If you are interested in any of the below roles, contact Liturgy Coordinator Sam Jizba at s.jizba@stephen.org or 402-861-4512. 

Altar Server (Youth Grades 5-12)

• Join the Altar Server Ministry at St. Stephen the Martyr Catholic Church and embrace the sacred privilege of serving at the Lord’s altar, bringing you closer to the heart of the Mass. Gain the knowledge and skills to perform essential duties—like carrying the cross, preparing the altar, and ringing bells—while revealing the profound meaning behind each action. Your service will help make the liturgy a prayerful experience for our parish family!

EMHC (Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion)

• As an EMHC you are called to serve with deep reverence, handling the Eucharist with care and reflecting Christ’s presence through your demeanor. Your commitment to participating fully in the Mass and distributing Communion with respect ensures a prayerful experience for our parish community. This sacred ministry invites you to embody faith and service, enhancing the dignity of the Eucharistic celebration.

EMHC Homebound

• Take Holy Communion to parishioners who are homebound, hospitalized, or in nearby senior care homes. Must be EMHC Mandated.

Lector

• As a Lector, you proclaim the Word of God with reverence and clarity, prepared through prayerful study, to inspire the congregation in worship. Your full, conscious, and active participation in the Mass models faithful engagement, enhancing the assembly’s reception of Scripture. Join this sacred ministry, where your voice and presence become instruments of divine truth.

Usher & Greeter

• Entrusted with promoting a sense of welcoming, belonging, comfort and safety to all the faithful assembling for Mass. Assist with seating, offertory collection, and bulletin distribution.

Sacristan

• As a Sacristan, you play a vital role in the liturgical life of the parish, carefully preparing the church and altar to ensure a reverent and seamless celebration of the Mass. Your ministry, rooted in devotion and attention to detail, supports the spiritual life of the community by creating a prayerful environment where the faithful can worship with focus and grace. Join this essential role, where your quiet service becomes a profound act of faith and love for the Church.

Choir, Pastoral Musicians, and Cantor

• The Adult Choir sings at the 10:30 AM mass on Sunday. We welcome any adult who loves to sing! There are no tryouts. This is a great way to meet new people in the parish!

• Children in grades 2nd through 8th are invited to be a part of the Children’s Choir! Rehearsals are twice a month at 6 PM on Thursday nights. The Children’s Choir sings monthly throughout the school year.
• Contact: Paula Bonkiewicz at (402) 861-4536 or p.bonkiewicz@stephen.org.

Attend our yearly Parish Retreat as we discover & rediscover our own personal relationship with Jesus.  You may also volunteer to serve those attending the Parish Retreat, usually scheduled for the first weekend in December. Contact Adam Ybarra, Director of Mission at 402.861.4507 or a.ybarra@stephen.org

Eucharistic Adoration: Come, sit with Jesus!

• Weekly Adoration (Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament) is every Monday from 7-8 PM in the Worship Space.
• First Friday Devotions: Adore Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament every first Friday of the month from 9 AM – noon (2:30 PM if school is in session)
• Commit to a daily or weekly holy hour before the Blessed Sacrament in the Reservation Chapel.
• Contact the Adoration Committee at ststephenadoration@gmail.com.

Prayer Line: Become a prayer warrior for the intentions of others via email or telephone prayer requests. Contact: Beth Wetgen at (402) 669-4793.

Prayer Shawl: Gather, pray and make Prayer Shawls/Blankets to be given to persons experiencing a crisis in their life. The group meets on the second Wednesday of each month from 9:15 to 11:00 a.m. in the Parish Center. Contact: Kathy Stodola at (402) 981-1592.

Rosary Making: Gather to make rosaries for our Becoming Catholic! OCIA candidates, those in hospitals, nursing homes, and going on mission trips. Contact: Sara Klein at (402) 690-3526.

Women’s Bible Study—2nd Saturday Mornings

• Join other women of St. Stephen the Martyr parish once per month as we journey together through “Psalms II, Praying With Jesus” by Kevin Perrotta.
• When: 2nd Saturday of the Month from 9 – 11 AM, beginning September 14, 2024 (no meeting in December)
• Where: Parish Center
• All materials, including books, are provided.
• Register & Reserve Your Book: call Janice Dethlefs at 402-651-0153 or Jan Mitchell 402-669-7409.

Seeking Truth Bible Study—Tuesdays Mornings

• Our 2024/2025 Seeking Truth Bible study will cover Genesis.
• When: Tuesday from 9:15 to 10:45 AM, beginning August 27, 2024 (holiday break from Dec. 3 – Jan 7) through March, 2025.
• Where: Parish Center
• Format: Read together, answer questions (that will be supplied to everyone ahead of class time), and watch the Seeking Truth Sharon Doran lecture
• Register: email Diane Burton at burdi561@gmail.com.

Acts of the Apostles—Wednesday Mornings

• When: Wednesday mornings from 9:30 – 11 AM, beginning September 4, 2024 through May 21, 2025
  Where: Parish Center
  Format: Deacon Marty Warwick will lead participants through a study of the Acts of the Apostles. The textbooks will be the Bible and the Shepherd’s Notes book on “Acts”, available on Amazon for a little over $5.
  Register: email Deacon Marty at mwarwick3@cox.net

Lectio Divina—First Thursday of the Month

Come and learn the Lectio Divina way to pray! Lectio Divina means “Divine Reading”. Our women’s group invites you to learn the practice of scriptural reading, meditation, and prayer to promote communion with God and to increase the knowledge of God’s word.

• When: First Thursday of each month from 9:15 – 10:30 AM, beginning September 5th
• Where: Parish Center
• Format: We listen to the gospel of the day and put into practice the four movements: Lectio (read), Meditatio (meditate), oratio (pray), contemplatio (contemplate) of the “Divine Reading”
• Questions? Contact Nancy at wiederholtnancy@hotmail.com.

Friday Faith & Fellowship—Fridays Mornings

• We will begin our Fall 2024 Friday Faith & Fellowship session by doing a 7-week study of “When You Pray” by Edwar Sri. Then during Advent, we will do a 4-week study with the book “The Women of Christmas” by Liz Curtis Higgs.
• When: Fridays from 9:30 – 11 AM (we follow the SSM school calendar)
• Our fall meeting dates are: Sept. 6th, 14th & 27th, Oct. 4th, 18th, 25th, Nov. 8th, 15th & 22nd & Dec. 6th & 13th
• 2025 dates and topics will be announced later this year.
• Where: Parish Center
• Questions? Childcare? Email Christie Hinton at czhinton@mac.com

If you are hosting a study or have an interest, please reach out to Adam Ybarra, Director of Evangelization and Catechesis at 402-861-4507 or a.ybarra@stephen.org.

• Beloved Women’s Group: This group joins together women of St. Stephen the Martyr to grow closer to Jesus. Women of all ages are encouraged to join us! Please grab some friends and join us for fellowship, prayer, and growing together as women of the parish. No need to prepare, just show up! For more information, contact Erica Hinton at ericahinton13@gmail.com.
• Sisters in Faith: Join women of St. Stephen the Martyr every Monday night for adoration and fellowship. Join us for adoration from 7-8 PM with faith, fellowship & rosary from 8-9 PM. We are excited to grow as sisters in Christ! Email lganow@outlook.com for more information.

With FORMED, discover thousands of books, audio talks, movies, documentaries, and studies… there is something for every member of the family to help them grow closer to Christ and His Church!

Watching and registering for FORMED is easier than ever:

1. Go to formed.org/signup
2. Select our parish by entering name, city and/or zip code
3. Register with your name and email address
4. Check that email account for a link to begin using FORMED

The Becoming Catholic! program at St. Stephen the Martyr will help you deepen your relationship with Jesus Christ through a more intimate knowledge of His Church and Holy Scripture.

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