St. John’s Episcopal Parish (http://stjohnschurchonline.com) today announced that The Reverend Joseph J. Campo will be formally installed as parish rector on Saturday, January 19. The service, which is open to the community, will take place at 4:00 p.m. at St. John’s Church, 82 Spring Street in South Salem, with the Right Reverend Andrew Dietsche, Co-Adjutor Bishop of New York, presiding. The 253-year-old parish is comprised of St. John’s Church in South Salem, NY and St. Paul’s Chapel in Vista, NY.
“Father Joe,” as he is known, began his ministry in the parish on May 1, 2012. He has served as a priest for 37 years, spending his first 22 years as a Roman Catholic priest after completing four years of seminary in Rome. He has been an Episcopal priest for the past nine years, serving as Priest-in-Charge at St. Andrew’s Church in Hartsdale, NY and Associate Priest at Grace Church in White Plains, NY.
During the past eight months at St. John’s, Reverend Campo has established and maintained several parish growth initiatives including the Church Tavern Biathlon event on Labor Day and the parish’s spiritual formation programs such as Sunday school, confirmation and adult education classes. He has also overseen a number of outreach programs for local community assistance, including support for New York City’s homeless through the Midnight Run program, aid for Westchester’s hungry families through the Community Center of Northern Westchester, and relief efforts for those affected by Hurricane Sandy.
Beyond the community, Reverend Campo has supported programs to assist those in need worldwide, including re-instating the parish’s commitment to support Tanzanian HIV/AIDS orphans through the “Carpenter's Kids” program. He also established a relationship with St. Pauly Textile to collect clothing from drop-off bins at parish churches and distribute it to the needy around the world.
“My wife JoAnne and I have been made to feel so welcome in Lewisboro,” said Reverend Campo. “We appreciate the generosity of spirit the community has shown. Our goal is to build the presence of St. John’s in the community and expand the mission and ministries that our faith community supports over time. Come visit us - we encourage all to join our weekly worship services at St. John’s and St. Paul’s.”
The parish’s weekly services are held 5:00 p.m. on Saturdays at St. Paul’s Chapel and 9:30 a.m. on Sundays at St. John’s Church. For more information about St. John’s Episcopal Parish, visit http://stjohnschurchonline.net or call the Parish Office at (914) 763-8273.
