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

SCRIP

SCRIP is a gift card program to support St. Josephs Preschool with purchases you might already be making.

You can find the order form HERE

PLEASE NOTE

Some of you have received emails or texts, reportedly from Fr. Joe, asking for money, gift cards, etc.  Fr. Joe will NEVER solicit these things via email or text.  This is an example of hacking.  If you do receive such emails or texts, please delete immediately. 

We’re Happy to announce that Dinner Circle is back for 2025!

Dinner Circle is a small casual gathering of 6-9 adults from our parish who meet to share a meal.  Group members are at random, and the groups may include any combination of couples and singles.  They will meet once a month (or more often if agreed upon) during March, April and May at a restaurant or in one another’s homes.

This program is meant to foster closer relationships among our parish members and is a way to get to know others outside of Mass.

Details and sign-up forms will be available in the church gathering space after the Masses during the weekends of February 16^th and 23^rd.  Sign-up forms are also available in the church office.  Please fill out a sign-up form and return it in the collection basket or at the church office by February 24th.  We hope you will sign up for Dinner Circle. 

Questions—contact Sue Griffen, suegriffen@gmail.com or 217-899-9064.

Preschool Registration for Fall 2025

Preschool registration for the 2025-2026 school year is open to all!  Parents of current students will receive first priority; then, alumni families; then, parish families; and then, the general public.  Please be sure to register soon to guarantee your spot for the next year.  You can visit our webpage or come into the parish office for a Registration Form. 

Little Black Book

With Lent beginning on March 5^th, the Little Black Book reflections begin on the Sunday before Ash Wednesday, March 2^nd.  You can pick up your Little Black Book as you leave church next weekend,        March 1-2.

Join us for an Afternoon of Games on Wednesday, March 5th, 12:30-3:30pm in Kollross Hall.  We will be offering card games, dice and board games.  You can bring a friend, learn a game, teach a game, or just sit, watch and visit.  Drinks will be provided. 

True North VBS Station Leaders Needed

Our Vacation Bible School program runs June 23^rd-27^th, 9:00-11:30am each day. We are in need of some adult leaders to head a variety of areas (Imagination Station, Tundra Treats, and Wild Bible Adventures). Please prayerfully consider being a part of this extraordinary ministry and if you feel 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 team!

*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!  If you have not completed Safe Environment Training, you will need to do so to help with VBS.

Our next gathering will be on Wednesday, February 26^th at 11:30am.  We will meet for lunch at; Papa Franks, 411 Wabash, Springfield.

A luncheon menu is available.

If you plan on joining us, please sign up in the Gathering Space by February 23^rd.  If you have signed up to attend and find you cannot come, please contact Carol Lombardo at 214-514-8783 in order to give the restaurant an accurate reservation count.  Thank You! 

Baptism Preparation Classes

Parents who would like to have their child baptized at St. Joseph the Worker are required to attend a preparation class. The next class will be on April 10^th at 6:30pm.  To sign up for a class or to make alternate arrangements, call the church office at 217-483-3772.

Thanks to Cindy Essex for helping our new parents prepare to raise the next generation of the faithful.

Save the Date!

Day of WATCH changing to Lent this year!  April 5, 2025.

Knights of Columbus 4179 News

Knights of Columbus Council 4179 Hosting Free Throw Competition

The Knights of Columbus is a charitable Fraternal Men’s Organization that puts Faith in Action. They support local organizations; Special Olympics, MERCY House, Local Food Pantries and Youth Groups, to name a few. 

If you are interested in joining the Knights of Columbus, please contact Sean Fink 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 Zoon 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. Judy Gartland and Mrs. Melody Clark.

More information and all forms can be found HERE

To learn more about our Preschool Fundraisers click HERE