Volunteer Opportunities
There are many ways to use your gifts of time and talent to support the ministries of St. Julian’s. Further, we believe that serving in one of our ministries can be a deeply fulfilling experience, as we encounter God in the midst of our service and come to know better those we serve alongside. Below is a list of some current ministry opportunities. If you are interested in any, please simply contact the appropriate leader in our community with the links provided below. You can also always be in touch with our priest, Miles, directly if you would like to discuss these opportunities or anything else about our life at St. Julian’s.
Mission and Growth Ministry:
At St. Julian’s, we strive to be a mission oriented church, that is reaching out to the larger community around us and inviting all people to join us in seeking greater intimacy with God in Christ. We believe that there are countless people around us who need to hear some Good News that they are deeply loved by God, that life has meaning, and that because of Jesus death and resurrection our life will not end at the grave but will last forever in the loving embrace of God. This ministry is a group of people who are thinking strategically about how we, through our individual efforts and various marketing strategies, can make ourselves known in the larger community around us and invite our neighbors to become a part of St. Julian’s. This ministry also organizes our greeters who welcome “guests” and “regulars” alike, as they arrive at church each week. If you have gifts in sharing your faith, experience in marketing/advertising or simply want to join this team of Good News-spreaders, email the chair Hope Carberry.
Hospitality Ministry:
The purpose of this ministry is to plan and prepare for community celebrations as we attempt to live into our vision of “Growing in Relationship” with one another. These include regular dinners and other opportunities for fellowship. Moreover, this team is working to be sure we are offering hospitality to all who join us on Sundays for worship and education by organizing refreshments. If you like meeting new folk, throwing fun gatherings and welcoming new people, please consider joining this ministry team. If you would like to find out more about hospitality at St. Julian’s or be a part of this ministry, please email Matt Abrahamson.
Outreach Ministry
One part of our Vision Statement reads that at St. Julian’s we are committed to “Loving all Well”. Expressing our love and compassion for all those that are underserved or in need beyond St. Julian’s, is the work of this team. They gather regularly to plan ongoing activities and special events that seek to bless those in God’s family looking for assistance in the greater Austin community. We work with non-profits such as Hill Country Community Ministries among others and sponsor seasonal activities like adopting a family in need at Christmas. This team is also reflecting on short-term mission trips for our community in the summer months. If you have a desire to serve God’s people in need or have questions about his ministry, please email our Outreach Committee chair, Roger Hungerford.
Children and Youth Ministries:
There are three ways to volunteer with our young people. The first is as a Children’s Chapel assistant. Children’s Chapel takes place during the first half of the regular service and ends in time for the children to rejoin their families for Holy Communion. The assistant helps our leader, Maryann Philbrook, keep the children focused and involved in the worship experience. The second is assisting with our Godly Play program for children 4-10. Godly Play encourages children to engage there faith through story telling and self-guided activities that encourage children to participate in deepening their relationship with God in Christ. The third opportunity for ministry is with our new Youth Ministry program (EYC) which is being led by our priest the Rev. Miles Brandon. Miles is looking for people interested in working with our teens and pre-teens on Sundays following church. This will include both time for devotionals and fun activities. If you are interested in helping with either or if you have any questions, email Amanda Bindel, the chair of our Children’s and Youth Ministry Committee.
Music Ministry:
If you love to sing or play a musical instrument and would like to participate in creating worshipful music for our weekly Sunday service, we would love to benefit from your gifts. Music is essential to Episcopal worship and creates a wonderful path for many to connect to God in worship. At. St. Julian’s, we incorporate many genres of music into our services including traditional hymnody, popular music, Taize and gospel, recognizing that many types of beautiful music point us to the immeasurable beauty of God. If you would like to find out more about music at St. Julian’s or playing with our team (no formal experience necessary!), please contact our Music Minister, Samantha Miller.
Women’s and Men’s Ministries:
Our women’s and men’s ministries seek to meet the unique concerns and spiritual growth of the women and men in our community. These ministries have been a great opportunity for friendship building among peers. If you are interested in helping organize or simply participate in the various gatherings of either group, please email Ashley Brandon (for women) or Mason Terry (for men).
Set-Up/Take Down Team Ministry:
Though it is our plan to move into a more permanent setting at the appropriate time in our life, for now we worship at Church of the Savior (part of the United Church of Christ denomination), we need individuals to serve on teams that volunteer to come to the church one hour before the service at 3:00 PM to help set up our lovely worship space. Then the same team, at the conclusion of our Christian Education time, works together to put it back to the way the space was when we arrived. We are typically done at or before 6:30 PM. We currently have three teams of 5 people and are hoping to create more teams to share the workload. If you are interested in joining a team, please email Marty Terry or Miles to sign up or with questions.
Chalice Bearer and Scripture Readers Ministry:
Worship in the Episcopal Church is not lead by clergy alone. In fact, much of the leadership during worship services is provided by lay people (non-ordained church participants) who lead prayers, music, read scripture, welcome visitors, collect the offering and serve the chalice (wine) during the administration of Holy Communion. If you are interested in being trained to read scripture in our service or serve the chalice, please email Marty Terry or Miles to sign up or with questions.
Flower Ministry:
Flowers are an important part in helping us create a worship space that is beautiful and inviting. Moreover, as flowers bloom afresh, they are symbol of the foundation of our faith Jesus rising afresh from the grave defeating sin and death once and for all. Our Flower Ministry, picks up the flowers and brings them to the service each week. It, also, arranges that the flowers go to a place or person to be appreciated following the service. Lastly this ministry makes sure that people have the opportunity to provide financially for the flowers in memory or honor of loved ones. If you are interested in volunteering with the Flower Ministry or have questions, please email Dawn Marruchella.