OP_121516

16 | December 15, 2016 | The orland park prairie Faith
opprairie.com
Pastor Column
Reading is believing in the Lord
The Rev. Evan Goranson
Hope Covenant Church
Word became
flesh and made
“The
his dwelling
among us. We have seen his
glory, the glory of the one
and only Son, who came
from the Father, full of grace
and truth.” (John 1:14)
This is the great truth of
the Christian faith: not that
we through our own effort
or goodness have somehow
managed to connect with
the holy, but that God, out
of his amazing love for us,
has come, in our flesh, to be
and live among us.
This season, as you land
exhausted from shopping,
being with your favorite relatives
or hanging the Christmas
lights, take a bit of time
for something profound:
Read, or listen in audio form,
to one of the four Gospels.
Matthew, Mark, Luke and
John tell the story of Jesus’
life. Their narratives attempt
to reveal the words and
actions of the man, Jesus.
We see him through their
eyes and imagine his voice
through their recollections.
In reading, we notice that
Jesus was not afraid to push
against the norm, to confront
the religious in their false
piety, to call as his children
those who had been otherwise
relegated to the margins
of society. He touched the
untouchable and invested in
people of ill repute.
You will note that he rejected
any attempt to elevate
him as a political leader.
He had no need for earthly
titles or power, because he
realized that his life had
purpose that came from
beyond the realm of his terrestrial
existence.
He had come only to do
his Father’s will. He was, as
John recounts, “full of grace
and truth.”
Grace reflects the overall
character of God’s’ relationship
to us who are his creation.
Possessing every right to
judge and condemn us for
our rebellion against his will,
instead, and beyond our comprehension,
he sent the Eternal
Word, his Son, Jesus.
To all who will believe, he
offers yet today the breaking
of bonds and the shattering
of chains. No longer do we
live as prisoners of our own
carnal desires or shameful
pasts. For Jesus the man,
and fully God, bore for our
sake the sin of humanity and
emerged the Victor over sin,
death and the devil.
This is His “truth,” the
truth that filled His life and
reaches out to you and to me
this day. It is the truth for
every seeker, every doubter,
every lost and lonely soul.
Jesus came for you, to set
you free, to restore you in
relationship to our heavenly
Father. Read and believe.
The opinions of this column are
that of the writer. They do not
necessarily reflect those of The
Orland Park Prairie.
In Memoriam
Jennie C. Aardsma
Jennie C. Aardsma (nee
DeYoung), age 95, of Orland
Park, died Nov. 24. She
is survived by her daughter,
Jennie Lee Sporleder, Eunice
(Jack) Hoekstra and
Evelyn (Vernon) Stoub; 11
grandchildren and 30 greatgrandchildren;
and her
sister, Evelyn. Visitation
was held at Colonial Chapel.
Interment Mt. Greenwood
Cemetery. Memorials
to Elim Christian Services
preferred, www.elimcs.org.
Have someone’s life you’d
like to honor? Email Assistant
Editor Brittany Kapa at
b.kapa@22ndcenturymedia.
com with information about a
loved one who was a part of
the Orland Park community.
FAITH BRIEFS
Calvary Church (16100 S. 104th Ave.,
Orland Park)
“It’s a Wonderful Life”
6 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 17.
The church theater group
will be performing “It’s a
Wonderful Life” during a
two night run, with the other
performance on Sunday,
Dec. 18 at 6 p.m. There are
no tickets required, and the
performance is free. Live
music will accompany the
performance.
Men’s Barnabas Bible Study
7-8:30 a.m. Thursdays.
Study various books written
by Christian authors. Coffee
and light refreshments
are served. For more
information, email info@
calvaryop.org.
Sunday Services
9 a.m. and 10:30 a.m.
Stretch and Balance
6:30-7:30 p.m. Every
second and fourth Tuesday
of the month. All are
welcome to an hour
session of stretching and
balancing. All are invited
to bring water, beach
towel and yoga mats. For
more information, contact
Elizabeth Kolada at
elleof67@att.net.
Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church (14700
S. 94th Ave., Orland Park)
Sunday School Christmas
Service
5 p.m. Dec. 17. Join in for
“We Come to Bethlehem”
Services of Lessons and
Carols
8-10 a.m. Dec. 18. The
Festival of Lessons and
Carols was first presented on
Christmas Eve in 1918 at the
King’s College, Cambridge,
England. THe Christ Choir,
Cherub and Youth Choirs,
Handbell and CHime
CHoirs, and the Men’s
Chorus prepare well to lead
a joy-filled and inspiring
worship service.
Zumba Classes
6 p.m. Every Wednesday.
The cost to participate is
$5. Attendees can bring
their own towels and water
bottles.
AA Meetings
7 p.m. Every Friday
Services
5 p.m. Saturdays, 8
a.m. and 10 a.m. Sundays.
Sunday School and Christian
Education will be held
during the 10 a.m. service.
Men’s Bible Study
7-9 a.m. Every other
Saturday. Breakfast, Bible
study and discussion
is included. For more
information, call (708) 349-
0431.
Faith United Methodist Church (151st
Street and 80th Avenue, Orland Park
Veterans Voices
7 p.m. every third Tuesday
of the month. This is a group
for veterans. For information,
contact Darryl Wertheim at
(708) 923-0021 or Darryl.
wertheim@gmail.com.
Hope Covenant Church (14401 West Ave.,
Orland Park)
Junior High Youth Group
Noon-2 p.m. every other
Sunday. This is an active
group of kids from fourth
to seventh grade. It meets
every other Sunday for a
lesson, activity, games,
treats and fellowship.
Cafe
11:45 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
All are invited to share
refreshments, fellowship
and conversation after most
Sunday morning services.
Presbyterian Church in Orland Park
(13401 S. Wolf Road, Orland Park)
Little Free Library
On the southeast corner
of the parking lot a Little
Free Library has been
constructed. All are welcome
to use it, and the library is
operated on the take a book,
leave a book premise. For
more information, call (708)
448-8142.
MOPS (Mothers of Pre-
Schoolers)
9-11 a.m. 2nd and 4th
Tuesdays of the month.
Thursday Evening Bible
Study
7-8:30 p.m. Every
Thursday
Gamblers Anonymous
7:30- 9 p.m. Every
Thursday
Emotions Anonymous
7:30-9 p.m. Every Friday
Sunday School
10:15 a.m. Children ages
three to eight are invited to
Sunday school. For more
information, contact Cindy
at cindypcop@comcast.net.
Children age seven and older
can volunteer to be ushers
at mass on Sundays. More
information is available
in the children’s worship
bulletins.
St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church
(15050 S. Wolf Road, Orland Park
Overeaters Anonymous
9:30 a.m. Wednesdays.
This is a 12-step program,
patterned after Alcoholics
Anonymous, to help
anyone struggling with
food problems. Members
include people who eat
compulsively, those who
binge and purge and anyone
suffering from anorexia.
There are no dues or fees to
attend meetings, and there
are no weigh-ins or calorie
counting. For information on
other meetings in the area,
visit www.OA.org.
Artisan Signs Prayer Group
Noon-1 p.m. Monday-
Wednesdays. Artisan
Sign and Lighting,
15617 71st court. The
nondenominational prayer
group will meet weekly,
and is open to anyone who
wishes to attend. For more
information, call Ruth at
(708) 841-1313.
Have something for Faith
Briefs? Contact Assistant
Editor Brittany Kapa at
b.kapa@22ndcenturymedia.
com or call (708) 326-9170 ext.
11. Information is due by noon
on Thursdays one week prior to
publication.