Parish Ministries
Being involved in our parish ministries is so important to serving our community and helping to spread the Word of God. We encourage you to explore the many options and get involved today!
Description of Ministry – Significant Advent Giving Tree activities include making ornaments, decorating trees, wrapping, sorting, and distribution of gifts to senior citizens, children and families in need in the greater Summit area. In addition, over $20,000 in monetary donations is collected to benefit various social service organizations and schools in need. Volunteer opportunities abound for individual adults, kids, scouting troops, CCD classes, etc. A wonderful sense of giving and helping those in need can be achieved during the Christmas Season.
Please view the flyer on our Forms page under Parish and Community Drives for more information on how to participate.
Contact:
Margaret Strong
Description of Ministry – The Baptism workshop is held monthly for all parents. Parents wishing to have their child Baptized at Saint Teresa of Avila Parish must be registered parishioners and actively support the parish for at least three months. The Baptism workshop instructs parents on the RITE OF BAPTISM. To register for the workshop, please contact the parish office at 908-277-3700.
For more information, please visit our Sacraments page and option for Baptism Preparation https://www.st-teresa.org/baptism-preparation
Description of Ministry – Support Group for those who are experiencing pain due to the death of a loved one.
Contact:
Ann Marasco
Description of Ministry – This ministry plans and oversees the Red Cross Blood Drive held at the YMCA every Good Friday. Our mission is to recruit as many donors as possible in order to alleviate the urgent need for blood, ultimately supporting patient care in our area and saving lives. The drive also provides our parishioners with a strong sense of sacrifice, commitment, and community on this holy day.
Volunteers needed to help recruit donors a few weeks before Good Friday. Donors always needed.
Contact:
Gloria Ron-Fornes
Description of Ministry – Boy Scout Troop for boys who have finished 5th grade through age 18. Scouts meet once a week to learn scout skills, earn merit badges and plan camping trips. Troop participates in one camping trip per month and sponsors one or two week long summer camp opportunities each year. Program emphasizes the value of scouting and teaches boys leadership skills and self-reliance.
Contact:
Terry Dwyer
tjdwyer242@aol.com
Description of Ministry – The Christ Child Society of Summit is a non-profit association of volunteers dedicating their love of the Christ Child by personal service to needy children. Volunteer activities include shopping for and packing baby clothes for layettes, knitting or sewing blankets for babies, and collecting and distributing school supplies for Summit students.
Volunteers and new members always welcome.
Scholarship Opportunity - Christ Child Society is offering a one time maximum award of $5,000 for a scholarship. The candidate must have financial need, lives or attends school in Summit and volunteers or works with children. Please visit http://christchildsummit.org for information and click on Outreach.
Contact:
Jane Murphy
jhmspm@gmail.com
Description of Ministry – Classes are held on Thursday evenings to help those who are preparing for their citizenship interviews with USCIS. Students should either have (or be close to having) the required number of years of holding a green card (5, or 3 if married to a US citizen). The classes review the requirements, procedures, language skills, application, interview experience and 100 civics, history, and geography questions needed to become a citizen. A small fee of $10 is charged solely to cover printing expenses. The weekly instructions, reviews, and mock interviews have proven to be helpful, especially to students whose native language is not English, and so far 35 students have gone on to successfully pass their USCIS interview.
Contact:
Pat Bennett
Description of Ministry – This ministry schedules dates for our parish to volunteer at the Community Food Bank of NJ, located in Hillside, NJ, in order to serve those in our community who are hungry and in need. Parishioners can come by themselves, with a group of friends, or with their families. Anyone 12 years and older is welcome. Volunteers usually sort and repack donated food for distribution to non-profit charities, such as soup kitchens and food pantries.
Contact:
Donna Groskoph
Basketball season is almost upon us. We are looking for players (boys and girls), coaches and assistant coaches for the upcoming CYO basketball season. This program is open to 3rd through 8th grade boys and girls that are enrolled in a Catholic school or are registered parishioners and attending the Faith Formation program at St Teresa of Avila or are registered parishioners of a nearby parish that does not have a CYO program. If you are interested in playing or coaching, please contact Athletic Director, John Flack: stteresacyobasketball@gmail.com. Coaches and Assistant Coaches must complete all volunteer documents and requirements. GAMES – Games may be scheduled Friday night, Saturday or Sunday. There are between 10 and 12 regular season games, plus playoffs. This is a competitive league. PRACTICE – One or two nights during the week. SEASON – Starts November 27. Regular season ends February 25. Playoffs to follow in early March. COST – $200 per player plus practice jersey and uniform (jersey + shorts) available at Thompson’s Sporting Goods. Players can use the practice jersey and uniform from previous years. Registration cost will be returned if player is selected for another travel team. REGISTRATION – For player sign-ups complete and return the following with your payment: - Players Permission Release Form - Players Code of Conduct Form - Submit check for $200 made out to St. Teresa of Avila Church - All forms can be found on the Union County CYO Basketball League website: https://www.newarkoym.com/cyo DEADLINE – Forms and payment need to be submitted by Thursday, October 12. TRYOUT – Depending on interest level, a tryout may be necessary to cap the size of the teams. Only if necessary, a tryout would be held the week of October 14. Registration cost will be returned if player is not selected for the team. LOCATION – Practices are held in Summit, and games are in Summit and other Union County parishes.
Description of Ministry – ESL is a ministry that benefits the Summit community by offering people the ability to learn English. The class helps individuals to further their understanding of a new language whether they have been residents of our country or learning for the first time. We meet weekly in the Summit Public Library. Contact: Celeste Kaitsa kaitsa2003@yahoo.com
Description of Ministry – Our Parish is in need of lay people to assist the priests in distributing Holy Communion at Mass and / or to bring Communion to the sick and homebound. Periodically participants are called to a practice to review procedures and logistics.
Contact:
Nancy Piraneo
Description of Ministry – Meeting a need for emergency housing, congregations in Union County offer overnight shelter and meals, on a weekly rotation, for homeless women and families with children. St. Teresa’s co-hosts at the Summit United Methodist Church (UMC) four weeks throughout the year. Volunteers are needed to host overnight at the UMC or to provide a part of a dinner meal.
Volunteers needed during scheduled host dates – TBD.
Contact:
Carey Elias
The St Teresa of Avila GreenFaith ministry is focused on environmental stewardship and sustainability and promoting Pope Francis' Laudato Si encyclical* on care for our common home. The ministry is part of the Newark Archdiocese Environmental Justice committee and the Interfaith Summit Area GreenFaith Circle.
Contact:
Karen Venturella and Al Pach or email:
StTeresaGreenFaith@gmail.com *In this 2015 encyclical, Pope Francis identifies pressing modern ecological challenges including pollution and climate change (§§20- 26) and emphasizes that “the climate is a common good, belonging to all and meant for all.” The title is taken from St Francis’ “Canticle of the Sun.”
Description of Ministry – St. Teresa’s Homebound Ministry visits people who have difficulties with mobility outside of their home, who are convalescing, or who are in nursing homes. They provide parishioners with social visits, the parish weekly bulletin, small forms of assistance, and can make arrangements for individuals to receive Holy Communion at home. Training is provided to all volunteers.
For futher information, please contact the office.
Description of Ministry – Loaves & Fishes is a food pantry with a long-standing outreach at St Teresa to help the needy in our local community. We stock non-perishable food items for weekly distribution to approximately 60 local families.
The food comes from donations from our parishioners as well as the many local food drives that take place throughout the year. Needed items include:
Pasta
Pasta sauce
Canned Tuna or Chicken
Dinty Moore Beef Stew
Hearty Soup like Progresso
Rice
Canned vegetables
Instant coffee
Cereal
Oil
Dried or canned beans
Peanut butter
Jelly
Cake Mix or a Pre-Made Dessert
Donations can be brought to the front porch of the parish office.
Contact the parish office for more information:
Karen Imbach
kareni@stteresaavila.org
Description of Ministry – The Mexico Mission serves our two parish families (St Teresa’s Parish of Summit and the San Martin Caballero Parish of Iztapalapa, Mexico) through various inter-parish missionary outreach programs and prayer ministry. These Corporal & Spiritual Works of Mercy include: Somos Familia, a student sponsorship program; Annual pilgrimage; Fundraising/donations for clothing, school supplies, construction projects, a health clinic, and food programs; Pastor’s Discretionary Emergency Fund; and prayer.
Please contact Vinny Candela at vcandela@singletreetech.com or 908-277-3580 if you would to sponsor a child or go on the pilgrimage.
Description of Ministry – We welcome adult singers to join the choir and be part of our music ministry each Sunday! Contact Matthew Still for more details.
The Children’s Choir is made up of young parishioners from 3rd to 8th grade. They receive training in liturgical choral music and provide our parishioners with music at the 9:30 Children’s Liturgy as well as special Masses in the Main Church. They also participate with other choirs in the Archdiocese for special events.
For more information, please visit the Music Ministry page on our website, listed under "Service" on the menu bar.
Contact:
CHOIR
Matthew Still
Description of Ministry – Shawls are begun with prayers of peace and blessing for the recipient and these intentions are continued throughout the shawl making process, then, blessed by a priest. The shawls are a tangible reminder of the mercy, peace and compassion found in God’s loving embrace. No experience is necessary, just a willingness to learn.
Contact:
Delma Puttress
Description of Ministry -SHIP (Summit Helping Its People) was founded in 1991 by the citizens of Summit to serve the homeless and at-risk homeless in Summit New Jersey.
Contact:
Margaret Whelan
whelanmarg@gmail.com
Description of Ministry – The Social Concerns and Justice Committee carries on a long tradition at St. Teresa’s of helping the less fortunate and standing up for the rights of all God’s children. The committee manages several outreaches each year. Join us at one of our meetings to see how you can lend a helping hand to those who need it.
Contact:
Vinny Candela