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

Lent 2025 Information

BULLETINS

March 5^th                          8:30am & 5:30pm  Masses

 Eucharistic Adoration will not be held on Friday, March 7^th. 

Join us on Thursdays during Lent 5:30-6:30pm

 on the 7 Sacraments with Fr. Joe

Come and take part in Evening Prayer and Stations of the Cross 

5:00pm Fridays during Lent

Living Stations

Friday, March 21^st - 7:00pm

The public and parish are invited to come witness, remember and reflect on the Passion and Death of Jesus Christ as our youth bring to life this contemporary version of the Stations of the Cross.

True North Vacation Bible School

Registration for Vacation Bible School, which will be held the week of June 23^rd-27^th from 9:00-11:30am each day, is now underway. This year’s theme is “True North: Trusting Jesus in a Wild World.”  VBS is open to all children age 4 (by 9/1/25) to present grade level 4 (entering grade 5). Registration closes Friday, May 30th, 2025.

Registrations received after May 30^th, 2025 will be accepted as space allows.

VBS is $10.00 per family. Forms can be found under Ministries - VBS on the website, or in the Parish Office; Monday-Friday— 8:30am-4:00pm.

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. 

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

You can pick up your Little Black Book as you leave Mass this weekend. 

True North VBS Station Leaders Needed

Our Vacation Bible School program runs June 23^rd-27^th from 9:00-11:30am each day. We are still in need of adult leaders to head the following areas. Please prayerfully consider being apart of this extraordinary ministry and if called to participate, contact Janice Anderson in the parish office with questions or more information. We’d love to have you join our amazing team!

Imagination Station Leaders (1 Needed): Station leaders coordinate the lesson activities and materials for the Imagination Station throughout the week. Leaders will help the kids take part in fun science experiments that connect to the day’s Bible Story and Bible Point.

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

Wild Bible Adventures (2 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!  You must also complete Safe Environment Training.

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

Family of the Month - John, Patricia and Adam Kennedy. Their ministries are a weekly commitment enhancing the liturgy through music and environment and the operation of the slides and controlling the live-stream.

Knight Of the Month - George Backstein—for his willingness to step up and put in a long day to support the council.

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 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