Archive WH Feb 9 2016 to May 16 2016

May 16, 2016:

Hi, Folks!

We had a good sized crowd gathered in the kitchen for pre-service prayer this morning. Remember that each week you are invited to join us at 9:30 a.m., and simply step out whenever you need to leave.

Elder Bob Smith was installed as Associate Pastor in this morning’s service. Pastor Billy blessed Bob and his wife, Heather, and then called for elders, deacons, and others from the crowd to lay hands on Bob and pray for blessings upon his future ministry with us. We are so proud of this special day for the Smiths! Thank you to the visitors who came out to witness their installation.

Pastor Billy continued his Hosea series with a memorable message about forgiveness that involved a dribbling gas can and a room full of wooden matchsticks that we all decided NOT to strike! Text was taken from Hosea 14.

Eleven women gathered in Manhattan Saturday morning for the “Hello, My Name Is” breakfast event. Our own Kathleen Milligan was guest speaker, and hostess Penny Knott provided us with egg casserole, fresh fruit, and pastries. It was a fun! Wednesday evening ladies have another opportunity to fellowship and learn what their spiritual gifts are. Meet at the church in the classroom beside the kitchen at 6:30pm.

Tech Team is seeking reliable people to join their team. If you would like to learn to operate the projector or the camera, speak to Deacon Darren Rych who oversees this ministry.

The baptizing scheduled for next Sunday is rescheduled for June 12th due to pool maintenance. If you have not yet been baptized, please speak to Pastor to be included with the group! You can also go to our home page and read what we believe regarding water baptism.

Graduates will be honored during our June 12th service. We will recognize those completing Jr. High, Sr. High, College, Military Training, and GED. Bring a photo, list of grade completed, name of school, future plans, and give the whole stack of stuff to Tammy Smit at the piano by the end of the month.

On Friday, Deacon Blaine and wife, Cynthia Petersen celebrate their wedding anniversary. Congratulations, guys!

Elissa Hively celebrates her 39th birthday on the 19th! (This is Christian’s mama.) Happy Birthday across the miles! Ashley Tipping, beautiful granddaughter of Brenda Hajek, turns 13 Saturday, and our feisty, fun-loving Collin Meyers turned TEN this week!

Rich Portwood up in Hoffman Estates turns 59 tomorrow and is also celebrating 29 years of surviving brain cancer! He is still the “King of Harmonica Hill”, and he and wife, Chris, send their love to all of us. They thank us for the large group card we signed last Sunday.

Four weeks ago we were sad to learn that Holly Schuldt’s Nashville apartment was destroyed by fire. (She is Dean and Kim’s daughter.) The good news is all of the apartment tenants and all of their pets are fine. The not so good news is all of their belongings have been destroyed. Please keep Holly, Jordan, and the other tenants from the complex in your prayers.

Condolences to the Rych family who is grieving the loss of their beloved Rottweiler, Dozer. Many of you have followed his adventures and health issue journeys on Face Book, and we prayed hard this his story would have a happy ending. Much love is extended for Dozer’s humans during this rough time.

We hope to see you all back next Sunday as we continue studying from the book of Hosea. This has been a moving series, so you will definitely want to be here. Take good care of each other this week, and remember to plant nothing but love.

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May 9, 2016:

Welcome back on this rainy Monday!

We hope all those who had a mother, those who are a mother, and those who’ve had to step up and mother themselves had a fantastic weekend. We had a BEAUTIFUL message in the “Hosea – Broken to Brand New” series, which moved several to tears as Pastor Billy spoke about insecurity and how the Lord truly views us in spite of our blots and stains. The band blessed us with a new song very fitting for that message: “Break Every Chain”.

Kudos to Bob Hensle, and sisters Leah Meyers and Beth LaBanco for the Hosea & Gomer skit! Cynthia Petersen was responsible for the costuming. If you liked what you saw, and are interested in getting involved with things like this, please consider signing up at the table in the back of the sanctuary for the Drama team.

They say money can’t buy happiness, but it CAN buy donuts which is pretty much the same thing. To celebrate Mother’s Day, the church treated us to donuts after service. Those festive tulips on the table came from Bruce Smit’s mama’s flower bed, and they were certainly a nice touch for the holiday.

Thank you, Vivian Meskin for designing the three large birthday cards at the Graybars Project table. One was for our beloved friend, Rich Portwood, and the others were for our inmates with May birthdays. The prison cards will be available for your signatures next Sunday, also.

THIS SATURDAY, May 14th, women will enjoy breakfast and an inspirational talk at the Knotts’ home from 9-11 am. This is your last chance to RSVP to Penny for this “Hello My Name Is…” Please do come!

Our next water baptisms will be after service on May 22. Contact Pastor or an elder now if you wish to be included, or if you have questions still unanswered after viewing the baptism page on our website.

Women’s ministry still needs your RSVP for the May 18th meeting here at the church. Light refreshments will be provided. It will be enlightening to take the Spiritual Gifts test to see where our strengths and talents lie. All ladies and their friends are welcome. No strings or commitment required. Join us! Many are coming!

Attendance has DOUBLED for Michelle Grifford’s “Bad Girls of the Bible” Thursday evening study! How exciting is that? You are welcome to join the group and see what all the excitement is about. Message michelle@therevolutionchurch.org .

Check out our Home Page to see our small group and Bible study opportunities. There are many!

The nation just celebrated Teacher Appreciation Week, and we are now into Nurse Appreciation Week. Several in our Revolution family work in the fields of health care and education, so we honor and thank you for making a difference in this world!

Gene O’Brien, reading this page, we are sending you happy birthday wishes today. We love and miss your smiling face. “Lenny the Therapy Dog” just celebrated his 6th birthday with his humans, the Rych family. Let’s all give two paws up for Lenny!

Come out, and let’s worship together Sunday and hear the next development in the Hosea and Gomer tale. If you come near 9:30 you are invited to join us in the kitchen for prayer each week. There was a good crowd in there Sunday, so feel free to join the group!

Remember, that Sunday Elder Bob Smith will become Associate Pastor of Revolution Church! This is a very special day for Bob and his wife, Heather and their family. They have been with us since we launched at Founders Center and have served faithfully and lovingly in many areas of ministry. We love these folks! Don’t miss this.

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May 2, 2016:

Good Morning!

Welcome to May!

This month Pastor Billy’s sermon series is titled “HOSEA – From Broken to Brand New”, and the first message “Hallelujah! Sin?” used text from Hosea chapters 1 and 3. Thank you to everybody who pushed back the covers and got out of bed on a chilly, gray morning to be faithful to the Lord’s house when a lazy, stay at home “pajama day” was tempting. You all are appreciated and loved!

Speaking of appreciation, yesterday we honored Nick and Antigone Moore for their service with us. Nick has served as an elder and led a Saturday men’s group in his home. Antigone has volunteered with the children’s ministry, hospitality table, and hosted special women’s events at her home where the ladies have gone home feeling like a million dollars. The Moores have been so gracious to treat new people at Revolution to lunch to help them feel connected and welcomed. They are relocating to Arizona for work, and will soon be leaving the state for better things. They will truly be missed! THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING you have done to bless this flock!

Congratulations to Bryan Milligan who will slide into the position of Elder previously held by Nick. Bryan and wife, Kathleen, have been faithful to host small group and to lead the ushering ministry superbly. She also serves with our children. We thank the Lord they are a part of this church family. Bryan was officially installed yesterday with the laying on of hands and prayer.

Wedding bells rang for our beautiful Erin Moore as she married Van Kuiken on a Mexican beach Saturday! Congratulations to this young couple, and we pray many years of happiness and love upon them. We can’t wait to see the photos!

While we are on the subject of marriage, let’s congratulate Leslie and Deacon Phil Graniczny on their 34th wedding anniversary on May 8th! The Jasinskis celebrate their 16th wedding anniversary on the 7th! We don’t know what song Lisa chose for her wedding, but we suspect it might have been “Get Me To the Church On Time”, since she and her daughter, Samantha, are consistently the most prompt folks in this congregation. If they are early, they are “on time”. If they are on time, they are “late.” Wish we could clone them!

Happy Birthday wishes this week to little Lucas Arnott and to our sweet friend, Pat Kupres! We hope both of them see these good wishes we are sending through cyberspace today! You are loved and missed!

Women’s ministry met for “Time Out” at Panera in Frankfort Thursday evening. Thank you to the ladies who gathered to share a meal and enjoy some “girl time”. No study, no homework, just friends enjoying each other’s company.

If you missed out on Panera, please do try to attend the “Hello My Name Is” breakfast in Manhattan on Saturday, May 14th, 9-11 am. There is no cost for this fellowship event, but please do be courteous and RSVP to hostess, Penny Knott, so she will know how much food to prepare. Ladies, you are welcome and encouraged to bring a buddy with you!

Check out our Home Page to see our small group and Bible study opportunities. There are many!

We want to see a church full next Sunday as Pastor preaches about “Dealing With Insecurity”. 9:30 am each Sunday you are invited to meet in the kitchen for group prayer prior to praise and worship. REMEMBER May 8 IS MOTHER’S DAY! Enjoy your special tray of T.L.C. waffles and OJ in bed EARLY, and then get up and join us here. Bring your mama and grandmas if that is possible. Older moms, invite your adult children and their families to come to church with you. It will be a good day, and if you invite now, we should have a strong attendance!

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April 25, 2016:

Hello, Folks!

Welcome! Yesterday Pastor Billy concluded the COEXIST April series with a message reinforcing what WE as Christians believe. Even the song set included lyrics emphasizing the creed of our faith with “We Believe” and “Glorious Day”. We also shared in the Lord’s Supper together. Much appreciation to the Poorts for setting up the Communion elements for us. The new candelabra looked really nice, so thank you to the person responsible for providing that!

“Bad Girls of the Bible” books are here, and some of you received yours from teacher, Michelle Grifford. Her new class begins Thursday, May 5th, so there is still time to sign up for this study, ladies!

Incarcerated mothers who correspond with Revolution through the Graybars Project will soon be receiving the festive Mother’s Day group cards we signed after church. Thank you for taking a few minutes to pen your encouraging, supportive words to these women who will emotionally struggle through the upcoming holiday separated from their children. Inmate prayer request lists were available to take home. To many on that list, we are the only church they identify with, so please take those requests seriously.

While we are on the subject of prayer, let us remind you that all are invited to gather in the kitchen at the end of the hall at 9:30 a.m. Sundays to pray for the morning service and for any personal needs you might wish to share. We thank Bob Smith and Penny Knott for leading this.

The monthly church prayer meeting was held at Pastor’s home last night. Thank you to those who attended. You are also welcome to join the Prayer Team which enables you to receive a weekly online list of requests from our church family. Mark your connection card or contact Penny to be included on the mailing.

Women have another opportunity to gather for food and fellowship at the “Hello My Name Is” breakfast event at Penny Knott’s home on Saturday, May 14th from 9-11 am. Have you signed up? She needs a head count for food shopping, so please RSVP soon!

Wednesday, May 18 at 6:30 pm all ladies are invited to meet at the church for light refreshments and to discuss how we may best serve the church and each other. There will be a spiritual gift assessment to help determine each person’s greatest abilities and talents to see where and how we can best serve the Lord. This is not to recruit or sign you up for anything, so relax and come on out. It is just to help the women’s ministry grow and help each of us be the best we can be. RSVP to Michelle or Penny.

Our Jimmy Getty turns NINE Saturday, and we sure do love having him and his mama at our church! Cerebral Palsy doesn’t permit him to speak, but he certainly understands, so be certain to stop by his wheelchair and give him some birthday love. While you are there, let him show you what he can do with his fancy new electronic communication device. He is very proud of that.

See you Sunday for Pastor’s new May series, “HOSEA - from broken to brand new”. Some of our families have been out sick, others have been traveling, and some have had to report to their paying jobs. We pray all of you are back with us this coming week. You are needed. You are loved. You are missed. Have a great week!

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April 18, 2016:

Hi, Folks!

Spring has sprung, and with all the options available for outdoor activities, you were still faithful to come to God’s house and worship. Thank you for supporting Revolution Church! Pastor Billy continued with the April “Coexist” series by comparing and contrasting our beliefs to those of the Mormons. He encourages all who still have unanswered questions regarding this group of people to message him at pastorbilly@therevolutionchurch.org. He has already fielded many online comments and questions regarding our first two featured groups, Jehovah’s Witnesses and Muslims, so don’t be timid or embarrassed to ask for clarification. Never be ashamed of learning.

The proverbial ox fell in the ditch yesterday when BOTH of our drummers needed to be at work, so we turned to “Plan B”, and welcomed Eric Maze to the stage. Several of you might recognize him as one of the smiling baristas in the Frankfort Starbucks. He did a great job keeping the music in time, and we loved his upbeat (pun intended) personality.

Let's have a round of applause for the volunteers who transferred a large number of chairs and other good sized items for our future permanent church from Frankfort to another storage facility in Morris! Pastor treated those who showed up to help Saturday with burgers and fries, and people seemed to enjoy their time together.

Remember that every Sunday at 9:30 you are invited into the kitchen to bathe our service in prayer. Everyone is also welcome at the monthly church prayer meeting at Pastor’s home next Sunday night at 6:30 pm.

We want to send out a special HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Pastor Billy who turns 47 today! He is all the time setting up, tearing down, packing up, trailering, singing, teaching, preaching, studying, picking his gee-tar, counseling, fielding emails, texts, and anxious calls at all hours, and all of that is done to care for the flock God has placed under his watch. He does all of this for US. This is not to mention carrying out his personal family responsibilities at home. We thank you, Pastor, and hope you get some R&R for your birthday!

Worship team guitarist, Luke Wetzel, also had a birthday this weekend! We appreciate all the hours he has devoted to making music for us. Our bashful Connor Ward turns nine on the 19th! Little, sweet Jocelyn Meskin has her FIRST birthday on Wednesday! College student, Ethan Fosen, celebrates on Saturday! Happy, Happy, Happy Birthday to all of you!

A Bridal Blessing for Erin Moore will be after service at Sue Mulder’s home next Sunday. We are honored to take part in this luncheon as Erin is beloved to us and has been faithful to attend. For directions or to see what you can bring, RSVP to Sue or Antigone Moore so they can best prepare for this fun afternoon.

Love and prayers of support are going across the miles to Holly and Jordan whose Nashville home was destroyed by water and smoke from an apartment fire. Holly is Dean and Kim Schuldt’s daughter.

Cynthia Petersen is just itching to get our Drama Club up and running, so consider signing up and having some fun with this creative group.

“Hello My Name Is” is 9-11 AM on Saturday, May 14th in Manhattan. Penny Knott is hosting this time, and a light breakfast will be served. RSVP at the sign up table or mark your connection card to let her know to save you a seat at the table. This will be a fun morning!

Let us remind you that our church is hugely blessed to have a professional counselor who is available should you need to talk. Mishel Rych (also known as “the beautiful announcement lady”) and "Lenny the Therapy Dog" would love to lend a hand/paw should you need their ears and advice.

Wednesday, May 18 at 6:30 pm all ladies are invited to meet at the church for light refreshments and to discuss how we may best serve the church and each other. There will be a spiritual gift assessment to help determine each person’s abilities and talents to see where we can best plug into this church. This is not to recruit or rope you into anything. It is just to help the women’s ministry grow and best serve. RSVP to Michelle or Penny.

Small groups and women’s Bible study times, topics, and locations are all listed on our calendar of events found on our Home Page. Please visit there to see where Revolution can best serve you and your family. If you were absent, you can still give your tithes and offerings per Pay-Pal option also found on this page. Yesterday’s message will be available for online viewing late Monday afternoon if you click “Watch”.

Thanks for stopping at this page. Do visit here each Monday and in person Sundays at 10:00 a.m. You are appreciated, loved, and needed. Now shut down your computer and go soak up some sun. As fickle as Chicago weather is, we could have a blizzard by supper!

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April 11, 2016:

Good Morning, Friends!

Thanks to all who rolled out of bed on a drizzly, gray Sunday to come out and worship with us. Welcome to all our visitors both at church and here on this webpage! Pastor used text from Deuteronomy 18 in his teaching on Jehovah’s Witnesses. This was the second message in April’s “Coexist” series. Next week we will learn what the Bible teaches about the beliefs of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, better known as Mormons. Remember, if you have questions about either of these groups, Pastor encourages you to message him at pastorbilly@therevolutionchurch.org .

Did you enjoy viewing all the prison craft items on the Graybars Project table? Many thanks to Bob and Heather Smith for sharing with us so many homemade cards and original paintings they have received over the years from artists behind bars. There was a lot of talent and creativity represented there on those two tables. Visit frequently as fresh material from our inmates is circulated on both sides of the board. Several of the men have been overjoyed to know their poems and art are on display.

Saturday at noon, all volunteers who are helping transport chairs from local storage to another site in Morris will meet at the church. THANK YOU for serving!

Our “Bridal Blessing” for Erin Moore will be 12:30-3:00 pm Sunday, April 24th at Antigone Moore’s home. If you would like to attend, ladies and teen daughters can RSVP at the sign-up table. A light lunch will be served. Questions can be fielded to hostesses Sue Mulder or Antigone.

Drama Club in now seeking volunteers who have a flair for the dramatic! Cynthia Petersen leads this new group, and we look forward to seeing what is swirling around in her creative brain. If you enjoy costuming and skits, please do indicate this on your connection card, and let’s launch this team with a bang!

Is May 14th circled on your calendar? The “Hello My Name Is” 9-11 A.M. breakfast event is at Penny’s home that Saturday. RSVP on the sign-up sheet at the welcome table, please. New faces are always welcome, so feel free to tell your friends about this special morning! Previous “Hello” events have been well attended, and ladies have had many positive comments after hearing the guest speakers’ testimonies.

Ladies, Michelle Grifford’s new class, “Bad Girls of the Bible” begins May 5. This group will be meeting 6-8 P.M. on the first and third Thursdays. Michelle@therevolutionchurch.org for more info. If Thursdays don’t work for you, how about checking out Penny Knott’s “Power Of a Praying Woman” in Manhattan from 7-8:30pm on the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays.

Wednesday, May 18 at 6:30 pm all ladies are invited to meet at the church for light refreshments and to discuss how we may best serve the church and each other. There will be a spiritual gift assessment to help determine each person’s abilities and talents to see where we can best plug into this church. This is not to recruit or rope you into anything. It is just to help the women’s ministry grow and best serve. RSVP to Michelle or Penny.

“Magic Autumn” Hensle, our most favorite balloon artist/magician on this planet, has a birthday tomorrow. Maybe he can pull a magnificent birthday cake out of midair for himself! Our conga drummer’s little daughter, Eleanor, celebrates on the 15th! P.K. Noel Knott celebrates her 20th birthday on Wednesday! Little Kevin Ward will be blowing out birthday candles on Sunday!

Congratulations to P.K. Jordan Knott! Not only did she turn 18 yesterday, but she begins a new job at Berkotts grocery store tomorrow! Getting a job in her own neighborhood is a huge blessing, and we wish her much success there! Bruce Smit’s son, Brad, popped the question, and Sierra said YES! The couple will marry this fall in Arizona! Thank you, Lord, for all these good people. Please shower them with joy and happiness! (Your family announcements and accomplishments can appear on this page, too. Just send them a week in advance!)

Have a blessed week. We hope to see your smiling face in the crowd next Sunday!

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April 4, 2016:

Good Morning!

Yesterday Pastor Billy kicked off April’s sermon series, “Coexist”, with teaching what the Bible has to say regarding “Islam and the Quran”. We learned a lot of new vocabulary, history, and explored the differences in philosophies between Muslims and Christians. The Bible text was from Genesis 16. If you have questions or comments about what you heard, Pastor encourages you to message him at PastorBilly@therevolutionchurch.org. The sermon will be ready to view online Monday afternoon by clicking “Watch” on the Home Page.

Graybars Project exhibit table had a lot of browsers before and after service. Response from our inmate Easter card mission has been overwhelmingly positive with many new letters, photos, poems, and sketches arriving weekly as tokens of thanks to the card signing crew. Instead of buying themselves treats with what little money they have, some inmates are purchasing prison photos so their faces can be seen on our board. Everybody needs to be visible and know they matter. There are touching mail excerpts both on the front and back of the board, so feel free to explore over there and enjoy YOUR fruits.

The men’s Friday BBQ at “Chef Billy’s” home was very well attended! Thanks to all who showed up to eat ribs, baked beans, tater salad, macaroni salad, and chips. It is refreshing to get together now and again with no agenda except fun, food, and fellowship! Thanks, Zack Smith, for putting your meat cutting skills to work on those slabs!

Muscles and your trucks or vans are needed on Saturday April 16th to help load, transport, and unload a large shipment of church chairs to a storage facility in Morris. If you will help, contact Pastor.

Ladies, have you purchased your book for Michelle Grifford’s new class, “Bad Girls of the Bible”? Class begins May 5, so order and pay $13 for your book by NEXT SUNDAY. This group will be meeting 6-8 P.M. on the first and third Thursdays. Michelle@therevolutionchurch.org for more info.

If Thursdays don’t work for you, how about checking out Penny Knott’s “Power Of a Praying Woman” in Manhattan from 7-8:30pm on the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays. If you cannot commit to a full study, you can still enjoy the company of other ladies by attending the “May 14th Hello My Name Is” 9-11 A.M. breakfast event at Penny’s home. RSVP for women’s events on the sign-up sheet at the welcome table, please. New faces are always welcome, so tell your friends about these opportunities!

Ephesians, Matthew, and Acts are current topics for our Small Groups that meet on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Sundays in Manhattan and New Lenox. Check the Calendar of Events on the Home Page or email bob@therevolutionchurch.org for more information and directions. Everybody is welcome even if you cannot make every meeting.

Birthdays: We have four this week. Preacher’s Kid and bookworm, Jordan Knott, celebrates on Sunday, April 10, so be sure and spoil her at church next week! Rose Senecal, who almost single-handedly provided the entire paperback book drive in March celebrates on the 7th! The littlest princess - also known as Isabella Galarza- will be lighting birthday candles also on the 7th! Much love to all these girls. Also sending a special shout out to our forever friend, Mike Rowley, who had a birthday yesterday!

Next Sunday Pastor will teach us about what the core beliefs of Jehovah’s Witnesses are and will compare and contrast what the Bible clearly says. Just like we did with Muslims yesterday, we will explore this group of folks, so come out and listen and learn with us. 10 A.M. Free coffee, free hugs. You are welcome to join us in the kitchen for pre-worship prayer at 9:30 each week.

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March 28, 2016:

Hello again. Thanks for visiting our website this morning!

It’s been a busy holiday weekend, and we were pleased to see so many of you come worship with us. We hope all you visitors felt welcome. Our Good Friday candlelight service was well attended. There were many positive comments about the video clips from “Passion of the Christ”, scripture readings from various members, and particularly the final portion when each of us came forward to nail our “sins” to the cross. After Communion, we exited in silence.

Sunday morning we had a good attendance and enjoyed some new music from the worship team. Penny Knott (with the assistance of Louie Martinez) opened the final Resurrection Eggs to complete the children’s version of the Easter story. Egg #9 was EMPTY to commemorate the Risen Christ, and Egg #10 contained a cotton ball which symbolized the clouds when Jesus ascended into the sky. Kits of filler items were available to anyone who wanted to make their own set of eggs at home. This was fun. Thank you, Penny!

Pastor Billy’s Easter sermon text was from Genesis 3 and Matthew 28. We are so thankful the scaffolding stayed put, and he didn’t attempt to leap from New Lenox to California! (Watch the video.) “Magic Autumn” wowed us with three large, unique holiday balloon creations which were given to random folks in the crowd. He is such a talented artist! “Lenny the Therapy Dog” made a return appearance with the Rychs again, and was incorporated as a living, visual aid during the message. (Speaking of the Rychs, remember that Mishel is a licensed counselor, and offers her services to people in the church who need guidance or a listening ear. She has a kind heart and is highly skilled in her profession, so please get in touch if she can be of help to you.)

Cue ZZ TOP’S “Sharp Dressed Man”, because our own Christian Hively surprised us by showing up in his military dress uniform! He has successfully completed National Guard training, and we are so proud of the man he is becoming! Unfortunately, he had to leave early to make it to work, so we did not get to greet him after service as we had hoped.

Graybars Project thanks each of you who signed the get-well and Easter cards for prisoners. Their gratitude has been humbling, and MANY replies have come back to us in the form of long letters, inmate photos, prayer requests, and handmade thank you cards. Bless you for taking a few minutes to remind these people they are still important to God and to Revolution Church. Several of the inmates told us they cried over their cards. Be sure and browse the bulletin board (front AND back) and read new excerpts and poetry the men and women sent as gifts.

Do you have a flair for the dramatic? Do you or your children enjoy costuming and role playing? If you answered YES, then we encourage you to sign up for Revolution’s DRAMA TEAM directed by Cynthia Petersen. This should be fun!

April Fools Day there is a Men’s BBQ at Pastor Billy’s home in Manhattan, and YOU are invited to go! Supper starts at 6 pm, and he would love to have his house FULL of you guys! There is no Bible study, just food, fellowship, and maybe tossing some bags in the back yard. If you didn’t sign up at church, you need to contact him and tell him you are coming so he will know how much food to prepare.

Do you have muscles and/or a truck you can put to good use on Saturday, April 15? Chairs purchased for our future permanent home need loaded and transported to a storage area. Mark your connection card ASAP or contact pastorbilly@therevolutionchurch.org .

The next “Hello My Name Is” women’s fellowship event will be hosted by Penny Knott in Manhattan, and all are encouraged to invite a friend and attend on Saturday, May 14th from 9-11 am. Sign up at the welcome table or contact penny@therevolutionchurch.org for more info.

New Lenox Public Library is the gathering place for the new women’s Bible Study, “Bad Girls of the Bible”, led by Michelle Grifford. Books need to be ordered by April 10, so sign up at the welcome table or contact michelle@therevolutionchurch.org for meeting dates and more info. Click on the Women’s Ministry icon on the Home Page to see specifics and additional study opportunities for ladies.

Transforming Life Groups are meeting many nights a week. You are welcome to visit and see which evening and study works best for you! bob@therevolutionchurch.org is the man to ask if you are interested in small groups.

We are so happy to have the sweet Meskin family in this church! Chris Meskin’s birthday is Tuesday. Best wishes are going out to Mrs. O’Corhn who enjoys us online across the miles as she blows out birthday candles this week, too! Happy Anniversary to Pastor and Penny on Thursday! Who had a special day that is not mentioned here? Let me know, and it will appear next week.

Thank you to each person who sacrificed many of their precious holiday hours to decorate, set up, tear down, purchase and haul supplies and equipment for not only one but TWO services this week. That was so much extra effort on your part. The Knotts treated the Friday crew to burgers and fries shortly before service, and that was thoughtful and much appreciated as many had worked a full day before showing up to volunteer. Huge acknowledgments, too, for the women serving in the nursery and children’s ministry who missed hearing the Easter message yesterday. THANK YOU! It was good to see several of these dedicated folks carrying home the pots of Easter lilies after church. Well deserved!

See you next Sunday for the kick off of April’s message series, “Coexist”. Pastor’s beginning topic is “Islam and the Quran”.

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March 21, 2016:

Happy Spring, Everybody!

Pastor Billy (with his handy-dandy shovel and the assistance of cute little Mason) continued with the series “I <3 My Church” with a message titled, “Don’t Tolerate Church” with text from Matthew 21 with supporting texts from Psalm 118, and John 12 . May we all be mindful and willing to “dig” to rescue people who need to hear about Jesus. I don’t believe we will ever pick up another shovel without remembering this sermon and the story of the trapped Chilean miners.

Penny Knott continued opening more Resurrection Eggs with the congregation, and this week she was assisted by the three LaBanco children. Here is what was inside yesterday’s eggs:

6. A thorn which represented the Crown of Thorns that mocked the “King of the Jews”

7. A cross, a heart-shaped bead, and nails to represent the love Jesus showed at His crucifixion

8. Dice to symbolize the guards who gambled under the cross for our Savior’s clothes

9. Fabric to commemorate the burial shroud

10. A rock to represent the stone that sealed the tomb

Next Sunday she will open the final two eggs and finish the story. (** SPOILER ALERT** - Jesus wins!) Remember, if you would like to make your own set of eggs, free filler supplies have been graciously provided for you on the table in the back of the sanctuary. Please enjoy this holiday gift! A set would make a unique Easter basket surprise for your little special someone.

Good Friday service will be Friday at 7:00 pm for about 45 minutes. This will be a candlelight acoustic service as we commemorate the crucifixion and the sacrifice Jesus made for us on His cross. Bring a friend, and come let us remember together.

Men: You are invited to a BBQ at Pastor Billy’s home in Manhattan on Friday, April 1st at 6 pm! Every man is welcome, and there are zero strings attached. Bring a buddy, and come fellowship and relax. RSVP on the sign-up clipboard ASAP so he will know how much tofu to grill. Just kidding! There will be lots of meat, but he does need to know how much to prepare.

We need muscles and/or your truck or van to help transfer a large load of chairs from our storage unit to a private garage on Saturday, April 16th. If you are willing and able to serve your church in this manner, mark your connection card or notify Pastor.

Let us direct your attention back to the Home Page to check out what is available for small groups and for Bible studies. There are numerous days, times, locations, and topics of study, so click through and see what is most helpful for your family. Sign-up sheets are on the back table, and contact info is provided both on the table and online. One of the newest studies for ladies is “Bad Girls of the Bible”, so be sure and check it out!

Happy Birthday to Kristin Hippenhammer on March 27th. She is so good to volunteer in the nursery, and we send this wish early so she will not get missed during the Easter festivities.

We have two men who deserve claps and cheers for landing new jobs this week! Zack Grifford is now employed on the maintenance crew at Autobahn Country Club in Joliet, and our greeter, Oscar Hammerberg begins at Merts Heating and Cooling in Steger this morning. Thank you, Lord, for answering prayers for employment!

We are so proud of little Jimmy Getty who was honored at his school this week. He has cerebral palsy, and is learning to operate a new technological device that facilitates communication. Please take time to stop at his wheelchair and say hey each week. He is a sweetheart!

Updates on two members of our beloved Ferguson Family down in Tennessee: Harvey had a small stroke and was in ICU, but has now been discharged, and he is receiving home therapy to help him regain his balance. He is not expected to have lasting effects from the event. Thank the Lord for THAT. Grandma Mildred remains in the hospital with quite a bit of fluid remaining in her lungs. She also continues to receive stout antibiotics to combat a bacterial infection in her bloodstream. Family is hoping she will be able to return to her long-term care facility later this week if all goes well.

Next Sunday is EASTER, and we want to see your smiling faces in church! INVITE! INVITE! INVITE! We expect a good crowd, so come early to get a good seat, and be there for the first celebration worship song. Welcome our visitors, and make them feel so loved they will want to return. Thank you to all who continue to bless this church with Time, Treasures, and Talents! You are appreciated and loved!

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March 14, 2016:

Good morning!

Pastor Billy’s message was “Follow Me” with scripture text from Matthew 3. Keeping with the theme of the sermon, the band led the church in Third Day’s version of “I Have Decided to Follow Jesus”. If you wish to follow Jesus with water baptism, please visit this tab on our Home Page to learn what we believe about this Biblical act of obedience. Pastor will also be happy to answer your questions and include you in our next baptizing. Several are already signing up!

Penny Knott - assisted by Jimmy Leatherman - opened more Resurrection Eggs as she continued to teach us the simplified story of Easter. This week the contents were a flower that represented the time Jesus spent in the garden of Gethsemane, and a rope that reminded us He was captured and bound. Filler items were and will be available from her each week for those who are making their personal set of eggs.

Yesterday Graybars Project wrapped up its book drive to benefit the River Valley Juvenile Detention Center’s library. Tremendous appreciation to the families who donated paperbacks to bless the youth of this facility. We have three large full boxes to share! Easter cards for inmates were signed by many of you, and those will be mailed to numerous facilities today! Be sure and check out the group’s new site on our Home Page!

Our church cookbook is now online for your enjoyment! Thank you, Michelle Grifford, for heading up this project for us! Wow, that was a lot of typing she did! Recipes will continue to be added as they are received, so it is still an expanding work in progress. Everybody is welcome to participate, so send your favorites to michelle@therevolutionchurch.org .

Speaking of food, who would like to help with the cooking ministry of Fishes and Loaves? This is a simple way to be a blessing to our members who are temporarily incapacitated and don’t need the responsibility of preparing a meal while they recuperate. If you want to help provide a simple supper now and again, mark your connection card, or speak to Penny or Michelle in Women’s Ministry.

A very kind young couple with unused garage space has graciously permitted us to store items for our future permanent building at their place! This will save Revolution a lot of money each month, and THAT is a blessing! If you have a bit of free time or a truck and will help us load and transport these items, contact Pastor Billy ASAP. Here again is an easy way to serve!

Check out the church calendar on our Home Page to see small group and Bible study opportunities. There are numerous topics, dates and locations, so take a peek and see what is most convenient for your family. The invitation is always open even if you are unable to attend each session.

David Gross and Gene O'Corhn, both online followers who clap and cheer for us, celebrate birthdays this week! (We are sending out good wishes through this screen to both of you as you read this!) Little Madison Galarza will be eating birthday cake on the 18th! Isabella Ward had her first birthday party Saturday!

Our holiday services are GOOD FRIDAY, March 25th at 7:00 pm and EASTER SUNDAY worship March 27th at 10:00 am. We want this place to be full, so be inviting friends and family NOW before they make other plans. See you next week for Palm Sunday!

Tammy

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March 7, 2016:

Hello again! Thanks for visiting this page!

Pastor Billy kicked off March’s sermon series, “ I <3 My Church”, with a message called “Lifesavers” that encouraged us to tell people about the goodness of the Lord. The main text was from Acts chapters 1 and 2. Everybody was treated to a roll of Lifesavers candies to remind us to speak sweetly, share words of life, and invite folks to our Good Friday and Easter morning services. We won’t even mention the impromptu “Whip/Nae Nae” that broke out! (You had to be there. LOL!)

Revolution Kids and even some adults have been making sets of Resurrection Eggs as a hands-on way of telling the Easter story. This morning Penny Knott with the assistance of little Emma opened the first three eggs with the congregation and explained the significance of the leaf, the silver coins, and the tiny communion cup hidden inside. Each week approaching Easter she will open three more eggs with us until we have opened the entire dozen.

“Graybars Project” is busy again! Did you know there is a new webpage for this ministry? Go to the home page, and click on our icon to see how you can be a Hebrews 13:3 person! Today they signed Easter cards for inmates and also encouraging cards for elderly parents of two of these inmates. One fella was diagnosed with leukemia this week, and he is terribly frightened to be facing this disease behind bars, so a get-well card was circulated for him. Next Sunday is the final day for signatures, so if you snooze you lose with this particular spring mission. Newly received mail and prison poetry was on display. Check out the front AND back of the display board! The paperback book drive for the juvenile detention center is winding to a close, so NOW is the time to bring whatever you plan to share.

We need your help in a couple other areas! Do you have unused space in your garage, basement, or storage unit to house some of Revolution’s chairs and items for our permanent building? We could save a lot of money on storage fees if somebody could help us meet this temporary need.

We also seek volunteers for our “Fishes and Loaves” program. If you would like to bless members of this church with a meal when they are temporarily incapacitated, we would love to add you to this much appreciated team. Mark your connection card if you feel led to serve. (Pardon the pun!)

Kevin and Brandi’s princess, Isabella Ward, celebrates her FIRST birthday March 8th! Pianist, Tammy Smit, celebrates her birthday March 9th. We are relieved and thankful that our Heather Smith is home and recuperating after a successful surgery!

The business meeting has been rescheduled for NEXT SUNDAY, March 13th immediately after church, so make plans to stick around to learn the latest about our building endeavors and our church budget. Next Saturday night remember to roll your clocks FORWARD one hour! Until we meet again, have a blessed week!

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February 29, 2016:

Good Morning! Happy Leap Day!

Yesterday we concluded the series, “Love and Sex” with a study on “storge love”, more commonly known as “family love”. Elder Bob Smith blessed us with a moving message from Genesis about Joseph’s dysfunctional family drama, and encouraged us to support and love each other within our church as if we were true family. The worship team kept with the family theme with their medley of “Daddy Sang Bass /Will the Circle Be Unbroken”. We shared in Communion.

Our monthly Prayer Meeting was held at the Smith’s home last night. Thank you for those who came out to pray for the members and the needs of our church. (Mark your connection card if you would like to receive weekly prayer requests from the prayer team.) While we are mentioning the Smiths, let us all support them in prayer as Heather goes in for surgery tomorrow. We sure do love these people, and we wish them nothing but good medical reports this week.

“Graybars Project” thanks everybody who is supporting the paperback book drive for the juvenile detention center’s library in Joliet. Remember to bring what you have Sunday as we want to make our delivery to them in the next couple of weeks. Special recognition is going out to Autumn and Rose Senecal who have gone above and beyond with the number of books they have contributed to this effort! The young offenders will surely clap and cheer when they see all the reading materials supplied by this giving family! Don’t you just love generosity?

Remember that group signatures are needed for inmates’ Easter cards. Take a few minutes next Sunday before or after service at the Graybars table, and help us send envelopes of sunshine to our brothers and sisters behind bars. Our previous group cards were received with tremendous appreciation. When we cause great big tough guys to burst into tears, we know we are making a difference! YAY, TEAM!

Nursery is teaching the Easter story using Resurrection Eggs, and we have been seeking your donations of items for this project. Thank you for contributing! If you would like to make a set for your own family, you will need an egg carton, a dozen plastic eggs labeled 1-12 and three silver coins. The church will supply the filler items as well as the scriptures and lessons for this fun craft.

Raise your wooden spoons if you love to cook! YOU are the people we seek to help with “Fishes and Loaves” ministry. Would you be willing to provide a meal for our members who are temporarily incapacitated because of illness or childbirth? This is a simple opportunity to be a blessing and remove the stress of meal preparation from good folk who need to rest and heal. Mark your connection card if you would like to learn more about becoming involved with this.

The stage crew thanks Joe and Chris Meskin who hustled and helped move equipment after service so we all could go home a bit earlier. Welcome, guys! You are appreciated! Volunteers are always needed here.

We have several birthdays this week: Jillian Corbin’s birthday is TODAY! What a cool day to be born! Not only does Justin Graniczny set up and tear down the stage, but he also blesses us on the congas. He celebrates on March 2. Deacon Darren Rych who apparently was born with a humongous brain and an extra pair of funny bones was born on March 3. Even though she has moved far away, we know our beloved Cathy Price will see this page across the miles, so we wish her a happy birthday on March 3, too.

Grandma Mildred Ferguson’s birthday is March 2, but she celebrated her 93rd this weekend with family and friends at the facility where is staying while her broken arm heals. Here is her new address if you want to mail her a card: KING’S DAUGHTERS AND SONS – ROOM 112, 3568 Appling Rd., Bartlett, TN 38133. Let’s also send her daughter, Pat Sennett, some love and prayers as she is healing from a nasty tumble in a parking lot. We hope there are brighter days ahead for this beloved family.

Next week Pastor Billy begins the March series called “I <3 My Church”. He also asks members to plan to stay for a brief business meeting immediately after service. Invite your friends and come worship with us!

Tammy

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February 22, 2016:

Hi, Folks!

Welcome! Today’s message was about “brotherly love” – PHILEO – NOT “Filet-o-Fish” as one was overheard calling it. LOL! Pastor Billy used scriptures from John 15:9-17. Bill Withers fans recognized the 1972 classic “Lean On Me”, and people told us they really enjoyed the country style version of “What A Friend We Have In Jesus” since the text focused on friendship. Not only can humans be our friends, but Mishel and Darren Rych were proud to introduce us to one of “man’s best friends”, their dog Leonard James, who recently earned his therapy dog certification! Lenny stayed after service for all kinds of lovin’ and pettin’ and belly rubs. We pray that Mishel and Lenny will be a successful pet therapy team and that God will give favor to Mishel’s counseling practice.

While we are talking about dogs, we offer up condolences to greeter, Oscar Hammerberg, who lost his beloved K-9 best friend, Buddy, last week. It’s been said that some dogs leave paw prints on your heart forever, and Buddy was one of those for him. Also, thanks so much to those who donated money, clothes, household items, and gift cards to help Oscar’s daughter’s family get back on their feet after their home burned on Super Bowl Sunday. Gifts were still coming in at church today. Between the dog and the fire, this family is walking through pain.

Nearly a dozen women attended Saturday’s “Hello, My Name Is” brunch at Heather Smith’s home in Mokena. Fresh fruit, bagels, and a yummy breakfast casserole was served. The guest speaker was our own wonderful Sue Mulder who opened her heart to share with the group. Thanks to all who cooked, cleaned, and rolled out of bed early to make this event successful!

Miss Penny is collecting items to help our little ones make “Resurrection Eggs” for Easter. If you have small artificial flowers, tiny nails, dice or heart-shaped beads at your house, please bring them to church.

Remember to bring in your gently used paperbacks that will be suitable for ages 10-17, and put in the Graybars Project collection basket. These will soon be donated to the juvenile detention center’s library in Joliet.

Congratulations to Autumn Hensle on being the newest hire at Aurelio’s Pizza! We are proud of him and expect with his sleight of hand skills he will quickly develop a magic trick that will make those hundreds of dirty dishes disappear!

Leslie Graniczny was hospitalized with pneumonia last week. We were happy to see her smiling face in church this morning. She surely can sympathize with our Grandma Mildred Ferguson who is in a TN hospital battling pneumonia now. Family tells us they believe she will be temporarily transferred to a skilled care facility while she regains her strength and ability to walk again following that nasty fall a few weeks ago.

Two of our sweet ladies share birthdates: Virginia Throne who faithfully tends nursery and Lisa Jasinski who enjoys signing cards for inmates were both born on Feb 24! Trailer packer Calvin Petersen will be blowing out birthday candles Thursday! Jake Grifford also celebrated his 20th birthday this weekend, and we send him good wishes! Happy 7th anniversary to Doug & Nichole Arnott!

Mark your calendar for two dates: February 28th, 6:30 pm, everybody is invited to prayer meeting at Bob Smith’s home in Mokena. This is a time to come together and pray for the needs of our church and our members. March 25th, 7pm is our Good Friday service. Invite friends NOW, before that holiday weekend is full for them.

Thanks for your attendance, your financial gifts, and for serving together so Revolution Church can continue to grow strong. There would be no church without all of us pulling together as we have done. Invite friends and join us for Communion next Sunday. We will be wrapping up the February series with a sermon about FAMILY LOVE, and it will be good! See you then!

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February 15, 2016:

Welcome Friends!

Thank you for joining us for Valentine’s Day! Since this month the sermon series is all about love, in addition to our usual praise and worship, the music team presented a fun medley of some well-known classic love songs that brought back some sweet memories for many of us. “Magic Autumn” outdid himself by creating professional Valentine balloon monkeys and flowers to share with random folks in the crowd. Pastor’s sermon focusing on erotic love was taught from various scriptures found in Song of Solomon, and this message was made memorable when several in the crowd were tossed fruits mentioned in the verses. We will never again eat raisins without grinning. That’s all we will say about THAT.

Graybars Project is now accepting new and gently used paperbacks suitable for youth aged 10-17. There were many books dropped in the collection basket at the exhibit, so thank you kindly for thinning your bookshelves. When we have a good amount, they will be donated to the library at the River Valley Juvenile Detention Center in Joliet. Remember to take a few minutes before or after church to enjoy YOUR exhibit. There are photos, art, announcements, and excerpts from inmate’s mail stemming from our Christmas card mail outs, and there should be fresh items posted every couple weeks as they arrive. Anybody and everybody is invited to join this team. Clipboard is on the exhibit table for sign -up!

We were called into action when we learned Oscar Hammerberg’s daughter’s home burned to the ground on Super Bowl Sunday. They lost everything, including their cats, and his son-in-law was burned. Thanks to each of you and also to generous friends outside of Revolution who pitched in to donate clothing, toiletries, household items, and money to help this young family get back on their feet. We think the world of our Oscar, and we are honored to give a hand up to his family.

Congratulations to Deborah Struck, the new Volunteer Coordinator at Franciscan Village in Lemont. She is in charge of all volunteers for the entire campus. She recruits, supervises, and assigns both resident and non-resident volunteers. Good for you, Deb! With your happy disposition, they will adore you there.

Bob Smith’s family was busting with pride to see Bob’s 90 year old father be honored at the Blackhawks game at the United Center last week. The team honors some veterans at each game, and Mr. Smith who served in the U.S. Navy in WWII had his moment in the spotlight, and we think this is just wonderful!

Lauren Gross’s family thanks you for your cards, calls and prayers during her surgery and stay in ICU. She is home and recuperating well. Mishel Rych is also home from the hospital and looking like a million bucks again. She and her very cool dog, Lenny, were just certified as a “Pet Therapy Team”, and he is now an official pet therapy dog. Two paws up for Lenny! Good boy!

Happy belated birthday to the cutest granny on the planet, Jan Poort! Happy Birthday to Tom Williamson, Kristi Leatherman, and Jimmy Leatherman all on Feb 15th. Little Alexia Rogers celebrates on the 17th! Alexia’s parents, Travis and Hannah, celebrate their anniversary this week, too.

Remember that the “Hello, My Name Is…” brunch for ladies will be 9-11 a.m., Saturday, Feb. 20th in Mokena at Heather Smith’s house. Thanks to all who RSVP’d. They are expecting a strong attendance for this fun fellowship event.

See you Sunday at 10. Pastor Billy will teach us about the third kind of love, “brotherly love”. Expect some new music and some fun stuff!

---- Tammy

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February 9, 2016:

Hi, Friends!

In spite of it being Super Bowl Sunday a good crowd joined us for church yesterday. Isn’t it encouraging to look out and see the faces of so many visitors? Pastor Billy’s February sermon series, “Love & Sex”, kicked off with teaching about one kind of love – AGAPE….. unconditional love. Text was from Matthew 26. Each week Pastor will teach about another kind of love. How timely is this since next Sunday is Valentine’s Day?

Tammy Smit updated the church regarding the success of the jail/prison outreach group, “Graybars Project”, and we applauded the fact like 859 Christmas cards were written and distributed to inmates by 40 volunteers who sacrificed precious holiday hours to remember those behind bars. 2015 volunteers were eligible for a prize drawing, and Jan Poort’s name was drawn! She is now the proud owner of a carousel horse colored pencil handkerchief drawing created and donated by one of the card recipients from Indiana State Prison in Michigan City. This is the same inmate who drew our logo art. He strongly believes in ourgroup and asked if he could help, so we were touched at his generosity toward us. Thank you, Fredrick!

After service many of you enjoyed studying the Graybars display of inmate photos, art, poetry, and excerpts from letters from card recipients. Thank you to everybody who signed the 18 group cards for the prisoners who have contacted us. Enthusiasm is contagious, and we have added several new volunteers! The current project is to bless River Valley Juvenile Detention Center in Joliet by helping stock their library with new orgently used PAPERBACKS. Approximately 700 youths aged 10-17 will spend time at this place in 2016. A collection box will be at the Graybars table for your donations.

We had been signing a group card to mail to Christian Hively in National Guard training, and were very surprised to see him walk into the church a month early. Unfortunately, his unexpected visit home was not a joyful one as his father died this week. We offer our love and condolences to Christian’s family.

Next Sunday we invite you to sign a group card for our Grandma Mildred Ferguson as her family and health care team determine the best path to take after a fall that broke her arm and left her with facial stitches. Her mailing address is 3574 Vanderwood Dr. Memphis, TN 38128 if you would like to surprise her with a little gift or card to remind her she is loved.

Ladies, “Hello My Name Is” brunch is open for all of you. RSVP for the Feb. 20th 9-11 A.M. Mokena event ASAP. We expect a good turn out and would love for you to be included! Just let us know you are coming so the folks doing all the work will know how much food to prepare.

Can we have some claps and cheers for James Getty, the handsome little fella in the wheelchair? He and his sweet mama, Samantha, have been coming to Revolution for many weeks now, and we like them lots! James is learning to operate a new device that will improve his communication skills, and for that reason Spaulding School is awarding him a 2016 Outstanding Student Technology Achievement Award! Now how totally cool is THAT? Introduce yourself and congratulate these folks next Sunday.

Sending best wishes across the miles to our sound guy, Doug Arnott, who has been working out of town for many weeks. Congratulations on your new job, Doug! We miss your family when you are not here!

Happy Birthday to our beautiful Leah Meyers who celebrated yesterday! Tyler Yost celebrates his birthday today! God blessings upon you both!

We will see everybody next Sunday at 10. Remember that is VALENTINE’S DAY. Guys, did you hear that? It is Valentine’s Day. There’s your friendly reminder six days in advance. Life is tough enough withouthaving to sleep in the doghouse. You’re welcome!

------- Tammy

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