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

Advent Wreath

The fourth week of Advent all four candles are lit in proper sequence as we prepare ourselves as the Nativity of the Lord approaches.

Fourth Sunday of Advent

Holy God, a long time ago, in the wilderness of the Jordan, You sent a messenger to prepare people’s hearts for the coming of Your Son.

Teach us how to hear the voice which announces His glory.  Help us open our minds to receive the Spirit who prepares us for His coming.

We ask this through Christ our Lord.

AMEN.

Join us for an Afternoon of Games on Wednesday, January 8^th, 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. 

Year End Giving

Some folks are in the habit of making an “end of the year” donation to the parish.  Please consider making a donation to the Parish Tithing Goal.  This would help us towards reaching our parish goal for 2024.  Each month the diocese requires us to send 10% of our monthly income to them.  Please use the canary-colored envelope in your packet, or use an envelope marked “Bishop’s Tithe” and drop it in the collection box or mail it into the office. 

All contributions need to be received or post-marked by December 31, 2024 to be reflected on your 2024 statement.

Also, if you have made a pledge to the Capital Campaign for 2024, we would appreciate it if you keep those payments up to date.  Thank You!

Gratitude for Volunteers and Benefactors

This Christmas season is a perfect opportunity to say THANK YOU to our many volunteers and benefactors who give their time, talent and treasure for the needs of St. Joseph the Worker Parish.  They give of themselves, help with the needs of the parish, keep the parish vibrant and active, and they are appreciated!  They are a blessing for us all and are remembered in prayer.  May Christ’s peace and joy of the Christmas season be with them in the New Year!

Contributions from IRA Trustees and Brokerage Firms

If you are planning to make a contribution to the Capital Campaign or regular offertory collection, and the payment will come directly from your IRA Trustee or a Brokerage Firm, we ask that you please call the church office and tell Deb Howerton the amount so we can be watching for it. We have received some contributions from various sources that do not indicate the person(s) making the contribution. 

Pancake & Sausage Breakfast

Please mark your calendars for our Breakfast coming up on Sunday, January 19^th. WE WILL NEED YOUR HELP to fill the many volunteer positions we have available.  The signup sheet will be in the gathering space of the church beginning the weekend of January 4^th.  We will also be in need of some tasty treats from our many excellent bakers for our Bake Sale.

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