Our Goals of Christian Service:
Encourge all parishioners to strive for peace, justice and equality.
The Christian Service Commission makes decisions in their respective area of parish life and relates to the Pastoral Council and Pastor. With that being said, Father Donald Demmer (pictured on the right) and his incredible staff would like to welcome you to the churches of Saint Alan & Saint Columban.
From the outside looking in, prayer can be a real puzzler to people who have not made faith a part of their life. The whole notion of a “running conversation with the invisible” flies in the face of reason, and can expose its practitioners to skepticism and even ridicule. As much as we might aspire to a faith that moves mountains, it can require even more faith to look a skeptic in the eye and, from a place of loving concern, utter those sometimes terrifying words “can I pray for you?” It takes perhaps even more faith to speak a prayer for that person who would no more willingly choose a God-centered life than they would pick plastic instead of paper at the grocery checkout. It is in those moments of personal risk that we grow in our faith, we begin to recognize prayer as a tool God uses to shape us, and we learn that the most important prayers are often those that we lift up for another.
Catholic youth programs are an important part of a parish's ministry. Finding money to make these programs a reality is often an uphill battle. Purchasing recreational equipment, snacks, and supplies for weekly meetings will quickly devour a modest budget. You may find funds for running a weekend retreat, bringing in a nationally known guest speaker, or starting an outreach program for teens at risk for drug or alcohol abuse. Now, more than ever, our youths need guidance and support. Here are some insightful links to check out!
Do you have a particular talent or interest that you want to put to use on behalf of the Catholic Community? Designing program booklets? Maintaining or contributing to a web site? Helping to organize a discussion series? Liturgy itself is an expression of the faith of the community members. Opportunities abound in folk music, traditional music, dance, art, reading and assisting in the distribution of communion. Whatever your talent, let Father Donald Demmer know. We rely on you and encourage your involvement. Some possibilities: Help elderly people, voulteer your services to youth orginizations, Donate your time and ability to a needy charity. There are endless way to get in volved in your community.
All women of the parish are members of the Council of Catholic Women, and are welcomed at all of our events, meetings and projects! We try to offer spritial enrichment programs for the women of the parish, and educational programs in the areas of Vocations, Family Concerns and Reverence for Life, Community and Environmental Concerns, International Concerns, and Legislation Concerns. We also have occasional strictly social events, through any time we get together it is a social event. Do join us; you can be sure of a warm welcome, and one or more programs suited to your particular interests!