Welcome to the Christian Community at the Shrine of Saint Joseph. Whether you are a 'by chance visitor' passing through, one who comes occasionally, or one who is considering joining our community, we value your being with us.

The Christian Community was founded in 1970 by a few families and Fr. Peter Krebs, a Trinity Missionary, and has grown to approximately 175 family names.  It is not a geographic parish but is composed of people from a fairly broad area.  We come  together and to celebrate the Eucharist, to pray, to share, to work together, and to get to know each other better all as a means of gaining a closeness to our God.  We have one liturgy every Sunday, and a dialogue Homily three Sundays a month.  These dialogues stimulate insights, inspiration, challenges, tears, laughter – the full range of reactions you might expect from a careful listening to the Sacred Scriptures and the challenges they pose.

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 We feel that working together on any of these ministries allows us to put into action our Christian faith.  It also gives us the opportunity to form the bonds with each other that make our community a place where genuine caring and concern between members flourishes.

Our activities are coordinated by a leadership team of seven; Fr. Peter and six community members selected annually by a combination of community nomination and a final lottery.  The lead is responsible for calling and presiding at monthly community meetings, which are the forum for community decision making.  They follow through on decisions made and in general work at the smooth running of community projects.  All adult members of the community are eligible to serve as facilitators.  We hope that looking through this booklet will give you a better idea of what we are about and how you might join us.  Membership information is at the end of this booklet.  If membership and any of the programs and activities interest you, please call 908-647-1715.

Also, we encourage you to introduce yourself to community members and to talk with them.  We try to be welcoming and to share ourselves with visitors because we expect to find Jesus in each other.  That is our search and that is why we so gladly welcome you!

We are a lay-run community.  This means that our members share in carrying out the many different activities that define us and give our time together form and meaning.  Whether it's the planning of our Sunday worship service, the managing of our finances, or the implementing of our social action agenda, we each try to do our part.

THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY AT THE
SHRINE OF ST. JOSEPH

MISSION STATEMENT

The Christian Community is a spiritual grounding place where experiencing and celebrating the mysteries of living and dying build and challenge our Catholic faith.  Believing in the uniqueness of the individual, the community is a people whose freedom flows from a sense of family and belonging, and whose relationships foster deeper spirituality.  Community members seek God by discovering the Christ within and in others—through liturgy, sacramental life, education, hospitality and mutual support.  Modeled on John XXIII's spirit of inquiry and acceptance, the community is both challenging to itself as well as tolerant of change, failure and ambiguity.

The community offers an alternative to the geographically bounded parish.  It is circular rather than vertical in structure, encouraging dialogue and listening, and shared responsibility, as well as support of individually
initiated ministries.  We encourage people to contribute their tine and talent, giving of themselves in whatever way they can.  Reaching out beyond serving its own needs, the community tries to balance the personal and social gospel messages.