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16 | February 22, 2018 | The Mokena Messenger faith
mokenamessenger.com
Robin’s Nest
The one thing
most needed
Robin Melvin
Contributing Columnist
You may be familiar
with Luke’s story of
two sisters. Can you
imagine Martha and Mary’s
excitement as they prepared
their home for Jesus’ visit?
I see Martha bustling in the
kitchen, frustrated that her
sister won’t help. I get it. I’d
want things perfect, too.
Martha complains to
Jesus and we hear his
gentle correction: “Martha,
Martha, you are worried
and upset about many
things, but only one thing
is needed. Mary has chosen
what is better, and it will not
be taken away from her.”
Mary sets aside busy-ness
and cultural norms and sits
with Jesus. She’s ready to
learn and grow her faith.
More than ever, this has
become my focus, too: sitting
with Jesus. Sometimes
talking, sometimes quiet.
Sometimes alone with a
cup of coffee watching the
sunrise, sometimes with my
grandbabies watching them
play and chatter and giggle.
Not because I’m super
spiritual. It’s the only way
to hang on to my sanity. My
doing, doing, doing has to
be balanced with just being.
Being still with Jesus. It
also makes me easier to live
with. Just ask my husband.
Practicing the presence
of Jesus is vital. Not as part
of a religious checklist but
because our lives demand it,
don’t they? Staying connected
reminds us He’s always
with us. He sits beside
us in the not-so-beautiful,
not-so-happy moments, too.
We all have our inner
human struggles. Pride,
fear, cynicism, anger.
You name it. Then there’s
the outward stuff of life
experience that can throw
us off-kilter. It’s easy to
detach or get distracted. We
lose our bearings and run
on spiritual fumes. Peace
and joy, even our hope, can
trickle through the cracks of
a broken spirit.
My friend, God calls us to
spiritual rest. Let’s choose
“what is better.” Sitting with
Jesus, we find our bearings,
our center. If we let Him,
He’ll bring light and life
to any situation. He’s here.
He’s got our todays and our
tomorrows.
In these weeks leading to
Easter and beyond, may we
choose well. May we create
new habits and deeper connections.
I pray the busyness
in us and around us,
our worries and our upsets,
will not keep us from The
One most needed.
Peace and quiet for your
journey.
For more with Robin,
visit robinmelvin.com/con
tact or on Facebook, Robin
Melvin, Author.
The thoughts and opinions
expressed in this column are
those of the author. They do
not necessarily represent the
thoughts of 22nd Century Media
or its staff.
Faith Briefs
Victory Baptist Church (13550 US Route
6, Mokena)
Sunday School
9:30 a.m. Sundays.
Morning Worship
10:45 a.m. Sundays.
Evening Worship
6 p.m. Sundays.
Weekday Worship
7 p.m. Wednesdays.
St. John’s United Church of Christ (11100
Second St., Mokena)
Traditional Service
8 a.m. traditional mass,
9:45 a.m. contemporary &
traditional music in a service
of praise and reverence. Supervised
childcare available.
For more information, call
(708) 479-5123.
Garden Club
8 a.m. Tuesdays. For more
information, call (708) 479-
5123.
Cards for a Cause
7 p.m. the second Monday
of each month. Bring your
tape, scissors and colored
pencils — if you have them
— and plan for a creative
evening with lots of fun.
Bundles of Love
7 p.m. the second and
fourth Monday of each
month. Enjoy fun and fellowship
while making baby
quilts for infants baptized at
St. John’s and lap quilts for
shut-ins.
Mokena United Methodist Church (10901
LaPorte Road, Mokena)
In Memoriam
Loretta LaVerne Barcella (Bednarczyk)
Loretta LaVerne Barcella
(Bednarczyk), 87, of Mokena,
died Feb. 11.
She was the beloved mother
of Debby, Randy and Lisa
(Bob) Lau; devoted grandmother
of Carson; loving
sister of Helen (the late Chester)
Aklinski, Dolly (the late
Service and Sunday School
10:15 a.m. Sundays.
Church service and children’s
Sunday School will
be held. For more information,
call (708) 479-1110.
Bible Study
7 p.m. Thursdays. For
more information, call (708)
479-1110.
Community Prayer Gathering
2:30 p.m. every 4th Sunday.
Breakfast
9 a.m. every third Saturday
of the month.
Choir Practice
7:30 p.m. Wednesdays.
Newcomers welcome.
Weight Watchers
Wednesday
Weigh-ins take place at
6:30 p.m., while the meeting
is at 7 p.m.
Marley Community Church (12625 W.
187th St., Mokena)
Senior High Youth Group
7-8:30 p.m. Wednesdays.
For more information, email
marleycommunitychurch@
gmail.com.
Junior High Youth Group
6-7:30 p.m. Fridays. For
more information, email
marleycommunitychurch@
gmail.com.
Church Service
10 a.m. Sundays. Childcare
is provided.
Skip) Krzeczowski and the
late Ted and Ron Bednarczyk;
dearest sister-in-law of
Helen and the late Florence
Bednarczyk; and dear aunt of
many nieces and nephews.
Lucille Satterlee (Johnson), 101,
late of Mokena, died Feb. 9.
She was the beloved wife
of the late Robert; devoted
Sunday School
9-10 a.m. Sundays.
Men’s Group
6 p.m. Sunday nights in
the church basement. All
men are welcome.
Immanuel Evangelical Lutheran Church
(10731 W. La Porte Road, Mokena)
Contemporary Worship
5 p.m. Saturdays.
Worship
9 a.m. Sundays.
God’s Kids Club
10:15 a.m. Sundays. This
club is open to those between
the ages of 4-17.
Adult Bible Study
10:15 a.m. Sundays.
Mokena Baptist Church (9960 W. 187th
St., Mokena)
Sunday Services
11 a.m. and 5 p.m. For
more information, call (312)
350-2279.
Sunday School
10:15 a.m. Sundays. Mokena
Baptist offers Sunday
School classes for all ages.
For more information, call
(312) 350-2279.
St. Mary’s Catholic Church (19515 115th
Ave., Mokena)
Church Service
5 p.m. Saturdays; 8 a.m,
9:30 a.m., 11 a.m. and 6:
p.m. Sundays
Adoration
Wednesdays following
8:00 a.m. Mass in the Chapel
until 6:45 p.m.
mother of Lonnie and Richard
Satterlee; proud grandmother
of Tammy (Ken)
Slawkowski, Tracy (Tim)
Boyda, Tricia (Randy) Hernandez
and Rebecca Satterlee;
loving great-grandmother
of Lyndsey (Kevin),
Kevin, Kyle, Jason and
Kara; and dear sister-in-law
of Marion Satterlee.
Holy Rosary
7:30 a.m. daily; 7 p.m.
Tuesday evenings.
Parker Road Bible Church (18512 Parker
Road, Mokena)
Worship Service
10:30 a.m. Sundays. Be
sure to arrive early for our
Sunday Worship Service to
enjoy a hot, complimentary
cup of coffee every week at
the church. Following the
Christian Education Hour
(9:15 - 10:15 a.m.), all beverages
can be found just outside
the sanctuary.
Grace Fellowship Church (11049 LaPorte
Road, Mokena)
Narcotics Anonymous
7-9 p.m. Mondays. All
those struggling or who have
struggled with a narcotics
addiction are welcome. All
meetings are confidential.
For more information, call
(708) 479-0300.
Spanish Church
12:30 p.m. Sundays.
Worship Service
10 a.m. Sundays. All are
welcome.
Women’s Bible Study
8:45-9:45 a.m. Sundays
and 2-3 p.m. Tuesdays.
Have something for Faith
Briefs? Contact Assistant
Editor Amanda Stoll at
a.stoll@22ndcenturymedia.com
or call (708) 326-9170 ext. 34.
Deadline is noon Thursday one
week prior to publication.
In lieu of flowers, memorials
directed to Heartland
Hospice.
Do you have someone’s life
you’d like to honor? Email
Editor T.J. Kremer III at tj@
mokenamessenger.com with
information about a loved one
who was a part of the Mokena
community.