Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Our Mass Schedule:

Saturday:
8:00 a.m. & 5:30 p.m.

Sunday:
7:00, 8:30, 10:00 a.m. & 12:15 p.m.

5:30 p.m. Sept-May

Weekdays:
7:00 a.m. & 12:05 p.m.

Holy Days:
5:30 p.m. Eve before
7:00 a.m.
12:05 & 7:30 p.m.

National Holidays:
9:00 a.m.

Sacrament of
Reconciliation:

Saturday
4:15 to 5:00 p.m.
or by appointment

ASSUMPTION PARISH MINISTRY DIRECTORY

LITURGICAL MINISTRIES

Great care is taken to ensure that all of our liturgies are beautiful, moving, and cohesive expressions of the love between God and his people. Through careful planning, the celebrant and the Director of Music ensure that the flow of each liturgy remains reverent and prayerful at all times. In choice of music, prayer, and decoration of the worship space, we strive to tie all elements of liturgy together (in keeping with the liturgical season and/or feast day) in order to enhance the worship experience of our parish community. We know that the youth of the parish are the future of God’s church, and so we committed to ensuring that the children and youth of our parish feel that they can contribute to, and be enriched by, our various liturgies. To that end, we instituted a Sunday evening Youth Mass in the fall of 2005. Through our Children’s Worship Ministry, our younger children participate in many activities, liturgies and processions throughout the year.

Youth and Family Mass – Each Sunday evening throughout the school year, (with the exception of Holy Days and major Holidays) a Youth and Family Mass is held at 5:30 p.m. Throughout this liturgy, members of our Youth Ministry serve as ushers, lectors, and Extraordinary Ministers of Communion. Members of our Youth Choir provide all liturgical music and Mass parts, as well as instrumental accompaniment. Music for this Mass is selected by the teens under the direction of the Director of Music. Training of all ministerial roles is done by the corresponding coordinator, but scheduling and assignments are prepared by teen members of each ministry. Homily themes are geared towards the youth of the parish, so that they can apply the Good News of the Gospel to their own lives.

Liturgical click here to download PDF

Altar Servers

Extraordinary Ministers of the Eucharistic Ministers

Liturgy, Decorations and Altar Linen Committees

ALTAR SERVERS
The Altar Server Ministry is open to all boys and girls from the fourth grade and above. This ministry assists the priest at the celebration of Mass. The Altar Server or in the proper name, Acolyte, has an important part in the celebration of the Mass. It is the Altar Server who leads the procession into the church for the beginning of the Mass, makes sure the book of prayers is available for the priest and leads the faithful from the back of the church to the altar for the Offertory Procession. The Altar Server is also responsible for getting the Chalice to the altar, presenting the priest or Deacon with the water and the wine, taking part in the priest’s washing of hands and leading the recessional after Mass. Training sessions are held in the fall and spring each year. Trainees attend a minimum of four training classes before being installed. Schedule is prepared quarterly and servers are scheduled at approximately one liturgy per month.

For more information please call Liz Wilkey at 973-539-2141.Top

EUCHARISTIC MINISTERS
One of the liturgical ministries that arose as a result of the Liturgical renewal of Vatican Council II, is the sacred ministry of becoming a Eucharist Minister. It is an extreme honor to be able to become the hands and feet enabling Christ to offer His body and blood to all His dear people. There are approximately 75 members of Assumption parish who serve as Eucharistic Ministers. They are most visible at our weekday and Sunday Liturgies where they help with the distribution of Holy Communion. Without their help, we would not be able to offer the precious blood on a regular basis. Many of these ministers also take the Eucharist to the homebound and elderly who are unable to come to church. Another group of ministers distribute Holy Communion in nursing homes such as Pine Acres, Morris Hills, Spring Hills, and Lyons Veterans Hospital. There are also members of our parish who help at Morristown Memorial Hospital. The schedule is prepared quarterly by a volunteer coordinator. Ministers are selected/invited by the pastor, who also participates in their training. Training takes place annually and new ministers are commissioned with the blessing of Bishop Serratelli on the Feast of Corpus Christi.

For more information please call Hope Zenker at 973-401-1010.Top

LECTOR
Another liturgical ministry that has grown as a result of the reforms of the Vatican Council II, is the Ministry of Lector. Lay men and women are blessed to be enabled to use their voice to proclaim the Word of God to the glory and praise of His kingdom of life. Assumption is blessed to have 45 parishioners who volunteer to lector at the regularly scheduled weekend Masses and at selected services on Holy Days. With the exception of the Sunday 7:00 a.m. Mass, which has one lector, two lectors are scheduled for each Mass. To the extent possible, lectors rotate through each of the regularly scheduled Masses and alternate between the first and second readings.
Lectors are selected/invited by the Pastor or Associate. Lectors are trained on an “as needed” basis and scheduled quarterly by a volunteer coordinator.
This ministry provides an opportunity to actively participate in the Liturgy of the Word. Lectoring offers an opportunity to increase one’s knowledge of the Scriptures

For more information please call Sharon Prime at 973-539-1803.Top

MUSIC MINISTRY
Assumption Church’s Music Ministry is comprised of a group of dedicated professionals and volunteers who seek to honor God through musical expression. We endeavor to provide music of all styles to enhance and uplift our worship experience and encourage the musical participation of the Assumption congregants. We invite people of all ages to come and “Make a Joyful Noise Unto the Lord”. To that end our Children’s, Junior and Adult Choirs rehearse weekly. Our Cantors or Psalmists, Leaders of Song, Organists, Choir Members, Instrumentalists, and the Director of Music Ministries join the worshipping assembly at special and weekend liturgies throughout the liturgical year.

For more information call Claudia Nardi at 973-539-2141 ext. 19.Top

USHERS
A fundamental element of being a worshipping community is the warmth of our hospitality. To old and newcomers alike, our ushers are there to welcome and assist in seating all who come together to worship and praise our God. Some of their other duties are to find people to bring up the gifts of bread and wine at the Offertory, take up the collection, wish the people a fine day or evening when they are leaving and hand out bulletins.

For information please call Tony Romano at 973-267-5433. Top

CHILDREN’S WORSHIP
Children’s Worship at Assumption Church allows all children to become active participants in Sunday Liturgies. The Children’s Worship Team is responsible for planning Masses, processions, and prayer services for our children. Members of the Children’s Worship Team help to plan and rehearse for these special liturgical events:

Children’s Service of The Word – Members of the Children’s Worship Team lead children each Sunday during the school year in readings, discussions, prayer and song. Children and their leaders gather in the Community Room during 5:30 p.m. Mass on Saturday and the 10:00 a.m. Mass so that children hear the readings of the day in language and format that is geared specifically toward them.

May Crowning – Each year all children of the parish are invited to participate in our May Crowning. First Communicants lead the procession with flags, banners and streamers at the conclusion of Mass to crown Mary. All other children are encouraged to join the procession and leave a flower for Mary

For more information please contact Liz Wilkey at 973-539-2141.Top

DEAF MINISTRY
Each Sunday, at the 10:00 Mass, pews are reserved for our deaf parishioners and an interpreter is hired to translate the Mass in sign language.

Contact Fr. Dennis at 973-539-2141.Top

LITURGY COMMITTEE
Perhaps the most vital part of our life as a worshipping community is our Liturgies. From the absolute pinnacle of the Easter Triduum – Holy Thursday – Last Supper, Good Friday – Passion and death, Easter Vigil and Easter Sunday – to the regal celebration of Christ’s birth in Christmas, we have interspersed thirty-three Sundays and weeks of “Ordinary Time.” Ordinary, not because they are common uneventful and routine, but rather ordinary because they are an orderly progression of every beautiful facet of our complex and mysterious Salvation history. The Liturgy Committee is composed of representatives from various other Ministries which exist in service to our Liturgical celebration – Lectors, Eucharistic Ministers, Altar Servers, Music, and church decoration to name a few.

Contact Fr. Dennis Crowley at 973-539-2141.Top