Questions, comments, ideas, or input? email Tammy: Tammy@theRevolutionChurch.org
February 9, 2015:
Q: WHO LOVES THE 80’s??
A: WE DOOOOOOOO!
In the Bahamas some of the more energetic houses of worship are called “Jump Churches” because of the lively style of praise witnessed there. We meet just off of Laraway here in the Midwest, unfortunately not in the sunny Caribbean, but Sunday started off joyful and lively with a classic called “JUMP”. Pete Reno’s fingers earned him a big, fat A+ on the keyboard today! Pete, a first time visitor to Revolution, is a member of “Funhouse”, a local classic rock band that Dean also belongs to (and sometimes Corey and Phil do, too), and our guys had people on their feet with that Van Halen favorite to help celebrate our 80's message theme. So technically speaking- for today - we could be officially classified as a “JUMP Church!”
Since Saturday is Valentine’s Day Pastor Billy wanted to surprise one lucky person with a fantastic holiday meal. Who was sitting in the winning seat and will be going to the Cheesecake Factory with a gift card in her hand? That will be Autumn Senecal, one of the volunteers in Children’s Ministry! She is a good girl, and we are proud her efforts were rewarded today! She is single……so if you are a humongous cheesecake fan, you’d better get in line and start sucking up to her NOW! J
Last week’s sermon, “The A-Team”, taught us that “Found People Find People”, and today’s sermon, “Family Ties”, repeatedly reminded us that “Saved People Serve People”. How will YOU serve this church? Pastor gave numerous examples of ways you can be a blessing here. The biggest need we have is currently in our children’s department. Assisting with crafts, singing, serving snacks, and teaching about Jesus can be very rewarding. Mark on your connection card if you will step up in this area once or twice a month.
Our “Techies” appreciate the new folks who have volunteered and discovered that working a camera or doing the music slides is EASY and fun. They will be happy to teach you, too. Darren Rych leads this group, and he is one hilarious guy with a quirky sense of humor. You will definitely have fun at the tech table. Ushers are needed to help pass offering baskets, count attendance, and help latecomers find seats. One of our faithful men on the chair team has a bad back, so we need to replace him temporarily. It takes a very few minutes to set up and/or take down chairs. Are you willing to give 15 minutes to serve in any of these necessary ministries?
We need financial donors! Building rental, U-Haul fees, snow removal, and supplies are necessary expenses, and we encourage all those who call Revolution their home church to bless this ministry with their tithe and offerings regularly. Pay-Pal is now available on our Home Page so you can easily give online should you be absent. Thank you to all who are faithfully generous when the offering baskets are passed. God sees and will smile down on you. Giving statements are at the welcome center for only one more week. Contributors, please pick yours up for tax purposes.
Blaine Petersen is heading up our new Discipleship Ministry. If you are a man who would like to be discipled or would like to be one who assists in helping a newer believer learn more about following Christ, talk to Blaine, and he will get this ball rolling.
Remember that we have two LifeGroups meeting each week, and there is room for YOU if you’d like to attend: Sunday evenings in Manhattan, and Monday evenings in New Lenox. Revolution women and their guests are gathering for food and fellowship the last Thursday evening of February at Panera in Frankfort. If you are new to the church or would just like to feel more connected, consider these opportunities for friendship and support.
Joey DiVittorio sits for the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery test for the Air Force on the 11th. He hopes to pursue a career as a Cryptologic Linguist, so let’s pray he does well on this entry exam.
Tom Williamson’s birthday is IMMINENT! Next Sunday is his big day, so next time you see him, be extra sweet and give him some birthday love! Jimmy Leatherman and his mama, Kristi, also celebrate on the 15th! Jimmy will be 10, and Kristi will be …. ummmmm…. 29… Yes, she’s 29...AGAIN. (You’re welcome, Kristi!)
Several are coming to the front for prayer after dismissal, so don’t be shy if you would like to come up, too. There is no shame in asking for help or guidance. Prayer Team members pray during the week for requests that are submitted via connection cards, so share what is heavy on your heart and drop that paper in either the offering or in the floral box on the welcome table at the entrance. Dig out those retro leg warmers, dust off the crimping irons, pick up some buddies, and come back Sunday for more ‘80’s stuff.
Tammy
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February 1, 2015:
Would whoever is praying for snow PLEASE STOP! Good grief! We woke up this morning with several inches on the ground, and more kept falling as we approached service time. This was by far the worst winter weather we’ve experienced since we launched this church last year. We wondered if anybody could (or would) venture out in this mess, but about half of our regular crowd pulled up their “big boy pants” and braved the storm. Some drove from as far as Lemont, Manhattan, and even Oak Lawn to be faithful to Revolution, and we really respect and appreciate dedication like that!
Pastor Billy kicked off February’s series, “I Love the 80’s”, with an evangelism message called, “The A-Team”. As Mr. T. would say, “I Pity da fool” who doesn’t share Jesus with the people he loves. We had a moment of excitement when attendees discovered who was sitting in pre-selected winning chairs that entitled them to a surprise gift from the 80’s: a Rubik’s Cube or a Chia Pet. How fun!
Very special thanks and recognition to the loyal members of our very own “A+ Team” who were out of bed and on the road hours earlier than everybody else to make sure everything ran smoothly this morning. From U-Haul packers, to drivers, musicians, techies, greeters, and hospitality, it all came together, because we united and pulled in one direction. You people worked HARD, and we thank you! Welcome to Justin Graniczny, our newest member of the stage crew. Justin is not afraid to bust his back, even when the snow is blowing sideways up against his head, and we are truly happy to have him aboard.
Several of our families wanted to be at church, but simply couldn’t get out of their unplowed neighborhoods. Some of our older folks who have health issues and disabilities decided it was too risky with the hazardous road conditions. We understand that. For those of you who wish to give your weekly support to the church we now offer PAY-PAL so you can contribute online on days like this. Go to our Home Page and just click the button, and you will be walked though how to do it. Thanks for supporting this ministry! Every dollar is spent wisely. Giving Statements were passed today and will be at the Welcome Center for the next two Sundays. Please pick up your contribution record for tax purposes.
Several ladies met at Panera Tuesday night for food and strengthening friendships. Thanks to all who took a little “time out” from their chaotic lives and came to support Women’s Ministry. Remember, it’s always okay to bring friends to our social events.
Thanks to the Arnotts for hosting Friday’s Pizza & Game Night for our youth. They had a big time playing Chess, Let’s Dance, and making cards for a child in the hospital and for one of our ailing, elderly members. They also celebrated Justice Petersen’s 10th birthday. They will finish creating their cards next Sunday morning if they can dig out of the snowbanks by then. Several of the children at the party do not attend Revolution, and it was a good thing for them to get to meet new friends. Encourage your kids to bring buddies and come join the fun next time!
Very Happy Birthday to our favorite paramedic/gymnastics coach, Tyler Yost, who turns 22 on the 8th! Bruce & Tammy Smit celebrate their anniversary Monday. If you’d like your special days noted, just write your name and date on a connection card, and give to the piano player or drop in the connection card box at the welcome center.
Remember we have a baptizing February 22 at 1 pm at the Lincoln Way East Aquatic Center pool. If you have questions about immersion baptism or would like to participate, call Pastor Billy for guidance or more information. Hopefully, we will have more pleasant weather next Sunday and can get together again for some more throwback 80’s music, and the “Family Ties” message. Somebody will be taking home another retro 80’s prize, but you must be present to win. Join us!
Tammy
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January 26, 2015:
Happy Sunday!
Today was a good day! Thanks to all who ignored the drizzle and flurries to come out and share in Communion and worship Jesus. Pastor Billy concluded the January message series, “Black & White” with a focus on what many folks believe is the greatest verse in the Bible: John 3:16. We all had a lot of fun taking trips down Memory Lane guessing the greatest movie, greatest album, greatest athlete, greatest dancer, etc. We appreciate Phil Grifford (no-good, dirty rotten sinner), his son, Jake (Jesus) and Phil Graniczny (angry, baseball bat swinging God) for participating in a skit that demonstrated Christ taking our punishments upon Himself which was the greatest gift of love to all of us.
In response to an email from an out of state viewer, Pastor also addressed some race-related issues concerning interracial marriage, and Christ’s gift of salvation for ALL people regardless of their nationality or color. Bunches of you regularly tune in to sermons on our “WATCH” page, and often Pastor receives feedback or questions from you. We are so happy you are watching! We thank you for your interest, and welcome your comments. There is no such thing as a stupid question. We are different ages and have lived in states all across America. We are on hugely varying spiritual paths on this journey Home, so it is foolish to assume we all think and reason alike. All of us are learning and growing together, and while it is unfortunate that closed minds often do not come with closed mouths, let’s pray to be kinder than necessary when we rub shoulders with those who are still rough around the edges.
Wow, the Manhattan Food Pantry will be smiling big when they see how many bags of groceries we donated this morning! THANK YOU for sharing! After all the reminders on slides, bulletins, Face Book, and even in this column, several of us (myself included!) had brain freezes and STILL forgot our food at home. Hold on to it, because we will be collecting the last Sunday of each month. We appreciate Michelle and Phil Grifford for transporting all this food to the pantry.
Tuesday at 7 pm our ladies and their female guests are invited to gather at Panera in Mokena (Rt 30 and Wolf - the Kohl's parking lot) for a time of fellowship. There’s no pressure to join anything, or bring anything or study anything. There are no duties, responsibilities or agendas. If you need a respite from your crazy life, plan to join us.
Remember that Friday night is Pizza and Game Night for 4th-8th graders and their guests. Call 830-200-5827 and ask for Nicki or Doug for RSVP or directions. $2.00 per child, please!
There are THREE birthdays at one house this week! Cynthia Petersen, our creative drama team leader and U-Haul driver celebrated on the 21st. She was out of state last week, so we are sending her belated wishes. Her daughter Justice Petersen turns TEN Tuesday. Every Sunday Justice can be found hauling boxes to and from the U-Haul, beaming ear to ear. What a trooper! Justice’s brother, Christian Hively, has a birthday TODAY! Since launch Sunday last March, this guy has shown up like clockwork to help unpack the trailer. He is a gentle soul, and it is common to hear people remark about his sweet nature. I’d be pleased to add you to this list if you print your name and birthdate/ anniversary on a connection card.
We are seeking a few good people who will help with children’s ministry. Our littlest members are in need of some people to help check them in at the door, rock them in the nursery, and assist with their crafts and lessons. We will train you well so your experience will be pleasant. If you are looking for a way to bless this church, this area might be perfect for you a time or two a month.
We received a middle of the night urgent prayer request for a 17 year old boy named Shane and his worried mama, Tara. Shane is on dialysis and has been having seizures non-stop. He is now in a medically induced coma. We have many other needs in this congregation including people with financial frustrations and overwhelming debt, adults struggling to care for elderly parents, stressful jobs that make peoples tummies hurt, men who are banished to the doghouse, unemployment, single folks who haven’t yet made a love connection, people who cannot get their weight under control, and some who can’t put down the bottle. Pray for each other! It is unbelievable how much pain a smile can hide. Life is tough at times but it is easier when friends come alongside and help keep our faith strong. As always, come to the front immediately after each service if you’d like special prayer. Life can get messy, and there is no shame in asking for help. Don’t ever walk out the door feeling uncared for at Revolution.
See you next Sunday to kick off Pastor Billy’s February series, “I LOVE THE 80s!” You can even dig out your vintage leg warmers and tease your bangs high if you wish. Just come and bring some friends with you, and feed your soul.
Tammy
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January 19, 2015:
Well, hello!
Pastor Billy promised us that Sunday’s service would be unlike any other most of us ever witnessed, and the man didn’t disappoint! The push this week was to bring in people who believe “Church Sucks”, so along with bulletins, our greeters handed out lollipops at the front door. The message was titled, “Hell is Hot”, and was prefaced with video of man-on-the-street interviews asking people what they believed about Hell. Between interviews the worship team played AC/DC’s “Hell’s Bells”. The lights dimmed, and from the darkness came pallbearers carrying a casket which was laid at the front of the stage. We could hear Pastor being preaching, but it was a couple minutes later that the lid creaked open, and we could see that he was INSIDE the box! It is NOT a typical Sunday service when your preacher crawls out of a coffin to tell you about Jesus.
We are DEAD serious when we tell you we are just DYING to thank Minor-Morris Funeral Home in Joliet for so graciously loaning us the casket used in today’s service. Ms. Deidre was a honey to us there, and she also sent some complimentary calendars for whoever wants one from the welcome center next week. It would also be a GRAVE omission if we didn’t thank Bruce Smit for BURYING his pride and hauling that coffin to and from Joliet in the back of his pick-up and giving it a home in his garage over the weekend. This nearly crossed the line over to the macabre side, but somebody had to do it, so he did.
We had several first time visitors, and got positive feedback that many of you went out of your way to help them feel welcome and comfortable. The father of the teenager with the wheelchair and the vent especially thanked everybody for making space for them and not blowing a gasket when she needed to briefly turn on her suction machine. Thank you for helping make it a pleasant experience for them. It was amusing to see some of you do a triple-take when you realized one of our “visitors” was no other than our Diana Lopez! Her jaws are wired closed after some facial realignment surgery, and she still has some puffiness, but she is making excellent progress with her healing. She has a beautiful face to match her beautiful heart, and we couldn’t love her more! <3
Appreciation again to Kevin Spell for drumming. Warm welcomes to his wife, Laura, as it was her first time joining us. These are truly good people.
Congratulations to Tyler Yost, club coach at I&M Gymnastics. His boys’ team did extremely well at the Viking Meet in Niles Sunday! Good job!
Mildred Ferguson and Pat Sennett down in Memphis are both feeling better after a rough few days. Floyd Monday, Laurie Palacios’s dad, continues to improve after his bout with pneumonia. Tammy Smit’s dad who has bone cancer has dramatically improved over the last couple weeks! Our sweet Judy Christiansen is still feeling rough. Kevin Ward’s brother, Chris, needs prayers for upcoming surgery in his throat. He is young and is hoping he doesn’t have cancer. Lisa Rizzo’s horse, Bubba, died this week. She has loved him for 18 years, so she is going through a world of heartache right now. Continue to pray for each other as several of our families are struggling with health, financial, and relationship issues.
Listen up, 4th-8th graders! You are invited to another Pizza & Game Night in Homer Glen on January 30th. $2 covers the cost of your food, so invite your friends, and bring them with you. Nicki Arnott is the nice lady to call for directions, questions, or to RSVP. 830-200-5827.
NEXT Sunday we collect your nonperishables to help restock the Manhattan Food Pantry. With so many seasonal Christmas food items being sold now for huge discounts, contributing something should not be a tremendous hardship for most of us. Please participate as we do this to serve the LAST, the LOST, and the LEAST. Life can sneak up and sucker punch any of us at any time, so you never know when you will need to use the pantry to feed your own family. Pay it forward if you can.
The last Tues of January all ladies are encouraged to invite a friend and gather at Panera in Mokena at 7 p.m. for a “Time Out” simply to socialize. There is no agenda, no Bible study, only fellowship. Contact penny@therevolutionchurch.org for more info.
Lots of birthdays this week: Jennifer Rhoades celebrates on the 20th. Madilyn Leatherwood turns 12 on the 21st! The Vander Veen twins, Nicholas and Patricia, turn 16 on the 24th! (And, NO, they are NOT identical!) Kim Schuldt, one of our faithful children’s ministry workers also celebrates on the 24th. Apologies if your birthday or anniversary didn’t appear on this page. All you need to do is print your name and dates and mark ATTENTION: TAMMY on your connection card, and it’s as easy as that!
We had good attendance this weekend, so the friends you brought with you this week, bring them again next Sunday. Thank you for your offerings, your efforts, your support to nurture this church plant. We love you and are here 24/7 if you need us.
Tammy
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January 12, 2015:
Hello again!
Welcome back, friends! It was good to see all of you again on this gray, slushy day. Very special appreciation to our Dean Schuldt for stepping up to lead the worship service this morning even though he was in a world of pain. He has decades of stage experience standing behind mics and guitars, and we appreciate all he and his family do for this church. For those of you who don’t know it, Corey, today’s drummer, is Dean’s son, and we appreciate all the weeks he wakes up early to come and help us stay in time.
Pastor Billy got a lot of positive feedback on his message this morning. He had a different sermon all ready to go, but last night near bedtime, he felt led to take off in a totally new direction, and started over from scratch. It was excellent, and there was a lot of laughter when he recounted memories of a hilarious childhood Super Man/BB gun fiasco.
You will want to be here next Sunday for a special service geared to those who believe “Church Sucks”. The message is called, “Hell Is Hot”, and we believe God will move in this place. Invite people who don’t usually go to church. Invite the bitter, sour people who have been turned off to God and churches in the past. Invite the rowdy, the rough, the “slightly irregulars”. No judging allowed. We all know relatives, neighbors, and co-workers who fall into some of these categories. Take some initiative and give them a ride. We will make them welcome, and if they hate it, then we will never pressure them to come back. We will be doing baptizings after church, so if you have questions or would like to participate or watch the immersions, plan to stick around.
Remember we now have PayPal set up for your convenience. Go to our Home Page and click to see how easy it is to give your tithes and offerings online. This is especially beneficial for those members who are traveling or working on Sundays. We have friends in many states who watch Pastor Billy’s messages each week. This is a great way for those folks to sow into this church plant, also. We thank you for every dollar given to this ministry!
Remember to pick up some extra non-perishables for our food pantry collection in two weeks. We will be supporting the one in Manhattan since the other local pantries have church support whereas this particular community does not.
We learned this afternoon that one of our single ladies missed church today because of a flat tire and other car issues. Please, please, if you call this your church home and you get stranded, let somebody from Revolution know, and we will help you! We understand that times can be tough, so it is good for all of us to look after each other every opportunity we can. Bloom where you are planted, and look for ways to be a blessing, then when you are the one in need, people will be right there to help you up, too.
Special get well wishes are going out to our “Grandma Mildred” Ferguson down in Memphis, TN. She was admitted to the hospital today with pneumonia and congestive heart failure, and her daughter, Brenda Hajek, has flown south to be with her. We know you will read this from your bed, Mildred, so let us tell you how much we love you from across the miles.
Laurie Palacios asks prayers for her elderly father who has been terribly ill in ICU with pneumonia. He has been discharged and is showing signs of improvement, so please continue to pray for Mr. Floyd Monday.
In order to correct an underbite, a doctor broke and reset our tiny Diana Lopez’s jaw this week. She is at home now, jaws wired shut, beginning the healing process. She is absolutely the very sweetest girl and a faithful worker in this church, so calls or well-wishes would be very thoughtful. Complimentary milkshakes would be awesome! Que te mejores, Diana! Los queremos mucho!
We’ve been asked to pass along a special prayer request for Christopher Ward, Kevin Ward’s brother. Christopher will soon be having a biopsy on a tumor growing on his uvula. (For those who don’t have a clue what that is, it is that jiggly thing that hangs in the back of his throat.) He and his family are a bit nervous over this, so pray all will go well for the procedure.
Man, oh man, do we ever miss the Sharpe family! Becky celebrated her birthday up in Michigan today, and we hope her new church family was good to her. If you would like to stay in touch with these folks, you can follow their church progress on Face Book by searching for Evanston Avenue Baptist Church, or you can write to them at 2440 Huron Trail, Muskegon, MI 49445.
You are appreciated. You are important. You are loved.
See you (and your skeptical friends) next Sunday!
Tammy
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January 5, 2015:
Hi!
It’s good to see you here at our webpage. Welcome back, friends! Does anybody remember the vintage TV classic, “Romper Room”, with Miss Nancy who saw her pre-school fans in “televisionland” through her “magic mirror”? Thanks to some pretty cool technology, we, too, can see our visitors to this website, and do you know many weeks we have hundreds of readers to this very column? Yep. 600 +. Hand to God that is the truth. We do not call you by name like Miss Nancy did, but we see you peeking week after week, month after month, and it tickles us that your interest in this church plant has not waned.
Today kicked off the first official snow of 2015, and we held our breath wondering how it would affect our attendance, but you guys rolled out of bed, bundled up the little ones, and came on to church anyway, so we had another good crowd. Thank you for not being lazy on such a blustery morning when it would’ve been easier to have smacked that snooze button and stayed in your new Christmas jammies all day.
Thank you to Bob Smith for being our guest speaker. What a nice guy! This is his second time preaching since Revolution launched, and each time he has delivered an excellent message. Today’s sermon focused on love and kindness. Next week Pastor Billy will resume the “Black or White” January sermon series.
It was good to have Tyler Yost back on the worship team with us this morning. He is such a talented musician, and we do love him lots. Most all of those folks you see on stage and at the tech table put in 5-7 hours on Sundays unloading the U-Haul, setting up equipment, rehearsing, pulling together audio/visuals so you can have a pleasant worship experience, and THEN they tear it down and pack it up just to do it all again seven days later. They give about HALF of their waking hours on their Sabbath to Revolution Church. That is a LOT.
Some of these volunteers have small children, some work crazy overtime hours, and others work second jobs. Some show up after working the graveyard shift, and others rush off stage to change clothes to leave for their paying jobs. This crew has been busting their behinds nearly 10 months, so if you appreciate them, speak up and let them know! They can always use help hauling equipment to the front door after service, so if we have thumb-twiddlers reading this, please cease and desist from twiddling, and come be useful. If you like to show off by lifting heavy things or if you just wanna burn off some Christmas blubber, you are the people we seek!
When you enter our church you are given a bulletin, and inside you will find each month’s message card that lets you know the sermon topics for each week. We ordered a LOT of these cards, so take several and leave them on bulletin boards, co-workers’ desks, on your restaurant table, inside your library book….. anywhere that will not get you in trouble. Let’s all advertise our church and show this community what we have to offer. Don’t let a single card remain unshared this month.
We will be having our first baptizing service on January 18th after church, so if you would like to be baptized, contact Pastor Billy now to be included in this very special day. Go to our Home Page and click on the box that says “What is Baptism?” to see what we believe about this Biblical act of obedience.
New Transforming Life Groups plus a Women’s Bible group studying Philippians are forming NOW, so if you want to participate, hurry over to our Home Page and click on the appropriate boxes to learn who to contact for info and directions.
When you go grocery shopping, toss a few extra sale items into your cart, because at the end of the month we will be collecting your food gifts to help support a local food pantry. Our mission is to serve the Last, the Lost, and the Least, and this is a simple way to help some good folks who are temporarily scraping bottom. Sooner or later every family goes through financial rough patches when they don’t need a “Handout”, but rather a “Hand-Up”. Let’s be that hand extended.
Rachel DiVittorio got engaged to Joshua Parish this week, and her family is so excited for them. Congratulations to these sweethearts!
Our precious Susan Mulder celebrates her 60th birthday TODAY! We are so happy you joined this church, Susan. Thank you for all your notes of support and encouragement that buoy us and make us want to write better, play better and sing better.
Thanks for your continued financial gifts that keep up afloat. Remember you can now contribute via PayPal if you must miss church. Thank you teachers, hostesses, greeters, ushers, baby rockers, trailer drivers, security members, bulletin folders and gophers and grunts with sweet spirits. We love you. We appreciate you. Bless your hearts!
Call us if you need us before next Sunday. Have a beautiful week, and try to stay warm!
Tammy
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December 29, 2014:
Hi, Friends!
Christmas 2014 is officially over, and somehow….some way….. we all managed to survive the chaos and the noise of the season. Hopefully, you are now enjoying a bit of peaceful down time between now and New Year’s Day. It was good to see all of you in church yesterday morning as we wrapped up our December message series. Since that was the final Sunday of the month, we celebrated Communion together.
Several of our regular attenders are still visiting family out of town, and we expect to see them back with us next Sunday as Pastor Billy kicks off his January series titled “Black Or White”. Remember, we now accept PayPal contributions, so if you are away from church, you can make sure your offerings and tithes still arrive.
Special thanks going out to Christian Hively and girlfriend, Diana Lopez, for getting up early and assuming responsibility for driving the U-Haul trailer to church since the Petersens took off to visit relatives for the holidays. It’s nice when people step up so the operations of the church continue to run smoothly when ministry leaders need to take a little break.
If you have enjoyed seeing the characters incorporated into the sermons the last few months, then thank Cynthia Petersen. With a background in theater, she seems to be the best candidate to lead Revolution’s Drama Team. We look forward to seeing what costumes and props she will pull together for our enjoyment in this upcoming year. Congratulations on your new position, Cynthia!
Happy 14th birthday to Nick Siegers today! To sweet Patti Norman who is reading this from NC, happy birthday to you today, also. That sweetheart, Mishel Rych, celebrates on the 30th, and we just love her to pieces. Mark Fisher who has served as leader of Revolution’s Men’s Ministry and Missions Depts. has a birthday coming up on Wednesday. Show these people some extra loving this week.
Speaking of giving extra love, a little birdie told us that Tyler Yost surprised Noel Knott with a diamond engagement ring for Christmas, and she said, “YesYesYesYESSSSS”! The couple is hoping to marry in May 2016.
We hope to have a church full next Sunday, so make plans to join us at 10 a.m. here at Hickory Creek Middle School. Have a safe and fun New Year’s Day. See you again in 2015!
Tammy
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December 22, 2014:
Good morning, Folks!
You know you are in trouble when even your “fat pants” get too tight. Wasn’t it wonderful fun to relax and enjoy Christmas Potluck together after service? SO. MUCH. FOOD. If you liked the chicken, tossed salad and mostaccioli, you can patronize Little Joe’s Restaurant in Frankfort that catered those items. Thank you to each person who brought additional dishes to pass. Thanks to the ones who helped set up and those who helped clean up the mess at the end of the day. There were some among us who went far beyond minimal cost and effort to give the rest of us that holiday fellowship, and while they would never brag publicly, the good Lord saw what they did and will repay that generosity.
We began the morning with the worship team leading us in holiday carols. “Oh, Holy Night” sure had a lot of us reaching for the hankie from the back pocket. BEAUTIFUL! Revolution Kids took the stage all excited and looking spiffy to sing to us a modern version of “Joy To The World” while proud families snapped pictures. The younger children went to their class and enjoyed a birthday party for Jesus. (If you saw kids parading around in bright yellow crowns, this is where they had been.)
Dominick and Julie Anco then brought little Alex Joshua to the stage for his baby dedication. Many of their family members showed up to witness this blessing, and we were proud to welcome them.
Pastor Billy presented the Christmas story with a little help from Linus and his blanket, and then the lights were dimmed for Silent Night and a candlelight service. After all the festivities and laughter, the final portion was quiet, reverent, and holy, and THAT is how Revolution Church celebrated its FIRST Christmas.
Some of you who rushed out before lunch to watch the football game on TV missed out on some really cool raffle prizes. You had to be present to win, so several winning tickets went unclaimed, but that just meant other good folks left the building toting your surprises under their arms. We are still scratching our heads wondering how the Arnott family had three winners from their table. THREE? Seriously??
We had two "Birthday Boys" sharing the day with us yesterday….. Ken Poort and Phil Graniczny! Bruce Smit has a birthday Tuesday, and Brenda Hajek has the most special birthdate of the whole year – Christmas Day! Let’s not allow these December babies to get overshadowed by the holiday chaos, so if you see them, give them some extra T.L.C.
Special acknowledgment to our building manager, Jerry Hall, who has been absolutely FANTASTIC to assist us since we moved to Hickory Creek School. He has the sweetest attitude, and always comes early with a smile, so the church blessed him with a gift certificate to Buffalo Wild Wings. We love that guy!
Matt and Becky Sharpe and their family moved to Michigan Saturday and held their first service as a family at their new church in Muskegon! Thanks to the folks who helped them pack and load the U-Haul Friday. They ran out of time and space, so Matt and John will be back in town today and Tuesday to get the rest of their items. If you can help them with some boxes or muscles, it would be much appreciated.
People are under the stress of the season, so be kinder than necessary to everyone you meet. Check out the prayer page. We have several among us who can use some serious support in that area. Have a beautiful week!
Blessings,
Tammy
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December 14, 2014:
Pull up a chair, friends! There’s news to share, so scoot in close.
Today was one of those bittersweet services where we were not exactly sure if we were crying because we were so proud, or because our hearts were broken…..or maybe a little of both. For whatever the reason, we sure used up a lot of Kleenex saying goodbye to Matt and Becky Sharpe and their four children. They have been with us since launch Sunday of this church plant, and whatever would we have done without them volunteering faithfully with never a murmur or grumble? Becky has volunteered in children’s ministry, and Matt has kept us laughing as our hands-down all-time favorite “Announcement Guy”. He has filled in playing bass guitar, and most memorably, he saved the day when Pastor Billy got dreadfully sick, and at the last minute Matt filled the pulpit so we could still have church.
The leadership of the church laid hands on this family and blessed them for their journey to Michigan where Matt will serve as a senior pastor. Thank you to all who contributed cards, money, and treats to honor them with their goodbye basket. Brenda Hajek did a superb job wrapping and presenting this gift to them. After service, the family stood on the stage while a line … a LONG line… of friends inched forward to give hugs and final words of appreciation. Thank you, God, that the Sharpes believed in our mission and helped build Revolution Church from nothing. These people are diamonds! While we sniffle and say, “There they go…” in Michigan a church is cheering, “Here they come!”
We hope you enjoyed our Christmas medley with the worship team. Diana Lopez, one of our precious volunteers is Mexican, so we were excited to throw “Feliz Navidad” in the mix complete with a giant sequin sombrero just to make her little heart glad. After sweating and practicing so as not to totally butcher the Spanish, guess who didn’t come to church? Yep. Diana. She has an excused absence though. Her mama just delivered a baby sister, so she stuck around close to home today. Congratulations, Lopez family!
Nineteen ladies filled Allison Merkel’s gorgeous home Saturday to celebrate Revolution’s first women’s Christmas party. Homemade gumbo, oyster stew, salads, quiche, scones, dips, cookies, fudge, ice cream and eggnog were some of the many treats at this potluck. Special shout out to Mr. Blaine Petersen who baked and sent some awesomely delicious creampuffs! Who knew he could bake? Penny Knott read a devotional, Brenda Hajek gave every guest a hot chocolate/biscotti/ornament packet, and Su Parker gave us all hand sanitizers since at this time of year Jesus and germs are everywhere. Su also led us in a silly back and forth gift pass that let us all go home with a fun Christmas present at the end of the day. We were so pleased to see new smiling faces at this party, plus we got to meet Allison’s sweet mama, Cindy, who was visiting from Louisiana. Thank you for coming!
We have several people celebrating special days this week. Lisa Vanderveen turns 38 tomorrow! Lisa Rizzo, our cowgirl who divides her time between here and AZ has a birthday on the 18th. Pat Sennett down in Memphis, TN (Brenda’s sister and Grandma Mildred’s daughter) turns 67 Wednesday. Jo’lissa Williams celebrates her FIRST birthday today! We love all you girls!
Today was one of our biggest attendances in months. The guys had to set out extra chairs not once, but TWICE, and that made us very happy! Welcome to all of our visitors! Thanks to Brad Merkel and Darren Rych who portrayed Joseph and the angel during the sermon today! We hope to see everybody back next Sunday for our Christmas potluck lunch immediately following the service. The church is providing salad, mastachiolli, chicken and drinks, so bring enough food to feed your family plus a visitor, and we will have plenty! Next Sunday is also our crazy bass player’s birthday, so if you wanna show some love to Phil Graniczny, bring a dish with BACON in it, and he will be a happy camper!
When you finish reading this page, please explore the rest of our website. Visit our Wish List to see how you can bless this church by going shopping. PayPal lets you contribute your tithes and offerings online now. Check out our Bible Study sign ups, and watch past sermons online. Our prayer list has several pressing needs. Particularly pray for Ed & Brittany Kirsch, children’s ministry volunteers. Brittany’s teen brother in MN was missing for two weeks, and Saturday his body was found. The family is grieving hard and asks for our prayers during this most difficult time. Several folks have serious needs, so read and pray.
Dearest friends, thank you for all you do to nourish this church plant. We always want contributors and volunteers to feel appreciated. THANK YOU to those who got us started and then moved on. We pray you have found what you sought. We know you read this page, so understand that we love you still. THANK YOU to those currently carrying the responsibilities who show up no matter what, and THANK YOU in advance to those of you who will step up and begin serving alongside us in January. If you claim this as your church, you need to be doing SOMETHING. Children’s ministry, welcome center, and our camera/sound/slide team have openings, and we will train you.
Have a blessed week!
Tammy
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