Ministries
Liturgical Ministers
The documents of Vatican II encourage active participation by the faithful in the Eucharistic celebration. We do this first and foremost by entering into the Mass with a spirit of prayerful devotion and attentiveness. We schedule the following weekly: ushers, readers, extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion, gift bearers, and servers for our school age children. Please contact Kelly Paxton at 542-3423 to be added to the schedule.
Sick and Aged
Communion ministers make weekly visitations to our homebound parishioners and also our nursing home residents at Fair View and Fair Acres facilities in DuQuoin. There are also opportunities to assist at bi-monthly Masses at each nursing home.
Music Ministry
Mr. Justin Nehrkorn, 5pm music director, and Mr. Aaron A. Atkins, 8:30am music director, invite all who feel called to lift their voice in song and praise to God to join. If you are interested in assisting in the ministry of the choir, please contact us. Choir practice is held every Thursday at 7pm.
Art and Environment
Assists with the interior and exterior decoration of the church, as well as planting and gardening in the church, rectory and parish center.
Youth Ministry
PSR – Coordinator of Religious Education, Janet Hayden
High School Youth Minister – Krista Piotrowski
Weekend Warrior Program
Sacred Heart started helping with the Weekend Warrior Program in September 2010. This program helps provide food for school children in the Du Quoin Community. The food items are placed in their back packs on Friday before they leave school. This food is to help ensure that these children have food to eat during the weekend when they are not at school receiving 1 hot meal a day. We provide 20 bags of food that have meals of 3 dinner, 2 breakfast, 2 lunch, 2 snacks, 1 fruit and a bottle of water. With our donation of the bags we help kindergarten through 8th grade children every weekend. The food items have to be microwavable so that the young children can fix the for by food by themselves. There are about 150 students in our district that are in need of this program. Churches in the community have committed up to 20 bags a week. If there should be an extra day on the weekend because of school not in session, food is adjusted accordingly. There are two social workers in the school system that identify the students and interact with the students of need.
Sacred Heart Church supports the Weekend Warrior Program as one of its major service projects. A second collection is taken at Masses on the first Sunday of each month for the Weekend Warrior Program . Food or cash donations are accepted and appreciated. We have volunteers that make sure we have the proper food items needed to fill the bags. Volunteers also come in once a week to fill the bags. Sacks will be delivered to the school by 3:30 pm on Thursday. They are distributed on Fridays by school personnel. If there is no school on Friday the bags have to be delivered on Wednesday. Contact the Rectory office 542-3423 if you would be interested in volunteering for the program.
The Du Quoin Food Pantry
The Du Quoin Food Pantry, located at 314 North Maple Street, exists to serve as a focal point for churches, community organizations and individuals to provide food aid to families in need.
Food Pantry is in the rear and the Clothes Closet is at the front). Sacred Heart Church supports the Du Quoin Food Pantry as one of its major service projects. A second collection is taken at Masses on the first Sunday of each month for the food pantry. Besides donations, several Sacred Heart Church members volunteer to distribute food on the third Thursday of each month. The Food Pantry’s Board of Directors is composed of members of the various community churches including Sacred Heart.
Food Pantry hours are: Thursday mornings from 9:00 to 12:00 am. Donations can be delivered during this time as well.
For more information and pictures go to www.facebook.com/DuQuoinFoodPantry or Google Du Quoin Food Pantry.
The Community Clothes Closet
The Community Clothes Closet, also located at 314 North Maple Street, exists to serve as a focal point for churches, community organizations and individuals to provide seasonal clothes, along with bedding, pillows, towels, and curtains to people in need.
Sacred Heart Church supports The Community Clothes Closet as another one of its major service projects. A second collection is taken at Masses on the first Sunday of each month for the The Community Clothes Closet. Besides donations, several Sacred Heart Church members volunteer to distribute the donated clothing on the third Thursday of each month. The Community Clothes Closet Board of Directors is composed of members of the various community churches including Sacred Heart.
The Community Clothes Closet hours are: Thursday mornings from 9:00 to 12:00 am and Thursday evenings from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm. Donations can be delivered during these times as well.
For more information and pictures go to Du Quoin Community Clothes Closet or Google The Community Clothes Closet.
St. Joseph Thrift Shop
Mission Statement: We, Sacred Heart Parish, formed in the Spirit of love and charity in response to the call to holiness and creation of the Kingdom of God, plan to witness our faith by opening St. Joseph Thrift Store, to serve the needs of our community and beyond, by selling donated items as a nonprofit organization. Funds generated will be donated to various charitable works to spread the Good News of Salvation to all people
If you would like to help with this ministry, please feel free to call the parish office.