Nov 05, 2026

Greetings,

There are two important extra things that are happening this weekend as we attend Mass:

The first is Called to Flourish Weekend. This is the part of our Called to Flourish Diocesan Capital Campaign in which our goal is to increase pledges among our parish community. You are invited to bring back your previously mailed pledge cards and volunteers will be available in the Narthex answering questions. Everything helps! With single-digit percentage of our parish membership donating, we are well over sixty percent of our goal. Now is the slog to get us over the top! I am hoping that you will play a part in this endeavor and be able to look on our accomplishments with joy at your role in achieving them. You can see our progress on the thermometer board in the Narthex.

Thank you to all of our volunteers, all those who have donated, those praying about participating, and those who keep the parish and this endeavor in your prayers.

The second event at this weekend’s Masses is our Annual State of the Parish Report. By mandate of our Bishop, I am obligated to give you an accounting once a year as to the health of the parish. Largely, this will involve our financial state.

On pages 11-14 you should find a four-page insert giving you a high-level look at our finances. If you have specific questions or wish to know something more in depth, our business manager, Milissa Smith, is more than willing to answer your inquiries. You may contact her at (330) 836-2233 during business hours or email her at smithm@stsebastian.org.

Thank you to everybody who does what they can to keep your parish thriving. A parish doesn’t happen in a vacuum, and there are no other diocesan sources of funding but you. You make it all happen from keeping up our buildings, providing this bulletin and hymnals, paying salaries, keeping us warm or cool, water, electric, cleaning, supplies, hosts and wine, candles, lawn mowing, phones, parking lot paving, flowers and trees, vestments and, well, you name it! It all springs from this community’s generosity.

And that is not even to mention all those who volunteer! Working in the offices, behind the scenes at church, musicians, ushers, servers, sacristans, lectors, extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion and those who minister to the homebound, ministry coordinators, launderers, grounds crew, livestream operators, decorators, flower growers and arrangers, councils, leaders of organizations, those who help with events, and many more I fear having left out!

Especially we remember those who keep the parish in their prayers. I think especially of our homebound: You are our contemplatives and your prayers are powerful. Thank you for all that you do.

IN OTHER NEWS:

AWAY: Fr. Joseph is currently away so I have been manning the parish with the help of priests from the Apostles of Jesus at confession time. I will be away next weekend for a wedding.

God bless,

Fr. Valencheck