Photo by James A. McBride
Msgr. John Frey, pastor of St. Brendan the Navigator Parish, Avalon, stands with Stephen and Jeanette Powers and their son, Patrick.
AVALON – Stephen and Jeanette Powers have been pursuing stewardship for many years, since the 1990s, continuing at the new parish of St. Brendan the Navigator.
The parishes of St. Paul’s of Stone Harbor and Maris Stella of Avalon – of which Stephen and Jeanette were parishioners – merged in 2010 to form St. Brendan the Navigator Parish. Jeanette was on the merger team and helped to form the new community.
Stephen noted that their involvement with the parish built up over the years, practically on its own.
“If somebody asked us to do something, we would do it,” he said. “We’re always there to help the church and always will be.”
Msgr. John Frey, pastor, said Stephen has been “a tremendous help to me in the three years I’ve been at the parish. Basically there is nothing he and Jeanette will not do for the parish. They are an asset.”
The Powers are both certified public accountants. Jeanette is the chief financial officer of the City of Wildwood and Stephen is a partner in Fabietti, Hale, Hammerstedt, and Powers, a CPA firm in Egg Harbor Township. Because of her professional background, Jeanette was asked to sit on the parish’s finance council.
Stephen said he advises the parish on financial planning matters “but I don’t do the church’s accounting.”
The Powers’ 15-year-old son Patrick is also involved with the parish. He is going into his sophomore year at St. Augustine Preparatory School, Richland, and has been an altar server since the fourth grade. He now helps to train new servers.
Stephen also volunteers his time as a lector, something he’s been doing since the early 1990s while a parishioner at St. Bernadette’s. When the Powers moved to Maris Stellar Parish in 1996 he continued as a lector. He is also an usher. “They use me as I’m needed,” he explained.
Jeanette is committee chairwoman on the golf tournament committee for St. Brendan. The tournament, which helps local charities, is set for August at Sand Barren Country Club in Swainton.
Jeanette is also a member of the Catholic School Advisory Council which helps students with their financial needs. Additionally, she served on the advisory board for the merger of Bishop McHugh Regional School in Dennis Township.
For more information on stewardship contact Deacon Russell Davis, Office of Stewardship, at 856-583-6102.
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