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Christian Service

The CHRISTIAN SERVICE COMMISSION is an umbrella group consisting of separate service ministries led and staffed by parishioners committed to that particular Christian Service Ministry. Open Invitation quarterly meetings are held with representatives of the ministries attending to discuss past actions, current plans and general commission matters. Each ministry plans and coordinates its own activities. The Christian Service Scribe calls meetings, helps coordinate Christian Service Ministry Fair activities and helps keep all ministries informed of pertinent parish news. The Scribe also may be the commission representative to the Parish Council. Christian Service Commission Activities include the following:

• Green Team Committee - The mission of the Green Team is to reduce the carbon footprint of Christ the Servant parishioners by increasing awareness of environmental issues, educating the community of Christ the Servant in ways to preserve and improve our environment, reducing waste and toxins in our environment and giving service to the community by organizing and running recycling and other events to help promote the care of our planet. The Green Team schedules/coordinates several electronic recycling dates throughout the year for electronics, books & winter coats and, maintains a Recycling Kiosk in the narthex for common household items. The Green Team strives to reduce waste, recycle and cherish God's gift of our planet Earth.
  
  
• Peace & Social Justice Committee - Serves the oppressed and disenfranchised by addressing issues related to social justice and structural change, including death penalty, fair housing, elimination of discrimination, etc. Stimulates the parish's awareness of human social needs and developing effective responses to those needs through social justice education, promotion of the church's social justice mission and the values of the kingdom of God, and networking with other parish and community groups and organizations to leverage our activities for more effective results. Our motto is "Caring For God's Creation".
  
  
• Respect for All Life Committee - Promotes the concept of universal Respect For All Life through prayer, education, community service, advocacy of Life Issues, and outreach to others. Typical activities include leading the rosary, First Friday Holy Hour, weekly bulletin articles, informative books/pamphlets/CD's, prisoner Christmas Cards, supporting Students For Life, petition government officials to support Life Issues, participation in 40 Days For Life actions and involvement with Project Love, Women's Choice Services, Knights of Columbus, and Legion of Mary among others.
  
  
• Ministry of Care - Services such as transportation (to doctor's appointments Church, etc), emergency meals, bringing Eucharist to the homebound (you need to be a Diocesan trained Eucharistic Minister), emergency maintenance service. Activities may include arranging for visiting the sick and home bound. Included is the Bereavement Ministry: Service to those who have recently experienced loss of a loved one, assisting in funeral planning and providing an opportunity for ongoing contact and support.
  
  
• PADS - In cooperation with the DuPage PADS organization, Christ the Servant parishioners staff an overnight stay for those without shelter at a Clarendon Hills Church facility. The parish commitment is for fifth Saturday of any month in a calendar year, except the summer. The Activity Leader recruits and coordinates parishioners to cook & serve meals, for facility set-up & take-down, for overnight monitoring, for cleaning & washing and for general assistance. Bulletin articles and displays are prepared for recruiting purposes.
  
  
• Food Drives - Cash For Food drives are held 4 times each year. Bulletin articles and narthex displays commence two weeks before the collection date. Each drive has a specific focus (eg. Back-to-school, Paper goods, Peanut Butter & Jelly). On the designated week-end, the activity leader & others receive donated goods in the parish parking lot before each Mass. Cash/check donations to the West Suburban Community Food Pantry (WSCFP) in Woodridge are greatly encouraged in that WSCFP can convert dollars into food very effectively. Christ the Servant has had a long-standing relationship with WSCFP.
  
  
• Clothing Drives (SVDP) - On scheduled dates 2-3 times each year, a Used Clothing Drive is arranged in conjunction with the St. Vincent DePaul Society in West Chicago. The Activity Leader recruits helpers and works with St. VDP Society to have a box truck stationed in the parking lot where parishioners may donate used - but usable - clothing. Parish bulletin and after-Mass announcements are prepared and plastic St. VDP Donation Bags are made available into which donated items may be placed. Donations typically fill the truck to three-quarters full.
  
  
• Thanksgiving Dinner Baskets & Turkeys - In coordination with West Suburban Community Food Pantry 35 families needing assistance are identified. Bulletin announcements and posters are prepared. Coordinated by the Activity Leader, parishioners may pick the family for which they would like to buy a dinner basket and/or Turkey. The parishioner Thanksgiving basket and/or turkey is dropped off either at the 8:30 or 10 am mass on the Sunday before Thanksgiving Thursday. The 8th Grade Confirmation Class helps take the Thanksgiving baskets and turkeys to the car when each family picks up.
  
  
• Christmas Dinner Basket, Gift Card and Christmas Gift Tree - In coordination with West Suburban Community Food Pantry 50 families needing assistance are identified. Bulletin announcements and posters are prepared. Coordinated by the Activity Leader, parishioners may pick the family for which they would like to buy a Christmas Dinner basket and/or a $25.00 Gift Card. (The gift card is used to purchase a meat product of choice for dinner.) In addition, a Star is placed on a special Christmas Gift Tree in the narthex with up to three wishes for a named child or senior in need. Parishioners select Christmas Stars and purchase gifts requested by the child or senior. All items (Christmas Dinner Baskets, Gift cards, Christmas Gifts) are dropped off by parishioners at the Saturday 4:45pm, Sunday 8:30am or 10:00am mass on the Sunday before Christmas. The 8th Grade Confirmation Class helps take the Christmas items to recipients' cars.
  
  
• Easter Hams - To assist the West Suburban Community Food Pantry, parishioners are asked to donate Easter Hams to be distributed by WSCFP to their needy clients. The Activity Leader begins Bulletin appeals several weeks prior to donation date (usually Palm Sunday). Collected hams are delivered to the WSCFP facility for client distribution.
  
  
• Blood Drives - Twice each year, Christ The Servant sponsors a Blood Drive to benefit a locally-based blood collection agency. The Activity Leader prepares parish bulletin announcements and displays, recruits helpers for the day of the Drive, schedules donors, assists in narthex preparation for Drive day, and coordinates with the Parish Business Manager to determine available agency dates for the Blood Drive. Volunteers assist at registration, help donors before and after donation, and help set-up and clean-up as needed.
  
  
• Undy Sunday - In conjunction with Catholic Charities Undy Sunday, an appeal for and collection of new underclothing is made parish-wide. Bulletin notices, decorations and signage are created. The Activity Leader's pack-n-play crib is set up at the designated weekend Masses. Donations are taken to the designated drop off location.
  
  
• Diaper Days - At least twice each year and on-call as needed, Baby Diapers and associated hygiene products are collected via parishioner drop-off donations to benefit clients of West Suburban Community Food Pantry (Woodridge) and Women's Choice Services (Bolingbrook). The Activity Leader works with the Business Manager to prepare bulletin and after-Mass announcements, to determine collection pick-up date, and to respond to emergency requests if any. Usually a toddler's playpen is set-up in the narthex to receive donated diapers. Those items are then delivered to WSCFP and WCS.
  
  
• Parish Outreach - Parish Outreach is currently a plan to reach out within parish boundaries to those who may be unaware of Christ the Servant Catholic Faith Community. Efforts are developing for a parish-wide activity to distribute informational flyers about CTS (i.e. who, what & where we are). These efforts will focus on identifying Christ the Servant Catholic Faith Community as a faith and worship option to those who may be seeking one.

Chairperson: Denice Kraft

Peace and Social Justice: Steve Jackson, Karen Jackson

© 2019 Christ the Servant