Influencers leading by example
Landon and Elizabeth Cerny, members of St. James the Greater Parish in Eau Claire, are modern-day influencers. But they don’t have an Instagram following or a podcast, and they’re not YouTubers. Like the original Christian influencers—think the apostles and early Church saints—the Cerny family feels called to be active leaders, living out their eucharistic identity for others. Formed by many active Catholic relatives and a supportive faith community, they now serve as that example for others. As Landon says, “It means leading by example.”
The Talk
Both Beth and Landon grew up surrounded by positive Catholic influences. Beth has a cousin who is a Catholic priest in the Diocese of Superior, her father is an ordained deacon and her mother was a liturgist.
Landon was baptized Lutheran but began attending Catholic church with his dad after his parents divorced. He entered religious education in second grade, received the sacraments and has remained a practicing Catholic.
Both describe “peaks and valleys” in their faith journeys. Beth says attending
retreats as a teen solidified her faith. Landon says college was a time when his “faith took a back seat,” but meeting Elizabeth helped him rekindle it.
A native of South Dakota, Landon now works in marketing at Chippewa Valley Technical College. “We went through some pretty difficult times when we were first married,” he says, describing long work separations and stress. “We would spend five days apart and then maybe not always get along when we were together.”
“Ultimately, our faith saved us,” says Beth. “The thing that always brought us together was the Mass.”
“At church,” Landon explains, “we could be a couple again and realize why we’re married. Honestly, without the Mass, we might have said, ‘See you later.’”
“The Mass brings everyone together,” Beth adds. “Lots of parents don’t have time for themselves. They could view Mass as that time. It’s a break. We can sit with our kids, be with Jesus and be present. It’s not a chore—it’s time to be with your family.”
The Walk
Landon and Beth’s children—Cash, 16, and Sophia, 15—are also involved at St. James. Landon and Elizabeth are eucharistic ministers, and Landon helps with the online Mass streaming team. Cash and Sophia are altar servers.
“After Cash is confirmed, he wants to be an adult acolyte,” says Beth. “We’re very service-oriented. That’s how we fill our cup.”
“We try to lead by example,” Landon adds.
The couple visited several parishes in search of one where they could be active in ministry. “We were turned away from other parishes because things were already being done by others. We didn’t feel welcomed,” says Beth. “When we found St. James, the people were so welcoming—there was community. Father Tom Krieg talks about belonging not just to a group of people but in community with Jesus. That’s what brought us here.”
Beth is also the religious education coordinator at the parish and works closely with the parish’s director of religious education, Kelly. Together with Landon and other leaders, they have planned engaging events, such as an Italian dinner fundraiser, trivia nights and a pandemic-era trunk-or-treat. They’re also developing a scholarship fund for high school graduates from St. James Parish who remain active in ministry after confirmation.
Embracing Change
Since 2019, the Cernys have helped run the kitchen at the parish’s annual Summerfest. “Events or groups don’t need to be so rigid,” Landon says. “Make it fun and lead by example. Sometimes it feels like it’s not working, but we’ve come to see that it is.”
Landon recalls it used to be hard to find volunteers for hospitality after Mass.
“We’re rule-breakers,” Beth says with a smile. “We helped break that mold with our friend Gordy.”
Eventually, others joined in. “Now we have plenty of hospitality volunteers,” Landon says.
Beth adds, “I love change, but I also value keeping sacred things sacred.”
At first, the Cernys led most of the parish events themselves, but as others saw the fruit of their efforts, more stepped in. Now confirmation students make the sausage and pasta for Italian night.
“We let go of leading and became the organizers,” Beth says. “Now we see friendships growing and people connecting across different Mass times.”
Making Disciples
Last year, the parish participated in its first mission trip. With the Cernys’ help, funds were raised for about 20 youth and chaperones, including Cash, Sophia and Landon—whom Beth “voluntold” to go.
Beth and Kelly chose Montana through Catholic HEART Workcamp. Though the cost raised concerns, the experience was worth it.
“All the kids were placed with other parishes. There was Mass every morning, then they went to their work assignments,” Beth says.
Landon worked maintenance at a pre-K nonprofit, Beth assisted at a clothing facility for the homeless, Sophia hauled rock and Cash worked at a ranch for troubled youth.
“At one point, people at the ranch came out to help because they couldn’t believe others had volunteered and paid to come help them,” Beth says.
“There was adoration one night,” Landon recalls. “Father brought the monstrance close to their faces. Our kids had never had such a personal experience like that. No one forced them to participate—they chose to.”
Back home, the Cernys note the parish has over 30 active groups. “Christine, one of our leaders, knows everyone and helps new people get involved where they fit,” Beth says.
Being Jesus
Beth remembers what it felt like to long for belonging, and now she brings that spirit into her salon, Grazie. “Everyone has a story. I try to make our salon open and accepting,” she says.
After her 2017 breast cancer diagnosis, Beth felt the love of her community deeply. “They are Jesus,” she says. “Now I help others walk through their cancer journey. It’s emotional, but praying with them matters.”
“When I was going through cancer, I thought, why me? Now I know. God brings good out of the bad—we’re meant to help others.”
The couple also suffered a miscarriage early in their marriage. Beth remembers praying at the Cathedral of St. Paul for a sign their baby was OK.
“An usher came over and asked us to bring up the offertory gifts. I instantly knew God heard my prayer,” she says.
“Sometimes it’s tough to pray. You feel like you’re out on an island,” Landon says. “But God is there. You’ll get an answer—it may not be what you expect, but there will be an answer.”
“That’s what makes the Catholic Church great,” he adds. “It’s about community and helping each other. We do this because we feel called. We try to lead by example.”
Story by Marcy Stenstrom
Published in the Summer 2025 issue of Catholic Life Magazine