Immaculate Heart of Mary is a large and active parish. Serving the parish using your unique gifts, enhances your personal faith journey as well as providing volunteers to help manage and support this engaging community. If you need help in recognizing where your strengths lie and how they mutually benefit both yourself and the parish, we recommend this insightful guidebook, Living Your Strengths Catholic Edition StrengthsFinder book and assessment. Take a look at our offerings below and also the Liturgical Ministries and Music Ministry for active roles during mass.

Support

For all Sick and Home-bound Ministries please contact Deacon David Bevins, at 616-241-4477, deacon@ihmparishgr.org

Sick and Home-bound Ministry

  • Eucharistic Visitors:  These members of the Immaculate Heart of Mary carry the Eucharist weekly to those members of Christ’s Body who are unable to attend church. As our community ages, we are always in need of volunteers for this very important ministry.
  • Meals for home-bound:  For short-term needs, our parish offers a meal service to parishioners. Please call if you can prepare a meal and give assistance to a Parishioner who is recovering from surgery. We have an easy meal sign-up service when the need arises.
  • Drivers: On occasion, drivers are needed to bring parishioners to appointments and mass. Please check bulletins for current needs.

Benevolence

Please contact the parish office for questions. 616-241-4477

Anyone wishing to donate to our benevolence fund will be assured that money, goods, or services are given in strictest confidence to assist those parishioners who find themselves struggling unexpectedly. Your donations are greatly appreciated.


Service

For all Service Ministry information please contact Jane Eggleston at 616-241-4477 ext 1107 or stewardship@ihmparishgr.org

Liturgical Ministries

Music Ministry

Funeral Buffet

These volunteers prepare and/or serve a buffet lunch for families after the funeral of a loved one. Volunteers are called upon as needed and serve as their schedule allows.

Munch and Mingle

We serve every other Sunday from September through early May.  We have a sign-up genius on the website to easily sign up for a date with your spouse and or family. There are two shifts per Sunday. This is a great opportunity to serve the parish and meet your fellow parishioners in a relaxed setting. And the donuts are pretty good too!

God’s Kitchen

This is a great opportunity for friends or families to sign up together as a group or a single to help serve a meal downtown at God’s Kitchen. Click Here to find a date that works for you.  For over 40 years volunteers from IHM have helped to serve a hot meal the second Sunday every month. We switched over scheduling to the online portal through God’s Kitchen but the mission and service remain the same. Take this opportunity to practice your corporal acts of mercy!

Altar Linens

Volunteers pick up once a week the purificators to wash and iron at home and return the following week. They serve on a monthly rotation, normally twice a year. This is a great at-home ministry!

Baptismal Garments

If you enjoy sewing, this ministry is for you. Help make the little white garments newly baptized babies receive on the altar during Baptism. Sew at home and deliver as needed.

Greeting Cards

Birthday, Christmas, and Easter cards are sent to our most special Senior Parishioners over the age of 80. This is a great work-from-home ministry if you enjoy writing and sending special notes of cheer! You can choose your holiday or birthday months that fit into your schedule.

Heavenly Dusters

These volunteers dust the narthex, sacristy, and sanctuary weekly. Individuals are assigned on a weekly rotation about four times a year. The day and time are arranged by the volunteer. If you like quite time in sacred spaces to make them neat and tidy, this ministry is for you!

Adoration Chapel Cleaning Angels

Our Adoration Chapel is given a clean sweep every week by our cleaning Angels. During the weekend when the Chapel is closed volunteers come in on their own schedule to dust, straighten, vacuum, and freshen up the chapel and bathroom. A great way to spend a quiet hour serving the parish environment. Service is one or two months a year.

Altar Arrangements, Art and Environment

Volunteers assist in decorating and preparing for the seasonal decor in our church. If you have a gift for decorating or flower arranging please consider this beautiful ministry.

IHM Gardeners

Immaculate Heart of Mary is blessed with a beautiful campus. It certainly takes a lot of effort to maintain and enhance the environment. We are looking for parishioners with a gift for tending gardens, green thumbs, and/or landscaping design experience. Zones are assigned and adopted to be lovingly cared for and maintained throughout the year. It could be a family project or a group of friends or just yourself; a time for quiet work. If you have been blessed with gardening skills please consider this joyful calling!