The people of St. Joseph Church, in union with the Holy See, the Bishop of the Diocese of Harrisburg, and the Pastor of our Church, desire to proclaim the Good News of Salvation and to serve our neighbors, by building and sharing a community of faith and love for the greater glory of God, our Father, and Jesus Christ, His Son, in union with the Holy Spirit.On August 28, 2010, St. Joseph Parish began a formal stewardship initiative, Servant Joy, that emphasizes acknowledging God’s gifts, sharing them with others and returning a portion to God. An expected outcome is greater connectedness to the parish by all who embrace Servant Joy.

A seven-week Time and Talent initiative was conducted during which parishioners were reminded of the numerous parish ministries and activities that provide opportunities to use their time and talents for the Glory of God and the betterment of the parish. Parishioners were provided with a tool, Discovering the Gifts within You Survey, to assist them in identifying their own “gifts” or talents. The sixth weekend of the Time and Talent Initiative was designated “Intention Weekend”. Parishioners received and were asked to complete a “Time and Talent Intention Form“ on which they designated in what manner they intended to serve the parish over the next year. Parishioners were instructed to drop the Time and Talent Intention Form in the collection basket at Mass during Intention Weekend.

For more information on the Servant Joy Stewardship Initiative, please contact Mary Ann Williams, Servant Joy Coordinator, at (717) 637-5236, e-mail: MaryAnnW@stjosephparishhanover.org.