Immaculate CONCEPTION
Meet
Mike and Sand
Savoring the Gifts of Fait
F
or Mike and Sandra Bulmanski, being with the members of our parish family gives them the hope, joy, and love they need to keep carrying the torch of faith. “The other parishioners inspire us to give our time to church,” Mike says. “There is one lady named Karen Boyer who volunteers all the time. If there is something going on, she is there! She even drives about 40 miles to get to our parish from her home. It is just amazing! She is a convert and I taught some of the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults (RCIA) classes that she attended. She just absolutely loves being Catholic.” Recently, they have been inspired by a sort of “renewal” that they have noticed taking place in our parish. “The sense of community seems to be growing by leaps and bounds,” Mike says. “We lost a lot of it during COVID, but it is all really coming back. I see a great, resurgent joy in people, and it is felt all throughout the parish. Many say how glad they are to be back here, and to receive the Eucharist again!” Over the years, the Bulmanskis have found that when they give their time, talent, and treasure to our faith family, they will be abundantly blessed in return. “Getting more involved in the parish has been a great experience,” Sandra says. “I have really enjoyed getting to know the other parishioners. They are so generous and kind! We have been so blessed to witness their faith. It is very rewarding to watch, and it builds up our own faith as well. We see faith in action while working with our fellow parishioners, and we really get to know God through them.” By reaching out to our parish youth, Mike
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Mike and Sandra Bulmanski
has found great joy and peace. “I teach Confirmation to our eighth-graders,” Mike says. “It is a wonderful thing to do. This past weekend, we were talking about the gifts of the Holy Spirit, and the students didn’t seem too excited, but I asked them, who likes gifts that don’t keep on giving? They then looked interested and puzzled. When you exercise these gifts of the Holy Spirit, you get more. Then they started perking up. It is very rewarding to see that dimly lit light start to brighten up. The ones you do reach, there is something so special going on between them and Jesus. They are developing a relationship that they will foster for the rest of their lives, and for eternity.” Further, Mike has enjoyed helping out with the RCIA process, facilitating a fascinating Bible study on Monday evenings, serving in liturgical ministries, and playing the guitar for the Adult
