Ministries

Liturgical Ministers

Liturgical Ministry:

Liturgical Ministers play a vital role in the celebration of the Mass and other liturgical services by assisting in various ways that help create a reverent, welcoming, and prayerful atmosphere. Through their service, liturgical ministers help the faithful more fully participate in worship, reflecting the unity and diversity of the Body of Christ. Their commitment deepens their own faith as they actively serve God and the Church, offering their time, presence, and gifts in support of the sacred celebration.

Contact: Anderew Kem, [email protected] - 608-246-5124

Extraordinary Ministers of Communion

Extraordinary Ministers of Communion (Eucharistic Ministers) distribute the Body of Christ to the assembly at weekend Masses. Ministers are trained and assigned to a team designated for each Mass.
Contact: Jeanne Schommer or 608-839-5223

Sacristans
Sacristans set out the vessels, ensure lay ministers are present and make other preparations for the weekend Masses. They also clean and put away vessels after Mass. This ministry allows the priests to be available to people prior to and following the Liturgy. The ministry can be performed by one person, or a couple. It is an enjoyable family ministry for young couples with children.
Contact: Kathy Markeland, [email protected] or 608-576-9607

Leaders of Prayer:

Leaders of Prayer play a meaningful role in the liturgy by proclaiming the Prayers of the Faithful during Sunday Mass. In doing so, they give voice to the needs and hopes of the Church, the world, and the local community. This ministry not only deepens their own faith but also encourages the congregation to unite in prayerful intention. By leading these intercessions, they serve God and the Church, helping to foster a spirit of compassion, unity, and shared responsibility in the life of the parish.
Contact:

Saint Dennis - Terry Ludkey, [email protected] - 608-230-5584

Saint Peter - Brandon Reda, [email protected] - 608-249-6651

Altar Servers:

Altar servers play a vital role in the liturgy by assisting the priest during Mass and other religious ceremonies. Through their service, they help create a reverent and orderly environment that allows the congregation to focus on worship. By participating closely in the sacred rituals of the Church, altar servers deepen their own faith, grow in understanding of the Mass, and develop a spirit of humility and devotion. Their commitment is a meaningful way to serve both the Church community and God, embodying the values of service, discipline, and prayer.

Anyone 4th grade or older who has received their sacraments can be a server.

Contact: Carol Jacques, [email protected] (608) 246-5124

Lectors:

Lectors serve an essential role in the Church by proclaiming the Word of God during Mass and other liturgical celebrations. Through their clear and prayerful reading of Scripture, they help bring the Bible to life for the congregation, deepening the community’s understanding of God’s message. This ministry strengthens the lector’s own faith as they reflect on and prepare to share the sacred texts. By lending their voice to God’s Word, lectors serve both the Church and God, fostering a deeper connection between the liturgy and the lives of those who hear it.
Contact:

Saint Dennis - Deb Tahany, [email protected] - 608-244-3727

Saint Peter - Andrew Kem, [email protected] - 608-246-5124

Ministers of Hospitality/Ushers/Greeters:

Church ushers and greeters provide a ministry of hospitality, offering a warm welcome to all who enter the church. They help set the tone for worship by creating an environment of openness, respect, and belonging. Greeters offer friendly smiles, while ushers assist with seating, distribute worship aids, and help maintain order during the liturgy. Their quiet yet vital presence supports the flow of the Mass and helps ensure everyone feels comfortable and included. In serving others with kindness and care, ushers and greeters reflect Christ’s love and help build a more welcoming, faith-filled community.
Contact:

Saint Dennis - Mike Stewart, [email protected]

Saint Peter - Tom Brokaw, [email protected]

Music Ministry:

Music ministers play a powerful role in enriching the worship experience by leading the assembly in song and prayer. Through their musical gifts—whether as singers, instrumentalists, or choir members—they help lift hearts and minds to God, making the liturgy more vibrant and prayerful. Music ministers deepen their own faith by engaging intimately with the sacred texts and melodies, while inspiring the congregation to participate fully in praise and thanksgiving. Their service beautifully unites the community in worship, glorifying God and nurturing the spiritual life of the Church.

Contact: Andrew Kem, [email protected] - 608-246-5124

Sign Interpreters

Sign Interpreters provide interpretation for persons who are deaf, using American Sign Language at the Sunday 8:30 a.m. Mass. This ministry is provided in part thanks to a grant from the Apostolate to the Handicap.
Contact: Carol Jacques, [email protected] (608) 246-5124

Fellowship

Assist with gatherings after weekend masses for refreshments and fellowship.

Contact: Jeanne Schommer, [email protected] - 608839-5223

Care for Creation

This group came about in response to Pope Francis’ Encyclical on “Care for our Common Home”.

Care for Creation is a group of parishioners who meet monthly, on the 2nd Sunday of the month, to advocate for and educate others on issues related to caring for God’s creation. Their focus includes reducing carbon emissions, increasing energy efficiency, and promoting environmental stewardship.
The group collaborates with the parish, school, and Faith Formation programs, while also engaging at the diocesan level and with interfaith communities. They are currently exploring the development of programs centered on criminal justice reform, the health of our food system, care for the poor, migrants, and other related social justice concerns.

Contact: Deanna Grahn, [email protected], Phone: 608-772-1692

Steve Coleman, [email protected], Phone: 608-287-8271

Saint Dennis Festival

This committee meets monthly (3^rd Wednesday 6 – 7:15 pm) throughout the year for ongoing planning of the annual St. Dennis Festival that occurs the last full weekend of July. The planning includes marketing, budgeting, grounds set-up, entertainment, food and beverage sales. New members always welcome from QOAP!

Contact: [email protected]

Sign up to Volunteer: Saint Dennis Festival

Saint Vincent De Paul

The conference includes members from both St. Dennis and St. Peter churches. They meet monthly on 2 nd Wednesday. Their mission is to serve the poor with mercy, dignity and respect. They facilitate numerous food/personal essential pantry drives to support SVDP food pantry. They also host special Sunday drives throughout the year such as Recycle the Warmth (collecting warm blankets, jackets, mittens, hats for the homeless), and Bundle Sunday drives.

Contact: Jordyce Green, [email protected], Phone 608-469-4440

Christmas Giving Tree Ministry

The Giving Tree Ministry is a seasonal project which starts early fall and goes through the Christmas season. The group coordinates collecting donations of Christmas gifts and money to make gift bags for Luke House clients and Parish homebound members.

Contact: Amy-Jo Cochems - 608-249-6651

Funeral Luncheons

Funeral luncheon volunteers provide a compassionate and comforting service to grieving families and their community. By preparing, organizing, and serving meals after funerals, they create a welcoming space for friends and family to gather, share memories, and find support. Through this ministry, volunteers deepen their own faith by living out Christ’s message of care, compassion, and fellowship.

Contact:

Saint Peter - Rosanne Hill, [email protected] - 608-244-5038

Saint Dennis - Jan Van Lysel - 608-244-2072

Grief Ministry

Grief Ministry offers a 3 session grief series workshop twice a year in the spring and fall. It is a spiritual program that includes education about the grief process and helps with the healing journey. All are welcome to attend no matter the length of time since the loss. The workshops are facilitated by a Certified Grief Educator, Peggy Weber, RN,MSN.

Circle of Friends - Circle of Friends is part of the Grief Ministry. This group follows family members of deceased parishioners for one year. They make an occasional call and send notes, or cards to the families at holidays and on the birthday of their loved one.

Contact:

Grief Ministry: Beth Rodwell - 630-251-3776 (call or text)

Circle of Friends - Patti Metcalf, [email protected] - 608-358-8650

Mental Health Ministry

The Mental Health Ministry offers support sessions for individuals experiencing mental health challenges or navigating life events that disrupt emotional and spiritual well-being. Meetings are held on the 1st Sunday of each month from 12:00 noon to 1:30 PM at St. Dennis.
Each meeting begins with a light meal, followed by time for reflection, prayer, and an optional check-in for participants to share how they are managing their mental health. The sessions are facilitated by individuals with backgrounds in mental health or training provided through the diocese.

Contact: Lucy Altwegg, [email protected] - 608-445-8694

Care Team Ministry

Volunteers provide non-medical visits to persons who live alone, are homebound or reside in healthcare facilities. The team also provides temporary non-medical relief (respite) to family members who are caring for a loved one at home. Care Team support includes friendly visits and telephone reassurance, assistance with mail correspondence, and sorting, organizing and paying bills, etc. Confidentiality is upheld for all concerned. Anyone needing these services or wishing to provide them may contact us. If you are comfortable sitting with a person who is ill, just being a kind and trusted presence, or if you wish to call and/or visit those who live alone or are in care facilities, this ministry may be for you. Catholic Charities provides training for team members.

Contact: Lucy Altwegg at 608-445-8694 or Mary Lang at 608-213-1464

Prayer Ministry

Saint Dennis:

Parishioners are invited to email prayer requests to [email protected]. These intentions will be shared and prayed for during the Rosary, which is recited after every weekday Mass.

Contact: Colleen Martine, [email protected]

Saint Peter:

This ministry is a telephone prayer group made up of parishioners who pray for others with specific prayer requests. Parishioners can call Sharon Goodno to share their intentions. Sharon then contacts the prayer team members, and together they offer prayers for the needs that have been shared.

Contact: Sharon Goodno, [email protected], Phone: 608-241-1974

Prayer Shawl

Saint Peter:

The Prayer Shawl Group meets on the 1st and 3rd Mondays of each month from 1:30 to 3:30 PM. The gathering begins with prayer and a blessing of the shawls, followed by time to socialize while members knit and crochet.

Contact: Linda Conlon, [email protected], Phone: 608-249-2407.

Saint Dennis:

The Prayer Shawl group gathers on the third Tuesday of each month at 7:00 PM, except in July and December. The ministry’s mission is to create shawls for individuals experiencing life challenges such as illness, surgery, or loss, as well as to celebrate joyful occasions like the birth of a child, a birthday, or a graduation.
Parish members are encouraged to notify the group of anyone who might benefit from receiving a shawl. Upon request, shawls have even been sent to other states and as far away as Colombia and India. To date, the group has made over 3,800 shawls.
Each month, the group is blessed to have one of the parish priests join them in prayer and bless the shawls before they are distributed. The ministry’s mission is to provide recipients with a tangible expression of God’s love and the heartfelt prayers of the QOAP community. New members are always welcome! This ministry is generously supported by the Women of St. Dennis, whose donations help cover the cost of yarn and other supplies.

Contact: Mary Kay Thompson, [email protected], Phone 608-249-0566

Women of Saint Dennis

The women of Saint Dennis promote religious, educational and charitable activities for the benefit of women, families, church, school, religious education and community. Stay connected with the Women of St. Dennis on Facebook. They also sponsor many other activities throughout the year like the CareNet Baby Bottle, Project Angel Tree, the Project Linus, Ladies Night Out to name a few.
Contact: Anne Otter, [email protected]. Phone: 608-712-0644.

Ladies Guild

All ladies of St. Peter church are members. Meetings are held the 3 rd Tuesday of the month at 6:30 pm, (They do not meet in January, June, July or August). The meetings include a speaker or some type of special activity along with
fellowship. They plan and run the St. Peter’s Church Bazaar in October. They also donate money to, sponsor and support other activities and charities throughout the year, like the Linus Project, Mother’s Day Rose Sale, Babies
and Beyond, River Food Pantry, St. Vincent de Paul, Dorothy Day House to name a few.

Contact: Roseanne Hill, email is [email protected], Phone 608-244-5038

Belize/Lighthouse Ministries

Lighthouse Ministries’ mission is “to live out the mission of Christ; by building mutual relationships with the people of Belize and providing education opportunities through scholarships with the goal of empowering others to reach their God-given potential.”

Lighthouse Ministries is a nonprofit organization that organizes and facilitates annual mission trips to Belize. Since 2013, over 370 people have participated in the trips. The ministry partners with two schools—Santa Familia (serving about 200 students) and St. Joseph (serving about 100 students)—both located in small, remote villages in the Cayo District.

During each trip, the team hosts a three-day Vacation Bible School and focuses on building and strengthening lasting relationships with the people of Belize. Annual mission trips are open to all QOAP members.

Between annual mission trips, members of the Lighthouse board often travel to Belize as the ministry remains active all through the year.

Lighthouse Ministries has played a vital role in supporting a variety of important projects at the schools. The most significant project to date has been helping to raise funds to build a new primary school for St. Joseph’s in Duck Run II, a small, underserved village. The school also serves as a hurricane shelter for their local community.

Lighthouse partners with QOAP Faith Formation to raise money for scholarships that enable children to continue their education beyond 8th grade – supporting students who might not otherwise have the opportunity to pursue further schooling.

For more information, see Lighthouse Ministries Website:
Light House Ministries

Contact: Deacon David, [email protected] - 608-513-2965

Knights of Columbus

An organization for Catholic men ages eighteen and older committed to exemplifying charity, fraternity, patriotism, and the support of religious vocations. A Knights of Columbus council can work wonders; in fact, with its many programs, it can help change the community, town, city or neighborhood in which you live.

Saint Dennis Contact: Chuck Risler - [email protected]

Field Agent: Steven Rammer, FIC at (608) 219-7461

Saint Peter Contact: Ronald Miller - [email protected]

Check the monthly Knightly News letter here - Knightly News