Each Christmas St. Joseph Parish adopts some 125 families in rural Missouri. Specific gifts are requested for members of these families and these gifts are wrapped and brought to the parish on a designated Saturday or Sunday before Christmas. These packages are then delivered to the Rural Parish Workers of Christ the King for distribution to the needy families. To volunteer or obtain more information on this project contact Diane Lacey (314) 348-1311, Nancy Crews (314) 277-9320, or Wendy McGowan (maa_wendy@yahoo.com).

Christmas Outreach 2020:
Please adopt a family member by taking an envelope from one of the trees in the back of the church, OR by taking an "envelope" from our virtual giving tree.  Either way, the outreach works the same way - pray for the person you have selected and shop, wrap, and label the gifts using the labels provided and bring them to the parish center on Saturday, December 12, or at the latest 11 AM on Sunday December 13.  If you choose from the virtual tree (Signup Genius), your envelope with instructions and labels will be mailed to you at the address you enter. 


UPDATE NOVEMBER 23 - we've added a 2nd tree to help manage all the envelopes.  Click on one of the TWO Christmas trees to be taken to the Signup for a virtual envelope, or visit the back of church to choose from the actual trees.  You will notice we've made the selecting process in church Covid-friendly, with a new low touch format with large, easy to read labels.  We will be adding envelopes to trees until they are all out there, but please don't wait - choose early, and enjoy helping those in need. 



Collection Help:  For those of you that are willing and able to help with the collection of the gifts on the weekend of December 12 and 13th, please signup here.  As usual, we will be checking in the gifts, filling large boxes, and loading the delivery truck.  This is a fun service opportunity where people are well spaced out and the shifts are short - perfect for getting out and being with your church community in spite of Covid.

WeShare:  If you would like to participate but don't have the time, you can make a monetary donation.  We will be shopping for those who's envelopes were not taken, plus we like to give gift cards for the Rural Parish Workers of Christ the King in Fertile, Missouri to use for people that have needs beyond Christmas gifts.  Click here to be taken to WeShare and make a donation.

Giving Sunday On the second Sunday of each month, before all the Masses, items are collected in the church courtyard for the St. Augustine Wellston Center thrift shop and food pantry. St. Joseph parishioners who wish to participate in the program may pick up a schedule of particular items to be collected from the Parish Office.

Giving Sunday Drivers Individuals or families volunteer to deliver the Giving Sunday items collected at St. Joseph Parish to the St. Augustine Wellston Center, 1705 Kienlen Ave. The items are loaded during the 11am Mass on Giving Sunday. This service takes about two hours to complete. To volunteer or obtain more information call Pat at 636/227-8704. 

The Kairos retreat is coming up in November and we need COOKIES! Each team member is asked to provide 40 DOZEN cookies. Due to the unique requirements of the prison environment, cookies MUST be made according to a few simple guidelines (for example: no fruit, no nuts, no icing, no sprinkles.) Cookies should be about 3” in size, packed in quart-sized Ziplock bags, one dozen per bag. Chocolate chip, sugar, peanut butter, chocolate or oatmeal cookies are great – other varieties are welcome, too!  More information can be found by clicking on "Flyer".

Flyer

God Breaks Through Walls
Our Sunday Visitor Article about Kairos Ministry

Nursing Home Visitors Each week, members of the parish conduct a Communion service for and pray the rosary with the residents of West County Care Center, Brookdale Senior Living, Big Bend Woods Healthcare Center and Dougherty Ferry Assisted Living. Some volunteers come to the home to assist with the Communion service; others prepare baked treats for the residents. Call Bob Vondera 636/527-8206 for further information.

Parishoners come together to knit or crochet Prayer Shawls for those who are ill or suffering. The shawls are blessed by one of the parish priests and freely given to those in need. Recipients wrap themselves in the shawls as a reminder love from their brothers and sisters. Prayer Shawls may be picked up at the parish office. We also provide handmade hats/scarves for the homeless and baby blankets, hats, and booties for local shelters.

Dates and times of meetings are announced in the bulletin. For those who wish to participate but do not know how to knit/crochet (or have forgotten how), you are welcome to come and learn from our volunteers. For more information, please call Jessica Penn at 636-236-3188.

Room at the Inn Room at the Inn is a 24-hour emergency shelter for families dealing with homelessness run by the Sisters of Divine Providence. The 20 people served daily at the day site in Bridgeton go out every night to two hosting Church congregations. Our night is the fourth Saturday of each month. We provide a welcoming environment where clients and hosts share meals, fellowship, and a safe place to sleep. Sign up at the following links for January thru June or July thru December. For more information contact Bill Oesterle at 314-581-2260 or billoesterle@remax.net. Check out more details about this organization at their website.  https://roomstl.org/

Unseen Dinner Guest Program Volunteers prepare single servings of soup or stew, or set aside individual portions from their family meal for an "unseen dinner guest." Each meal is frozen, labeled, dated, and brought to the freezers in the garage on the upper parking lot on the fourth Tuesday of each month. The meals are taken to a parish in the inner city which distributes them to those in need

Sandwich Program Each Friday volunteers provide sandwiches and fruit for the homeless and needy. These donations are taken to inner-city churches and care facilities for distribution to the poor. For more information on this year-round service, contact Bob Diekemper, 636/391-7614.