CROWN POINT – Off the couch, into a pair of well-fitting shoes, and stepping along with faithful fellowship, members of a new group at St. Matthias are happy to be back in the swing of things.
“For me this brings prayer and fitness full circle,” said St. Matthias’ Walking Prayer Group member Deb Simko. “I think every body is different, but for me, it’s helpful that it’s in the morning and it starts out with a prayer or meditation that sets the tone … for me, that works.”
In November 2024, the re-formed group went from planning to pounding the pavement, picking up where a similar ministry left off in 2020, during the pandemic. Steadily, from young moms to active seniors, walkers have joined in Tuesday morning sessions that include prayer, walking, fellowship and circuit training.
Exercise and prayer initiative founder Vanesa Breshock said participation in the group that took the reins from the former Faith, Family & Fitness offering has “snowballed.” The core mission remains to help in “activating” the body, guiding members in general fitness and regimen.
“I think the group helps with accountability,” said Breshock, parishioner and Family Life coordinator. “There’s something to be said for people expecting you to be somewhere, or a time that you’re going to go that’s on your schedule; it’s a lot harder to stay committed to going for a walk on your own.”
Hosted inside the Crown Point parish’s large hall, a group of sometimes more than a dozen participants gather, coming inside from cold winter conditions to warm hospitality. They catch up on domestic doings and work issues, and then refocus on a prayerful start to the session.
Prayers run the gamut from devotional to interactive. Members sometimes pray the Rosary, and other times meditate on reflections from prayer apps. These endeavors, according to Breshock, not only give members “something to talk about,” but create a supportive network.
Breshock grew up in the Calumet Region, just across the Illinois border. Her husband, Adam Breshock, was stationed at various Air Force bases throughout the country, before pursuing his civilian career, currently flying as a pilot for Southwest Airlines based at Midway Airport in Chicago.
She said getting serious about fitness was initially the spark she needed to overcome issues she experienced with alcohol. Finding a fitness “hobby” yielded to a more serious approach and the earning of certifications for exercise instruction.
Over the years, the Breshock family has grown to include three sons. Andrew, 15, Vincent, 12, and Anthony, 10, have each developed active lifestyles. School or league football and wrestling have the family traveling to different venues, but they can also be seen riding through town together on bicycles.
As wonderful as the benefits of regular fitness have been for her family, Breshock loves hearing from those who have been positively impacted by participation in the walking group. “I love hearing from participants that they went to the doctor, told them what they are doing (at St. Matthias) and doctors were excited and said, ‘Yes, those are the kinds of exercises I want you to be doing,’” she said.
Walking prayer group members attest to their leader’s inexhaustible energy and serious dedication to making a motivational ministry work. Channeling the excitable vibes of a Richard Simmons workout video, or perhaps the orderly courtroom management of Judge Judy, Breshock is an appreciated parish family member.
“She knows her stuff, which really helps,” said Simko of Breshock. “I’m happy to follow along and she knows what muscles you should be targeting and she works through that.”
In 2018 and 2019, before the pandemic, Simko availed herself of Soul Core sessions offered nearby at St. Mary in Crown Point. Since some church and municipal offerings did not return, she greeted the announcement of the St. Matthias walking and prayer ministry as a “great opportunity.”
Simko said that Breshock helps create a nice balance of structured exercise and open-ended prayer. Laps around the parish hall are supplemented by guided exercises on the circuit training gear recently installed in the building.
“A huge age range” is represented at the St. Matthias meetings, Simko added.
Lacing up their tennis shoes and getting hydrated, Barb and Ted Targonski, active grandparents and Crown Point residents for more than 20 years, prepared on a recent Tuesday morning to join their “church family.”
“It’s great, it’s wonderful,” Barb Targonski said.
The couple feels that the walking prayer group offers something for each of its members. Barb loves moving along with a chatty sub-group she brands the “walkie-talkies.”
“We enjoy the exercise coupled with prayer and social interaction – you meet new people – it’s a very relaxing hour,” said Ted.
Whether it’s out of curiosity about a church offering, or a resolution to improve one’s health, participants of the St. Matthias Walking Prayer Group hope to keep stepping ahead and adding new members to the stable.
“It’s what you feel like doing – our group does not push anybody to go beyond what they think they can do,” Ted Targonski said. “You’re at your own pace.”
Caption: Participants of the St. Matthias Walking Prayer Group including (front, left to right) Justine Garza, Rosealee Snyder and Deb Simko set the pace in the parish hall in Crown Point during a weekly meeting in November. The faith and fitness group was re-formed from antecedents that had been largely shelved since the pandemic. (Provided photo)