Volunteer Opportunities and Event Information

The annual dues paid by the generous members of the Nativity Council of Catholic Women support the following activities and services at Nativity of our Lord Catholic Church. We encourage all women of Nativity to an early commitment to our annual membership drive in order to fund our yearly events.

(For a printable checklist of these opportunities click here.)

Altar Linens

• Cleaning and maintenance of all parish altar linens
• All linens are checked 2x a week and changed every two weeks or as needed. Extra corporals are placed on the altar for weekend Masses. Purificators are ironed and washed 3x a week. Requests from parishioners for special occasions are welcomed. The co-chairs have sacristan training and are considered sacristans.
• 2 co-chairs

Altar Server Linens

• Cleaning and maintenance of all altar server robes
• 2 co-chairs

Anointing Mass & Reception

• A Mass with Sacred Anointing of the sick for those who are ill or facing serious illness. Mass is followed by a reception provided by Nativity Pastoral Ministry and the NCCW. Event is done twice a year in October and June.
• Anne Ryan/Janet Bricher

Auditor Duties

• Audit the Treasurer’s books semi-annually, in January and July.
• Give her report at the board meeting following each audit.
• Jill Dobie
Taken from the Bylaws 8/08

Bloodmobile

• Nativity’s annual blood drive with the American Red Cross
• Julie Bauchle/Annmarie McConville

Cookbooks

• NCCW’s own cookbook for sale. Each book is only $15, and filled with wonderful recipes. From weeknight fare to perfect appetizers to entrees to impress the in-laws, you can get it all in this local bestseller!
• 2 co-chairs

Deanery Representative

•As the Nativity CCW representative you (and your co-rep, if poss) attend the 4 meetings held each year (Sept, Nov, Feb, and April – usually held the third Thursday of the month) and report back at the next Nativity CCW meeting.
• Barb Wollan

First Friday Fellowship

• First Friday Devotion is designed as a day to consecrate us to Christ’s Sacred Heart. Many of our Nativity Parishioners practice this devotion and attend 8:15 am Mass the first Friday of each month! After this mass during the school year, the NCCW and Nativity Home and School Association provide coffee and refreshments for parishioners to enjoy. All are invited to attend! (FYI This devotion was made known to St Margaret Mary Alacoque whose relic is in the altar of our Nativity of Our Lord Church!)
• 3 co-chairs

Funeral Luncheons/Steiner Hall Coordinators

• A true opportunity to serve and fulfill a corporal and spiritual work of mercy. (Help bury the dead and comfort the sorrowing). Women of the Parish come together and set up, serve lunch to and clean up after for Nativity’s funeral congregations. This is an area of NCCW that expresses how women are the heart of the Church!
• 4 co-chairs

Geranium Sale

•Springtime Fundraiser for the NCCW. An opportunity to order your flower baskets and pot arrangements while supporting the wonderful services the NCCW provides for Nativity Parish
• Michelle Kieger/Lucy Hallman

Historian Duties

• Receive from each commissioner a report of the work accomplished by her commission.
• Compile there four reports to form a summary of the work accomplished by the organization during the current term of the office. This summary shall be presented at the annual meeting.
• Take pictures of individual events and have 10 pictures posted on the NCCW Website.
• Carolyn Wollan/Theresa Jay
Taken from the Bylaws 8/08

Lenten Fish Fry

• Dede Leininger/Lisa Weglewski

Madonna Dinner

• A spiritual and social evening out for the women of Nativity Parish. The evening begins with 5 pm Mass dedicated to our Lady followed by dinner, NCCW awards and the historian report from the NCCW past year, and finally a spiritual speaker to inspire us to live more like Mary our Mother Wonderful event for all generations of women!
• 2 co-chairs

Masses in Memoriam

• NCCW has masses said for the women of the Parish who have passes away in the last year. A card is sent to next of kin.

Meals on Wheels

• An opportunity to serve hot meals to the homebound. (Corporal Work of Mercy) Weekly commitment over the noon hour, involves picking up hot meals from St Mary’s in Highland Park and delivering them to a few homebound persons, with a smiling face!
• Carolyn Wollan

Membership

• BYLAWS

ARTICLE V MEMBERSHIP
Section 1. All women belonging to Nativity of Our Lord Parish are members of the Nativity Council of Catholic Women.
Section 2. Annual dues shall be fifteen ($15.00) dollars. (May be changed by vote of the board.)

• Amy Weier/Mary Battis

Memorial Mass

• A very special morning at Nativity. This event is for all of the families and friends of the people who died and were buried from Nativity during the past year. The event is a Saturday morning in early November (near All Souls Day) which provides an opportunity for those who have suffered a loss to come back to Nativity to remember their loved one in a very beautiful mass followed by refreshments served by the NCCW. During the 8:15 a.m. Mass, the names of their dearly departed are read and remembered.
• Mary Michel/Marie Speltz

Mission Rosaries

• Kits of string and beads and simple instructions are provided! All that is needed is YOU! Easy to do with children or when listening to the game on TV! Many rosaries are made by Nativity Parishioners and sent to missions as well as left in our Church to share!
• 2 co-chairs

Mothers' and Others' Morning Out

• Mothers’ and Others’ Morning Out (MOMO) offers educational and social opportunities for all women of the parish to come together. Childcare, coffee and refreshments are provided at the speaker events scheduled throughout the school year. Attending a MOMO event is an especially good way for the young mothers in the parish to meet friends and get involved.
• Becky Devine/Mary Henseler

Nominating Committee
A small group of active NCCW members who work together with the Pastor to nominate and request the leadership of the following year’s NCCW executive board. Current executive board cannot be in this group.
Nominating Committee Duties --- Taken from Bylaws 8/08

• At the January Board Meeting a nomination of three members shall be elected from candidates nominated from the floor.
• The nominating committee will confer with the pastor.
• The nominating committee shall report at the election meeting the name of at least one candidate for each office. Additional nominations may be made from the floor, providing the nominee is qualified and has signified her willingness to serve
• 3 person committee

Parish Events

• The committee that organizes and hosts Parish wide events. The farewell reception for Fr Jim Liekhus was the latest Parish Event.
• Co-sponsored with the Parish Center office staff.
• 2-4 co-chairs

Prayer Line

• A prayer chain of Nativity Parishioners who contact those who wish to participate and pray for those whose intentions are made. The Prayer Line is a phone tree that acts as a prayer chain. It is made up of Nativity parishioners who are contacted whenever a prayer request comes in.
• 2 co-chairs

Prayer Shawl Ministry

• Started in 2007, this is an NCCW ministry with assistance from our Nativity Parish Pastoral Ministry. This ministry meets and knits or crochets prayer shawls for the sick of the parish. While knitting each shawl, prayers are said and intended for the person who will receive and wear the shawl while fighting their illness.
• Shawls are also made for happy events as well, like a birth. Each prayer shawl is blessed by our priests.
• 3 co-chairs

Raffle

• Annual Fundraiser for the NCCW. Tickets are mailed to all NCCW members with the Winter Event Invitation. Prizes vary and are raffled off the night of the Winter Event
• Melinda Stella/ Jill McKenna

Sacramental & Altar Server Gifts

• NCCW provides a gift of remembrance for all those persons who are baptized, receive Holy Communion or are confirmed from Nativity of Our Lord Catholic Church. Also gifts are provided to 8th Graders and; High School Seniors who have served Mass.
• 2 co-chairs

Sanctuary Cleaning

• Cleaning and Maintenance of Nativity Sanctuary, Sacristy and Sacristy Annex, Steiner Hall, and Confessionals
• The Church is cleaned and maintained daily. Flower Bouquets are freshened and Holy Water is replaced on a daily basis. Altar candles, sanctuary lights, server candles, and candelabra are changed when needed. The Sacristy is cleaned and polished 2x a week. All carpets are vacuumed weekly. The pews are dusted and hymnals/mass books are straightened out. Confessionals are vacuumed and dusted. Stations of the Cross are oiled and dusted. Stained glass windows in doors are cleaned. Mary and Joseph’s altar/floor are cleaned and maintained with flowers and linens. The Steiner Hall altar, linens, and flowers are changed as needed.
• The co-chairs have sacristan training.
• 2 co-chairs

Secretary Duties

• Keep an accurate record of all meetings of the executive committee, the board of directors and the annual meeting.
• Take care of the official correspondence of the organization.
• Be responsible for notification of board meetings.
• Perform any other duties pertinent to this office.
• Laura Bechtold
Taken from the Bylaws 8/08

Service Project Grant

• The NCCW offers financial grants twice a year to high school and college age women of Nativity of Our Lord parish. Maximum dollar amount per individual project is $150.00. Application is to be reviewed by NCCW. Through this service grant the NCCW is encouraging young women to volunteer their services to help others. Criteria and applications are available in the Parish Offices. (Application form click here.)
• Molly Stucker/Bridget Sampair

Softball

• For the ladies who just want to have fun! Parishioners play in the CAA women’s league.
• 1 chair

Spirit of Mary

• NCCW honors a young woman of good Catholic character who by her achievements and community service represents “The Spirit of Mary” to our Nativity community. Candidates have to be a female H.S. senior. Award is presented at the Madonna dinner in May (nomination form click here)
• Mary Jo Iverson

Sunshine Coordinator

• The Secretary of Friendship for the NCCW. This position includes writing notes of sympathy and thanks and thinking of you to those members of the Parish who deserve recognition of their life’s events
• 2 co-chairs

Treasurer Duties

• Receive all money of the organization.
• Keep an accurate record of all receipts and disbursements.
• Expend money only on an order or warrant signed by the president.
• Deposit all money in a bank approved by the board of directors.
• Present a statement of accounts at every board meeting.
• Present her accounts semi-annually to the auditor, in January and July.
• On completion of her term as Treasurer, all bills being paid have the books and records audited before turning them over to the new Treasurer by August 1st.
• Shannon Witkowski
Taken from the Bylaws 8/08

Turkey Bingo

• A Sunday Afternoon Family Fun Activity sponsored by the NCCW. Bingo and refreshments in the Nativity school auditorium, with chances to win cash prizes or Tom your Thanksgiving turkey!
• Katie Penson/Maria Corcoran

Vice-President Duties

• Act as aide to the president.
• Perform the duties of the president in the absence of that officer.
• May also serve as one of the commissioners.
• Succeed to the office of the president
Taken from the Bylaws 8/08

Vigil Lights

• Cleaning and candle replacement of the vigil lights in Nativity Church
• 2 c-chairs

Volunteer at Large

• For the worker bees! There are many opportunities to join inservice in the NCCW organization!
• 2 co-chairs

Website

• Creating and updating the NCCW website
• Julie Plante /Susan Robinson

Winter Event

• Annual NCCW sponsored Girls Night Out! A social event held in Steiner Hall that welcomes all the women of the Parish to come together for friendship and fun. Light refreshments and desserts are served with a chance to shop from a selection of local vendors selling unique wares including clothing, jewelry, food, house wares, and gifts. A wonderful opportunity to make a few more Nativity friends!
• Anne Nelesen/Tricia Middleton
LP: Updated 8/08

NCCW hosts many all-volunteer efforts. We are proud of the work that we do for the parish and school and we couldn’t do it without the help of all of our volunteers.

We’re looking for a few good women. Sign up to share your time and talents!