St. Mary & St. John Weekly Update!
August 22, 2025
What Are You Doing with What God Has Given You?
My brothers and sisters in Christ,
Every one of us has been given something by God.
A gift. A talent. An ability. A little extra time. Perhaps a welcoming smile, a strong voice, a willingness to help, or simply a heart that cares about others.
And here's the beautiful thing.
God didn't give us those gifts just to keep them to ourselves.
In this Sunday's Gospel, Jesus tells the Parable of the Talents. A master entrusts his wealth to three servants before leaving on a journey. Two of them put what they've been given to work, and their master's wealth grows. But the third servant, afraid of losing what was entrusted to him, buries it in the ground.
When the master returns, he praises the first two servants for their faithfulness.
"Well done, my good and faithful servant."
What beautiful words those must have been to hear!
And isn't that what each of us hopes to hear someday when we stand before the Lord?
But notice something important about this parable.
The master didn't give every servant the same amount.
And God doesn't give every one of us the same gifts, either.
Some people are comfortable speaking in front of a congregation. Others would rather do just about anything than stand at the ambo!
Some have a wonderful way of making strangers feel welcome. Others quietly notice when someone needs a little help.
Some are young and energetic. Others bring years of wisdom, patience, and faithful service.
Every gift matters. Every person matters. And every one of us has something to offer.
That brings me to something that's been on my heart lately.
As our parish family of St. Mary and St. John the Baptist continues gathering for weekend Masses at St. Mary, we have a wonderful opportunity to strengthen our liturgical ministries.
For our three weekend Masses, we need approximately 48 Mass ministers to serve as lectors, greeters, ushers, and altar servers.
That's 48 opportunities each weekend for someone to say YES to the Lord!
Now, I know what some of you might be thinking.
"Deacon Don, I've never done anything like that before."
Or perhaps, "I'm not sure I'd be very good at it."
Maybe even, "Surely somebody else will step forward."
But remember that third servant in the Gospel?
He didn't bury his talent because he had nothing to offer.
He buried it because he was afraid.
And sometimes fear keeps us from discovering what God might accomplish through us.
You don't have to be perfect to serve.
You don't have to have all the answers.
You don't even have to know exactly what you're doing when you begin. We'll help you learn!
You simply need a willing heart.
Think about the person who walks into St. Mary for the first time in years, perhaps nervous, perhaps carrying a heavy burden, perhaps wondering if there's still a place for them in the Church.
Imagine what a warm smile and a sincere "We're glad you're here!" might mean to that person.
Or think about the lector whose careful proclamation of God's Word reaches someone who desperately needed to hear that particular Scripture passage.
Or the altar server whose reverence reminds us of the sacred mystery unfolding before our eyes.
Or the usher who quietly helps someone find a seat, assists a family with young children, or notices someone who needs a little extra care.
These aren't simply tasks to be completed.
They are opportunities to encounter Christ and help others encounter Him.
And isn't that exactly what our parish mission calls us to do?
In our second reading, St. Paul reminds us that we are children of the light. We are called to remain awake, alert, and ready for the Lord.
And in Proverbs, we hear of loving hands reaching out to serve others.
The message running through all three readings is wonderfully clear.
Faith isn't meant to sit still. Faith is meant to be lived.
So this week, I'd like to extend a personal invitation.
If you've ever thought about becoming a lector, greeter, usher, or altar server, perhaps this is the moment to take that first step.
And if you've never considered it before, maybe the Holy Spirit is giving you a little nudge right now!
Please visit with Fr. Matt or me after Mass, or contact the Parish Office. We'd love to help you find a ministry that fits your gifts.
And please don't think we're asking because we simply need to fill a schedule.
We're asking because you belong here, your gifts matter, and our parish family is stronger when we share them.
One day, each of us will stand before the Lord and give an account of what we've done with the gifts He entrusted to us.
My prayer is that we will all hear those beautiful words:
"Well done, my good and faithful servant."
And wouldn't it be wonderful if part of our answer to the Lord was simply this:
"Lord, I saw a need in Your Church, and I said YES."
God bless you!
Deacon Don
AMDG — For the Greater Glory of God
Deacon Don
AMDG — For the Greater Glory of God!
By Deacon Don Schultz
Some of you may have noticed something new happening in my life over the past few months. Others may be hearing about it for the very first time.
It all began with a cup of coffee, a difficult day, and a cross that was still standing.
On July 27, when the tornado struck our community and damaged both of our beautiful churches, we found ourselves facing challenges none of us could have imagined. But amid the destruction, something caught my attention. The cross atop St. Mary's steeple was still standing.
That evening, I sat down with a cup of coffee and wrote a reflection about that cross, about hope, and about the faithfulness of God even when life seems to be falling apart.
I shared it on Facebook, not expecting much to come of it.
But something happened.
People began responding. Some shared their own experiences of loss and hope. Others told me that the words were exactly what they needed to hear that day.
And so, the next morning, I wrote another reflection.
And another.
Before long, those early morning reflections became something I now call Coffee & Grace.
Most mornings, with a cup of coffee nearby, I sit down and write about the ordinary moments of life and the extraordinary ways God reveals His grace through them.
Sometimes the reflections are about Scripture. Sometimes they're about family, a walk through the neighborhood, something that happened at church, or a conversation that stayed with me.
Sometimes they're funny. Sometimes they're serious. And sometimes, I find myself wiping away a tear as I write.
But they all have one purpose.
To help us recognize that Jesus Christ is present in the ordinary moments of our lives.
What has touched my heart most has been hearing from people who say these reflections have helped them return to prayer, find comfort in grief, or rediscover their faith. Some have told me that a reflection put into words something they had been carrying in their hearts but couldn't quite express.
Those messages mean more to me than I can adequately describe.
And somewhere along the way, another idea began to take shape.
What if we could take that same spirit of Coffee & Grace and create something to help people prepare their hearts for Christmas?
That little idea became my first published book, Walking Toward Bethlehem: 28 Days of Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love.
It's a simple Advent devotional with a reflection for each day, Scripture, a prayer, and one small step we can take to bring our faith into everyday life.
You don't need a theology degree. You don't need an hour of quiet time. And you certainly don't need to drink coffee!
Just a few minutes each day and a willingness to make a little room for Jesus.
My hope is that this book might find its way into homes, onto kitchen tables, beside favorite chairs, and perhaps into the hands of someone who needs a little encouragement this Christmas season.
Maybe that's someone you know.
Or maybe it's you.
As Advent approaches, I want to invite you to walk toward Bethlehem with me. Not simply toward the celebration of Christmas, but toward a deeper relationship with the One whose birth we celebrate.
And whether you follow Coffee & Grace on Facebook, read the book, or simply join us at Mass each weekend, please know this:
You are part of the reason I write.
Our parish family has experienced a great deal together. Through it all, I've been reminded again and again that God continues to work through ordinary people, ordinary moments, and extraordinary acts of love.
Thank you for being part of that journey.
And remember, my friends, the cross still stands.
And so does our hope.
AMDG!
Ordinary moments. Extraordinary grace. One cup of coffee at a time.
Walking Toward Bethlehem — Available on Amazon
Walking Toward Bethlehem: 28 Days of Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love is available to order directly through Amazon in paperback and Kindle editions.
With Advent beginning Sunday, November 29, I encourage anyone interested in the book to order through Amazon, where you can see the estimated delivery date and choose the option that works best for you.
To order, simply scan the QR code on the accompanying flyer or visit:
And if you purchase a paperback, please bring it to church sometime. I would be delighted to sign it for you!
A portion of the proceeds will support St. Mary and St. John the Baptist parishes tornado restoration expenses not covered by insurance.
You can also find my daily Coffee & Grace reflections on Facebook at:
This Christmas, as our two parish families gather together as one, we invite you to help make our church especially beautiful to greet the Christ Child. Your gift toward Christmas flowers helps fill our worship space with the beauty and joy of the season.
You can make your donation "in memory of" or "in honor of" a loved one. The names from both parishes will be displayed together in a frame at the front of the church during all Christmas Masses.
We suggest a donation of $10 per name. Please make checks payable to St. Mary or St. John and include them in an envelope marked "Christmas Flower Fund." You can mail it, drop it in the offering basket at Mass, or bring it to the Parish Office.
Before You Shop, Think Scrip!
An Easy Way to Support St. Mary & St. John — At No Extra Cost to You!
It's now been more than three months since the July tornado changed so much for our parish family.
And what a journey these months have been!
Through it all, we have been blessed by the generosity, prayers, encouragement, and support of so many people. Again and again, we've heard one simple question:
"How can we help?"
There are many wonderful answers to that question. Pray for our parishes. Worship with us. Volunteer your time. Support our restoration efforts.
And now that we are once again celebrating our weekend Masses at St. Mary, it's a joy to see our parish family gathering together in our own church.
But our work is far from finished.
Restoration continues at both St. Mary and St. John the Baptist. And beyond the repairs to our buildings, the everyday expenses of keeping our parishes operating and our ministries thriving haven't gone away.
In fact, our regular parish financial support has declined, making every opportunity to strengthen our parishes especially important.
That's why I want to remind everyone of one very simple way to help.
Use Scrip!
Now, before you turn the page thinking this is another fundraiser asking you to spend more money, hear me out!
Scrip doesn't cost you anything extra. Not one penny!
When you purchase Scrip, you're simply buying gift cards for places where you already shop: grocery stores, gas stations, restaurants, department stores, and home-improvement retailers such as Home Depot, Lowe's, and Menards.
You receive the full value of the gift card, while the participating retailer returns a percentage of your purchase to our parishes.
Think about that.
You're going to buy groceries anyway.
You're going to fill your gas tank.
You're probably going to stop at a restaurant or pick up something at the hardware store.
Why not let those everyday purchases help support St. Mary and St. John?
And with Christmas just around the corner, think of the possibilities!
Christmas gifts. Holiday groceries. Stocking stuffers. Gift cards for family members, friends, teachers, and coworkers.
All purchases you may already be planning to make.
Imagine if hundreds of parishioners made one small change in how they shop.
A $50 gift card here. A $100 gift card there. A few Christmas presents purchased with Scrip.
Individually, those little percentages might not seem like much.
But together?
Together, they can make a real difference!
And that's the beautiful thing about Scrip. It allows every one of us to participate in supporting the mission of our parishes without adding another expense to our family budgets.
How Can You Get Started?
It's easy!
You can purchase Scrip gift cards at the Parish Office during the week.
You can also use the RaiseRight app, which allows you to purchase gift cards electronically, often instantly, right from your phone or computer.
And we will continue offering Scrip before and after our weekend Masses at St. Mary when our volunteers are available.
If you've never purchased Scrip before, don't worry! Our volunteers will be happy to help you get started.
More Than Buildings
Over these past three months, we've been reminded of something important.
Our churches are beautiful and sacred places, and we are working hard to restore them.
But the mission of St. Mary and St. John the Baptist is about so much more than bricks, mortar, roofs, and steeples.
It's about encountering Jesus Christ.
It's about celebrating the Eucharist, welcoming people into our parish family, teaching our children the faith, serving those in need, and bringing the love of Christ into our community.
And every Scrip purchase helps support that mission.
So before your next trip to the grocery store, gas station, restaurant, or Christmas shopping destination, please take a moment to ask yourself:
"Can I use Scrip for this?"
It's a small habit that can make a big difference.
One gift card. One purchase. One simple act of generosity at a time.
Together, it adds up.
Together, we strengthen our parishes.
And together, with God's help, we continue moving forward.
St. Mary & St. John Strong!
Thank you for loving our parishes. Thank you for your continued generosity. And thank you for helping us build a strong future for St. Mary and St. John the Baptist.
Sharing our Gifts
As with our family, we care deeply for our church and want to ensure that it will continue to flourish and grow long after we are gone. St. Mary & St. John Parishes are sustained by the generosity of our parishioners through time, talent, and treasure. We are sincerely grateful for kind remembrances in memorials, donations, and wills. Donations may be tax deductible. For all that you do Thank You!!
Bequests & Legacy Giving
Charitable gift planning is stewardship of our assets, just like our weekly offering. Please consider St. Mary and/or St. John the Baptist Parish in your estate planning.
The simplest planned gift to St. Mary and/or St. John the Baptist Parish is a bequest in your last will or testament or in your living trust. This demonstrates the obvious necessity to have a valid will or trust in order to accomplish your goal of leaving a legacy to the Church as your final act of stewardship.
Even if you choose to make an outright bequest to St. Mary and/or St. John the Baptist Parish, you may consider the parish as the beneficiary of a contingent bequest in the event all your other named beneficiaries no longer exist at the time of your death. This is sometimes referred to as a “clean up” provision. It ensures that your property is distributed according to your plan rather than the state law on estate distributions.
A tax planning point for bequests: To the extent possible, your bequest should be from assets referred to in the Internal Revenue Code as “income in respect of a decedent.” Some examples of these assets are U.S. savings bonds and retirement plans such as 401(k) plans and IRAs. Such gifts to St. Matthew are ideal because they are subject to income tax if received by a tax-paying beneficiary, such as a family member. However, since the Church like other charities, is tax-exempt, income tax can be avoided on bequests of these assets. Other assets, such as bank accounts, life insurance and corporate stocks and bonds, and real estate proper-ties which do not involve income tax shortcoming, are better assets to distribute to family members.
Bequests may take several different forms:
A bequest of a specific amount
“I give $$$ to ….”
A bequest of specific property:
“I give 100 shares of XYZ Corporation to….”
A bequest of a portion of the residue of your estate:
“I give 10 percent of the remaining property in my estate to….”
A bequest of the complete residue of your estate:
“I give all of the remaining property in my estate to.…”
If you are seriously considering a bequest or legacy contribution to St. Mary and/or St. John the Baptist Parish, contact your family attorney to see how you can best give to St. Mary and/or St. John the Baptist Parish
. Attorneys have information with respect to the documentation you will need.
IRA Giving
Age 70 ½? — Make a Tax-Free Charitable Gift through Your IRA!
Normally, a distribution from your IRA is taxed as ordinary income. However, federal tax legislation enacted in December 2015, allows you, if you are 70½ or older, to make a direct gift from your IRA to the Church through your parish, or other qualified charity without the distribution taxed as income to you. Unlike prior years, this legislation has no expiration date.
The IRA charitable rollover law may provide a very good charitable giving vehicle if you are age 70 ½ and take the standard deduction rather than itemize deductions on your tax return. The law may also allow you to avoid a tax increase on your Social Security benefits. Thus, your IRA could be considered a special fund for distributions to the Church and charities without the normal consequences of reporting additional taxable income.
The distribution must be from your IRA, not a 401(k) or other retirement plan. However, consult with your financial or tax advisor about the possibility of transferring funds from one of these other plans to establish an IRA, with the distribution to charity coming from the newly established IRA.
The IRA distribution must be a direct charitable gift and not a distribution to a donor-advised fund, a charitable remainder trust or for a charitable gift annuity. Distributions to charity cannot exceed $100,000 in a taxable year.
To take advantage of the IRA charitable rollover to support the Church, please review the following helpful tips on how to handle your charitable gift correctly:
- Contact your IRA custodian or representative before making a gift to arrange for the proper transfer of funds from your IRA directly to the Church and other qualified charities. The check or other payment issued from the IRA must be made payable to the charity.
- If you have elected to have income tax withheld from your normal IRA distributions, advise your IRA administrator not to withhold taxes from distributions to charity.
- Consult your tax advisor for the tax reporting of the special election described above.
While this topic is fresh on your mind, ask your attorney and financial advisor how to make the Church a beneficiary of your will or trust or your IRA.
For more information about how you and the Church can benefit from an IRA charitable rollover, contact the parish office at 920-725-7714.
These helpful tips are only for your information and are not to be considered as legal, tax or financial advice. You should consult with your legal, tax and financial advisors to implement the benefits of the IRA charitable rollover law and related matters.