Getting to Know Our Pastoral Associates: Sharon Weems
Father Gary asked the staff to introduce ourselves to the parish. I have been in my position as pastoral associate for administration and outreach for almost 15 years but in a parish of 3,300 families there are still so many of you I do not know. As I am writing this on April 3rd, I actually may have said hello to many of you this weekend as I was the staff greeter at the Masses.
I love my job here at Ascension. I am a member of the parish leadership team and my position consists of overseeing the parish office, facility maintenance, outreach ministries, and my favorite duties of budgeting and accounting for the parish and school. I graduated in accounting from KU many years ago and am a nerdy accountant that loves to add numbers to spreadsheets and make sure everything balances. It is a big job with many different responsibilities but when my husband tells me that I work too many hours I remind him that the extra hours are not work but instead is part of my time and talent and I love giving my time to God.
Sam and I have been married for 30 years and we have 2 children, Cody and Samantha, who both live nearby. We have been parishioners here at Ascension for 24 years. We truly feel blessed to be a part of Ascension.
Over the years we have participated in different ministries that fit our lives at the time. Currently my husband is an usher and I am a sacristan, Eucharistic Minister of Holy Communion and have a weekly adoration hour with Jesus. I am sitting with Jesus in our adoration chapel right now while writing this asking God to give me the right words to say. I truly believe the saying, “the more you give the more you shall receive”, as God continues to bless me and my family.
I strongly urge each one of you to volunteer for at least one ministry here at Ascension in addition to your volunteer work in the community. You will be amazed at the blessings you will receive in return. Our parishioner volunteers have greatly dropped since the pandemic and we really need your help in all areas. Can you give God a little bit of your time as an usher, greeter, sacristan, Eucharistic Minister at Mass or to the homebound, hospitals or nursing homes to name a few? Please look through our ministry guide (see link below!) to see where you may be called to give your time and talent. Call myself or anyone in our parish office or listed in the ministry guide to discuss all of the opportunities that await you. I promise you that you will not regret it.
May God bless you,
Sharon Weems, Pastoral Associate for Administration & Outreach
