THANK YOU to everyone who returned a commitment card and renewed their commitment of support to St. Joseph Parish. If you have not yet responded, please do so by dropping your commitment card in the collection basket. You may also bring it or mail it to the Parish Office.    We will be sending a mailing to those who do not respond at this time. Your response in faith will help sustain our parish community into the future by providing the necessary resources to meet our operating expenses and goals. Generous responses to the program will also provide for the ongoing maintenance and improvements of our parish buildings and properties, and help to ensure support for our existing programs and future ministries. 

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It Might Be Scary . . . It Might Be A Fright . . .
But It's Sure To Be A Fun Halloween Night!

Families, singles, and couples are invited to join us for a Halloween Bash on Saturday, October 27, at 7:00 p.m. in Hughes Hall. Bring your favorite dish to share! Costumes are encouraged! Enjoy good food, music and dancing, and good conversation at this Parish Social Life event. For more information, please contact Lori Duriak (330-274-1037) or Deacon Gerry (330-569-4795).

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Priesthood Sunday
Priesthood Sunday is a special day set aside to honor the priesthood in the United States. On Sunday, October 28, we reflect upon and affirm the role of the priesthood in the life of the Church as a central one. This nationwide event is coordinated by the USA Council of Serra Intl. It is sponsored by the USA Council of Serra International and the Serra International Foundation. Be sure to express how you feel about our pastor on this special day with a note of thanks, a card of appreciation or just extend a simple greeting to let him know that he is truly special and that he is valued, cherished and loved.

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Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed
Our “Book of Life” is in the sanctuary throughout the month of October for you to add the names of loved ones who have passed away. All deceased of the parish and our families will be remembered throughout the month of November at our celebrations. On All Souls' Day, Friday, November 2, the parish will hold a special remembrance for all deceased parishioners and their family members at the 7:00 p.m. Mass. Eucharistic Adoration will follow. All are welcome.
 

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All Saints Day
This is a Holy Day of Obligation on which we celebrate the Church Triumphant – all the Saints in Heaven, canonized or unknown. Let us rejoice in all the men and women, blest in the eyes of the Lord, who celebrate the heavenly liturgy. They stand in God’s holy place and sing of the love the Father has bestowed upon them through the blood of the Lamb. Masses on Thursday, November 1, will be at 8:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m.
 

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Lottery Raffle Fundraiser
St. Joseph’s is starting a Lottery Raffle Fundraiser to assist with the cost of church improvements. This follows the Ohio 3-Digit Lottery based on the evening drawing only. Tickets will go on sale beginning October 6/7 with only 1,000 tickets sold numbered #000 - #999. Each ticket is good for the entire month. The raffle will begin in November with winning tickets being worth $50.00 (payouts mailed weekly). Tickets are $5.00 each and you may purchase the same number for the entire year for $60.00. For more information, please contact Deacon Gerry, Jay & Greg D’Aurelio, Greg Pastor, Debbie & John Kruis, Annette & Stan Carlisle, Luci Curtin, or Bill Custer.

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First Step for Change
Throughout the month of October, our parish will be participating in First Step for Change, a project sponsored by Catholic Charities to collect spare change (or dollars) to assist low-income pregnant women and families with food, formula, clothing, diapers, and other items essential to a child’s health, safety, and well-being. Each family interested in participating in First Step for Change is asked to pick up a baby bottle from the Narthex after Mass. Take a bottle, place it in a common location in your home, and fill it with spare change throughout the month. All money collected by our parish will help to meet local needs. Bottles will be collected the weekend of  October 27/28. Thank you. 

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Vocation Awareness Week & Statewide Adoration
National Vocation Awareness Week will be celebrated throughout the United States November 4-10. This week offers a special time in our parishes and schools to recognize and foster vocations to the priesthood, and religious life. Go to VocationAwarenessWeek.com for resources to help you celebrate the week. On Wednesday, November 7, the six dioceses of Ohio will join together as one spending time in Adoration and prayer before the Blessed Sacrament praying specifically for an increase in priestly and religious vocations.

Ashtabula
St. Andrew Bobola, Sheffield, 9:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
 
Columbiana
Holy Trinity-St. Aloysius, East Liverpool, 9:30 - 10:30 a.m.
Our Lady of Lourdes, East Palestine, 9:00  – 10:00 a.m.
 
Mahoning
St. Christine, Youngstown, 4:15 – 5:15 p.m. (Mass follows Adoration)
St. Edwards, Youngstown, 9:00 – 10:00 a.m.
 
Portage
St. Joan of Arc, Streetsboro, 2:00 – 8:00 p.m.
St. Peter of the Fields, Rootstown (Held on Nov. 8), 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
 
Stark
St. Joseph, Massillon, 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
St. Peter, Canton, 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Sts. Phillip and James, Canal Fulton, 12:00 – 1:00 p.m.
 
Trumbull
St. Patrick, Hubbard, 8:30 – 12:00 p.m.
St. Rose, Girard, 9:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Oblate Sisters Motherhouse, Hubbard, 1:00 – 5:00 p.m.
 
Please look for an informational flyer about vocations in the Narthex. For more information, please contact Fr. Christopher Luoni at 330-744-8451 or cluoni@youngstowndiocese.org.
 

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Mark Your Calendars for the 34th Annual Christmas Boutique!
Don't miss one of the area's nicest craft shows, sponsored by the St. Joseph Garden Club. Held in Hughes Hall, the Christmas Boutique offers hand-crafted items, baked goods, raffles, door prizes, and breakfast and lunch items. Mark your calendars for the 34th Annual Garden Club Christmas Boutique to be held on Sunday, November 11, from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Members of St. Joseph's PSR program will run the kitchen offering snack, lunch and dessert items at one of the area's nicest craft shows in the area.

Attention Crafters:  an 8 ft. table is $30.00 (2nd table is $25.00). For space availability, more information, or an application, please contact Marlene (330-274-8145) or Kathy (330-995-8785).

Community Service Hours Available
Attention Jr. High and High School Students . . . Do you need community service hours? Help is needed to assist the crafters carry their items into the Hall for the Christmas Boutique. If you are available to lend a hand, please contact Marlene (330-274-8145) to volunteer.

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Aging Religious Need Your Help
Senior Catholic sisters, brothers, and religious order priests ministered for years for little or no pay. Their sacrifices now leave their religious communities without adequate retirement savings. Your gift to the second collection the weekend of November 24/25 for the Retirement Fund for Religious helps to provide medications, nursing care, and more for tens of thousands of elderly religious. Please be generous.

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Bishop's Appeal for Catholic Charities and Church
The 2018 Bishop’s Appeal for Catholic Charities and Church continues through Pentecost. This important annual fund raising campaign unites Catholics throughout the six counties of our diocese in a spirit of compassion and charity to serve the needs of others. In 2017, Catholic Charities provided help and hope to over 11,000 of people in Portage and Stark Counties. Your generosity and support for the Bishop’s Appeal helps to change lives . . . one family at a time. As of October 1, St. Joseph Church has 172 households contributing $37,225.00 in support of the 2018 Bishop’s Appeal — that’s nearly 118% of our goal of $31,601.00! Bishop Murry has approved a 25% rebate to all parishes that exceed their goal (in cash received) for this year’s collection. To make your gift to the 2018 Appeal online, visit www.doy.org. Thank you for helping Catholic Charities change lives one family at a time through the Bishop's Appeal. 

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Good Stewards

• Thanks to logging of trees on church property & the generosity of parishioners, church roofing has been replaced with an energy efficient white surface.
• LED lighting installed in Hughes Hall, kitchen, school hallways, downstairs rooms, and offices (church space to be done soon).
• Sacristies received painting of cupboards & walls, new hardware and reorganization thanks to some wonderful volunteers.
• Electric meters have been shut off when not in use in areas like ac units and  pavilion saving considerable monthly fees.
• Back-up well work done to comply with EPA regulations & donor paid deductible from insurance claim (lightning strike).
• Many kneelers were repaired & background of Joseph & the Children artpiece received some sanding & painting thanks to one of our faithful volunteers.
• Devotional candle stand for St. Joseph niche crafted by one of our loyal volunteers (decorative screen to be added soon).
• Church’s north wall has been cleaned & new wallpaper installed thanks to a generous parishioner (other walls done as funds allow).
• Parish's Hughes Hall Kitchen very old stove has been replaced by two new units with electronic ignitors & safety gas shut off.
• Non-working large freezer unit from kitchen was sold allowing for better kitchen lay-out.
• Permanent metal building was installed where Ox Roast Fair pizza, sausage sandwich & pierogi booths are located. This will allow easier set-up & provide much needed storage for Fair's equipment.

Finance Council & our Pastor continue to prioritize our parish facility needs & address them as funding becomes available.

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St. Joseph Church now has a new system, called My Own Church, for updating your family information! All you need to do is hit the blue "Update Your Info" button and create an account. Then, someone in the church office will approve your account, and you’ll be able to update all of your family information, including names, addresses, phone numbers, email addresses. Your family members' sacrament information is also among the information available. You’ll be able to view the St. Joseph Church pictorial directory (photos from the 2008 and 2014 Parish Pictorial Directories are already loaded into the database). You’ll be able to upload your favorite family photo and chose whether you want that photo (or other information) to be visible to other members who’ve logged in—or you can keep some information private and available only to church administrators. If you’re involved in ministries here at St. Joseph Church, the information you put into My Own Church will help us schedule your ministry. You’ll be able to update your preferences and availability. For more details including FAQs and how to videos, click here.

Please remember to check out My Own Church soon! 

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Parish Business Directory & Directory of Talents
St. Joseph Church is creating a Parish Business Directory of parishioner-owned businesses and professional services in an effort to help the parish provide economic support within our own community.  This new Business Directory is intended to be an online resource that gives current information such as contacts, links to websites and other descriptions of these businesses. In addition, we're putting together a comprehensive list of talents and services. There will also be a printed edition created as the lists develop. Click here to learn more.

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ParishSOFT Giving (formerly ConnectNow Giving)
We’re pleased to announce that St. Joseph Church now provides online giving through software called ParishSOFT Giving (formerly ConnectNow Giving). This is a convenient and safe way to make a one-time or recurring donation. It replaces the WeShare Online Giving that we previously used. ParishSOFT Giving is part of our parish database. It is less expensive for the parish and contributions are automatically entered into the database (rather than the secretary printing out a report and manually entering them). Getting started is easy! - just click on the ParishSOFT Giving button (on the right hand column under Links). To learn more about this convenient way to donate to St. Joseph Church, please visit our ParishSOFT Giving webpage.