Annual Thanksgiving Awards

Anne has been a dedicated P&W Sacristan Lead for many years. As co-lead of the Sacristans, she was instrumental in navigating the liturgical changes during and after COVID for the Mass. Anne also led the initiative to combine the Liturgical Coordinator and Sacristan roles post-pandemic. Anne is a trained EOM Captain and Sacristan and took the steps to become a Proclaimer last year. Additionally, Anne has served for several years as the Lead Sacristan/Liturgical Coordinator for one of the largest events of the Parish, Mass in the Park. This liturgy has many moving parts, which Anne has documented, and she is present to help guide the Mass volunteers during one of the busiest liturgies offered by St. Joseph. Anne’s tireless dedication to being involved in all parts of the Mass liturgy is deeply appreciated by the St. Joseph Parish community.

The Faith Formation Commission is honored to award Kevin Burns a Thanksgiving Award this year. Kevin moved to Libertyville in 1996 with his wife, Lori, and their 3 young sons from their hometown of Danbury, CT. They joined St. Joseph’s then and have been parishioners ever since. Kevin and Lori have been involved with St. Joseph’s through the CRHP and RCIA programs and have led a Community for the Kingdom team since the program’s inception. Kevin also coached the 7th grade boys’ basketball team with his son Brian, which they both enjoyed.

Kevin was an early adopter of the new small group format. In fact, his group piloted the format and provided feedback to help improve it. Kevin galvanized his Community for the Kingdom group to do the Following Jesus 6-week small group in Fall 2023. He stepped up to encourage others to join groups at Mass in the Park that year and served as a consistent source of feedback as the launch proceeded. Kevin now serves as a Small Group Coach, helping new small group hosts get started with their journeys.

All in all, Kevin has generously collaborated in the mission-critical area of forming small groups. Thank you, Kevin!

We are grateful for Mike's welcoming heart and generous contributions toward the beautification of our parish grounds and facilities. St. Joe’s became the first parish in the Archdiocese to be certified by Openlands of Lake County, for its sustainability practices and commitment to the environment.
 
Mike selflessly shares his landscaping talent and resources with our community, and he has a special knack for creating environments that make our parish feel like a welcoming home. Mike is an active member of the Knights of Columbus, he is a regular volunteer at Mass in the Park, and Men's Ministry events.  He acts as an evangelist in those roles. Mike is generous with a handshake and smile, but it doesn't stop there. He brings a can-do, roll-up-your-sleeves approach that makes him a critical addition to parish events when we need to "get it done".
 
Mike has been a parishioner for 63 years and was baptized by Monsignor Koenig.  He and his wife Karen have raised 6 wonderful children who attended St Joseph's school. Mike made it a point to undertake outdoor class projects with all his children, as a thank you to the school for all that it did in forming their academic and faith life. One of his most favorite memories is being a guide for 14 years on the Camp Edwards Pines and Prairie Walk.

We are blessed to have Mike and his family as part of our St. Joseph community, and we thank him for his contributions over so many years.

Last year, Phil took the initiative to create the newly formed Holy Rollers Bike Ministry at St. Joseph's. Phil was very patient with the process and has put a great deal of time, effort, money, and energy into making the ministry a success. It is rooted in the four pillars of Following Jesus.

Each ride begins and ends with a prayer. There are also mini-reflections to discuss at the mid-ride point.  Each ride is carefully selected and managed to teach participants about the beauty and history of the Lake County Forest Preserve. There are lessons about the creation of the trails and the pioneers responsible. This also includes wonderful information regarding nature and the outdoors in our area. Phil has worked very hard to get the word out and has amassed a nice following of around 20 riders. The doors are always open to add more riders and Phil has been actively recruiting additional participants advertising in e-newsletters and The Carpenter. 

The Holy Rollers are also active in local and community ministries, such as Java with Joe and Adopt-A-Highway litter management programs. We are grateful to Phil for sharing his time, talent, and faith with the St. Joseph community.