Pastoral Services
Get Involved in our Wonderful Ministries!
Pastoral Associate: Deacon David Nemetz | 804.527.1037 x119 | dnemetz@saint-mikes.org
Coordinator of Pastoral Services: Taylor Horvath | 804.527.1037 x120 | thorvath@saint-mikes.org
Human Concerns Ministries
Appalachian Twinning Ministry (ATM)
St. Michael parish is blessed to stand with our brothers and sisters at Holy Family parish, helping them to be a Catholic presence, through outreach activities in their community.
Potential Eagle Scout and Golden Award Projects
Contact: Paul & Kathy Smith – pamaja13@gmail.com
Blood Drive
The Blood Drive Ministry hosts quarterly drives, conducted by the American Red Cross, to help supply whole blood and blood product needs for regional hospitals. Each pint of blood or concentrated blood products donated can save three lives. Several volunteers are needed to support the drive, by soliciting sign-ups, greeting donors, and other miscellaneous tasks; however, the greatest need is for blood donors to participate in the drives.
Contact: Eric May - eric4816@gmail.com
Boys to Men
Boys to Men Mentoring (BTM)
BTM is a group mentoring program which offers young boys/men (ages 12-17) a safe place, where they can talk about what is really going on in their lives, as well as a community of mentors and peers who listen, believe in them and help them make better choices. Weekly meetings are held in the Lake House, during the school year.
Contact: Bill Carroll - s.william.caroll@gmail.com
Food Drive
The Food Drive is a good project for families and teens. The food drives are typically held on the second Saturday of every month, excluding Easter.
Wonderful family and teen opportunities!
Contact: Kevin Kitrick - kkitrick@live.com
Foster Care & Adoption Ministry
The foster/adopt ministry is designed to wrap around the foster and adoptive families in our parish, providing them with material support, prayer, and love. As a parish family, we will not only support these families, but also provide education about foster care and adoption and encourage families to consider foster and adoption themselves.
Contact – Katherine Sheffield – kdepangher@gmail.com
St. Vincent DePaul Society
The Society of St Vincent DePaul works directly with those most in need, by providing financial, emotional, and spiritual support. We help our friends in need make connections, which address what is causing their struggles. Our primary mission is the spiritual growth of our members, through service to those in need. All Vincentians are trained and grow in their faith through prayerful interaction, with those they serve and fellow Vincentians, at the twice monthly meetings.
Contact: Katrina Phillips - info@svdp-rva.org
Haiti Twinning Ministry
This year marks the 15th year we have been engaged with our brothers and sisters of St. Jean Baptiste parish, in Dos Palais, Haiti. Founded on the principals of Respect, Relationship, and Responsibility, the opportunities to serve are as abundant during the year, as the blessings you will receive. If you want to make a difference, the journey begins with you.
All ages are welcome!
Contact: Brian Pitts - bkpitts01@gmail.com
Contact: Gary Sargent - gary@sargentstock.com
Richmond Friends of the Homeless
The Ministry provides and serves lunch to approximately 120 homeless people at Mt. Moriah Baptist Church the fifth Friday of the month.
Contact: Taylor Horvath – thorvath@saint-mikes.org
St. Elizabeth Parish
St. Michael Parish is continually blessed by the gifts of the people at St. Elizabeth, our sister parish. In our relationship, we confer with St. Elizabeth to help them in reaching out to the community around them. There are numerous ways to become involved: helping with events, such as the annual Jazz Festival, Vacation Bible School, and the holiday gift program.
Contact: Karen Yesolitis - kpy225@aol.com
Giving Tree Ministry
Each year parishioners support a ministry from our giving tree. This support helps in many wonderful ways all throughout the year.
Contact: Taylor Horvath – thorvath@saint-mikes.org
Coal Pit Learning Center
Coal Pit Learning Center ministers provide lunches once a week, during the school year and twice a week during the summer to approximately 30 preschool children. They also provide Christmas gifts to the children, donations of needed school materials, and help with the yearly Christmas and graduation parties
Contact: Liz Vantre - lizandscottvantre@hotmail.com
Virginia Home for Boys & Girls
Virginia Home for Boys and Girls (VHBG) is a non-profit organization, providing transitional living services, specialized education, and therapeutic resources to youth with emotional and behavioral health concerns. At VHBG, their mission is fulfilled, by facilitating the healing process, using a relationship-based, cognitive-behavioral approach. The trauma-informed care youth receive in their group homes, independent living apartments, specialized K-12 school, and therapeutic resource center, restores hope to them and their families, who then find the courage to thrive.
Contact: Karen Rice – krice@vhbg.org
Parish Life Ministries
Coffee & Donuts
The Food & Fellowship ministers serve donuts, coffee, cheese and crackers, and various dessert items after the weekend Masses. These gatherings provide opportunities for fellowship and fun.
Contact: Judy & Ben Thomason – benthomason3@gmail.com
Contact: Tricia & Jim Jones – jntinva@gmail.com
Knights of Columbus
Knights of Columbus are Catholic men committed to the exemplification of charity, unity, fraternity, patriotism, and defense of the priesthood. The Order is consecrated to the Blessed Virgin Mary and is unequivocal in its loyalty to the Pope, the Vicar of Christ on earth. It is firmly committed to the protection of human life, from conception to natural death and to the preservation and defense of the family. Brother Knights work to fulfill the central mission of the Order: striving in charitable works; serving the Church and unified in following Her teachings; supporting brother Knights in their temporal and spiritual needs; acting for the good of their country; and giving aid to widows, orphans, the sick, and the poor.
Contact: Mike Martin – dbroncos07@verizon.net
Newcomers Ministry
The Newcomers Ministry welcomes new parishioners, provides information about the various ministries and the history of the parish, and answers questions at the orientation meetings, typically held the first Tuesday and fourth Sunday of every month.
Contact: Rosemary McCracken - rosemarymc@verizon.net
Parish Community Life & Parish Events Ministry
Members of this group will be engaged in the planning, organizing, setup, running, and cleanup of special parish events. Examples have included: Fr. John Babb's First Mass, Lake House dedication, Parish Outdoor Movie, and the Annual Feast of St. Michael Parish Picnic.
Contact: Ed Rossmoore – events@saint-mikes.org
Scrapbooking/Crafting Group
The Scrapbooking/Crafting group meets the fourth Friday of the month, with the exception of Nov. & Dec. They gather to share a love of hand-made items, including scrapbooks, hand-made cards, knitting, etc. All types and levels of crafters are welcome to come and engage in fellowship and creativity with our group.
Contact: Andrea Rawluk - andrea.rawluk@ensemblehp.com
Quilting Group
The Quilting Group meets the second and fourth Monday evenings of the month. They gather to share creativity and fellowship and the nuances of quilting (knitting, cross-stitch, sewing, etc.). The group has quilters/sewers of all levels of talent and will generously share their knowledge and experience.
All are welcome to sit and stitch!
Contact: Linda Lyell – llyell@comcast.net
Golden Angels
The Golden Angels is a social group over 55, who meet informally. They meet after Daily Mass once a week, and they enjoy coming together for numerous activities. Please come see what they are doing next.
Contact: Rose Marsh – rosemarsh@comcast.net
Pastoral Care Ministries
Bereavement Support Ministry
Many of our lives have been touched by the loss of a loved one. Bereavement groups are helpful to those who have experienced such a loss, as they explore their feelings of grief and mourning. The Bereavement Support Ministry sessions help those in our community to learn ways to manage their grief.
Contact: Pat Baskind – pabaskind@gmail.com
Funeral Meals Ministry
The Funeral Meals Ministry provides receptions for bereaved families and their guests, immediately following funeral services conducted at St. Michael. Each reception is a personalized celebration of the life of the person who died.
Contact: Rose DeRango - rderango8@hotmail.com
Columbarium Ministry
The Columbarium is a witness to our faith in the resurrection and life everlasting. It is a resting place for the cremated remains of those in life, who loved the Church. It reminds us of ways in which the church ministers to the spiritual needs of its members, from baptism through death into eternal life. It is considered an extension of the parish, and like the parish, is solemnly blessed or consecrated by the Bishop or his delegate. The Columbarium is located at the north end of the Church. There is direct access to the Columbarium through the Worship space. It was dedicated in 2011 and has grown to currently include 6 walls. This beautiful space houses a serene water feature, Mary’s garden to the unborn, and a statue of the Risen Lord. The Columbarium is a prayerful place, a place of reflection, and a permanent place for those who have died.
Contact: Elaine Pierpont - epierpon@richmond.edu
Crump Manor/Elizabeth House Ministry
The Crump Manor / Elizabeth House Ministry touches many aspects of the lives of the women and men, who reside at the Crump Manor Nursing Home. The ministry brings Eucharist to the Catholic residents every weekend. St. Michael volunteers play bingo with the folks the second and fourth Sunday of each month.The staff and the residents respect and appreciate the time the people of St. Michael spend with many of the residents— sometimes short visits; saying a prayer with them; or just holding a hand. This is a great ministry for families!
Contact: Taylor Horvath – thorvath@saint-mikes.org
Henrico Doctors’ Parham Ministry
St. Michael’s ministry serves the Parham Road Campus of Henrico Doctor’s Hospital, by visiting the Catholic patients weekly to provide Eucharist.
Contact: Russ Wisler – rwislerr@gmail.com
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Homebound Ministry
The Homebound Ministry connects those who are homebound to the larger St. Michael parish community. Our Parish has Eucharistic Ministers available to bring communion to those who are recuperating from surgery, experiencing medical problems, or are otherwise temporarily or permanently unable to come to church.
Contact: Taylor Horvath – thorvath@saint-mikes.org
Jobs Assistance Ministry (JAM)
The Jobs Assistance Ministry (JAM) is a comprehensive, free outplacement and career management service for all in career transition. Our doors are open to all who seek help. JAM services include weekly workshops, resume reviews, mock interview practice, networking, career coaching, accountability groups, professional roundtables, JAM LinkedIn group (over 2,000 members) and a variety of online job-search tools and guides. Pastoral care and counseling are also available. Those who may be able to offer help in these areas can step forward to further strengthen this ministry. To date, JAM has assisted over 1,100 job seekers in finding employment.
Contact: Ed Landry – ed.landry.rva@gmail.com
Rosary Making Ministry
Women and men committed to Marian devotion through the rosary come together once a month for two hours to make rosaries, and distribute them locally and internationally. All materials are provided, as well as instruction. The demand for rosaries continues to grow, as it is a powerful path to peace, converts hearts, and honors Jesus, through His Blessed Mother.
Contact: Maddy Ricca – rricca@verizon.net
Light Writers Card Ministry
This ministry is dedicated to assuring the parish community stays in touch with parishioners, by sending cards and handwritten notes to those who are homebound, feeling a sense of isolation, and those needing prayers and support for various reasons.
Contact: Taylor Horvath – thorvath@saint-mikes.org
Meals Ministry
This ministry may be a perfect fit for those who would love to help feed those in need of a short-term need for meals, related to illness, injury, or circumstance.
Contact: Carmen Borges – carmencitar_2000@yahoo.com
Prayer Shawl Ministry
Care and love of knitting or crocheting have been combined into a prayerful ministry which reaches out to those in need of comfort and solace. Many blessings are knitted into every shawl. Shawls are shared with those who are undergoing medical procedures, dealing with an illness, recovering from surgery, or needing comfort during a difficult time.
Contact: Shirley Uzel – sdumary@verizon.net
Our Lady of Hope Ministry
Follow Jesus by tending His sheep at Our Lady of Hope Health Facility. Every Sunday, Pastoral Care ministers lead communion services in the chapel, and communion is often administered in the rooms. Weekly, ministers lead the rosary, communion services, and serve as Sacristans at Mass. Training is provided.
Contact: Taylor Horvath – thorvath@saint-mikes.org
We are Family
In the tradition of St. Michael parish that all are welcome, We Are Family is an outreach to gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people, their families, friends and all others, who wish to join and journey together. Meetings and gatherings are open to everyone. Their longing is to encourage LGBT people to grow in faith. The ministry supports those who have LGBT family members and friends, to seek their own call to be a witness of Jesus’ love. They gather together, so they may know the love of Jesus in one another and to live lives, which share Him within the church, community, families, and also
with other LGBT people. The group wants to welcome those who wonder, “Do I belong?” with a resounding, “Yes,
indeed. You DO belong!”
Contact: Will Langley – will.langley5424@gmail.com