Christ the King Parish, Archbald
LITURGICAL LIFE
ADULT SERVERS: All adult parishioners are invited to serve as acolytes for Masses of Christian Burial, daily Masses and Holy Day Masses. If this is something you feel called to do or if you served as an altar server as a child come and join this sacred ministry.
ALTAR SERVERS: All boys and girls of the parish who have completed the second grade are invited to serve at the altar on the weekend Masses and special liturgical celebrations. Training is announced in the bulletin, but sign up and let us know you are interested.
EUCHARISTIC ADORATION: All are invited to spend time with Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament every Thursday from 6:30 am to 8:30pm at St. Mary’s of Czestochowa Church. Volunteers are always needed from September until June.
EXTRAORDINARY MINISTERS of HOLY COMMUNION: Both men and women (18 years of age and older) are always needed to assist in the sharing of Holy Communion during all weekend Masses and liturgical celebrations.
LECTORS: Adults and High School students are invited to train to proclaim the sacred scripture at all the Masses. Training sessions will be held as we gather interested parishioners.
USHERS: Ushers help the liturgy to flow smoothly and hospitably by helping everyone to find seats, arranging for the presentation of the gifts and taking up the collections. Ushers can be men or women and are needed for all weekend Masses and Holy Days.
MUSIC MINISTRY
ADULT CHOIR: The parish choir enriches our weekend Masses and other special Liturgies. As a member of the adult choir, you will learn music for weekly and special Masses and Sacraments. Each member is important and our choir accepts singers at all levels of experience. The Choir meets on Mondays and takes breaks relevant to the liturgical year. Come and join us.
CHILDREN’S CHOIR: Students in grades 1-8 are invited to join our children’s choir. All levels of experience or inexperience are invited to participate. We sing at the 10am Mass and really would love to have all the children in the parish join us! “Make a joyful noise unto the Lord.”
CANTORS: Cantors are singers needed to lead the assembly in worship and to sing the responsorial at all Liturgies. This ministry increases “active and conscious participation” by the members of the assembly.
FAITH FORMATION
RELIGIOUS EDUCATION: Our Religious Education Program at Christ the King Parish is for students in grades 1-12. We offer formation classes on Sundays and Tuesdays and a supported homeschool program for parents to teach their children the faith in the home setting.
LUMEN CHRISTI YOUTH GROUP: Our Youth Group consists of youth grades 8-12 with a mission to grow closer to Jesus Christ with renewing our faith, activities and trips for both fellowship and fun. Our goal is to learn more about our faith through the lives of the saints so we can aspire to their examples and to become a better disciple of Christ.
BIBLE STUDY: Bible study is held throughout the year. Please watch the bulletin or call the office for information. All adults and High School or college students are invited to attend.
NEW!! ST. GABRIEL SOCIETY: St. Gabriel is an archangel who serves as a messenger for God. As the patron saint of telecommunications, we call on St. Gabriel to help spread the Good News of God’s infinite love and mercy through the gift of our Salvation brought to us through Jesus Christ. The mission of the St. Gabriel Society is to bring a variety of Catholic resources, including faith development, motivation and prayer, to our parish community, in its varied electronic and print formats. The group will meet monthly to help develop and promote the use of resources such as Lighthouse Catholic Media (CDs, pamphlets and booklets) FORMED, and the parish website. Its goal is to help deepen our understanding of our Catholic faith and how to bring applications of our faith into our daily lives, including the call to evangelize the Word of God.
CATECHISTS: Catechists are wonderful volunteers with state clearances and training who help to teach our parish children Religious Education. These individuals do not have to be a professional teacher, only someone willing to share their faith and make a commitment from September through April.
FAITH SHARING
ALTAR and ROSARY SOCIETY: The Altar and Rosary Society, through the guidance of Mary, our Blessed Mother, is dedicated to the care and maintenance of the church and altar including care of altar linens and priest vestments. We also coordinate decorations for Easter and Christmas, fundraisers, preparations for Memorial Day and All Souls day at our cemeteries and many other functions as needed. Our faithful and devoted members welcome you to attend our monthly meetings (approximately 9 months out of the year) which include the Rosary and other forms of prayer. Please join our spiritual organization and help us through the intersession of the Blessed Virgin Mary to lead our parish through the altar to Jesus.
NEW!! ST. GIANA SOCIETY: The function of the St. Gianna Society will be to steer all respect for life projects and pro-life in the parish including but not limited to: Spiritual Adoption, March for Life activities, Support to St. Joseph Center with the celebration and baby shower and the sale of carnations. Many new and exciting ideas for the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe are being planned and other activities for the children and youth of the parish. Come and get involved!
PRAYER LINE MINISTRY: The prayer line is a wonderful ministry where all are welcome to join in praying the rosary from the comfort of their own homes. We come together as a community of believers each Wednesday evening to pray for all of Our Lady’s intentions and all those intentions that have been sent to us throughout the week. We also pray in reparation for the sins of the world and for the conversions of all those who are far away from Our Lord. The power of this ministry is evident in the many positive reports that our prayer warriors share with us each week. The time commitment is 1/2 half hour each week or whenever you are free to join us. You can access this line and pray silently or if you are interested, you can lead a decade of the rosary.
Wednesdays at 7:30 pm. call: 712-775-7031; Enter code 665-735-271#
DIVINE MERCY PRAYER GROUP: Our group meets every Monday evening after the 7:30 Mass at St. Mary’s of Czestochowa. We gather at the Vilna Center to read Bible verses, sing Christian songs and have fellowship with one another and with Jesus. All are welcome.
CONFRATERNITY OF CHRISTIAN MOTHERS: The Confraternity of Christian Mothers is under the patronage of Our Mother of Sorrows. All members are joyously encouraged to take on the task of the education of all children. All women are invited to join and are welcome!
WEDDING COORDINATORS: Our wedding coordinators help the engaged couple entering into matrimony with the Church rehearsal and details for the Mass. They help with seating and the procession on the day of the wedding. This is a very pleasant and uplifting ministry helping couples enter into this beautiful beginning of their new life together in Christ.
COMMUNION TO THE SICK/HOMEBOUND: Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion visit homes and nursing homes and bring the Eucharist to those who cannot come to Mass. Volunteers can set their own schedules. All you need is a little extra time and some extra love and we will teach you the rest.
LEGION OF MARY: Founded in Ireland in 1921 by Frank Duff, The Legion of Mary is now a worldwide organization. Our Lady of Czestochowa Presidium of the Legion of Mary was started in 1984 and continues with a weekly meeting at the Vilna Center. The Rosary and other prayers are recited. We are involved in the Spiritual Works of Mercy and visit and conduct a Rosary Service at the Lackawanna Health Care Center. We visit the sick and the homebound and help them in any way we can. Rosaries are made and sent out to the missions and shared with our parish Communion and Confirmation classes. All parishioners are welcome to join.
HOLY NAME SOCIETY: The Holy Name is a comprised of the men of the parish who help with various parish projects, especially by hosting the Lenten Stations of the Cross. The Holy Name society gathers and delivers food baskets for both Thanksgiving and Christmas to those of the parish in need.
COMMUNITY OUTREACH/SERVICE
KNITTING & CROCHETING – MISSION of CHARITY: Have you ever thought about knitting or crocheting for charity? If you are a knitter or can crochet, it can definitely be fun, but it can also be one of the most soul-satisfying things you will ever do. In addition, if you are interested in learning this art, we would encourage you to join us. From the inception of our group, we have donated hundreds of knitted and crocheted articles to the homebound in our parish and local charities in our community. We meet every other week on Wednesdays, at 6:30 p.m. in the Parish Center. Just bring a set of knitting needles or a crochet hook and we will provide the rest!
- FRANCIS SATTELITE SOUP KITCHEN: Every Tuesday at noon, the parish offers a free hot meal to anyone who would like one, especially those who live alone and would like to enjoy a meal with fellowship and company. We are always in need of volunteers to serve and clean up the pre-cooked meals. Some volunteers also deliver the meals to the homebound parishioners.
CHRIST the KING FOOD PANTRY: The parish runs a food pantry on Tuesday mornings in the parish center. The pantry distributes non-perishable food to approximately 65 families per month in our local area as part of the Bread Basket of PA, which governs a 7 pantry system in Lackawanna County.
Volunteer Responsibilities include:
- Paperwork and recordkeeping. (Assist clients with filling out application forms, check IDs of existing clients, and other recordkeeping duties.)
- Preparing orders. (Assemble food orders based on number of family members receiving food.)
- Sort food donations. (Check dates on products to ensure freshness and place donations in appropriate location.)
- Rotate food stock.
- Carry food orders (Bags are brought from the Parish Center basement out to client’s vehicle.)
- Unload truck. (Food Pantry receives a monthly food order. Food is unloaded into the Parish Center basement.)
- All parishioners can help with donations. We can always use canned fruit, applesauce, and drinks, apple juice or any type of non-perishable juice. In preparation for the upcoming holiday season, the pantry could use the following non-perishable items: stuffing (boxed or bagged), gravy, cranberry sauce, canned yams, baking related items (Boxes of cake mixes, pumpkin, sugar, flour, pie filling, etc.) Items can be dropped off at the Parish Center.
KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS: The Knights of the Columbus is a group of men dedicated to the service of the church universal, the Diocese and the community.
CHARITABLE WORKS GROUP: Our Parish has had outreach to our fellow parishioners and members of the community by providing many types of physical and spiritual help. Our Giving Tree program is just one example. This social concerns group works diligently behind the scenes for all kinds of works of charity and love.
BOY SCOUTS/GIRL SCOUTS/CUB SCOUTS: Scouting provides the opportunity to help boys and girls learn the value of duty to God, to oneself, to others and to their community. Christ the King sponsors Boy Scouts and Cub scouts and hosts the Girl Scouts. Members are always welcome.
BEREAVEMENT MINISTRY: The Bereavement Ministry of Christ the King Parish reaches out to families of deceased parishioners at the time of their loss of a loved one. It is our goal to offer support to the families and prayers and masses for the deceased on behalf of the parish. Two members of the group attend each funeral Mass to offer prayers for the deceased and assistance to the families. If possible, we attend the viewing and make follow up phone calls to the family. Cards are sent to the families during the course of the year. The ministry also assists in the planning of the yearly All Souls Day Mass in memory of those who have passed away during the year. Meetings of the group are held monthly from September through May.
Our hope is to continue to show others that the Church family is present for their family in time of need. Please consider helping others by becoming a part of the Bereavement Ministry. “Blessed are those who mourn for they shall be comforted.”
- ELIZABETH SOCIETY- new group forming- St. Elizabeth of Hungary, the patron saint of hospitality, bakers, charity and helpers will be our guide as we blend many of our parish service ministries together this year to work as a team. Some of the responsibilities of this society will be general helpers at events, asking parishioners to bake for parish events, helping out where needed for some of our existing projects and charities and of course developing new and exciting ministries where needed. If you want to be a part of something brand new, this is your ministry!
FUND RAISING/FELLOWSHIP
PARISH PICNIC: Our Parish Picnic is known throughout the valley for the homemade foods and its great welcoming feel. It is a get together of parishioners and friends to work and have fun together. The Picnic is our largest fundraiser for the year and the funds are used to build up Christ the King Parish to be able to serve, Jesus Christ, our parish family and the community.
- NICHOLAS ANNUAL 5K RUN & FUN WALK: Our St. Nicholas Race is a fun day with runners, walkers and others to cheer everyone on! Helpers are always needed to cook and serve homemade soups, coffee, hot chocolate and other goodies. Come out and join us for this festive community event.
CHRIST THE KING GOLF TOURNAMENT: This tournament is one of the events of our parish which helps in carrying out the church’s mission in this valley. Working together, we help make sure that the needs for the cause of evangelization may be met. Support through the efforts of volunteers and participants help allow Christ the King Parish to continue the mission of Jesus Christ for the good of so many.
APPOINTED PARISH COMMITTEES
PARISH PASTORAL COUNCIL
PARISH FINANCE COMMITTEE
BUILDINGS AND GROUNDS COMMITTEE