Ministry of Care
“When there are people sick among us, let them send for the priests …”
(from the Ritual for Anointing the Sick)
Our parish provides for outreach to individuals in need of support, prayer, guidance, and Communion/Anointing. Please call the pastor or Minister of Care for assistance.
Communion for the Homebound
Because we are human, we get sick. Sometimes, it’s just sniffles or the flu. Many times, it’s an illness that causes us or some of our loved ones to find that getting to Church is difficult or not possible. When such events take place in our lives, then we need to let the pastoral care ministry of the parish know of our situation so that they can assist us with communion. Contact the Parish at Minister of Care at 217-801-4320 or ministerofcare@stjoschatham.org
• Questions?
What does it mean to be a homebound parishioner?
When illness, whether chronic or continuous, makes it difficult or impossible to get to church on a weekly basis, then the ministers of Holy Communion in the parish will visit the homebound person, bring them God’s Word, Holy Communion and the continuing presence of the community of St. Joseph the Worker Parish.
I am not completely homebound but find it difficult to attend Mass due to my disability.
While we remind everyone that St. Joseph the Worker Parish is handicapped accessible, if you find it difficult to get to Church each week due to a disability, our ministers or a family member will visit you with Communion.
Does the priest of the parish visit the homebound?
Yes, but because of their other duties they cannot do it as frequently as the ministers of Holy Communion. The Second Vatican Council has given local parishes, and all the people of God, an awareness that all of us share in the priestly duties of our Church. One of those duties is to visit those who are ill, and a priestly duty that lay people can perform is to visit the sick and bring them communion. If a homebound parishioner would like the priest to visit for the Sacrament of Confession, Anointing of the Sick, or a visit to talk about things at the end of earthly life, please contact the Parish to arrange this visit.
I am homebound and wish to go to confession; what do I do?
Only a priest can give absolution in the Sacrament of Reconciliation (confession). If a person wishes to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation and is homebound, he or she needs to contact the Parish Office at 217-483-3772
St. Joseph Worker Prayer Chain
St. Joseph Worker Prayer Chain is here to help you! If you or your loved ones are in a difficult situation, for any reason at all, we would like to pray for this need. To request prayer or to volunteer to be a part of the prayer chain, please call our Minister of Care, Judy Gartland at (217) 801-4320. Feel free to leave a message if there is no answer. Your prayer request will be sent to all members of the prayer chain, and many prayers will be said for your request, which will reach the heart of our Lord. We believe He wants us to pray for each other, and we are here to pray for you.
Accessibility
Our Pastoral Plan expresses the parish goal of being welcoming to all. It is our hope that persons with disabilities will find our faith family to be warm, welcoming, and accommodating to their needs and thus able to worship fully or volunteer at our liturgies.
Worship Accessibility for Persons with Disabilities
1. Accessible washrooms, north and south sides Gathering Space
2. Handicapped height toilets in all bathrooms
3. Accessible, powered doors.
4. Inclined entrances (all) to the Gathering Space
5. Accessible ramp to sanctuary (south side of sanctuary)
6. Pew accessibility, south wall side of church, ends of rows 7. Pew accessibility, north wall side of church, ends of row
Parish Nurses
Faith community nursing is a practice specialty that focuses on the intentional care of the spirit, promotion of an integrative model of health and prevention, and minimization of illness within the context of a community of faith. The intentional integration of the practice of faith with the practice of nursing is so that people can achieve wholeness in, with, and through the population which faith community nurses serve.
Faith community nurses serve in several roles, including:
• Health advisor
• Educator on health issues
• Visitor of church members at home or in the hospital
• Provider of referrals to community resources and provider assistance in obtaining needed health services
• Developer of support groups within the church
• Trainer and coordinator of volunteers
• Provider of health screenings.
To become a faith community nurse, the registered nurse must have a minimum of 2 years of experience, must have a current license in the state where the faith community is located, and have completed a parish nurse foundations course for the specialty practice as recognized by the American Nurses Association.
St. Joseph Worker is privileged to have three Parish Nurses to serve our congregation: Kathy Bednarchik, Pamela Branham, and Mary Beth Paulek. They are willing to assist as needed within the parameters of their vocation.
Please contact our nurses at stjnurses@comcast.net if you have any questions.
Prayer Shawls
Care and the love of knitting and crocheting are combined into a prayerful ministry that reaches out to those in need of comfort and solace. Many blessings are knitted into each shawl, as the knitter prays for the recipient throughout the creation of the shawl. All shawls are blessed by the pastor once complete.
A prayer is attached to each prayer shawl before being sent along the way to the recipient. The prayers shawl wraps, envelopes, warms, shelters, comforts, hugs, embraces, uplifts and holds the person in need. Some uses for the prayer shawl include; comfort and loss during bereavement, undergoing serious medical procedures, battling cancer or illness, during separation and divorce, when fighting serious addictions, and other times that we need to be covered and held in prayer.
Knitters and crocheters are needed as this ministry expands further in our parish effort to continue to care for one another and share the loving embrace of Christ. Please contact Jinny Sachsenmaier at (217) 483-4785 if you would like to help out as a knitter or crocheter. A pattern/directions and the prayer are provided.