Our Lady of Grace Parish is blessed with many volunteers.

• During Mass many serve as lectors, Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion, altar servers, choir members  and ushers.
• After Mass, ministers of Holy Communion take our love and prayers with them as they bring Jesus to the sick and homebound.
• Others give their time and talents in caring for the altar linens, vestments, candles, and floral decorations. 
• The Arimatheans  offer invaluable support in their service at funeral liturgies. 
• And the talents and hard work of the decorating committee are especially appreciated at the Christmas and Holy Week/Easter celebrations. 
• Parishioners also serve on the Interfaith Committee making sandwiches, serving meals, and bringing help and hope to shelter residents and others in need.

• The first Sunday of each month and on Thanksgiving Day the food collection provides non-perishable goods for St. Martin Food Pantry in Gaithersburg, MD. 
• The Christmas Giving Tree  program provides gifts to children of the Shrine of the Sacred Heart in Washington, DC.
• The Charity Fund is used to meet various needs in the Archdiocese and Montgomery County, including a yearly donation to the John S. Mulholland Foundation, serving the hungry poor in the nation's capital.  Specific needs outside the county may be submitted to the Pastor for consideration.  

The Sodality fosters devotion to the Blessed Mother, especially through the First Saturday Fatima Rosary, and offers programs and meetings to encourage ongoing spiritual growth.

#10: It’s good for you.
Research shows that volunteers have lower mortality rates, greater functional ability and lower rates of depression.

#9: Many hands make light work. 
Even volunteering once a month gives a break to someone who may be serving 7 or more times a month.

#8: Volunteering promotes personal growth and self-esteem.
Serving at liturgy services encourages your attention and furthers your connection to the OLG community. Bringing Communion to the homebound becomes a gift to the receiver and the giver.

#7: You gain friends and build camaraderie and teamwork.
You now have names to go with the friendly faces you see in the pews around you, or of those who are or become homebound.

#6: You learn a lot.
 You acquire new skills or build your competencies and discover hidden gifts in yourself and others.

#5: Volunteering strengthens your community.
Each volunteer is another link that builds a more vital and involved OLG.

#4: You get a chance to give back.
At every Mass and every home visit you make God’s love for you visible to those you serve.

#3: You experience a change of scenery. 
When sitting in a different pew, serving at the altar, or visiting the sick you see their faces, not just their backs!

#2: You increase your satisfaction with life by making a difference.
 Your service is unique and each person counts!

#1: You can quote Erma Bombeck.
"When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left, and could say, 'I used everything you gave me.'"