Madonna Guild

Blood Drive Ministry

The next blood drive will be Thursday, August 18th in the St. Joseph Family Center from 12:30pm until 5:30pm. 

Lorraine Robertson needs volunteers to set up tables and chairs as well as to distribute cookies to those donating blood. Lorraine needs volunteers at the blood drive working in shifts to cover the blood drive hours.

Volunteers are also needed to bake cookies for the blood drive.

If you would like to volunteer or to donate blood, please contact Lorraine at 928-368-8087 or robertsonpl406@gmail.com

(Spiritual) Book Studies Ministry

Throughout the year, Bernadette “Bernie” McConnell offers many opportunities to participate in a variety of spiritual book studies that you will find engaging, faith renewing, and informative. Her classes meet in a group format and include the necessary reading materials at a nominal cost. If you are interested, classes fill up quickly.

Current Class

"The Chosen" Season 2 began Wednesday, July 27th and runs through September 28th, from 9:30-10:45 am in the church overflow hall. One episode is shown each week followed by discussion. These 8 "Lessons" will take you on a journey with Christ and His apostles to explore what it means to be Blessed. The Bible Study text that accompanies the series is $16.50 and will be available for purchase/pickup in the Parish Office or Class. Questions call/text Bernie McConnell at 703-508-1573.

Correspondence Ministry

The Madonna Guild sponsors a student named Regan living in Uganda through Unbound, a Christian organization that assists with education and religious training. Julie maintains contact with Unbound regarding our sponsored student via correspondence and online photo and commentary. Any questions, contact Julie Luna at 928-940-2587.

Fundraiser Ministry

Terry Linn, our fundraising chairperson, is planning to pull out all the stops for our annual fundraiser! This year’s event will be on Saturday, September 24th at the Car Show in Pinetop. Terry reserved our booth space April 1st, so it is time to plan plan plan!

At the February meeting, there was a lot of discussion about exactly what kind of baked goods should be offered. You may remember that historically, the Madonna Guild offered homemade pies for sale when our fundraiser was located at The Orchard at Charlie Clark’s during the Fall Festival.

Given the significantly increased foot traffic at the Car Show, ideas were discussed about possibly broadening the kinds of foods offered for sale to include homemade breads, brownies, cookies, cupcakes, etc. some of which could be packaged in small quantities for eating at the Car Show while the pies would be taken home. No firm decision was made about a strict pie sale versus a bake sale, but Terry would like to hear your opinion. Please contact Terry at 734-259-9826 or teresa.linn04@comcast.net

In order to make this fundraiser a resounding success, we need you to help bake items to sell. Please keep Wednesday, September 21st through Friday, September 23rd available to help bake either at the St Joseph Family Center kitchen or at your home. Decisions about what to bake will be made soon. We want all items for sale to be homemade, so we need LOTS of help in preparing for this fundraiser. Please contact Terry to volunteer.

Funeral (Luncheons) Ministry

The Madonna Guild sometimes provides side dishes and desserts in the SJFC following a funeral. Currently, COVID has temporarily halted this activity, but we look forward to restarting this ministry when conditions allow.

Mary Kay Nelson chairs the Funeral Ministry. For questions, please call Mary Kay at 602-478-0609.

Outreach Ministry

Chaired by Mary Kay Nelson, the intent of this ministry is to actively recruit new members into the Madonna Guild to broaden our active membership base. As you know, all women in our parish are considered members of the Madonna Guild but most women are not active participants. We also have our summer visitors who would like to be more active in our parish.

The other goal of the Outreach Ministry is to enrich and support members of our parish by making an intentional effort to reach out to individuals who are ill, experiencing hardships or who are suffering the loss of a loved one.

To volunteer or to suggest parishioners who could use a phone call and/or a prayer shawl, please contact Mary Kay at 602-478-0609 or marykaynelson1@hotmail.com

Prayer Line Ministry

The Prayer Line, chaired by Lorraine Robertson, offers prayers for those who are ill, suffering a hardship or are recently deceased. If you would like to add the name of a family member, friend, or acquaintance to the St. Mary of the Angels Prayer Line, please contact Lorraine Robertson at robertsonpl406@gmail.com

Prayer Shawls Ministry

Have you always wanted to learn but never had someone show you? A hand knit or crocheted prayer shawl can bring such comfort to those who are ill or missing a loved one.

Terry Linn hosts a monthly prayer shawl meeting where she can teach you how. You can pick up all the supplies you need to get started. Meetings are the first Thursday of the month. The next meeting will be Thursday, September 1st, at 10 am in the parish office. Terry has patterns, knitting and crochet needles, and yarn. All she needs is your help in joining this worthy cause.

Donations of yarn will be gratefully received. For questions, please contact Terry Linn at 734-259-9826 or teresa.linn04@comcast.net

Rosary Ministry

Would you like to learn a new craft that you can do anywhere but it doesn’t cost you any money?

Dorothy Dobry is looking for volunteers to make rosaries. Making a rosary is easy (takes about 15-20 minutes each) and you can do it while watching television or listening to music. Dorothy provides everything you need including written instructions. She will also show you how to make them.

Completed rosaries are sent to a prison ministry in need of more rosaries and throughout the world. What better way to honor Mary and to help others with their prayer life than to make rosaries? If you have questions, please call Dorothy at (928)368-7371.

Social Events Ministry

Chaired by Bernadette “Bernie” McConnell, the Social Events Ministry will spearhead all social activities hosted by the Madonna Guild.

These events will not only encourage communication between current active members but will also welcome new Madonna Guild participants who wish to find out more information about what we do. These activities could include Meet & Greet events, luncheons, or outings in our community.

For more information, please contact Bernie at 703-508-1573 or bmcconnell75@gmail.com.

Christmas Stocking Ministry

Nothing shows the love, heart, and dedication of the Madonna ladies like our Christmas Stocking Ministry. Led by the expert skills of Lorraine Robertson, a group of seamstress elves cut and sewed 300 stockings in June. These stockings will be decorated by even more of Santa’s elves on July 14th at 9am using paint, handsewn holiday designs, pictures, glitter, and sequins.

Meanwhile, Terry Linn managed the huge year-long task of gathering and cataloguing all the stocking stuffers donated by our Madonna ladies and parishioners. By December, all that is left to do is stuff the stockings. The stockings will be donated to Meals on Wheels, Waling Down Ranch, White Mountain Catholic Charities, and White Mountain Apache Tribe (Bii’Nalwod).

Would you like to help us with the Christmas Stocking Ministry?

Have you been traveling recently? Did you bring home your hotel-sized shampoo and conditioner? If you are not going to use them, please don’t throw them away! The Madonna Guild would like to include them as stocking stuffers for this year’s Christmas stockings.

Throughout the year we collect individually packaged toothbrushes, toothpaste, lotion, bars of soap, shower gel, hand sanitizers, mini notepads, shampoo, conditioner, pens, and deodorant. All items, except toothbrushes and pens, should be small or travel sized.

Please drop off your donations at any of the Masses, in the parish office or bring them to our monthly meeting. Summer residents and visitors, please keep adding to your stash of these items as you travel and donate them when you are next in the White Mountains. For questions, please contact Terry Linn at 734-259-9826 or teresa.linn04@comcast.net

Thanksgiving Ministry

Chaired by Arleen Caruth, the Thanksgiving Ministry gathers turkeys and non-perishable foods suitable for about 30 delicious Thanksgiving meals that are distributed throughout our community with the collaboration of White Mountain Catholic Charities. Donations throughout the year are gratefully received from our compassionate parishioners and White Mountain Catholic Charities adds additional perishable trimmings to make each basket a Thanksgiving feast!

The month of August the Madonna's will be collecting corn and green beans. Donations may be dropped off in the lobbies of the St. Joseph Family Center or Church.

Many thanks to our parishioners who have donated the following to date:

Corn (45 cans), Green Beans (69 cans), Cream of Mushroom soup (21 cans), Pumpkin Puree (10 cans), Cranberry Sauce (6 cans), and Stuffing Mix (3 boxes)!