Community Involvement
Outreach
We believe in living out our faith by serving those in need and extending God’s love to our wider community.
Across our six parishes, we offer a diverse range of outreach programs and services. These programs and services help make a difference in the lives of our neighbors, whether by providing food and shelter or offering companionship and support. Regardless of which of our six parishes you call home, we warmly invite you to explore all the opportunities listed on this page and participate in any ministry at any of our churches.
Cross-Parish Offerings
Bereavement
The bereavement ministry serves families who have lost a loved one. The ministry members are trained to provide comfort and support to grieving families by giving them our time, hearing their thoughts, and sharing their tears.
The funeral committee sees that all is in order and ready for a funeral Mass or service. They prepare the altar and church for a funeral Mass, serve as altar servers, and toll the bells. Other duties include preparing the pall for the casket, handing out the liturgy aids, being a Eucharistic minister, and ushering. If you are interested in this important ministry, please contact Joyce Bachmann at 937-416-9927.
Home Visitors
Volunteers bring Holy Communion to homebound parishioners and area nursing home patients weekly, on a schedule that works for all. Service to the homebound at their residence is usually provided because of chronic medical or other circumstances that prevent them from attending church. If you are interested, please contact Matt Ruttle at 937-278-5815.
Stephen Ministry
Stephen Ministry is the one-to-one lay caring ministry that takes place in our Precious Blood, St. Rita, and St. Paul parishes. Stephen Ministry lay caregivers are trained parishioners who are equipped to provide high-quality, confidential, Christ-centered care to people who are struggling from divorce, job loss, grief, illness, or another life crisis.
Stephen Ministry Leaders assign a caregiver who can best serve the parishioner who is in need. Contact St. Paul Parish for more information at 937-836-7535.
St. Vincent de Paul Northwest Dayton Conference
Precious Blood, St. Paul, and St. Rita parishes have a conference dedicated to serving the impoverished within our geographical parish boundaries. Together, these Vincentians manage and run a food pantry, collect food and gift cards for Christmas gift baskets, conduct drives to collect items for Fill the House, and offer financial assistance to those desperately needing help with home or utility expenses. Parishioners support this outreach ministry through contributions made using designated Sunday collection envelopes and by supporting specific fundraisers throughout the year. If you need assistance, call 937-771-6773.
Emmanuel St. Vincent de Paul Society
St. Joseph, Emmanuel, and Holy Trinity parishes collaborate in the Emmanuel St. Vincent de Paul Conference. We serve those in need in the 45402 zip code, encompassing Downtown Dayton and the inner West side, parts of the 45403 and 45410 zip codes, and parishioners regardless of their address.
In the Greater Dayton area, the St. Vincent DePaul District Council is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that annually serves over 100,000 needy people in the Miami Valley with faith-based assistance, shelter, and hope. The members, staff, and volunteers of the District Council, through its conferences and special works, provide person-to-person emergency assistance and supportive services to Montgomery County people in need. They also offer aid to those on the brink of being homeless, to those who are currently homeless, and to those working to secure permanent housing. For more information, visit www.stvincentdayton.org.
God’s Garden
God’s Garden is a volunteer-run garden that provides needy families with fresh, locally grown produce they might otherwise not be able to obtain. The garden is a product of the efforts of parishioners from St. Paul, St. Rita, and Precious Blood, and is located on the St. Paul Parish grounds. If you are interested, please contact Valerie Hagemeyer.
Northmont Community Table
The purpose of the Community Table is to provide a community gathering place where people experiencing emotional and financial stress can secure temporary food and shelter, learn in classes and in small groups, and/or develop relationships that support healthy and sustainable lives in the larger communities. Membership in the Community Table is open to any local Christian congregation, civic, governmental and charitable organizations in the Northmont area. It is funded by donations from each Church as well as Corporate and Community donations. The Community Table received its 501 (c)(3) exemption from the IRS.
Holy Trinity
Health Ministries Commission
The Health Ministries Commission is responsible for participation in and coordination of:
- Educational programs
- Special events such as parish blood drive, annual Women’s Day event, and annual Lenten Pilgrimage
- Surveys of parishioners regarding interests and needs
- Prayer shawls
- Educational articles
- First aid kits, CPR, and AED units
Health and wellness programs - Collaboration with Pastor, staff liaison, and other commissions
See Holy Trinity’s Ministries page for more information.
Fundraisers
Holy Trinity hosts several charity fundraisers throughout the year to support local outreach programs and charitable causes in the community. One of their most popular events is the Annual Old-Fashioned Holiday Bazaar, typically held in early November at Trinity Center on Bainbridge Street. This festival event includes crafts, homemade cabbage rolls, a silent auction, book and rummage sales, a tyke shop, visits with Santa, and a Grand Raffle featuring prizes such as gift cards and electronics. All proceeds from the bazaar go directly to Holy Trinity’s outreach efforts, benefiting those in need throughout Dayton and the surrounding areas.
In addition to the bazaar, Holy Trinity organizes seasonal rummage sales, often held in the spring or summer. These sales raise funds through the donation and resale of household goods, clothing, furniture, toys, and more. The events rely on the generosity of parishioners and community volunteers, with proceeds supporting parish youth programs and other local assistance initiatives.
Throughout the year, they will host a variety of smaller fundraising events, and the mission behind each effort remains the same: to serve neighbors in need by offering practical support and fostering community engagement.
Precious Blood
Brunner Literacy Center
This is a shared ministry with the Sisters of the Precious Blood. The ministry was established to increase literacy for individuals wanting to improve their lives in the surrounding area. The Center offers free, one-on-one tutoring to adults who desire to earn a GED, improve basic reading and/or math skills, or learn basic computer skills. Call the Brunner Literacy Center at 937-567-9600.
St. Bonaventure Indian Mission and School
Precious Blood Parish sends clothes, shoes, coats, household items, blankets, toys, and children’s books to St. Bonaventure Indian Mission in New Mexico several times throughout the year. The tribe lives in one of the poorest counties in the country, and they are most appreciative of our efforts. Donations can be left in the usher’s room throughout the year. If interested in helping with this ministry, please contact Ruth and Don Simon at 937-770-1395.
St. Paul
Knights of Columbus Marian Council
The Knights of Columbus councils for St. Paul and St. Rita merged in 2024 and are now a part of the Marian Council. The Knights of Columbus was founded as a fraternal benefit society to give financial aid to Catholic Men and their families. The Knights of Columbus was founded on four basic principles: charity, unity, fraternity, and patriotism. We meet every second Wednesday of the month in Pilliod Hall, St. Paul, from 7:30 to 9 p.m.