Ministries and Outreach Programs

Parish Ministries

Share you interst and talents with our parish by giving your time in a ministry that speaks to you. Sign up to Volunteer Today!

  • Greeters

    Parish volunteers who warmly welcome parishioners as they enter the Church for Mass.

  • Lectors

    Reader who proclaim the Scriptures at Mass and other services.

  • Usher

    Volunteers who assist people to their seat if necessary. They also take up the collection.

  • Eucharistic Minister

    Extraordinary Ministers of Communion who serve the Body and Blood of Christ at Mass and to the sick and homebound.

  • Music Ministry

    Share your musical talents with our parish and join together in song. Contact the choir director Laura Diaz-Flaviani, lflavianimusic@gmail.com


    Learn more about rehearsals and access music at our Choir Website.

  • Hospitality After Mass (Coffee & Donuts)

    St. Teresa of Avila see themselves as a community of disciples, it is important to have opportunities to meet with one another and share time and conversation. Coffee and donuts after the 10:00 a.m. Mass each Sunday provide the opportunity to get together and enjoy one another’s company. A small group of volunteers pick up and set out the donuts, prepare the coffee, serve those who attend and straighten up after.

  • Eucharistic Ministries to the Sick and Homebound

    The Archdiocese of San Francisco provides workshops to prepare parishioners to be extraordinary Eucharistic ministers to visit the sick and/or homebound and to bring them the Holy Eucharist. Invitations and directions on how apply for training in this ministry of care are published in the parish bulletin before a training session. Parishioners who are trained are available to meet the needs of the parish.

  • Pastoral Council

    St. Teresa’s Pastoral Council serves as an advisory body for the pastor. As the name suggests, the Council aims to foster and support the pastoral health of the parish. The Council does not manage the parish’s day-to-day activities but identifies key strategies and initiatives on which the parish will focus. Pastoral Council members meet with the pastor and offer him the wisdom of the community. Learn more

  • Finance Council

    Advises the Pastor on financial matters of the parish and school. Responsible for monitoring all income and expenses, and approving the annual budgets. Learn More

  • Green Team

    A group of volunteers who plan and organize activities in support of the Catholic Teaching on Care for Creation and environmental stewardship. Learn More

  • St Vincent de Paul Society

    The Society of St. Vincent de Paul is a worldwide Christian community; founded in Paris in 1833, by a group of young Catholic lay people and an older person, who joined together to create the first Conference. Active Time members are a group of faithful Vincentians who make it possible for the parishioners of St. Teresa of Avila outreach to the poor. 

  • Young Adult Catholics

    St. Teresa's Young Adult Catholics (YACs) group was formed in the summer of 2018 to strengthen the community of young adult parishioners. The group provides an inclusive platform for parishioners to share perspectives on Catholicism, ask difficult questions about their faith, support one another, and socialize outside of the church setting. Learn More

  • Gun Safety Committee

    A group of volunteers who are concerned about guns and gun violence in our society meeting once a month to research, learn and pass important gun information on to parishioners though our weekly bulletin.

Parish Outreach Programs

Ministries to the Sick and Homebound

When a member of the community becomes ill or homebound, the community of St. Teresa would like to stay connected. There are several ways the pastoral staff and other parishioners can be of service. All parishioners are asked to please call the rectory whenever someone is ill, hospitalized or homebound and leave a message for the pastor and/or other member of the pastoral staff.

  • The pastor/priests are always happy to make arrangements to celebrate the anointing of the sick.
  • Eucharistic Ministers to the sick are able to bring the sacrament of Holy Eucharist to the home at a time that is convenient for the family.
  • The person who is ill or homebound may enjoy a visit from a member of the Pastoral Staff or parishioner.
  • Volunteer parishioners send cards to the sick and/or homebound just to let them know of the care, concern and prayers of the community.

These types of outreach ministries to our parishioners are only possible when someone calls the office with the name and information about a person in need. Please remember to call. Thank you!

The Winter Shelter Program

The Winter Shelter Program functions from November through February. It is sponsored by the San Francisco Interfaith Council in collaboration with the Department of Human Services and the Episcopal Community Services to provide shelter and an evening meal for homeless men. The shelter and dinners rotate to different churches and various faith communities volunteer to prepare and serve the dinners. The Episcopal Community Services manages the program and the Inter-faith Council prepares the calendar of participants.

St. Teresa of Avila parish has participated for a number of years, not as a shelter site, but as a community that prepares and serves meals for two or three evenings.

Some of the Small Christian Communities have volunteered to sponsor an evening as has the St. Vincent de Paul Society. All parishioners are offered an opportunity to share in this outreach by signing up after the weekend Masses. Usually, a staff member has been involved in coordinating the parish efforts.

The Christmas Giving Tree Program

On the First Sunday of Advent parishioners are invited to take the name(s) of a child/children from the paper ornaments on a tree in the entrance to the church. The persons who choose to participate are asked to bring a gift for that child or children and place the gift under the tree by a certain date. The ornaments are prepared by parishioners and our parish deacon makes sure that the tree is available in the church.

This program serves the children of immigrant families and others who are poor. The program is coordinated by volunteer parishioners. A member of the parish staff works with the coordinators and assists as needed.

All parishioners are invited to become involved in the Giving Tree Program. The usual number of children served is approximately 100. Don’t miss the chance to help make it happen!

Annual Sock Collection Drive

Once a year, usually in the winter, one of the Small Christian Communities offers the parishioners an opportunity to bring pairs of new socks to be distributed to the poor and homeless. (Warm, dry socks are a treasure during the rainy season.) A clothes basket is placed in the vestibule of the church and a notice is posted that the sock collection is on.

The socks are brought to Sister Katie O’Shea who works with the San Francisco Council of St. Vincent de Paul. Sister Katie makes sure that the socks are handed out to those in need. Many stores now carry bundled socks at a reasonable price and our parishioners are very generous in their response.