OP_081519

16 | August 15, 2019 | the orland Park Prairie faith
OPPrairie.com
Pastor Column
FAITH BRIEFS
Parkview Christian Church (11100
Orland Parkway, Orland Park)
Stephen Ministry
Introductory Workshop
9 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday,
Sept. 7. Registration begins
at 8 a.m. For more
information or to register,
call Stephen Ministries at
(314) 428-2600, or visit
www.stephenministry.org/
workshop.
Know thyself
The Rev. Caleb Hong
Faith United Methodist Church
me, O
God, and know
“Search
my heart; test
me and know my anxious
thoughts. See if there is
any offensive way in me,
and lead me in the way
everlasting.” (Psalm
139:23-24)
I was visiting a church
member recently. She had
not seen me in several
months and asked me an
amazing question.
“Pastor Caleb, you look
different,” she said. “Did
you lose weight?”
Now, I was tempted to
suck in my gut through
the entire visit and lie
through my teeth because
no one has said this to me
in decades. But I decided
not to take advantage of
poor vision and responded
truthfully.
“No, but thank you so
much for making my day.
What kind of flowers can
I bring you on my next
visit?”
Jesus taught that the
greatest commandments
are to love God with all
our heart, soul, mind
and strength, and to love
our neighbor as ourselves.
Part of loving our
neighbor is loving
ourselves, and one of
the prerequisites to loving
ourselves is knowing
ourselves — being
honest and truthful with
ourselves. It is not living
in denial; it is living in
truth. It is boldly and
courageously acknowledging
who we are and
where we are, so that we
can invite God (humbly
and genuinely) to do
God’s life-renewing and
faith-stretching work in
our lives.
The good news: God
knows us. The Psalmist
writes that before a
word is on our tongue,
God knows it already
(Psalms 139). In other
words, there is nothing to
hide from God. There is
nothing we have to sweep
under the rug when we
pray or worship.
God knows exactly
what’s happening in our
hearts (good and bad),
and God loves you more
than you know.
So, here’s the invitation
this morning: Be
honest with yourself and
with God. Put your guard
down. Take time (15 minutes
each day this week)
to pray and journal —
openly and freely to God,
who hears you, knows
you and loves you.
Then, if you need help,
you can ask for it. If
you’re inspired to help,
you can offer it. If God is
inviting you to take a new
(and possibly growth-inducing
and faith-stretching)
step of faith, you can
do it.
The opinions of this column
are those of the writer. They
do not necessarily reflect
those of The Orland Park
Prairie.
Church of the Transfiguration Episcopal
(12219 S. 86th Ave., Palos Park)
Blessing of Backpacks
10 a.m. Sunday, Aug.
18. Children preschool
through college are invited
to participate. Complimentary
childcare provided.
For more information, call
(708) 448-1200.
St. Michael Church (14327 Highland
Ave., Orland Park)
Shawl Ministry
9-10:30 a.m. second
and fourth Tuesdays of the
month. The group crochets
and knits hats, shawls,
scarves for adults and children,
and donates those to
neighbors, friends, cancer
units, hospice, the food
pantry and neonatal units.
The group also meets six
times a year in the evening.
For more information,
contact Donna at
(708) 403-2122.
Southwest Seventh Day Adventist
Church (15760 Wolf Road, Orland
Park)
Worship
10 a.m. Saturday
Ashburn Baptist Church (153rd Street
and Wolf Road, Orland Park)
Bible Study
9:45 a.m.
Faith United Methodist Church (15101
S. 80th Ave., Orland Park)
Codependents Anonymous
10 a.m. each Wednesday.
No dues or fees. All
meetings are confidential.
A group for those seeking
loving relationships with
themselves and with others.
Orland Park Christian Reformed Church
(7500 W. Sycamore Drive, Orland Park)
Family Classics Car Show
5-7:30 p.m. Wednesday,
Sept. 11. Car show including
classic cars, trucks,
motorcycles and hot rods;
“touch-a-truck” for the
children; and great food.
Dinner by donation. Proceeds
benefit Orland Park
Christian Preschool. For
more information or to
register a car for free, visit
www.orlandchurch.com.
St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church
(15050 S. Wolf Road, Orland Park)
‘Rejoice! Advent
Meditations with Mary’
Journal
The “Rejoice! Advent
Meditations with Mary”
journal, is available for $3
after Masses in the Narthex
or in the Parish office.
People can follow the journal
on their own at home
or sign up for the evening
(Monday) or morning (Friday)
sessions at church.
For more information,
visit shop.ascensionpress.
com/collections/rejoice.
Hope Covenant Church (14401 West
Ave., Orland Park)
Dementia Inside & Out
10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday,
Oct. 5 (once every halfhour).
Free. This hands-on
experience resembles what
a person with dementia experiences
daily — the challenges
and difficulties they
face. For more information,
call (708) 361-7845
or visit aishlingcare.com/
events-calendar. The event
is sponsored by Aishling
Companion Home Care.
Junior High Youth Group
Noon-2 p.m. every other
Sunday. This is an active
group of children from
fourth to seventh grades.
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.
Calvary Church (16100 S. 104th Ave.,
Orland Park)
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.
Christ Lutheran Church (14700 S. 94th
Ave., Orland Park)
NAMI Support Groups
2-4 p.m. fourth Thursday
of the month. Family
support group meetings
provide an opportunity
to meet with others who
have relatives and friends
of individuals living with
a mental illness. Feelings
can be shared and issues
discussed under the guidance
of a trained facilitator.
These meetings are
free.
Services
5 p.m. Saturdays; 8 a.m.,
9:30 and 11 a.m. Sundays.
Sunday School and Bible
study during the 9:30 a.m.
service.
Communion Service
6 p.m. Every third
Wednesday of the month.
AA Meetings
7 p.m. Every Thursday
Al-Anon
7 p.m. Every Friday
Our Lady of the Woods Church (10731
W. 131st, Orland Park)
Eucharistic Adoration
9 a.m.-7 p.m. Thursdays.
The church invites
all to spend some silent
time with The Lord in its
chapel. For more information,
call (708) 361-4754.
Presbyterian Church in Orland Park
(13401 S. Wolf Road, Orland Park)
MOPS (Mothers of Pre-
Schoolers)
9-11 a.m. second and
fourth Tuesdays of the
month. Fellowship, friendship
and renewal. Childcare
provided for children
ages 0-5 years, while
moms enjoy sharing refreshments,
engaging in
discussions and creating
craft projects to take home.
For more information,
contact Cindy at cindyp
cop@comcast.net, (708)
448-8142 or visit www.
mops.org/groups/pcop.
Thursday Evening Bible
Study
7-8:30 p.m. Thursdays
Living Word Lutheran Church (16301 S.
Wolf Road, Orland Park)
PUSH Prayer
9:30 a.m. Tuesdays. All
are welcome to take part in
person or take 10-15 minutes
to pray for the country,
church, community and
individual needs. Meetings
take place the second
Tuesday of the month.
Standing Stone Church (Robert
Davidson Center, 14700 Park Lane,
Orland Park)
Sunday Services
9 a.m. and 11 a.m.
Hour of Prayer
6:30-7:30 p.m. Tuesdays
Children and Youth
Activities
7 p.m. Wednesdays
Have something for Faith
Briefs? Contact Editor Bill
Jones at bill@opprairie.com
or call (708) 326-9170 ext.
20. Information is due by
noon on Thursdays one week
prior to publication.