Parish Life Ministries are organizations that foster greater unity among parishioners and that provide administrative support.
BEREAVEMENT COMMITTEE: Members help provide refreshments after funerals. They make phone calls for food donations, set up, serve food and clean up after the reception. Each month a team is assigned to coordinate activities, as needed. Contact: Terri Iannaconi – 410-949-8500; tiannaconi@g,mail.com
CHARISMATIC PRAYER GROUP: Members meet Wednesday evenings in the church to praise the Lord. More information is available at www.fsccpg.org. Contact: Benedict Olaleye – 301-604-0371; benolaleye@yahoo.com
CURSILLO: Cursillo is a weekend retreat experience for men and women held twice a year on a diocesan level to promote spiritual growth and the building of lay leadership. Ultreya is a monthly follow-up meeting that is open to all. CONTACT: Debbie Rausch – 301-498-8806; rauschda@gmail.com
There will not be a St. Nicholas Fall Bazaar in October 2019 because of the Parish Hall construction. However, the Bazaar Planning Committee will hold its One-Grand Raffle during the fall. We hope that you will contribute to this fundraising effort for St. Nicholas Church. We look forward to resuming the Fall Bazaar in October of 2020.
St. Nicholas reinstituted an annual bazaar in October 2007 to celebrate the parish’s 40th anniversary. The bazaar is a major fundraiser for the church, and we invite everyone to participate. The bazaar is held on a Friday and Saturday in October. It includes handmade crafts, a bake sale, a boutique, raffles for gift baskets, the One-Grand raffle, and a food concession providing breakfast, lunch, and dinner while the bazaar is open. A planning meeting is held the second Tuesday of each month February - November. We need your participation, and donations to make this parish social event and fundraiser a success. Several subcommittees support the bazaar, and volunteers are needed:
Chair: Pat Farmer – 301-776-4645; buttonspaf@aol.com
Crafts: Debbie Rausch – 301-498-8806, rauschda@gmail.com
Treasure Trove: Frances Tomassoni – 301-604-8994; ftomassoni195@gmail.com and Mimi Nostro – 301-490-1361; mimi.nostro@gmail.com
Gift Basket Raffle: Sharon Tredway – 301-490-6027; sharitredway13302@gmail.com
Bake Sale: Donna Cellini – 301-317-0875; donnac803@aol.com and Pat Schmidt – 301-490-3624; mitz11@verizon.net
Children's Activities: Pat Farmer – 301-776-4645; buttonspaf@aol.com
Food Concession: Theresa Corbett – 301-317-5762; theresa_corbett@yahoo.com
One-Grand Raffle: Praxi Belandres – 301-937-2412; praxievb@gmail.com
Welcome/Door Prizes/50/50 Raffle: Tita Banez – 301-490-8392; tcbrn2003@yahoo.com
Pages from the Past - Sale of Used Books, CDs and Videos: Rita Goerling, goerling@aol.com
Public Relations: Chair Debbie Rausch – 301-498-8806, rauschda@gmail.com
Finance Chair: Brandy Swanson, brandyds@mac.com
FINANCE COUNCIL: Develops the annual parish budget and advises the pastor on monetary issues. Contact: Wayne Nostro, Chair; 703-906-5370; wnostro@gmail.com
INTERNATIONAL CATHOLICS OF ST. NICHOLAS PARISH: An inclusive sodality/association of socially active members of St. Nicholas. Every person comes from a nation, and together we make up a kind of “United Nations.” Open to all parishioners. Meetings are held on the fourth Sunday of the month after the 11:30 a.m. Mass in the Cry Room. Contact: Dr. Justin Harris, president – 301-974-9902 and Jane Okebugwu, secretary – 240-462-9122; jokebugwu@aol.com
MAINTENANCE COMMITTEE: Members consult on and execute maintenance plans and efforts for the church and rectory buildings. Efforts include plumbing, roofing, water drainage, sidewalks and parking lot, electrical, chair take-down and set-up, heating and cooling plant, paint, fall and spring clean-up events, Christmas lights, church lighting, review of insurance training, and other areas as needed. Committee meets Tuesday mornings after 8:30 Mass and as needed. Sense of humor critical to the maintenance mission. Contact: Chuck Murnane – 301-490-2503; cjmurnane@juno.com
PARISH COUNCIL: The purpose of the Parish Council is to provide the structure by which the people of the parish can achieve a better understanding of the meaning and operation of St. Nicholas and of their Christian obligations to the parish, the community and the world. The Parish Council is an advisory and deliberating body, responsible for assisting the pastor in the initiation and development of policies, programs and procedures in the best interests of the parish as a whole. It does this by the awareness of all activities and needs, spiritual and temporal, of individuals in the parish and, when appropriate, of the community and the world. The Parish Council identifies resources available to conduct those activities to meet those needs, and it reports its decisions and actions to the parish by posting minutes on the bulletin board. Contact: Chairperson Mary Boivin (mary.boivin@gmail.com).
SOCIAL COMMITTEE: Members plan events to bring parishioners together for fun and fellowship in order to foster friendship and a sense of community. Contact: Sonia Bobis – 240-264-1821; sdbobis777@yahoo.com
STEWARDSHIP: Stewardship is a way of living life with an attitude of gratitude. In recognition of all God has given us, we seek to share God’s goodness with others through our gifts of Time, Talent, and Treasure. Contacts: Deacon Perry Iannaconi – 301-953-2251; iannaconip@aol.com and Kathy Schmitt – 301-325-3119; kschmitt123@yahoo.com