“Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.”
— Revelation 3:20
As I near my final weekend at St. Francis, I am privileged to write this final letter for our annual stewardship report. I am so happy to say that, as I prepare to transition from being your pastor, this past year has borne the greatest stewardship fruit I have seen in all my 10 years.
Truly, St. Francis of Assisi Parish has opened the door to Christ in profound and grace-filled ways. Stewardship—our grateful response to God’s abundant gifts—has been alive and active among us. The fruits are not merely statistical—they are sacramental. They are Eucharistic. They are personal. We’ve seen the face of Christ in the ministries that flourished, the outreach that expanded, and the faith that deepened.
When we look back, we don’t just see numbers—we see disciples. We see hands folded in prayer, hearts opened in service, and lives quietly saying “yes” to Jesus, again and again. Teachers formed young minds in the light of the Gospel. Parishioners brought meals to grieving families. Volunteers made our liturgies beautiful and reverent. Faithful tithers gave generously, even amid economic uncertainty. Some responded for the first time—offering a gift they never realized they had. Others remained steady and hidden, practicing the quiet fidelity that sustains parish life day by day.
At the same time, we do not overlook the burdens. But as St. Paul exhorts, I can testify that you have joyfully helped to “bear one another’s burdens, and so you will fulfill the law of Christ” (Gal 6:2). Transparency is part of stewardship. Yes, we faced challenges—volunteer fatigue, financial urgency, stretched resources. And yet, even in these moments, Christ was there … knocking … waiting. And by grace, we responded.
This year has reminded us that stewardship is not the task of a few, but the call of the whole Body of Christ. We have striven to fulfill what our school mission so clearly articulates: to form, inform, and transform students into the Mystical Body of Christ. That mission belongs not only to our students, but to every parishioner. Each member matters. Each has been entrusted with a unique share of God’s gifts—time, talent, treasure, and, above all, the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. When offered in love, those gifts build up the communion of the Church and bear fruit for the Kingdom.
So, my final hope for you is this: as you turn toward a new year, remain attentive to the knock. Keep the church doors open, your hearts generous, and the parish always centered on the Eucharistic Christ—who desires not only to visit us, but to dwell among us.
In this way, you will fulfill our parish’s mission—one I was honored to help shape eight years ago:
To be united in the Eucharist and formed as instruments of peace through the practice of stewardship in imitation of God’s Triune love.
Father C. Jarrod Lies, Pastor, 2015 – 2025