St. Joseph the Worker

Parish Giving

MISSION STATEMENT

VIBRANT & ACTIVE
We are a Roman Catholic faith family in Chatham Illinois committed to proclaiming the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

We live our faith with our words and through our actions.  Nourished by the Word of God and the Eucharist, we seek to become a place of mercy and hope where everyone is welcomed, loved and respected.

Parish Pastoral Council

The role of the St. Joseph the Worker Parish Pastoral Council members is to serve the pastor, provide channels of communication and cooperation to the pastor, staff and members of the parish, and provide support to the pastoral work of the parish.   By working together in community we grow in faith and fellowship.

If you have questions, concerns or requests about St. Joseph the Worker Church, your parish stewardship or activity committee, or as a parishioner, you are encouraged to contact the Pastoral Council Chairperson, or Vice-Chairperson.   

Chairperson, Pat Kornfeld,  kornfeld.pat@comcast.net

Vice-Chairperson, Debbie Shawgo,  debbieshawgo@gmail.com

BULLETINS

Congratulations!

BRAVO to Thomas Scheuer for his 2nd place finish in the IESA State Wrestling Finals last weekend. We’re proud of you, Thomas!

Living Stations

Thank you to all of our youth and choir members who shared this beautiful re-enactment of the Living Stations with our parish family. We would also like to recognize and thank Cindy Essex and Meredith Koerper for their guidance and organization of this performance for the past 18 years. We are truly blessed by their involvement and loving hearts, and grateful to the youth who participated!

Restored Order Mass

Please join us in praying for our Restored Order Class of 2026. 26 of our youth will be Confirmed in the Holy Spirit and receive their First Holy Communion Tuesday night, March 24th, at 7:00pm at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Springfield. Please keep our candidates, sponsors and families in your prayers. We will welcome them into our parish family at SJW the following weekend on Sunday, March 29th at the 10:30am Mass.

Did you know that Pope St. John Paul II made the phrase "Be Not Afraid" the defining message of his papacy?

“Be Not Afraid” is the theme at the Day of WATCH (We Are The Church) on March 21, 2026. Elena Tejeda will be a guest speaker. The day includes lunch, snacks and drinks. If you have any questions or plan to attend, please contact Peggy Billhartz (483-2833) or Carol Gustafson (899-6330).

God Bless.

Plants for Purchase to Benefit the Preschool

The preschool will be selling 10” hanging flower baskets and ferns after mass on March 21st and 22nd. Cost is $25. Pickup will be at the end of April.

Join the Preschool Board

The preschool board is looking for additional board members. If interested or you have questions, please email sjtwpreschoolboard@gmail.com.

Our next gathering will be on Wednesday, March 25th at 11:30am. We will meet for lunch at

The Village Tea Room - 3301 Robbins Road - Springfield, IL 62704

If you plan on joining us, please sign up in the Gathering Space by Sunday, March 22nd. If you have signed up and find you cannot come, please contact Jodi Kos at 217-622-3715 or Mary Lynn Yates at 618-315-2975 in order to give the restaurant an accurate reservation count.

Thank you!

Lenten Reminders

Sacrament of Reconciliation: Saturdays from 3:15 – 4:00pm. Additionally, Fr. Joe will have confessions each Thursday evening through March 26th from 5:00pm – 6:00pm. Fr. Joe can also meet with you by appointment.

Mass on Mondays for the remainder of Lent will be at 6:00pm, followed by Stations of the Cross.

On Fridays during Lent, there will be Evening Prayer at 5:00pm, followed by Stations of the Cross.

NOW HIRING

St. Joseph the Worker Catholic Church is seeking a faith-filled, practicing Catholic in good standing to serve as our part-time Director of Faith Formation for grades K–8. Responsibilities include coordinating Sunday morning Faith Formation sessions, developing and organizing curriculum, and supporting and supervising catechists. If you have a passion for sharing the faith and a desire to support families in their children’s spiritual growth, we would love to hear from you. For more information or to apply, please contact Fr. Joe at 217-483-3772 or pastor@stjoschatham.org.

Pandamania Vacation Bible School

Registration for Vacation Bible School, which will be held the week of June 22nd-26th; 9:00-11:30am each day, is now underway. This year’s theme is “Pandamania: Where God is Wild about You!” VBS is open to all children age 4 (by 9/1/26) to present grade level 4 (entering grade 5). Registration closes Friday, May 29th, 2026.

Registrations after May 29th, 2026 will be accepted as space allows.

· VBS is $10.00 per family.

Forms can be found on our website: www.stjoschatham.org or in the Parish Office; Monday-Friday / 8:30-4pm.

Adopt a Restored Order Candidate Friendly Reminder

If you adopted a Restored Order Candidate by taking a card the weekend of March 7th/8th, please continue to pray for them as they approach their special day on Tuesday,

March 24th at the Cathedral in Springfield. Thank you!

Pandamania VBS Station Leaders Needed

Our Vacation Bible School program runs June 22-26th 9-11:30am each day. We are still in need of several adult leaders to head the following areas. Please prayerfully consider being a part of this extraordinary ministry and if called to participate, please contact Janice Anderson in the parish office with questions or more info. We’d love to have you join our amazing VBS team!

Crazy Crafts & Missions (2 Needed): Station leaders coordinate the lesson activities and materials for Crazy Crafts throughout the week. Leaders will help the kids take part in fun crafts that connect to the day’s Bible Story and Bible Point.

Treetop Treats (2 Needed): Station leaders create tasty treats that connect to the daily Bible Points, all of which are ready to go in the Treetop Treats Leader Manual.

Wild Bible Adventures (1 Needed): Station leaders guide small-group discussions where the children connect their unforgettable experiences from Sacred Scripture to real life.

*Please note: all groups are fully supported, assisted, and guided. No experience necessary – just a desire to share your faith with the youth of our parish!

Bulletin Submissions for March & April

Be aware of these changes when submitting info for the bulletin during the months of March and April. All submissions are due at 12:00pm on the due date.

Thank you for your patience as we work with our publisher’s deadlines during this season.

Sew ‘n Sews

Please be aware that the Sew ‘n Sews have suspended meetings until Tuesday, April 7. Hope to see you then!

Two New Bible Studies after Easter

04.07.26 Bible 101: Part 1 - Overview of the Bible.

04.14.26 Bible 101: Part 2 - Book of Acts and Paul’s Travels. No cost.

04.21.26-05.26.26: 6:30PM – 8:00PM

Bible Study on Paul’s letters to Titus and 1 Timothy.

Cost: $5.00 – Copy fee only.

See Randy Cates after each Mass on 03.21.26 and 03.22.26. There is no limit to the number of participants. Contact/Text Randy at 217-899-9302 or email him at r.cates1735@gmail.com.

Important Information for Volunteers

All parishioners that volunteer/serve within the parish must have an active background check completed through Catholic Mutual Group (CMG). The parish secretary has mailed out notices to those that had active background checks that have expired. Please complete the form she mailed to you and complete the online portion of the background check for the Diocese. If your background check is not up to date, you will not be able to volunteer or serve until it is updated. Should you have questions or would like to check on the status of your background check, please contact the parish office at 217-483-3772.

Mass Intentions

The parish has many weekday and a few weekend Mass intentions available. Stop by the office, call the office at 217-483-3772, or email secretary@stjoschatham.org to schedule a Mass intention. Mass stipends are a minimum of $10.

There will be weekly Youth sessions beginning at 11:45am on Sundays after Mass for all youth ages 7th grade through 12th grade. Please mark your calendars! Light snacks and drinks will be provided.

Save the Date!

The next OWLS gathering will be on Friday, April 10th at 5:30pm

in Kollross Hall. More details to follow.

Remember, if you are 55+ at SJW parish, you are automatically a member of OWLS!

SCRIP Fundraising Program

As Mother’s Day and the end of the school year approaches, consider using SCRIP for your gift card needs. There is no additional cost to you, and the preschool receives a percentage of each gift card purchased. Questions about SCRIP? Board members will be available after masses on 3/21-22. You can find the order form HERE

Support St. Joseph the Worker Parish with time, talent, treasure and a Google review! 

Your good review might be the vehicle to entice others to come and experience our friendly and welcoming worship environment.  Discipleship is in action when we share our thoughts about why we choose to worship at St. Joseph the Worker Church. If you write reviews for your favorite restaurant or other service provider, why not write a review for your church.   Spread the good word! 

To write a review:

1. Sign in to your Google Account.
2. Search for St. Joseph the Worker Catholic Church.
3. Find the Reviews Section.
4. Click “Write a Review.”
5. Rate and Write: Choose your star rating (1-5 stars) and write your review in the text box.  Be honest and specific.
6. Submit. Once you’re satisfied, click “post” to publish your review. 

Please check-in at the office before entering the building during work hours.  We need to know who is in the building in case of an emergency.

Knights of Columbus 4179 News  

If you are interested in joining the Knights of Columbus, please contact: Sean Fink at 217-415-1147. 

Rosary Group

St. Joe’s Rosary Group Prayer Session is available to all parishioners who want to praise and worship God, to pray for St. Joseph the Worker Church, family, friends and loved ones or to intercede for others.  We start praying the Rosary on Zoom at 4:15pm and finish all prayers around 5:10pm.  You can join through the Zoom Meeting ID: 509 233 2302  Passcode: Prayer, or you can call Pam Branham at 217-652-0246 for more details. 

Important News for Parents!!!

The Cry Room, or Quiet Room, in church is there for a very worthwhile purpose.  It is for a child who may be restless, crying, etc.  This space enables the child and parent to still be able to hear the Mass, yet not disturb the people around them in the main church proper.  But, this space is limited in size and in the number of people able to be accommodated.  Therefore, please do not use this space for any other purpose than stated above.  It is not a space for multi-members of a family to reside during Mass.  This limits other people from using the room.  Thanks for understanding. 

One of the beautiful ways we can keep a deceased loved one’s memory alive is through having a memorial set up at the time of their death.  A very nice example of such a memorial would be to have one for St. Joseph the Worker Parish.  People would then have the opportunity to designate SJW for a memorial gift.  At the time of a loved one’s passing, please consider having our parish as one of the memorial options. 

Please Note

If you are over the age of 21, are still living with your parents, and are gainfully employed, you should register as a member of the parish instead of continuing to be a part of your parent’s household.  This will make our records more accurate.

St. Joseph the Worker Preschool offers a 4/5 year old class that meets on M/W/F from 9:00am - 11:30am and a 3 year old class that meets on T/Th from 9:00am - 11:30am. Mrs.Jackie Viste is the Preschool teacher and provides fun, faith-based enriching activities to all of our students. She is assisted by her aides, parish members  Mrs. Melody Clark and Mrs. Dana Moomey.

More information and all forms can be found HERE