Lehighton church hosts Time and Talent Fair
SS. Peter and Paul Parish in Lehighton recently hosted its inaugural Time and Talent Fair in the parish school hall following all of the weekend Masses.
All parish ministries and organizations were invited to set up a display booth to educate and inform parishioners and friends about all of the opportunities available to help make the parish, community, and world a better place. Representatives were on-hand to answer questions. Mary Marzen coordinated the fair."SS. Peter and Paul Parish has always been part of my life," said Marzen. "I have been involved in ministry since I was in grade school."According to Marzen, "Ministry should not be thought of as a job or something you do because no one else will do it. Ministry is using the gifts God has given you to serve Him and others."Three years ago, Marzen enrolled in the Diocese of Allentown Institute of Lay Ministry Program. "It's been a transforming experience for me. I have grown in my faith and love for the Lord and have gained so much knowledge through this program," said Marzen.The Institute for Lay Ministry offers a three-year Ministry Formation Program intended to prepare laymen and laywomen to serve as Pastoral Ministers - a title defined by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops' Commission on Certification and Accreditation.A Pastoral Minister is one who is responsible for a specific area of pastoral duties - such as visitation of the sick, the Rite of Christian Initiation, parish outreach, and the like - under the direction of the Pastor, Pastoral Associate, or other pastoral member.Mary Fran Hartigan serves as the Diocese of Allentown full-time Assistant Director of Adult Formation and the Institute for Lay Ministry. She earned her M.A. in Systematic Theology from St. Charles Borromeo Seminary, Religious Studies Division.An approved project is required for the final year of the ILM Program. Marzen met with Rev. Michael Ahrensfield, Pastor, in September 2011 to discuss the needs of the parish. The Time and Talent Fair is the result of that meeting."We wanted to find a way to help make the people of the parish more aware of their God-given talents and gifts and how sharing those talents and gifts would help build the community," explained Marzen. "Also, all of our ministries and organizations need 'new blood.'"Marzen is proud of the response to the Time and Talent Fair. The parish signed up 145 new volunteers. "Just amazing!"Those taking part in the Time and Talent Fair included Altar & Rosary Society; altar servers; Catholic Youth Organization (CYO); choir; church cleaning crew; church gardeners; Cursillo; eucharistic ministers; Holy Name Society; Knights of Columbus; lectors; Parish Religious Education Program (PREP); Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA); rosary makers; Parish School; Spiritual Life Team; and ushers.In addition to the ministries and organizations, there were door prizes and refreshments. Games and face-painting were available for the children. Buster the Clown stopped by to entertain "children of all ages."For more information about the Diocese of Allentown in general and the ILM Program specifically, visit
http://www.allentowndiocese.org/ . Hartigan can be reached directly at 610- 289- 8900, ext. 226.For more information about SS. Peter and Paul Parish in Lehighton, visit