Parish Ministries, Councils, and Activities

The Altar Society meets on a quarterly basis.  Our responsibilities include decorating the church altar for Easter, Christmas, special feasts, and events. We maintain the Altar as well as organize funeral meals.  If you are interested in joining, please contact our president via email.

President:  Martha Starks

Vice President:  Kristy Eanes

Secretary:  Samantha Dorer

Treasurer:  Marie Rankin

The St. Francis of Assisi Music Ministry program enriches the celebration of the Mass with voice and music.  If you are interested in singing with the choir or playing a musical instrument during Mass or for special Holy Days, please contact Lisa Petursson via email.

2021 Parish Council Officers

Rev. Thomas J. Hart, Pastor

President:  Mike Zimmer

Vice President (Hall reservations):  Barbara Penney

Secretary:  Carol Stover

2021 Parish Council Members

Carol Stover

Mike Zimmer

Christy Ritter

Barbara Penney

Kristy Eanes

Cemetery Sexton

Bob

St. Francis of Assisi parish carries on the tradition of serving our famous pasta & sausage dinner at our annual community event on the first Sunday of October following the morning Mass.  This is a parish and Italian community tradition since 1927.  On this day, we're all Italian!

Since 1927 St. Francis parish has hosted the community’s annual Italian Festival which attracts thousands of people to the church grounds every autumn. Originally founded as the community’s Grape Harvest Festival, the celebration has grown to attract festival-goers from far off distances. Each year visitors from California, Illinois, Indiana, and surrounding states can be seen flocking to Little Italy to take part in our community’s history and the hospitality offered by our parish. In 2017 over 1,500 attended the event, which serves as the parish’s main fundraiser each year. In the weeks leading up to the event, members of our parish family bake traditional Italian sweets to be sold at the festival. On the day of the event, nearly a hundred gallons of spaghetti sauce (from a long-held family recipe) is served over hundreds of pounds of spaghetti, accompanied by 850 pounds of the best Italian sausage (also our traditional recipe) you’ll ever eat.