponsored every two months with Gethsemane Lutheran and Faith Reformed Churches. SJV holds their drives in February and August. Phone callers, workers and bakers are needed.
Contact Sandy Maxim, 724-3129, or by email at: smaxim@stjohnvianney.net, for more information.
Leaf Raking Project
In the fall, families and individuals are invited to help our elderly and homebound parishioners who are not able to rake their leaves.
Coordinator is Sandy Maxim, 724-3129, or by email at: smaxim@stjohnvianney.net.
Christmas in June
This project is usually a collection of toys for the Christmas Store in June and school supplies for area schools and foster children and low income families from Catholic Charities of West Michigan. Volunteers are needed to plan and implement the project, and sort and deliver the items.
Call Sandy Maxim, 724-3129, or by email at: smaxim@stjohnvianney.net, if you would like to volunteer.