Our Lady of the Lakes is your Church family. The more of us involved, the more effectively we can minister to each other, and others. Everyone from young to old and retired is needed. Your involvement helps build God’s Kingdom. Today’s Church needs the gifts and talents of the laity. When we recognize that all we have comes from God, how easy is it to offer gratitude by giving back? Your talents, gifts and treasure are needed to help make our parish vibrant. Take the Spiritual Gifts Assessment if you are unsure. Email the results to Deacon Roger for future contact. When it comes to volunteers, we want your experience to be safe and rewarding. Therefore, Safe Environment and ministry specific training is required. In addition, you are encouraged to read the Creating A Safe Environment newsletter, published quarterly in English and Spanish.
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- Anyone who ministers specifically to children, youth and vulnerable adults must take an online Creating a Safe Environment (CASE) training. This includes a background check. Once approved, retraining is required every three years. Upon reaching the age of 70, if the person wants to continue to volunteer and has previously been CASE trained, no additional training is required, however, a current background check and signed Code of Conduct need to be on file.
- Minors who want to volunteer must have live training. No background check is required.
- All families enrolled in Faith Formation must have safe environment training each year.
All CASE training instructions, for volunteers and staff, and required forms, can be found at the Diocesan Office of Safe Environment website. All completed forms need to be forwarded to Patty Larzelere, CASE Coordinator for the parish and St. Michael’s School.
- To which of these ministries, outreaches and organizations is God calling you? (To read the latest minutes of these groups, please go to the dropdown under News & events.)
- Pastoral Council
- Liturgy Committee & Ministries
- Evangelization & Catechetical Ministries, including Faith Formation
- Social Ministry Committee & Ministries
- Stewardship Committee
- Finance Council
- Cemetery Committee
- Office Help
- Site Specific Ministries and Services that need your participation.
- Saint Michael’s School & Youth Group (to be formed): Our Children are our future. Without them, the church will not grow. Help them be our future leaders by leading them!
- Organizations (like The Center for Dispute Settlement, Project HEAL, Care-Net, etc.)
- The Knights of Columbus
- Catholic Daughters of America
- Council of Churches (Penn Yan and Naples)
- Migrant Ministry through the Worker Justice Center of NY Many volunteer opportunities are available and can be found by asking to receive their monthly emails through Alianza Agricola.
- Pray the Rosary (Mary, our Holy Mother, through her Immaculate Heart, urges us to pray the Rosary daily. Pray it with other parishioners Mondays at Saint Michael’s.)
The Life and Dignity of the Human Person is the first of our 7 Principles of Catholic Social Teaching. Abuse in any of its forms is a sin against the life & dignity of another. For this reason, the Diocese requires all parishes to offer annual training about how to recognize and prevent abuse. For families enrolled in our parish’s faith formation program, this training is woven into all lessons. Children who attend our school also receive abuse prevention training. For all others, families with children of all ages, empty nesters and singles, please use Abuse doc for Internet to discuss life, dignity and abuse prevention at home/within the community. If you choose not to do the training at home, then please submit this Letter of Invitation of and Refusal for annual abuse prevention training to Patty Larzelere, Creating A Safe Environment Coordinator.