July 13, 2015:
Hello, friends!
In the middle of this nasty Monday morning monsoon, we can all use a little good news: We are tickled PINK to announce our church has just expanded by TWO FEET! Welcome to the world, Avery Nicole Hippenhammer! She made her grand arrival July 8 weighing 10 lbs. 6 oz, and is 21 ½ inches! Wow, now THAT is a big girl! Proud parents are Jason and Kristen. We can’t wait to meet her. Maybe next Sunday?
Your recipes have begun rolling in for Revolution’s cookbook! How fun! Michelle Grifford is in charge of this project, so direct submissions and questions to her at michelle@therevolutionchurch.org. Sometimes our mail hiccups, so it might be wise to request a reply back when she receives your recipes just to be certain they are not lost in cyberspace.
Nick and Lisa Vander Veen are excited to be heading up a new support/fellowship group for BLENDED FAMILIES. With so many divorces, re-marriages, and re-couplings in today’s society, family life can get a bit wonky for even the best of parents. There are many of us who could use a place to vent and share our “adventures” as we live our “Plan B”…. or for some of us “Plan C”. You will find no judging at this group. Just open arms and some good food with some awesome folks who are striving to get it right. Contact Pastor Billy or the Vander Veens to let them know which nights work best for you. This is in the organizational kick-off phase, so it’s important to speak now.
Men’s Ministry took a small break, but resumes Tuesday at 7 pm for snacks, fellowship, and another study of “Act Like Men”. This group gathers near the Frankfort Post Office, and is open to all guys. Call Bruce if you need directions: 815-474-7787. They will tell you more about their upcoming “Meat & Skeet” event, too!
Leslie Graniczny celebrates her birthday on the 19th. It wasn’t long ago she was critically ill, but God was gracious and raised her up, so it is answered prayers to know she will be blowing out candles this weekend! Happy Anniversary to the Rychs! Whatever would this church have done without the faithful service of this couple with our children and tech team? Thank you, Darren and Mishel! We love you guys!
Thanks so much to Dawn Gonda for her willingness to volunteer here at Revolution. We are always looking for good folks like her to step forward and say, “I’ll help!” We can always use extra hands during summer months when many of us are trying to take little trips here and there to enjoy our kids and grandkids while they don’t have to schedule around school. We have slots available now for children’s ministry, set up/tear down, and tech team. We will train you so you can do a good job, so don’t be timid to try it a time or two. Sign up on the connection card in your bulletin, or just contact Pastor Billy.
“Warning! It’s Too Good To Be True” is our July sermon series, so come join us Sunday at 10 am as Pastor continues with that. “Chuck E. Cheese” tickets to Heaven, vintage rotary phones with curly cords, “gay Christians”…..these are some of the topics that have made appearances in the messages. If you missed, go to “WATCH” on our home page to catch up. Thanks to those of you who are inviting your friends. We appreciate our visitors and hope you felt loved. Come see us again!
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July 6, 2015:
Nationally the 4th of July Sunday is typically the lowest attended service of the year for most churches, but even with many of our members away on vacation we were pleased with the strong attendance today. Thank you for being faithful and supporting Revolution! We appreciate those families who loaned us all the American flags for stage décor. We hope you enjoyed the “America the Beautiful/Battle Hymn” medley. It has been a wonderful holiday weekend.
You saw a couple of new faces in the band today. Bruce Smit is usually behind the camera, but today he stepped up to play bass, while Phil scooted over and played acoustic guitar. A warm welcome to Kerry Gremp who served as our drummer. Back in the 60’s Kerry and Bruce were bandmates in a rock group, and hadn’t made music together for 49 years, so they shared a lot of laughs and reminiscing after church. Kerry drove in all the way from St. John, Indiana just to be blessing, and we sure appreciated his willing attitude.
Did you notice how fast the chairs were stacked after church? THAT is what happens when everybody jumps in and does a little bit. THANKS! Josh Corbin is the newest member of the tear down/set up stage crew, and we are loving that he has muscles as big as his heart! We can always use more volunteers in this area especially carrying items to the trailer after service.
Calling all Paula Deens, Emerils, and Rachel Rays out there! Our church is compiling a COOKBOOK, and we want YOUR recipes! Do you have family favorites that always bring you compliments? From deep-fried comfort foods to low-cal healthy dishes, we want them all! How about writing down your best ones and sending them to Women’s Ministry leader, Michelle Grifford, so she can get busy with the compilation. We hope to have this finished in time for Christmas. It’s never too early to be planning your gift giving, so let’s get busy and get this ball rolling.
Happy Anniversary to Dean & Kim Schuldt on the 10th! Beautiful Lainey Leatherman celebrates her birthday on the 7th!
Invite some friends, and let’s fill up this place next week! With as many unchurched families as there are in this county, there should not be even ONE empty seat. Have a blessed week, and we will see you soon!
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June 29, 2015:
Here we are on Monday morning, and it is pouring rain AGAIN. The weather man says this has been the rainiest June on record for us, so we were thrilled when the skies cleared for outside children’s church and our summer picnic at Commissioners Park yesterday. Pulled pork, hot dogs, and some good old greasy fried chicken with all the fixins was spread out for all to share. The church provided free splash park tickets for the first twenty kids in attendance, and the young ones also ran off energy racing through Fort Frankfort playground. Several of our men enjoyed games of tossing bags while other families relaxed on blankets in the sun or conversed under the shelter.
Thank you for the visitors who mustered the courage to join our fun. Thank you for each person who contributed to the meal, and a standing ovation to Michelle Grifford and her family for shouldering the responsibilities of planning, coordinating, and executing the whole event so that the rest of us could enjoy a relaxing picnic in the park. Appreciation also going out to those who stayed after church and hustled to help us stack chairs, and pack our equipment and supplies into the trailer so we could all get to the picnic by 12:30. Josh Corbin and his muscles were a humongous help carrying out the heavy stuff.
Besides our outing, Sunday was also made extra special because Heather and Bob Smith included us in their 40th anniversary celebration during the church service. It was NOT “REMOVAL of the BOWELS” as one confused child said, but a “RENEWAL of the VOWS”, and Bob even surprised his wife by crooning an impromptu version of their wedding song, “Color My World”. They also brought a decorated anniversary cake to share in the park. What good people they are! Thank you, Lord, for sending them to Revolution!
The Arnott Family hosted Movie & Pizza Night at their home Friday, and were so pleased at the big turnout! Parents, aren’t you glad you went? How about that gooey Smores Dip people were digging into? Good, huh? Thanks for hosting. Thanks for going. Thanks for just being awesome! Remember this family still has PILES of wood and chips for sale from many downed trees, so think ahead and consider purchasing now if you burn wood for winter heat or summer bonfires.
Several volunteers will be hither and yon visiting far away relatives and squeezing in some vacations days over the next few weeks, so we are asking everybody remaining to be good humans and step up and help fill their flip-flops while they are gone. Loading/unloading our trailer, chair set up/tear down, videoing the sermon, videoing the singing, putting the song lyrics on the screen, and assisting in nursery and checking in our children would certainly be a big help. We have lots of opportunities available if you will simply say, “I’ll try it.” ThankYouThankYouThankYou to the faithful members who help with good attitudes and never have to be begged to pitch in!
See you next Sunday at 10 a.m. Some of us are wearing our red, white, and blues to honor the holiday, and it will be a memorable service with some patriotic music, too. Don’t wear yourself out so much partying on Saturday the 4th that you are too wrung out to come to God’s house on the 5th. We need you, and we appreciate you lots! Okay, this column is done. Pulling on my goggles and flippers and swimming out to check the tomato plants now. Ya’ll stay dry. God Bless!
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June 22, 2015:
Welcome back to our website!
Happy Father’s Day to dads, stepdads, foster dads, granddads, “like a dads”, and our sweet daddies already in Heaven! We thank you for joining us on this holiday, and hope you were blessed by our service. Pastor Billy planned far in advance to make the day memorable and particularly welcoming for men.
Thank you, Bruce Smit for exhibiting your 1930 Tudor and your 1930 Model A truck with the hay bales and “hypnotized roosters” in the back. Special thanks and welcome to Rich Benco, AKA “R.B.” for helping transport these vintage vehicles. Several of our attendees had photos taken in them before service. Did you enjoy Steppenwolf? How about the complimentary bacon cooked on site? I can still smell it in my hair as I type! Thank you, Ken Poort and Mike Rowley for your “skills on the grills”. Special thanks to Brenda Hajek for making the chocolate caramel bacon bites. Even some folks who scrunched up their noses and said chocolate bacon sounded nasty tried these and said, “Hey! These are pretty good!” Thanks to the unknown “pastry fairies” who left us donuts and mini-muffins. Next week, I cast a vote for biscuits and gravy. Can I get an AMEN?
Thanks to all who contributed photos of the special men in your lives so we could honor and remember them in our “Precious Memories” video. We heard giggles, gasps of surprise, and even saw some sweet memories trickling down cheeks as the Father’s Day photos rolled. It was a GOOD DAY!
Fantastic news! The do-bees who pack and unpack the U-Haul each week are grinning big now that Revolution Church owns a brand spankin’ new trailer for transporting all our stuff! YAY! A family in our congregation opened their hearts and wallet to us and donated the funds to make this possible. They insisted on remaining anonymous, but the Lord saw who wrote the check, and we pray humongous blessings upon them for their generosity. This will save the trailer crew the laborious tasks of packing/unpacking at Pastor’s home each weekend, plus save the church the weekly rental fee. How wonderful!
Pizza & Movie Night for the youth is hosted by Doug and Nicki Arnott this Friday night. $5 per child is the price for a night of fun, and your kids can bring visitors with them. Be nice, and message Nicki for RSVP.
Church Picnic 2015 will be 12:30 pm at Commissioners Park in Frankfort after church June 28. Please help us stack chairs, pack up, clean up, and carry items to the back doors for trailering so we ALL can get out at a decent hour and enjoy hot dogs, pulled pork and fried chicken together. It’s your job to show up with desserts and side dishes, so bring enough to feed your family and a visitor, and we will have plenty. It might be smart to bring towels and a change of clothes for the kids in case they get wet in the water there. Lawn chairs or a blanket would be a good idea, too.
Lots of birthdays to mention this week! Owen Arnott, “one of our future sound guys” celebrates today. Tomorrow two of our special women who faithfully shoulder a lot of responsibility between the children’s department and women’s ministries share a June 23rd birthdate: Happy Birthday to Penny Knott and Nicki Arnott! Our sweet Autumn Senecal, who is so good to volunteer with our little ones has a June 25th birthday. Also celebrating on the 25th is our perpetually smiling friend and substitute drummer, Kevin Spell. I hope nobody was missed. Be sure and let me know when special days are approaching, and I will be sure and include you, too!
Good news for the Williamson family as Tom’s mother-in-law was transferred from the hospice facility back home after showing improvement! Another bit of happy news is that our oldest member, Mildred Ferguson, is back in town from Tennessee through July, so love on her while you have the opportunity.
See you all next Sunday at 10 a.m. for Communion and the finale of “On The Farm” sermon series. Until then, look after each other, and never miss an opportunity to be a blessing when you can fill a need.
Tammy
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June 15, 2015:
Happy rainy Monday! Welcome!
We sure had a fun service at the Lincolnway Special Recreation Center yesterday, didn’t we? Are you enjoying Pastor Billy’s “On The Farm” June message series? Since the title has a country flair, we thought it would be fun to throw in some old-timey “twang” with some bluegrassy banjo sounds and some “Oom–papa-Oom-papa-Oom-papa-Maww-Mawws”. No matter if we ARE north of the Mason-Dixon, “Elvira” was some fun stuff! Special appreciation going out to Kevin Spell for sharing his talent on the drums again. Every time the man is walking to his car, we will look at each other and say, “WHAT a super NICE guy!”
We appreciated seeing some fresh faces in our volunteer pool this weekend. Thanks for stepping up and branching out into different areas of helping! Blaine Petersen and Jackie Hernandez helped at the tech table, and did great. Antigone Moore, thank you for managing the hospitality table duties. Glad to have you folks aboard!
Father’s Day is NEXT SUNDAY, and we will have BACON for you to sample! Come early….. or should we say at least come earlier than PHIL if you want a slice. If we all loved Jesus as much as Phil loves bacon, this world would be set on fire for the Lord! We will have a couple of vintage automobiles on site, too, if you’d like some family photos made beside them. Tuesday is the final day we can accept your photos for the Father’s Day video. Many of you surely have sweet spots for your dads, because we have received a lot of pictures, but more are still floating around somewhere out there. Piddler Alert: Cut off is TUESDAY. Don’t let that special guy at your house be omitted on the screen because you forgot! Send to tammy@therevolutionchurch.org today.
Church picnic is 12:30 pm, June 28th, following service at Commissioners Park in Frankfort. Revolution is providing fried chicken, pulled pork, hotdogs, and beverages. We need you to bring sides and desserts. If you will bring enough to feed your family plus a visitor, we will have plenty. Michelle Grifford is the go-to person if you have questions. Please check out the online invitation to RSVP and to see what others are bringing to eat. Remember to pack a blanket or lawn chairs so you can sit and relax after lunch.
Doug and Nicki Arnott cut a large number of trees on their property and are now offering wood chips and fire wood for sale. If you need mulch or wood, get in touch with them quickly so they can get their yard cleared and back to normal again. Speaking of the Arnotts, they are hosting “Pizza &Movie Night” for the youth on June 26, and $5 covers the cost of the movie, food and drinks. Payment is due June 21, so 4th graders and older, come join us!
Judy Christensen and Joyce Seets share June 18th birthdays, and sweet little Madison Vander Veen celebrates her birthday on Wednesday! We love you girls!
Prayers for Tom Williamson’s mother-in –law, Virginia, as she was admitted to Vitas Hospice in Chicago Heights last week. This is a rugged time for Tom’s family, so be neighborly, and perhaps ask him what you can do to help ease the pressure and sorrow. We must never miss an opportunity to look after one another. It’s just easier that way.
See you next Sunday! Bring your dad or your "like a dad" with you if that is possible. If it is not, be sure and do something sweet to honor or remember him this week. As James Taylor used to sing, "Shower the people you love with love.. Show them the way you feel..." Amen.
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June 7, 2015:
Good Morning Friends!
I’m wearing a yellow rain slicker and galoshes typing this column from an ARK, at a desk illuminated by FLOOD LIGHTS. Amidst TV storm warnings and torrential downpours it feels like we are caught in monsoon season! We had barely begun service when the skies opened and dumped buckets of rain upon us, and we had no choice but to keep calm and carry on. It was our first Sunday in our new church home at the Lincolnway Special Recreation Center, and in spite of the duck weather, we are happy so many of you pulled out umbrellas and joined us anyway. Pastor preached on Jacob and Esau and being careful to not be bamboozled. People got tickled at Nick and Hannah’s “Bean-Boozled” jellybean tasting sermon illustration. Which flavors would they bite into? Strawberry Jam or Centipede? Chocolate Pudding or Dog Food? Licorice or Skunk Spray? The kids had a whoop-ti-do time with the leftover candies after service.
Did you like the new facility? We were reluctant to say goodbye to Rodney and Jerry at the middle school, but we now have the pleasure of working with Trevor and Tom, the young building managers on the premises when we are there. They were welcoming and friendly, and we believe we will have a positive working relationship with them. Many of us strolled through the building before and after service exploring the classrooms and fantastic kitchen. What beautiful accommodations the Lord has provided for our congregation! It was great to see so many of you kicked back on the sofas and comfortable chairs in the lobby enjoying your coffee and pastries with each other. The children’s favorite, of course, is that happy turtle splashing around in the aquarium.
Thank you for your patience with our audio yesterday. We were attempting to tweak the soundboard to best suit that large new room when the heavy rains loudly pelted us making it difficult at times to hear. Sorry about that. It couldn’t be helped. Sometimes you just have to chill out and let Mother Nature do her thang.
We must extend special thank-yous to the men who rolled out extra early to make certain the new place was set up and ready for the rest of us. Tom, Calvin, Darren, Blaine, Bruce, Phil, and Pastor Billy busted their humps HOURS before church began, and we truly appreciate this sacrifice when it would’ve been much more relaxing for them to have enjoyed a lazy Sunday morning with waffles and a newspaper in bed. This crew consistently donates more Sunday labor hours to Revolution than the rest of us combined, and it does not go unnoticed. THANK YOU! Thank you to all of our faithful children’s ministry workers, too! We can always use some extra hands on deck to check in children, love the babies, and help the older kids learn more about Jesus. During this vacation season, it would be particularly helpful if fresh faces would volunteer to cover some of these areas while our regulars are out of town. Are you willing to help? Mark your connection card, and we will be in touch!
Congratulations to our graduates! Kim, Vaughn, Kayla, Darren, Robbie, Sam, Dakota, Collin, Ethan and Diana, we are very proud of your hard work and accomplishments! Good things come to those who work hard and study hard. We are proud you are affiliated with Revolution!
June 21 is Father’s Day, and it will be a special morning here. Come sample BACON, and also get your photo made with a couple of antique vintage automobiles after service. Just as we did for Mother’s Day, we are compiling a video to honor and remember fathers, and we need your participation so each family can be represented on the screen that day. We are seeking pictures of you with your dad. Dads, we also want pictures of you with your children. Some of your dads are no longer living, so it’s encouraged to send an older favorite photo in that case. Some of you never had a relationship with your father, but there WAS or IS a man who stepped up and filled those empty shoes. Submit his photo and let’s give him a place of honor on the video. Stepdad, foster dad, “like a dad”…… Whose face just came to mind? Send your pictures to tammy@therevolutionchurch.org this week. Don’t mail to other addresses, or they might be missed as unfortunately happened on Mother’s Day. Thanks to the many who have already contributed.
Mark your calendar NOW for the church picnic June 28 at Commissioner’s Park in Frankfort. We can use a little summer R&R, and potluck is always an adventure, so be thinking of friends you can bring along, and invite them NOW, so they will not make other plans between now and then.
Happy Birthday to Jan Golden on the 14th! Best wishes to Zack Smith as he begins working at Whole Foods today! If you are in Orland, stop in and buy some meat from him. Send your birthdays, anniversaries, special accomplishments, new jobs, and other news you’d like to share with this church body, and you will read it here the following Monday. I'm a typist not a mind reader, so you have to speak up if you have something to share. Have an awesome week, and we will see you Sunday at 10 a.m. ….. unless the building floated away during the night. Thanks for stopping in. It’s always good to see you here.
Tammy
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June 1, 2015:
Hello, June! Welcome, Summer! It’s hard to believe that HALF of 2015 is already behind us.
We sure had a lot of laughs during Pastor’s highly animated message involving that sassy woman at the well with her eclectic collection of buckets. Love Buckets, Beer Buckets, Money Buckets, Buckets with holes in the bottom, and even KFC Fried Chicken Buckets were clattering all over the stage as that exasperated woman with her hands on her hips came to the realization she was standing before Jesus and had been drawing water from the wrong well. It was GOOD. Watch it on our Home Page Monday evening if you missed it in person. That sermon finished up May’s “Hope in the Darkness” series. Next Sunday kicks off June’s “On the Farm – Growing and Thriving in God’s Will” series. Now you know THAT is going to be a lot of fun, so juggle your time and commitments early so you can join us. E-I-E-I-OOOOOOO!
We shared in Communion yesterday, and it was a blessing to see families approaching the tables partaking together. Appreciation to the Rowleys for the supplies and the set-up each month. The Manhattan Food Pantry thanks each of you who contributed non-perishables for our monthly food drive. Never skip an opportunity to offer a hand up to your neighbor.
Our “big announcement” is that we are saying goodbye to Hickory Creek Middle School as yesterday marked the final service at the site. We are grateful for the months we have enjoyed there, and the staff couldn’t have been more gracious to make us feel comfortable and welcome. Big Jerry and Rodney are THE BEST, and we don’t just like ‘em…. We LOVE ‘em!
Effective June 7, NEXT SUNDAY, our new church home is about a mile up Laraway Rd. at the Lincoln Way Special Recreation Center located at 1900 Heatherglen Dr., New Lenox, IL. Week before last when “Mary Poppins” occupied our usual stage, we held service there, and the feedback was that many preferred it over the school. The rent is less, plus lots of you found the seating in the lobby comfortable and conducive to mingling and chatting with your church family, which is a great way to strengthen friendships. We now have a one year lease!
Junior High, Senior High, College, and extracurricular activity graduates will be recognized in our June 7th Graduate Service. If you are a regular attender at Revolution Church, we invite you to honor your child or grandchild on the big screen that morning. Thanks to the folks who have already submitted their info. Procrastinators, this is LAST CALL for your info. Send name, parents’ names, name of school, degree received, future plans, and a clear photo ASAP before June 4 tograd@therevolutionchurch.org .
Little Vashon Price celebrates his birthday on the 5th! Much love going out through this screen to two folks we think the world of but rarely get to see anymore because of work and relocating: Tomorrow Chris Cahill and Brittany Batsch celebrate birthdays, and we hope they get to do something fun. Pray for Brittany as she moves from Tinley Park to Beecher this week and adjusts to her surroundings and makes new friends.
We are still seeking a couple of volunteers who will take a turn in the Children’s Ministry area or help pack up the hospitality table after service. Thank you, Jackie Hernandez, for volunteering to learn the ropes with the Tech Team. We can always use extra hands operating the camera, videoing our worship songs, and putting the lyrics on the screen. Folks with strong backs and muscles can be a blessing by helping us clear the stage and carry out Children’s Ministry supplies to the trailer after service. There is a job for every person who has a desire to serve at our church. We pray humongous blessings upon those among us who are faithful week after week, month after month, who “Git R Done” without grumbling and moaning about it. Your efforts do NOT go unnoticed. THANK YOU!
If you need prayer or any kind of assistance between now and church time, let us encourage you to call or email Pastor Billy or any other member who can direct you to the people best able to meet your needs. We want you to thrive and blossom. Remember every Sunday there is special prayer and laying on of hands for those who wish to stay after the benediction. We hope all of you reading this will have a blessed week.
Tammy
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May 25, 2015:
Happy Memorial Day! On this drizzly holiday morning many of you will relish some “down time” and perhaps squeeze in a family BBQ or toss bean bags in the back yard between showers. Enjoy this day of rest, but most of all remember with gratitude our fallen soldiers, our veterans, and those men and women who are currently serving in the military. This weekend we recognized the veterans from Revolution, gathered around them, and prayed special blessings upon them and their families.
“I saw Esau sitting on a see-saw…” Remember that playground jump rope chant? I bet we were the ONLY church in the STATE – maybe even the whole MIDWEST - that had a see-saw on stage yesterday. Wasn’t that a cool sermon prop? The “busy bees” who went above and beyond to design and build that were Corey, Phil, and Dean from the music team, and they worked long and hard to make sure it would support all six people who climbed up on it. THANK YOU, GUYS!
Condolences to the Bob Smith family on the passing of Bob’s sister, Debra Prokop. Deb was a sweetheart and attended here when she was still able. Our sympathies also go out to the Darren Rych family who said goodbye to their beloved family dog this week. Sometimes “Fur-Babies” can occupy gigantic spaces in our hearts, and the pain of loss is greater than others often realize. When you see these folks in the upcoming days, how about showing some extra love.
Food Pantry collection is NEXT SUNDAY. Be responsible, and write this down so you can remember to bring your items. A table will be set up just inside the church for your non-perishables. Thanks for contributing. We know sometimes you just CAIN’T, but for those times when you CAN, please support this outreach of kindness. Some among us are dog paddling just to stay afloat financially, and you can be a humongous blessing by sharing groceries the last Sunday of each month.
Get those graduation pictures sent in THIS WEEK to be included at the June 7th service to honor our students. Include name, names of parents, school and grade completed, and future plans, and send to grad@therevolutionchurch.org .
We know two boys who deserve a shout out today: Joey Rhoades celebrates on the 30th, and his baby brother, Benjamin, celebrates his FIRST birthday Monday! Ben will always hold the distinction of being the first baby born into this church. Nick Vander Veen who heads up our Security Team turns another year older Tuesday. Nicki Arnott’s mom, Colleen Rafacz, has a birthday Thursday.
We will see everybody again next week at 10 a.m., and remember it will be Communion Sunday. Pastor will also conclude his “Hope in the Darkness” May sermon series. We are aware several of our families are either on vacation or preparing to hit the trail soon, so remember your tithes and offerings can still support this church by using the Pay-Pal option on our Home Page.
Tammy
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May 18, 2015:
Good Morning!
Since our usual meeting place was unavailable because of the “Mary Poppins” production yesterday, we shifted gears to “Plan B” and held church about a mile away in the Lincolnway Special Recreation Center. Months ago we feared this change of venue would be as well received as a pork chop at a Jewish wedding, but it worked out fine and dandy! In, fact, many of you liked the spaciousness, and we got lots of positive feedback on the comfortable lobby, not to mention the very cool turtle showing off in the aquarium. There is a proverb that says “Blessed are the flexible, for they shall not be bent out of shape.” You folks demonstrated your flexibility yesterday. Thank you for going with the flow, and not getting your knickers in a twist. Thank you to the folks who worked fast and furiously to set up our church in a new environment, and thanks to those who were willing to try new responsibilities to cover for some regulars who were out of town. Next Sunday we are back at the Hickory Creek Middle School.
Graduates must get their photos and info emailed to grad@therevolutionchurch.org right away in order to appear on the big screen for our June 7 graduate honor service. We don’t want to leave anybody out, but we are not mind readers, so if this is important to you, parents, let’s remember to take care of this.
Thanks to all the gals who paid their deposit for the “Women of Faith LOVED” conference in September. Your balance is due May 31. Michelle@therevolutionchurch.org is where to go for questions regarding this upcoming women’s ministry event.
Two of our couples celebrate their wedding anniversaries on the 20th. Congratulations to Greg & Kim Price and to Blaine & Cynthia Petersen! Here’s to many more years together! Happy Birthday to Elissa Hively Tuesday. We sure wish she lived closer so we could see her more often, but it is always good when we do. Saturday Travis Rogers celebrates his birthday. We are so happy he and his family call Revolution their home church.
It has been rumored that nurses are nothing more than angels in comfortable shoes. Across the nation May is when our country acknowledges and honors these hard working folks who step up and do unthinkable stuff our own mamas would even think twice about doing for us. We are proud that several in our congregation bear the titles of nurse/caregiver.
Sunday’s sermon had a “Pinterest” theme, and it was a relief to see that Pastor’s flamboyant back pocket scarf was a sermon prop rather than him experimenting with a new fashion statement. In the beginning we feared perhaps he was trying to channel Steven Tyler, but that goes to show ya how much we knew. Next week he will continue with his Hope in the Darkness series with a message called “Get Your Hopes UP”. We have OUR hopes up you will join us at 10, and invite friends. Love to all!
Tammy
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May 11, 2015:
Good morning, friends! Kick off those muddy rain galoshes, pull up a seat, and let’s catch up on this week’s happenings.
Yesterday was Mother’s Day, and we were pleased to see that many of you brought visitors! When you have house guests on Sundays, it is always a good idea to bring them to church with you. Thank you, Bob Smith, for delivering the message.
We thank all of you who contributed “Mama Pictures” to use in our honorary/memorial video. Nobody sings “Precious Memories” like Alan Jackson! Sincere apologies to those who sent in photos that did not appear on screen. Some of you emailed pictures late at night after the video was completed. Others sent wonderful photos formatted in such a way that they would not open. “Mama pictures” are serious stuff, and Pastor Billy felt so bad about the omissions that he spent much of today remaking the video so it could be perfect. See how much your pastor loves you? You can view the revised video by going to our Home Page, clicking “WATCH”, and scrolling to the May 10, 2015 box.
Mike and Diana Rowley have a wedding anniversary tomorrow! If you haven’t met them yet, just look for the couple with the million dollar smiles who look like they should be selling toothpaste on TV. That would be them. We have several birthday wishes to send out to folks we love and appreciate: Geno O’Brien who is good to help clear the stage when he attends celebrates Tuesday. Sweet Brittany Kirsch celebrates Thursday. Rich Portwood, our all-time favorite harmonica player has a birthday Saturday. We sure do miss Chris and Rich since they moved up north. GOOD people they are! Continue to pray for Rich’s health that he will do well and enjoy his summer.
Graduation photos. Send them in NOW. It takes time to produce slides to honor all our grads, so help the nice people doing all the work by sending your picture and your info in early. Include student’s name, parents’ names, school and grade completed, and future plans. Send to grad@therevolutionchurch.org. Jr. High, Sr. High, College, GED, military graduations….It’s all good!
We need a couple folks to help us out with chair set up or cleaning up the cookie/coffee/water table after service. These are not hard jobs, and if this is now your home church and you want to help shoulder some responsibility, these are easy places to serve. Contact Pastor if you are willing to give a few minutes to serve.
It will be SUPERCALIFRAGILISTICEXPIALIDOCIOUS when the school play, “Mary Poppins”, wraps up next week, and we regain full use of our stage again. NEXT SUNDAY, MAY 17th the school will be performing the play for the public, so we are moving just up the street for church. My grandpa would say “It’s only a hop, skip, and a jump away” at Lincolnway Special Recreation Center at 1900 Heatherglen Dr. in New Lenox, IL. Leave the house a bit early so you can orient yourself to the facility and be in your seat shortly before 10 a.m.
Blessings,
Tammy
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May 4, 2015:
Happy Monday!
Thanks to all who came out to worship yesterday! Wasn’t it good to see Dean Schuldt back in his place on the stage again? He has been recuperating from rotator cuff surgery, and was forbidden to play his guitar during the healing process, but hopefully he can taper in gradually as he feels able. Pastor Billy delivered a “Forest Gump” based message to open May’s “Hope in the Darkness” series which reminded us that after we do all that we can, God steps in and doesn’t all that we cannot. Again, our stage was occupied with the props from the “Mary Poppins” middle school production, but it is only temporary, so we go with the flow and don’t waste even two minutes fretting over stuff such as that.
Mildred Ferguson, our oldest member, returns to her home in Memphis, TN in a couple of days. We just love it so much when she is able to join us for service and spend a little time here in the Midwest. If you want to visit her, you’d better step on it, because the clock is ticking for her departure.
Mother’s Day is May 10 – NEXT SUNDAY-- and we are busy collecting your “Mama pictures” to include on a special video that will play next week. Thanks to so many of you who have already contributed pictures to honor or remember the person or people who mothered you. We would be so proud to have every family that attends Revolution Church represented in some way up on the screen, so if you are procrastinating, shut off this computer and go find some photos that stir up sweet memories, and share with us. Email ASAP to pastorbilly@therevolutionchurch.org and include who is in the pictures, because there are no mind readers on staff here.
While you are sifting through your photos, how about also finding us a clear photo of your graduate? We will honor all our grads on Sunday, June 7th, and want to be sure each student is recognized. We need to know student’s name, parents’ names, grade completed, and future plans. Send all this information to grad@therevolutionchurch.org as soon as you can. Jr. High, Sr. High, GED, College, Post-College Degrees, and extracurricular accomplishments all count!
Pat Kupres works so hard to help us with our hospitality table. She also is a volunteer fundraiser with American Cancer Society, and we applaud her efforts to serve and make like sweeter for others. Let’s all wish her a Happy Birthday Wednesday! Doug Siegers will be celebrating Friday, so if you see him out and about be sure and tell him Happy Birthday, too. That adorable little Lucas Arnott will be three fingers old on the 5th! Nick and Lisa Vander Veen celebrated seven years of marriage yesterday! Phil and Leslie Graniczny mark their 33nd anniversary this week, too! Congratulations to both of these couples!
Women of Faith’s “LOVED TOUR 2015” will be in Hoffman Estates, IL in September. We are signing up NOW to attend. Michelle Grifford can answer all your questions regarding this special women’s ministry event. Materials are found at the welcome table or by viewing the ad on our Home Page of this website. A ticket would make a fantastic Mother’s Day gift, guys. (Yes, that is a HINT!)
Thanks ever so much to Kevin Ward for staying late and helping us tote our equipment from stage to trailer yesterday. We get excited when we see new volunteers stepping up to shoulder responsibility here. Vander Veens, we see you working hard stacking chairs. Bless you! If you notice, there are many more people helping us break down the sanctuary the past couple of weeks. This is how it is supposed to be. If you are physically able and call this church HOME, this is your personal invite to help us rather than stand around and watch us work. When we all do a little nobody has to do a lot. That being said, we still need one more volunteer to help clean up and pack up the coffee/water/cookie table now and again. Easy as pie. Who wants to?
Pay attention. This last thing is very important. May 17th we will NOT be at Hickory Creek Middle School. “Mary Poppins” will be performing on our stage, so we will worship just up the road at Lincolnway Special Recreation Center at 1900 Heatherglen Dr. in New Lenox, IL. This is one block north of Laraway between Schoolhouse Rd and Wolf Rd. THIS IS FOR ONE WEEK ONLY. Write it down so you won’t forget, and remind your church friends who might not read this page.
Have a fantastic week, and we look forward to seeing you for Mother’s Day! Bring your mother with you if she is able. In any case, be sure to put on your thinking cap and plan ahead so you can honor her with something special to let her know she is appreciated. We only get ONE mama, so be generous with your love.
Tammy
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April 27, 2015:
Good morning, friends! Thanks so much for coming here again today to follow our progress. We get hundreds of hits on this page every week, and we smile to see our view counter click-click-clicking when you read. Pastor concluded April’s series, “Moodswingers”, and we shared in Communion. Apparently many in our church have “twang roots”, because we got feedback from several of you who really enjoyed the old-timey “Leaning on the Everlasting Arms/Power in the Blood” medley. Thanks to Cynthia for the cello, and thanks for Phil for making Johnny Cash fans smile.
If you have visited us in the last three weeks, let us explain that what you see on stage is not typical for our sanctuary. Hickory Creek Middle School is in the process of a school play, and although we DO believe in the rapture of the Church and sing “I’ll Fly Away”, the “Mary Poppins” props you see behind the worship team are in use by students and not our church. As soon as the play is over our large screen will once again be suspended high for lyrics and sermon videos. We are sharing space and trying to be good neighbors, and realize it is just a temporary burr under the saddle. Sorry about that.
Thanks to you shoppers who responded to the request from Children’s Ministry for items for “Summer Fun”. Your donations are greatly appreciated, and that need is now filled. Appreciation is also extended for the good folks who blessed the Manhattan Food Pantry with their gifts of groceries on Sunday. Even if you can only donate an item or two, it is always good to participate in acts of community goodness. We strive to have a reputation as a loving, generous church.
Mother’s Day is May 10, and that morning we will share a special video to honor Revolution moms. We are asking every person in this church to submit a clear photo of yourself with your mom. It can be current or vintage. Serious or silly. If you don’t have a photo with your mother, submit one of just her. Include your name and hers so we can be certain of no misspellings. Young moms, share a photo of yourself with all your kids. We want every family to be represented on this video. This takes TIME to produce, so HURRY and send your photos to pastorbilly@therevolutionchurch.org .
Graduation is quickly approaching, and again this year we want to honor Revolution graduates. Send in a clear photo of the student including name, parents’ names, school attended, and future aspirations. Junior High, High School, College, and Adult Education grads are who we seek. If you are a regular attender, and your child doesn’t come here or lives far away, that is ok. We still want to acknowledge them and share in your joy. Hurry and send your information to grad@therevolutionchurch.org
Ladies, it’s the last week of the month which means we are excited about “Time Out” again. Pick up some buddies and join us at Panera Bread in Frankfort near Kohl’s on Thursday, April 30 at 7 pm. There is no study or official business, just fun and food if you’d like to order a bite to eat.
Kim Price earned her first degree Black Belt in Taekwondo from Family Martial Arts this week! This is a humongous accomplishment, so Kim, we are all clapping and cheering for you!
Condolences to Rich and Chris Portwood on the death of Chris’s mother last week. This couple moved north because of employment, but we still miss them and will forever claim them as “ours”.
Happy Anniversary to Nick & Lisa Vander Veen on May 3rd! We sure do love these people! Nick is so good to help lead Security, and Lisa volunteers in the children’s department and can hustle and stack chairs with the best of them! Little Kenny Rhoades has a birthday on the 30th. Happy 10th Birthday, to you, Kenny! Brad Merkel, our favorite airline pilot and friend, we send you lots of good wishes for a super fun birthday tomorrow. I hope I haven’t missed any of you. Write your special dates on a connection card and give to me, and I will be sure to include you here.
Remember May 3rd is officially declared “INVITE A FRIEND SUNDAY”. Who have you asked to join you? If your answer is “nobody”, then get on the phone and start calling before people make other plans. We encouraged you strongly to bring your friends to Easter service, and several of you did just that. The majority of people who accepted Christ in that service were first time visitors! People cannot believe until they hear the gospel, and your invite provides that opportunity to hear. Pastor Billy’s May sermon series is called “Hope in the Darkness”, so if you or somebody you know is in need of encouragement to “keep on keeping on” in the face of tough times or challenging circumstances, this is a series that will uplift you.
See you Sunday!
Tammy
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